Moe's Southwest Grill — Restaurant in Murrysville

Going into Moe's the first time, I didn't quite know what to expect. I was intrigued by the concept so I made the leap from casual observer to consumer. What lay on the other side of the double glass doors may have been the most disturbing restaurant experience I have ever had.

The doors swing open "Welcome to Moe's!" a myriad of screams echoed from across the counter, greeting me before I have even shaken off the cold. Quickly I'm whisked into a fast paced line full of bloated patrons who all seem far more comfortable than I. In the midst of the chaos I look at the menu to decide what to order. Though the menu is in english it couldn't feel more foreign to me. I know I want a burrito but my choices seem to be between a "Homewrecker" and a "bag of donuts"... these options do not put my mind at ease (a bag of donuts is clearly not a burrito).

Before I can make my decision a young woman on the other side of the counter is violently demanding my order. Panicked I blurt out "the homewrecker jr" my logic being that worst case scenario it only has the capacity to wreck a room or two... I'm simply playing damage control at this point.

After hastily deciding the fixings for my meal from a veritable cornucopia of toppings that only furthered my level of anxiety; I finally proceed to check out. Relieved that this experience was over, I go to offer my card for payment. "Would you like to complete your order with a drink?" the cashier asks. Just when I let my guard down more is being asked of me. To save face at this point I reluctantly accept unaware of what menacing dilemmas would soon face the bottom of this paper cup.

I carry my now heaping tray to the beverage station hoping I can sit down and enjoy this meal I've worked so hard to get. But this fountain is unlike anything I've seen before. Its an alien device with flashing lights, touch scenes and video displays. Needless to say this is far too involved for a soft drink. But my distress thickens while navigating its complex menus I find I can mix flavors and customize my very own soda.... This is far too much power for one man, yet this establishment wields it as if it were a toy. I decide on a cherry vanilla coke and carry on before I uncover more alluring and fundamentally dangerous combinations.

At last, I sit to enjoy the bountiful serving on my plate... but wait... I need salsa. Bewildered I hobble over to the salsa bar prepared for the worst. What lay in front of me was a well organized, stress free and quite familiar selection of assorted salsa. Nice.

I return to my seat..."Welcome to Moe's!!!" they blare again from behind the line. The next cadre of customers seem unfazed by the jarring greeting. Now acclimated with this strange place I'm able to take in my surroundings. Their are massive monitors hanging from the rafters playing recent steelers highlights. The walls are littered with black and white photographs of people who vaguely resemble some of americas greatest pop icons(i.e. Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Marilyn Monroe etc.)though none of the photos were of the icons themselves. And this entire surreal experience has been scored by what seems to be an endless loop of Harry Belafonte's greatest hits. I am thoroughly confused, and the last thing I want to be while eating tacos is confused. Did Jack Rabbit Slims and Subway birth an obnoxious tex mex child?

At long last I sink my teeth into that first bite and sure enough......

I don't know where other people are getting off saying food was flavorless or bland, Moe's is the only Tex-Mex chain I've ever had that can quell my insatiable hunger for a great burrito. It's all I've ever gotten(besides the USUALLY incredible chips and their signature never-lets-me-down salsa) but that won't be changing any time soon. First bite, I'm instantly in love, every time.

Even with the startling "welcome to Moe's!" intro that you eventually get accustomed to, it's still a far better greeting than the nonexistent types from most fast food joints. Staff can be wishy washy at times but for the most part solid as a whole and typically friendly enough to be approachable.

Can get a little pricey if you're on a budget but I tend to make room in mine for treating myself because it's plenty worth the money.

Ambiance is pretty great. Not amazing, but nowhere near bad. Celeb lookalike photos on the walls are charming and give the place character.. Almost in the same light as Subway's stint of time where they themed their wallpaper the NY subway map with subway car photos strewn in.

Relatively clean for my experiences there, but understandable any time it's not, for every time I've had to wipe off my own table it's been incredibly busy. Anyone who works/has worked food service or retail in general can understand this caveat.

In closing, don't be so quick to judge Moe's. I had a very chaotic first experience between not expecting their greeting for me or anyone afterward before I left, and their menu item names are interestingly done(to put it lightly) but what are you going there for? Atmosphere? The music? The people? No. You're going to eat some amazing southwestern cuisine and you can't get much better...

not the same friendly, fun Moe's this once was. my husband and I have always enjoyed Moe's. the new manager and staff make it almost a hostile environment. we place our order and my husband asks for bacon and queso because they changed the scoop of queso to the little ladle and he gets nothing else on it...both are extra, okay fine. we get a bowl of a queso because we normally take a majority of it home. we go to check out and we tell them everything we got and they told her one had extra bacon and queso. she proceeds to add a side of queso for $1.25 which it has never been that much..I question why it's a side and so the other lady came and adjusted it to the $.65 it should have been. lastly, at the end of our meal, i ask for a bag of chips for our BOWL of queso, the manager looks at me like I have 2 heads and tells me in a snippy tone that she cannot give me a bag of chips, she can maybe give me 2 scoops.....scoops the chips and shakes some off. how are they going to advertise free chips and then not give them to their customers? this place has not been the same for a long time and we will not...