Jacalito #1 | Mexican Restaurant in Coral Gables — Restaurant in Miami

I wrote this review in 2023 : So disappointed at this place. Just paid $13 for this to go and I haven’t eaten a bite . This is supposed to be a bowl. I came in to dine in couple days ago and the food quality and quantity was so much better that’s why I decided to come back. I called trying to get the food how’s supposed to be but instead I got a very unprofessional answer. Not recommended at all.

A month later I came back:

I decided to give this restaurant another chance after my previous experience, but I was met with some of the worst customer service I’ve ever encountered. Upon sitting down, the waiter — a skinny guy — threw the menu onto the table and rudely asked, “Why did you come back if you don’t like this place?” His aggressive attitude was shocking, and he appeared visibly irritated, even sweaty, as if my presence alone offended him.

It was clear that he had taken my previous review personally, even though I never mentioned him by name. He claimed that the owner had seen me on the cameras and told him that I wasn’t welcome due to my review. This seemed like a blatant lie, as no professional business would behave this way toward a customer, especially one who had returned to give them another chance.

The woman behind the counter also supported his outrageous statement, saying I wasn’t allowed to be there just because I had written a negative review. It’s absolutely baffling that a place would treat its customers like this — holding grudges and going out of their way to make people feel unwelcome.

I am appalled by the lack of professionalism and basic decency in this restaurant. It’s hard to believe they let people like this represent their business in customer service. I would not recommend this place to anyone who values being treated...

If you are driving east on Flager to get to this place, don't blink because you will miss the small entrance to the parking lot, located just west of this tiny restaurant. This place is definitely a hole in the wall.

We met up with some family members here on a Friday night, past 8:30 p.m. it was nice weather so we almost sat outside but, someone else got the table so we sat inside. We sat in their largest table in the back. We were immediately greeted by staff, who were very pleasant. She took our order for 2 Caronas only, as we were waiting for the rest of our party to arrive.

After everyone finally arrived we all ordered. The order did take over 25 minutes. I'm ok with that as everything was fresh. In between that time she attended to our party perfectly, as everyone was ordering beers and multiple refills. We ordered the Vegitarian Quesadilla, it came with fresh guacamole, delicious refried beans and some diced tomatoes. I ate 2 of the 3 that came with the dish and they were delicious. I couldn't eat everything because I had a snack around 6:00 p.m., and beer makes me FULL. My girlfriend ordered the Vegetarian Enchiladas, they were served with refried beans and some delicious yellow rice. She let me have a bite of the rice after she was raving about how great the taste was. I concurred, the rice was amazing. She also ordered the chicken tacos. She did not enjoy them as much. They were cold and had way too many onions on top.

Overall, we liked the place and would return. Our bill for 5 Coronas and 3 entrees was $46.00, so it is most affordable. The only offputting thing about this place is that it is so close to the road, you feel like you might get mowed down while eating your dinner, if someone crashes into...

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One of the Worst Mexican Dining Experiences in Miami

This was easily one of the two worst Mexican restaurants I’ve ever been to in Miami. The food was terrible — bland, soggy, and completely lacking freshness. The beef soup was absurdly large for one person, and when we asked to take it to go, we were handed a large styrofoam cup and told to pour it ourselves from the bowl. Completely impractical and unprofessional.

Service was equally bad. A single waitress was responsible for everything, including mopping the floors while intermittently serving the only two tables in the restaurant. She was pushy, rushed us, and clearly just wanted to wrap up for the day. We later realized why — about 45 minutes before closing, four of her friends showed up to eat. That explained the urgency.

The outside seating area is noisy and unpleasant, with constant car traffic, police sirens, and fire engines roaring by. Not a relaxing atmosphere at all.

To top it off, there was no warning about an extra charge for using a credit card, and an automatic 18% gratuity added after tax, which is legally questionable and certainly unethical. The mandatory tip for such subpar service was insulting.

This place was a complete disappointment in every way — food, service, transparency, and ambiance. I will never return, and I suggest others save their time and money. This place is a total rip-off. They have 3 outdoor fans, and the waitress turned 2 off them of on an extremely hot muggy Miami night to save electricity. This place falsely claims to be in Coral Gables when is actually...