On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina — Restaurant in Maryland

The lunchtime atmosphere was unexpectedly calm. Seated at the bar, I couldn't help but notice the usually lively restaurant was a bit subdued. The bartender was multitasking, attending to both the floor and the bar, making it hard to read her mood. The service, while not unwelcoming, lacked the usual warmth and friendliness I've grown accustomed to here. The scent of sizzling fajitas and spicy salsa wafted through the air, causing my stomach to growl in anticipation. I observed the bartender skillfully mixing drinks, her hands moving swiftly and accurately. I pondered what had shifted in this once vibrant eatery. Was it recent staff changes or the economic downturn affecting business? Whatever the cause, the atmosphere was undeniably altered today. Despite the subdued vibe, I still found peace in the familiar setting. The cozy booths, vibrant decorations, and delectable food all served as a reminder of why I kept returning to this place. Even on a quiet day like today, I knew I could rely on this restaurant for a moment of tranquility and relaxation. For a brief moment, I was able to escape and listen to an audiobook. As I completed my meal and settled the bill, I mentally noted to return soon. Despite the alterations, this place remained dear to my heart, and I felt assured of a warm welcome whenever I visited. Leaving the restaurant, I felt content and appreciative of the brief escape from the daily hustle and bustle. Despite recent menu cutbacks, I still felt drawn to this establishment whenever I needed to unwind and clear my mind. Even though today felt different, I would still recommend this spot for a casual meal, hanging out with friends, and indulging in some chips, salsa, and a refreshing margarita.🌮🍹

After getting a reply to my review, I made the choice to elevate my rating from 4 to 5 stars. I'm grateful for the restaurant's commitment to handling feedback and aiming for perfection. I'm totally loyal to this place because they respond quickly and care. On The Border response, makes me feel grateful that I had decided to tip the bartender generously to bring some joy to her day. Sometimes, a little kindness during imperfect moments can bring happiness and brighten our day.

I believe that it's important to acknowledge and appreciate when a business takes the time to address feedback and make improvements. It shows that they truly care about their customers' experiences and are dedicated to providing the best service possible. This level of dedication and commitment is what sets On The Border apart from other establishments and makes me want to continue supporting them.

By choosing to tip the bartender generously, I wanted to show my gratitude for her hard work and dedication to her job. I know that working in the service industry can be tough, and a little extra kindness and appreciation can go a long way in making someone's day brighter.

This experience has reinforced my belief in the power of positivity and kindness, especially during challenging times. It's a reminder that simple acts of appreciation can create a more positive and uplifting environment for everyone involved. I am thankful for the opportunity to support a business that values feedback and strives for excellence, and I eagerly anticipate my next visit for a mango 🥭 margarita,...

Dined here with two other friends for dinner at 6:30 p.m. Figured it would be busy and was not surprised to have a 20-minute wait when we arrived to be seated, although it wasn't a full house of guests. However once seated, we waited an additional 15 minutes and still had not seen anyone come to our table. Went back to the hostess to ask if a server had been assigned to our table and was told by her that she had only just told them that we were seated at the table. When server arrived, we placed our entire orders, and then waited an additional 10 minutes for our two sodas and water to come to the table. Server told us she was new and had only been there about 1 month and sorry. From this point on, our server was nowhere to be seen except at other tables. While needing our drinks to be refilled, our focus changed from enjoying each other's company to what is going on here with the service. Meals were brought out by someone else running food from the kitchen, and we still did not have refills for our drinks or any silverware. The food runner eventually brought us silverware, but still no drinks despite having shared with him that we were waiting for them and food was lukewarm by the time we could eat it. After another 10 minutes, we took our own cups up by where staff was coming in and out of the kitchen area and asked for our drinks to please be refilled. Talked directly with our server who said she knew we needed them, and then she promptly turned her back to me and started taking an order from another table. Hostess ended up getting us the refills. The server, despite knowing we had issues at our table, still did not arrive to check in with us during the course of our meal. Only when we had finished our meals and been sitting and waiting for anyone to come back to our table, did our server make another appearance. This time she quickly brought us our checks and miraculously returned to collect money within 2 minutes of having given them to us. Everything about our experience was appalling. 2 of us have been servers before and just couldn't believe the lack of table service, the lack of attention, the lack of smiles or friendliness. Just excuses about why it should be okay that everything was so poor on every level.

A few things to note: -The flavor of our food was good, despite not being hot by the time we had silverware to eat it. I feel bad for the kitchen staff that their front end is not pulling it together. -Our server did not convey to the kitchen we had a corn allergy at the table, and one of our dishes had to be returned because there was corn mixed in with the rice that she received. -The silverware appeared to have been washed, but they were wet with water spots and a piece of paper stuck to one of them. The bathroom was...

I had a huge craving for some Tex Mex & gave this On The Border location a shot. My carryout order was placed during off-peak hours on a weekday evening, and the restaurant was able to deliver on the short prep time quoted during ordering. The classic burrito was flavorful and stuffed to overflowing with seasoned ground beef, and much more filling than I'd anticipated. While I did not dine in, the interior of the franchise appeared clean and well organized.

While the food (and pricing) represented a solid four stars in my opinion, a few things from the service side of things pushed my overall rating to the full five. First of all, when I arrived at the carry-out counter to pick up my order, I found a server there ringing up an order and settled in to wait patiently while she finished what she was doing before helping me; instead, she immediately and warmly greeted me and found my order, which is a level of customer service I hope for but rarely see. Secondly, I appreciated enclosing a sealed bag of tortilla chips (and salsa for dipping) at no additional charge...it's a tiny thing that probably only costs the restaurant a few cents per order to do, but it was a very nice & unexpected touch.

Finally, and this is a weird thing to notice but bear with me here...when I got home and unpacked the standard, 3-section recyclable container, I was shocked and more than a little amazed to see that both the rice and refried beans were filled to the brim of their respective areas without a single stray grain or smudge overflowing into the other foods. It's an insanely small thing and trivial to the overall quality of the experience, but that also shows a level of care and attention to detail when packaging my order which certainly appeared to carry over into the rest of its preparation.

My only complaints are that the amount of shredded cheese added atop my burrito could easily have been greater, and the restaurant's location inside a larger shopping area can make getting in and out a lengthy chore during prime shopping hours (although there is ample parking at the restaurant itself). But overall it was a convincingly positive experience, and I will definitely be adding this On The Border to my rotation of "lazy dinner...