EL CERRITO MEXICAN GRILL AND BAR — Restaurant in Rancho Cucamonga

I normally don't post things like this, and I have been going to this restaurant - both locations for years. But last night was off. We arrived at 8:30 pm, it was a Friday, so assumed (which I shouldnt have oviously) they would be open until at least 10 or 11. Yes, my mistake at not looking online for their hours, but there was not any posted either. Anyway, we were sat, order taken and drinks ordered.

Our waiter was great as usual, but at no time did ANYONE say they were closing in 30 min. One, we wouldn't have chosen to get cocktails (not too safe to drive that soon after a huge margarita!). Two, as in most restaurant environments if you are there before a certain time of closing, you would be served and NOT experience what we did. As soon as our food was placed down, the waiter came by and said he would be leaving and wanted to close out our ticket. Umm okay, so we paid. But again, nothing being said with, "we are closing in 15 minutes." Our drinks were full and our plates had just arrived. So we eat, and idle chit chat, and we start to see them putting chairs up to mop, our waiter disappeared and a female came around and started picking up miscellaneous things off our table. But we just ignored it, nothing was said. Then she returns as we are still eating our food and says, "we closed at 9, you're going to have to go." Wait, whaaattt? I've owned a restaurant and worked in many...and NEVER have I heard this. It is standard in a restaurant to inform customers if you are closing certain portions of the restaurant to go around and inform ppl of last call or that the kitchen is shutting down, and would you like anything else. We asked for boxes, and left. I will return, we like the place, but obviously at different hours. But just felt the ownership and management should be aware of how this one particular staffer (the female) handled herself. In this economy, my family eats out as a treat. So to spend that type of money and to be rushed out the door is inconsiderate. I guarantee the kitchen was not done with cleaning and breaking down things for the night. It would be different if I didn't know these things maybe, but just found it...

We decided to try this location since we were close by and we know the other location on Archibald has great food. Well we were very disappointed from the slow service to the not so great food. First we went on a Sunday around 7pm wasn’t really busy but they took a while to even get our drinks. We order a tostada mixta, steak picado, birria plate and carnitas plate. They bring my tostada out and tell me they’re out of tostadas! Weird that they can’t make a tostada when they’re making corn tortillas right in there but ok. Then my MIL order flour tortillas and they said they’re out of flour tortillas and it will take the lady hours to make another batch and even when she makes them they will be going to the other restaurant! I was very confused with this because how are you going to send tortillas to another restaurant first when you don’t have any at yours? Doesn’t make sense. Lastly the steak picado came cooked with veggies including potatoes that were not cooked like you couldn’t even put the fork in them. When we let the server know he said that’s how they’re suppose to be “crunchy” because they’re sautéed 😆 I mean I’m not sure if the server was new or he doesn’t know anything about cooking but if the potatoes are hard they’re not cooked and you shouldn’t serve them like that. I know he was just trying to make things better and the cooking is not his fault but honestly all the excuses he made for the food were poor. Maybe this was just a bad day to go but I don’t think we will be going back to this location. *They also have a credit or debit...

Please note this review is about this particular visit to this other location. I have been to the other location currently being remodeled. I usually order a burrito and have never had an issue and normally find the food to be really good. On this particular trip I ordered the steak and shrimp fajitas largely based on the picture and recommendation of the waitress. Last minute I added chicken so I could try all three proteins - Steak, Chicken and Shrimp. What came to the table was 80% chicken, some kind of meat (50% of the meat was all a fat piece) and (3) very small shrimp on a mountain of peppers and onions. I asked the waitress why the portions were so skewed and why was the meat different than pictured. The appetizer also ordered for the table came with the steak as pictured so I’m not sure why the fajitas did not. After asking the kitchen the final answer from the waitress was that was the plate was correct. She was very nice about the whole situation. I don’t believe it’s okay to picture one item and serve another. Here is a picture of what I received alongside the picture from their website of the fajita plate that...