Don Ciro's Tacos — Restaurant in Shawnee

Don Ciro Review: An Old Flame in a New Frame

It had been almost seven years since I last set foot in Don Ciro. Back then, the restaurant was tucked into a cozy, character-filled spot to the south of the newer location. While the new space is more spacious, it doesn’t quite have the same charm as the old haunt. Walking in, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the restaurant now feels like a nostalgic relic—once vibrant and bustling, but now almost forgotten.

Arriving around noon, I expected the usual lunch rush that used to define the old location, but surprisingly, only three tables were occupied, and I made the fourth. It took a minute for the staff to notice me, and once they did, they got me seated promptly. Right away, I could sense they were understaffed. With only three tables of guests, they seemed to be hustling for reasons unclear.

One bright spot: their chips and salsa, still as memorable as ever. The salsa is uniquely flavorful and hard to replicate, a true highlight. The staff were moving quickly, though it was clear there was only one waiter with a single helper covering all the other tasks—table cleaning, drink refills, who knows what else. When the waiter finally reached my table, he asked if I was ready to order. Thankfully, I was, and I went for the Birria plate.

As I waited, I headed to the restroom, which painted a picture of the general upkeep: clean but dated, with a decor that seems frozen in the ’90s and in need of a refresh. The dining area didn’t suffer from any bad smells; rather, you could smell authentic Mexican food being cooked, which is always a good sign.

When my food arrived, however, I experienced another hiccup in the service. The waiter left my plate, tortillas, and the check in one fell swoop. Really? No follow-up to see if I might want anything else? That kind of rush doesn’t sit well with customers—it almost felt like I was being hurried out. Don Ciro, please, don’t do this to yourself! Your food is wonderful; the Birria was delicious and hit all the right notes. But it’s those little service missteps that can leave customers feeling a bit overlooked.

A Few Friendly Suggestions:

Service: Hospitality goes beyond just good food. Make the effort to connect with the people who love your dishes. Don’t leave the check on the table before the meal even begins; it can make guests feel rushed and unappreciated.

Menu: Your menu is extensive, maybe a little too much so. Narrowing it down to your 20 most popular dishes would streamline things for both your kitchen and customers, making choices easier and reducing food waste.

Food Presentation: The Birria was great, but consider serving garnishes and condiments separately. Not everyone loves onion or cilantro, so let customers add those extras themselves.

Atmosphere: A little investment here could go a long way. Updating the decor, a fresh coat of paint, maybe even new flooring—small changes that could revive some of that charm your old spot had and make the new place feel less like a blast from the past.

Don Ciro, I hope you see this as constructive criticism from a loyal customer. Your food has heart and authenticity; now bring the same warmth to the rest of the experience, and you’ll win over...

Our experience at this restaurant was extremely disappointing. First, they got my mom’s order wrong, bringing her chicken enchiladas instead of the green chili enchiladas she ordered. When we brought it to their attention, the server became noticeably rude.

At the same time, I had ordered a chimichanga with fajita beef. Unfortunately, the meat was bad and tasted sour. I even had my mom try it, and she agreed. I understand that mistakes happen in any restaurant, and I wasn’t upset about it. However, since I had already taken a bite, I lost my appetite and didn’t want to order anything else at that time.

This is where the situation escalated unnecessarily. The server became aggressive toward our entire table just because I chose not to order anything else. They treated my mom and my friend terribly, to the point where we decided it was best to leave and eat somewhere else. Despite the poor experience, we still offered to pay for our drinks, my friend’s food, and the chips and queso.

As we were leaving, the server began talking about us to other tables, trying to make it seem like we were the problem—which we weren’t. We were more than understanding that mistakes happen, but I wasn’t going to be pressured into ordering something else after losing my appetite. The way we were treated was completely unacceptable. We were never rude about the situation, but the staff made it a much bigger issue than it needed to be. My mom and friend were still planning to finish their meals, but after the way we were treated, we no longer felt comfortable staying.

After this experience, we will not be returning to this location, and I will be sharing this on all social media platforms. No guest should ever be treated this poorly or talked about to other customers just for pointing out spoiled food and a mistaken order.

For what it’s worth, we ended up going to Cazadorez, and the experience was night and day—fantastic service, great food, and a much busier restaurant, which now makes sense. It’s sad to see some businesses no longer care about customer service. And just to be clear, I’m not someone who believes in the idea that “the customer is always right”—but basic respect...

I honestly don’t know how this place gets a 4.5 star rating. Chips and salsa are a big part of the experience for me. The salsa was basically crushed tomato and the queso had to be canned. It was soupy and didn’t resemble cheese. I ordered the Mocajete, since it’s a large, higher priced dinner, and it comes out sizzling in a stone bowl. The chorizo was half dissolved in the lake of grease in the bowl and the carne came out in a large steak that had to be cut up. By the time I got it cut, the food had ceased sizzling, and I was getting a bit disenchanted. Bean and rice were bland, but most are. Cant fault them for what nearly everyone does. On the good points, the waiter was attentive, and the cheese on the Mocajito was queso blanco, a true Mexican cheese that most restaurants replace with a richer flavored cheese, and the Jalapeño was fired nicely. I grew up with a lot of Mexican family, and love the food....