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After Twelve Years No More Tony's


moonhill

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I have been a loyal patron of the "original" Tony's Restaurant In San Antonio for twelve years (I live here full time so that's a lot of weekly dinners out to Tony's). I left tonight upset and humiliated by the new management. We've all experienced the gradual changes going on since Tony retired and started a new venture east of Chapala, so most of us have experienced some growing pains. Never in my life have I experienced the treatment in a restaurant that my husband and I experienced tonight. As I am aware of libel laws, I will not go into detail, but never have I experienced firsthand what it's like to be chastised by an "owner/manager" with no obvious respect for the paying customers that keep him in business. You can all speculate that we must have done something really bad to deserve it; I assure you we did not. We simply expressed an opinion in a positive and constructive way and all hell broke loose. There are many quality restaurants in our area and I will be more than happy to give my business to any one of them before ever giving my business to an establishment that doesn't know the value of even one customer. I've been self-employed and I can tell you EVERY CUSTOMER COUNTS.

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The 'libel laws' to which you refer have not existed since 2006.  Here's the skinny, in English and Spanish.
  
http://www.sipiapa.org/notas/1122186-decriminalization-of-defamation-in-mexico-despenalizacion-los-delitos-difamacion-mexico

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I believe it is most helpful to simply, clearly (and with no editorial comment) relate the incident. As CG said, there is nothing libelous or slanderous in that. It is not helpful when an anonymous poster does not relate what was said or done at a restaurant but only says they  “never before experienced such treatment.” Further, I have no idea what “simply expressing an opinion in a positive and constructive way” means. Also,  what does “all hell broke loose” mean? Did the owner raise their voice, speak rudely, yell, curse, and/or dump a plate of food in your lap?

 

 

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We had what will probably be our last comida there about a week ago. At around 1 p.m. only a handful of tables were occupied. With the price of their reliably good arrachera having crept up to 209 pesos my wife and I opted to split the steak and start with a couple of side salads.

Our waiter was young and bilingual so we ordered in English. Two side salads with blue cheese, steak done medium, a couple of diet Cokes. 

When the salads arrived they seemed large for side salads but since they consisted only of romaine lettuce, a couple of thin slices of bell pepper and sprouts (and since the only other time we'd had a salad there was back when they had a salad bar, pre-remodel) we thought nothing of it.  When the steak arrived it was blood rare and had to be sent back - a first.

Then the bill came and we were charged for two "grande" salads at 80 pesos each. I called the waiter over and reminded him that I'd clearly ordered side salads. He then proceeded to argue with me and when I gently told him he was incorrect he switched to Spanish and told me that I hadn't said anything about the size of the salads and that furthermore the cost of the larger salads would come out of his paycheck. I let him know that I had understood everything he'd just said and didn't want him to be penalized but that he was not only wrong but in serious danger of losing longtime customers by being rude and argumentative. The manager on duty (a woman) overheard the whole exchange but did nothing. In the end the salad price was adjusted, we tipped 15% anyway even though the service merited no tip at all and left.


Other than convenience when braving the crowds at Super Lake I see no reason to return. Far better food and service at Gaucheria, Mario's and Café Adelita's just to name the closest of dozens of alternatives. The only Tony's that will get any business from us is the nice  new Tony's Campestre place out past Chapala.

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Even before Tony left the signs were on the wall that the good old days were over there. The wait staff was constantly turning over and the prices constantly going up while food portions and quality were inching down. We still found their bean soup and the order of chicken tacos, small as they were, to be very good and good value. The soup always had to be sent back to be heated up but that was a cultural thing that we always expected. Sounds like that probably is not even the case any longer so we will skip Tony's on our next visit. Pity, we remember lots of good meals there. Lots of fond memories of La Bodega also although none of them involved the food. Jerry Mayfield, et al yes.

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Several of the help have quit due to the son-in-law and his overbearing methods and trying squeeze every centavo from diminished meals..My wife and I USED to be loyal customers but no more..We moved to Gaucheria and across the street..This guy well slowly kill what was a lucrative and good place for lunch..No more..

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On 12/29/2017 at 10:35 AM, pappysmarket said:

Even before Tony left the signs were on the wall that the good old days were over there. The wait staff was constantly turning over and the prices constantly going up while food portions and quality were inching down. We still found their bean soup and the order of chicken tacos, small as they were, to be very good and good value. The soup always had to be sent back to be heated up but that was a cultural thing that we always expected. Sounds like that probably is not even the case any longer so we will skip Tony's on our next visit. Pity, we remember lots of good meals there. Lots of fond memories of La Bodega also although none of them involved the food. Jerry Mayfield, et al yes.

Was Jerry loud?

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I was there New Years Eve and everything was fine except the waiters.  There are waaay too many employees and they don't know what they're doing.  Took 5 minutes to get a menu but no drink order taken.  Then drink order taken.  Then meal order.  Then 2 more people asking if I needed a menu.  Took too long to get my meal.  Had no interaction with son-in-law.  I will return when they have time to get everyone trained.  Too bad they don't hire folks that have previous experience.

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