Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa Message Board - Los Mangles at Las Gatas

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Yesterday had the worst experience of my life in a restaurant. We ordered at 4pm and by 6:15pm the restaurant only had 3 other tables and we were still waiting on 3 appetizers. Asked for the bill and they actually had those items on the bill that had never arrived at the table! (Pescadillas, Camaronillas, and Tiritas de Camarones) At that point they are basically trying to rob me, I had to go directly to somewhere else to eat (hungry pregnant lady in the group), basically I am unimpressed enough to get online and complain about it.

The other food that arrived did just that. Arrived. There were no napkins, tortillas, salsas, as is customary. Nothing.

Got a half-ass apology from the owner but no offer to even fix the bill which had items on it that hadn't been served! She just walked home which did not impress me one bit.

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I'm curious.
Why did you sit there for more than two hours without asking where your food was?
Why didn't you just leave and go elsewhere?
Why didn't you request napkins and salsa?
Why did you pay for items you did not receive?
Did you also leave a tip?
Forgive me for saying so, zihaus, but you sound beyond help.
I'm a bit dazzled that you expect sympathy when you did nothing to help yourself.
I suspect there is more to this sad story than you are telling us.
I'd like to hear from someone else who was there.

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:megusta:

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I'm curious.
Why did you sit there for more than two hours without asking where your food was?
Why didn't you just leave and go elsewhere?
Why didn't you request napkins and salsa?
Why did you pay for items you did not receive?
Did you also leave a tip?
Forgive me for saying so, zihaus, but you sound beyond help.
I'm a bit dazzled that you expect sympathy when you did nothing to help yourself.
I suspect there is more to this sad story than you are telling us.
I'd like to hear from someone else who was there.

I strongly disagree with your attempt to shift the burden from the restaurant to the customer for the restaurant's bad service. Bad service speaks for itself. The customer had an incredibly bad experience, period. If the restaurant owners or operators wish to speak in their own defense they are welcome to do so. If you personally have a different experience with this restaurant then such comments would be relevant. But blaming the victim is entirely the wrong attitude, I believe.

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The other part of the story is; why would you be ordering something to eat on Las Gatas at 4pm? With a pregnant woman in tow, I doubt you would be walking back, and the pangas stop running around 4:30pm! This is, in no way, a defense of the restaurant. If they were starting to shut things down, they should have said so!

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The other part of the story is; why would you be ordering something to eat on Las Gatas at 4pm? With a pregnant woman in tow, I doubt you would be walking back, and the pangas stop running around 4:30pm! This is, in no way, a defense of the restaurant. If they were starting to shut things down, they should have said so!

We did walk back. At 12pm I was assured the restaurant would be open for business until 6. What is with the ASSumptions here???

The pangas never stop at 4:30. Where do you get your info? Seeing as it is perfectly fine to make assumptions here I ASSume you got your info from some guy that took your money?

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Hey Zihuas, Chill! :kingtut: Speaking of ASSumptions, you just made a whole bunch! As I said in a post farther along this thread, we used to stay at a small resort at the end of Las Gatas beach. At 4pm, every day, the beach would start to empty. By 5pm it was virtually deserted, except for the families who live there. That was 4 years ago. My only ASSumption was that it had not changed!

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Rob,
How can you describe someone as a "victim" when they sit and wait two hours and 15 minutes for their food?
Is there not a time well before then that the customer should draw the situation to the attention of the proprietors?
Did this person have a piano tied to his butt that prevented him from leaving?
Did the proprietor use a gun to force payment for items not delivered?
On the information presented, Zihaus didn't do or say anything to fix the situation.
I suspect their is another side of this story.

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How recently have YOU been to Las Gatas. It is the same story over and over, over charged and poor service. AND the last pangas do not stop running at 4:30pm. I totally agree with Rob that, although the customers should have been bugging the waiter about where their food was, the restaurant was at fault for charging them for items which they did not receive. Ripping off the tourists does absolutely no good for Zihuatanejo's reputation. I personally appreciate this notice to avoid the restaurant in question.

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Jr. tourists, can't live with them,can't live without them...Oh well have another cerveza,, tranquillo Feliz Ano. B-) B-) :blush:

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Jr. tourists, can't live with them,can't live without them...Oh well have another cerveza,, tranquillo Feliz Ano.

My tourist card has been officially revoked by the Mexican gov't. They took it from me when I got my permanent resident status. Cheers. B-) B-)

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How recently have YOU been to Las Gatas. It is the same story over and over, over charged and poor service. AND the last pangas do not stop running at 4:30pm. I totally agree with Rob that, although the customers should have been bugging the waiter about where their food was, the restaurant was at fault for charging them for items which they did not receive. Ripping off the tourists does absolutely no good for Zihuatanejo's reputation. I personally appreciate this notice to avoid the restaurant in question.

Friends went to Las Gatas between Christmas and New Years. They can't recall the name of the restaurant, but they were surprised to be charged 300 pesos for their table. They were clearly told that the 300 pesos was "a minimum", and presumed, understandably, that the 300 would be applied against their total bill. When presented with their bill, the 300 was an added charge. They complained strongly to their waiter, who insisted he had told them the charge was in addition to whatever they consumed. Finally, he relented and said "OK, give me 200 pesos." They paid it, but there's another instance of a restaurant visit leaving a bad taste in guests' mouths.

With those same friends, six of us had so enjoyed Christmas Eve Happy Hour drinks, dinner and the sunset at one of the beach restaurants on La Ropa, that we thought we'd do it again on New Year's Eve. That night, we were disappointed to be told by our waiter that "Happy Hour is cancelled tonight". I then questioned the policy with the restaurant owner, who replied: "Look at this....(waving her arm at the crowded tables).... I don't want to hear about it. I won't discuss it."
The restaurant was, indeed, absolutely jam-packed with people. Why the size of the crowd would have any bearing on a decision to cancel Happy Hour is beyond me.
My friend then tried his hand at reasoning with the owner, suggesting that the owner's response might prompt us to consider dining somewhere else....to which the owner replied "I don't care about your business."
So, we left, and instead enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Trattoria da Gianni on La Ropa Road. (Thanks, Gianni, for taking us in without reservations on a busy night. The food was delicious, the music appropriately muted, the wine cold and reasonably-priced....something several other Zihua restaurants, with their shamelessly-priced 70 peso house wines, seem to have forgotten.)

On New Years Day, we went to Popeyes, one of our favourite Playa Larga restaurants. They too were charging a minimum of 300 pesos for a table, though they did make it clear that the 300 would be applied against our total bill. Since we didn't plan on spending that much, we left and went down the road to our other favourite spot, Punta Playa Larga, which assured us they were not charging any minimum. Try their food - the only place on the beach with blue corn tortillas.

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Good stuff, amigo! :megusta:

Feel free to name names here. I put my neck on the line for all of you so you don't have to worry about the repercussions. It's part of what this website and me are all about. So far I've handled all the threats and stink-eye treatments without spilling any blood. And sometimes some good even comes of it. ;-)

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Way to go Rob, I appreciate that and you.

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Sounds to me like Zihuas' and Holy Mole's stories should be filed away under "Places not to go"! I"m particularly ticked about the $300 peso add on for a table! I have been going to Las Gatas for years; in fact when Owen Lee's place was still open (and habitable) we stayed there! I have never been told about a fee for a table. I know it happens on La Ropa, but it has always been charged if you didn't order anything! Name & Shame away you guys!

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We stayed at Owen Lee's years ago and loved it. When we made reservations was told that there would be coffee every morning- he had not started offering coffee yet, but invited Kathie and I over to his place for coffee. We really enjoyed our visit with him and he loaned me his original copy of "Prisoner in Paradise" on condition that I return the book to him. He said why should he offer food because of the other places along the beach. We enjoyed our time in Hotel California plus sitting under the Meditation Tree listing to the waves against the rocks enjoying the view. One of the times was sitting there with my back to the water and all of the sudden it got dark. Turned around and there was a large cruise sitting it seams just a stone's throw away- that morning had to use the dock at the Yacht Club to return to "Z". Memories we will never forget.

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Owen invited us along to the book signing for "Prisoner in Paradise" We got to meet the "Owenettes"! There was a lot of them!

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Kathie & I laugh about the first time we met him. I had gotten up and went looking for coffee- the out side kitchen had not been used since the previous season. Kathie came looking for me, someone asked if she was looking for her husband. She turned around and here was this guy in a speedo shorts and pull over shirt. He told her that when she found me to come over to his hut for coffee. With our conversation with him we found him very knowledgeable on so many things. His book really put everything in perspective. His place reminded us of a tropical fish camp instead of a resort. When we are down have gone over to see him and talked to him numerous times.

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In our recent 2 week visit to the area we encountered a few "mistakes"on our food bills.Other places added their own tips also.It gets to the the point where you never really know if you are going to get ripped off or not.Thankfully most places are honest....having said that, "Coconuts" was by far the most blatant in dishonesty and we will never go back there.

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Sounds to me like "Paty's".........she can be an ornary bitch at the drop of a margarita!

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How recently have YOU been to Las Gatas. It is the same story over and over, over charged and poor service. AND the last pangas do not stop running at 4:30pm. I totally agree with Rob that, although the customers should have been bugging the waiter about where their food was

Trust me I was asking the waiter where the food was.

We passed by the dock at 6:30 and the beach was still full of people and the dock lined up with people.

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Almost each night since the Xmas season began I have seen pangas full of tourists still arriving to the pier as late as 9pm.

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I strongly disagree with your attempt to shift the burden from the restaurant to the customer for the restaurant's bad service. Bad service speaks for itself. The customer had an incredibly bad experience, period. If the restaurant owners or operators wish to speak in their own defense they are welcome to do so. If you personally have a different experience with this restaurant then such comments would be relevant. But blaming the victim is entirely the wrong attitude, I believe.

Thank you Rob, for understanding that I am using your forum as an outlet to warn other visitors to Zihuatanejo of avoidable mishaps. There are other restaurants on the beach, of which I have patronized, but I never experienced anything like this there before. I have also never visited there on a day this busy and only once with a group of this size.

Maybe they were having a bad day, maybe the kitchen workers were disgruntled or felt they were done for the day (obviously the owner is a bitch).

If we could turn the conversation around and offer me any recommendations as to where to go that would be excellent and appreciated. I recall 2 years ago I went to the first restaurant as you arrive on the beach because it was a friend's birthday, and they actually had a menu in English and one in Spanish, with the prices on the English menu more expensive than the Spanish one. (Kicking myself for not taking a photo) So, a reminder that you just need to keep an eye out. Also, not everyone can keep a good cook or kitchen staff happy. I would love to get some recommendations for restaurants on Las Gatas now that my "comfort zone" on that beach has been blasted apart. I will not be going back to Los Mangles.

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We first visited Zihua about 15 years ago. At the suggestion of our landlady, we headed to Las Gatas. We walked along the beach looking at the various places doing business, but were ignored by their staff, since it was early and they were getting the places ready for business. At Otilia's we were intercepted by Franco, the waiter, who invited us to sit down. Being totally clueless as to the policies on the beach, I asked if we had to pay for sitting there. Franco responded: "Only if you want to". This cracked me up and we've been going there ever since. As reported by others, a "mistake" was once made on our bill, but now we're alert and it hasn't happened again. Franco always greets us as old friends, the food is decent and, since Otilia's is near the far end of the beach, it's usually less crowded than the other establishments. We wouldn't think of hanging out anywhere else on Playa Las Gatas. One week to go; can't wait!

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I can't recommend the place for numerous reasons including repeated "misunderstandings" with the bill with too many folks to count over the YEARS. People like you and other regulars like Carol simply enable them to continue taking advantage of folks. I refuse to patronize such an establishment when there are so many hard working and principled people there trying to make an honest living.

For over 40 years my family's GO TO place on Las Gatas has always been Chez Arnoldo's. It used to be the first restaurant on the beach, but so many invaders have squeezed themselves into every nook and cranny there that now it may be the third, I forget.

But I would never go to Las Gatas during the Xmas season or Semana Santa. Madness! :lunatic:

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Otilia's is the only place I would ever go on the beach, just like Sidney. (Since you mentioned me, Rob) Every place you eat makes mistakes on your bill. Check what you ordered and have a good day. I always have a wonderful day there.

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Otilia's is the only place I would ever go on the beach, just like Sidney. (Since you mentioned me, Rob) Every place you eat makes mistakes on your bill. Check what you ordered and have a good day. I always have a wonderful day there.

Sorry Carol, but you're simply mistaken. Not every place. And NO OTHER RESTAURANT IN THE REGION HAS CONSISTENTLY RECEIVED SO MANY BAD REPORTS IN MY 17 OR SO YEARS OF OPERATING THIS WEBSITE. You have a vested interest and should be willing to admit your bias. I have neither. Please don't once again endeavor to defend the indefensible. The facts are what they are and that's why such comments by my readers once again appear here.

Since you'll likely make comments during your next trip to the restaurant about what was posted here once again, how about instead of once again painting me as the bad guy to the family who owns and operates the restaurant you remember to attribute the remarks to previous clients, if that's not asking too much. Because time after time they tell my wife that you said that I said such and such, when I said no such thing.

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As I understand it, the owners are aware of the problem, but because of local labor laws, it is impossible to correct it. It is apparently very difficult to fire a long term employee. I have no idea if this is actually the case.

We do hang out there and find the waiter involved quite entertaining, in a "flim flam man kind of way. This happened to us once in one of our first visits and was immediately corrected when we brought it to his attention. It has not happened since. Perhaps it was an honest mistake, but it seems to happen frequently enough that I am dubious. Although you should check your bill at any restaurant, you should't have too.

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As I understand it, the owners are aware of the problem, but because of local labor laws, it is impossible to correct it. It is apparently very difficult to fire a long term employee. I have no idea if this is actually the case.

We do hang out there and find the waiter involved quite entertaining, in a "flim flam man kind of way. This happened to us once in one of our first visits and was immediately corrected when we brought it to his attention. It has not happened since. Perhaps it was an honest mistake, but it seems to happen frequently enough that I am dubious. Although you should check your bill at any restaurant, you should't have too.

I appreciate the intricacies of our labor laws, amigo, but I'm just trying to do "my job". I refuse to accept any excuse for a persistent problem that has been reported here time after time for over a decade and a half or so. There are simply too many other options.

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Had you not mentioned me by name I would not have posted at all. There are many people who have had problems and many more who go there and disagree with you. Can people only have your opinion.

There are very few places I have ever gone for food over my 40+ years that have at one time or another not made an error on the bill. Both in favor of the restaurant or in my favor.

And as far as me telling anyone what you say, they can read English. I don't have to say anything.

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Had you not mentioned me by name I would not have posted at all. There are many people who have had problems and many more who go there and disagree with you. Can people only have your opinion.

There are very few places I have ever gone for food over my 40+ years that have at one time or another not made an error on the bill. Both in favor of the restaurant or in my favor.

*sigh* It's not about YOU, Carol. It's about the tens of thousands of tourists and visitors and part-time residents who DON'T have a close relationship with the family who owns the restaurant.

As for making mistakes on bills, maybe you just look gullible, I don't know, but in my 40+ years and my wife's lifetime here we have very rarely encountered such problems as you claim, and certainly not repeatedly as has been mentioned here by dozens of people year after year regarding the restaurant in question.

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Had you not mentioned me by name I would not have posted at all. There are many people who have had problems and many more who go there and disagree with you. Can people only have your opinion.

There are very few places I have ever gone for food over my 40+ years that have at one time or another not made an error on the bill. Both in favor of the restaurant or in my favor.

*sigh* It's not about YOU, Carol. It's about the tens of thousands of tourists and visitors and part-time residents who DON'T have a close relationship with the family who owns the restaurant.

As for making mistakes on bills, maybe you just look gullible, I don't know, but in my 40+ years and my wife's lifetime here we have very rarely encountered such problems as you claim, and certainly not repeatedly as has been mentioned here by dozens of people year after year regarding the restaurant in question.

"Double sigh" HAD YOU NOT MENTIONED ME BY NAME iT WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ABOUT ME. I would NEVER HAVE POSTED.

Restaurants make mistakes all the time. Not just one or two.

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We go to see Franco all the time. Have taken many of our friends & everyone loves it & Franco keeps us all laughing! His only "mistakes" are, he usually forgets to put a dish or drink on our bill. Never been overcharged & the food is consistent! We don't go to any beaches over Xmas holidays.

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We go to see Franco all the time. Have taken many of our friends & everyone loves it & Franco keeps us all laughing! His only "mistakes" are, he usually forgets to put a dish or drink on our bill. Never been overcharged & the food is consistent! We don't go to any beaches over Xmas holidays.

I totally agree! Our family has been coming to Zihua for over 15 years and our first beach stop is always Otilia's. The staff is always welcoming and the food is excellent! We have never had an issue with the bill or service. Everyone has there own preferences on what they are looking for in a restaurant. Therefore, I would suggest that you try Otilia's and judge for yourself. If not satisfied, you do not have to go back! There are enough restaurants on Playa Las Gatas, Playa La Ropa, Playa Principal and downtown Zihua to please everyone!

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We go to see Franco all the time. Have taken many of our friends & everyone loves it & Franco keeps us all laughing! His only "mistakes" are, he usually forgets to put a dish or drink on our bill. Never been overcharged & the food is consistent! We don't go to any beaches over Xmas holidays.

I totally agree! Our family has been coming to Zihua for over 15 years and our first beach stop is always Otilia's. The staff is always welcoming and the food is excellent! We have never had an issue with the bill or service. Everyone has there own preferences on what they are looking for in a restaurant. Therefore, I would suggest that you try Otilia's and judge for yourself. If not satisfied, you do not have to go back! There are enough restaurants on Playa Las Gatas, Playa La Ropa, Playa Principal and downtown Zihua to please everyone!

In addition tourists, there are other sources to get reviews (i.e. TripAdvisor, word if mouth, etc.). In the 15+ years that we have been coming to Zihua I have only visited this blog twice for the simple reason that it appears that in many cases there are ulterior motives by those that post here. This year, it seems to be no different.

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In addition tourists, there are other sources to get reviews (i.e. TripAdvisor, word if mouth, etc.). In the 15+ years that we have been coming to Zihua I have only visited this blog twice for the simple reason that it appears that in many cases there are ulterior motives by those that post here. This year, it seems to be no different.

Okay, now I have to call you out on that one. So apparently this isn't a spontaneous comment by you, you aren't a regular reader, and now you are suggesting I have "ulterior motives".

And suggesting folks go to a website that first copied my material then banned me for suggesting folks visit those same links TA copied from me, where their only interest is selling vacation packages, not providing honest truthful information, well you'll just have to excuse my disbelief at your sincerity.

I wonder who it might've been that told you to come post your plug for Otilia's here? Hmmm...

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Despite owning a home on Playa Blanca for 10 years , we met friends on a cruise ship at Otillas . We prefer other places but they had heard about Franco . When the bill came as they had to get back to the ship to depart , it was hideously wrong and Franco became too busy to even acknowledge them . Luckily , as locals we stayed behind but it was quite obvious they were trying to gouge the cruise ship tourists . It took firm words with Franco to get it corrected but by then the ship had left . It' seems selective on who they like to play with . We've never had as unpleasant experience like that in Zihua in our 20 years of visiting . Wrong charges before ? Yes but easily corrected . It left a very bad taste in our mouths . We've heard this story numerous times from other visitors . I agree 100% with Rob .

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Sorry, no ulterior motive here. As before, I simply went to your site to give it another try. I scrolled the names/titles of the messages and tapped on the one with a name in it that I was familiar with. As I read through the posts I was surprised by the comments about the service, etc. at Otilia's because I have never experienced it. Initial thoughts confirmed & lessons learned -- too much personal drama within this board for me. I am here to enjoy Zihua, the people and all that it has to offer. Thanks for allowing me to comment.

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Sorry, no ulterior motive here. As before, I simply went to your site to give it another try. I scrolled the names/titles of the messages and tapped on the one with a name in it that I was familiar with. As I read through the posts I was surprised by the comments about the service, etc. at Otilia's because I have never experienced it. Initial thoughts confirmed & lessons learned -- too much personal drama within this board for me. I am here to enjoy Zihua, the people and all that it has to offer. Thanks for allowing me to comment.

You'll have to excuse me if I simply don't believe your story, Mr. Insurance Salesman. Now it's already changed once.

But whatever. As I keep having to remind another frequent reader, it isn't about YOU. It's about the too-many-to-ignore complaints about being ripped off at this restaurant. Complaints that I simply don't hear about any of the other restaurants on that beach or any of the restaurants I personally recommend in my RESTAURANTS section.

As for your "thoughts confirmed" and whatever "lessons learned", apparently not. Saludos.

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I gotta say, thats the place i go to as well, I haven't had problems there, but i read the post and warned some friends yesterday, that were already there. it is certainly a reminder to check the bill closely, which i rarely do. thanks for the reminder.

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I gotta say, thats the place i go to as well, I haven't had problems there, but i read the post and warned some friends yesterday, that were already there. it is certainly a reminder to check the bill closely, which i rarely do. thanks for the reminder.

Thanks for "getting it". That's the purpose of these posts. :megusta:

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I think most of us do "get it", Rob. But, as the saying goes, "takes all kinds to fill a bus!"

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No ulterior motive here!

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In my many years of traveling and dining, mistakes have, on occasion, been made. I won't hazard a guess as to whether they truly were accidents, or were made on purpose. If it happens to me at the same place more than once, I'd suspect the latter and adjust my plans accordingly. As previously mentioned, we like Otilia's for several reasons and will continue to go there. I totally agree with you regarding hanging at the beach during Christmas and Easter; I'm not fond of crowds and avoid them as much as possible.

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A couple of years ago Kathie wanted to spend New Years and her birthday (5th) in Mexico. We plan to never do that again. The crowds were huge and the service was slow because of the business. Now we go after the 1st week- this year arrive on the 9th for 4 weeks in Paradise. The closer we get the more anxious we are.

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Why did you sit there for more than two hours without asking where your food was?

I never stated I did that. You ASSumed that. The coconut shrimp came out of the kitchen after about an hour. The breaded fillet came out 15 minutes later, we just hoped for the best. I am an optimistic person, I figured it would be coming out any second.

Why didn't you just leave and go elsewhere?

As somewhere else on this thread asked, "what are you doing ordering food at 4pm?" A valid question (unlike yours). I have been patronizing the restaurant loyally for 6 years, my first time there was excellent and I have fostered a good friendship with the waiter. I like to get away from the bustle, the beach was packed, passing by I talked to the server and asked him how long the kitchen would be open for, he assured me on our return he would have a table for us and the kitchen would be operational. We proceeded out to the point where there are less people, set up hammocks, snorkeled, enjoyed the day, and on our return my buddy made good on his promise and a beachfront table was offered to us on an absolutely PACKED beach.

Why didn't you request napkins and salsa?

I did. That I needed to after I received my food was the part I'm not usued to here in Zihua.

Why did you pay for items you did not receive?

I didn't. Once again you assumed that. Our total once they reworked the bill was about half of the original price presented.

Did you also leave a tip?

Would YOU? For what???

Forgive me for saying so, zihaus, but you sound beyond help.

I am not looking for help, I simply share my story to enlighten others they might not want to visit this establishment as the owner made no attempt to fix an obviously bad situation that was 100% their fault. They admitted fault, but no fix, but yeah it must be me.

I'm a bit dazzled that you expect sympathy when you did nothing to help yourself.

I did ask several times where the food was, once again, you ASSume. I also ask for no sympathy, once again, that's your false ASSumption.

I suspect there is more to this sad story than you are telling us.
I'd like to hear from someone else who was there.

Go ahead and ask them their side of the story, you have the date and the restaurant name. I have 6 witnesses on my side of the story. Do you want telephone numbers?

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Have dealt with FRANCO (Mr. Peachy Keen) at Otilia`s for over 20 years but still check my bill every time. Why invite misunderstings?

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