La Fiesta Cantina Mexicana

Worst Restaurant Experience I've Ever Had As someone who has worked in the hospitality industry for over 15 years and is familiar with Portuguese employment and food safety standards, this was without question the worst example of management I have ever experienced. To begin with, despite having a reservation, we watched two parties who arrived after us be seated first. We were left standing for over 10 minutes without anyone acknowledging us before eventually being seated at the same table as another family. Thankfully, we were moved after pointing out the mistake. After waiting approximately 45 minutes for our food, my vegetarian enchiladas finally arrived. After only two bites, I discovered a piece of chicken in the dish. While I understand that mistakes can happen, what happened next was completely unacceptable. When I informed the waiter, the plate was taken back to the kitchen. Rather than preparing a new meal, the chef simply removed the chicken and attempted to serve me the exact same plate back. This is completely unacceptable from both a food safety and customer service perspective. Once meat has contaminated a vegetarian meal, it is no longer suitable for someone who has specifically ordered a vegetarian dish. I refused the meal and explained that I no longer wished to eat it. When the bill arrived, we were still charged for the enchiladas. We explained that we would not be paying for a meal that was incorrectly prepared and could not be eaten. At this point, the manager came over and, instead of apologising or attempting to resolve the issue professionally, spent around 15 minutes raising his voice, arguing with us, and insisting that we had to pay because we had not personally asked for him. We explained several times that we had reported the issue to the waiter and that the chef was clearly aware of the mistake. It is not the customer's responsibility to identify the manager or ensure staff communicate with one another. That is entirely a management responsibility. The most shocking part of the experience came when the manager claimed that the cost of the meal would be deducted from the waiter’s wages and then asked us to leave the waiter a tip to compensate for it. If this is true, it raises serious concerns, as deducting an employee’s wages for mistakes is not lawful under Portuguese labour law. Furthermore, this was not even the waiter’s mistake it was the kitchen that prepared the meal wrong. At no point did the manager offer a sincere apology or take responsibility. The only person who genuinely apologised and tried to help us throughout the entire situation was the waiter, who was clearly doing his best to resolve a problem that was not of his making. Instead, we were blamed for a situation entirely created by the restaurant and made to feel as though we had done something wrong by refusing to eat a contaminated meal. I have worked in hotels, cafés and restaurants around the world, and I can honestly say this is the worst example of restaurant management I have ever encountered. Customers should never be expected to eat food that has been contaminated, pay for a meal that was prepared incorrectly, or be shouted at for raising a legitimate concern. This establishment does not have a staff problem, it has a management problem. The waiter handled the situation professionally and with genuine remorse. The person who urgently needs better training is the manager, particularly in handling customer complaints and understanding his legal responsibilities as an employer. If the manager genuinely intended to deduct the cost of the meal from the waiter's wages, as he told us, that is an extremely serious matter and, under Portuguese labour law, is not lawful. His handling of this entire situation was unacceptable and reflects very poorly on the restaurant.

Best Mexican food and drinks! If you love Mexican food, you have to try this place! Everything was super fresh, full of flavor, and came in big portions! Our favorites from the meal: - Frozen Margaritas: Big, ice cold, and super refreshing! The lime, mango, and strawberry flavors were all delicious - Fresh Guacamole & Chips: Very tasty homemade guacamole topped with fresh tomatoes and onions, served with crunchy chips. - Steak Plate & Quesadillas: Tender grilled steak served with tasty Mexican rice, pico de gallo, and warm cheesy quesadillas. - Crispy Tostadas: Crunchy tortillas loaded with seasoned meat. Great drinks, amazing food, and fun atmosphere, the staff being Mexican gives it that authentic experience ans flavour! We loved everything!

Fabulous food x

Very good.