On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina — Restaurant in Garland

My wife and I, who frankly eat out too much, frequent this On The Border restaurant, and have for some 10yrs. Overall, even though it like most restaurants these days (and I do means these days, because there was a day when you could dine at places and most of the time everything was just fine if not superb), we would frequently have issues. They were the usual issues, you know how it goes, your order didn't come out as requested, or there was something wrong with the food, or maybe the waiter/waitress was being short or testy! So we decided to go on the evening of Wednesday 7/23/25. Well we sat over by the windows on the bar side. The waitress was very cordial during the entire service, and after the debacle that transpired almost condescendingly so. She informed us that she she was training another waitress which of course was fine. She asked us about drink orders and if we were ready to order our food. We said no not yet to give us some time to decide. I'm the kind of person that tends to get the same thing that I know I like a lot but sometimes I venture and courageously decide I'm going to get something different. My wife strangely enough is kind of the same way. On this visit I thought I might bravely try something I don't typically order but that means really perusing the menu until I decide what I want that's not my usual or give up and just default to my usual. Well they brought my wife her Starry, and me my water (for now). She again asked us if we were ready to order our food, we replied not yet, we would let her know. Then just a minute later they brought us out the chips and salsa, and again asked us if we were ready to order, we replied again with a convicted not yet. At that time we ordered a bowl of Queso. One thing that gets me is when they bring you out there a bowl that really half a bowl because it's basically less than half full. This happened. I ordered an Unsweet tea with some sliced Lemon. A few minutes later I got my tea with one little slice of Lemon on the edge of my glass. So, I had to ask for more extra Lemon slices. By that time too, my salsa was already empty. The waitress didn't try to notice. I was empty then and when she delivered the extra Lemon and neither time did she try and notice if we needed anything. I was actually pretty thirsty when we got there and I had drank a bit of my water prior to getting my tea and the tea was full of ice so by that time my tea was ready for a refresh too, again no notice of that, but the waitresses were sure to ask us every time if we were ready to order. I don't know about you but first thing is that especially with two waitresses, you know 2 sets of eyes, the thing to do is scan the table while your there to see if your guests need anything and as well simply ask. Also, if the guest has repeatedly said that they were not ready to order yet and we were both still intently perusing the menu it's time to back off and let the guest hail you when they are ready to order. By now we felt rather badgered, our Queso has come out chincy, I had to use my wife's salsa for mine being out, my tea was in need of a refill and again, even the chips needed refreshing and things were not going well, but both of them were all smiles and their tone was very nice. So, I finally gave up trying to decide if I wanted anything else and we both just gave in to the pressure to order and ordered the usual. We both ordered off the Get any 3/4 menu. I love their Chili Relleno's and the Chicken w/Sour Cream sauce Enchiladas. My wife likes the same but she gets the fajita style Chicken in hers. We both got the Charro Beans. I asked for Queso over my Relleno's. After asking for refills on the chips, salsa and tea which we did receive promptly, the food came to the table about 10mins later. The kitchen didn't put the Queso on the Relleno's but the waitress was mindful and brought out 2 containers of the Queso and also a small container of Sour Cream Sauce which was great I really had plenty. But, I immediately noticed that something looked different then usual. Sadly...

We stopped by this location around 12:30pm, and Melissa was running a bit behind to come to us - but that's ok, me and my wife was not in any hurry to go anywhere else.

We ordered the food around 12:40pm: a border bowl beef, lunch CYO combo, 2 cups of tortilla soup, and drinks. The drinks did come out within a few minutes after Melissa put in the order, and we were waiting there until around 1pm when Melissa came out to apologize about the waiting and she did make sure we know that it was not her fault (?) that the food is not ready for us. Again, we were not in a hurry and I was curious to see how long we have to wait, I told my wife that we are not going to walk out.

At around 1:15pm, both the soup and the entrees came out at the same time (?), the soup was salty, the lunch CYO was salty, and the border bowl beef has no flavor. My wife did not eat the soup and just a few bites of the lunch CYO. I did eat all of my soup, but I was hungry and a bit of border bowl beef.

I was sitting right in front of the kitchen, so I was able to see what's going on in the kitchen.

The cook/chief was busy, he was by himself and working nonstop. The server (Melissa) was doing the best she could to have the food come out as soon as possible. There is a feeling that there is no management walking the floor. Should there be more than one cook/chief? Seem like our foods was being reheat/microwave; I did see the cook keep the microwave pretty busy. There is no sense of urgency in the restaurant (table behind did get cleaned up and look like the food was not very good to them either). Is there a manager on duty at that time? Does not feel like it to me. There were a few people working in the kitchen, but the cook is the only have a cap on him. Unless I am wrong, aren't the people in the kitchen required to wear hair nest or cap?

We asked for the check at 1:22pm, and left the store around 1:25pm, about 10 minutes after the food was brought to us. We spent 45 minutes waiting for the food, about 5 minutes to eat it, it is not a very good trade-off for our experience at your restaurant.

And please don't apologized for our experiences at your restaurant, just fix the issue. It is not the employees, it's...

First of all we went to this location 1 week before and the restaurant was about 30% occupied during the 7-8pm dinner hour. We waited for 5 minutes before anyone even acknowledged we had walked in the front door. We were finally seated and waited another 10 minutes before we decided to get up and leave due to the fact that we never were waited on. Tonight at 7:10pm I ordered curb-side pick-up on their website. When I first signed on I selected the quickest possible pick-up time available of 7:45pm. By the time I checked out my new assigned pick-up time was 8:00pm (It would have been 20 min. quicker to just go order it at the bar). I then arrived at 7:58pm and called the curb-side number on the sign. I waited through the long automated message, selected # 1 and never got to talk to a person to tell them I was there. After two more call in attempts, I finally got someone to pick up at about 8:05. The girl says she’ll check on my order and have it right out. Meanwhile, two other cars who had arrived after me (and likely gave up trying to call the to-go waiter) had walked in and just grabbed their order. At about 8:10pm I walked in and evidently my order had been sitting on the to-go counter the whole time. I questioned the young lady checking someone else out at the to-go register and she said she’s sorry but doesn’t know anything about it “cuz she don’t work in take-out” I got home 5 minutes later and my food was lukewarm the “grilled” chicken was bland and tasteless (like boiled chicken) the refried beans were watery, the fajita veggies were undercooked, and the chips were even mildly stale. I’m sure if management responds to this they will have the “We’re understaffed due to covid” excuse but my favorite local Tex-Mex is now on my don’t waste your time or money list. It is a shame that On the Boarder has not figured out how to operate at an acceptable service level in these new economic times we live in. THERE ARE OTHER LOCAL RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE FIGURED IT OUT & THAT IS WHERE I’LL SPEND MY HARD EARNED MONEY…NOT ON THE BOARDER on GEORGE BUSH FRWY. IN...