El Trompo Mexican Grill Monroe — Restaurant in Monroe

We arrived at the Monroe location around 7:30pm. There were several booths available. They tried seating us right by the front door, where it was cold as the foyer doors were propped open. I pointed out my young daughter, they again offered us the front table. I asked could we please be seated elsewhere as it was cold right by the door and we have a young child. The host asked another associate who then finally agreed to put us a few tables from the front door. We were greated by our server and ordered promptly. We recieved our appetizer and first glass of drinks in decent time. We consumed the whole appetizer and our drinks and waited and waited and waited. Around 45 minutes after ordering we asked the host if he could check on our food, which he said would be out soon. We then asked for drink refills. Finally our food arrived, but we were missing a meal for our daughter. Somehow it was thought my two children would share one meal? Luckily a meal for my daughter was brought quicker than our order came out. We again consumed our food, had an associate roaming around grab empty plates, and waited.....finally our server appeared. She asked if we needed anything, which I asked for a box for my daughter's meal. Another 5 minutes go by before she asks us about our check, which was being split with another member of our party. Another 5 minutes go by and still no checks....we look around and our server was stocking cups at the bar with two other people......at this point i questioned if asking the manager at the front counter for our checks would be needed....finally we got our checks. In the hour and 45 minutes we were there, many other peope came, ate, and left.....while the food was okay, the quality and timeliness of service was awful and left much to...

Oh, El Trompo…where flavor goes to take a long nap and your eardrums go to die.

We brought a whole party of nine hopeful, hungry souls, thinking we were in for a fun, flavorful night out. Instead, we were treated to a masterclass in mediocrity. The menu? It was a small novella. Pages and pages of choices that screamed “we can do everything” but delivered on almost none of it. Ever wanted a taco that tastes like air? A quesadilla with the excitement level of a plain rice cake? El Trompo has you covered!

The food was so bland we had to keep checking if maybe our taste buds had just gone on strike. Didn’t even taste like they used salt let alone any of seasonings. Maybe, the real saltiness was the disappointment we all shared. And speaking of sharing, we all shared the same question…how did this place get so many good reviews? Probably from people who mistake boiled chicken for gourmet.

Now let’s talk decor. The place actually looked pretty cool. Bright colors, fun murals, a vibe that said “Mexican street food fiesta.” But then…in comes Mariah Carey at full blast like she’s headlining a concert right at your table. Don’t get us wrong, we love a good Mariah moment…just maybe not while we’re trying to chew through emotionless enchiladas and yell across the table like we’re in a nightclub.

If you’re into giant menus, flavorless dishes, and acoustic trauma with a confusing soundtrack, El Trompo might just be your dream spot. For the rest of us, it’s a solid reminder that quantity does not...

Pretty place, super super loud music. Prices were overpriced in my opinion, even the cheaper fare, considering the flavor. Service was mediocre. Left setting for 15 minutes to ask for check at end of meal. The food was prepared with good ingredients and well cooked but was the blandest mexican food I've ever eaten. Like no spices, not talking heat, talking no flavor at all. Corn tortillas were so hard they were not edible. Water glass had someone elses lip stick on it still. No hot sauces offered, no salt and pepper. When fajitas are so bland you're hoping simple salt will help, that's a no go. Asked for salt after setting for 10 minutes was given 5 paper packs for the both of us. No refill on chips offered. I'd go again if someone INSISTED, but it won't be me insisting. At the end of the day, to me, the foods flavor and goodness is what I go to a restaurant for. Not the pretty paint job. And come on, they had items for 50 and 60 bucks, yeah right. Seated us at the end of a section and every staff member that walked by felt the need to put their hands on our table or our chairs, they just didnt feel the need to ask if we needed anything. Ive got a sneaking suspicion that the great reviews were based on how much alcohol was drunk. Because I'd have to be pretty lit to think the food was tasty. The alcohol drinks were beautiful and pretty pricey. I'd suggest starting with that if you want to enjoy the flavor. Because at least then you can say, "I'm too drunk to taste...