Abuelo's

Jennifer,
Your info on Abeulos is way off. How does someone from Indiana rate good Mexican food? I'm from the Southwest. Arizona to be exact with a lot of time spent in Texas, New Mexico, and California. !Abeulos es muey excellente! The greasy chips you are used to and prefer? YUCK! You lost your audience! I'm, sorry your pescado de mahi-mahi was over cooked but the chips, salsa, guacamole, and margaritas are to die for! Excuse me, but did you complain because your server told you the pitcher of margaritas contains 4 glasses and you actually poured 6? You are nuts. That deserves a bigger tip in my estimation. So for a better rating I would get the guacamole, Grandeza Margarita, and anything off the menu for 4.5 out of 5 stars. The only reason that it is not a full five stars is becasue it is a chain and the server staff are all high school and college kids that don't care much. So stay in the mid-west, eat fast food, and drink stale beer, because you obviously don't know great Mexican food.
Mike

Whoa, man! That's pretty harsh, and quite a personal attack based on very little information, there. Jen's actually not from the midwest, and is pretty well-traveled at that. She's also an accomplished cook and an experience food reviewer, and she has lots of experience with Mexican food.

The best Mexican food I've had recently is at Adobo.
It's at 82nd and Allisonville (where Somthing Different used to be - RIP). The ingredients were fresh, the flavors were bright, and they make the fresh guac tableside. They have two locations in Chicago and just opened this one in Indy about two months ago. Here's their website: http://www.adobogrill.com/indianapolis/.

Love to eat in this restruant at Myrtle Beach S.C. verry clean ! people are very friendly

I ate at Abuelo's Saturday night after a friend recommended it. Then ran aross your review today. You need to go a second time. Or learn to appreciate real Mexican food. We travel to Mexico frequently and have for 25 years. The food at Abuelo's is the type of food you would find at a high quality restaurant in Mexico, not what you evidently are used to. I commented to the waiter that it was the best Mexican food I have ever had outside of Mexico. His comment.."tell me about it." Guillermo moved here from Guadalajara, MX, 4 years ago and misses his native home's quality food that is served there. No it isn't what you find at most of the Americanized chain places, it is authentic and quality. The broccoli was the best I have ever had served at any restaurant-done so it is hot and crisp, the way it should be. The bacon wrapped, chees stuffed shrimp were perect and exaclty like I get when I eat them 3 times a week in Mexico. As for the margaritas... a Mexican makes a margarita with lime, and tequila and a little orange flavored liqour, not with sweet and sour mix, thus the lime flavor. And, since when do we complain when a pitcher of margaritas yields more than expected? Go back, give them another chance. If you still don't like it, then keep going to Chi Chi's style places. Maybe your expectations are the kind that have put that place out of business.

Kentucky has gotten a large population of Hispanics that live in our area. They have opened quite a few local restaraunts with authenic food and I have eaten at alot of them and the other ones that are the chains. They all seem close, but different in styles and flavors but most are the same.

I ate at Abuelo's that just opened up in KY and the food both times has been great! I had the chimichanga the first time and then the bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin medallions, and three bacon-wrapped shrimp stuffed with jalapeno and cheese. My favorite was the mashed potatos! I hate regular mash potato's so I was impressed with these. Even got the recipe and made them at home and they were even better served cold.

We actually have quite a few Mexican Restaraunts here in Lexington including the Quadoba's that is really fresh food they make it as you go through the assembly line to fix your burrito or what ever you order. Depending what you put in yours they can be as large as 4 in thick & 8in long. The college kids love this place!

I just think to each his own (taste buds) so hopefully you will try it again and enjoy it this time.

I recently moved from Dallas to Omaha. We had an Abuelos or two in Dallas and of the many chains for Mexican food there this is one of the best. I happened to be in Indiana on business and dropped in on the local establishment after a month without and ordered the Grande platter...the one with three enchilada's, a taco, a chili rellano, a tomali, beans, rice plus chips and salsa and was not disappointed. Having lived in Texas all my life, except the last month or so, and having spent time working in Mexico City, I will say that Mexican food in Dallas is better than Mexican food in Mexico. So go back, get some enchilada's, and learn to appreciate food that isn't the crap that passes for Mexican north of Oklahoma City.

Jennifer,
I don't know where your experience lies as for being an accomplished cook & food reviewer,but is obviously not in mexican food.
My husband & I recently visited Abuelo's in Myrtle Beach..
We were so pleased with the food ,as well as the service & friendly atmosphere,we went back a second night.
We complimented the host ,and the manager sent an appetizer on the house.
The first thing that caught our attention was the friendly way we were welcomed.
Next was the tasty crunchy chips,as opposed to the thick greasy kind you obviously have a palate for...YUCK!!
We had the margaritas,and I didn't keep count,but would not have complained had there been 6 servings as opposed to 4..(now really Jennifer...did you complain about that?)..
We had great food...cooked to perfection...cant wait to try Abuelos in Indy...
P.Beisner

Wow, people are vitriolic in their defense of this place! I take no offense on Jen's behalf to the personal slams (palate for greasy chips, stale beer, etc.), because they're so far off-base that they're more amusing than offensive to anyone who knows her.

I think Abuelo's has the best chips of any Mexican place I've ever been to. My meal was disappointing the first time I went, yet more recently I had the caesar salad with their Yucatan shrimp, and it was very good. But the service is SLOW (at least, at the one on SR 31) and that makes me crazy.

Discourse has really taken a bad turn when people make personal attacks over a Mexican restaurant.

My wife has has a co-worker who is celebrating a birthday tomorrow night.

She told me that it would be at a Mexican place called "Oswegos" in the Trader's Point area.

The name did not sound too Mexican, though I know of an Oswego, NY.

After a few minutes of world-wide Googlin' I came upon this site of all places.

Alas, I know where to go tomorrow night. Thanks for the info, I will follow-up with a review.

Steph, Who's getting personal? Seems to me you are more worried about how someone feels versus their reputation as a quality food critic/reviewer. I took a guess at her background based on the "Indyscribe" sure doesn't sound like it's from Nevada. I'm sorry, the masses have spoken: Abuelo's is increadibly great Mexican food and Ms. Bortel is (IMHO) not a very good food critic. Her credibility is shot. Nothing personal...

Well, I guess I can go kill myself now. Here's my take and I will make it quick since I am going to go cook some real food.

Abeulo's is crap. I have traveled extensively throughout Mexico, a country rich in culinary diversity, and no where have I ever eaten anything as bad as what I had at this hack of a restaurant.

The Fact of the matter is, nothing is fresh or seasonal...enjoy your November Guacamole.

Adobo grill is a little better but not much.

Fact #2 Chain restaurants are successful enough to become chains in not so huge (pronounced, less metropolitan) markets because they are developed to appeal to a wide variety of tastes. Its not bad, but by no means is it authentic.

Check out Los Llanos on Michigan Rd and ask Chef Eric to cook "off menu" for you. Also, El Sol de Tala is consistantly good.

The great thing about food is that it is so open to debate. As bummed as I am to see this thread so heated about a bad chain restaurant, I guess we have to start somewhere. And by the way, if anyone wants to my qualifications or wants to challenge my knowledge of food, please don't hesitate.

Look, I'm not writing this to "dis" anybody's opinion of any food. It takes all kinds, and there are plenty of different tastes. Maybe Abuelos is not to your liking but, with all the competition in the restaurant market, there are plenty of places to get percentages off second entres, or free apetizers. So, how many do you find that you consistently patronize and know that you are going to get a good meal? I like Mama Carolla's, for Italian, and Abuelos for Mexican.
One is always susseptible to a bad meal at a restaurant. Maybe give the Nogales platter(you could even ask them to substitute their spinache side for the beans), or maybe the Fundido del Mar appetizer to start. I sure wouldn't complain if my pitcher of Margaritas filled a couple of extra glasses. Sounds like you may have formed the opinion before you walked in the door.
Maybe I'm just a Hoosier hick, but I know what I like.

I was on a business trip in oklahoma city and I ate at abuelo's. It is the BEST Mexican Restaurant I have ever been to. I'm originally from CA and I liked it so much I'm actually trying to find a recipe for that Pescado Guerrero. Does anyone know how I can get it?

Jennifer,

I live in Lubbock, TX, and there is an Abuelos here. I worked there for several years as well as other members of my family. I have no idea who you are or where you came from, but Abuelos started in Texas so the food might be different than you like, Mexican food is different everywhere. Also, they used to have a very tastey chocolate dessert on the menu not to long ago called the chocolate eruption, and they also had dessert nachos that had chocolate on them and i believe they still do upon request...I don't know...personally I don't care what you like or don't like but don't be so quick to judge I bet you would find something you loved on the Abuelos menu. I think you need to go there again.

Just happened upon this while looking for something else and wow. All I can say is you must have different standards for Mexican food than we do. Of course it is different in Texas than most everywhere else but the only other place I've had anything even palatable is California.

I can understand that overcooked fish is less than appetizing, but Dave hit it right on Los Mejores De La Casa as you apparently agree.

I live in Amarillo, where Abuelo's was born and a city with Mexican food on just about every other corner. Without a doubt, Abuelo's here makes every other Mexican restaurant I've ever visited taste like high school cafeteria food.

Hello, as you can see this is my first post here.
I will be glad to get any assistance at the beginning.
Thanks and good luck everyone! ;)

Your caramel cheesecake is wonderful. Where can I find the receipe. Thanks, Cheryl Taylor 816-746-5745

I have tried exercising and dieting but have never noticed my cellulite reduce in anyway. I think I am going to try out some gels and creams and other techniques for getting rid of cellulite as I am running out of options.

your review of Abuelo,s is so far off , you must have been at Taco Bell. Abuelo,s ROCKS
if you want true mexican !!! wake up

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Brief but very accurate info… Appreciate your sharing this one.

A must read post!

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It's wonderful that you are getting thoughts from this post as well as from our discussion made at this place.