Reforma Modern Mexican — Restaurant in Four Corners States

Yesterday my daughter and I ate a late lunch at this restaurant. We sat outside. There were some tale tell signs that we should have left but we pressed forward. We arrived around 2:30 so no crowds - lunch is over.

We were seated across from a dirty table. To get perspective, we are outside on the patio, near the fireplace- there are only two tables adjacent each other. Our table and the dirty table.

It took a seemingly inordinate amount of time to get water. When the waitress brought the water she asked if we wanted anything else to drink. The first drink ordered was the Barrel Aged Margarita. After my daughter confirmed water was enough for her, I was told the Barrel Aged Margarita was unavailable due to the need to age a new batch. Ok. I order the Classic Margarita flight and trio of guacamole. The table across from us is still dirty.

When the guacamole arrived we had to ask for plates, utensils and straws from the waiter ( not our waitress). The cups containing the guacamole were smeared with guacamole. One of the trio had pico de gallo that had obviously been sitting so long that the liquid from the tomato had settled on the side.

Visual presentation. F Food quality C

My margarita flight arrives. After a brief examination of the flight I see I am given two slices of lime. After closer examination I see the limes are not freshly cut. In fact the limes have cuts in them as if the were taken off other glasses. The limes are so old that the skin has begun to curl in. Ok. But this place raves about the selection of tequila and mezcal they have so I think the margaritas must be good. Really? Although flavorful - bloody orange and prickly pear, original just ok and no hint of tequila in all three.

Drink presentation. F Drink quality. D

Waitress comes buy and ask if everything is ok and we ask to order lunch. My daughter orders shrimp tacos and I order enchiladas suizas. We ask her for more chips.

After some time, the chips have not arrived. A waiter passes and we ask him for chips. Chips do not arrive. Our food is brought out by a different person. We ask her for chips. Shortly, the third person brings the chips. The other table is still dirty.

My daughter ordered shrimp tacos and received two with black beans. She said they were light and ok. I received enchiladas with Spanish rice, black beans and shredded cabbage and two slices of radish. The shredded cabbage is mentioned on the menu - which I am still trying to figure out. It looked like shredded angel hair coleslaw you get out of a bag. The enchiladas were less than ok. My stomach began to hurt while eating the first one. I say this just as an aside. I wasn’t going to get to the second or third because they tasted like nothing. The table across from us is still dirty.

Visual Presentation C Food Quality D

The waitress comes and asks if we need anything. I say, “The check.” We are not eating but food is left. She asks if we need boxes. We say no. She doesn’t ask if something is wrong.

The meal is 61.00 and she presents an electronic bill that already has 20% selected - so 73.00 an change. I pay the bill. Why you may ask do I give this horrible waitress 20%. I don’t think this waitress is going to have a job very long because I think this restaurant must be in trouble.

Overall Presentation D Overall Quality D

Save yourself the aggravation of a poor meal, that cost too much and a stomachache! The ratings are generous - like my tip.

JUST DON’T GO...

Today is my Birthday. I came down from Tempe to celebrate with my family, some from Tucson some from out of town as well. We decided to come to Reforma instead of HiFi like normal to try something different. A few of us decided to get bottomless mimosas for $15 as we had something to celebrate. Initially our server Amber was nice and attentive but slowly started to lose interest in serving us as we were a party of 13 sitting at a long table. They forgot to bring my sisters entrée and Amber asked her three seperate times if she still wanted it and every time my sister told her yes after that when she came to provide the entree she threw it down on the table in front of my sister and we thought it might have been an accident and let it go. After another sister of mine asked for a refill on her mimosa a few seperate times before she decided to give it to her although we saw her going around to other tables several times filling before she actually acknowledged my sister's request. And to top everything off I asked her for a refill on a couple people's mimosas as I had enough when she decided to tell me "OK but I'm not sure how much more I can give because the bartender thinks you guys are getting sloppy" I look over to the bar area where they refill and I saw no one and I respond with "oh no this is for them I no longer need one" and she responded with "yeah just keep it down if not I can't serve you". At first I stopped to think and look around waiting to see what the bartender supposedly saw but there was nothing wrong with my family nor were we acting "sloppy". The bartender would only come out to drop off jugs of mimosas at the bar and then would go to the back to the kitchen never once in the two times after we were called "sloppy" did he turn our way. I realized everyone around us was just as loud if not louder as there is a DJ playing music to the point you have to speak up if you want someone at the end of a 10+ table to hear you but not to a point to distract other parties. I asked for a manager as I was upset realizing there was no reason for her to use such a word to describe myself nor my family. The manager, John, apologized for her actions and stated he understood that she shouldn't have used that word but didn't seem sincere and sincerity goes a long way in customer service. I feel if you don't want people to be as loud you can lower your music and if you don't feel people can be tipsy at your restaurant don't serve bottomless mimosas or bottomless anything. And I don't feel like that word should be used to describe a paying customer, there are many ways to kindly and respectfully tell someone they are cut off. I've never felt more disrespected by a server than I did today. Also, for the embarrassment of my family who went out of their way for me. The fact that I'm taking time out of my birthday to let you all know how poorly your server is should be enough. Customer service is my job as well and I would never treat a customer how you treated my family and me. I will more than likely never go back and encourage anyone else I may know or encounter to not go there and if you know anything about service it should be that word of mouth is the strongest form of...

Absolutely horrible experience the last three times I've been here. This restaurant used to be one of my favorite in Tucson because of the beautiful ambience on the patio, the live music at nights, and the great modern Mexican dishes & craft cocktails. I have previously recommended countless friends and family here, but I most definitely just cannot anymore after several bad experiences with staff.

First of all, the last three times I've visited, the hostesses have been some of the most unwelcoming, unfriendly and pretentious-attitude hostesses I have ever interacted with. ( I grew up hostessing at a very high-end restaurant in a tourist town and can assure you that it doesn't take a high level of effort to smile and professionally interact with guests). We were given a 10-15 wait time for the servers to catch up, no welcome or greeting. 20-25 minutes later, I walk back in to check in for an update and the hostess looks annoyed that I politely asked for an update. (we simply wanted to decide whether we would be ordering drinks at the bar first). She tells us that they're still waiting for servers to catch up with a tone of annoyance again and then someone else comes over to seat us about 2 minutes later.

We're seated outside and the live music and patio is beautiful as always, and then our server, Veronica comes to our table. She doesn't introduce herself with a smile or ask us anything but if we'd like any drinks besides water. We explain that we were looking for one of the margarita fishbowls for the table on the menu and after we asked for recommendations for marg flavors, she instead says "ill just read you the list" and proceeds to list off every flavor. We pick a flavor and then she says she'll be back with cups, plural. We were confused because we had specified we were looking to order a large group fishbowl drink. We fill up the rimmed water glasses with the cocktail mix in a small water pitcher, filled 3 glasses, left with about an inch remaining in the container. (mind you we were charged $56 for it). Then, we order appetizers and our mains, requesting that our appetizers come out first. She did a great job timing that-- I'll give her that. We had to ask our food runner for more chips, because she never checked on those or asked if we'd like more despite having a bunch of queso and guac left.

The food was great as always, and we couldn't complain about that at all, but our waters were never refilled, we were never asked how anything was tasting, and we were never asked if we'd like to order another drink or dessert. Even when she brought the check there was no smile, no thank you have a wonderful night--nothing.

I'm not sure if the reason I keep having this problem with servers + host staff here is only when I come with younger friends and they don't bother to treat us like guests because of age or what, but I have been disappointed time and time again and can't rationalize coming back and spending money here until these issues are addressed by management.

Staff, especially hosts and servers make a large part of the guest experience and this is some of the worst service I've had in Tucson in 4+ years. Skip until they hire new...