Ruben's Mexican Grill — Restaurant in Wichita

During a recent visit to Wichita, Kansas, I had the pleasure of dining at Ruben's Mexican Grill, located at 915 W Douglas Ave. This establishment has garnered a reputation for serving authentic Mexican cuisine in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Eager to experience their offerings, I decided to try their Chilaquiles with beef, a dish that holds a special place in traditional Mexican breakfast cuisine.

Ambiance and Service

Upon entering Ruben's Mexican Grill, I was immediately struck by the vibrant yet cozy interior. The walls are adorned with colorful Mexican art, creating an atmosphere that is both lively and welcoming. The seating is comfortable, and the layout allows for both intimate dinners and group gatherings. The staff greeted me warmly and promptly guided me to a table. Throughout my meal, the service was attentive without being intrusive, with servers checking in regularly to ensure everything was to my satisfaction.

The Chilaquiles with Beef

Chilaquiles is a traditional Mexican dish that consists of corn tortillas cut into quarters and lightly fried. These crispy tortilla pieces are then simmered in salsa—either red or green—until they begin to soften. The dish is typically topped with a variety of ingredients, such as cheese, eggs, or meat. At Ruben's, the Chilaquiles are prepared with green salsa and can be ordered with beef or chicken, accompanied by shredded cheese, rice, and beans.

When the dish arrived, it was a feast for the eyes. The presentation featured a generous portion of chilaquiles topped with tender strips of beef, melted cheese, and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro. The accompanying sides of rice and refried beans were neatly arranged, completing the plate.

The first bite was a delightful blend of textures and flavors. The tortilla chips retained a slight crispness, providing a pleasant contrast to the rich and tangy green salsa. The beef was cooked to perfection—tender and flavorful, complementing the zest of the salsa. The melted cheese added a creamy richness, while the fresh cilantro imparted a hint of freshness that elevated the dish. The rice was fluffy and well-seasoned, and the refried beans were smooth and savory, making them excellent companions to the main attraction.

Menu and Offerings

Ruben's Mexican Grill offers a diverse menu that caters to a wide range of palates. In addition to the Chilaquiles, they serve a variety of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and specialty dishes. Notable items include the Burrito California, a large burrito stuffed with grilled steak, chicken, bell peppers, and onions, smothered with cheese sauce and served with a side of rice and shrimp. For seafood enthusiasts, the Del Mar features three tacos—two tilapia fish and one shrimp—served with tartar sauce, cabbage, pico de gallo, and a side of rice.

The restaurant also offers a selection of wines by the glass, including Chardonnay, White Zinfandel, Moscato, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sweet Red, providing options to complement various dishes.

Special Offers and Online Ordering

One of the appealing aspects of Ruben's Mexican Grill is their commitment to customer satisfaction through special offers and convenient services. They feature a happy hour special where customers can buy one drink and get the second at half price between 2 PM and 6 PM, making it an excellent opportunity to unwind after a long day.

For those who prefer to enjoy their meals at home, Ruben's offers online ordering for takeout. The process is straightforward: customers can select their desired items from the online menu, place an order, and pick it up at their convenience. This service is particularly beneficial for individuals with busy schedules who still wish to savor authentic Mexican cuisine.

Conclusion

My experience at Ruben's Mexican Grill was nothing short of exceptional. The combination of a welcoming atmosphere, attentive service, and delectable dishes like the Chilaquiles with beef makes it a standout destination for anyone seeking genuine Mexican...

Sadly I will not be returning to this establishment. First time trying Rubens, was excited for some authentic Mexican cuisine, which this is not. This is very bland Tex Mex, there was a stick mixed in with my rice, cheese and meat and none of the veggies on my plate would have had a stick, so that was confusing. Also every bite of steak was chewy, gristle, uneatable, but I didn’t bother mentioning it because of what happened to my co-worker I was dining with. He ordered a meal with 3 meats, pork, chicken and beef, in tortillas with cheese. Half way through he still hasn’t found any meat! My co-workers are not fans of pointing out faults or mistakes when they happen, so I asked the server, “was this not supposed to have meat?” She said “yes” and apologized and went to speak to the owner. When she returned she told us that she spoke to the owner and they are sorry for the mistake and if we like, we can speak to the owner ourselves. But they weren’t doing anything for us. As if we needed to argue our valid point, that everyone agrees to. The restaurant made a mistake and needs to make it right. This is Day one hospitality training. We clearly weren’t after a free meal and by this point my coworkers are getting uncomfortable. I gave the server one last bit of “coaching” on how to resolve this issue. I said “how about a slice of flan to make up for the mistake”. She smiled and again went to speak to the owner..... when she returns she tells us that “The Flan is too expensive for us, so we cannot give it to you but we will give you a 10% discount”. Whatever, at least it’s something. We pay and then realize that they discounted our $46 check a whopping .90 cents. Wow!

When I was a restaurant manager I loved when issues like this arose, it gives you a chance, as manager or owner, to come speak with the guest. Get feedback, and always always make sure the guest is happy with the resolution of something that is 100% the restaurants fault. A simple piece of Flan which can’t be more than $2.50 @ cost, just cost you far more than that. The three of us will not be returning. Remember, outstanding hospitality will make up for shortcomings in flavor, ambiance, cleanliness, etc. etc. I hope the “owner” sees this and...

First the pros about this place ... waitress was good, she was engaging and attentive. It was a clean restaurant, but still had kind of a dirty feel to it. Salsa was delicious. Chips were warm and crispy. Now for the cons ... table of 4, we all ordered different tacos, the tortillas are spread overlapping on the plate and a small spooning of our chosen filling was spread across them. These are a little bit larger than standard size tortillas, however the meat did not accommodate the tortilla. Very small portions of meat for the size of the tortilla. Secondly, they mixed the meats together. I don't understand why they would do that, so we spent a little bit of time pulling the chicken to one side then the carne asada to the other. The menu says these tacos are $3 a piece, they were definitely not worth it. I tasted the chicken and it was decent, carne asada pretty much had no flavor until I added some lime. I also ordered an avocado salad, it was actually delicious and the avocado was huge. It was only $6, definitely an affordable and filling item. There was a little bit too much jalapeno on it for me, and I ended up not being able to finish it because of the spice. Other than that, it was yummy. We received our check and headed up to the register, all of us left at the same time and there was quite a line behind us so when they told us the total of our check, which was only 4 tacos and the avocado salad, we didn't want to hold up the line. But when we got outside and did the math it seems like they charged us $4 per taco. This happened to the two other people I was with as well. Both were overcharged on their ticket. We were all pretty pissed, but didn't have the time to go back in and dispute. There's really nothing that will make me return to this place. You'll definitely want to double check your end total and compare it to the prices...