Tijuana Joe's — Restaurant in Sandy Springs

Different places have appeal for different reasons. Let me say that this place has one of the very best Corona-Ritas (or Margaronas as they're called here) that I've had. You get the bottle of Corona inverted into a really huge mug of an exceptionally delicious frozen margarita. It's so large that when they brought it, I really didn't think I was going to finish it but then I did finish it and that thing stayed with me for hours. WOW! The energy at this resturant is high, just a bit like a sports bar and grill, but this is a full-fleged Mexican resturant. You have music in the background, several TVs to watch your favorite football teams duke it out while you enjoy eating with friends, and it seems that they keep their decorations in step with what is going on for the season. When I was there, they were tearing down some streamers from what looked to have perhaps been some kind of football championship party, and were putting up Christmas decorations (e.g. decorative bulbs, tinsel, etc.). The interior looks very unto it's self, not like some of those chains with the cookie cutter corporate look. You can tell the place has been there a while and has had a chance to evolve and become it's own. Anyway the food is good here no doubt about that, although one should be aware that they do not serve any "spicey" dishes because 99% of their clientelle do not want spicey food. Even so, they will give you hot sauces and hot peppers on the side if you ask for them. I love spicey food and I found that their food with the spice on the side works just fine. I took my wife and our two young girls who love high-energy resturants. They loved the food, the atmosphere, and they loved the little vending machines in the front room where kids can get bubble gum, toys, etc. Also I shouldn't fail to mention that for kids, they provide activity paper and crayons. My daughters colored some chili peppers and they let one of my daughters hang her's on the wall by the enterance before we left. What a great place. We will...

What looked like a nice place, turns out, Yes, very nice, as for the Service, extremely poor service. The greater was great, welcomed us in, and took us to our seat. Our waiter was there very soon after beeing sat. Took our drink order, then came back with our drinks. We ordered our food, and had time to enjoy the decor of the restaurant. Many TVs on the walls, and in great locations to watch throughout, not very crowded at all. Food took about 10 minutes to get our food, but once it came, it was Delicious. I got the Steak Fajita Lunch, and Wife got the TJ lunch bowl. Very very delicious. And the chips and salsa, Excellent. Now to the Service. Waiter came back, ask how everything was, we told him great, requested a refill of our drinks. He never came back. We asked a female waitress, serving the table next to us if she could get us refill and more napkins. She did, after a several min delay, again, this place only had us and 2 other customers inside. After we finshed, which we never saw our waiter again till we finshed, we asked for a to go box, he confirmed 1 or 2, only 1. He never returned. Wife got up, and asked the female waitress, she said ok. After about 10 min, still no to go box, or check, wife went to the front and asked again, finally we got it. Still no check, so we packed up the food and went to the cash register to pay. The male host, printed up our check, went to hand to me, at which time, guess who showed up? Our waiter. He took the bill from the host, and handed it to me. I completed my part in paying the bill, and was sure to show how well the service we recived was in the tip, $0.00. I could understand some delay in our service or our request if the place was busy, but to have only 3 tables being care for, and to not have any returns from our waiter, except at the very beginning, is extremely Unprofessional. It's a shame, especially since the food and atmosphere of the restaurant is...

It started out fine, but we should have listened to our instincts. Our server had the worst attitude. Unsuccessfully, we did what we could to lighten the mood. But that's fine, we all have our days. When the food came, my fish tacos came on the wrong tortilla. After several unsuccessful attempts to get someone's attention, including the hostess who walked right by us as I'm calling out to her, I went up to the hostess to locate our server. Luckily, he was walking by. He apologized and quickly corrected the situation. But my instincts would let me eat my food. At this point I look across at my party's plate and there is a long hair in her rice! She has a low to scalp cut, so it wasn't her hair. We again try to get someone's attention, with no success. The bus guy came over, we showed him the hair. He went off to find someone, we assume, but no one came. Finally our server comes back, we show him the hair, he apologizes. At this point, we ask for the check. He asked if we wanted to-go boxes, but we declined. He brought the check. We were about to pay but decided to speak to a manager who seemed just as non-plussed as his server. He reduced the check by 50%, and we left, leaving the untouched tacos and partially eaten rice on the table. No, we will...