10/19/09

Excellent Mexican Food for a not to shabby price

by DonkeyKongg

Eating here was a real treat. My wife chose to bring me here and we had a delightful experience. People say cheap mexican food is horrible mexican food, but this place will turn that thinking around. Will be back soon!

• Pros: Food

10/01/09

Great Food, Fantastic Service

by mjskier

Upon entering the restaurant from the bustling atmosphere of Larimer Square, we were immediately greeted by a brightly smiling and very friendly hostess who made us feel welcomed and promptly escorted us to our table on the rooftop. The sun was just beginning it's descent behind the mountains, and we were treated to a truly glorious sunset.

The staff was immediately attentive and remained so throughout the dining experience, without being intrusive. Our server (Matt) was prompt in greeting us and full of helpful information about the menu items, right down to the specific details of the spices and varieties of chillies used in each. He was very successful in reading our need for his presence and when we wanted to be left to our own devices. Dining with Matt was an experience unto itself.

We started with the flautas, which were crispy and drizzled in a bright and flavorful three chili sauce and cool cream fresca: a great way to start when you're really hungry.

Our guacamole was average, however ask your server for a small side of habanero sauce and it can really make it a standout dip.

My entree was the slow roasted pork shoulder... a great cut of meat that was cooked to absolute perfection...spiced perfectly and served atop a roasted corn puree that lent a balancing sweetness to the spice in the meat. On other occasions which I've dined at Tamayo, I've been impressed with the smoked and grilled duck and the adobo halibut... however the pork is the dish that has impressed me the most.

We heard rumblings of dessert, but couldn't begin to think about eating another thing... but I hear they're great.

While the food was great, the true inspiration for me to write about this place was the service and ambiance. For a raucous night out, an intimate date, or anything in between, you'll be handled properly if you entrust yourself to Tamayo's staff.

• Pros: Unique food preparation, service, ambiance
• Cons: Don't come here looking for tacos or burritos

09/08/09

Bad customer service, bland food, and $$$

by rogue3

I've walked by Tamayo so many times on my way to UCD campus for school and saw their cool little salsa dip that so many people ordered. I decided to try it for my birthday on a Saturday. Big mistake. Reservations for the big party was unsure because Cirque de Soleil was in town so they couldn't guarantee us the reservation. My friend even had to give a credit card number to them to secure our spot.

The service started out good. The guac, salsa, and chips they brought out were delicious. I got there later than some of my friends and was informed that the server just asked my friends if they wanted chips and salsa. We didn't know the guac costs $9.50 for a small bit of guac!! If we had known that we would have just asked for chips and salsa with NO guac! We had a big party so they ended up giving up 5 of these.

The seating was nice, we got the rooftop patio. One of my friends is preggo and will not eat any undercooked food so she had to send her beef tacos back to the kitchen to get cooked. The meat still came back pink. I was there when she informed the waitress that she had lost her appetite and did not want the tacos anymore. The waitress seemed indifferent and did ask if she wanted anything else and when my friend said "no" the server just asked "are you done?" and whisked away her plate. She had even explained to the waitress that she is preggo and cannot eat undercookd food. Another friend had a custom meal which consisted of a steak and mashed potatoes which cost $32 dollars!

I ordered the lobster crepes because everything else seemed overpriced and didn't sound appetizing. The presentation was great but the taste was absolutely bland! I ate it all because I didn't want to waste it. It cost $15 for 2 small crepes and I didn't even taste the lobster. I also ordered the calamari which was not bad, it had flavor but it was probably fried and sauteed with the sauce it came it so it is "wet".

My friend wanted to make it special for me so she bought a cake for use. It costs $5.00 to cut one piece of cake!! It would have cost us almost $90 for that! But the guy who cut said he would waive the fee for us which was very nice. I was even supposed to get a "free" dessert but we were never asked if we still wanted it.

The bill came out to be $500 dollars including tip because we had about 17 people. The waitress forgot to take off the entree my friend could not eat and had to re-fix the bill, luckily we checked the entire bill to make sure they didn't cheat us. Just because we are a big party doesn't mean we should get bad service. We felt like the waitress could care less because she was getting her 20% anyway. I barely ate anything and I'm pretty sure that everyone else left hungry as well which is bad news for a restaurant. How did we spend $500 and leave hungry?!?!! I don't know if I would give this place a second chance. Tamayo would really need some work in customer service and food for their prices.

• Pros: Good guac, nice presentation, roof top patio is awesome
• Cons:  over priced, bad service for big parties