Every week could be Mexican week for Beard vs. Food, and I would be OK with it. Just about a month ago, Senor Coyotes Cantina & Grille opened in what once was the Marketplace Grill. I know it is still a bit early for them to settle in, but it received the most votes, so I went. The inside looks very similar to the Marketplace, identical almost. We were seated at a table in front of the bar, which allowed me to watch the beginning of the national championship game. We glanced through the menu while our server, a bartender who goes by “Wheels”, got us some drinks. The menu looked like it is having a bit of an identity crisis. American, Tex-Mex and Italian items littered the menu. Everything sounded great, however, so I didn’t know where to start. I figured the Southwestern section was where I wanted to be, with the ethic food theme and all.
Wheels brought us some smoky salted tortilla chips with two different salsas, as well as two awesome cheesy bread sticks with our waters and margarita. We got a few suggestions on what to order. I was in the mood for seafood, so I went with the seafood enchiladas, and Amanda got the chicken burrito. The entrées also come with soup or a salad. I got a normal house salad, while Amanda got a cup of their tortilla soup. The soup was thick and creamy and filled with chunks of chicken and veggies. It was good to dip the bread sticks in.
When our meals came out, they looked delicious. Amanda’s burrito was a tomato basil tortilla instead of a traditional shell. First it was stuffed with chicken, rice, cheese and refried beans, and then it was baked so the tortilla got crispy. It really let the flavors blend together. After it came out of the oven, it was topped with a burrito sauce and shredded cheese. It was a little heavy on the refried beans, but overall it was pretty good. Each plate comes with pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole. The guacamole was slightly on the bland side, but the pico and the sour cream went great. My enchiladas were light corn tortillas filled with shrimp, lump crab meat, scallops, cheese and green tomatillo sauce. They were smothered in a rich and chunky enchilada sauce and some more cheese. The seafood tasted fresh, and I was glad to see it was all real seafood versus imitation stuff. The side of rice and beans was OK. The rice didn’t have a lot of flavor, so I added some spicy salsa, which helped.
For Tex-Mex, it was pretty good. I wasn’t expecting to feel like I was in the heart of Mexico, but for what the price was, I got my money’s worth. Chips, bread sticks, two entrées with soup/salad, and a margarita for under $30 is a steal. Thank you to Wheels for the fantastic service and recommendations. You will see me back for sure.
Until next week,
Andrew — Beard vs. Food
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Well, I”m happy that “Wheels” did you right because our server sure didn’t. She didn’t know anything about the menu. She didn’t know what the foods were and could not describe any of the dishes. Even when we ordered, we had to show her what were ordering by pointing to the menu. She had no idea! When she delivered our dinners she had to ask us what was what. Shouldn’t she have asked that question to the people who made the food? Or is she so disinterested that she doesn’t even care what she is serving? It was a highly disappointing experience. We love the location. We love Tex-Mex food. It’s a shame to say I’m not sure we will ever go back.
I thought this place was terrible. Had dinner there and the food lack any flavor. Then went to lunch and their buffet food was cold.
I’ve eaten there a few times since they’ve opened and they’ve gotten progressively better. I think they are just having some growing pains. Waitress could have been brand new. I know that’s no excuse but still I would give it a shot as the last time I was there it was actually pretty good. When I don’t like something I tell the manager face to face and they usually try to do something about it.
A friend and I had lunch at Senor Coyotes last week. When we got there, the place was not that busy, but they had all the diners crammed into the upper section like sardines. We had to wait for 10-15 minutes before we ever saw a server. Meanwhile the music (FRANK SINATRA, in a MEXICAN restaurant?????) was so loud we had to shout to hear each other across the table. Finally, our server appeared to take our order. She seemed very inexperienced, did not know what the menu was, and when she served our food made continual mistakes with it. I ordered soup, my friend ordered salad. The server brought two salads. Then she brought the wrong entree for my friend. It was not a great experience. The food was bland and nothing worth the wait or expense of the meal. The tortilla chips had some sort of mesquite seasoning on them that tasted more like BBQ potato chips than tortillas and salsa. I was greatly disappointed. And the interior is still the same as it was as the Marketplace Grill, with a few cactii thrown in for southwestern flair. When the server finally brought our bills, my total was $9.62. I gave her a $20 and asked for change. She brought me two $5 and the change. She did not get a large tip as I had no singles in my wallet and was not about to give her a $5 tip for her lousy service. INEXPERIENCE and LACK OF TRAINING was evident all around. The management better get their act together or they will not survive in Erie. There are too many other restaurants with good service in town to put up with this. We were greatly anticipating the opening of this new restaurant, and I’m sad to say I will not be returning there any time soon. We could use a high quality Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant here in Erie.
I like their food – I hope these bad experiences were isolated or that they will be corrected. I will say that we already have a high quality Mexican restaurant in Erie – just look at last weeks story about Latinos. I love that place!
Went there with a large party of family and friends, our server Kristen was superb. The food did take a little while to arrive but it smelled and tasted great. The dinner was as great as their Sunday Brunch. I am excited to return for my friends rehearsal dinner party there.