Jesús Latin Grill & Tequila Bar — Restaurant in Mishawaka

My friend and I love the other concepts, Corndance and Evil Czech, so we decided to give Jesus a try. Short story, we didn't like it (read on for the reasons why).

Upon arriving, my friend and I requested a table, not a booth, and the host who took our request said "ok" and just looked at us and then back at her co-worker who was on the phone taking an order from the sounds of it. After the host on the phone got finished (about a minute of awkward silence from us listening to a to go order being taken) the one who greeted us said "there's two of them", referring to my friend and me. What happened next had me completely floored. The host from the phone took two menus and said "you two can follow me". Now, why was that odd? Because neither of them checked anything. There was no back and forth about which server needs a table. No talk about our preference of a TABLE over a booth. NOTHING HAPPENED so why did we have to stand there and wait for her to get off the phone?!

Moving on, the second host took us straight to a booth because she didn't know about our preference for a table. We corrected her and she took us to a table in the bar area... We weren't greeted by anyone for nearly five minutes. The bar tender was busy being a bartender and there were four servers standing by the server station literally three feet from us, some even made eye contact with me and didn't budge to lift a finger.

When the bartender did come over to us, we had questions about the menu that he couldn't answer. He took our order without writing it down (we were there for taco Tuesday) and ended up forgetting the Yuka fries and dipping sauces my friend requested along with silverware and salt/pepper. We were left with drinks empty for minutes at a time and he was nowhere to be seen except I knew where he was. He was behind the bar with the other bartender getting his butt handed to him by the amount of drink orders coming in. He had NO ONE to help him with his tables and as a result our service was trash. I have served fine dining before and I would never have put myself or anyone else in that situation. The managers and other servers need better training on how to HELP those in need because they have no clue.

Finally and most importantly. Even if we weren't in the middle of a pandemic, it is NOT ok for a server to set a communal water pitcher on a table filled with talking guests, but a server across the restaurant did and my friend saw it and pointed out. At first, I thought she was going to leave it there for the table to personally use... NOPE! She took it off the table and sat it right next to where the finished bar drinks were being placed. I got up and took the pitcher off and waited for our busy bartender to come back so I could explain the situation. He did and I told him and I said he should probably let his manager know because I didn't want to bother her while she was busy, nor did I want her to think I was looking for free stuff. It's a health code violation, not to mention dangerous and irresponsible to do such a thing (regardless of what you believe or don't about covid-19) and should be addressed to ALL the staff.

At the end of the day, both my friend and I decided that Jesus was not for us and we won't be back. This I...

The worst dining experience I have ever had. I will not be returning. With so many dining options in Mishawaka, their is no need to return. The food and drinks were fine, but the service and management were completely unprofessional. The managers seem to lack training, and unfit to fill their position. Managing a busy restaurant can be difficult and stressful at times, I understand, however there is a professional way to handle situations. Neither managers are able to adapt to the restaurant's needs and that's unfortunate because it creates a hostile and unpleasant environment. The managers unhappiness and short temper is evident and passed on to customers and to other employees. The managers lack commitment to the restaurant and customers, and it is made obvious in their interactions. I hope that training is revised before too much damaged is made to the Jesus Latin Grill name. There were several unsatisfied customers this weekend. How the restaurant chooses to address these issues, will determine their authenticity to customer service and the dining experience. If you're looking to try Latin food in the area, a quick google search will show five other restaurants that are able to provide Latin food options with much better services and inviting atmospheres.

To your response: This review has everything to do with the service and management received, and the atmosphere that was created by several of your employees. They are all a part of the restaurant experience. We attempted to make a reservation and we were told we could not make one. This a family friendly restaurant, we did not know we were going to be placed upstairs in the bar. We never asked to be moved, we were moved because the baby was not allowed in the upstairs area. That’s when the ill-mannered service began, not after our party grew from 10 to 13. After we were moved downstairs, one of our friend's requested a chair, but he was denied and told that we had already been given a chair. He stood next to our table and was ignored, until a nearby table allowed us to use one of their spare chairs. He was joining a party of 12 people. Had we not already ordered we would have left and taken our business and celebration to a more inviting atmosphere. Neither managers, mentioned safety concerns during the two hours we were there. Instead of taking a professional approach she decided to take pictures of our group, stand by and gossip, and ignite a hostile environment. She was well aware of the situation that was at hand, and she failed as a manager to handle it an appropriate manner. We never asked for perfection, just to be treated with the same respect as other customers. As a customer, we pay for food, atmosphere and service, and the service we paid for left much to be desired. There are many options to choose from, I choose to spend my money in a more pleasant environment. The one star review was more than I would have given, had I been given the option to give zero stars. I believe this was a learning experience for all parties involved. I appreciate your response and attention to this matter. Thank you for your apology and best of luck! I will stand by my decision and not patronize...

Jesus is a unique dining experience in the South Bend area, offering a range of options inspired by Mexico, Brasil, Peru, Chile, etc. At first, the food prices seems high - ~$15 for two tacos and a side. However, the tacos are filling and you get numerous yucca fries, and with an appetizer I found myself more than full. The food has great taste. The tequila list is extensive - over 100 options of blancos, reposados, anejos, and mezcals - the best in the city. The cocktails are very good - we've tried about half of them and they were all worth a second. Biggest complaints: Tequilas are overpriced. Management should consider dropping the cost around $1-2 per ounce. For example, Maestro Dobel Anejo is $9/oz, but a bottle will run you around $50 from the store. With 25 oz in a fifth, that's a profit of ~$175 profit per bottle. And the pours are not generous, for spirits or wine (exactly 5 oz). When you margins are that high, this seems extremely cheap of the restaurant and would be my major complaint. Second, the lighting in the inside is weird - bright white lights like I'm in an office. Highly recommend adding some warmth and ambiance. The patio is nice, but it should be extended to accommodate more people. Finally, management should DEFINITELY consider implementing reservations. The wait on a weekend night is consistently over an hour during prime time. This alone will deter me in the future if I'm hungry and ready to eat - why go to Jesus and wait an hour when I know I can get a reservation and be seated right away elsewhere. Take a page from your Corndance restaurant. Certainly they had to have known there will be a wait, yet there isn't even a bar area to hang out in (so now you lose $ from people who don't want to roll the dice on getting a table and more $ because you could be selling them drinks).

I maintain my 5/5 review for now because these complaints are easily fixable. The core remains - good food, good cocktails, (finally) a place that offers numerous tequilas, unique experience, nice location. Hope they can shape up over the...