Milwalky Taco — Restaurant in Libertyville

Posted 12/5/2022

Service was pretty bad.

I was the last of my friends to arrive so this part happened without me: Waitress was strange, took my friends IDs and left the table to bring it behind the bar. Not sure why she did that but I have never heard of that happening. It takes literal seconds to look at an ID. She didn't do it to anyone else (we asked the tables next to us), so when I got there I asked her if she was going to take mine too. She laughed and made up some excuse and gave it back after looking at it for 2 seconds. My friend asked her upfront if it was because we were Mexican. (We were the only Mexicans in the Mexican restaurant hardy har har). Waitress didn't miss a beat and said the bartender wanted to see it - but if that were true she would have taken mine too. Guess the bartender didn't trust her judgment. WEIRD.

She seemed pretty attentive to the other tables while we ate, but didn't check on us once. When we were finishing up, I asked her for a box so she brought me one.. put our check on the table and then left. It was one whole check. She didn't ask if we wanted it together or split prior to bringing it. I had to flag her down to split it and after she gave it to us she walked away. We sat for 15 minutes waiting to pay before I decided I should just find her myself. When I finally found her she acted like I was uninformed for getting up to pay - but I would NOT have had to do that if she just kept us in the loop. No explanation for where she was or what happened. Just endless waiting.

I wouldn't go back. Not sure what all that was about but the entire interaction with our waitress was really weird, and honestly kind of cold. The lack of explanations, keeping us waiting, helping everyone else except us. It was the sort of interaction you tend to experience when you're a visible minority - like you don't deserve to know what's going on.

And as Mexicans, the food did not live up to the "authentic Mexican cuisine" that it claims to provide. FYI an authentic mexican restaurant doesn't charge for more chips (let alone at all). Just another gentrified Mexican establishment that doesn't care about how they come off to new customers.

• Edit (in response to owner): Said 7 year employee was rude from the get go. From the double snapping of her hands when she demanded "IDs!!" to the insinuating comments when they were handed to her. Keeping paying customers informed from the beginning what is happening with their things should be standard instead of making off with them not wanting to provide explanation, and then acting shocked that people have questions after facing that treatment. Over communication is one thing, but under communication is just plain inconsiderate. Your response couldn't even acknowledge that which is the entire issue we had with...

What was supposed to be a lovely evening with the girls turned out to be a disappointment for everything in what restaurants, fine dining, and common courtesy stand for.

We felt targeted from the low service of the waitress to the repeated questioning of our valid IDs when we tried to order a margarita pitcher. Which did not even fulfill the advertised five margaritas for the price of four. The pitcher and glasses were filled to the top with ice and we didn’t even get four margaritas.

She never came back to check on us and just refilled our water as we were done with our meals. As she came back a second time to check our IDs she clapped her hands saying, "IDs out again" with no explanation as to why, we had to ask her what was going on. That behavior was incredibly disrespectful. She said it was to show her manager but that didn't feel right considering she had been insinuating that our ID's were fake from the start when we first showed her with comments such as "your ID looks new" (my ID) and "your ID looks like it's been in the dryer" (my friends ID). She had no reason to make those borderline insinuations and at that point my friend said "is it because we're Hispanic since you probably didn't have to take anyone else's ID's to the manager?". Her response was that "the manager needed to see them because you look young" but everyone looked young... once again it was very targeted. Why couldn't she have told us this from the beginning? And what was with the attitude the second time around? That gave us the impression that she had a whole conversation about us with the manager in the back so we had a right to question her behavior when she was assuming we looked younger.

As a minority this "Authentic Mexican Cuisine" didn't even live up to its self proclaimed title. The only thing authentic is the Spanish used in the menu because the food is not at all Mexican. No cilantro or onion on the taco. No complimentary chips and salsa with dining in. The quesadilla had American cheese instead of chihuahua or Oaxaca cheese. The Asada is supposed to be flank not skirt steak. There are many more reasons why this restaurant is not authentic.

No need for a rebuttal just take it as is and OWN UP TO...

I must disagree with Nick W. and his choice of review and words. Not sure how he thinks he was treated to poor food and service. Lee Kuebler takes great pride in all his offerings and experiences for those that visit his establishments. I have eaten at Milwalky Trace approximately 75-100 times in the last two years and have never been exposed to such conditions as expressed here. I have been to Milwalky Taco a half a dozen times and have enjoyed every dish and experience. Not sure how he thinks the food was sitting around for long periods of time as with most nights, the place is jammed with a chef manning the grill and food is flying at every moment. I can assure all that if Lee had been approached or the man had the balls to ask for a manager, his "quote" poor treatment could have been addressed, but no, he took the lame and chicken way of venting. As a business owner, I too take great pride in asking all to tell me the good and the bad, so I can consider the situation and remedy if possible. Not everyone can be pleased and sounds like Nick thought he was buying a 100.00 dollar steak, not a 3 dollar taco that is prepared with the utmost care, freshest products, and great passion and pride in his offerings. Sounds like the type of person that gets off in sitting back and tries to have a bad time. All I can say is, don't go back, but if you do, maybe you will have the balls to address it directly with Lee and give him and his staff a chance to prove you wrong. In all the reviews and discussions with a great number of people, I have never heard of such a poor experience. Don't believe myself and hopefully not such a person that can't address it directly with the owner, but walk in the door and experience it for yourself; I assure you that it will be a pleasant experience. ...