La Senorita Restaurant — Restaurant in Garfield Township

We really were hoping to find a new Mexican food go-to in Traverse City; unfortunately, La Señorita was not it. The review that follows is not intended to slam the place, rather to offer constructive feedback. Our server, Colleen, did a really nice job. She was attentive - noticing all the small pieces of chips we had received, as though we had received the crumbs from the bottom of the bag - and offered to bring a new basket. (On that note, having been served both a basket of chips at the outset, and chips to accompany the queso we ordered, that both servings had so many small and broken chips lent to the perception they were from a bag v. freshly made onsite.) In addition to being very attentive, our server could speak to the menu, offering details about the items we made inquiry. Additionally, she was friendly, had a natural ability to build rapport, and was clearly a dedicated employee and fan of her place of employment. The interior was colorful, bright, open, and fun. It reminded me of my first job, laden with fantastic memories, at an El Torito-La Fiesta restaurant: Tequila Willies. Unfortunately, tho it was not as clean. The thick layers of dust atop fixtures was kind of gross. The food. We started grazing on the queso before even trying the salsa. We both commented on the chunky texture, bit of a kick, and overall flavor. It was a hit. I thought I must have just gotten an unfortunate combination in my first stab at the salsa. It had a very watery taste. Ditto the green salsa. Going in for another bite of each, I was taken aback the bites were not unfortunate dips. Well, they were, just not for the reasons I had initially considered. Both salsas were very watery with minimal flavor. I still don't get that. It's as though the base of each WAS water with some tomatoes and onions added to the red, and some crushed tomatillos to the green. I am not intending to be mean, I was/am just surprised: the salsas were the least flavorful of any salsas I've eaten in other restaurants. As our entrees were being set before us, we were engaging in conversation with the server. As soon as my taco salad came into sight I immediately stopped hearing what our server was sharing with us completely stunned at what had been set before me. I literally started counting the black olive slices sparsely sprinkled about the perimeter and diced tomatoes piled in the center. I hadn't even noticed the thin slices of shredded cheese at that point, and upon doing so, was equally stunned at how little cheese had been sprinkled. Having worked in the service industry at various points in my life - all I could think was how could someone on a line allow that salad to leave the kitchen. I mean, it looked nice. The shell was uniform and nicely baked, not burnt; the lettuce was fresh and crisp; the chicken had been evenly dispersed; the black olives and cheese had been thoughtfully sprinkled about as had the scoop of diced tomatoes. It was just how lost those few items of color stood out atop the bed of lettuce. Having read another's review of the taco salad, I kind of felt that second-hand embarrassment and privately chuckled to myself thinking they hadn't exaggerated. Fortunately, for it not been for that review, I wouldn't have ordered additional items for the salad: jalapeños, sour cream, and guacamole. Yet, in-spite of ordering those items, that little salad just did not have a ton of flavor. I don't get it. How can sour cream taste so bland? How can guacamole also be so tasteless? Why not season the chicken - or more, if it was seasoned? The saving grace were the jalapeños. There was no hiding the natural flavor of that pepper. Overall, it was an okay experience. As stated, the server did a really nice job and looking past the dust yielded many signs and artifacts at which to look. However, as for the food (exception: queso) it is was just not what we had hoped. Having leaned on La Señorita's overall rating motivating us to give it a try, we will give more credence to actual reviews...

Went there today for the first time after hearing my old ladies family rave about their experiences. Well today was one of the worst meals I have ever had at a Mexican restaurant. Let’s start with the only good thing that came out of the meal the chips and salsa. The chips were warmed and salted and the red salsa was pleasant as well as the salsa verde. But that’s where the good things come to an abrupt end.

I had ordered the steak and chicken sizzling fajita and my old lady ordered the wet burrito and nacho combo. My sizzling fajitas came out not sizzling, the peppers and onions had two small green peppers the rest were onions. The portion size of the meat that I got was about 6oz. But here is the worst part. They do no serve you steak at all with the fajitas. I was informed by staff they use the beef that’s supposed to get shredded for their shredded beef instead of actual steak. The steak tasted like a frozen beef stew meat and would have went really well with a side of potatoes and carrots smothered in gravy. The chicken on the other hand was not nearly as bad as the steak. Cooked correctly and still held its moisture. Bottom line they have on their menu steak but instead give you a cut of meat more commonly known as a roast and at an exorbitant price of $20 and there was only enough meat there to make two small street tacos!

On to my old ladies wet burrito and nachos. The sauce on top of the wet burrito was tasted similar to something you would get out of a hot dog chili can. And her nachos resembled something I would have slapped together with left over taco meat on top of tortilla chips and covered with cheese then microwaved. It made the chips extremely chewy and almost impossible to eat.

In conclusion I will probably never give my business to this restaurant ever again. Not because the food was horrendous but because they lied and gave me a lesser quality cut of beef instead of actual steak. Then passed it off as steak going as far as telling the servers not to tell the customers about it...

My wife and I dropped in after shopping and had lunch We've been there a gazillion times over the years. Atmosphere is always entertaining to the eye as you see all the bric-a-brac scattered on the walls and ceiling. I always spot something I hadn't noticed before. There was no line, the place was about a third capacity. We were seated quickly and a server came by shortly after for a drink order. When our drinks arrived, and we always have a margarita (because if nothing else, they have margs down to a science!), my wife still needed a minute to decide, so the server departed. I was quick to notice that one had been served in a broken glass, and singled it out. The manager just happened by so I asked her for a replacement, which was promptly done. We placed our order, the food arrived shortly after. My wife had a huge burrito and I ordered taco salad. Wife's meal was delicious, mine was lame. I mean, it had all the potential of a great salad but it's like someone quit half way thru making it. I had shredded beef, lettuce and cheese in a taco bowl. That was it! I added the leftover salsa on the table and the sour cream my wife was offered. It was ok. My wife reminded me that our daughter warned us years ago not to no ever order the taco salad. Apparently I had forgotten. She also told me that all employees were trained in the kitchen before they ever were released to the floor. This server was clearly not in the game. Rather than add to their problems, we just ate and left. La Seniorita needs to step up their game. I don't think I'll be back...