Santiago's Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Lakewood

I have always enjoyed the food at Santiago's, and I do not mind standing in line or waiting from time to time because it is worth it, but the wait today was HORRIBLE!!!!! I waited for 35+ minutes for SIX breakfast burritos!!!

After about 20 minutes of watching everybody go through the line and get their food, I was still standing there and I decided to ask for an estimated time about my order. The front staff was very rude and told me to be patient because they were very busy, then blamed me in a patronizing tone saying "well, it's your fault sir because you ordered your food without meat". Then told me if I did not want to wait that they could give me my money back!

I understand being busy and COVID-19 is messing with peoples staffing capabilities, but it took me over 30 MINUTES to get six breakfast burritos and the staff did not apologize and told me I was not being patient and needed to be more patient next time.

I hope for the restaurant's sake, this was only a one time incident, but there are other Santiago's restaurant chains around Denver, and I will NOT return to this one after this experience. I just wanted a few breakfast burritos when I woke up on Saturday morning, not drama, conflict, or embarrassment at 9:30 in the morning when I am trying to relax from a long week.

I was so frustrated by the time I finally got my burritos, drove home, and what I had to go through to get them, I did not even feel like eating them, AND here's the kicker that earned this location 1 star from me..... after I got home and "BAKED" I became hungry for some reason and decided to eat my breakfast burritos and ................................ THEY HAD MEAT IN THEM!!! The very thing I was patronized for not wanting in my burritos!

OH yeah, 😂 I almost forgot that they forgot to give me the side of salsa, but after everything else that happened, the salsa was just a comical relief and made me laugh because the irony of it all. I ended up throwing the burritos in the trash can and I ate Captain Crunch cereal...

I called in my order late Saturday morning, and was told it would be ready in 20 minutes. When I arrived 2 minutes later, it was clear that they were very busy, and I mentioned this to the person at the register when he took my payment. His response was, "Yep, every Saturday is busy. Your food will be right up". Roughly 45 minutes later, I had not received my food. I went to the manager on duty, James, and asked for an update. James was very rude, and it was obvious he was not pleased with me asking about my order in front of other customers. He said he would check on it. Several minutes later, he returned to the front but did not attempt to update me on my order. I had to AGAIN ask him how long my food would be. I told James that if it wasn't going to be ready in 5 minutes, I would need a refund. Instead of apologizing, he said, "Well, I will need to give you a refund then, because there is no way it will be ready." At this point almost an hour has passed since I called in my order. When I asked him why I was told it would be 20 minutes, he responded that Saturdays are always busy, their green chile needs to go thru a process, and that their regular customers understand this. When I indicated to James that none of this had been explained to me on the phone, and that the only information I was given was that my order would be ready in 20 minutes, James continued to belligerently argue with me that I should know that Saturdays are always busy and that there is a process to their chile. He even went as far as to try to involve other customers waiting in the lobby to join in by saying to them, "Can you all back me up that we are busy today?" Which is completely unprofessional for someone supposedly in a management role. While I won't deny Santiagos has decent food, I recommend that you go to another location as opposed to the store on Sheridan in Lakewood, as their managers are completely lacking in leadership and customer...

So they messed up after I ordered food to go specifically asked if that was all my food, the girl assured me everthing was in the two bags. Get home, missing one of the main things on the order. after driving back in the snow storm the supposed .manager was a rude little witch, instead of being apalogetic for the screw up, she had the nerve to tell me I should and can check my order before I leave like most of there customers. I told her that's not my job I dont work here after a few more words of her trying to act like it was my fault.she just continued to act like a witch. I couldn't believe it the. The whole crew was comming out of the kitchen to look at me because whatever she told them. So now I'm not even gonna eat my food thinking they may have spit in it or something. So she made another rude comment one of the kitchen help lady tried to get her to give me A complementary chips and salsa to make up for the mistake she told her in Spanish and apparently didnt think I knew what they were saying. She kept telling her no he don't need anything. When I said somthing to her she tried to through me out threatening about cameras and stuff. Just as I was waking out the owner walked in I told her the story and how she disrespects her costomers. while the owner did give me a gift card for some of what I spent. I still didn't take a chance on my food I threw it in the trash and I have to say I will travel to a different santiagos unless that girl is terminated and dont work there anymore. Second or third time they have messed somthing up. That's why I asked if it was all correct. Then they wanna act like it was my fault. Very poor customer service. Spent $33 on food she gave me a gift card for $20 and I didnt get to eat!!! Real disappointed with the way...