I'm not a fan of the food here. I usually get the nachos or Queso with pork rinds which are both good. What I love here though, are the El Jefe Margaritas! so so good! I keep coming back for the El Jefe's!! read more

Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant - El Jefe Margarita - Hand-Shaken - Mexican Near Me - Abilene, Texas

Food was okay Service wasn't exceptional Chips not crunchy Salsa not what I would have wanted read more

My husband and I had, "The Grande" Beef, chicken, cheese enchiladas, with a cheese chile relleno, tamale, crispy beef taco, guacamole. We were so hungry that I forgot to take a picture!! My Bad... our server Calvin was wonderful. He made sure we were comfortable, hydrated, and fed! Our meal was Delicioso! Absolutely recommend this restaurant and we will definitely be coming back. read more

We always love coming home to Texas and eating us some Abuelo's!! The atmosphere and service were just amazing and the food was on point!!!

John was our waiter. Excellent. Food was very good and served at correct temperature. Will definitely be back.

Ordered fajitas and grande. No tortillas at all. The chicken for the fajita tasted nasty. Veggies were not grilled at all. I love Abuelo's but they are not very good at all. I was very disappointed. read more

They were very busy. Seated us without wait. Waiter did a great job. Food was good as always. I tried something new, Reynosa salad. Very good. read more

Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant - Reynosa Salad - Mexican Near Me - Abilene, Texas

We were really surprised to see how dirty this restaurant was. Food on the floor, old dirt in the corners, dirty tables, etc. The bathrooms were dirty too. Overflowing trash and wet floors. Our server was busy but good (Jacky) she filled drinks, was quick to respond to a request and pleasant. The food was solid but nothing special. It took forever to get our entrees and we had to ask for chips that weren't just crumbs. Overall the food was alright but the place was really dirty. We won't be back. read more

I eat at Abuelo's on a regular basis and for a while during and after Covid they had a hard time keeping up with staff and sometimes are still short like everyone else now. Lately the service, food, drinks and decor have been excellent. I have always thought the decor was good and appropriate. The only issue I have is sometimes it too noisy inside. I'm eating lunch there today with family for my son's birthday. read more

Every time I go, the food is alway delicious. On my last visit, we had a good server. She took some time getting to us to start with but after that everything went smoothly. read more

First of all I must have got them on a bad night the first time. we tried it again and had nachos and split the triple fajitas with chicken beef and shrimp: Shrimp good but leave off bbq apply butter Beef very good tasty and tender Chicken was the star of the show, I can honestly say some of the best chicken ever had that alone deserves 5 stars! Nachos were pretty good need a little less beans and a lot more taco meat. However the service we had from a very tall Hispanic young lady was 5 star wish would have gotten her name! She was very attentive and friendly, super helpful! I asked if their strawberry Margarita had a lot of strawberry flavor ? Her answer was if you want it that way I will have it made that way! She did and was fantastic! I never had to ask her for anything she just knew when to come and check and always suggested what we might need! I pray she is there when we go again! She should be the trainer of the food service team! I will definitely try to figure out what her name is really don't want any other waitresses there! Our overall visit was 5 star experience and so glad we gave it one more shot! Really appreciate the experience! See you soon Abuelos! read more

One of the better treatments of Tex-Mex food I've ever had the pleasure of trying. Chef Luis has developed some side dishes that are absolutely fantastic. Besides the standard Rice and Refried Beans, they offer Pappas which are mashed potatoes mixed with cheeses and peppers - not pepper hot, but very good, and there is a Spinach dish that is done the same with the cheeses and peppers...both very good. If you haven't tried the Pork Tenderloin Abrigada, I highly recommend it! The smoked pork is fabulous! I can honestly say I've eaten there many, many times in the past 20 or so years and have never had a bad meal there. The variety is excellent. Oh, and if you haven't tried it - only from Thanksgiving day to New Years - Chef Luis created a bread pudding that is to die for! read more

Abuelo's has been in Abilene for as long as I can remember. I also remember it being really, really good. As for the last two times I have been, the service and food both, have been disappointing and not without a cost. To be fair, Abuelo's is not awful. The experience is a hair above average. The prices are, in my opinion, to high for the service and food. The service as with the food is decent. I sat in the bar area which is fairly large and there was only one waitress. This meant that it took much longer than expected to get our drinks and food orders in. To be fair, when the server was at our table, very attentive with fun loving personality; however, it took several minutes to be served and checked up on, especially at first. ‍ I finally ordered my drink, which was an agave margarita that was good if you like sweet. I for one didn't enjoy how sweet it was but it had an okay flavor. DosXX for me after that. There was an incident where when trying to ask for an Old Fashion the server had no clue that it was a cocktail and not an "old fashioned drink, like maybe something from the 70's?"....I just laughed it off and went with my beer. I went with the Juevos Rancheros with a side of beans and potatoes and it was good. This dish comes with two eggs atop of two cheese enchiladas, cooked to your choice. I enjoy getting mine cooked over-easy. The yolk pouring town the cheese and tortilla makes for a savory bite!!! The potatoes are okay, hot and filling so nothing to rave about, nothing to complain about either. All in all, you will more than likely enjoy the atmosphere and the free chips and salsa. I also ordered the layered dip that was pretty tasty and would recommend it if you're very hungry. I was about 50% full by the time the food got to my table which could have a lot to do with how long it took for us to get a hold of the server and order our food. I definitely had plenty of time to indulge on the chips and salsa. I wouldn't recommend this spot as a regular spot to frequent (especially with a big family, because of the cost) but if you're looking for a nice date, I'll have to say that Abuelo's is probably one of the nicer places to come eat Mexican food in Abilene when it comes to atmosphere, even if the food and service isn't the best. Enjoy, MLA read more

Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant - Layered dip! So good. - Mexican Near Me - Abilene, Texas

This is normally our Thursday date night place to go to . We order at the bar and have a few drinks. The large young punk behind the bar was not only a douche but consistently ignored us after he let our food sit at the warmer station too long oit of shame. All he needed to do was apologize and do bletter. I never send food back but today was the day. The bar tender ignored us moving forward ENTIRELY so I asked for the manager . She only made excuses for the bar tender . Hot food replaced the cold food after all the excuses were made . Then as stated earlier the bartender ignored us without asking if we needed another drink or anything at all but made his rounds to the rest of the guest and meanwhile cackling to his coworkers about the complaint I had made . Youve lost our business !! No grown ups working at this place!! read more

So many raves about this place. Tried it twice, everything is greasy and bland. Do not plan on going back again. My husband loved it 20 years ago, now he notices it not as great as it use to be. read more

We love this place! The staff are always attentive and welcoming when we go and we sit at the bar. The drinks are great and the staff interacts with you. We usually get the same things to drink and eat. Ours is the enchiladas and mojitos/margaritas. Their award system saves us from $5 to $15 each time we attend. It's relax and laid back environment. We enjoy every time we go. read more

Food was really good, but the highlight was our service! Michael was attentive, our drinks never ran empty, nor did the chips! Thanks for the excellent service! The inside was lovely and bathrooms were very clean! read more

It's with a heavy heart that I pen down this review, as I generally seek to find the silver linings in every situation. However, my recent experiences with the management at this location, specifically with the GM Mel, have left me no choice but to voice my concerns in a public platform. Mel, as the general manager of this establishment, has significantly hampered the quality of service and the overall ambiance through her interaction style with her team. Leadership in such a role requires a level of respect and understanding that appears to be missing entirely. The attitude displayed towards subordinates was nothing short of disturbing - disrespect peppered their interactions like unwanted condiments on a meal. At first, I thought perhaps it was a one-time occurrence, a bad day that we all have from time to time. But repeated visits confirmed my worst fears - this wasn't an exception but a norm. Conversations often turned confrontational, with Mel's voice amplifying across the room, casting a pall of unease over the diners. It was uncomfortable, to say the least, and downright disrespectful at its worst. Good leadership reflects in the morale of the staff, their willingness to go above and beyond to ensure a fantastic experience for patrons. Sadly, Mel's leadership style, if one can call it that, has stifled the staff's enthusiasm, their spark, and it reflects in their service - they seem to be functioning on auto-pilot, devoid of the warmth and hospitality one expects in such a setting. As a patron, I come to a place not just for the food or the ambiance, but also for the people. The staff's energy can make or break an experience, and a great leader knows to harness and elevate that energy, not suppress it. I truly hope the ownership considers these factors seriously. Mel, in her current state, is a detrimental presence to the staff's spirit and the establishment's reputation. No one should endure a workplace environment where they are not treated with respect and dignity. It's essential to foster a positive, encouraging, and respectful culture, and unfortunately, under Mel's leadership, this does not seem possible. In conclusion, until there's a radical change in leadership style or a new manager, I must encourage others to rethink their decision to patronize this establishment. There are plenty of other establishments that not only provide great food and ambiance but also respect their employees and treat them with the kindness they deserve. read more

We picked this restaurant out of the blue as we traveled through Abilene. The decor is great, with a large area in the center that feels like an outdoor courtyard. Our server was attentive and brought us extra chips and drinks without being asked. And speaking of the chips - they are thin and homemade, with two types of complimentary salsa. Delicious! We got the tortilla soup which was tasty, the vegetarian fajitas, and the chili rellenos. Portions are huge - if we ate there again we'd definitely split the fajitas. Servers were all wearing masks, and we watched the cleaning of a table - it was cleaned with spray disinfectant and the chairs were wiped off as well. All the COVID precautions are in place. Overall, a great experience with authentic Mexican food. Would highly recommend! read more

Man this place is dirty... and I don't mean they are busy and I can understand dirty. It's dirty like do you ever clean the damn floors?!? The booth I am sitting in has food dried on the back of the seat, crumbs in the seat, the table top is an odd combination of lumpy/sticky/wet. So far my waitress is very nice and attentive but I'm having a hard time coming to terms with actually eating the food. We'll see. So at the waitresses suggestion I ordered the Pescado Guerrero, it's basically sea bass covered in cream sherry sauce smothered in mushrooms and peppers topped with shrimp and scallops. It's ok but not great. I rarely ever have to add salt and pepper for flavor but it came in handy tonight. I honestly don't understand where the 5 star reviews come from for this place. I won't return. read more

Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Abilene, Texas

Absolutely the WORST Abuelo's I have been too! The manager that was working tonight tried to "comp" ONE of our meals.... WE NEVER GOT THE MEAL! So how do you "comp" a meal that you never received? The large manager tried to speak to us like we were stupid and not educated enough to understand that "comping" a meal we never received (over an hour with a table of 8) was doing us a favor..... WE NEVER RECEIVED IT!!!! That is NOT a "comp"!!!! Treated us like we were idiots! Lived here for over 20 years. Will NEVER go back for ANY reason! If I was able to give a negative rating, I totally would give them a -5!!!!!! read more

This is a great Mexican restraunt. The food and service is very good. We have been here twice and both times the food and service was great. The dip sampler comes with fried pork skins but i chose to eat mine with chips. The steak fajitas were very good along with the grand burrito . read more

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I'm a huge fan of Tex-Mex food and eat it more than I'd like to admit. Unfortunately this place was a total bust for me. Starting from the salsa samples, which were all super bland. The chicken fajita platter which did not taste like fresh meat. The enchiladas with sour cream sauce hardly had flavor. The tortillas were not homemade. And the margarita i paid $13 for did not have hardly any alcohol in it! Super disappointed about my food experience here and felt it was a waste of money. read more

I have only eaten here a couple of times. Once in (Dec 2018), and last year (Oct 2022). My impression of the food is that it is Americanized Mexican/Tex-Mex. Both times, the restaurant was extremely busy and crowded with folks. Accomodations of tables do exist for larger parties. The first time I went, we had a large party of people. The second time I went, a smaller group of friends. The service was fine both times, though it did take some time to receive our bill. Because of the large number of people, it was a bit difficult at times to hear because of constant ambient noise: people talking, dishes clattering, music playing, etc. Moreover, many folks from the healthcare sector in attendance in an area, large table, near the front entrance which made it uncomfortable, especially when you hear things in passing like, "I thought I'd never see HER again." Personally, everyone is at the restaurant to enjoy their time without hearing gossip. If you don't like someone, be civil, respectful to everyone else, and get over it. Not likely to come back to Abuelo's, too busy for my taste. The food was decent, but expensive for this type of food. I am a purist and enjoy authentic Mexican food, not watered down gourmet tidbits. Plenty of OOT places to go. In the meantime, enjoy yourselves while dining out with good friends. read more

We live in Las Vegas and have friends in Abilene we wanted to do something special for them so we ordered dinner from here and had it delivered today they loved it the food was very good they said read more

Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant - Family enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Abilene, Texas

Abuelos is a favorite of ours!! We have Abuelo's in the Phoenix area (our home town) and often visit. They serve HUGE portions at very fair prices. The service is always great and the servers are always friendly. This location did not disappoint!! Their lunch prices are offered DAILY, even on weekends!! They offer a lot of different enchilada types, you pick your meat or choose cheese and you can pick from MANY different enchilada sauce options!! One is a chili type sauce with meat chunks. Their green chili enchilada sauce is very chunky with chopped green chilis! Their sides are unique. I love the spinach dip as a side. The cheesy red smashed potatoes are a good option too! The chips are super thin (the way I like them!!) and they serve three different types of salsas!! YUM!! The atmosphere is nice! When they are busy, they hustle!!! Great service always!! read more

Still a great and consistent spot. Just get used to some lack of labor but the food is consistent and they try harder than Lytle.

Abuelo's is absolutely the best Mexican restaurant my husband and I have been to in a long time! There was a first, we ordered salsa, guacamole and queso, they served them with fresh made pork rinds. YUMMY! We are definitely going back! read more

Amazing food! Danielle was our server excellent customer service and personality. I would definitely recommend and will be going back soon!!!!!! read more

If you are looking for a great catering team this is a very outstanding team to provide catering.they catered my daughters wedding of 108 and they we excellent. Worth every penny spent. read more

We used to love Abuelo's and visited often until they cut our favorite (ribs) from the menu (man, that was a long time ago). I'd have loved to have given it a higher rating. The hostess working lunch on Monday, April 29th, was just shy of unfriendly (pretty rare in Abi), but we were seated quickly to a 4 top to accomodate my daughter and I, and her toddler in a high chair. Our waitress arrived pretty quickly as well, but also had a veneer of.. something being off. Hard to explain, we thought maybe it's a high stress place to work? Two bowls of chips arrived quickly, fresh and tasty. Not sure when they started doing the tiny "sampler" of salsas, but I'd greatly prefer one bowl of good salsa over two weird (one tomato-based that was bland, one green/tomatillo based that was oddly and aggressively sweet) and one good (a fire-roasted, maybe? it had good heat and overall flavor). A shame to have to share three tablespoons of salsa and leave the rest untouched. My daughter ordered the shrimp enchiladas, sold by the "sherry cream sauce" described in the menu. I ordered a classic TexMex plate, the Del Rio, of a crispy taco, tamale, enchilada, rice & papas. Toddler had (toddler approved) cheese quesadilla. I was actually really happy with my plate. Everything was good (the papas aren't as good as I remember, but still tasty), and I'd recommend the plate as a solid 3/5 for the price (roughly $15, if memory serves). But my daughter's shrimp enchiladas were, to be honest, terrible. She ate less than half of one and I handed over my plate after tasting a bite of hers so she'd have something to eat. That was NOT a sherry cream sauce. I have no clue what it *was* but it was gloppy, as if it'd been reheated and a corn starch slurry had been used to over-thicken it, and just dreadful. We brought that to our server's attention and were asked "you saved room for dessert, then?" :/ I get it, everyone's tastes are different, but for both of us to have hated them (we like everything lol) AND for the server to blow it off? Earned your "meh" star right there. Can't recommend, based on service/value and those enchiladas. Bill was $50 before tip, for two house margs, a milk, kid's quesadilla w/rice & beans ($6.25, wth?), the combo plate, and the enchiladas. 10/10 won't return, sadly. read more

Fire roasted hot sauce to the platters this is best place to go down size is that they get real busy you might have to wait but it is worth that wait Staff is always friendly and attentive to the needs of guests but during busy time again you might have to wait for food but that just gives you more time to eat the fire roasted hot sauce which is spot on read more

Kalilah took better care of us than anyone else anywhere we've ever been!! Food came out fast and drinks were served in a timely manner !!

Worth the wait to get in. The mushrooms were a meal itself! Ate the Juarez. Was soooo much food! Well worth the price. 3 salsas were good too. Waiter. Ehhhhh..... not very attentive. read more

This is our favorite Mexican restaurant in Abilene! My favorite appetizer is the chicken fajita nachos! Yum yum! I like the Monterrey, Los Mejores de la casa, Salmon Santa Cruz, Tilapia Veracruz & oh so many more! The salas are excellent also! The mixed drinks are the icing on the cake! read more

Front of house fully staffed. Greeter seemed preoccupied very cold welcome no goodby or come again. Kitchen must be short staff food seemed to take longer than it should have. The food is not all fresh tamale and Chile relleno seemed to have been frozen and heated. Good price for the food I received. Fajitas were cooked as requested. Fajita plate had all the trimmings and extra onions and bell pepper, didn't even have to ask for extra. Hubby had the Grande Plate. Our server was especially kind and attentive. Thought the baby tortillas were cute and thin. A plus to keeping my blood sugar from going to high. Asked for hotter salsa than the very mild chipotle salsa. Was brought out some habenero that was spicier but not a fire starter. Food must have been sitting a while because it came out cold but still tasty. Overall, entire experience was a good one, Will definitely be back. Location obviously has a good reputation because they had a good bit of patronage after lunch rush. read more

Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant - Fajita for 1. - Mexican Near Me - Abilene, Texas

Great food and service. We always enjoy coming in weather it's lunch or dinner. We also enjoy having parties when someone's having a birthday or anniversary , just a really good place to hang out with family read more

For a chain restaurant, I would say Abuelo's is one of my favorites. I really like the ambiance as it's inspired by Mexican architecture. As far as the food is - I'm a fan. My go-to dish is the Brocheta de Filete which is bacon-wrapped filet mignon. The beef is pretty tender and full of flavor. Very good! It also comes with charro beans and their amazing Papas con Chile which I enjoy very much. I've gotten good service both times and they also have good happy hour as well. I leave satisfied every time I come! read more

Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant - Brocheta de Filete - Mexican Near Me - Abilene, Texas

I've went two days in a row and had EXCELLENT experiences both time. LOVE the atmosphere, Tess was an amazing server and the food was FANTASTIC. I'm here for a little while longer on business and I guarantee you, I will be back again. Their beef enchiladas with Chili Con Carne sauce are MAGNIFICENT. Chips and salsas are great, too. read more

Decent food. Better than most but it hardly justifies the price . Other than that I do love the atmosphere and the service was great! Never had to wait for anything . Drinks were kept full etc read more