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Abuelo's Mexican Food Embassy
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
3700 Lakeside Village BlvdLakeland, FL 33803
(863) 686-7500
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
9 reviews for Abuelo's Mexican Food Embassy
9 reviews in English
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Review from Mary R.
Tampa, FL
9/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
All hail the Mexican food gods! I've finally found one that's up to par with what I used to get back home in Oklahoma!
Drinks: Happy Hour skinny margaritas for $3.50! Yummy! The S.O. had their top shelf margarita for $5.00 and it was good too, but we both thought mine was better. :) They also have some appetizers & tapas on the happy hour menu, which lasts from 4-7pm and 9pm-close.
Appetizer: I signed up online for their e-club and got a coupon for a free appetizer. We tried the dip sampler ($7.99) that comes with regular queso, chili con queso and an avocado ranch dip. They were all awesome. Fresh, thin tortilla chips & salsa are complimentary, as usual. I could've had these appetizers for my meal and been satisfied.
Dinner: I had a chicken enchilada w/ sour cream sauce, a pork carnitas enchilada w/ green chile sauce, refried beans and papas (mashed potatoes). He had the Monterrey combo that had a chile relleno, FOUR assorted enchiladas (the avocado one was deelish!), a beef taco, refried beans and papas. His plate was HUGE! Every single item was delicious and right on par with the Abuelo's I loved in OKC.
Obviously we had no room for dessert, even tho I really wanted the lava cake. :)
The service was excellent. Very attentive, but not intrusive. My entree was reasonably priced at $8.99. His gluttony plate (lol) was only $15 and change. We also had 2 margaritas each. Our tab was $44 bucks and oh-so worth every penny.
I was just about to give up on the Tampa area's Mexican food (other than Taco Bus, which is good, but still not the same) and I'm so glad I didn't.
We will definitely be their newest regulars! -
Review from Jerry G.
Lakeland, FL
4/1/2012
My wife and I decided to try this place and it was.. alright. It didn't start out well when the waitress came over to get our drink order and then asked if we wanted some queso with our chips and salsa. I wasn't sure if it was just an option or if it cost money (the way the waitress said it made it sound like it was either free or very cheap), because I saw queso on the menu for $6. My wife wanted it though and said yes. And of course it was $6 on the check, sigh. At least it was good.
Past that, my wife ordered two enchiladas and the mashed potatoes, and every meal comes with refried beans (which we both dislike). In retrospect we probably should have asked for no beans, but my wife's food came on one plate with everything all running together (there was no space between everything on the plate at all), so that her enchiladas tasted like beans. Not good.
I got the fajita chimichangas, and they weren't too bad, just very, very cheesy. I probably wouldn't get them again but my wife tried it and enjoyed them.
Dessert was pretty good, we got the chocolate eruption (normal lava cake) and my the pastry's (i forget what they were called) with honey.
Edit: Oh, I forgot about the issues before we even sat down. We went in and gave our name, and the hostess said "do you want a pager or give your cell phone number? sometimes the pager doesn't work". So I gave my cell phone number. Luckily we were sitting on the side of the building (there aren't many seats outside) and heard them call our name from the door, because they never got in touch with me on my cell phone. -
Review from Liz R.
5/19/2011
Good queso app. Not super spicy, but nice flavor. Large portion too.
Get the enchiladas - they're known for them. I tried the shredded beef topped with queso and avocado topped with cream sauce. Flavorful beef, but I highly recommend the avocado with cream sauce.
Also tried the Tortilla soup, $1.99 for a cup in addition to an entree. Made fresh daily, it was just as I like it - brothy, shredded chicken, avocado chunks and crispy tortilla strips.
Restaurant is located in a large, open air mall. We got lost trying to find it and got the tour - nice stores, fair amount of other restaurants too. -
Review from Jim T.
Philadelphia, PA
11/30/2011
Large menu had more than just traditional Mexican fare. Service was good. My glass was refilled more times than I could count. Clean, brightly lit place with a sort of courtyard theme in the main dining room. Would definitely return.
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Review from Jimmy S.
Tampa, FL
1/30/2011
I think Mexican food is just basic cuisine, not something I would consider gourmet.
Food was tasty, but don't go there for drinks, they seemed to run out of alcohol.
I had the shrimp mojo, pasta in Mexican garlic sauce, it was good but very oily, and I don't know what Mexican garlic sauce is to compare it, but I would order it again. The chips and salsa was just the way I liked it.
Service was well done. -
Review from April O.
4/5/2010
I'm going to lead off this review by admitting that Mexican food has never been something that I've enjoyed eating. I'll also say that if my dinner guests want to eat Mexican, I usually don't argue because I'm perfectly okay with learning that I was wrong when it comes to food. So when we ended up in Lakeland late on Friday and my husband wanted to come here, I figured it was worth a shot.
I went with the chilled shrimp / fruit salad special, which was palatable. The chopped shrimp was light and its light tang went well with the sweet fruit and the slightly bitter greens. My husband got a combination plate, with a chile relleno and multiple enchiladas. His overall impression was that the food was cooked unevenly and that the enchiladas were poorly made. (He eats much more Mexican than I do and seems to like it just fine, so I have to take his word for it.) The food was okay, but we both left saying "eh" ... and my husband's stomach was still giving him grief a full day later.
Long story short: I wouldn't consider this a "step up" or "fine Latino cuisine." Cantina Laredo is fine Latino cuisine. Abuleo's is just a lot of money for what turned out to be a very average meal. Portion size is generous and service is friendly, but I don't think the value is there. I wouldn't return unless someone else insisted--and even then I'd probably try to talk them out of it.Listed in: AVOID.
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Review from Jessica W.
Woodbury, MN
1/29/2010
I really do enjoy eating at Abuelo's. I find that their chips are light and tasty and their salsa is super fresh tasting.
I've tried many items on their menu and haven't had a bad experience yet. I find that the service is always outstanding and the atmosphere is fun.
I find that the portions are very generous and the prices are quite reasonable.
I would really recommend trying Abuelo's! -
Review from Deke K.
Lakeland, FL
9/14/2007
Not just another Mexican restaurant! Abuelo's (which means grandfather's) is a gourmet "step up" in fine Latino cuisine. You won't find 10 ways to eat a burrito or enchilada on their menu. I had an excellent take on chili rellenos--much crispier and spicier than typically found. A friend tried their very cheesy quesadilla. We both loved that they allowed us lunch menu prices and portions, even at dinner time. Also had a nice (free) happy hour food bar. We're anxious to go back and try more!
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Review from Third P.
Lakeland, FL
7/16/2008
Great ambience. Unfortunately on several separate visits, the chips were soggy, the food was undercooked (raw! in spots) and most frighteningly, the chicken nuggets we ordered for the kids was cooked on the ouside and completely raw/pink on the inside. I usually cut into nuggets to check them and this was just b-a-d. Three times is more than enough to dissuade me. Won't be back.
