El Palenque Mexican Grill - Buffalo

My friend and I went here for Cinco De Mayo. We DID wait 15 minutes before we were seated by a woman with dark red short hair. We were sat at the first table next to the kitchen window. We were RIGHT NEXT TO the, I guess you could call it, the hostess/cashier counter. In clear view of all of the servers. Our server took our drink order and drinks and chips were served. The server was gone for over 45 minutes. We know the times because we were sending text messages, one of which wad one of the decor. We asked a male employee where our server and food was and he went to the kitchen window. He came back and told us that our order was the second one coming out. As we continued to wait we noticed that the two groups of guests that were sat before us as well as the couple that sat after us cashed out and left. We even spoke to one of the couples that were shocked we didn’t have our food yet.After waiting, and additional five minutes, timer on our phones, we left and saw our server taking care of TAKE OUT! I called the restaurant on my way home to explain to the manager why we left. I spoke with a girl that said she was the manager. Then, after I explained what happened, she said she was speaking to me because she was the only person there that spoke fluent English. I called three additional times to speak with a manager but was continually told he was not there. I spoke with my friend that said she posted our experience here and the restaurants response was they saw us on video and that we sat ourselves. That was where the confusion was.1. I have a degree in Restaurant management and I am very aware of working in a busy restaurant2. I have worked as a server for YEARS and I would NEVER be ignorant and seat myself.3. Being that I have worked in restaurants for years, it was surprising that you didn’t take names down for seating. You made guests wait on their own. Clearly your system failed you.Let’s just give you the benefit of the doubt, for kicks and giggles. Even if what you said is true and we sat ourselves, which we didn’t,1. WHY DIDN'T ANYONE ACTUALLY APPROACH OUT TABLE FOR 50 MINUTES?2. WHY did we have drinks at our table?3. WHY did we have chips and salsa? Did we ALSO bring them in with us when we sat ourselves down?4. WHY was our order the second next order to come out of the window? Clearly someone sent the ticket to the kitchen.Own your mistake. Stop lying about it. Have some self respect!!

Understaffed on a Friday. Young guy who was serving was super rude. Served beer that was expired. Food was mid at best

Great food, but there were dusty lamps over the tables.

My friend and I went here today for Cinco De Mayo. Yes we expected it to be busy. We waited for about 15 minutes to be seated not bad. It took about 10 mins before our waitress took our drink order and food order. After our drinks were delivered she disappeared. 45 minutes later we questioned the manager because the people who were sat 2 minutes before us and the ones sat after us were already at the register and leaving and we still didn 't have our food. We even thought maybe our waitress left because we hadn 't seen her all that time. He said we were the second ticket. We set a timer and after 5 more minutes we just left. 1 1/2 hours just too long for a salad and fajitas!!! Can only recommend the chips and salsa cause that 's all our waitress brought.Contrary to your response and supposed camera we were seated by your staff. The people behind us tried skipping the line because I was seated on your bench because I cannot stand for very long. So your staff seated us to the left. Our order was taken we were brought chips and our drinks so I don 't really understand your supposed confusion. I think it it a bad response

So ? super awkward and kind of funny story. We came in for dinner on a Friday night, 8:30-9pm I think, late but still not that late for a Friday night. Place was very quiet and I think we were the last table to sit. My aunt wanted just the single tacos, she asked the server if they came with any veggie toppings. Very harshly he said no, nothing and then stared her down. ? Not that it was wrong exactly, but in those moments, a server can opt for kindness and ask if she would like that, for a small upcharge possibly. Staff just felt ready for us to leave, they had the whole place ready to close basically by the time we left. Mopping the floors while we finished eating.