The Original Mexican Cafe
| Address: | 1401 Market St, Galveston, TX 77550, USA |
| Phone: | +1 409-762-6001 |
| Site: | theoriginalgalveston.com |
| Rating: | 3.9 |
| Working: | 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–9:30PM 8AM–9:30PM 8AM–9PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 5
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Kent Bakken
If I could give it a 0 star rating I would. 1) Horrible parking situation at that location 2) Server was almost non-existent, server helper smiled but spoke so little English he could not communicate. This is America, if you are going to live and work here for a living, you need to speak at least enough of the language to communicate in your job. If on vacation, different view point. 3) When I asked the server if they had any Spicer / hotter salsa, he was very blunt with "NO, that is it". 4) When I asked the server if he could bring me a small amount of fresh diced jalapenos to mix in with my salsa, he grabbed up the check with a huff and stormed off to the kitchen. When he returned, he returned with a cup of pickled jalapenos, not fresh and proudly presented me with my "new" bill for an extra $1.00 charge for their non-fresh jalapenos. 5) When I left him a $20.00 bill for my $13.00 ticket, he took it and left. I waited and waited, finally got his attention and he informed me that I would have to go to the cashier, (my first time here, did not realized that unlike most restaurants he would not handle it and return with my change, nor did he inform me of this until I was almost late to work from waiting on him) 6) When I got to the cashier, my $20.00 bill was laying there with my ticket still after 5-10 minutes of it being in his possession untouched where I am sure the server placed it. There was a line to cash out, but I, silly me, assumed that since the server brought it to him 5-10 minutes ago, had a "place" already in line where he would stop and take care of it, NOPE, he informed me "to the back of the line" "dont care if server brought it to me before them". So I waited patiently and politely in line. When I got up to him, I informed him "I assure you I will NOT ever be back and I will write a review" his answer was "SO" while he handed me my change. Just because this is a tourist town and they sit right next to UTMB-Galveston they obviously just dont care what their service is like because someone has lead them on to believe that with the high turn over of people in this town, no one will care if they are rude or uncaring to their customers because they probably wont be back until next years vacation anyway. On top of it all, this is honestly the very first time in my adult life that I have ever written a review on any place and I have traveled for work and pleasure to over 7 different countries.
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rossrobertson420
My family and I come to Galveston atleast 10 times during the summer since we live in Katy texas which is only about an hour and 15 minutes away. We have exhausted all the restaurants in Galveston and have learned that it is very hard to find a really good mexican restaurant. So about a week ago I found this place and my wife and I went. We thought we had found a hidden jewel and was excited about finding a really good place to eat. So then we came back to Galveston today with our kids and we went back. Well as soon as we were walking up to the restaurant we smelt the worse smell of sewage outside. We thought it was just a real nasty smell coming from something outside. We placed our orders and our waiter was really nice and food was decent. Then my daughter had to use the restroom and my wife took her in there. My wife came back disgusted and almost couldnt eat her food. She said the restroom smelt horrible and then she went to wash her hands and when she turned the water on the water smelled horrid but before she got the wafting smell she had already put her hands in the water. So when she got back she didnt even want to touch her food. So then I went to use the restroom and it stank bad and there was gnats on and hovering around the water faucet. How disgusting is that? Then we left and my daughter literally threw up outside because of the smell. I called them and told them of our experience and they said that that was the first time anyone has complained about that. Yea freaking right! I will never eat there again. All I can think of is that I just ate food that was made with sewage water. Never will I go there again. Beware of the sewage people.
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A Private User
I just ate at "The Original" after reading some reviews online. I have to say it is some of the worst "Mexican" food Ive had. I recently moved to Galveston after living in San Antonio my entire life, so Id say Im a seasoned mexican food connoisseur. The horrible service goes hand in hand with Mexican cuisine in general, so that wasnt surprising. However, going half the meal with no drinks, after the waiter checked on us 3 times, was disappointing. We even asked for more sweet-n-low and he didnt catch the hint. If you dont like cilantro, or dont like LOADS of it in your food, Id go somewhere else. In San Antonio, the best restaurants know how to incorporate the flavor into a dish, rather then making the entire dish taste like it. This place dumped it in by the cup. Everything we had, from the hot sauce to the soup had a ton of cilantro. I specifically asked the waiter if the "Caldo de Rez" (Beef Soup) had cilantro in it and he said you couldnt even notice it. Too bad, every bite I took had at least one sprig of cilantro in it. I couldnt even finish it. You have to pay .50ç for every tortilla you want and the rice they served with my soup was cold. Ill never go back. Worst Mexican food Ive ever had, and thats saying a lot!
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Anthony Nalli
Was excited to try this rather well-hyped Mexican restaurant. Lisa ordered the mixed enchiladas and I got the mixed fajitas. I though it was interesting that while most enchilada plates included rice and beans (fairly standard in Mexican restaurants) Lisas plate explicitly excluded them. Also strange was that sour cream and cheese were a $3 up charge with my fajitas - again, usually standard. The enchiladas were tasty enough but fairly average on the whole. The fajitas did not come served on a sizzling platter (not that thats essential) but did include an adequate portion of chicken and steak on a bed of peppers and onions, the fajita fixins (minus sour cream and cheese), rice, beans, and tortilla shells. It was also tasty though not spectacular. When a place is as locally hyped as this you come in with high expectations, fairly or not. And while this place was good, it wasnt great. There was nothing wrong honestly. just little to honestly justify the hype. With so many other choices in the area, well try another place next time. Overall, its worth a try for good Mexican food if you can discard they hype and excuse the strange exclusions.
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A Private User
I will NEVER give this place my business again. I used to recommend this restaurant to friends traveling to Galveston and I wont do that anymore either. Tonight I received the most disgusting treatment I have ever received at any restaurant. I came in to place an order to go, and the man standing at the counter told me he had three dining rooms that were very busy. I then asked if I could place an order to go, and the man actually sneered at me and with an extremely snotty facial expression said "no". I can certainly understand if a restaurant is busy and does not have the capacity to handle to go orders on s particular night. All that is needed is a courteous explanation that they are not accepting to-go orders at the time. I have NEVER been treated so rudely at any business. I have been eating at this restaurant for 15 years and have always received good service in the past, but this was such exceptionally horrible treatment that I will never give them another cent.
