Centro Roseville — Restaurant in Roseville

Poor service, mistakes on orders, we were overcharged on the bill, prices are ridiculous and food wasn’t anything special. This place is not going to last long in business if they don’t make some changes.

We had a party of seven. This was our first time there. We sat down without anyone greeting us. They have a card on the table that you can turn one way if you want to order with the QR code, and the other way if you want a waitress. We are senior citizens, so we wanted to have a waitress. We waited at least 15 minutes for someone to appear. It really seemed like they didn’t care we were there. The only servers we saw were the bartender, and a person manning the takeout area. And, there were hardly any customers when we were there!

To start, we ordered 2 servings of chips and salsa. It was the smallest basket of chips I’ve ever seen at a Mexican restaurant. I’m used to chips and salsa being complimentary, but I wasn’t opposed to paying either. Each of those small baskets were $7.00. They were gone quickly and when we asked for more chips, we were told there’s a charge. Really!?

We had children in our party and one of them ordered a lemonade. The waitress brought 2 of them to the table, but the other child had ordered something different. She left the second lemonade on the table and went back to get the correct drink. When we got the bill, she had charged us for the second lemonade AND the correct drink. Unbelievable! Also, there are no refills on soft drinks for kids. At $5.00 for lemonade, I would expect free refills.

I ordered the taco salad at a price of $14.00. I got a bowl that was no bigger than a typical side salad and all that was in there was lettuce, cheese, olives, pico, tomato, cilantro, and sour cream. There was no meat. The waitress didn’t ask me if I wanted any and I found out later that meat was an extra $4.50. I ended up ordering a taco later to make it somewhat of a dinner.

The youngest person in our group ordered a kids meal. When the food came out, they realized they forgot to put that order in. He waited about 15 minutes to get his food, while the rest of us ate. To the waitress’ credit, she did give him a complimentary cookie.

When we got the bill, the “mistake” lemonade was on there, and they had not given us happy hour prices on our drinks and the chips and salsa. We were overcharged $17.00. The waitress did get it all corrected, but the entire experience left a bad taste in our mouths. We will...

We were craving Mexican food and decided to stop by Centro, a place we pass by daily and always notice has a packed parking lot. That seemed like a good sign. Upon arrival, we had the option to order via a QR code or through a server.

We chose to order through our phones using the scan code. The app was straightforward—easy to navigate and checkout. What struck me as odd, though, was that it prompted us to tip at the end, even though the experience was fully self-serve, right down to getting our own water.

Now onto the food… My wife ordered a taco trio (two seafood and one asada), and I went with the asada burrito—labeled a “premium” meat option with an upcharge. When our food came out, I immediately noticed the steak (asada) was falling apart, more like shredded beef than grilled steak. I’m all for tender meat, but this lacked any grilled texture or charred flavor. It reminded me of their cheaper braised beef option. The “steak” was dry, overly salty, and had the texture of something that had been sitting in a crockpot all day.

Let me be clear: not all beef is created equal when it comes to Mexican food. If I wanted carnitas, I would’ve ordered pork. I specifically ordered grilled steak—as I always do—and I’m happy to pay more for it, just like I would at Chipotle.

I flagged down the manager and asked if she could bring samples of the braised beef and the grilled steak. To my surprise (but not really), both looked and tasted identical—braised, salty, and falling apart. It left me wondering: did they run out of grilled steak, or just not want to make it? To her credit, the manager was very kind, but she didn’t seem to understand the difference I was trying to explain.

To top it off, the prices were outrageous. $20 for a taco plate and $20 for a burrito? Since when did Mexican food start charging steakhouse prices? These prices are an insult to all the amazing, authentic Mexican restaurants out there.

Honestly, this felt like an upscale Taco Bell—with store-bought salsa, no house-made options, and a weak pico that belongs more on a sad salad than a proper taco.

Cute little place, sure. But for that price?...

Please DO NOT come here if you’re looking for a traditional restaurant experience. Here, you’re greeted by a numbered table with a QR code card, prompting you to pull out your phone, scan, and navigate through their mobile app to browse the menu and add items to your cart. Once you’ve selected your meal, prepare for a full online checkout experience, including manually entering your name, email, and payment details. It’s a bit like ordering from an online store instead of sitting back and ordering through a waiter.

For those of us used to the simplicity of Apple Pay or similar quick payment options, beware! If you miss any field (like entering an email address), your order simply won’t go through without alerting you—leaving you waiting, unaware that your food isn’t actually on its way. Only once you successfully complete the online checkout process will your food (hopefully) make its way to your table.

Thankfully, my food did eventually arrive, and it was worth the wait. The ranch wings and yucca fries were excellent—crispy, flavorful, and definitely a highlight. The salsas, however, fell a bit flat; both the salsa verde and roja needed a bit more flavor. Since there are no salt shakers available on the tables, I ended up asking the friendly bartender for a shot glass of margarita salt to add some flavor.

I get that tech integration in restaurants can be convenient, especially during Covid times, but this felt like overkill. If you enjoy the idea of managing the ordering and payment like you would in an online store, you may appreciate the setup here. Personally, I’d prefer a traditional dining experience where I can relax without all the added...