Mi Cocula Mexican Grill

"We ordered queso-it’s $9 cup/$10 bowl…the meat was so sad and unseasoned I asked for some cilantro to jazz it up-our server brought out a tiny ramekin of cilantro. My husband likes super spicy salsa so I asked if there was anything a little spicier to accommodate him-I was happy with the spice already. Our server brought out a tiny ramekin of a spicier salsa, which he liked. We ordered steak and chicken combo fajitas and an enchilada plate. The fajitas came out with about 5 ounces of meat TOTAL with sour cream and guacamole but no shredded cheese or pico. I asked for both, and we finished our meal. It was very forgettable and underwhelming. Reggaeton played the entire night, but it was quiet and not crowded. When we asked for the bill, my husband noticed we were charged for EVERY SINGLE ITEM we asked for-$2 for cilantro…CILANTRO! $2 for the spicy salsa, $ 2.50 for the pico and $2.50 for the shredded cheese. So, our $21 fajitas that barely fed one person basically ended up being $26 fajitas at the end of the day. Nowhere in the description of the fajitas did it say what was included and what wasn’t…we let our server know it would’ve been nice to know ahead of time that there would be up-charges for the items we requested, and that we were a bit taken aback by the fact that this wasn’t disclosed or relayed beforehand. We’ve been to PLENTY of restaurants like Mi Cocina , Mesero, Meso Maya, Uncle Julio’s and The Mexican, where the chips and salsa stay flowing, the food is absolutely remarkable, and you know exactly what you’re getting-there are no hidden fees. We spoke with the manager and relayed our disappointment. I suggested that it might be a great idea to educate his entire waitstaff on informing guests if items are not complimentary as opposed to finding out when your bill comes. He acknowledged our concerns and comped the cilantro and salsa. They do not honor veterans or military, which is huge for us being that my husband served in the military and their restaurant is 10 minutes from Carswell NAS. There are too many other Mexican restaurants where the service is better, the food is remarkable, you actually get what you pay for, aren’t “nickel and dimed”, and military is recognized and honored. I can not recommend this restaurant based on our experience and we won’t be returning. For our first experience ever dining here, it was very lackluster, basic and unimpressive. Don’t waste your time."

"Really bummed with the experience we had. It wasn't super busy when arrived, and we waited about 15 minutes to be seated. The problems started after we got to our table. The server got our drink order and didn't return. He kept going to other tables to clean them, or serve. We had to ask another staff member for help to place our order after waiting 20-30 minutes. Food wasn't great, it took another 30-40 minutes to arrive and my husband's Chile Relleno was soggy like it had just been sitting for a while. My guisada was spicy, which wasn't noted on the menu, and I could hardly eat it. The atmosphere is nicely decorated, the margarita was good. Just not the best experience."

"The positives. The restaurant is clean, which is a very important point with me. The food is well prepared and tasted amazing. My wife especially liked the boracho beans. On the fence. The El Presidente fajitas was a small steak cooked as ordered, but you have to cut it up yourself for fajitas. That threw me off. I thinking going in, had I known, I would've been OK, but it caught me by surprise. The negatives. No paper towels in the guys bathroom. I told my waiter who did nothing about it. Another customer had to tell the other waiter before the towels were replaced. I wonder how the staff dried their hands after going to the bathroom? I asked my waiter if the El Presidente was enough food for 2 people and he shrugged and said he didn't know. Knowing the menu, since there's not a lot of choices, would seem to be something you'd want have knowledge of. Watching other customers coming in, the manager or owner tripped all over himself to make sure the customers were satisfied. My wife said that they were probably regulars. How does a restaurant get regulars? Well by treating the customers like they are welcomed and making sure that everything was good. 2 Things that no one did for us. Am I a little hurt? Well I spent $90 for two meals, so yeah, I'm a little hurt. All-in-all, we probably won't go back. If you're familiar with the menu and frequent the restaurant, then I'm sure your experience is a lot different. But for $90 for two people and get the service we got, I'd have to give it a firm no. To the manager/owner. We came in based solely on reviews and expected a lot because of those reviews. I'm not sure if you'll see this review or if you even care since I'm not a regular. My suggestion would be to use a restaurant model like Campisi's. We're not regulars at Campisi's, but I can promise you that the manager will treat everyone like they are VIP's, and the waitstaff knows the menu."

"Went on a Wednesday night and it wasn't very crowded. Atmosphere is nice, service was absolutely spot on. Everyone there did a great job taking care of us. Both of our meals were delicious and perfectly cooked. Great, authentic Latin flavors. The drinks were also delicious and well crafted. Highly recommend!!"

"Perfect service every time! My daughter gets called "princess" and she is all smiles when we eat here. We always share a queso cup, a margarita, and the brisket tacos and it is exactly what we expect. So good! It is an alternative to the other bussling places, and to be honest better tasting."