Vargas Restaurant Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Liberal

Started off with requesting to have table cleaned due to food particles on the table and the condiment holders. Waitress said she knew the table was sticky. Mentioned it would be easier to move to another table. We did as she suggested, but it was the food particles that were the issue, not the sticky varnish. She did smile and presented a pleasant demeanor while taking our orders. She also checked back to refill our drinks and chips and salsa a couple of times. The food came out quickly and was served hot. Owners always greet us and chat a few moments. Wait staff do seem more attentive when they are present. I love the beans and rice mixed together to be eaten with the chips and salsa! Only wish the toastado stayed crisp and crunchy. Loses the crunch due to the moisture in the ground beef layered on top. Guess that can't be helped. The staff used to OFFER sopapillas, but we have had to ask for them every time the past two years it seems. If we eat late and don't request them at the beginning of the meal, we're told it's too late because the kitchen isn't making them anymore/closed... but the restaurant isn't closed?!? Hmmm? Remembered to ask for them as the check was being presented yesterday.

Another hopefully helpful tip: Don't forget to bring cash or you will be charged an additional 10% to pay with a card. Most of the servers are friendly and do their job competently; they earn our tip. A few of them appear to forget we are there. We have to work at getting their attention over other tables they continue to serve. Hate to be forced to tip when they don't even want to serve us to begin with it seems. Overall, we like the food and the service well enough to return fairly often. We like to support local places that have good food and decent service. 100% of the time would be lovely, but not realistic since it has the human element I hope is...

Well, based on the reviews of this place, I was avoiding eating here like the plague. I wound up in Liberal one night on business, and stayed at the hotel next door. Feeling bullet proof, I wandered over and ordered a jumbo margarita. It was not bad, not too sweet and just your garden-variety house margarita. Like some of the other reviews stated, avoid the chips and salsa. The salsa is served in squeeze bottles, and when you put some in your dish, it kinda makes weird bubbles in its own, like theres a little fermentation taking place in the bottles. No thanks, I gave up science experiments in high school. The chips are equal to or worse than the salsa. After looking at the wonderful pictures on the menu I decided on the shrimp tacos and the shrimp soup. I want to preface my next comments by saying that I am extremely hard to please. I like things fresh, with a lot of flavor and with the prices that we have to pay lately for restaurant food, I'm looking for good value and portion size. I'll have to say that the shrimp tacos were among the best I could ever hope for. The shrimp soup was deep, and rich in flavor, with lots and lots of fresh shrimp. Bottom line, if its like this here all the time, then the bad reviews are totally undeserved. If I hit it just right, on a good night and just lucked out, oh well, even a broken clock is right two times a day. With fresh homemade salsa, and some good chips, and maybe some fresh, prepared at your table guacamole, this place would rock. You decide.

UPDATE: Just returned and ate some great food, fresh, and very well prepared. Really folks, I am not a friend or relative of the owner, I just really can't understand the bad reviews! (And I love to give bad...

My girlfriend Maggi and I were riding motorcycles on our way to Santa Fe, NM from Kansas City and we decided to stop in Liberal KS for the night. It was about 5:00 when we decided we wanted Chili Rellenos and found the Vargas Restaurant made them. We arrived and were seated by a very accommodating hostess, within seconds, here comes the Chips and Salsa. Followed right up by our server, Matilda wanting to take our Drink order. For Dinner, Maggi ordered the Chili Rellenos and I opted for the Ala Carte, Pork Burrito and a Chicken Taco since we were splitting one of the Two Chili's Rellenos. Wow Oh Wow, we were so happy with our choices. The Special Red Sauce on my Burrito was incredible and the pork was tender and juicy. The Chili's Rellenos were Deep Fried in a Crispy Crunchy Batter and filled with Beef and Cheese and the Pabano Pepper was Tender and Spicy. I...