Frida Mexican Cuisine

06/18/09

Mediocre Service, Mediocre Food

by allaboutdetails at Citysearch

Simply put: it's bad. We've been 3 times, which is 2 times too many. There aren't many cool places in Glendale, so I guess we kept hoping it would be good. But this last time I actually found a chunk of glass in my mouth from the margarita. I informed the waitress and she unapologetically got the manager. He came over, apologized robotically, and offered us dessert... for a chunk of glass in my mouth! He did offer me another drink, but seeing as he couldn't guarantee no glass in the other drink, I turned it down. When the bill arrived, he had comped the dessert, but the drink was still on the bill. We asked the waitress if we were really being charged for the drink and the manager then took that off as well.

It's not so much the chunk of glass as it is the way the staff dealt with it. I was a server through college, and now I enjoy great restaurants all over LA, so I know about good service. I was appalled by their reaction, and even if the food was spectacular, which it's not, I wouldn't go back.

• Pros: Cool design of interiors/patio
• Cons: Bad food and bad service

03/18/09

OK food, but fun atmosphere!

by Peanut at Citysearch

I had the best time when I sat at the bar ordering appetizers and drinks. It's very festive, and the layout is such that the bar is half in, half outside. So, you get a type of exposed feeling (not claustrophic) in the bar. Don't look for the best or authentic Mexican food, but it's fun.

• Pros: Great margaritas, nice setup of the restaurant
• Cons: Food is average

12/20/08

Chintzy Wine Pours, Slow Service, Overpriced Food

by quierocomer at Citysearch

We went here with my sister and her family who were visiting from out of town for our holiday dinner. The bartender's pour of her $10 glass of wine was short, so we complained. Our waiter -- who was lovely -- had the bartender give her a touch more. When she ordered her second glass (she dropped to the $8 glass as why should we pay $10 for a thimble full of wine!), we asked for a better pour. The MANAGER came to our table after the wine was delivered and patronizingly told her that they try to get four glasses of wine per bottle, blah blah blah. We eat out A LOT and drink wine A LOT and know what a pour should be. Essentially, my sister felt harangued, embarrassed and unwelcome. We could NOT believe that a manager of such a beautiful and well established restaurant would be so chintzy with pours and be so petty as to interrupt our dinner and make my sister feel miserable. It set an unfortunate and certainly not jolly tone for our holiday dinner. To add insult to injury, her husband's meal came after we were all finished -- amazing what an extra ounce or two of wine would have done to foster good will at our table. Instead, we will never eat here again. For reference, we spent $200 tonight and $100 here last week. Not again!!!

• Pros: Beautiful setting
• Cons: Slow service, not customer-service oriented