La Fonda — Restaurant in Lafayette

Most of the low reviews are just sad. They amount to people not being local and expecting this to be a more formal environment OR locals that were regulars yet still surprised at this being a very local hangout restaurant full of locals even after multiple visits. Can't fix stupid.

This place often has extremely long waits... most places will never be able to cook a meal worth waiting 2+hours if you are already hungry no matter how good they really are.

Come early or come willing to socialize to pass time. Don't wait forever and be mad if they can't seat you at the end of the night. That was your choice to wait and not a reason for a low rating.

Some expect more than what they actually ordered. Ask questions or read the description as it reads. It's not a reason for a low rating.

Some of the food is excellent, and some of it is just ok... again, it is a local hangout, so that's to be expected. Wait times for such places are usually long even if the food isn't good at all. Here, there are lots of choices that are great and great drinks.

If you go to a place and see that it is a local hangout that should weigh your expectations. Being disappointed that it is not a fine dining, quiet atmosphere experience isn't a good reason to down rate any place. Especially if you have already been here multiple times and should know better.

It is what it is and should be judged on the category it fits best.

A local hangout with a very friendly hangout atmosphere where people all know each other (like a happy reunion dinner) that has great drinks and mediocre to amazing food. Also, it has a good "off menu" selection that has some great options.

This place is a staple and well worth the experience if you can get seated in a reasonable timeframe. If the wait is too long, just come another day and make better plans to get in.

Enjoy the social culture, or go someplace without it.

I love the atmosphere. It's a gem to find a place like this if that's...

Attended a birthday party on a Thursday night for a friend with a group of 12. Place was not very busy. I can understand dealing with a large group can be difficult, but server was MIA for several minutes on numerous occasions. Maybe he was attending to a large group in the back also. I personally had to ask another waiter to get him. Drinks were good as usual (at their price they should be!), but service was poor and food was below average. One customer was actually overcharged $4 for a drink on the drink menu. Customer did catch it and server made correction. Had to ask numerous times for water for everyone at table. Service was so bad, one member of the party at table went to back to get chips and salsa himself for table!!! FYI - if you bring your own cake they charge you a $10 "cake service" fee and $9 to put a clown on top of the cake. NEVER heard of this before! We were not told any of this beforehand and found out when we got the bill!!!! Maybe just...

The hospitality is always fantastic and the service is always supreme. We always have the best waiter in the house every time we go. Once or twice I've had someone pull out a chair for me (the owner maybe?). The sangriaritas are devastatingly delicious! I like to taste the tequila and they are wonderfully balanced, all throughout the pitcher. I got cheese enchiladas last night and I failed to notice that it was served with a beef sauce, if I'm not mistaken. I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't enjoy meat too much and was surprised to find a meat sauce with cheese enchiladas. Definitely my personal error for not checking the description. They were pretty good, nonetheless. However I felt like the cheese was fake. It looked and tasted like Velveeta. My bf had to spit out a piece of meat he had been eating because he said it probably "wasn't separated correctly." The drinks, staff and atmosphere are definitely 5 stars... but the main dishes...