La Cocina Mexican Restaurant Garner #6 — Restaurant in Garner

Has gone very far downhill, It used to be wonderful, hot and fresh, and plenty on the portion side. I used to eat there 3-4 times per week, EVERY week for over a year. I LOVED LA cocina, However for the past 6 months the portion sizes have dwindled and gotten smaller and smaller, started noticing the meats were reheated due to the speed of preparation and it being Luke warm and tough as nails. There is no possible way you can cook to order an order of fajitas in under 3 minutes. My food was ordered, plated, and handed to me in under 3 minutes. Takes longer than that to even cook the veggies. And if you've ever reheated chicken, I'm sure you've noticed the dried out funky taste when it's in the microwave too long. Well this tastes exactly like that and tougher than my work boots, couldn't even chew it. I could understand if it happened just once or twice, you know we're all human and mistakes happen, but it's been this way for the past 6 months. And When I tried to return it they said they don't give refunds. Shame, I've been a long time happy customer here but I can now say I will NEVER return.

Picture is for the portion size, not even half a pan of food. Inedible food at that.

"""UPDATE""

a year or 2 has passed since I posted the above review. I went back yesterday to see if they had gotten any better as this used to be one of my favorite restaurants. Unfortunately no change. Went in and ordered the same dish (mixed fajitas) and again my food was ordered...prepared...and brought to the table in under 5 minutes. And again tough chewy and inedible... a concrete indicator that they are still microwaving leftover food from the day prior and selling it full price as if cooked to order. if you prefer fresh made to order food however goto the la cocina just down the road in Clayton. They cook to order and don't reheat their trash to...

The parking lot is small and shared with other businesses. There is more parking in the back and a backdoor to enter from. You'll just have to walk through the restaurant to the front to then be seated. When we initially entering the restaurant through the front door, there were 4 teenagers just staring at us. No one greeted us and honestly stared blankly at us while talking to one another which was awkward. I finally said "Um, Okay" and told them how many people total. We were seated quickly though. Our server was nice and attentive which is why the rating is at a 2, solely based on our server. We were disappointed with the lack of flavor and seasoning in the food from the rice to the main courses we had, all were flavorless. We had to ask for seasoning to top it off. The meat in the fajitas were tough but the menu advertises "tender beef". The salsa was good but only after a pinch of salt was added. The chips and tortillas were not warmed up and arrived to us cold, we just made due. Overall, we will not be returning to this location. They did have a great variety on the menu to choose from but I'll choose quality over quantity. Upon leaving, there was crowds of employees between the hostess and registers by the door. Thankfully we had great service but it makes you wonder if every table has the same level of service when a lot of the employees are standing around as much as they were. The main restaurant was clean but there was some weird red substance lining the bathroom wall of the women's...

If you're looking food delicious, inexpensive mexican food, look no further.

I've been here throughout my my life and have never been disappointed. The food has always been delicious, fast, and hot. You'll never receive cold food. The only thing I'm a little not happy with (I can live with it) is sour cream is about a dollar extra. Other than that, everything is delicious. I especially love the queso.

The restaurant is clean, tidy, and has a relaxed, home feel to it.

The staff are always welcoming and friendly. They will take best care of you and give you that best customer experience possible.

They don't have a lot of parking in the front, but there is plenty in the back if those are filled. Again, been going here for years, never realized there was a back lot until about 2 years ago.

Depending on the time of day, this place can get very busy. If you go on a weekend arpund dinner time, there will probably be a short wait. If youu go on Cinco De Mayo, expect there to be a long wait. As with most places, the wait time depends on what's going on, if there's a celebration going on that day, and just the general time of day.

Love this place, it's a little hidden so if you haven't been here before, swing by this place when your hungry and have some free time, I promise they won't...