Ed's Cantina in Estes Park, CO, A Jasonisms Review
390 East Elkhorn Ave.
Estes Park, Colorado 80517
phone 970.586.2919
I've been to Ed's Cantina a handful of times over the years. Whenever my motorcycle group rides through Estes Park, this is the place we tend to stop and eat. Why? Parking is fair, location is easy and who doesn't like Mexican food?
The food's never been great, but in a small town like Estes Park one can't be too choosey on ethnic dining.
The service has never been great, but I've always stopped there with a large group (20+ bikes and riders) and just chalked it up to the mass wave of people coming in all at once.
However, this past week changed all that. With my niece in town we headed up to Estes Park for lunch before entering Rocky Mountain National Park. We had our dogs with us (2) and walked along the river's sidewalk, first stopping at one restaurant and then another looking for outdoor seating where we could tie the dogs up outside the patio and sit near them as others were doing and as we've done in other mountain towns and downtown Denver, itself.
We finally settled on Ed's after seeing all the available seating on the patio and one of us held the leashes while the other (me) went in to talk about sitting outside. The hostess escorted me out to the patio where she cleared a table and once I was within the line of sight of the dogs, both barked their excitement at seeing me again.
I tied the dogs' leaches to the patio while my friend and niece walked around and when they came within view the dogs welcomed them back in the same fashion.
As the girls went to wash their hands in the restroom a blonde woman came out and asked me if the dogs would bark more. I told her they were just excited at seeing me again and should stop as soon as we all sat down. She then informed me that if they barked again we'd have to leave.
I was annoyed. Very annoyed. We were sitting on the patio, the place wasn't too busy since it was already 2PM, with only 3 or four of the 12 or so tables on the patio having people sitting at them. There were two heavily traveled sidewalks framing the patio seating area with bicycles, pedestrians, dog walkers and more and yet we were being told to leave if our dogs became noisy again.
Of course they might, they're dogs. They might see another dog and bark a hello; they might bark if one of us went to the restroom and returned or if the waitress came too close ... they're dogs.
Anywho, the waitress came out and asked for our drink order and since I was still sitting there alone, I told her not to worry -- we'd be leaving as soon as the rest of my party returned. She asked why and I told her I didn't appreciate the blonde woman telling me we'd have to leave if the dogs barked at which time she told me the blonde woman was the owner of the restaurant. The waitress then said she could go get her back if I wanted to complain.
I did. She needed to know it was her and her alone who lost a customer.
By this time every table on the patio was looking at me.
The owner came back out and I told her not to worry about serving us, seating us or anyone ever returning to her restaurant. She just nodded as if she wasn't sorry to see me and my party leave. I then explained to her how I come up there a couple of times a year with a large motorcycle group and we wouldn't be eating there going forward, either. At least not if I have any say in where we stop.
Instead of explaining her position or any sort of customer service she just started gathering up the silverware and coasters then turned around and walked away.
Maybe business is so good she can afford to lose repeat customers. Maybe she doesn't care. After rating this place, I don't care any more either. I won't spend money there every again and will tell everyone who ever asks for a referral not to go there for their meals.
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Estes Park, Colorado 80517
phone 970.586.2919
I've been to Ed's Cantina a handful of times over the years. Whenever my motorcycle group rides through Estes Park, this is the place we tend to stop and eat. Why? Parking is fair, location is easy and who doesn't like Mexican food?
The food's never been great, but in a small town like Estes Park one can't be too choosey on ethnic dining.
The service has never been great, but I've always stopped there with a large group (20+ bikes and riders) and just chalked it up to the mass wave of people coming in all at once.
However, this past week changed all that. With my niece in town we headed up to Estes Park for lunch before entering Rocky Mountain National Park. We had our dogs with us (2) and walked along the river's sidewalk, first stopping at one restaurant and then another looking for outdoor seating where we could tie the dogs up outside the patio and sit near them as others were doing and as we've done in other mountain towns and downtown Denver, itself.
We finally settled on Ed's after seeing all the available seating on the patio and one of us held the leashes while the other (me) went in to talk about sitting outside. The hostess escorted me out to the patio where she cleared a table and once I was within the line of sight of the dogs, both barked their excitement at seeing me again.
I tied the dogs' leaches to the patio while my friend and niece walked around and when they came within view the dogs welcomed them back in the same fashion.
As the girls went to wash their hands in the restroom a blonde woman came out and asked me if the dogs would bark more. I told her they were just excited at seeing me again and should stop as soon as we all sat down. She then informed me that if they barked again we'd have to leave.
I was annoyed. Very annoyed. We were sitting on the patio, the place wasn't too busy since it was already 2PM, with only 3 or four of the 12 or so tables on the patio having people sitting at them. There were two heavily traveled sidewalks framing the patio seating area with bicycles, pedestrians, dog walkers and more and yet we were being told to leave if our dogs became noisy again.
Of course they might, they're dogs. They might see another dog and bark a hello; they might bark if one of us went to the restroom and returned or if the waitress came too close ... they're dogs.
Anywho, the waitress came out and asked for our drink order and since I was still sitting there alone, I told her not to worry -- we'd be leaving as soon as the rest of my party returned. She asked why and I told her I didn't appreciate the blonde woman telling me we'd have to leave if the dogs barked at which time she told me the blonde woman was the owner of the restaurant. The waitress then said she could go get her back if I wanted to complain.
I did. She needed to know it was her and her alone who lost a customer.
By this time every table on the patio was looking at me.
The owner came back out and I told her not to worry about serving us, seating us or anyone ever returning to her restaurant. She just nodded as if she wasn't sorry to see me and my party leave. I then explained to her how I come up there a couple of times a year with a large motorcycle group and we wouldn't be eating there going forward, either. At least not if I have any say in where we stop.
Instead of explaining her position or any sort of customer service she just started gathering up the silverware and coasters then turned around and walked away.
Maybe business is so good she can afford to lose repeat customers. Maybe she doesn't care. After rating this place, I don't care any more either. I won't spend money there every again and will tell everyone who ever asks for a referral not to go there for their meals.
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