Positives: good food and value, central location
Negatives: inconsistent portion sizes and employee attitudes
I was delighted when this store opened a few years ago. It's centrally located between home, work, shopping and entertainment. As long time "Buenoheads," a new store in the area seemed...like a perfect development.
From the beginning they seemed to have staffing problems. Our excitement faded as employees struggled to provide courteous customer service, keep the dining area clean, and serve portions that were the same size from order to order.
We eventually began to avoid this location in favor of the 12th Street store, or for other competitors in the area.
In the past two months we've stopped in a few times, and noticed significant improvement. Most employees have been professional. Some have been extremely courteous, like the off-duty employee who welcomed us as she left the building.
During these visits the dining room has been more-or-less clean...we did see some food tidbits on the floor and a few dining implements on tables. Unlike many Taco Bueno stores, the salsa bar was completely stocked.
They still struggle with portion sizes, though. Sometimes we've received a plump bean burrito that was a good meal. Other times the same item was a scrawny stick of rolled tortilla and little else. During our most recent visits most items were properly sized, at least in our opinion.
The Bottom Line -
With recent improvements, this store is once again a dining option in the area. We're happy about that.
At one time, Taco Bueno billed their restaurants as "luxury everyone can afford." In those days they lived up to the claim. Somewhere along the line...I think it was while being shuffled between holding companies...company leaders decided they wanted to be one of the "cool kids" and changed their image...or tried to.
After years of change, Bueno's current identity seems confused to me. They're not quite "hip," not "upscale," but not a "dive," either.
I'm glad they're still around, though. Bueno is still my go-to place to eat, but some new entrants to the local restaurant scene have moved up our list of favorites.
Continued positive improvements at this location will help keep them top of mind when looking to dine.More