Past its prime. This place was tired and dingy. Menus were in bad shape. Wasnt clean. Employees did not seem to be happy. Food was mediocre. Worst part was that reviews on web for overall South of the Border experience seemed to be looking backwards rather than reflecting the present. Too bad as this stop could have been much more. read more

Staff was friendly, very attentive and knowledgeable of food items. We were greeted immediately upon arrival and the hostess informed us that they didn't serve Mexican food, which was fine with us. We had the "all you can eat" bar, very good variety of salads and toppings. Taco soup was amazing! Our teenage daughters ordered the wings with fries & chicken tenders with fries, again it was all very tasty! Dessert was hot fudge brownie and a slice of pie. No complaints from us! Will stop in again! As stated in another review, your service & experience is based a lot on the attitude you have when engaging with others. read more

Tried this place since we were staying at the campground. Went in to a mostly empty restaurant and it was 15 minutes before seeing someone, where they arrived they only wanted the soft drink order. Refused the order for dinner, another 5 minutes goes by and still nothing so we walked out, only the second in my life I did that. Don't recommend this place at all. read more

The only reason to eat here is for the experience of eating at a restaurant in South of the Border. That was the only appeal of coming here, but you shouldn't expect fine dining from such a kitschy tourist trap. It's all about the novelty. The food is almost equal to a fast food restaurant, except not quite as good and a lot slower. Our server was apologetic about such a long wait and the restaurant was crowded, so I couldn't be too mad about it. I ordered the burritos deluxe, and my husband ordered the enchiladas. The food was decent for what it was. Everything tasted like it came out of a can or a jar. Rather than having chips and salsa served to us right away, it was served along with our meal on the plate. The salsa tasted like Old El Paso or some other salsa you buy in the grocery store from a jar. I actually enjoyed my experience eating here, but it's definitely not a place I would go to outside of such a touristy spot. The best part is just the novelty of it. read more

Sombrero Restaurant - Burritos Deluxe - Mexican Near Me - Hamer, South Carolina

If there was a zero stars option this place would have it no real Mexican food 1 waiter and way overpriced I got a blt and have made better bacon in the microwave go to a fast food restaurant instead save the time read more

FLIES!! And wilted lettuce on my sandwich. Never again- go down the street to Waffle House

Definitely no Mexican food. South of the border Mexican decor the whole place is themed as Mexican yet no Mexican food at the sombrero restaurant. Service was very slow and we were one of two tables. Didn't even get the order correct. Did correct the mistake though. The food was cooked but could have found better at Pilot or Flying J. Asked about the turkey burger and the waitress said we'll we serve a lot of chicken, shrugged her shoulders and gnarled her lip. My 5y.o. said it's not the best place to eat but it's ok. Name should be vanilla processed food establishment. If there was anything to eat n 20 miles we at 7pm we would have for sure went there. Can't leave zero starts so there you go. read more

Great experience, servers were nice, polite and attentive. Ordered a Steak Mexicana, it's fire grilled and has some sort of sugar seasoning that caramelize when cooked. I'm not sure why so many negative reviews. I was hesitant to come here, due to it. But, I've been here before and never had a bad experience, including today. It's a tourist restaurant, crowded, but didn't even wait, they seated me right away with my guests. The amount of food given was a lot, taste fresh and good. The bathroom was clean and orderly, with no smell or problems. The sink basin look like a piece of artwork with vivid cheery colors. read more

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Wow, I was expecting foam plates and foil, but the Sombrero was pretty darn ok. I had the special, chicken and beef burrito plate. It was reasonably priced, hot, fast and fresh. Salad bar looked nice too. Service was friendly, overall much better than I expected for my favorite tourist trap. Interior was heavy duty shtick, in the right way. 1973, here you are! South of the Border does not apologize for being campy and seems to be a well run junque haven. The whole place is a must stop on any I-95 trip. Don't forget a bumper sticker! Still $.10 each.... read more

Sombrero Restaurant - Very tasty, fresh and hot! Much better than expected! - Mexican Near Me - Hamer, South Carolina

I always have the waiter/waitress pick their favorite meal and surprise me. Today I had, pancakes and bacon. Wife got French toast, bacon, and home fries. Star summary... 5/5-Time waiting 3/5-Service 2/5-Environment/Decor 2-5-Pancakes fluffy but bland 2/5- French toast bland and mushy 0/5-bacon had a weird taste 1/5- hash browns are deep fried home fries. 1/5- coffee tasted better in the room 1/5- juice tastes like a powder mixture 1/5-Value Total price - $25.61 w/tip for two. Overall the price snuck up on you cause all the sides add up. Woulda been 1 star, but considering we are in the middle of no-where on a long trip it was palatable. read more

Sombrero Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Hamer, South Carolina

Stopped here for Breakfast on our Road-trip to Orlando. Beautiful tourist place and Great breakfast we had Pancakes, eggs, hash browns and Bacon. Price was great also the server was very attentive to our needs and the place is also clean. Just gave 4 stars the place was very empty we got there around 7:45am is was very quiet but I would have loved at least some background music. Great place anyways! read more

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I really can't believe this place is still open. It has not been updated since the 70's and apparently this bothers no one except me. My appetite was ruined when our waitress took our order drenched in sweat. I have no idea what she was doing and I was afraid to ask. I mustered up enough courage to order the chicken special. It was stewed chicken with canned green beens and overcooked rice and gravey. For dessert, my cousin became adventurous and ordered the fried ice cream. I only took one bite because it was made with coconut and I despise coconut. Even though the food was not to my liking, the attendants were very nice and welcoming. read more

I would definitely not recommend this place to anyone. Youd be better off going to a fast food place. The food would taste better, service would be quicker. The people that worked there were nice but they were just a little slow, it wasn't very full and it took forever to get a quesadilla... read more

Sombrero Restaurant - Salad bar. Everything tasted like it was sitting around in water to a few hours - Mexican Near Me - Hamer, South Carolina

Surprisingly good food! Very tasty & made to order! Awesome waitress- extremely good service!! I read the other reviews on yelp before eating here (which was the only reason I decided to give it a try). I am pretty picky because I have some food sensitivities & can't eat raw onions or peppers. They accommodated my dietary restrictions & greatly surpassed my flavor expectations!! It's not the best Mexican food ever but it really is good! This place is like a ghost town in the off season so we were the only table in the whole place for most of our meal. read more

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Was a very cute restaurant. We were expecting Mexican food but it was not. When we first sat down we had a very soft spoken young lady take our drink order then she disappeared. Another lady then came to take our order again. It was confusing but we caught on after a bit. They were short staffed and it was the one young girl plus the manager. We did not get all we ordered but it was very fine. They both you could tell were tired(fatigue) and yet had a upbeat and pleasant outlook on what was going on. We occasionally come through there and will be back. The food was good and no complaints. Unfortunately since COVID people that actually work well like those two ladies get a raw deal with the lack of employees. I truly hope tomorrow is a brighter day. Thank you for your service tonight. read more

I have no idea if this restaurant is even worth eating at . I never got to try the food here . We walked in and was seated . We waited and waited and waited and waited for someone to finally acknowledge we where even there. When we finally got someone to come over to get or drinks we waited more for someone to come to place our order . The waitress took my husbands order after awhile of her trying to figure out if they actually had it on the menu or not . Then she didn't even acknowledge I was at the table . She closed her notepad and started to walk away from the table . My husband spoke up and asked are you not going to take my wife's order ? After I was finally allowed to say what I wanted to eat we proceeded to sit and wait a ungodly amount of time . Nobody ever come back to see if we needed anything or to say our food would be out soon . I have never in all my years ever walked out of a restaurant but I did that day . Please don't waste your time coming here I was extremely soon I wasted so much time here . Their service was horrible. read more

I actually had to look around before finding this place, as it wasn't well marked. After reading all the reviews, I was determined to find anywhere else to eat, but figured I would give it a shot anyhow with the family since we were already going to stop and look in the shops. The reality is that the food was decent and the speed was good. They did take a few minutes to seat us given that there were six of us. The waitress was quick to tell us that they were out of ice, but then they got some in about 10 minutes later. She dragged her feet on serving us drinks so that we could have cold beverages. The food was good, but as others mentioned not what you would consider authentic. Overall, I have no complaints. I checked out the salad bar and definitely wouldn't recommend it to anyone, especially for almost $10. The waitress did let me grab some peppers off it for my burrito though. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to say that they ate at South of the Border. Just walk in with the expectation that you are eating at South of the Border and not a gourmet or authentic Mexican restaurant. read more

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This place is horrible. The food is bland. Selection is horrid. Food literally reminds me of school cafeteria food. I'll never come here again. I honestly don't see the attraction to this place. The ONE star is for the service, which was pretty good. Other then that, just NO. read more

Disgusting and unsanitary. The only arguably positive thing is that the food is cheap, like everything else here at this hole.

Wish we could report better. Got there one waitress and six or more tables. Insufficient help. Waited over 15 mins then left. Giving two stars because it looked decently clean and seemed like it would be ok if they had attentive staff. read more

The service is okay, not the best. Staff is nice but not very fast. The food is awful... it's edible but that's it. Cheap tasting ingredients. We got Mexican entrees and Sandwiches. Sandwiches were dry, Mexican tasted nothing like regular Mexican restaurants... i would maybe compare it to Taco Bell but I don't even think it can compare... worse than Taco Bell. The fries were very undercooked, we couldn't even eat them. I do not recommend you eat here, there are plenty of other restaurants around the area and or down the highway. It was a waste, very unsatisfied. read more

This is an odd place definitely a restaurant on the verge of going extinct. Food was decent for the price. Oddly they have only 5 Mexican dishes to choose from. (The name doesn't fit very well) It's more of an atmosphere type place verse a fine dining experience. In the age of COVID-19 they are top notch on protection and cleanliness paperless menus, social distancing, mask wearing by everyone, utensils and condiments are individually wrapped. read more

Better food than some of the other places at South of the Border. Nothing fancy, but nothing terrible. It was slow this weekend. I wouldnt go out of my way to come back, but better than other local spots. read more

Sombrero Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Hamer, South Carolina

Worst Mexican want to be restaurant possible. I would post a picture but I was too ashamed of the food to post. I have visited Mexico and actully eaten the street tacos. I would prefer that, to what I had today. First, the drinks were water down. I guess the pop machine was out of syrup. Then the menu, it was a photo copy of a copy. I mean..cmon...then the price was outrageous. 2 tacos with soft shell, 9.99. Wait there is more...the beef...o yeah, the beef was grinded hamburger helper. Wtf white people shit is this. It came with a side of rice, but they were low on that too..so i literally had a spoonful. I will never, ever eat there again. The plates...o there is more I can say. The plates were very cheap, made of plastic, and did not match the decor. In the end I was left hungry, thirsty and wondering what did I just eat. Plus I was economically drained with a hefty bill which I would have spent at other eating locations with a much rather superior result. I wish negative stars were possible. read more

Since we were staying at the hotel in South of the Border it made sense to eat here. Due to Covid and it being January (not tourist season) it was almost empty but our waitress was very friendly and helpful. Menus were printed paper and my husband saw they had a steak but he quickly changed his mind when the waitress placed a paper placemat and a cello package of plastic (thin) cutlery which definitely would not cut anything. No excuse for this as this is a it down restaurant not a fast food place. He opted for a chopped steak instead, His side dish of peas were dried and wrinkled and looked way overcooked! I ordered the taco salad and it was great, homemade taco shell and full to the top. read more

Place was not very clean, our table still had rice from the previous customers, service was awful, host clearly did not want to be there and waitress took 10 minutes after us being seated to take our drinks and we waited over 30 minutes before leaving since no one was around to check on our orders or bring us our drinks. Seriously don't even waist your time on this place, it's not even worth your time. read more

Everything was bland. Can't speak about "Southern" or "American" menus but tacos esta no bueno. I can make better soft tacos at home. An Electronic Pass taco kit is better. They were edible, unlike the dry refried beans and mushy rice. The jalapeno poppers we're good...but how can u get those wrong? Weird with marinara. Would I come back? Only to see if the American food is any better. But I am picky....no burger or fries for me...why I didn't go to the fast food place across the way. The server was nice but my second glass of tea was warm. Poured it into the other glass...guess that's how it's done here? This place needs a redo. Either be Southern or Mexican...not both. read more

If SOB spent more money on renovating their attractions than the signs you see on the highway, they might get farther. The food was mediocre at best, there wasn't chips and salsa ... which I thought was strange for a Mexican restaurant. There wasn't much selection for Mexican food. I would say, Taco bell would be a more authentic Mexican restaurant! Lol read more

This place was horrible. We did not even stay to eat. We were seated and I went to use the ladies room. The bathroom was disgusting, the floor was wet and toilet paper all over...and the smell. I mean, it's a bathroom, but come on. When I got to my table, the server hadn't brought drinks to the table yet. We waited a bit, and then she came over looked to her right while asking "To Drink?" She didn't even look at us, no greeting, nothing! I gave my husband the "this is some bull" look. I said my order, she then looked at me and said "I'm listening." Um, no your not b/c I just gave you my order. Anyway, our table placed our drink orders and she walked away. I then took that point in time to explain to my family that we were not staying here and we promptly left. It's a shame because I really wanted to try the fried ice cream. But, considering previous reviews on the food, I likely lucked out. read more

Won't do it again anytime soon! We all know we get what we pay for and being a foodie I will pay the cost if it will make my tastebuds sing. The food was food. Nothing special yet good enough to get us back on the road home. Last time I visited I got a turkey burger. I remember that being really really good! Today the waitress suggested the chicken salad sandwich over the burger soooo that's what I got. The waitress wore a smile and she was sweet!!! But our order wasn't clarified [repeated back] therefore when the food came we thought yet again "is this right" she came and checked and we said yes everything was fine. Now the ticket has come and we see what the issue she may have been checking on was. We had an extra entree that matched what was ordered. We ordered the Mexican combo with a burrito, taco & quesadilla. But received a burrito entree as well. The waitress agreed with what was said in regards to the order being placed. The co-mgr offered a $2 discount. So be it.... I'm not looking for free food! My issue is that her demeanor wasn't professional. I shared with her that I run a business myself and I ensure I repeat what's requested of my clientele back to them to be sure we [as in both parties] are clear of expectations. That is what the waitress failed to do. If she had clarified we wouldn't have been having that conversation. The co-mgr mumbled a "mhmm" made a face and looked at the young lady next to her who laughed, shook her head and looked down. The co mgr at this point dismissed me yet asked about a tip.... have a good day... yep you too. Now upon writing this I kinda feel bad for not tipping bc I am a tipper of service not food quality but the co mgr had me so vex with her rude self I said no and that interaction had nothing to do with the waitress. Oh well... next time I will be sure to have them repeat the order... whenever that happens read more

This place was like something out of a bad 70's movie. We were the only people in there and I now know why. Most pathetic "salad" bar I have ever seen. The food was downright gross. The décor was honestly something that was so bad I couldn't tell if it was cheesy on purpose or not. Tables, floors and bathrooms were sticky. Prices were high especially for the quality of food that was served. Despite being starving, we barely touched anything and left. This will be the one place we make fun of for years to come. Don't bother stopping even for the entertainment and amazement value. read more

If you're headed down I-95 to Mouse World or Lauderdale, you'll notice the large South of the Border signs, most with a Mexican cartoon guy that looks like the Frito Bandito on speed. Unless the kids are screaming to stop, keep going. The restaurant is what I am reviewing here. Bland isn't the word. Forgettable may be a better description. Regrettable? Yeah, that's it. I will pass on this and go to something far tastier called McDonald's. I ordered burritos and it was nothing but basic ground beef wrapped in a soft tortilla with some sauce. Want "Mexican" food? Skip this dump and the slow service and hit Taco Bell. I was in a Chinese place in Fayetteville and overheard a conversation, a group was talking loud enough that we couldn't help it. Their conversation got around to South of the Border and this restaurant. The man talking said he actually pulled the waiter over after they had their meal and told him, "You should be ashamed to serve food like this!" My husband and I had a good laugh as we knew exactly what he was talking about. read more

Worst Mexican food I have ever had in my life. This place sucks so much even the Hispanics have enough dignity not to want to work here. Seriously, every employee in the resort was either white or black. I don't know if that's because it was November but regardless, it was kind of ironic. The resort is racist and I'm surprised the SJW's aren't losing their minds. Every Mexican stereo type you can imagine has been manifested at this road side attraction. I am Never coming back. As a bonus, I was so disappointed in my meal, I went to the truck stop stop hoping to buy Tortilla chips. No Tortilla chips! What the heck? read more

I had very low expectations going in and they were not met. Unfortunately we are suckers for landmark tourist traps. Save yourself and don't go here. I generally try to find something nice to say, but I can't in this case, and I am ignoring the age-old advice that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. To say the food was mediocre is to give it a compliment. The entire staff just seemed like they were miserable and conveyed it. The food was slow to come, the bathrooms were akin to your average service station, and they are perhaps the only tourist trap family restaurant in America that doesn't provide crayons and coloring sheets - or anything - for kids. Again, save yourself. Keep driving. You will thank me later. read more

This place was one of the stops we made on our way home. I read the previous messages from past customers, but decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. I loved our waitress Shanon, she was very helpful and kind. I ordered the burrito deluxe and it wasn't bad at all. I would have given a 5star but I was a bit disappointed that my burritos came with fries instead of tortilla chips and the burrito had no rice in them. But the tastes were good. Full all you can eat salad bar was my favorite! My family and I enjoyed our visit very much! read more

I feel bad writing this review. The service and wait staff are excellent. They're warm and friendly with that southern charm. So this is in no way against them. However, the food at this place is just simply unacceptable. First of all, this isn't a Mexican restaurant. I know that probably confuses you. It confused me as well. It is called Sombrero's after all. It is also located at South of the Border. However, do not let any of that fool you. There are more burgers and fries on the menu than tacos. Again I promise you, this is not a Mexican restaurant. It may not be a restaurant at all as what I was served could hardly be called food. This is a hodge-podge rest stop connected to a tourists shop. Therefore, stop here only to use the restroom and buy a magnet. Eating here felt like I was in the Hangover IV movie--as if this is precisely the type of place you might find in bumblefuck Nevada. There were 5 Mexican options. Burritos, quesadillas, tacos, and I'm drawing a blank on the other two. Maybe they do not exist. But just the fact that a "Mexican" restaurant simply had "Mexican" options should make my point. I opted for the quesadillas--seemed the safest. I took a few bites and stopped. And so did my other two friends, another ordered the quesadilla and the other the burrito. We spent the rest of our time talking. Freshness of ingredients certainly a huge concern. Everything tasted processed like it came straight out of mega jars (cheese, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole). Maybe I should have gotten a burger? read more

The worst place to eat on the east coast! Do not stop here. Horrible Mexican food. Horrible service. Horrible by incompetent lazy people who have no idea about serving Mexican Food nor quality customer service. read more

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Slowest restaurant EVER! I, too, should have read the reviews before entering this establishment. Ordered almost an hour ago (hot dog, chicken salad sandwich). Not rocket science for food prep, but we are still waiting... It's got to come soon! I'm hungry! Waitress was a bit rude and had to recheck what my husband ordered on his hot dog. Follow-up: Food was delivered promptly one hour after ordering. Hot dog and chicken salad sandwich we're good, but not worth the wait. I'll be going up the highway for my next meal in this area. read more

Don't waste your time. No Bud Light, really! All other beers were out of stock also. Salad bar looked like it hadn't been touched the entire day. Run, do not walk if you somehow get sucked in the place. Server didn't have a clue what was going on. read more

Sombrero Restaurant - Salad bar - Mexican Near Me - Hamer, South Carolina

Meh. It's one thing to go to a sticky table Mexican restaurant - when they have free chips and salsa and the food is Delish. This place was not that... I had two beef tacos that were ok- and by ok I mean they were uninspired. Which is not what you'd want from a Mexican place. Slow service, not great food, and pretty pricey for what you get. I stopped to see the spectacle that is south of the border- I can't imagine id stop again. read more