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| - I found myself in the Happy Valley complexes looking for something to eat before doing some shopping. I've never eaten at Carlos O'Brien's and quite honestly was curious about it. I have noticed at least five or six places in Phoenix that have the Mexican/Irish name blend to them, and honestly I have no clue why.
Seeking answers, I went in. The restaurant had specials for Irish beers and Mexican ones as well. The menu, however, lacked any irish fare, but did have lots of Mexican food. I ordered the steak Fajita, as it's my standard for most Mexican restaurants.
Service: I sat at the bar top for several minutes before one of the bartenders came over and asked if I would like something. I would be less perturbed about this, except that I was passed at least three times by staff and not acknowledged. Once I received my food, they were attentive enough, making sure my water was filled and that my beer wasn't empty. I don't recall them asking once "How is it?" though. Rarely do I answer anything other than 'Good' or 'Okay', but it is a great opportunity for your service staff to fix an issue right away.
Food: This is a restaurant in the kind of area that shares it's spot with PF Changs and Olive Garden, but also shares a parking lot with Wal-Mart. I felt I got more of the Wal-Mart quality than the PF Changs. The steak was salted and peppered, but nothing more than a light dusting. It was a bit flavorless.
What irked me a bit is that the cold lettuce and tomato was served on the same piping hot plate that the beans were served on. To me, hot should go with hot, and lettuce should be served on a surface that won't wilt it.
Would I return: If a bunch of co-workers wanted to go there for a few beverages and a group dinner, I wouldn't turn it down, but I wouldn't recommend it over Carlos O'Kelly's or Abuelo's. Honestly I'd probably recommend PF Chang's or Mellow Mushroom since it is just across the street from the place.
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