Top Shelf Mexican Food & Cantina — Restaurant in Peoria

In my role as a professional food critic, my recent visit to Top Shelf Mexican Food and Cantina in Arizona was nothing short of disappointing, and it is my duty to shed light on the numerous aspects that left me underwhelmed.

First and foremost, the culinary offerings at this establishment fell short of their premium pricing. The guacamole, a hallmark of Mexican cuisine, was regrettably underwhelming. It bore the hallmarks of a mass-produced product, lacking the vibrant freshness and authenticity that discerning diners seek in such a dish. The price tag attached to this seemingly ordinary appetizer only exacerbated my disappointment.

The disappointment extended to the taco selection, where mediocrity prevailed. The tacos, while priced as though they were gourmet creations, were notably dry and devoid of the robust, authentic flavors that exemplify superior Mexican fare. Their lack of distinctive seasoning or creative innovation was evident and certainly did not justify the elevated cost.

Adding to the disillusionment, Top Shelf Mexican Food and Cantina presented itself as offering "light" options on the menu, which regrettably proved to be misleading. These so-called "light" choices were neither nutritionally balanced nor thoughtfully prepared. It was evident that the restaurant was attempting to capitalize on health-conscious diners without genuinely delivering on its promises.

In conclusion, my experience at Top Shelf Mexican Food and Cantina was marred by overpriced offerings that failed to match their cost and the misrepresentation of purportedly "light" options. This, combined with the underwhelming culinary experience, leaves me unable to recommend this establishment to those seeking authentic Mexican cuisine with value for their money. More gratifying and fairly priced alternatives can be found within Arizona's...

So my 16 year old son is working at this restaurant. He is failing in half of his classes at school. My son refuses to quit the job. So I went to ask the manager to let him go. I was met with intense hostility from the manager. Who looked me square in the eye and bragged about his own grade point average and swore that if my son needed help with his schooling he would tutor him. I expressed to the manager that I wanted him to let my son go until he got his grade under control. I never raised my voice I apologized twice before we sat down at a secluded corner of the restaurant, but when I voiced my wishes a second time the manager became more hostile and accused me of making a scene in his restaurant. I got up and said I would seek help with this else where. After I was outside the restaurant the manager yelled across the room that I was banned from ever returning to the restaurant. I have been in this area since before jomax went through to lake pleasant and back then spent many evenings and lots of money at this place. Since my son started working there he has started vaping and behaves like he's on drugs. I will never recommend this place to anyone and I will seek help from the owners on personal level if i can reach them. I just think people should know what kind of energy is surrounding their food at this establishment and the total lack of family values management has, contrary to the public image they project. I think it was incredibly odd, the over reaction of the manager and it makes me wonder what he was over compensating for. I question if there is something illegal taking place at this establishment. I hope if there is, my son is...

We moved to Peoria last year and were looking for a good Mexican sit down restaurant. We have tried this place 3 times so far, and I am underwhelmed. I transferred to San Diego for two years for work, and there is no shortage of good Mexican food there, so I wanted to give this place a chance by making multiple visits. On previous visits I considered their food ok. Not bad but not super good and the service was acceptable.

On our last visit about 2 weeks ago, we went in for a late dinner on a Monday night. We decided to sit on the patio After waiting for about 7 minutes (from when I started timing), we still were not greeted. There were two seats open at the bar, so we moved inside. It took the bartender a bit to greet us, but eventually we ordered some wine and the fajitas. We also asked for some pico de gallo for our chips at the same time. I thought the food took a little long to get there, but a horrible wait. The bartender disappeared for quite a while, and when we next saw her she was bringing us our food. Still no pico de gallo, and when I asked her expression made it clear that she had forgotten.

The topper was that the fajitas were not good. The chicken was dry and flavorful, and the veggies were soggy. Honestly, I've had much better fajitas at Chili's. It's sad because this place is literally around the corner from our house, however when you couple this experience with the fact their wine select consists of "house" wines, I don't think I'll be back...