Don Cafe Restaurant — Restaurant in Florida

If it's possible to post a negative star I would. I got severe food poisoning from this place from a drink. The drink didn't taste right. It had an aftertaste that I didn't expect for what I had ordered. It also appeared unusual for what you'd expect of the drink. I made that observation to my companion but since it was hot it didn't occur to me to dump it. Within a few hours I had the runs, and by the next day I was very ill, fever and chills and all, and I ended up in urgent care. There was zero possibility of cross-poisoning from elsewhere. Never stepping in this place again.

FOLLOW-UP: Google does not give the option to reply to the owner's reply, so I am going to update my original post here.

The doctor set me for lab tests and found salmonella food poisoning, put me on a full course of antibiotics, and other meds. I have no history of food poisoning so this has been extremely rough experience for many days. When I am unhappy with restaurant food or service I usually don't care to post a review. But in this case I make the exception because salmonella poisoning is so rough and no one should have to go through this.

To the owner's reply below to my original post: thank you for the sympathetic gesture but too little too late for what I have gone through. I am afraid the claim that you have never had food poisoning at the restaurant actually confirms the carelessness with which my drink was prepared. Context is important, so here it is: we waited for our drinks for some 25 minutes on a mid-morning. Just regular drinks. Nothing sophisticated. We thought it took longer than necessary to get drinks so we checked with the cashier at the counter about the drinks. She was deeply apologetic and genuinely distressed that our order had taken so long. She called a server to follow up and bring our drinks. This server looked obviously overwhelmed and upset or angry about something. She soon brought out our drinks, but in hindsight, it is clear whoever prepared the drinks was utterly careless with mine. My companion ordered a coffee, (thus little possibility of cross-contamination). Mine was a juice drink (I am intentionally leaving it unnamed). And the rest is the original post above.

I know people don't read reviews when they are typically hungry (I wish I had before we passed by this place), but perhaps someone will read this and think twice about going to a restaurant where the staff are stretched thin. This is clear from more of the negative...

Well... how can I describe my last 2 meals here... food is not getting any better, I ordered the churrasco medium rare and they did it well done, I wait for the waitress but she pass by me and the food was getting cold so, we let it go. The salad (lettuce) was yellow and I wanted Ceasars dressing, the brought a different one. BEFORE ALL THIS, I ordered sweet plantains and ropa vieja, when the food arrive it was tostones. I asked if I can get my order right and the lady just ignored me, didnt come to check on us again. Is like... you have to eat what they want to serve you and not what you want. We are living in their world and feels like our food preference is not correct. Too sad. But! The worst part is that Reina(or Reyna) our waitress today, she auto charge 18% for her tip. Now, mind you that I used to be a waitress too and I know most of the restaurants charge that for parties over 6, or they put on their menu if they charge the tip. But that was not the case here, just my husband, our 2 daughters and me. For the past 2 times eating here I tip more than 22% and when we asked her for the reason she ignored us, and a different lady took our payment. Then she says it was because we didnt order over 50.00, not true... but anyway, is awful that they take advantage of customers, without explaining their doings, no manager available to discuss our concern. Thankfully we tried twice before giving up here, not coming back for all...

We Use to love to come here but Todays experience just made us never to comeback and better yet never again to recomend this restaurant. I came with my family and sat on the tables outside. The server took forever to Take our drinks order, then forever to comeback and take our food order. After a looong time waiting for our food, the Food was COLD. My kids fries where cold, my husbands steak was cold and overcook, the rice, the beans and yuca...all cold. i ask the server to bring us one more drink and two extra plates, my kids had already finish eating the burgers and the extra plates never came. There where no napkins. When she finally brought the drink, she didnt left a straw. Another waiting time. I had to send my daughter for a straw and napkins and when she went inside ,the server and the cooker where king about my husband refusing the dinner because it was cold. The service is very bad. They could care less. Thew owner needs to do a better job at hiring and training. Clearly This server doesnt care. I rather take my money somewhere else and recomend other restaurants with higher customer...