- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Amelia's
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
3801 Lakeview ParkwaySte 200
Rowlett, TX 75088
(469) 326-1320
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
17 reviews for Amelia's
17 reviews in English
-
Review from Persia A.
5/3/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This is a yummy spot, for sure. The drink specials, it really can't get better! The live music, I LOVE! I don't know if it's only on weekends or what, but it's the best.
Last time I went, I got the quesadillas. OMG. . . They are big and delicious and amazing. I want some now, to be honest with you. -
Review from Matt N.
Rowlett, TX
4/9/2012
My wife and I would try every Mexican food place around. I find the chips and salsa the best around. My favorite is the Chimichonga and Gorditas . The rice and beans are always great!!! I am sure you have been to a couple places that they screw that up. Only been there twice while entertainment was going on. We enjoyed it.
-
Review from Isabel V.
Garland, TX
3/29/2012 11 Check-ins Here
I LOVE this place. The fajitas are awesome both chicken & beef. The rice & beans are as authentic as it can get. This place is far from tex-mex and closer to mom's Mexican home cooking. The flour tortillas are fresh and go great with the $3 margaritas. Speaking of they have a great happy hour 4pm to close, this is a regular spot for my family. I highly reccomend this place to everyone I know in the area. I wouldnt be caught in any other Mexican restaurant. I've been to the sister location in Garland and in my educated opinion Amelia's is better. A slight downside is the service not great but doesnt warrant anything less than 5 stars for this amazing place.
-
Review from Leigh F.
Rowlett, TX
11/22/2011
Our first time here today. Went for lunch and it was pretty darned good. My husband had the Chili Relleno and I had the Enchiladas of fthe lunch menu.
We would definitely return. Their prices are fair. -
Review from Thecouplenextdoor S.
Rowlett, TX
12/22/2011
We never even made it past the chips & salsa. Staff were disinterested in service. Margaritas were just okay. Even if the food were great we wouldn't go back just because of the cheesy decor and lack of regard for service.
-
Review from Leslie W.
Rowlett, TX
1/13/2012
We have been going to Amelias for a while now and pretty much go at least once a week. The service we receive is always very attentive and the food is wonderful. It's nice to have a higher quality Mexican food - the menu offers much more than your typical "Tex Mex" restaurants. We have more than plenty of these type of places in Rowlett. The margaritas are great as well! Looking forward to trying their breakfast soon!
-
Review from lisa s.
Rowlett, TX
12/20/2011
I drove by a couple weeks ago and noticed a little sign saying thay had breakfast at Amelia's now. I have a friend who adores Mexican breakfasts so we stopped in last week to try it. It was awesome. I had the Huevos Mexicanas ($5.99) with frijoles and papas, the beans were some of the best refried beans I have ever had and the eggs were sooo good. I really like Migas but didn't see them on the menu and when I asked, they said they'd be glad to make them for me even though they weren't on the menu. The coffee is terrible so don't bother ordering it, just stick to juice or water. Very nice people, good food. Great breakfast place, give it a try.
-
Review from ray w.
Rowlett, TX
2/14/2011
I think Amelia's is struggling to find itself. After the Maya Tequila Smogasbord debacle, I think Amelia's is still trying to reassociate itself with patrons who were turned off. Same nice ambiance with an attempt being made to be a more upscale type Tex-Mex variety. I think they're problem is they can't find something to hang their hat on. Karaoke...live band...dance lessons...semi-patio seating...they do them all adequately but not outstandingly.
And as for food; standard Tex-Mex fare is good but not special; special fare is odd if not undeliberate. If you're looking for the kind of food you get while making your way around the streets of Cancun, Guadalajara or Mexico city, you won't find it. If you're looking for an upscale restaurant in a five star hotel in one of those cities, you won't find that either. Causing for a very confusing dining experience. Chicken Flautas, Fajitas and barbacoa or pastor gorditas are on point though.
Couple of suggestions for diners; 1) go slow on the chips. These are really thick corn tortilla chips which appear to me home made but you won't be able to eat your meal if you have too many because they are really filling. 2) sit a good distance from the live entertainment unless you are by yourself or you won't be able to hear anything, 3) keep your expectations "middle of the road" and you may enjoy yourself. -
Review from Sarah W.
Rowlett, TX
3/18/2011
Well my personal fav is still the first place this owner has and still open in Garland Tortillas Del Rancho. Not many people know this but yes it is true.
The menu is the same but the food well its not. The chips are yummy and the salsa is good for those that don't want that kick the way I like it. Not all Texans have a soft pallet lol. It is your typical Tex Mex and I do like most of it, I just like the cooks at her other place better and even the wait staff. Knowing she is paying more for this location I understand the price difference and the fact they have a full bar but new management needs to be looked into. I noticed many dishes out and service not up to par the way this needs to certainly be. I don't like to ask for my drinks to be refilled over and over again.
The drinks, well the drinks need a real bartender that knows how to mix and knows what a good Margarita should taste like! These were cheap 3.00 and tasted cheap too. Would have rather paid 5.00 for a nice good tasting drink. Karaoke night is not a personal fav of mine but it is fun to watch people and laugh.
Will I go back certainly but if I have more time to drive to Garland I certainly will. -
Review from Jason S.
Rowlett, TX
4/3/2009
I was excited to see Amelias open up in the space that was once Maya Mexican Kitchen and Tequila bar. I knew that place wouldn't last in Rowlett-it was much better suited for the uptown area. Hell I think they charged you 5 bucks to unroll the silverware.
The chips are without a doubt the best I've had. The salsa is about average, it could use a little more kick to it. I'm usually a flour tortilla guy, but they have the absolute best corn tortillas I've ever eaten. My favorite meal there is the gordita plate. You can get gorditas in many different combinations. The beef fajita meat is excellent on a gordita. The barbacoa was just so-so. The mexican rice is very good. It is always hot, light, and fluffy with a very good taste and I love the refried beans. The last couple times I've gone and we've ordered queso it was cold and runny and had to be sent back (probably just to get nuked in the microwave).
My only complaint about Amelias in the past has been the service and that's why I rate them at 3, not 4 stars. It's not that the wait staff isn't attentive. Quite the contrary. The problem lies in fact that they don't seem to staff enough people to run things efficiently although it's seemed to slightly improve the past few times we've been. Maybe it's just growing pains of a new place whose customer base is growing.
They now do karaoke night on Saturday nights with $1 tequila shots. Yeah it's a nasty tequila, but hey, it's a dollar shot and it does what it's supposed to do. Chase it with a beer and order another one! -
Review from Nick D.
Rowlett, TX
9/11/2010
Like other reviewers, I was totally turned off by the former restaurant at this location: Maya, so unfortunately I hadn't returned even when it changed to Amelia's. However, my oldest and I went last night to give it a try.
The ambiance is the same as Maya, but otherwise, it's not the same place. As someone noted, the margaritas are regrettable at best. I tried a house margarita on the rocks for $3. It tasted like water with a splash of lime juice and tequila. I rarely find a margarita I don't like, but now I have. So, for $3 more I tried the frozen. It is from a machine and actually tasted like a margarita, however, no idea how much (or little) alcohol was in it. Oh well...
Unlike its predecessor, Amelia's provides free chips and salsa. As others noted, the chips are the thickest and hardest chips I've eaten. We ordered a side of guacamole (for $5) which comprised three small scoops of guac on a bed of lettuce. Was hoping for fresh-made guac, but it wasn't bad.
My son ordered a chimichanga (fajita beef). It arrived much quicker than I expected (but of course there were only 5 tables with guest, so the kitchen wasn't busy). He enjoyed the flavor of the chimichanga and the beef contents, however, the chili con queso slathered over the top was bland and unappealing. Think stadium nachos cheese.
I ordered their 3-taco plate with corn tortillas: 1 brisket, 1 al pastor and 1 barbacoa with rice and beans; I'm on an urban taco kick... The corn tortillas were thicker than most, but good. Seem to have been a bit over steamed, as on two of the tacos the tortilla split on or just after the first bite. The brisket was nice and smokey and tender. The al pastor taco was spicier than I'm used to but good. The best was the barbacoa... Next time I'll just get three of those... The tacos are served with a side plate of diced onions, cilantro, taco sauce and fresh lime slices. The rice and beans were unremarkable, but certainly not bad.
Given that we ate at Amelia's on a Friday evening at 6PM, the place was empty! There were more waitstaff than diners. However, I think it is a marketing/location issue, not a food quality issue. As we were finishing up, a gentleman began playing guitar near the front of the restaurant. Oddly, his wireless mic was connected to the house audio system, meaning that sitting in the middle of the restaurant, you hear guitar from the front and singing from the rear. However, it was a nice touch.
Overall, I wouldn't necessarily recommend Amelia's but I wouldn't recommend against it either. The ambiance is light years ahead of Dos Charros or Don Miguel's, the food isn't bad. The price was a bit higher than I would have expected for a party of two (including two $3 margaritas), but not exorbitant. -
Review from Matthew F.
Dallas, TX
6/16/2010
Well what can I say, not only is it Tex-Mex, but you can also get Authentic mexican as well. Bravo! I think that the tacos are just great...(will I ever try the cactus???)
You should also consider that the have 1$ tequila shots and 2$ beers on draft! I've been enjoying the Shiner Bock and the XX. -
Review from Jen M.
Cheektowaga, NY
4/19/2009
I noticed Amelia's on my drive home from work on Friday and I'm so happy I was able to try it. The dining room less then half full which was great because service couldn't have been better. We were greeted immediately and taken to a cozy corner table at our request. The lighting was dim and the ambiance was comforting.
I started off with a Frozen Margarita. I have to admit, for only $4.00, this was the best margarita I have had. Very strong and smooth. We started off with chips/salsa/queso. I wasn't impressed with the queso, which tasted like nothing more than a heated brick of Velveeta. But the salsa was by far the best I have tasted. I would normally skip the salsa if it was chunky, but this chunky salsa had the perfect consistency, nice flavor and a surprising kick.
I was surprised to see the price list from the menu. Most dinner entrees were below $8.95. I ordered the Fajita beef quesadillas which came with beans, rice, sour cream, lettuce and guacamole. My husband ordered a combination of chicken, beef and shrimp fajitas. Both plates were oversized and neither of us could finish our meals. Everything arrived hot and fresh. Our waiter, Luis, was very attentive.
The restrooms were clean and overall, I have no complaints. I am so happy I found this place and we can't wait to go back. -
Review from Joe C.
Rowlett, TX
Have the Platter, its huge!!!! Oh, if you like tortillas try the corn ones...yumm.
-
Review from Jessica M.
Mesquite, TX
11/11/2009
An ex-boss of mine recommended this place because she is friends with the owner. I tried the sour cream chicken enchiladas and they weren't anything special but the dance lessons they have there some nights is pretty cute. I have yet to participate but its fun to watch others give it a try. Had a Margharita and they were too weak or bland for me so its a little disappointing- How do you mess up enchiladas and margharitas??
-
Review from Lori S.
Garland, TX
Updated - 4/3/2009
I went back to Amelia's for my birthday. We had heard there would be free Meringue or Salsa lessons. I didn't feel like dancing after working all day, but my 21+ daughter, son and his wife would be interesting to watch while I sipped on a margarita. The "lessons" consisted of the lead female singer of the very loud, but fun to listen to salsa band, coming out and holding hands and walking around in a circle like ring around the rosies... That was it. So my son took turns doing country two step around the dance floor with his wife, sister, and yes, I couldn't say no to my baby's blue eyes, mother.
The most negative thing I can say about their food was their thick flour- like 'homemade' chips. Ours were stuck together and a little on the greasy side. I could not taste any cornmeal in the chips, but they said they were homemade corn tortilla chips. So, I ordered and paid extra for some really good soft corn tortillas to dip into the hot sauce. The sauce was good and hot for me, but too hot for most of the group.
The server seemed to be uninterested in us and we had to flag him down to get refills. The fajitas were served hot and were tender and tasty. You can also order soft tacos a la cart and choose from the many fillings. I tried the barbacoa, and it was pretty good. Not greasy and only one tiny fat glob was still in the meat. The barbacoa wasn't served hot enough, but I did not want to wait for our waiter to get around to us to to get to eat. The tacos were only $1.25 each.
I had a margarita which was smooth and strong enough to only drink one on a work night! So, an attentive waiter would have pushed the stars up to a 4, so no way I can give 4 stars to a restaurant with servers who were like Elvis and had left the building!Listed in: I HeArT TeX MeX
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
1/3/2009 First to Review
Definitely the best Mexican food in Rowlett and surrounding area! Warm greetings and attentive… Read more »
-
-
Review from Missy O.
Austin, TX
1/16/2010
We love Amelia's. The chicken enchiladas are AWESOME. We've been in several times, the handmade tortillas are the best I have ever had. The chips(made from the tortillas) and hot sauce are wonderful. The staff is great, you never have to wait for a drink refill or anything!!!!!
