El Cafetal Mexican - Astoria

Great food, super tasty, had tacos al pastor chorizos tostadas it was all good great service.

The food was average, and the delivery was also just fine. However, I encountered a significant issue with the pricing. The menu stated that three tacos cost $6, but I was charged $10.50. When I called to address this, the person on the phone was incredibly rude. She essentially dismissed my concerns and told me that I was mistaken about the menu prices, saying I could either return the tacos or pay the charged amount. When I asked for assistance, she informed me that the owner could help, but he didn’t speak English. I requested to speak with him anyway. After talking to him, he claimed that he was unaware of my confusion and said they had changed the prices ten years ago. This experience was very disappointing, and I won’t be returning to this restaurant.

I ordered a chicken soup and it was generous. Or just I needed it so much. Also got some tacos (dunno, really, not an expert). Not many people speak English here but we understood each other. Will remember this experience!

I had an incredible chicken vegetable soup at this restaurant. They were very accommodating when I made a special request to exclude the chicken and have just the vegetables instead. The portion was generous and it came with tortillas. They also offered free tortilla chips and salsa on the side. The staff was friendly and helpful as well.

The combination platters were usually a good value, and the delivery and pickup were very quick. While this restaurant never served exceptional Mexican food, it was nice to have a variety of combinations, and the quality was decent enough. However, I ordered again tonight and the experience was painfully mediocre. The meat was just okay, likely reheated or having sat out all day, and the rice and beans were nearly inedible, which is concerning for a Mexican restaurant. With food prices being so high nowadays, I expect better than mediocrity. I'm giving it two stars because there may be some dishes that could redeem this place, but whether to try them is up to you—I probably won’t be returning.