Tijuana Flats — Restaurant in Lutz

I was really excited and hoping this would be our New Mexican place but Tijuana committed a cardinal food service sin tonight.

We ordered delivery, a mile away, and got a steak burrito and a steak chimichanga. Food arrived fast enough and hot enough temperature and appeared to have everything it was supposed to. The steak burrito and my chimichanga toppings, the bf was convinced that there was cross-contamination happening (which wasn't the worst offense), but stated the lettuce was atrocious smelling and he couldn't move past that. It smelled heavily of iceberg lettuce, but I'm used to that strong aroma when products are not freshly prepared. I also got guac with the chips included (paid $4 for a small portion), and it was bad. Wholly guacamole clearly used as an avocado paste for the base, scarce tomatoes, and no seasoning. I had to get up to add salt, pepper, Tabasco, lime, and cilantro to make it slightly enjoyable. I remembered the salsa was atrocious but it turns out the guac isn't much better, albeit fixable if you're willing to pay to make the guac for them.

My chimichanga was prepared correctly and hit the spot, I ate it all. The habanero hot sauce we ordered was a watered down franks red hot, definitely not a homemade sauce. We were excited to try a homemade sauce, but there's no denying the flavor of Franks Red Hot to two hot sauce lovers. His burrito is where the biggest issue of them all lies. As he was eating, about halfway through, he started coughing. He spits out his food and pulls this long black piece of something out of the pile and states he almost choked on it and was unsure as to what it was and asked me. I was trying to give the benefit of the doubt and think maybe a cilantro stem but the moment I touched it, I knew it was plastic. Sharp, hard, and lots of edges, this piece of plastic in the photo was inside of his burrito and could have injured him.

From an operational standpoint, I'd check your utensils and train your staff not to put plastic directly on hot surfaces. While I get things happen, this was a horribly scary mistake that cannot be looked past for the unnecessary risk you placed him in tonight. Absolutely appalling and will never be back after...

I don't normally leave reviews for restaurants, and I wasn't expecting too too much from this place, but I was blown away with this experience, from this type of place. We came to eat here at 5:30 p.m. Sunday and it wasn't too busy. An employee opened the door for us and handed us menus as soon as we got in. This is an order at the counter type of restaurant mind you. I ordered the cheesy steak flautas, and they were phenomenal. One of my new favorite foods no bullshit! 10 out of 10 guac too! While we were eating two different employees came up, at different times, and checked to see how the food was and if they could get us anything else or refill our drinks. Then while we were sitting there talking after having finished eating they came up and cleared the table for us. Every employee was smiling and being genuinely nice, and I'm not a friendly looking guy. No kidding, I have routinely gotten worse service at many of the sit down and order dinner type restaurants I go to. The food and the service were both so good that I got one of the employees to write down their names for me so I could include it in this review, and those 3 absolute rock stars were: Gabriel, Aliyah, and Brandon. I'm 100% going back soon and pointing anyone who asks me where to go, to come to this...

Honestly this wouldn’t be a terrible review, Since there food is.. Alright. But when i had a question about what kind of tortilla was used, after ordering a few times on doordash & noticed something different.. Mind you this is the first time i am in the store. I overheard the kitchen talking to a member, this is where; (and i am not joking even in the slightest bit.. these are quotes from not just myself but 4 other family members) one of the team members in a collared shirt, called another worker a slave… & to get back to work. Which he replied “Yes, Master.” I asked what it was about, and the lady at the register told me that’s just the way they joke & that’s the way they speak all the time. I heard this from the front of the building just to ask a question? I didn’t know being openly racist infront of customers who are people of color, which you overcharge 12$ for a single taco.. This is our own countries food your profiting off of… & than use race against the people who make it.. & get paid .000001% of profits. I wouldn’t be upset about this usually… but when the line is wrapped around the building and prices are through the roof. Completely unacceptable & explains...