The boyfriend was in the mood for Mexican and really wanted to eat here since I always adamantly say no. I've eaten at the one in Scottsdale a few times (years ago) and wasn't impressed, so I had no desire to try this location. However it was his turn to choose so Abuelo's it was.
We arrived and approached the empty hostess counter. The sign said please wait to be seated. So we waited, and waited. Peaked our head's around and saw servers attending tables and waitresses chatting up the bartender. We started to peruse the menu and after a while the bartender came over and took us to a booth. I could see him also craning his neck looking for the missing hostess.
Our waitress was very nice and kept our glasses refilled. She brought a trio of salsas and chips to the table. They were fine. Jarred salsa. Except the green one. I think it had pineapple juice in it. I instantly wanted to gag and shoved it to the far end of the table. We ordered the chicken and spinach mini chimis as an appetizer. When they arrived I was rather confused as to why there was tomatoes and corn in it. The cilantro aioli was orange and I couldn't find any cilantro. I know the server keyed in the correct item as it showed on the bill, however I would never have ordered them had I known that chicken and spinach meant chicken and corn salsa.
For an entree I ordered the new green chili pork burrito with refried beans and the mashed potatoes. My boyfriend ordered the Juarez which is a beef taco, beef tamale, chicken enchilada, and a cheese enchilada also with beans and potatoes.
At the end of our meal the only thing to disappear from our plates was the potatoes. The refried beans are apparently cooked in bacon grease. Neither of us ate them. Other than the cheese enchilada everything was really dry and flavorless. It's pretty embarrassing I would think to run a Mexican restaurant and your best menu item is mashed potatoes. The only reason I'm giving one star is for our friendly waitress.
Abuelo's you have forever been crossed off the list.