Tocolo Cantina - Garden City — Restaurant in Town of Hempstead

4 words: SERVICE SUCKS AND OVERPRICED . I came because of a friend's recommendation that the tacos were good but i could not even get past the awful service i received within the first 10 minutes. I was ignored several times in trying to get the servers attention and simply ignored. I came because of the happy hour 3 tacos and a beer for 12 dollars (resonably priced tacos) but since my party was a mix of 21 and 20 year olds I was refused the deal at the dining table. The manager said that my under 21 friends could not sit at the "island bar" (which is in the middle of the restaurant and detached from the bar) despite the fact that under New York State legislation you only have to be 18 to sit at a bar. Despite the manager's confusion and refusal of my request that we sit at the island, I was forced to pay 10 dollars for 2 VERY small tacos (pictured below). Not only that but the menu specifically mentioned the fact that each order of tacos comes with an order of rice and beans but rather our table got 2 small bowls of rice and beans (pictured below) rather than 7 orders. So to summarize the experience... TERRIBLE SERVICE UNKNOWLEDGEABLE MANAGER OVERPRICED TACOS VERY SMALL TACOS LITTLE TO NO RICE AND BEANS

Additional notes: Unsatisfied with my experience the owner contacted me stating: "I am sorry you were dissatisfied. However, many promotions have rules and stipulations. This is one such promotion. It is a great deal, for "of age" adults. It is clearly written in the menu that you must be 21 to participate. The deal is for 3 tacos AND an alcoholic beverage. It is very popular and many, many people understand those rules." And to that I would like to say that I clearly understand the deal and all of its "rules and stipulations" as I have been to plenty of other restaurants with similar bar deals as I am "of age". However, there is no rule where my party can not sit with me... The managers reply was because I can hand over my drink to other people underage at the bar or the "island/high top area" but happily served me at the dining table where the same thing could of occured (which i would never do). Simply no reasoning behind the owner or managers response as anyone over 18 can sit at the bar/high top island area.Thank you for the overcomplication of the situation and the overly priced food. You really should inform your staff on this situation and maybe "handing off drinks" would never happen if they didnt have their backs turned to customers the...

The 1st time I came to Tocolo Cantina. I really enjoyed myself! I came on taco Tuesday night. The food was so yummy and my 4yr old son enjoyed as well. At the time I gave it 5 stars. For the location, the decor, the music, the service and the food!

So I came back the following week, with a friend and her daughter and my son as well. I wasn't happy with food or service! I should have left when I got bad energy from the waiter. He had a blah attitude and he didn know the menu. I explained it was my second time. He just shrug his shoulders and waited for me to order. I ordered the sizzling chicken fajitas and said to the waiter. "I REALLY WANT STEAK BUT MY SON WONT EAT IT! " The waiter replied and said. "You can do half chicken/steak! I was like wow. "I CAN! He said yes! So i did! So our food arrived! It was not sizzling! It was warmed! And it had a sweet taste it. I added a little salt, to give it balance. But it didn help. It wasnt much meat on it at all! Just know the cost for the sizzling chicken fajitas was $24 and the steak was $28. It came with a small portion of fresh corn shells, cheese, guac and salsa! No beans or rice. Oh and my peppers and onions was over cooked as well.

Here comes the bill. I was in shocked the waiter charge me an extra 4 bucks for the steak. I asked him why. He said..."It's obvious! You added steak! " Ummmm! No sir! You said I could do half and half and you didn't mention an up charge would occur! He just shrugged his shoulders with a blank stare! I asked for the manager and she explained that he assumed I knew it would be a up charge! WTH? how? #Lies! If I knew...I would have stated that at the beginning of my order and he (the waiter )would have never offered the option! The manager took 2 bucks off and said thats the best she could do! Smh! I end up paying 26 bucks for a small amount of food and left there still hungry! The only reason why I ordered the fajitas was because a customer from the previous week ordered and their food was full and sizzling hot!

Just know to ssk questions before you order here. The place is nice and the drinks are good! I do love the tacos. But im not a fan of this last experience. So I wont be coming back no time soon!

Btw. My friend ordered the salmon. She wasnt happy. The sauce was good. But her salmon lacked flavor. Very bland. I know this. Because she...

went there and did happy hour with a friend, drinks were good, the food however was not. When ordering appetizers i chose the 3 different salsa's and the bartender explained them to me as mild, not spicy, and the last one being the higher version of mild. so i tried the not spicy, it was good, had pistachios. tried the mild and it was also good, then i got to the highest of mild and it was like a fire truck was needed in my mouth, i can handle spicy, thats not a problem but this was no mild, this was god awful spicy, no flavor to it and it was just spice burning your tongue. then when ordering food i asked about the quesadilla and what "Chihuahua cheese" was and he said it was a cheese with no flavor... umm why is it in your food then? its a cheese quesadilla with no flavor? he told me it was really good so i tried it and what else is new? there were hot peppers and onions in it as well, (not listed on the menu) and like i thought, it was awful. the entire meal was terrible, they are only good at drinks. also if you do go for happy hour you will see the sun go down and be blinding because the sun comes right through that giant wall of a window they have. i had to switch seats with a friend because hes taller and blocked the sun with his head instead of trying to look at me with the sun glaring into his eyes. invest in some shades! the place is cute but the food is not. along with the annoying hostess/manager lady that kept coming over and asking how things were and interrupted our meal to tell us about some dj that will be there and gave us some "sexy" hot chocolate which was just hot chocolate with cinnamon. im in the restaurant industry, there was nothing "sexy" about a cup the size of the tip of my pinky finger with boxed hot chocolate that they added cinnamon to. they need to get it together....