Denny's Restaurant — Restaurant in South Padre Island

We saw all the red flags and ignored them... You've been warned or at least don't go around 2am, they are pretty much annoyed with other people at this time or have already worked 12 hour shifts apparently and won't give you the attention you deserve. Where do I start;

1.We were seated promptly considering we were a party of 12 but everything else just went down hill after that. Our order in total was taken by 3 different servers, all young adults, some newer than others, in fact the newer server was so much nicer and more attentive than those that had been around for a while. Our drink order was confirmed twice because of this. Those that ordered coffee pretty much got our drinks much much later. Then our meal order was taken by two different servers that of the first, half with one gentlemen and the other half with our young lady. The young lady returned 5 minutes later because she had given our order to someone who lost it and needed it to take it again. Our meals finally arrived, slightly warm but not so bad but different meals were missing items, like the side pancakes, biscuits, toast or extras ordered. We were told we'd get them two different times, some of us did, some of us didn't (we plain just gave up on getting the toast and we were pretty much done with our meal). 4.Everything was going wrong at this point and noticed another large party had left when our order had been taken and it seemed that process was long as well so we proceeded with asking one of our servers to prepare our separate tabs to facilitate the process. He was hesitant (not the new server) at first and said we'd pay at the end but we convinced him we'd like to have our tickets ready, he came back with a notepad and pen to pretty much ask us for our order again individually. Upon reviewing our orders two parties had ordered similar items, I believe Grand Slam and a Grand build your own, which was incorrect and when asked what the difference was he mentioned one came with sausage etc, which was not what was received and told us he could not change the ticket without a manager. 6.When asked to contact the manager he mentioned he had left for the day and then went on and on about how it had been a long day and had been there since 3pm and if it was about the $3 DOLLAR DIFFERENCE that HE WOULD PAY it. That pretty much infuriated the entire party for his demeanor. Noticed a man by the cashier who looked like the manager, LORD and behold it was the manager and had no idea what the issue was. We proceeded to explain we needed to pay and an order was incorrect and the response we had received was unacceptable, aside from the entire experience being awful we didn't care too much and made no big fuss until this young man showed his ignorance and lack there of trying to fix the issue and just get us out of the restaurant. He then realized he was now dealing with a group of professional customers who could after all speak up and got an ear full. The manager didn't know what still was happening seemed frustrated himself and spoke to his employees rudely in front of customers, asked the server to come back to fix the issue for his table "hey bro can you please come back here and help me fix this mess with your table", said things like "f**k my life" because he couldn't modify the ticket. Offered us a discount at some point. We just wanted to get out of there and asked him to close our tickets like we had ordered our meals. Eventually we all checked out and gave a few words of advise to the young man to which he didn't seem to care for at first. He eventually asked how he could have managed the situation better (big of him) and gave him a few extra tips. Whether he uses them in his current job or down the line I don't know but this location is not up to par with service and drastically needs to step it up, this starts with management, they don't seem to have it together either.

YOU'VE...

Forgive my silly screen name thingie as it certainly has nothing to do with this review.

The entire team at Denny’s on South Padre Island ought to be given a SUBSTANTIAL (I’m talking serious $$) RAISE for being hands-down the best Dennys I’ve ever visited in over 16 states.

I live on South Padre Island, for Pete’s silly sake, and yet, may God strike me good as dead if Dennys isn’t my favorite restaurant!

The manager is a lovely, beautiful woman with kind eyes, a warm smile and an… ease in her approach that naturally makes one feel familiar and welcome; as if she’d been waiting for your arrival all day and is JUST SO DARN happy to see you.

Its like there’s a genuine cheeriness about her thats almost impossible to fake and I doubt she knows just how awesome it is to be greeted that way when you’re new to an area, suffer constant social anxiety and isolated inside yourself far too often.

She’s one of the few people that (not speaking Spanish fluently myself) … I know will take the time to understand me and never once has shown frustration for my ignorance. She’s patient and kind and I often am reminded of what it was like serving as a young woman in my early 20’s under a manager who was cruel and hurtful—the polar opposite provoking my mind with musings on what a DIFFERENCE it might have made on my self esteem, my work, my life in general—had I enjoyed the privilege of learning from someone as magical as Dennys manager..

Kindness makes such a difference.

The cooks are … otherworldly in their food delivery (hot and fresh, soft and gooey, crispy and buttery in all the best ways) and as I sit in my truck positively snarfing my Eggs Over My Hammy—I am quite positively PUZZLED at what strange, addictive substances they put into this extraordinary cuisine to make it incomparable to absolutely anything I’ve ever cooked.

Hostesses and servers—-you are all such sweethearts and I know your job is NOT easy so… thank you for always taking the time to smile at me.

When you’re lonely in a new place, there’s no amount you wouldn’t pay for a...

If you’re looking for a family-friendly spot with great food and, above all, impeccable service, Denny’s in South Padre Island is the place to go! We recently visited on a busy Saturday morning with a group of six (two adults and four kids, ages 10 and 7), and the experience was nothing short of fantastic.

While Denny’s is a chain known for its classic breakfast dishes, what truly made this visit stand out was Erika, our waitress. From the moment we sat down, Erika’s warm and friendly demeanor set the tone for a great meal. Despite the busy rush, she was incredibly attentive, never letting our drinks run low or our needs go unmet. Her timing was impeccable, ensuring our family was comfortable without ever feeling rushed.

Erika went above and beyond by taking the time to recommend kid-friendly menu options, offer substitutions, and ensure our boys had exactly what they wanted. Her patience and ability to manage our group of energetic kids with a smile were remarkable—she truly made the experience feel personal and welcoming. It’s not often you find someone who can juggle the demands of a busy restaurant while making each guest feel like a priority, but Erika did so effortlessly.

As for the food, everything was exactly as you’d expect from Denny’s: hearty, satisfying, and delicious. Even with the restaurant buzzing with customers, our meals came out fresh and hot, which speaks volumes about the kitchen team’s efficiency and dedication.

In a world where excellent service is sometimes hard to come by, Erika’s exceptional attention to detail and genuine care made our visit memorable. She took the time to check in, offer thoughtful recommendations, and make sure our family felt comfortable every step of the way.

We highly recommend Denny’s in South Padre Island—not just for the food, but because of the incredible service provided by Erika. Her outstanding hospitality ensured we’ll be coming back the next time...