El Paso Mexican Grill

I was suprised to find this resaurant out here in the sticks. ;)  No seriously, none of the stores existed before Cabela's opened.  Who woulda thunk... ;)  

In reality, the is a pretty good restaurant!  The chips are better than I've had anywhere.  And the salsa they serve with them is pretty decent too.  And if you don't like it the way it comes, there are two bottles of taco sauce on the table that you can spice it up with.

For my dinner, I had the basics; two beef burritos with sides of rice and beans.  All were very good.  If I had to pick a nit, it would be that the portion sizes were a little smaller than what I'm used to.  But the folks were friendly and they had a fair number of honest-to-god Mexicans working which is more than I can say for a lot of other Mexican restaurants.  A good meal!

I read the rest of the reviews prior to posting this one.  I may chalk this up as being in there on a bad night, the place was 2/3 crowded...  Please before going on, read some of my other reviews, I believe I've only provided one other review that was negative.  I'm a easy going diner who likes neighborhood joints.

I realize I'm in Wheeling, so my expectations shouldn't be too high....  Just average.  If they were average I would give them 4-5 stars just because of the geographical location.

Nothing in this place is authentic.  The salsa is bland and not at all spicy.  I asked for the homemade hot stuff that EVERY other restaurant has in the back.  They had to whip this up  on the spot.  It was truly horrendous.  The chips were stale.  The salsa was just bad.

I ordered steak ranchero.  WOW.  How can you mess a steak?  Well, it was a t bone smothered in the bland sauce.  Well, it may have been a t bone, but I would've fed it to my dog.  It was well, well, well done.  and tasted completely OLD.  I stomached it and go the heck out.  The rice was 1/2 cooked.  The beans 'paste' was a joke.

Okay, let's get to the help.  Utterly and completely unprofessional. The kitchen help is watching the game at the bar enjoying a soda.  The guy who brought me the chips and salsa threw them on the table.  Zero manners.  

My waiter....  Well, he clearly did not want to be there.  At first I ordered a coke.  The second drink was an Iced tea. HUH !  No, coke.  He told me that I ordered an Iced tea.  I looked at him like, really man?  Then, they were yelling to each other across the restaurant to each when they needed something.  (This is over the other patrons' heads)  I was like, incredible...   Then I watched my waiter seat a family of three..  he sauntered them through the restaurant then they went to the front far right table..  My man, stopped 3/4 there and handed the menus to the patron and turned his back.  They didn't even make to the table.  He would talk to other patrons and mid-stream turn his back...  I was shocked.  

Hence the reason I stomached the piece of leather and got the heck out.  

Let me just say, there are a few other MUCH better Mexican restaurants that are DEFINITELY worth the extra 10 minute drive, even if it's just not to put up with the un-professionalism of the wait staff.  The food is not good.

I have to admit, i wasnt looking forward to eating here, seeing the front of the building really didnt encourage me.

How wrong could i be?

The food here is amazing, some of the best mexican i've ever eaten. I know not how authentic it really is, but the portion size was just right, and the flavours were great.

A real hit with me.