Torchy's Tacos — Restaurant in The Woodlands

My family and I have enjoyed Torchy's Tacos for over a year now and we were excited to find out that this one was going to be opening in our neighborhood.

Since their opening I have been pleased to see how well they have prospered and enjoyed their popularity. The food is delicious. Thank God, I'm not writing this review about the quality of food but of the customer service and poor food portions.

Today I called ahead and ordered a Fried Avocado Taco, and a Cross Roads Taco with a fried avocado on top in a bowl. To my order I added a bowl of their amazing queso. When I arrived the young lady at the cash register attended to me with as much care as could be expected while juggling multiple calls and a line that went out the door. I told her that my order was for dining in and she said, that wouldn't be a problem. With the number "7" in my hand (the number of my order) I went and found a table with my daughter and waited patiently.

After barely 15 mins or so the manager came out with our order in to-go bags. "Here is your order, sir." She said. To which, I told her that I had asked that it be a dine-in order. She looked confused and told me that all online orders were automatically "to-go" orders. "Even if I ask the cashier to note that the order was a dine-in?" I asked.

With a "Yes", she turned and left me literally holding my bags.

Upset and unsettled I went to the cashier and asked for some baskets so we could enjoy our meal at the tables. And when I opened the bags I was surprised to find that my taco bowl was less than half of what I usually get on a taco and the queso wasn't as full as it normally has been.

The queso was way too spicy, and as a Mexican I know spicy. So, I thought I would make another order because I was still hungry from the small portion served in the bowl.

I called in another order of queso and the same taco I ordered before, but as a taco not a bowl. I told the cashier that the meal was a dine-in meal and she said that that was ok.

This time it took the kitchen 25 minutes to get the order out despite the dramatic drop in the volume of new visitors. The bags arrived once again and I returned them, asking that they place our food in baskets as I had requested. The waiter left with the bags.

Ten minutes later the manager appeared with our bags and an excuse. "All calls and orders online are automatically marked as 'TO-GO' even if the customer tells the cashier otherwise." Even though the sign over the cashier says "Order Ahead" and "On-Line Orders" nothing indicates that it the order placed there cant be "dine-in". On a side note, I have placed orders online and over the phone and the restaurant has prepared them as "Dine in" meals as I had requested.

After waiting for the manager to place our food in baskets she gave in and came back with the food and little to say.

I took my taco and placed it in the bowl they had used before. The second bowl (dine-in taco) had twice the amount of food as the first bowl. And the new queso bowl was more full than the first. This proves that more food is given in the meals for dine in than for take out.

Not cool, Torchy. Great tacos but poor customer service and disproportionate food portions don't fly. A manager shouldn't be making excuses but trying to keep customers. This kind of stuff shouldn't...

We generally like Torchy's but recently, I visited this Research Forest location and after placing my to-go order, I moved to the seating area where another woman was also awaiting her to-go order.( I had about 25 mins until my husband's lunch break and I was surprising him with his favorite meal.) We were there 15+ mins and the other woman noticed people who were in line after us were receiving their meals before us. She inquired about hers and the waitress informed her the order must have been lost and had not been made yet. That worried me, so I also inquired. Same story. So almost 15 mins had gone by. Her order came out about 6 mins later but mine didn't. I wait another 6 or so minutes before I requested the manager. I informed her I had been waiting for over 20 mins for 3 tacos. She took my order number and returned momentarily with my 3 tacos. (The order was apparently just sitting back there getting cold!) She made a lighthearted "sorry bout that!" as she turned to go back to the kitchen. No explanation, no offering of a discount, no checking if I was okay with my experience...she just turned to go back to the kitchen. I honestly lost my temper. I emphatically declared (did not raise my voice) I would not be returning and that it was a ridiculous experience. The manager, on her way back to the kitchen, turned to me and loudly & sarcastically exclaimed "Merry Christmas!" The UberEats driver standing near me gave me this look like, "holy sh*t she didn't just say that". It was everything I had in me to not continue making a scene. I had already missed almost 10 mins of my husband's lunch break, which was why I was there in the 1st place. So I left. And sadly, we will NOT be returning. We will either avoid Torchy's altogether or drive south to the Springwoods Village location. But never again to the Research Forest location. Shame that manager didn't think it was necessary to make sure her customer was satisfied. I'm not unreasonable. A heartfelt apology and perhaps an explanation as to why my small order took so long instead of treating me like an inconvenience and afterthought would have likely been enough to salvage the situation but the sarcasm and quickness to shoe me away just...

Who in the Austin, Houston and Dallas areas hasn't tried the eclectic, creative, masterpiece twist of tacos??? If you haven't tried the Austin based Torchy's Tacos, because they are holding true to "Keeping it Weird" in a fantastic way of course.....you my deprived virtual friends are missing out! These aren't your regular tacos, which yes I still love, yes I love street tacos especially from Taco Trucks.... I'm just saying y'all have got to try Torchy's!!!! I'm in love with the Torchy's location here in The Woodlands 😍💖😍 Extremely clean, the entire staff are professional, friendly, hardworking and happy! When you go, no matter what...order one of the queso dips, both are off the chart excellent...get the large, trust me. I'm a creature of habit, knowing I can't eat an entire taco, I always order my favorite 2 tacos because I can never decide which one I want more lol. Drum roll..... Jess' 2 all time favorite Torchy's Tacos are (in no order considered which is #1) Baja Shrimp Taco - I like my shrimp lightly fried (I don't like fried shrimp because it covers the shrimp taste) because you can taste the shrimp, grilled onions and peppers, the slaw and I have to make it trashy then I pour the poblano ranch on top, close that sloppy trashy taco, take that first bite and I swear my taste buds hear God's beautiful angels singing. #2.) Beef Fajita Taco....I love beef fajitas if done right....they have nailed it! So juicy, tender and perfectly seasoned. It comes with sauteed onions and peppers...I add on for an extremely cheap charge...grilled mushrooms and grilled shrimp...yes I make this one trashy too lol. Depending on my ability to handle spices that day, I pour their awesome chipotle sauce or the awesome poblano ranch....fold that messy, sloppy, trashy goodness and again, my taste buds hear angels singing. Seriously peeps, whatever taco screams out to you.....order it, customize it and definitely make...