Torchy's Tacos — Restaurant in The Woodlands

My wife and I are food service industry veterans. A combined tenure of 60 plus years. If any anyone can recognize a restaurant "off day" we most certainly can. We also understand the challenges of this industry, the no call-no shows, the drama, the in-fighting, staff shortages etc. Though we have both laid down our arms and moved on from this industry we both still love, as former industry professionals, like most, we always endeavor to be the most forgiving when it comes to a sub-par experience We've had wonderful Torchy Taco experiences, from the Vintage Park & Research Forest, to Shepard and Spring Stuebner.... we will continue to support save perhaps the Woodlands Torchy's at 1555 Lake Wodlands.

Since we had decided to "NOT' leave a review initially, we just decided to see what other Torchy clients thought about this particular location. Low & Behold there were two reviews about "T" the bartender and his exceptional professionalism and service. (Benardo & Wendy) referencing Sunday 10/10.

With that said we had quite a different experience with "T" the bartender, who by all accounts looked like he just stepped out of a pool, a sauna, and or finished a marathon or either missed or was on an extra dose of atterol. We witnessed "T" the bartender having difficulties remembering even simple request. Asked us what are drink request was twice after the initial request, even to the point of telling us that "our drink request" was messing him up. WOW! I guess a mimosa and margarita rocks is difficult for a bartender, but I digress.... Repeatedly, before making our drinks, we witnessed "T" the bartender just couldn't keep his thumb and index finger from pinching the obvious runny nose. Literally watched him grab a black napkin, place a celery stick & two olives in it and he past us at the bar, pinched his sweaty runny nose again, walk to the customer and with that very same hand and two fingers, put those food items into a customers bloody-mary. (Mind you, during all these we are both personally witnessing "T" the bartender do, we are discussing should we just leave or should we give "T" the bartender the benefit of our witnessed disgust and stay) with everything telling us to go we remained patient up until "T" the bartender went from the excessive nose and sweat touching of his nose, to the olives and celery stick to even more multiple nose & sweat pinching, with 'ZERO HAND WASHING" to making our drinks. Our disgust came to a head. That behavior in a FOH position is entirely unacceptable.

I sternly and out loud said, "That's enough! That his hygiene is disgusting and that he should get out from behind the bar!" And we left, went into the mall and grabbed some street tacos from Begotes. This was our personal perception on that Sunday 10/10. That perception was our unfortunate reality.

"Hostile?" that's debatable. Could I have handled it differently? I suppose yes, I could have.

Would it had made a difference if I did though? Sadly, I think not.

Signed, Never will I enter Torchy's Tacos at 1555...

🌮🔥 Torchy’s Tacos: Flavor That Slaps, But Restrooms That Gag 🔥🌮

Let’s be real—Torchy’s Tacos absolutely nails it when it comes to food. The tacos are bold, flavorful, and always hit the spot no matter when you come. The consistency is borderline magical—like, you could be blindfolded, dropped into any Torchy’s in the country, and still bite into that Trailer Park and know exactly where you are. It’s THAT good.

BUT—and it’s a big but—someone needs to light a fire under the customer service and facilities team, because the experience outside of your plate is… let’s just say, less than spicy.

🧑‍🍳 Some of the staff are warm, helpful, and genuinely great at their jobs—shoutout to those legends! Unfortunately, that energy isn’t contagious, because there’s always at least one team member who looks like they’d rather be anywhere else. Indifference is not a seasoning we want with our tacos, folks.

🚨 And now, the elephant in the room: THE MENS RESTROOMS.

Seriously—how is it possible that every single time I visit this location in The Woodlands (even RIGHT after the place opens & the restrooms have had very little use) the restrooms look like a post-concert gas station? We’re talking grime, urine on the floor, urinals and toilets that are not clean and often have trash in the urinal, overflowing trash, empty soap dispensers, not hand towels and that what-is-that-smell...a smell that haunts your nostrils long after you leave. This is every time I visit this location, guaranteed! It’s enough to make you start questioning things like:

“If this is how they treat the bathrooms… what’s going on in the kitchen?”

Cleanliness should NEVER be optional in a restaurant—especially one that prides itself on quality. This isn’t just a one-time slip-up. It’s a pattern. And it’s disappointing for a brand that gets the food so consistently right.

⭐ Final Verdict: Come for the tacos, stay for the flavor, but bring hand sanitizer and avoid the restroom like your appetite depends on it. Torchy’s, we love your food—now please love your customers back by giving us a space that’s as clean as your queso...

I’ll be honest—when I walked into Torchy’s this time around, my energy was off. I’d had a not-so-great experience in the past, and I was fully prepared to just “survive” this visit because my girlfriend insisted we give it another shot. I wasn’t exactly open to being impressed. But that’s when Lauren—our bartender—flipped the script entirely. From the jump, she picked up on my vibe (which was somewhere between skeptical and borderline grumpy) and didn’t just go through the motions. She read the room, gave us an effortlessly warm welcome, and made some spot-on recommendations that honestly felt more like a curated experience than a menu rundown. First off: her food and drink suggestions? Fire. It’s like she has some sixth sense for pairing flavors and knowing what’ll hit right. The apps she recommended were on point, and the drink she crafted for me was the perfect mix of bold and smooth—kind of like her whole approach to hospitality. What really impressed me, though, was how she managed to subtly shift the energy without forcing anything. It wasn’t fake hype or robotic customer service. It was real. Genuine. She brought that rare combo of emotional intelligence and high-level product knowledge that you honestly don’t expect at a taco spot, but now that I’ve experienced it—I think it should be the standard. By the time we left, I went from “meh, let’s get this over with” to “yo, when are we coming back?” Lauren didn’t just turn around my night—she single-handedly redeemed the entire Torchy’s brand for me. That’s not exaggeration. That’s impact. So yeah. Lauren deserves every bit of this 5-star review and then some. If there’s any justice in the hospitality universe, she’s on track for a raise, a promotion, or at the very least, a ridiculous holiday bonus. Torchy’s, take note: she’s not just a bartender—she’s a vibe curator, a mood-shifter, and an absolute asset...