La Escondida Mexican Grill — Restaurant in Missouri City

I really wanted to like this place as Ula's had recently closed and we needed a new Mexican restaurant that wasn't a chain. This was our first time here and I want to give them somewhat of a pass because it is Valentines day, but ultimately I simply can't. 25 minute wait turned into just under an hour; We could see the same 6 open tables for well over 30 min of our wait and my wife said there were 4 more open tables when she walked to the bathroom (20-25 people waiting for tables). Difficult to wait for a table for so long while you peer inside to see so many open tables that were not being seated; The buzzers they gave us to tell us our table was ready did not work. Another patron had to tell us they think our table was ready; No paper towels in women's bathroom to dry hands; Asked for the manager when we were seated and it took a somewhere around 15 min for him to come over; He was apologetic and seemed nice, but then walked to the back and never spoke to the hostesses who seemed completely lost. He came back out and chatted with table next to us for over 10 min, while the same open tables remained and the line of people waiting grew; Chips and hot sauce was really really good. Queso was really thick and average; Fajitas were cut really thick and were a little below average; Margaritas were good, but seemed a little weak; A couple was being seated at a booth next to us and they complained to the hostess that the table cloth was filthy (it was really dirty with smeared cheese, hot sauce etc.) They asked to be seated somewhere else and the hostess grabbed the table cloth and flipped it over and seated the couple at that same table (my wife and I were shocked and my wife replied "we will never come here again."); Not 5 minutes later as they bussed another booth, they again flipped another disgusting table cloth over for the next patrons to sit. Now my wife wanted to run for the exit.

I truly wanted to love this place. It does look really nice, but I will never get my wife to come here again for the reason set forth above. From my observation, it was failure in management. The employees were in the weeds and we never saw management take the lead to help.

I typically give everyone a second chance especially since this was Valentines day, but if I ever return it will...

We visited this restaurant with high hopes, as our family enjoys trying new Mexican restaurants regularly. Unfortunately, this visit left us very disappointed.

As soon as we were seated, we were brought chips and salsa. The salsa tasted like plain tomatoes with no seasoning or depth of flavor. My husband quietly asked if it would bother me if we just paid for our drinks and left. I told him I was willing to give the place a fair chance. In hindsight, I wish we had trusted that initial instinct.

The food simply missed the mark. The frijoles a la charra were lukewarm and appeared to have pico de gallo stirred in, which made the texture and flavor feel off. The rice was slightly undercooked and bland. The tortilla soup included vegetables that were undercooked and, to our surprise, a piece of squash that seemed past its prime. I ordered the shrimp brochette, and unfortunately, the bacon was overcooked and tough, while the shrimp were dry and shriveled.

The service left much to be desired. Our waiter seemed disengaged, and when my son politely asked for a receipt, it was placed abruptly on the table without a word. Another staff member who brought chips never acknowledged us or said a word. When my husband expressed concern about the soup to the owner, the response was simply, “Can we get you anything else?” While they did remove that item from the bill, it felt like the feedback wasn’t truly heard.

My husband chose not to eat or pay for his meal. Out of courtesy, my children and I paid for ours, but we left feeling disappointed. The menu was also quite limited, offering just a small selection of items, which didn’t help the overall experience.

We truly wanted to enjoy this meal, but both the food and service fell short. I don’t enjoy writing negative reviews, but I hope this feedback encourages improvements that could lead to a better experience for...

Going to another restaurant I was always interested in La Escondida. I had never heard anything about them, didn’t want to waste my money nor be disappointed. Ohhh but to my surprise… let me just say I had to go back a 2nd time it was so good! I mean both times I pretty much ordered the same thing… Cream Cheese Stuffed soapillas, Chicken and Spinach Quesadilla, and a Fajita Combo Plate. The food came with Salsa and Chips.

The Quesadillas were a bit soggy but still good. Also the Fajita tacos were also a soggy since they seem to use a liquid cheese. The flavor of the meat/food altogether was still good. The chips were not good though as they taste mostly burnt and had a weird after taste. However the Cream Cheese Stuffed soapillas were sooo delicious. I will most definitely eat here again!

Both times I picked up my food the restaurant was nice and not a lot of people there. They also serve breakfast only on Saturdays.

Be sure to sign up to be a VIP hopefully they have some good rewards and discounts for us as we support...