Taco Cabana..No Enchiladas, WTF?

[SHOOTER12 8832]

On 9/3/2020 at 7:57 AM, Hate said:

I’m still pissed they stopped serving their carne guisada tacos. TC was the only place I’ve found near where I lived that had a decent carne guisada as crazy as that sounds.

This is sooooo spot on.  Last week here in San Antonio I was able to order a carne guisada plate and extra tortillas,.  Mmmm heaven.

[SHOOTER12 8832]

On 9/4/2020 at 1:55 PM, Hate said:

Born and raised San Antonion and I used to go to the original TC on San Pedro and Hildebrand after a night on St Mary’s Street. A lot of these drive through taco places you mention aren’t open at 2 or 3 in the morning so TC has to suffice.

Again, Hate hits a home run.  Sentiment, damn it's strong as far as the original location goes. No matter what dive bar/clubs we played on weekends, TC was always the closer for the night.

[utee94 15865]

I had my first legal beer at the Taco Cabana on South Lamar.

[C-Man 27275]

On 9/7/2020 at 3:39 PM, wood said:

 

Yep, and yep. Rosa's fajitas are quick, always very good, and a fantastic deal for the money. They heap on the food, have awesome, always-fresh pico, 3-4 kinds of salsa, jalapenos, cilantro, etc. The place is always immaculately clean, staff very friendly & helpful. You know, basically how every company should be run.

There's not a Rosa's anywhere remotely close to me (near Love Field) -- I hear it's great.

[Guest Lobo]

I think the first place I ate at when moving to San Antonio for a brief stint was "Sombrero Rosa"  They had lovely quesadillas.  I found out shortly there were modeled after Taco Cabana.  I tried the original one Hate mentioned sometime later (as well as several other locations).  But "Sombra" as the kids called it, was top better to me.  But that was a long time ago.  

[wood 11272]

On 9/4/2020 at 1:55 PM, Hate said:

Born and raised San Antonion and I used to go to the original TC on San Pedro and Hildebrand after a night on St Mary’s Street. A lot of these drive through taco places you mention aren’t open at 2 or 3 in the morning so TC has to suffice.

Mrs. Wood (no pics) grew up just a few blocks from there.  /csb

[Hate 20146]

Probably would Mrs. Wood then...no offense.

[Hook1997 5403]

In college a fajita combo meal and loading up at the salsa bar was a go to staple.  I don’t think I’ve had TC in 15 years though.

[Anastasis 23487]

56 minutes ago, Hook1997 said:

In college a fajita combo meal and loading up at the salsa bar was a go to staple.  I don’t think I’ve had TC in 15 years though.

Use to grab an order of the beef fajita nachos and a 5 pack of tortillas.  Good times. 

[Wanker Bob 379]

7 hours ago, C-Man said:

There's not a Rosa's anywhere remotely close to me (near Love Field) -- I hear it's great.

Woah no shit. I think you'd have to shoot up 75 to exit coit then follow it all the way to the Bush to get to the nearest one. Definitely not THAT good. It's a burb thing 

They recently opened one near my house at the corner of Stacy Rd and 75. Just a hundred yards or so from where, ironically, an empty former TC building stands. I've gone like 3 times since it opened 

Edited September 10, 2020 by Wanker Bob

[wood 11272]

Oh yeah, also ... El Pollo Loco.

Just put in an online order. Time for some comida...

[Handcruser 2805]

I’m at the Taco Cabana for my monthly fix of Eggs Mexicana, extra bacon, no pico. It’s been a favorite of mine every since my San Marcos days when I’d commute from North Austin to SM for an 8am class. I’d pull of I35 at 7, get some grub, and go catch the bus.

No longer offered. Thanks 2020.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[SHOOTER12 8832]

Hit the TC at 281 & Evans Friday. Enchiladas are back but all screwed up. 4 or 5 "boutique" type enchiladas, but not the original beef enchiladas.  Got some kind of cheese enchiladas with some kind of meat sauce, 2 hours later was deathly ill.  Screw TC, they just couldn't leave well enough alone.

[CooterBrown 18031]

You know when TC kicked as both as a cheap eats and a money making business? When they DIDN'T FUCK WITH THE MENU.  Jesus Christ. It's simple Tex Mex. Just go back to the late 90s menu and bring back Sean Elliott as a spokesman. It's not hard to make money while actually pleasing customers with this restaurant concept.

[WBT 20670]

I had an internship at Valero in San Antonio one summer.  Hitting up the original TC was like a pilgrimmage.

[Chewbacca 7787]

On 9/10/2020 at 1:39 AM, SHOOTER12 said:

Again, Hate hits a home run.  Sentiment, damn it's strong as far as the original location goes. No matter what dive bar/clubs we played on weekends, TC was always the closer for the night.

There was nothing better than a dozen tortillas and queso for $2.99 at 3am.  

[jimmyjazz 46189]

 

5 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

You know when TC kicked as both as a cheap eats and a money making business? When they DIDN'T FUCK WITH THE MENU.  Jesus Christ. It's simple Tex Mex. Just go back to the late 90s menu and bring back Sean Elliott as a spokesman. It's not hard to make money while actually pleasing customers with this restaurant concept.

Classic overexpansion problem with franchise models.  I worked at Wendy's in high school.  When I started, we sold burgers, fries, Frostys, and chili made with meat that was on the grill a minute too long.  That was it.

Then came the salad bar.  I literally installed our salad bar.

Then came the chicken.  Deep fried half-slice chicken breasts.

Then came any number of other off-brand items, and all it did was confuse customers.  You could sense the sales numbers starting to decline.  The restaurant went from a differentiated business model to one more closely aligned with every other fucking fast food joint on the planet, and voila!  (wallah!), nothing worked any more.

Idiots.

And yes, the meat was never frozen and the chili had beans.

[Hate 20146]

Wendy’s chili kicked ass when I was a kid. My mom would always stop by Wendy’s after basketball/football/baseball/soccer practice for chili and a frosty. Damn good memories.

[CooterBrown 18031]

15 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

 

Classic overexpansion problem with franchise models.  I worked at Wendy's in high school.  When I started, we sold burgers, fries, Frostys, and chili made with meat that was on the grill a minute too long.  That was it.

Then came the salad bar.  I literally installed our salad bar.

Then came the chicken.  Deep fried half-slice chicken breasts.

Then came any number of other off-brand items, and all it did was confuse customers.  You could sense the sales numbers starting to decline.  The restaurant went from a differentiated business model to one more closely aligned with every other fucking fast food joint on the planet, and voila!  (wallah!), nothing worked any more.

Idiots.

And yes, the meat was never frozen and the chili had beans.

Always thought if I opened a burger joint, it'd have one thing on the menu:  a double meat flat top burger with 2 slices of American cheese, pickles, and a burger sauce. No additions, no deletions.  You can add a side of fries. My gut tells me that'd be pretty successful.  I'd bet that the customers you lose with that menu are easily offset in labor and ingredient costs that are wasted making every burger custom.

 

[HenryJames 66183]

So you’d have two things on the menu.

[CooterBrown 18031]

33 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

So you’d have two things on the menu.

At my burger joint, there is no math.

[Dbeasy 15094]

Saw the commercials for the new enchiladas. They look like they were created by a Pennsylvania Amish person stuffing Kraft cheese slices into a glob of dough shaped into a wrapped tortilla. It was disgusting and taco cabana should be ashamed.

[HenryJames 66183]

46 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

At my burger joint, there is no math.

That was pretty much the original McDonald’s menu. Hamburger or cheeseburger and fries.

[RPM 26356]

1 hour ago, Dbeasy said:

Saw the commercials for the new enchiladas. They look like they were created by a Pennsylvania Amish person stuffing Kraft cheese slices into a glob of dough shaped into a wrapped tortilla. It was disgusting and taco cabana should be ashamed.

They don't even advertise in D/FW anymore. Can't remember the last time I saw one. Think it had TC Chick.

[Mack Tripper 696]

That was pretty much the original McDonald’s menu. Hamburger or cheeseburger and fries.

Yes and that was how Burger King originally gained on McDonald’s and it’s strict no substitution policy: Burger King - where you can “have it your way.”

[elfenix 34334]

On 11/9/2020 at 6:26 PM, Hate said:

Wendy’s chili kicked ass when I was a kid. My mom would always stop by Wendy’s after basketball/football/baseball/soccer practice for chili and a frosty. Damn good memories.

$1 chili and a $1 baked potato cheap ass fast lunch.

 

OG chili's menu was also strong:

[irishtexan 11522]

$1 chili and a $1 baked potato cheap ass fast lunch.
 
OG chili's menu was also strong:

My mom worked opening night at the first chili’s in Dallas as a tequila girl. They ran out of fries two days in. She ended up working there for like 10 years. Chili’s used to be legit. I’ll still fuck up an old timer with cheese.

[HenryJames 66183]

They charged for chips and salsa.

[elfenix 34334]

they still charge for chips and salsa

[elfenix 34334]

sign slung on the local TC said enchiladas are back

[Hate 20146]

Now bring back the carne guisada and we can talk.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13523]

Reluctantly I stopped at taco cabana today because my mom wanted enchiladas. I warned her that she wouldn't like them. She offered to buy me lunch and I decided I would rather go hungry. As context I used to be a 2x week Cabana person back when they were good and I was young.

Mom ultimately threw out the plate after a few bites but my amazement here was the customer service. When I ordered the enchiladas inside the store, the employee asked me what topping sauce I wanted. I asked her to describe each one because my mom hates spicy options. The employee told me that it doesn't work like that and that she wouldn't describe them. I asked several more times and she said she wouldn't tell me. I had to choose or leave the line. I wasn't even mad at her attitude but rather speechless. The customer behind me intervened and gave me the lowdown on the options. 

Now I will have to be starving and TC is the only choice for me to ever go back to one. 

[dcbc 14511]

On 9/2/2020 at 8:39 PM, jimmyjazz said:

I've eaten a lot of those refried beans over the years.  If they messed with that recipe, they're dead to me.

Call me when the torillas and queso doesn't satisfy my every need at 2 a.m.

[Texzilla58 4744]

My mom worked opening night at the first chili’s in Dallas as a tequila girl. They ran out of fries two days in. She ended up working there for like 10 years. Chili’s used to be legit. I’ll still fuck up an old timer with cheese.

The original chili recipe was primo. Those soft tacos with the chili were perfect. My biggest debate was whether to go with the old timer with chili or the chilis trip with grilled and raw onions.

[Brisketexan 105383]

14 hours ago, dcbc said:

Call me when the torillas and queso doesn't satisfy my every need at 2 a.m.

When the TC on MLK first opened, they had a deal -- plate of pancakes, 99 cents all day.  When you were shithammered and had $2 in change to your name.....a couple of those worked some magic.  Of course, when you were shithammered and had $20 to your name, you overordered and ate a fajita platter and an order of nachos.  TC was there to accommodate all of your bad dining decisions.

[StruggleBus 3922]

Cabana bowl with extra fajitas at 2am was my go to. Wake up the next morning and rip nasty wet farts the entire next day.

[Guest]

Put TC in a category of "damn shame" what happened there. It used to be solid. Now it's just bad. There are some things that are ok, but by and large the quality has just tanked. They even stopped seasoning their ground beef in the tacos. What the hell?

It also doesn't help that every TC I ever go into for the past five years has been filthy.

[dcbc 14511]

1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

When the TC on MLK first opened, they had a deal -- plate of pancakes, 99 cents all day.  When you were shithammered and had $2 in change to your name.....a couple of those worked some magic.  Of course, when you were shithammered and had $20 to your name, you overordered and ate a fajita platter and an order of nachos.  TC was there to accommodate all of your bad dining decisions.

Probably best that I never knew about the TC pancake deal. 

 

As an aside, if Two Pesos had changed its color scheme a little and changed its name to Bad Dining Decisions, it might still be around. 

[jimmyjazz 46189]

1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

When the TC on MLK first opened, they had a deal -- plate of pancakes, 99 cents all day.  

My shameful variant was the Pancho's on Burnet.  I worked nearby, and would get 8 "beef" tacos for $2 at the to-go case in front.

I would bet good money there was little to no cow in those tacos.

[Mo Horn 8855]

Have lived outside of Texas since the late 90's. TC was always one of our must visits whenever we came to see family. Sadly, no longer the case. Haven't been for several years. 

[Pescado_Rojo 19429]

On 9/7/2020 at 3:39 PM, wood said:

 

Yep, and yep. Rosa's fajitas are quick, always very good, and a fantastic deal for the money. They heap on the food, have awesome, always-fresh pico, 3-4 kinds of salsa, jalapenos, cilantro, etc. The place is always immaculately clean, staff very friendly & helpful. You know, basically how every company should be run.

Love the Rosa's in Cedar Park near me. The chile verde breakfast bowl is fan-fucking-tastic. 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13523]

9 hours ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

Put TC in a category of "damn shame" what happened there. It used to be solid. Now it's just bad. There are some things that are ok, but by and large the quality has just tanked. They even stopped seasoning their ground beef in the tacos. What the hell?

It also doesn't help that every TC I ever go into for the past five years has been filthy.

Yep cleaning looks to be low priority for them these days. Perhaps that is some type of identification for their desired customer base to know TC is the place for them.  People with low standards. 

[HenryJames 66183]

On 8/11/2022 at 6:27 PM, Nice Guy Eddie said:

When I ordered the enchiladas inside the store, the employee asked me what topping sauce I wanted. I asked her to describe each one because my mom hates spicy options. The employee told me that it doesn't work like that and that she wouldn't describe them. I asked several more times and she said she wouldn't tell me. I had to choose or leave the line. I wasn't even mad at her attitude but rather speechless. The customer behind me intervened and gave me the lowdown on the options. 

[DougO 5256]

I was a regular back in the day. I would get a taco salet and an order of flautas with queso. I would have to supe up the queso with some stuff from the bar because it was pretty bland cheez whiz, but not bad when I got done with it. But their salsa was always crapola. They had the red shit that was flavorless and spiceless, the green shit that tasted like an ash tray, but if you mixed it together it was kinda good. But they never had any good salsa. 

When I started going low carb they had this chicken that was damn good. So I started going for that. When it became my staple they fucking discontinued it. I've hardly been back since then, like at least 15 years or some shit.

Fuck them in the goatass. 

[DougO 5256]

And I've never had a good experience at Rosa's. Shittiest taco salet of all times, just a bunch of lettuce and not much else, maybe two teaspoons of meat at the bottom. They draw some real bottom-feeding crowds, too. Dirty ass people and chain smoker shit.

There are too many real Mexican joints with good cheap food to be fucking around with shitty chains.

[Brisketexan 105383]

I was a regular back in the day. I would get a taco salet and an order of flautas with queso. I would have to supe up the queso with some stuff from the bar because it was pretty bland cheez whiz, but not bad when I got done with it. But their salsa was always crapola. They had the red shit that was flavorless and spiceless, the green shit that tasted like an ash tray, but if you mixed it together it was kinda good. But they never had any good salsa. 
When I started going low carb they had this chicken that was damn good. So I started going for that. When it became my staple they fucking discontinued it. I've hardly been back since then, like at least 15 years or some shit.
Fuck them in the goatass. 

Chicken flameante - it was glorious. I’d pick it up for our young family at least once a month. And then they dumped it, so I hardly went back.

BTW, some of the more messican-ish HEBs cook a grilled split chicken that’s really similar - something like $12-14 for two chickens, beans rice and tortillas. Delicious, and a deal.

[DougO 5256]

5 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Chicken flameante - it was glorious. I’d pick it up for our young family at least once a month. And then they dumped it, so I hardly went back.

BTW, some of the more messican-ish HEBs cook a grilled split chicken that’s really similar - something like $12-14 for two chickens, beans rice and tortillas. Delicious, and a deal.

 Yeah, I think they call it Fire Chicken. Got that a couple of times but I haven't seen it around in a long time. Maybe because I'm rarely there around lunch time when the deli stuff is active.  I just grab a roto chick once in a while instead. 

Yeah, flamiante was it. That was great stuff, and they shitcanned it, just like most everything else I start liking.

[elfenix 34334]

place has been downhill since they got rid of the chicken flameante

[Anastasis 23487]

beef fajita nachos with a side of tortillas was the go to. 

[Covri 6253]

for those missing the chicken at TC, pollo regio is way better and has the best green sauce ever made.