El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Lakewood

We normally have great experiences here, but today was severely lacking and we don't plan on coming back.

For starters, we had to wave down a waitress to order our drinks, then a few minutes later someone came by asking our drink order. Then a few minutes later, our waiter (who we just now see for the first time since sitting down 10 minutes ago) comes by and asks our drinks. Again, we repeat our order. Then several minutes later, we get chips and salsa (still not even a glass of water at this point) and when we inevitably eat all the salsa while waiting several more minutes to place our order, we ask for more and eventually we get to order our food. My wife ordered the chicken molé, because it was on special today, I got the enchiladas rancheras plate, and our friend got the carnitas burrito.

When the food came, it all looked great! Our friend took a bite of her burrito and looked a bit disappointed, because the meat was literally just bland pulled pork, and the sauce was sweet for some reason? I cut into my enchiladas—which on the menu are filled with cheese by default, and chicken or beef costs extra— and found chicken that i neither asked for nor wanted; I'm trying to cut out as much meat as possible, and when the waiter didn't ask if i wanted chicken or beef, i naturally assumed they'd be cheese, which is what i wanted if he'd have been kind enough to clarify my order. My wife's molé was also very bland and not at all what she expected flavor-wise.

We sent back my plate, and they returned with beef and i just... Gave up at that point and resigned myself to the beef while trying not to cry. When the ticket came, we were confused to find that they'd added a side of jalapeño-something for some reason, that the molé was $3 more expensive than advertised, and that they charged me for the meat enchiladas that i, again, didn't ask for in the first place.

The receipt picture attached is after we tried to correct the molé pricing to match the special on the board outside. My wife had to go outside and take a picture of the board to prove that the price was still more expensive than it was supposed to be.

And all this isn't to mention how ignored we felt while there; the waiter was joking and laughing with another table while we had not been so much as greeted yet. Overall, very disappointed. Even if they were short staffed, we shouldn't have had to fight to get our food and receipt corrected.

And we never got that salsa...

In my life, that place was the worst experience in a restaurant, it turns out that on that afternoon I pretended to enjoy dinner with my beloved husband, and I made my order, a simple smader burrito of shuaderbeef with extra cheese on top, and when the waiter delivered me my plate look that my burrito's tortilla was not covered with dalsa smather, that some parts of tortilla were dry and hard and had no cheese on it. and when I called the waiter he replied very annoying that if I could put more sauce and that I would have to pay an extra charge for the extra that I would pay my plate, , I tell you young I am not asking for extra, I just want my dresser to be served as ordered because does not even have the cheese I order, the young man told me that I also stole my plate and took it, while that happened my husband already I had received his order, by the time I gave my order I had changed my burrito of meat broken by ground beef, and if something I am sure, I never liked the ground meat of the restaurants. Then, when I saw that it was not what the waiter had ordered, he had already left my table, and my husband continued to eat his food so that he did not eat it cold, look for the superbisor because my waiter did not look at him anywhere, and the superbisor only said that he would order my food again for the third time and make sure it was correct, by the time he returned to my table my husband had already finished eating. I prepared to tire my order and neither the supervisor nor the waiter apologized and did not pay any attention to me for having cornered that special time that was for me to take the signal with my husband, definitely, if the time to share food With your family or loved ones it is important and special never ballan to this place, I do not...

I am a food critic veteran and after today's lunch visit, felt compelled to leave a review. We entered the establishment and was greeted by no one. A hostess eventually seated us. I ordered a combo special with the addition of chicken to my enchiladas. We asked for water twice prior to our food arriving. When our food arrived, my enchiladas did not have chicken. The waitress took my plate and returned 5 minutes with the exact same plate with chicken added. I took a few bites and discovered a black hair in the corner of the Chile relleño. I reluctantly told another waitress and our waitress came to the table. I told her of the hair, she then barked at me WHERE IS IT?! I pointed to the hair. She huffed and stated GIVE ME YOUR PLATE! As she left, she shook her heasd back and forth and mumbled things that were inaudible. Another waitress came asking if a wanted something else. I ordered another dish and moments later another waitress (I believe or a very young manager) stated they will take off the first meal with hair on it, but the new meal will be added to the bill. I agreed and she briskly walked off. The waitress did not come by our table the remainder of our visit, only the clear dishes and place our bill. When she would pass our table, she would giggle and avoid any interaction in our direction. The other dish was swimming in butter (the shrimp scampi) yet I felt compelled to eat half of it and none of the sides the dish came with (withered vegetables). I was nearly in tears leaving this unapologetic restaurant with sub par food. I wish to not leave any star rating but its necessary for a review. Please seek other Mexican food options and stay away from this restaurant; what an incredibly kitchen...