I love Abuelo's--usually. Today I wanted to try something different got the Tortilla Soup and Reynosa Salad. The soup was tasty and spicy but looked like it had been sloppily sent out and not as hot as it should be. I also wish it had been a larger portion and there was no soup spoon (this actually does help with such a small bowl--which I found out as I had to bring the bowl to my mouth, ha). The salad though... was the most unfortunate part. The ingredients were mish-mashed and seemed really heavy handed. It basically became a big mush after some bites and being that it was a cold salad it reminded me of the porridge they eat in the Matrix. But I digress, I think it could have been solved with some more robust lettuce leaves, less beans/sauce, and more meat and tortilla chips. I had about 20% of it and left it on the table. My experience was made brighter by our waitress (Madison) who was very attentive and kind. Overall, I still like Abuelo's and will come back but for the fajitas instead. read more

Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant - Unfortunately this is how my tortilla soup came out looking. Part of the Reynosa salad meal, $8-$-9. - Mexican Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

The worst steak in town. Ordered medium rare and received WELL done. A hamburger patty would have been better.

My boyfriend and I are cracking up over the way they served micheladas I've never ever seen a "Mexican restaurant" serve a michelada mix separate from the beer and with bud light?? Wtf read more

Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant - Ummmm??? - Mexican Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

First of all, i don't eat a lot of Mexican so i am not here to comment on the authenticity of the food. I know I live in Texas now but Abuelo's is probably the only Mexican restaurant that I actually liked so far. Regardless what others say, I think it deserves a high rating from me. The restaurant is pretty up scale by LBK standard. I came here multiple times, the flavor is always consistent. Service is prompt and friendly. One server even remembered my name. I like coming here for their lunch special from time to time. The shrimp fajita is my favorite! read more

Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant - Shrimp fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

It's alright. Service is great usually. I just think food is ok. I just only eat there if nothing else seems good for that day.

Chicken chimichangas are the best There's just no way American Mexican food is not good. This place is good for meetings gatherings and so many other beautiful things. A wonderful place for a first date that's for sure sure read more

I had the Salmon covered in shrimp and butter sauce, it was absolutely outstanding! My wife had enchiladas, she said they were average! But I'll give 5 stars because that salmon was sooo good!! read more

I have visited Abuelo's for as long as I can remember. I am never disappointed in the food or the atmosphere! Tonight there was an issue with my meal and the server and managers went above and beyond to fix it and they covered my bill. I wish I could leave more than 5 stars!! read more

Never will I ever. I ordered the combo fajitas, and I would say never ever order this dish. Their chicken is chemically treated with nitrites or nitrates to make it more tender, but now it just tastes like lunch meat. The beef was such a poor cut of meat it could even find one bite without grizzle, and the beans tasted like ranch style beans out of a can. Cutting corners to save money has lost my business...never will I ever come back. Disgusting. read more

Given a gift certificate for my BDay for this restaurant! Ordered chicken/ shrimp fajitas w/ lettuce, tomatoes, pico, guacamole, black beans, rice and cheese. Honestly, I was given the smallest hamburger size container w/ a 1/2 tsp of pico, lettuce, sour cream(didn't order that), cheese and a 9x6 that contained fajita chicken/shrimp, rice & beans. Packing proportions small for $20. The quality of their food items are comparable to Taco Villa, IMO. Maybe, I caught them on an off day, but there isn't any desire for a 2nd visit for what I ate today.. read more

Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant - Chicken/Shrimp Fajitas w/ small lettuce/pico/cheese to go! - Mexican Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

Ate at this Mexican Resturant in Lubbock, Tx. It was very good I Was craving rice, beans and a good margarita! Got it there. Thank you for the wonderful food and service at Abuelo's read more

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

Big plus for quick attentive service, good margarita on happy hour pricing and comfortable patio to listen to music. Lost a few stars for no food on the happy hour menu in the courtyard and only a small menu overall in that area. Would have liked more options. The carnitas taco was okay, the ahi tuna taco was better but the mango was under ripe so the taco was a bit dry overall. The chips and salsa were good. Unless they get more menu options in the courtyard I think I would only go listen to the music with drinks. read more

This place has no customer service bland food high prices and a terrible patio schedule. Showed up at 3:30pm to sit at the patio and was told does not open till 4pm. Waited till 4pm sat down to be told no food service till 5pm. Fuck this place. read more

Love Abuelo's there Food is always great and there Togo is always quick one of the best Mexican food restaurants In lubbock read more

They have the best tortilla soup and green hot sauce. The wait staff is always helpful.

We always enjoy Abuelo's restaurant and even take family and friends from out of town there!

Went to Abuelo's last Friday evening and ask to sit on the patio. No problem until it started getting dark. We ask our first waitress if she would turn on party lights in the middle of the patio. We were sitting in the middle and so was another group of people. She said that lights weren't working and she had mentioned it to management,but they told her it wasn't in their budget. There were lights around the perimeter, but they were low voltage. It was dark! Our food came. The second waitress came and said she would turn on our lights and we told her they didn't work. Anywhere we ended up turning on our phone lights so we could see to eat. There was four of us and we spent almost $100 bucks. You can't tell me that Abuelo's can't afford to buy lights or close the patio. read more

I ordered 70 dollars of take out for my family tonight and when I opened up the nachos this is what we got. THIS IS GROSS! There has to be a better way to package their to go in order to not give their customers COLD, MESSY food. read more

Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant - Chicken fajita nachos for 12 dollars. Seems a bit ridiculous how gross this is considering how much we pay for this food. - Mexican Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

ABSOLUTELY AMZING!!!!! They have very good Mexican bread with meat and cheese. They have very good alcoholic beverages that made me feel amazing. They had a cellular tellular that allowed my kids to play games and allowed me to play. This place is very fun and amazing. read more

Their food is always excellent. I especially love their enchiladas. They are the only restaurant that knows how to make spinach enchiladas. They have cheese, corn, peppers - they're perfection! I love the salsa options they have. I could eat my weight in chips and salsa - and with a variety of salsas you will find one everyone loves. They have great drink specials - and a beautiful outdoor patio. There's often live music on the patio. My only complaint is how Ling the wait can be - but that's because everyone knows how great it is! read more

I've always liked the food here, especially the salsas, the fact that their tortilla chips are thin and crispy, as they should be, and that their dishes are well-prepared and presented. Before yesterday evening, I'd never had their fajitas. We ordered fajitas for two, with both chicken and beef. The meat was fabulous -- tasty, just the right amount of char, the beef portion was juicy and tender. But the corn tortillas -- WAY TOO THICK! It looks like they are made in-house, which I applaud, but man, they are thick. I don't want a mouthful of masa when I eat a fajita. The tortilla should be the vehicle for the meat and veggies, salsa, etc. not a predominant flavor. Because they are so thick, you fill up really quickly and not on the good protein. Love that the corn tortillas are made fresh, but they really need to be thinner. read more

I'll start out with a compliment. Abuelos does very well at catering. they cater many events around town and I always enjoy eating their fajitas. Other than that, the food is pretty bad. read more

This is not everyday Mexican food but is very good one of my favorite places to eat. I have not had anything there that I did not enjoy. The service is good. And I love there hot sauces read more

Always a solid when in Lubbock. I've never had anything bad here. Service is always top notch.

We had a surprised party for our Dad 77th party. The hostess tried to seat our party of 12 in two different tables which wasn't cool and wasn't willing to assist but the manager jumped in and got our table set up for 12 quickly...which was awesome! Our waitress was AWESOME! Very nice and great job! Thank you to the manager and waitress (not rude hostess!!) in making my Dad birthday a rememberable one!! read more

If it weren't for the excellent food and the good service once we were seated, this would have been a one star review. First things first: Abuelos has always been our go-to for Mexican food in Lubbock. So this is an old favorite. Why the low rating? We waited over an hour for a table for 5. If we had more than 6, it would have been more understandable. But we watched at least 10 tables of 2 and 3 people being seated. One couple who came in at the same time we did ate and left before we ever got a table. With so many other options for Mexican food in Lubbock, I doubt we'll be wasting anymore time at Abuelos. read more

A beautiful outside scenery and lots of seating inside! Not sure why there are such low reviews- I've been here to eat many times and have never had a bad experience. Great tacos, fajitas, queso, and drinks! One of my favorite places to eat in Lubbock, TX! read more

Worst service on patio. I have had to go the bar now twice to get a server to serve us. Ever since Brad left as the Manager, thisplace is the worst. read more

Normally I don't update my reviews. Only in rare cases. This is one of those times. Hostesses were very pleasant. The waiter was awesome. Not once did I have to look around for him to bring more water or chips or that awesome habanero hot sauce. The guy was on point. The food, not to diminish the service, was unreal. I'm not much for enchiladas but I decided to try the pork medallions and cheese enchiladas with the red Chile sauce. Out of this world. My 5 year old son actually inhaled his kids meal burrito before I was half way done and my wife loved her mexican stack. While I missed my regular pescado Guerrero, I have found another favorite meal to enjoy. Also, the papas were perfect this time around. Excellent job Abuelos. See yall again soon BTW. Brad, all of the dips in the sampler are my favorite. read more

I don't understand all the 4 or 5 star ratings. The service was efficient and speedy -- if your primary goal for dinner is getting in and out quickly that may be a plus, but I'd rather not have my main course served while I'm in the middle of my starter. Speaking of the starter, I had a seared tuna dish. The presentation was marred by the rather sad salad greens. They should have been retired (composted) a few days ago. I had a large sampler plate for my main course. It had the same tired salad greens. With the exception of the tamale, all the other items tasted much the same. They were mushy and surprisingly bland. Tex-Mex is, I know, comfort food for people in this area, but surely there is better to be had around Lubbock. The server was very attentive and pleasant. read more

This place seems pretty popular in the area. The food is really good though. Tables have these little screens where you can order appetizers while you contemplate your main course. You can also use it to pay at the end. The menu is expansive and the price is right for what you're getting. The portions are really big though. The restaurant needs updated paint; there was paint peeling in several areas of the walls. The restaurant is also a bit noisy because it's so popular, though the outdoor seating is quieter. read more

Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant - Chips and salsa are brought out immediately. Also you can see the screen from which you order appetizers, dessert, and then pay. - Mexican Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

What a wonderful time my wife and I had on the patio with live music. We ordered the taco salads. The portions were perfect, and they tasted awesome! The service was a little slow because of how busy it was, however we were not there in a rush we wanted to enjoy the evening and the atmosphere was perfect. our server was very good and courteous. She even remembered to refill our chips and salsa even though she was very very busy. I highly recommend this place if you want to have a relaxing and enjoyable evening with your better half. We will be back! read more

Being from PA I don't get Mexican food (well not the real thing) so my review is skewed with that in mind. I arrived here early and my hostess was very friendly and prompt. My waiter arrived and he was very helpful and always available at the right times throughout my meal. I ordered the vegetable fajita and it was amazing! There were so many different vegetables cooked up and served hot and steaming. The salsa was fresh, the guacamole delicious and the corn tortillas tasted like nothing I've ever had on the east coast - or from a supermarket. I think they were fresh - but what do I know being from the Mexican-free zone. I would most certainly return if I was staying in town another night. read more

Our family visits Abielo's every time we come to Lubbock because of great service and good food. We have actually eaten at their other locations in Abilene and College Station and they are very consistent. On Friday, I don't what happened. We checked in and the hostess said there would be about a 45 minute wait for the 6 of us - OK, it was 7 PM they were busy. About 20 - 30 minutes later, parties of 3, 4, & 5 were being seated who arrived after us. This continued after we waited 40 minutes so I asked the hostess when our table would be ready. Her response - "it hasn't been 45 minutes". So how longer - "We have tables but they need to be cleaned". So how much longer - "I don't know, maybe 5 minutes". If I employed this young lady she would have been let go on the spot. VERY RUDE. Well this ordeal turned into another 10 minutes so a total of 50 minutes to be seated and there was only one other couple behind us waiting. Seriously? I guess they don't know how to put two smaller tables together so we could have been seated instead of letting everyone cut in front of us. I asked to speak to a manager and Fredo came by. Fredo looked tired and really didn't care to listen. He asked my what I wanted him to do. What? You're the manager dude, why don't you make our dinner nice and enjoyable, talk to the rude hostess in the front and bring my a beer! He said he would talked to her and that was the end of our conversation. Our server Victoria came out and took our orders and was very pleasant. She did a great job and took care of us so I did want to give her credit. Fredo the manager - he left the scene and I never heard from him again. The food - well we should have bought a microwave frozen dinner. The kids ate their enchiladas and I ended up paying $17 for a plate of rice and grilled onions because the fajitas were burnt and the beans were salty and nasty. I didn't say anything else - just paid the bill and left knowing I will never step foot into another Abuelo's again. What a disaster. read more

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

I have zero complaints about Abuelo's. It has consistently impressed me as a chain that I feel is worth supporting. Service is always excellent, beyond what you would expect at your typical tex mex chain. Drinks are strong, and priced how you would expect for a place like this. The food is great. I haven't had anything here I don't like. I love their version of 'loaded queso' - I can't remember what it is called on the menu - which is their yummy queso loaded w/ guacamole, pico de gallo, beans, meat (if so inclined), and sour cream I think (which I normally cut). It is heaven in a bowl. Generally Abuelo's is worth the wait, which is usually pretty long. Don't come here expecting to pop in and out quickly. There is a reason that there is a wait - the place rocks! Only downfall is that the acoustics are poor - sometimes you can barely hear each other. read more

Abuelo's has a great menu and wonderful staff. The lines can at times be a bit long, but being the best Mexican food in a town full of mexican restaurants makes it worth the wait. I've had a few different things here but the fajitas usually look/taste the best. I have heard great things about the margaritas that they have and I cannot leave without having a sopapilla. This is, in my opinion, one of the places you must visit before leaving town. read more

CONCERNED I review abuelos often as well as pretty much everywhere I dine. It's is becoming a little disturbing have heard customers complain of 2 different occasions on how dirty their dishes are. I overheard a customer complain about a extra empty plate that was brought to them and was sent back and then the second plate was oily. The waitress just replied with " I don't know what they are doing in the back" and then the waitress continued complaining to those customers about how gross abuelos really is. Which of course made me question wanting to go back even though I really enjoy the food. Another visit the customer complained about lip marks on the glass that was just brought to the table. Then I decided to look for the abuelos in Lubbock on yelp because I will down there today and I read a few reviews about how gross the dishes there are along with rude staff. I wonder if maybe it's time to step up the kitchen management a little bit? I'm not sure I'll be returning to abuelos unfortunately. read more

Really surprised by the negative reviews....I have been eating here for years. It is a rare local institution that really deserves it. I use to gripe about this place( the long waits and unimaginative menu), but after years of consistency and comparisons, I have to say this is the benchmark to all mid-price family tex-mex place in town. The chips are always warm, crispy and light....salsa is fresh and the rotating soups are good, entrees are dependable and not too pricey, desserts are really good...especially the tres leches cake and the flan, which really cannot be missed. The enchiladas always come out fresh and bubbly hot, lots of combos, good lunch specials, good seafood entrees for a texmex place, the drinks are strong, and even the service is pretty good for a college town. Sit in the patio if the weather is nice, and they always have bands or different specials during holidays or themes. There must be a reason why this is the flagship of a chain that now have over 60 stores. And it all started right here in LBK at this location. I hope we can keep supporting this establishment especailly since the corporate office is here and it helps the local ecnomy during this recession. I have eaten here more than 2 dozen times and never had a problem, and whenever there were minor glitches, it was always taken care of promptly by the staff or managers. My first choice for treating out of town guests. read more

I was skeptical of this chain restaurant but the food was very good. There house margarita was balanced, table wine was solid too. The service was prompt and polite. Apparently this restaurant was founded by a well-known restaurateur. I had no idea! The chef recommended pork medallions were perfectly cooked and so succulent. read more

This is an updated review. However, I don't have much to add. Everything was right on spot. Service and food were great. I do have a new recommendation. Try the Shrimp Cocktail. Although I call it more of a shrimp salad, it is a delightful and very unique blend of large shrimp, avocado crema, and salsa. The enchiladas, burritos, and fajitas were all perfectly prepared. I know the Tex-Mex competition in town is keen. I'm keeping this place on my rotation. BTW, I got to meet the assistant GM. Very nice guy who really seems to care about the customer. I think that is something that is special about Abeulo's. We'll see you all again soon. read more