Family of five out running errands this past Sunday afternoon, we happened to drive by Mimi's and…read morethought it would be a neat idea to stop in for lunch. Mimi's was always one of my favorite places to eat back in the '90s and early 2000s, so I was feeling a little nostalgic.
When we walked in, the restaurant was nearly empty. The service was subpar, the food was okay--but definitely not like I remembered it--and overall, it was clear that this once-popular chain has seen better days. Still, we left content enough and tipped well, understanding that this is an outdated chain that seems to be struggling, so we honestly didn't expect much.
While we were there, I happened to glance into the kitchen area and saw a kid wearing an LA Dodgers hat and a food handler who appeared to be on her phone, speaking with our server, Eva, and showing her old pictures.
What happened next, however, was something we definitely did not expect.
Every single one of us became sick.
First my wife, then the rest of us. Our group included five people--my wife and me, our 1-year-old, our 4-year-old, and my 80-year-old mother. We all ordered different meals, yet we all became extremely ill afterward.
Yesterday, I was bedridden. Both of my young sons are sick. My mother has also been sick. If it were just my wife and me, I might be less upset--but when a 1-year-old, a 4-year-old, and an 80-year-old are involved, I am absolutely irate.
I called the restaurant and spoke with Adrian. Unfortunately, I felt that he showed very little concern and immediately attempted to suggest that we could have gotten sick somewhere else, mentioning that they had not received other reports of health and safety issues "in a while." He eventually gave me the phone number for the district manager, Rager.
I spoke with the district manager as well and, unfortunately, felt the same lack of concern. What really shocked me was that he essentially challenged me to contact the Fort Worth Health Department, stating that they would only come out and inspect the restaurant if they received an abundance of incoming complaints.
Seriously?
No refund was offered, so I asked for one--and it was denied.
We're taking our 1-year-old to the doctor today.
I am writing this review as a warning to others: please use caution and consider avoiding this location. I remember the days when Mimi's had long waits and the restaurant was packed. Those days are clearly gone.
We plan to follow up with the Health Department and document everything. We also still have leftovers from our meals and intend to ask the appropriate authorities about whether they should be tested or examined as part of any investigation.
This situation is still developing, but based on our family's experience, we will never be returning to Mimi's.