Amanda’s Fonda
8050 N Academy Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO, 80920
Amanda’s Fonda Menu
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Address :
8050 N Academy Blvd
Colorado Springs, CO, 80920 - Phone (719) 266-6680
- Website https://www.amandasfonda.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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MJ P.
I took a small group there for lunch. The place is clean and comfortable, and service was very good. I ordered the steak fajitas - it had flavor but was disappointed with amount of meat given and overall serving portions of each item of the dish eg salad, refried beans. The others in the group seemed happy with their meals but ordered differently.
(2)Michael W M.
With so many Mexican Food restaurants in the Colorado Springs market, and the variety of say "style" it becomes difficult to choose just one. But if I had to choose 5 of the best Amanda ' s would be in the top 3 and that says something since I am proud to be from New Mexico. Normally we order the green chile, but it seems that they removed the item from the menu. Big mistake. By any measure there are 10 distinctive qualities that set apart a Mexican food joint and a taco in a can ss follows: 1) 1st and foremost the green chili 2) Salsa 3) Street Tacos 4) Margarita's 5) Ambiance 6) Chips and Tortillas 7) Guacamole 8) Ceviche 9) Plating 10) Desert How did Amanda ' s fair? 1) No Green Chile 2) Salsa, good but not memorable. 3) Good street tacos, This Taco is for you.... 4)Margarita's while tasty not a knock ou of the park.
(4)Josh J.
Not good. Had two chicken enchiladas. As usual for these parts, the arrived seconds After ordering them. They were not hot, and had very little flavor and no cheese. Just chopped chicken, tortilla, and sauce...all slapped together with a quickness. Its the supercuts of Mexican food. The food just sucked... I was sad. I was driving down the road when I saw a sign that said "serious Mexican food", i swerved across 4 lanes and busted a u turn to get here. I was so excited, followed by disappointment. The server never asked me how the food was, they must know better than to ask. There is a very good reason that there are only 4 tables on what is supposed to be the lunch rush.
(1)Tim H.
It is no longer "Amanda's Fonda" and is now called Amanda's Cantina. I asked the server is it was under different ownership and got an evasive reply about the recipes being the same . . . I won't go to the Amanda's Fonda on Colorado Boulevard because it has been incredibly poor Mexican food. Every once in awhile I would try Amanda's again only to find out it was still poor food. My daughter-unit said that this Amanda's on Academy was different and quite good. She was with us for our first time here and noticed that the menu was different. There were four of us and two of us didn't like the food, mine was OK but certainly good. The mother-in-law-unit actually liked hers, go figure. My wife-unit loved the spinach enchilada, as did my daughter unit from past visits to Amanda's. They were lousy today. They actually are now mushroom/spinach enchiladas and the mushrooms seem to come from a can. The daughter-unit who had been here before said that they were completely different this time. The salsa was really good and I did get a free guacamole for checking in with Yelp and the guacamole was quite good. I had the house Margarita and it was entirely satisfactory, I can' imagine any upgrade tasting better. I put a star back on because of the salsa, guacamole and Margarita. So this might be a place to catch a drink and some chips and then go elsewhere for the meal. The rice, re-fried beans and cole slaw are served family style on one platter with one serving piece. They tend to get mixed up and the rice which has meat broth in it touches the re-fried beans and cole slaw which do not, compromising the vegetarians among us. Kudos for having meat-free re-fried beans. Although the distinct possibility exists that the server who told us about the beans might have been talking through her hat (sombrero?).
(2)Jenna M.
This restaurant is fantastic. Chips and salsa are A+. Bartender Alexis is a badass. That is all.
(5)Emily Y.
AWFUL!!! Cold rice and beans, Moldy cheese, worst enchiladas ever. Carne Asada was disgusting. Do yourself a favor and find another restaurant.
(1)Chandra P.
Used to be so much better. My plate with the beans and rice came out cold. The salsa tasted funky. Hoping I'm not going to have food poisoning from dinner. My kids liked their food. El Padrino's is my go to place for Mexican food from now on.
(2)Tracy M.
Worst Mexican food in Colorado Springs. First of all my margarita was so watered down and then when I got my food there was a spider crawling around. The waiter brought me a new plate but my appetite was gone. Did not even offer to comp any part of my meal. Do yourself a favor and walk across to Taco Bueno
(1)Debra J.
Husband and I came in to try the fajitas. We've never been so disappointed. Absolutely no flavor. The meat had not been seasoned. We had chosen corn tortillas but asked if the were cooked. They were not. Corn tortillas need to be dipped in hot oil to cook them not just heated. So we asked for flour tortillas. Instead of being aware that we did not like the corn tortillas....she charged us extra for flour ones which had been sitting for a while. The beans were not seasoned, the guacamole was not seasoned. The margaritas were good and the stuffed jalapeños were great but would have been better if we would have gotten plates to eat them.
(1)Peggy U.
Ok I didn't have high hopes after some reviews but it was close and I had some work to sit and do as I eat so I thought I'd try it. Outside and decorating isn't up to date really but when I tasted my salsa I did not care. Wow, good amount of onions and cilantro to make it tasty and the chips were crunchy good as well. I hate the warm salsa that seems to be at the other places. So a great start! I ordered the chicken enchilada with cream sauce and again pleasantly surprised. I thought it was very good. I don't typically like rice and beans but I did like this. It comes with a side of some side of cabbage thing or other and that was completely awful so I left that alone. I'd say the food was more authentic than Tex Mex so you should expect that. Possibly a bit bland for some but I tend to pour salsa on my food :) I saw the buffet closing as I was seated. Not sure it would interest me but I was happy with what I had. Maybe next time I'll try some drinks. I definitely want to try the other location now since it has better reviews. The service was great! Friendly host and very polite waiter. I would come here again. Also they offer a 10% military discount!
(4)T S.
It took along time to get food. Noticed it was sitting under heater to long. Sauce was kinda dried out. Not the the original location at all. Gross part was. .. about an half an hour to an hour after my husband and I left. We had bathroom issues. Maybe they need to clean better? Bacteria? We've never had that issue before. Server was bad too...
(1)Leah Y.
This place has bad food, bad service and is horribly overpriced. We went in on my birthday to have dinner and margaritas. My date ordered a pizza and the entire crust was burnt and tasted like old deep fried oil and ruined the entire pizza. When we talked to the waitress about it, she offered no apologies and asked us with attitude "do you want another one or something else?" We opted to try something else. My friend had a large OVER PRICED margarita. She said it was good. Too bad that was the best of our experience. I had sangria. It tasted HORRIBLE. We opted for the guacamole which is small and VERY expensive and again....not worth the cost. Save your money and time. Albertacos is on Austin Bluffs and they have amazingly delicious and reasonable priced food plus their guacamole is MUCHO better.
(1)Paul W.
Three of us came in for lunch. All of us had the lunch mini Enchiladas. The waiter let us do half beef and half chicken and they were damn good. They came with this guacamole sauce which was amazing. Since it was more of a business lunch, we were preoccupied with other things and not the menu. Our waiter stopped by several times and was very patient. After our food was served, he stopped to refill our soda - yeah, that will automatically get you a 20% tip. Back track - we never ran our of chips and salsa! Yeah, just as important as the soda refills. Salsa had nice flavor and the chips were not stale. Restaurant was very clean and plenty of elbow room. TVs in the bar. Everyone was friendly and the food was tasty. Prices were reasonable. Well done Amanda.
(4)Mary B.
1 star for the chips and salsa. Asked the waitress to modify a dish to make it vegan. She agreed and seemed knowledgable so we felt comfortable ordering. Our order came out and was covered in cheese, refried beans and sour cream. She acted clueless as to what was wrong. She said that she didn't know what vegan meant yet she didn't question is when we ordered. Was completely horrible.
(1)Alec T.
Pleasantly surprised at the delicious molcajetes which was outstanding. Relleno was good. If you go GET the molcajetes it is amazing
(4)L Z.
Not good. We had the combo plate with a tostada & enchilada with a side of beans and rice. The beef was soggy and the chicken taste old. One of the plates was dirty, like dried on dirty. I wish I would have noticed before getting half way through the meal. The salsa was watery and bland, the rice had burnt pieces in it. I had seen high reviews for the Colorado location, so we thought we'd try it out. Food not good and beer taste like the glass was not rinsed all the way. There are better places for Mexican food in town.
(2)Gabriel D.
What can I say...this place is horrible. Maybe I should have figured from a "Mexican" place who's name starts with Amanda. Don't waste your money here.
(1)Amy C.
Some of the worst service we have had in years. I ordered a burrito with 4 ingredients. It came with 2 of them on the side and no cheese. It was steak wrapped in a tortilla. When I told her that they forgot the cheese and there were big fatty chunks of steak, the server literally responded "okay, awesome. I will get your check." What??? Clearly didn't hear me or didn't care. It took her 15 minutes to bring our check. The queso was good but that was really the only good thing. Even the laughing lab was totally flat. :(
(1)Thomas Y.
Pretty disappointed. I had high hopes for this place because the Old Colorado location was pretty good and because it's close to my house. I don't know if the owners are different, but you can really see and taste the difference in the quality of food here. I had the especial nachos (loaded) for appetizer, chicken chimichanga for entree, and shared some sopapilla with the kids for dessert. The food tasted bland, greasy, and didn't taste authentic. I hope I'm not being offensive here, but the food tasted like it was prepared for the uncultured. I've had better tasting nacho cheese made by Velveeta. The thought that this wasn't authentic Mexican food kept running though my mind. My suggestion, if you want real Mexican and don't mind the difference in the way the establishment is presented, hit up Viva El Taco. The beef tongue taco's there are amazing. Wary of the adventurous stuff? Their chicken taco's and machaca is very delicious too. The breakfast burrito is always a hit too.
(1)Marc R.
The food is horrible. I think I'd rather make love to an elephant high on meth than to ever eat here again. It's like a Mexican/tex-mex place that forgot what seasoning is. The salsa tastes like a two year old made it in a toilet while the baby sitter was making out with their boyfriend. The service has to be one of the worst I have ever experienced. Yes, it was lunch time and the place was busy but my water glass should not be empty for longer than 10 minutes. If I don't get water, then the terrorists win the war. If you want Mexican, go down the street to Pueblo Viejo. You won't regret it.
(1)Tom P.
Extremely disappointed!! I am a Mexican food lover and this place was terrible! I ordered two chicken enchiladas in a combo plate. When they came, I don't think one of the enchiladas had any chicken in it at all, and the small piece of chicken I found in the other one, was dark meat and had so much gristle in it that I wouldn't eat it. The enchiladas were pretty much just a couple of rolled up corn tortillas with some sauce over them and nothing inside. After all of that, I had to wait for my waiter to bring my check and then once I got it, I had to wait again for him to take payment and bring me my change. They were not busy at all and there shouldn't have been any wait. I will not be going back!!!!
(1)Andrea Y.
Our experience ordering from here was extremely sub par. We waited for an hour and a half for our food and it came lukewarm, at best. The food lacked flavor and was mushy. The order was also missing sauces on the chimichangas. After a ridiculous $7.99 delivery fee, our order came out to over $60, which is outrageous for a Mexican place, especially with such a long wait and terrible food. We will not be ordering from here ever again.
(1)Brittany K.
I ordered pick up, on the phone they were so nice and then in person so nice. The food is really really good. Great lunch choice!
(5)Lindsey A.
I so love the happy and hard working staff here, but the food just doesn't cut it. It's disappointing, and I can't quite put my finger on why. Try for yourself and give me some feedback.
(2)Bill W.
My recent review of Amanda's Fonda on North Academy Boulevard in Colorado Springs was removed by the Yelp staff for an alleged violation of the Yelp Content Guidelines. Although no specific violation was cited (the entire post was removed), I suspect it was removed for the comments I made in response to a political publication provided by the restaurant. I disagree with the alleged violation; if a restaurant provides political content in their restaurant, I think it a review mentioning such content is a valid part of the customer experience. Regardless, I have reposted the original review below, without the political part. I fully expect this edited review to be deleted as well. "Food was OK, but overpriced. Same with the Horni Margarita. Ordered the 16 ounce version, but I am very skeptical that it was actually 16 ounce. At $9.50, it seems like it should have been bigger. My girlfriend ordered the shrimp dish. When it came, she was aghast to see that it contained bell peppers. The menu didn't mention bell peppers, and she can't eat bell peppers. So it got sent back to the kitchen, for what seemed like about 20 minutes. I ordered the beef burrito, but not the sides. Rather than the rice, cabbage, and whatever other sides they include, I asked to have only refried beans. It was served with rice. No beans. It only took them about 15 minutes to correct it. Very frustrating. The manager checked in with us, apologized for both issues, and offered us complementary desserts. That was the first thing that went right. It's very unlikely I'll go back."
(1)Jeffrey Z.
Sucks. Food was dog food. The one on Colorado is awesome. These guys should be embarrassed.
(1)Traci B.
The food pretty good but not worth the horrible service & 45 minutes wait for our food! We will never go there again!!
(1)Chris S.
The location on Academy does not live up to the original location. I have come here several times and haven't been too impressed. My wife and I decided to try the Sunday Brunch. I was sadly disappointed. Since everything was heated using steam trays all the food was soggy. The staff tends to congregate at the bar and chit-chat a lot. The just so happens to be part of the buffet.
(2)Arlene M.
We have loved Amanda's for years and are so happy it's finally open on the north side. I can't figure out where the negative reviews are coming from. We always have great service, good food and leave happy.
(4)Sam A.
We tried the Chicken Fajita's and really did not enjoy the way they tasted or looked. 3 more extra tortillas cost $1.50 more. Service was good. Chips warm, salsa thin and a bit bland. Coke products a plus. Still have $150 in gift cards so have to come back again.
(2)Thomas P.
brought the kids here for lunch, the menu is not kid friendly at all .. way to spicy for a child...they sat us in the back room getting blinded by the sun even after mentioning it to the waitress... I ordered their special burrito which barely had any meat, It was mostly beans and lettuce and chili sauce. was supposed to have 2 types of meat in it.. but it didn't....we actually left after eating what we could and went to go eat elsewhere, the kids didn't touch their food after the first bite.
(1)J K.
We love to come here for happy hour dinner - half price nachos and pitcher of margaritas!
(4)Brandon L.
Our first time at Amanda's Fonda and it was good. We had the fajitas, steak and chicken combo, lots of onions and peppers. We would have preferred the meat to be separated as opposed to mixed together, but it was good. Nothing else too noteworthy about the food, but the service was great! Keeley was our server and she was very helpful and speedy. Overall a good family friendly eatery.
(4)Monica L.
I thought this place was very good. I don't see why it got such a low rating. Maybe people have had bad service, but I thought my food was great. I think it equates to a hole In the wall Mexican restaurant, which is a good thing. There are way too many chains and correct me if I'm wrong, this place doesn't seem like a chain. I came here alone and the waitress and food runner was very nice to me. I ordered huevos rancheros with corn tortillas... But for some reason huevos is spelled with a "J" as in Juevos Rancheros. I ordered over medium eggs and it came with Spanish/Mexican red rice and a little cabbage salad thing, which tasted amazing. The eggs were cooked perfectly. This place was great, so far.
(4)Tim S.
What can I say? The restaurant is a total dive. The why is: 1. Service is terrible, took 15min to just to get served while 5 servers were talking at the bar 2. Seafood enchiladas where horrible and I could not finish. Tasted like frozen seafood and was cold to the taste. 3. Chips were all broken like they were the bottom of the bag. 4. Whatever coleslaw or whatever it was named was uneatable. Taste like celery with no taste. 5. Refried beens & rice were absolutely tasteless. 6. Server mentioned that I got a refund on the enchiladas but never took off the bill. I had to ask for a manager to do so. 7. What are all the awards for? They must be made up. This place is horrible at best. 8. The margaritas are the only thing with going for if you want to pay the overpriced tab for.
(1)Don S.
We have been to the Manitou restaurant and its always good. This one is just terrible...we had lunch...worst tamales and enchiladas ever. Try Manitou..not Academy location.
(1)Scott W.
The food here wasn't very good, and the margarita was really weak. I'd rate them at one star, but the service was pretty good.
(2)S B.
For the ones who downgraded try again. Very attentive service, great chips/salsa, carne asada, rellenos & enchiladas. Great margaritas! Dominick is excellent server!
(4)Aretha M.
Decent food, I'm picky with Mexican food, so never really get to excited. My plate had a lot of food I chose a 3 item combination plate and My daughter had a kids plate. I may come back if I was invited by friends. It is nice and clean looking here and the staff was very friendly
(3)Audra M.
We asked for a booth when we arrived; the greeter acted put out. We didn't get a booth. Once seated, she told us she'd grab a drink menu for us and never did. 30 minutes and two baskets of chips later our waitress arrived with no smile, no greeting, and no introduction; she simply asked what we wanted to order. When I finally got a drink menu, my waitress stood at the table and awkwardly waited for me to order. When I asked about a specific margarita she said "Um, it's fruity.. and slushy." I ordered a small one rimmed with sugar and it came lukewarm, NOT slushy, and rimmed with salt; it was almost undrinkable and between myself and my boyfriend we didn't even finish half of it. We waited another 20 minutes for our food. While not quite as good as the original store on Colorado Avenue, it was certainly edible. Another 30 minutes went by and we finally got boxes for the rest of our food and the check. I still don't know my waitress's name. The restaurant is clearly run by a bunch of surly college age kids who can't be bothered to offer their patrons a decent margarita or a smile. I will not frequent this restaurant again.
(1)Gina C.
I wanted to give this place zero stars! The food lacked flavor and tasted greasy. I ordered the chicken taquitos which came loaded with shredded cabbage. Then there was a side of cole slaw to boot! Lots of cheap filler for a meal that was priced too high. The rice was marginal and also had no flavor. The wait staff were slow to take our orders and were in need of training with how to address customers. They weren't rude, they were just a little rough around the edges. I will not return and will stick with our local favorite, Salsa Brava.
(1)Amy G.
Overpriced for subpar food. Tried it for the first time today and wow were we disappointed. First impressions... the salsa was chunky and bland (no heat at all), but at least it had cilantro... does no one know how to make salsa in CO? We ordered the chili verde, which had very little pork and tasted like bland bell peppers. The carnitas plate was dry and was also very bland. Everything just lacked flavor. Pricing for these entrees was outrageous as well... shouldn't have been more than $9 for the quality of the food and they were between $11 and $16. Even more outrageous was what they charged for tiny kids meals... nearly $5 which did NOT include the drink (which were $2.25 each!!!). Over $7 for out-of-the-box mac and cheese in insane. We won't be returning... save your money and go to Salsa Brava or La Casa Fiesta.
(1)Jennifer M.
I was excited to check out this location of Amanda's Fonda. Decent experience, but way too cold inside. Uncomfortable enough that I just wanted to take my meal and leave. Probably won't be back to that location.
(2)Lance B.
I have lived in both California and Colorado for the last 35 years. About 20 years ago I discovered that the San Luis Valley influenced "Mexican" food is not for me ie La Cas.... and most of the other so called Mexican places in the Springs. I've lived in the Springs since '75. The Springs is not known for it's good food. Reviews by locals who haven't had actual authentic Mexican food shouldn't count. I love good Mexican food. I also do a lot of cooking. I have been in construction my entire life and have many, many Mexican friends. I am constantly trying new Mexican places. I have been disappointed with 90% of my quests for great or even very good Mexican food in the Springs. I have never eaten at the Westside location. I went into the Happy hour today and literally had the worst beef and chicken tacos I have ever tasted. I had 1 "tall" beer. $8.46. I tried to be nice as I lied to the bartender when she badgered me into agreeing that the tacos were good. A draft Tecate which they claim is 22oz is $6.00 at happy hour? The tacos were made in a cold, greasy, flaky, premade FLOUR tortilla. They had NO REDEEMING characteristics. The other $2.46 was tax and tip. I should have known this Happy Hour was bunk when I saw that there was absolutely nobody else in there! Send your worst enemies here. I feel sick.The chips and salsa weren't even good. Bottom line Colorado Springs sucks for Mexican. There is 1 decent Mex place in Falcon and another in the Springs along the 25 by G of G. They are better not great. Good luck.
(1)Zebulon P.
Very clean restaurant! Comfortable atmosphere. Prompt service. My old man and I tried it for the first time on our lunch break. He ordered the highly rated chile verde and I ordered the enchilada combo. Our food was served only minutes after ordering! Not only was it fast, it was good. I was a bit surprised with the mixed reviews on yelp. Whatever they were lacking in the past has now been addressed and corrected. I have no complaints whatsoever.
(4)Lynn M.
Worst meal! Awful! Greasy corn tortilias, wilted lettuce and mystery meat. The only thingsthat tasted good between the six of us dining were the chips and salsa and the Coke. Avoid if at all possible.
(1)Sarah D.
We had horrible service. It took 40 minutes to get our food and when we ordered we had to ask the server to actually order. Our server never asked us if we wanted drink refills and we always had to ask for chip refills. And when the food came out I was thoroughly unimpressed. One plate was too salty and my steak tacos were beyond burnt. We gave this place a couple of tries because we loved their cheese dip so much, but that is the only redeeming quality. I am very disappointed.
(1)Terry J.
No need to return. Took a group of 10 people there for lunch. It took 45 minutes for food to arrive. I ordered a 3 plate combo, releno, chicken soft taco and cheese enchilada. Ended up with a 2 plate combo that had a chicken soft taco and chicken enchilada. But after waiting 45 minutes, I wasn't about to return it. Food was flavorless and and the cabbage salad was a weird side to Mexican food.
(1)Laura G.
I was really hoping to be able to give this place 4 or 5 stars but alas, it did not meet expectations. We were seated promptly (6:15pm-ish), and we did receive chips and salsa and waters right away. So far so good. I liked the salsa- not too hot but flavorful and plenty of cilantro. That's a minus for my husband, who did not get the "Love cilantro" gene. Chips were warm and appear to be made in house. Yum. Our server came to our table within 5 minutes and when we said we'd like to do the $30 special (queso or guac, fajitas for two, drinks or soda), she had to stop us to look over the menu insert b/c she didn't know what we were talking about. Hmmm. I should mention here that this server did not seem to be very happy; I know food service is work, but c'mon, hide your disdain or go get another job. Well, queso arrived after a while and that was good. That was sadly the best part of the meal. Despite the scent if fajitas wafting through the restaurant, when our steak fajitas arrived, I was disappointed. The steak was never seared. It was cooked all together with the peppers and onions in moist heat do the steak was over-cooked and soggy and had some kind of sauce. I get that this is probably how it is meant to turn out, it just wasn't to our liking. Hubby and I prefer a good sear on our steak and cooked medium-rare, at that. Oh and the tortillas tasted like the factory-made, store bought type. Meh. Well, the server never once came by to see if we liked the meal. She was clearly busy; we never saw her with empty hands. Apparently they do not have bussers or food runners at Amanda's Fonda? No wonder she never once smiled. That would suck. We thought the server would inquire if everything was alright when we asked for the check as it looked like we never touched the piled high skillet and did not request to have it boxed. Nope. Maybe she knew how it tasted. Safe to say, if we go back, it will only be for drinks and appetizers. And we'll sit at the bar-maybe the bar tender will be in a better mood than the servers appear to be.
(3)Johan S.
Slightly above average food. Pretty close to the other location and much closer to where I live. The staff was friendly and although they were quite busy, we didn't wait LNG for our food nor our service.
(5)Kara B.
We went for their new Sunday Brunch. It was horrible... Even the basics like eggs, hash browns and meats were bland and awful. They didn't offer many Mexican dishes liked I hoped (I was told there would be enchiladas but there weren't). We love the Colorado Ave location, but this new location is not great. Food is not good and the music (techno) is annoying when trying to have a meal. Their Brunch needs a MAJOR overhaul.
(1)Thomas P.
My wife and I had stopped by for happy hour one night and had a great time. The pitchers of margaritas were half price as were some appetizers. Bartender was great too. So took our two teenage daughters with us to the restaurant. What a disappointment! The service was awful both at the bar and with our food. The food was okay, but not memorable.. We won't go back.
(2)Jourdan F.
I visited this restaurant on a Sunday afternoon. First of all, the food was good. I don't know what people are complaining about cuisine-wise. I think that as far as the Mexican dining options in Colorado Springs, this is the best Mexican 'sit-down' restaurant if you want more traditional, American-Mexican cuisine. This being said, I ordered Horchata as a beverage and it was served to me as (what can only be described) in a mucus-like consistency rather than a thin, watery consistency. I had to insist that they take it back and opted for a Coke instead. I enjoyed my combo plate of a Chili Relleno (not spicy at all) and a chicken taco, which came with the typical beans and rice and an exceptionally yummy cabbage salad. The flan for dessert was as expected and traditional - very good but nothing special. HOWEVER...the service is AWFUL. If it wasn't for the great Relleno and the satisfying flan dessert, this would have gotten a 1-star. No one ever gave us water upon seating, and we had to wait forever just to get the smallest of items like chips and salsa. Our server seemed like she could care less about my table and barely cracked a smile. I ordered tortillas with my meal and I never saw them. I actually felt like they didn't want patrons to come in - from the first greeting with the hostess to our paying the bill, I felt unwelcome. I will probably order this food as take-out in the future, but I can't say that I would sit down and subject myself or my lunch guests to the lousy service and treatment.
(2)Emily J.
We were a little scared to try this location after reading the reviews, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised. We went early evening on a Friday and it was just getting busy. Our server was Madison who was super friendly and efficient (excellent service honestly). The salsa was delicious and we also really liked the queso. We had the fajitas which were also delicious, lots of onions and peppers, tender chicken and beef, all with great flavor. I'd eat here again.
(4)Nicole M.
Pretty surprised this place was rated so lowly on Yelp, but was recommended by husband's colleagues, so we gave it a shot. For the record, the original restaurant across town is better reviewed. We went during off peak hours, so that may be why our service was better than some others, but our waiter was attentive, but not obnoxiously so. Food came out super quickly, which had its pros and cons. The queso and pitcher of margaritas would have been more enjoyable/relaxed if we didn't have everything on the table at basically the same time. I had chicken and shrimp fajitas, husband had chile Colorado. Both meals were plentiful and seasoned well. House chips and salsa were very good and made in-house. The party next to us actually bought a large container of salsa to bring home. Queso appetizer was OK - a little creamier/blander than what I typically like, but good. Wish there had been an option to add ground beef or something to it. I'm sure we will go back next time I'm in town. For what it's worth, we upgraded beyond house margaritas. Not sure what they were called but had Grand Marnier. Delicious and definitely not watered down which happens too often when you order by the pitcher.
(4)Nick Z.
Lunch here the other day was my first, and last, at Amandas Fonda on N Academy. I've been to the one in Manitou Springs once before, and it was decent, so I figured this one would have the same service and quality. Boy, was I wrong. First off, they have no lunch menu, so the price for a meal is between $10 and $20. I'm fine with paying that amount if the food and service is good, but neither were even close. Fish tacos had no flavor. No refills on water. Asked for chips and salsa refill twice, and it never came. The fajitas were pretty good, but they only provided three small tortillas, which weren't even close to enough for the amount of food on the plate. And it took 10 minutes for them to bring out more after asking for some. Mixed up the order in multiple ways (chicken tacos instead of beef, corn tortillas instead of flour, green chili instead of red). "Serious Mexican"!?? Either change your slogan or hire some new staff. Next time I'm going down the street to Chipolte if I'm in the mood for mexican food.
(1)Jackie B.
Great chicken taquitos. Great I tell you. Very good potato taquitos, carnitas and chile Colorado. Very good service by hostess, waitress; manager stopped by to ask how things had gone. Really like my previous visits to Amanda's Fonda at other locations but they aren't convenient enough to get to very often. This is a great addition to North Academy.
(4)Paul A.
The salsa is great! But the fajitas are a 1 star, from a Texas boy... I know fajitas and I don't recommend theses!
(4)Shamonn M.
Last night the hubby, son and I went to Amanda Fonda. My hubby and I went to the Amanda Fonda across town and loved the food so since we were on Academy we tried this one. BAD IDEA! My reviews are really spot on and I reallu do try not to bash anyone but this place is unexceptable. First, we stood in the feont for about 15 mins watching waiters and waitresses pass by the hostess station about 7 times before being acknowledged...then 10 mins later is when someone...I think the bust boy came by and seated us. I let that one go...but maybe I shouldnt have. We sat down and the waitress came by and asked what we would like to drink....Rootbeer, Dr. Pepper and Lemonade..oh and also a Pina Colada...she comes out with little plastic cups of drinks and said that they didnt have anymore glasses. We said oooookkkkkaaayyy. Still no Pina Colada! A group of 4 ppl comes to the counter and they stood there for about 10 mins then just came and sat in the booth next to us...they went behind the hostess station and got their own menus and utensils. The waitress comes from the back and got their drink order...came back out with their drinks in glasses....Oh hell no!!!! Where the hell are our glasses and where the hell is my Pina Colada!...to deal with yall I think I need to be drunk! Next the food came out...subpar at best and she asked if there was anything else needed...well yes we do...GLASSES for our drinks...we are not getting this to go...we are sitting here eating our meal. Still...Where is my Pina Colada! Finish eating and just sitting there waiting on the ticket..20 mins...really....then got the ticket on the end of the table.."I'll be your cashier when you're ready and walks away...Hello...we've been ready. Give me secs to get my card. Paid...and you know what...for that type of service...you get No Tip! And guess what I Tip Well and you missed out. While you were so attentive to the other table you probably got $2 or $3 from them...We will never come back here. That is all.
(1)Leslie B.
It was alright. Guac was bland, salsa was pretty good. I ordered the quesadilla, which was good, but if have definitely had way better for cheaper. When we first entered they got really annoyed when we asked to sit outside, not sure why. Then when they brought the chips, the top layer was whole chips, but bottom if both baskets were totally broken. After we had to flag the waiter down repeatedly, they came back with what looked like the same chips just with some whole ones out on top. Finally. We were able to get a head waited to dump out the old and bring us fresh unbroken ones. There was also an issue with the heaters on the patio. We were told they kick on when the temp reaches 75, but they later realized (after we complained a few times) that someone had turned them completely off. Strange since it was a particularly chilly day in CO. Food took a very long time to arrive as well, but other people seemed to enjoy their food. Overall, I wasn't impressed for the cost.
(3)Sammy J.
Really delicious food, great service, fantastic atmosphere, no MSG or lard in their food, and very reasonable prices.
(4)Sheryl P.
The ambiance was fairly nice, service was OK, but the food was mediocre, and that's being generous.
(2)Action J.
My oldest and his family have this as their favorite. My opinion is that it is on the "high average" side of the scale. I love the different salsas. Good food and service. A little dark at night for reading the menu. But if you have good eyes, or you're with someone who does, no problem. I give it three stars. It's needs to work on the little things to bring it up to four stars..
(3)Sarah B.
This place is closer than Taco Bell from my place of work. Good food! Excellent service! Frank is worth the free lunch time entertainment and wicked nice!
(3)Devin R.
Ummm...I went here and I didn't have a good experience at all. We where seated and forgotten. I called over the servers 3x and each time we waited 15min and still didn't get the waters or chips refilled like we asked for. When I ordered my food the waiter kept hitting me by accident with his arm which I know it is an accident but he kept doing it. Then we got a female server and she hit me with her ponytail. -_- I mean I am typing this now and I feel ridiculous...but I just thought I would share my experience because it was totally ridiculous. When we finally got our food it wasn't soo good. I had whole white onions in my meal...and they weren't even cooked. The outside was...but the inside was raw. The sauce was very funny tasting as well. My friends hated me for bringing them there haha...I just thought this one would be as good as the original.
(2)Chris H.
Make sure to sit in the back on the deck with the awesome view of the mountains.
(4)Brian L.
Thought we would try this place as it look appealing. As we entered the restaurant it had a not so good smell to it. Thought we would try it anyway so we waited at the desk since it said "Wait here to be seated". We'll we waited and waited and waited and no one showed up. I walked around the corner and found the waitress just talking to a guy at the bar. I asked if we could have a seat and she said that she was sorry and that she was the only one there. After sitting down the chips and dip were good and we ordered. Our food arrived in a timely fashion and looked like the standard Mexican food. We had a tamale, chimichanga and chile relleno. The relleno was not good. Way to greasy and solid cheese. We ate what we could but while we are eating the waitress was flirting or carrying on with another customer. Needless to say we could hear her every word and after we heard her pronounce in a loud voice that she was not lesbian we were ready to go. I would not recommend this place at all.
(1)Colorado G.
We used to frequent their Colorado city location and loved the food/ambiance. The food here doesn't seem to be of the same quality. The ambiance is generic chain restaurant version. The salsa they brought was bland and tasteless. When we asked for a "spicier" version, they brought out really good salsa; closer to what we remember from their other location and absolutely loved. Caution: The heat level in this one will knock most of you out, The service was decent and rest of the food okay.
(3)Roy G.
I've now had three meals at this restaurant. I've tried the pollo mole, and the bodacious burrito in both chicken and shredded beef. For some reason every single meal has been cold and for the most part bland. The shredded beef burrito was ordered with green chili and it was more watery than anything. This green chili made for a soggy tortilla. Overall the prices are average and the food sub par. I don't have children so I cannot speak of the kids menu. On the up side the margaritas are good along with the service. All three times I've eaten at the bar.
(2)Ryan L.
I went here with a group of about 15 last week. My car was last to arrive and everyone else was already seated. I had to inform our waitress that she hadn't taken our drink orders yet instead of her taking notice that the number of people increased by five. It wasn't a very busy night either, being a Monday. I was hoping to drink at least an average amount and I went to order my drink of choice, a commonly known long island iced tea. She had no idea what it was the first two times I said it, then she recognized it as something she'd heard before and walked away. The others I arrived with got their drinks before I even saw mine being made (we were sitting close to the very capable looking bar). My waitress eventually came back to inform me that the bartender was currently learning how to make a long island...Our food had come out before my "drink" arrived, which was a coke that maybe had some alcohol in it. I tried to instruct the waitress and bartender on making a proper one, but it turned out they did not even have sour mix to use. A bar that claims to specialize in margaritas doesn't have any sour mix...are you kidding?! And the food was only okay. Oh, and my waitress almost spilled a drink on me as it went all over the floor behind me. I had only been there once before and it wasn't much better. I won't be going again.
(2)Tiffany T.
This was my first time at Amanda's Fonda and I was not impressed at all. The salsa was very watery and bland. My enchiladas tasted like unseasoned, boiled chicken slapped inside a warmed up tortilla with sauce dumped on top as it left the kitchen. My sister-in-law's menudo was also very bland and did not taste fresh. Absolutely no flavor what-so-ever in anything we ate there. What left a far worse taste in my mouth and prompted me to write a review was the manager. When asked how I liked the food, I honestly gave my opinion on the lack of flavor and the manager argued with me and said this was as authentic as it gets. He said it is Jalisco style cooking, where the food is purposely cooked bland and an assortment of sauces are set on the table for individual seasoning. Except at Amanda's Fonda there is not an assortment of sauces on the table. I used to live in Cuernavaca and Amanda's Fonda is far from authentic and with a pushy manager telling me my taste buds are wrong, I won't be returning. Amanda's Fonda is getting two stars from me instead of one only because our waiter, Marcos, was cute as a button and gave us great service.
(2)Dan A.
First let me say that I am a fan of the original restaurant, so I was excited to see that they were converting the old Village Inn into this. After going there for lunch one day, I wish it was still a Village Inn. The service was very lacking, as everyone we encountered obviously wanted to not be there. Chips were bad, salsa was lame, and the menu was extremely limited for a Mexican place. I ordered a burrito and the person I was with had the enchiladas. After what seemed like eternity, both of the orders were wrong, but not wanting to wait for replacements we ate them anyway. The food was cold, bland, the chicken was dry, and the "steak" was like leather. The prices are insane for this quality of food. I won't be going back.
(1)Cianna R.
I visited this restaurant with a friend and my boyfriend. We were not impressed. First off, our waiter was skittish. He wouldn't look any of us in the eye, or give any recommendations on the food, as it was our first time visiting this restaurant. The guacamole was bland, and lacking a good homemade flavor. The queso was good, but took forever to come out. Our main issue with this place is that the beans you choose do not come on the side, as at almost every other sit down place I've been, but inside the burrito. Both of my guests were surprised with this and looking for their side dish. This needs to be clearly addressed in the menu. I got the grilled chicken with green salsa on it. This was quite good, but the service was slow, the person who brought our drinks kept spilling them, and overall, the service was lacking and the food wasn't worth the cost in my opinion. There is better food at cheaper cost in the springs. Amanda's Fonda is different but still has a lot of kinks to work out in order to make it worth returning to.
(2)Yvonne L.
I realize that the biggest draw to Amanda's Fonda are nice pricy margaritas, but that is all. Pace Picante Sauce for salsa, the chips were cold and stale, the pico de gallo had no garlic or cilantro, the green sauce HAD NO FLAVOR AT ALL. Most dishes had a greasy feel and flavor to them. NO SEASONING in any of our four dishes. My mother is Mexican, she will never see the inside of this place. NO SPICE. There are tons of employees standing around, it was empty, yet one of the six hostesses seated us right next to the cash register, easy access I suppose, and it took the waitress too long to take our order. The beer selection is awful as well. We LIVE in the Napa Valley of BEER, provide COS BEERS?? I also believe the food was a bit better (NOT MUCH) down by Manitou Springs, but maybe not; perhaps I just had a margarita before dinner, and failed to to taste the food! A ripoff for sure given the prices, but maybe for those who crave Chili's or the Black Eyed Pea, this could be paradise.
(1)Joe G.
Very disappointing. Extremely overpriced for the quality of food. We always make our first impressions with the salsa which thankfully had cilantro, but had no heat whatsoever. We ordered chili verde, which tasted like bland bell peppers. The carnitas plate was dry and bland as well. The kids meals were nearly $5 a piece and did NOT include a drink (which were$2.25 each!) so a kids meal ended up costing over $7 for subpar food... Unbelievable. Much better food at Salsa Brava or La Casa Fiesta. We won't be returning.
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