Warning: Casa Blanca Dining

Patricia · Joined: 19 Dec 2003 Posts: 227 Location: pensacol,Fl

It is with great disappointment that I have to post this! I have been dining at Casa Blanca for many years and it was a favorite of my youngest Son.

We ate there last week and when the 2 checks came for my group and my older Daughter's group they appeared to be unusually high. I proceeded to get a menue and check everything against the Menu and I was right. Mine was only slightly off, but there was near a $25 USD error in my daughters. I called the waiter over and pointed it out and he proceeded to argue with me.

He insisted that the 2 ice teas and lemonade were 50 pesos each, which they were only either 15 or 20 pesos..do not remember, plus a few other mistakes. He said he was new and took it to the cashier and it was returned and adjusted, but still incorrect. But my son in law decided to pay it anyway at $505 pesos. When he tried to pay the waiter insisted it was $555 pesos and not $505. He said it was "tax" which we all know is ALREADY in the price. I again argued with him and said the check said $505 and there was NO TAX to be added. He continued to argue so my Son in law paid it and said, your tip is the "tax". I will not return here again.

The following day I repeated the story to Dan on the Tucan and he mentioned that another group had told him of a similar instance at the same place just a few days before.

This is bad for other businesses as it gives them all a bad name when they do this to tourists who carry these stories back to friends.

southbound · Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Posts: 102 Location: Orting, WA

...I will cross it off my restaurants to try list. I would recommend you send a copy of this to Mapchick laura@cancunmap.com as she tracks both good and bad experiences of visitors to Cozumel and updates the Can-Do travel guide and maps accordingly. Thankfully there are many other great restaurants on the island to patronize.

shavdog · Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 79

This isn't necessarily a bad review of casa blanca because we did enjoy the milieu and had a very nice dinner...BUT...we each had a 10dollar margarita that tasted like lemonade...in fact it was happy hour and we each had two...with no visual effect to either one of us...we'd go back for the food, check the bill and order a sol...haha

Patricia · Joined: 19 Dec 2003 Posts: 227 Location: pensacol,Fl

Well I do check the bill, I always do...but to bring back a still incorrect bill and then argue about it and the Tax..that is going too far. Also this was n ot a small try at a rip off..$25 USD is a substancial over charge.

Patricia · Joined: 19 Dec 2003 Posts: 227 Location: pensacol,Fl

I went and spoke with the owner Luis, this morning. He was very apologetic, and very angry about the "Tax" thing. He told me that he and his 2 brothers run Casa Blanca, and that they just this week had to let go of thier cousin who had been on the register some evenings. He said that they try to keep an eye on the waiters and agreed it had to be the waiter and the person on the register together. I am not sure why they fired the cousin, but it may be connected. They also seem to have figured out which waiter was involved and I was told it would be "handled". He also invited me to return for a complimentay meal.

Since I have always liked this place, I would like to give them the benifit of believing the owner. Please if anyone again experiences a problem there, let me know. Also ask for one of the owners if you have a problem.

ljcoz · Joined: 02 Dec 2003 Posts: 605 Location: wisconsin

ordering a Sol instead,cause a few years ago we were at casa blanca, 04. The one with the orange table cloths right on the square? and due to a bad experience 5 years ago or so we only ordered beers. each one was a different color and each one tasted significantly different. i personally will never go there again, as the first year we were there someone in our party got very ill from the food. my favorite places on the square for food are as follows..... dorados, and Palmeras are #1 the pepitos at palmeras are awesome. tender beef fillet on fresh bread with guac and raw onions, and some kinda crumbled cheese. at dorados, just about anything. their margaritas are definately teh bomb. fish tacos, whatever is on the menu it has been good. never a funny on the bill dont know if i have ever been over charged on a bill. knock on wood i allways keep a little tally of what was ordered and the cost. keep it in sight so your waiter can see it. i need a vacation LJ

Shell · Joined: 05 Dec 2003 Posts: 594 Location: Columbus

Sorry to hear about the overcharge and general unprofessionalism at Casa Blanca. Personally, I have never had a problem there, but I DO check my bills and we DO go their often. Enough that the waiters know us, so maybe that helps. It probably also helps that there are only two of us and we usually just have a few Sols and maybe an appetizer. But speaking of the waiters there, we noticed in January that several old-timers have left, leaving open the possibility that we will have to "train" the new staff.

Now all that said, LJ, I like Dorado's, but EVERY TIME Juan Carlos waits on us, the bill is totally screwed up. It really irks me because we've been going there for years and he knows us and yet everytime he's our waiter, he tries to pull a fast one on us. Like we can't figure out a bill that has four beers and two margaritas on it. Sure, that ought to come to $30 bucks. It's getting so we won't stop if we see him working, but if Bruno's around we'll take the chance that he'll straighten things out at the register for us once Juan Carlos pads the bill. Mad

kimmer1 · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Posts: 335

leza? if so i had a waiter complain about a 1 dolar tip i left him for just a coffee!! i asked him to change a twenty us and he acted like he should get paid for that! when he msde s stink i grabbed the buck off the table and said there! now you have nothing to complain about- luckly my friend agreed that they were rude and greedy so i didnt feel bad -but sheeehs! are the pod people over tiping or what?

Lembo · Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 34

I'll make the same comment here as I did on another board...

It's unfortunate to have to put up with this BS but it's just part of vacationing in Cozumel. These scumbags don't care if you ever come back. Repeat business is NOT a factor. All they want is your $25 now and another $25 from the next customer. It's buyer beware.

Lembo · Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 34

dmdv · Joined: 03 Nov 2005 Posts: 318 Location: sw florida

sounds like a good place to avoid.

Corey (ND) · Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 362

It's unfortunate to have to put up with this BS but it's just part of vacationing in Cozumel. These scumbags don't care if you ever come back. Repeat business is NOT a factor. All they want is your $25 now and another $25 from the next customer. It's buyer beware.

Ahh but the power of the internet is AMAZING! Reviews and reports such as this can really put a crimp in a business.

pato · Joined: 05 Dec 2003 Posts: 419 Location: Cozumel

noting a similar experience on our Restaurant Reviews list of Casa B. Bad, rude service and for some reason it is now "politics" not to serve a glass of water...you have to buy the bottle.
Rudy...our fav waiter is now only working days so that changes everything!