El Tequileno Family Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Lakewood

I've been in Lakewood for 30 years but never tried this place when I first noticed it a few years back. Always wanted to, though. I kept seeing the commercials lately about their newest Golden location, so I thought I'd try the Lakewood location since I always have been meaning to try it for many years anyway.

The chips and salsa were very good and the chips were nice and warm. The meal I had was just average. The chili rellano was nice and crispy, but it had hardly any chili in it and was mostly loaded with cheese. There was no green chili or melted cheese smothered over the chimichanga at all, but was instead topped with big scoops of sour cream and guacamole. A bit different than what I was used to. The chicken inside the chimichanga was kinda dry and not very flavorful, so I had to keep washing it down with my Pepsi (they gave no water like one would normally expect and get at any other Mexican food restaurant).

Staff were friendly, and the service was good but could have been better. Server kept asking if everything was OK but never offered to refill my Pepsi that I had to keep washing down my dry chicken chimi with.

The empty cup was in plain view by the edge of the table with ice filling over half the cup. So when she came back the 4th time, I nicely asked for a refill, and when it was brought over, most of the ice was melted. It was warm and syrupy with no carbonation this time.

I could tell it had been sabatoged all just because I had to nicely ask for a refill rather than them doing their job earlier to refill it for me automatically way earlier. How hard is it to notice an empty glass and say, "Would you like another Pepsi, sir?" rather than force me to ask you 20 minutes after I ran out and then give me warm syrup instead of the nice, same, bubbly Pepsi I had the first time??

Because of this part of my experience being negative, and because the food was just average and didn't really stand out, I...

The food here is absolutely disgusting. You take a look at the menu and the prices are ridiculously high for a plate of subpar Mexican food. We were a table of 9 3 adults 6 kids, my husband ordered chilaquiles which was basically some corn tortillas drenched in some sort of red sauce that he did not like what’s so ever. My husband doesn’t like to send food back but I told him he needed to considering it’s a 17 dollar plate. When the waitress came back I told her he didn’t like it. And she proceeded to ask what was wrong with it. He told he I just didn’t like the way it tasted,she then asked what did it taste like? At this point I was getting really mad cause why are you asking 100 questions take the plate back and it should get comped. She right away made it clear that it wouldn’t get comped - in my head she made up her mind of that she didn’t have any intention to ask for it to get comped. My friend who came with is the ONLY PERSON out of 9 people who ate most of her food. The kids didn’t even touch their food that’s how disgusting it is. We get the bill back and it was 140 dollars!!! My friend pays for everyone’s meal we get the kids up and we head out the door. As we are right outside the door the waitress comes up to, my friend is holding the door open with her back we have kids talking very loudly and my friend also has three boxes of food stacked in her one hand. The waitress told her she could not accept the ten dollar bill which was her tip! Because it had a tiny tear in it! That’s their “policy” my friend drops her boxes of garbage food on the ground. Takes the ten and gives her back a 5 dollar bill. Had it been me I wouldn’t have given her anything. This place is gross overpriced and the service is just as bad...

This is becoming our Mexican food go-to. It had become a little bit iffy, quality wise, lately - never bad but didn't encourage desire to return soon. For last visit I had tacos a carbon. Good enough in flavor profile but left me hungry. My wife had the same yesterday and it seemed like a different plate, it was perfect.

This visit I had a burrito dorado with carnitas inside. This is the only place I have seen a fried burrito and my ordinarily stubborn insistence on tradition, as I know it, should have gotten in the way but I glad it didn't. Everything about this baby was exactly what I hope for in Mexican food in America. Carnitas were created with care and it's amazing that came through in a smothered burrito! The side of green chile that came with was a pleasant surprise and was the first time I have tried it by itself, not on something. It had good flavor that I didn't expect from its loose gravy like consistency.

All guests are greeted by chips, salsa and a cabbage centered veggie ceviche. I love ceviches of all varieties and tried to find out what the citrus medium was. The waitress said it's a house recipe FOR the house. I'm guessing it's lime and vinegar and would like to know what vinegar. They were model chips for a family restaurant and salsa is just right (more salsa please! No problem sir!).

Our server was sweet, knowledgeable and attentive. The manager swung by too. Lunch prices well matched with the products.

I feel like I have just wrote my way to making this a 5 star rating but recent disappointment are causing hesitation. I look forward to returning soon, being equally satisfied and giving up...