Cielo Blue Mexican Grill and Cantina — Restaurant in Georgia

This was our first and likely our last visit to Cielo Blue Mexican Grill. We were not impressed in the least with the service here. At least on this particular Saturday that we stopped for lunch. There was only a handful of customer tables inside and outside total but there was an abundance of wait staff, some looking busy, but a larger amount of them standing around talking as if on break.

Ok.. so I can reason perhaps they were waiting for a food order, maybe for their assigned table to have customers seated or maybe their turn at the POS station. However, A.) There wasn't that many customers. B.) While they're waiting they should be cleaning OR at least out of eyesight and earshot from waiting customers. C.) A member of wait staff at any restaurant is part of a customer service team. If you're on the clock and not busy with your own assigned tables or cleaning... NEVER make a customer wait because it's not your table! (Visit Henry's Cajun Cuisine in Acworth, Ga. for a excellent example of teamwork).

We waited probably 10-15 minutes after being seated while various staff walking past or standing a short distance away made eye contact with us and then would purposely look away as to avoid interacting with us. We finally just called the next passing staff member over to our table and coincidentally right behind her was the waitress that was apparently assigned to our table. Well from the start to the end that waitress was less than congenial not even a smile..and not as attentive as most customers would expect from any waiter/waitress.

Personally, this experience is an example of why I've grown so tired of very poor service being an acceptable standard for the service industry now while blaming it on the pandemic.

But at this restaurant, on this particular Saturday, a lack of customers, being understaffed or overworked are obviously not factors here. I would instead suggest the underwhelming experience here is due to lowered expectations and an under-managed...

The only reason this restaurant gets any stars at all is a combination of the wait staff and atmosphere. I have been to this location 3 or 4 times since it has opened (in fact, our dollar was framed for being the first customers) and the only time I wasn't disappointed was when I went for a single drink. Yesterday was the final straw and I will not be back if I can help it. I went with my grandmother for their taco specials (0.99 per "gringo" style, 3.25 per street style). My grandmother ordered the ground beef 0.99 tacos and I ordered the carnitas, al pastor, and chicken street style. When our food arrived, it was all room temperature and the plates were just a little bit warm, likely from the dishwasher. All of the meat from my tacos were obviously 1-2 days old and dried out. We asked the server to heat the food back up to safe consumption temperatures and when he returned, it was still barely warm. The carnitas were basically inedible at this point, the al pastor tasted alright but still wasn't at a safe temperature, and the chicken was still room temp and bland. THIS IS A HEALTH HAZARD AND SOMEBODY WILL GET SICK. The ground beef tacos heated a little better so my grandmother ate her meal. In hindsight, we should have sent all of the food back, tipped the waiter for his time, and left. My grandmother and I both have pain in our stomachs today and it's not out of the realm of possibility it's because of the food here. As of today, I have warned my friends to stay away from this location if they want food, and now I warn you.

If you are only going for a drink, it is standard so you...

Sadly, the worse dining experience I have ever had. Called ahead on availability, they said no wait for 2 guests. Arriving 10 minutes later the reservation hostess says it's a 35-minute wait.

We wait. Diners are leaving only a few are going in. We're told they are shutting down stations since it's near the end of lunch. With a wait list???

We wait. 45 minutes later I go to check our reso status; the reservation hostess has disappeared and others are seating guests as they arrive, completely disregarding the wait list. I mention we have been waiting too long and can we please get service? We finally sit down in a nearly deserted section inside the restaurant.

We wait. For 11 minutes. No one shows up. I ask to speak to a manager - she's busy. Ok, send her to our table. As I return our server finally shows up. What to drink? Just two waters. (turns out the manager DID show, but only to provide chips and salsa and a drink order, no identification she was a manager).

I then stated we would like to order ASAP since we have waited too long. I tell the waiter my wife wants the coconut shrimp tacos - she receives a Coke and shrimp tacos. Only one water came to the table.

Fortunately the entrees were delicious and we were ready to leave after lunch. The server apologizes and got us a discount and coupon for the next visit. I reply there won't be a next visit, also stating the manager never showed up after an hour at the table (she finally showed as we got ready to leave, apologizing for our experience and politely reminding us that she was, indeed, a manager).

We won't...