Luchazie General Store & Restaurant

My fist experience in this place was fair. A co worker and I travel to San Diego from Corpus Christi for home alarm installations and sales every now and then. We ordered the Angus burger. It was decent.

However my second visit (approximately 4 months later) was not so good.

I ordered another Angus burger while I was passing some time waiting for one of my customers to get home. The coke fountain that day was broke so they give you a soda in a can with a cup of ice.  I am not a big fan of that.

This place is not exactly cheap. You are paying premium prices for supposedly premium good food.
Well after 30 minutes of waiting for a "burger" I complained.  They said they were busy (8 - 10 people is considered busy for this place).

The owner happened to be in and around the store that day...  unloading perishable items for his restaurant out the back of his white truck with another man who I presumed to be his son or a nephew perhaps.

The younger man who had been helping unload cargo with the owner intervened between me and cook staff and went in the kitchen  to find out what was taking so long with my order. From what I could tell by reactions in the kitchen, my order  wasn't even in the queue to get made.  Now keep in mind this place has an open kitchen which can be easily be seen point blank from the counter. I watched this guy grab an Angus patty off the grill, grabs a bun with his bare hands, throws some lettuce on there with bare hands, and flops it all together in order to expedite my order (been waiting for 25-30 min). Then he tries to give it to me. "OK, here you go sir"..

#1. He did not even attempt to wash his hands before handling my food.

#2. I will bet the farm and two oil wells he did not have a food handler's permit.
(its not like he works there, he just helps out the owner).

#3. He did not even ask or make sure my Angus burger was cooked to order.
(when they ask you how would you like it cooked it's a joke. Why bother when they are going to make it however they want).

After witnessing that treatment and waiting a long time I declined the order and the gentleman quickly gave me a refund. I didn't demand a refund or anything but he did give it to me.

Now, a little inside scoop. The owner of this place I have heard in Rumor-ville is a very nice gentleman. He is strict on his kids, nieces and nephews and employees who work there at the store. I was told if he had seen what had happened he may have sent someone home that day.  While that is his business, I appreciate the caring the owner has for his store/restaurant and for his customers.
The owner I understand is a person of means, inheriting a wealth of oil and gas royalties from family owned land. He was also the former superintendent of the San Diego school district. His wife is a principal at a nearby town. This family seems to have good people and  values, and loves their family and customers according to a source.

I just got there on a bad day I guess and things were not done and handled  professionally in my view. But their intentions of good service are pure and I would give this place a second chance.   The store is nice and the backyard is equipped with a fully stocked pond that the game wardens bring fish to, and  an enclosed pin with animals (deer) in the back.

Hmmmmm, So San Diego, TX has about 3 restaurants, not counting Subway, that I've noticed so far, and this is the only one I would recommend.

I was REALLY sick of eating Subway for lunch everyday, so I decided to give this place a shot. Not expecting anything good, I decided to order a grilled chicken sandwich and fries.

I opened the box containing my lunch expecting to find a frozen-thawed-"grilled" chicken puck between two slices of white bread... however, I find a REAL piece of fresh grilled chicken between a hearty bun, complete with lettuce, tomato and mayo! And it doesn't stop there! There was also fresh herbs grilled with the chicken! Fantastic!

The rest of the menu looks pretty decent too... brisket, pulled pork, tacos, beans, rice, salad.

I think I've got a new lunch spot.