Worst Dinner Ever: The Mayan

[Sizzle]

I know the thread title screams of Captain Obvious, but hear me out. Yesterday my oldest turned 4, so we wanted to take him out to dinner someplace fun with food he would eat and not to a Chuck E Cheese type place. My wife convinced him (and me) that the Mayan would be fun with the cliff divers and he does like Mexican food, so I agreed.

We showed up, told the hostess that it was his birthday, and she let us know we just needed to inform our server. So they sat us at a table with no view of the divers. We politely requested to be moved to a seat with a better view (there were plenty) and they obliged. We were sat and let our server know that it was our sons birthday. No real acknowledgement but okay. So we ordered our food, which was awful and overpriced. $15 for the worst burrito I've eaten in my life. I maybe ate 1/3 of it. My wife was the same. Just horrible food. The chips and salsa were also pretty bland, but they consisted of the majority of my meal.

As we were eating, the divers dove, and my kids did love that. I had to keep telling myself that we were there for the show and not for the food. So we finished up our meal, and our server brought the check. My wife clarified to him "You heard me say it was his birthday, right?" Our server said "Yes, we don't give anything for free on birthdays, but if you want to order something I can add it to the check." Ok, fine, but acknowledge a birthday. Tell the kid happy birthday or ask him how old he is turning. For crying out loud we heard two other parties get sung to across the way, don't ignore it like the asshole you are. But he did.

In short, if any of you go to the Mayan after reading this, I will personally kick your ass. Horrible food. Horrendous service. If you want to see the divers, sneak in at :15 or :45 minute intervals, walk up to the waterfall and then bail. But at all costs do not eat at the Mayan.

[BoylenOver]

It seems like a year (or so) ago, they brought in new chefs to (presumably) improve the food. Doesn't sound like it, though.

The Mayan has always been horrible and overpriced. Hell, everything at Jordan Commons is overpriced (although the movie theaters are really nice).

[smokymountainrain]

I know the thread title screams of Captain Obvious, but hear me out. Yesterday my oldest turned 4, so we wanted to take him out to dinner someplace fun with food he would eat and not to a Chuck E Cheese type place. My wife convinced him (and me) that the Mayan would be fun with the cliff divers and he does like Mexican food, so I agreed.

We showed up, told the hostess that it was his birthday, and she let us know we just needed to inform our server. So they sat us at a table with no view of the divers. We politely requested to be moved to a seat with a better view (there were plenty) and they obliged. We were sat and let our server know that it was our sons birthday. No real acknowledgement but okay. So we ordered our food, which was awful and overpriced. $15 for the worst burrito I've eaten in my life. I maybe ate 1/3 of it. My wife was the same. Just horrible food. The chips and salsa were also pretty bland, but they consisted of the majority of my meal.

As we were eating, the divers dove, and my kids did love that. I had to keep telling myself that we were there for the show and not for the food. So we finished up our meal, and our server brought the check. My wife clarified to him "You heard me say it was his birthday, right?" Our server said "Yes, we don't give anything for free on birthdays, but if you want to order something I can add it to the check." Ok, fine, but acknowledge a birthday. Tell the kid happy birthday or ask him how old he is turning. For crying out loud we heard two other parties get sung to across the way, don't ignore it like the asshole you are. But he did.

In short, if any of you go to the Mayan after reading this, I will personally kick your ass. Horrible food. Horrendous service. If you want to see the divers, sneak in at :15 or :45 minute intervals, walk up to the waterfall and then bail. But at all costs do not eat at the Mayan.

I've lived back in SLC for going on 4 years now - not long after I came back we went to the Mayan - seriously, it doesn't get any worse. I don't know how you could make worse food if that were your purpose. We've been back 2 other times since then (don't ask), so it's with the realm of possibility that I might go back again - if I do, I will call you and have you kick my ass - thanks for your offer.

[jay santos]

You can't replicate Casa Bonita.

[Surfah]

You can't replicate Casa Bonita.

No you can't. For some reason guys in my mission loved it. I think most of the appeal was that it was outside of the mission boundaries (kind of). I suppose others enjoyed the guys in speedos.

[Shaka]

Overpriced yes but the Mediterranean crepe is oh so good.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

[Sizzle]

It seems like a year (or so) ago, they brought in new chefs to (presumably) improve the food. Doesn't sound like it, though.

The Mayan has always been horrible and overpriced. Hell, everything at Jordan Commons is overpriced (although the movie theaters are really nice).

Don't get me wrong, the food was bad and overpriced. I wasn't planning on getting top cuisine, but merely okay would have satisfied me. I get that. The thing that really ticks me off is the awful service. That doesn't cost any more (at least it really shouldn't) and acknowledging a kids birthday is not something that is hard to do. I was just very disappointed.

[TripletDaddy]

We went to the Mayan when it was new. I think I was in law school. For those that went, there literally were lines out the door to get seated. I think the entire Jordan Commons was new so there was a lot of overall hype.

I would rank the food there below Los Hermanos, if that is possible. The beans tasted canned and the rice was akin to something you would microwave. Although I never returned and never planned on returning, I will support Sizzle in his boycott simply out of principle. That place is horrible.

I'm heartened by the wave of accurate reviews I am reading in this thread, so all is not lost.

[LiveCoug]

You can't replicate Casa Bonita.

I thought Casa Bonita was the worst food on the planet. Then I went to the Mayan.

Everyone is right. It's amazing they can make such horrid food. Seriously, it is so baaaaaaaad. Last time I went (in laws were in town and that's what they wanted), I ordered the Chile Verde. The pork was overcooked and very dry. The green sauce was very bland. I couldn't believe that pile of hud was 15 bucks. Like Sizzler, I just filled my gut with chips (certainly not homemade... $.99 bag of the crappiest chips you can find at the grocery store chips) and salsa.

Never again.

[Indy Coug]

These are problems easily remedied, so why aren't they?

[Surfah]

These are problems easily remedied, so why aren't they?

Because apparently they don't have to.

[scottie]

It's probably been 5 years since I last took our family there. They had changed the ordering style to where you ordered and paid while in line, handed you your food about 3 minutes later--no joke--while still in the line, then someone would sit you at a table.

Is it still really busy? If so, people must enjoy watching divers while they eat dinner a lot more than I would ever guess. If not, that place has got to be a serious money pit for the Millers.

[Sizzle]

It's probably been 5 years since I last took our family there. They had changed the ordering style to where you ordered and paid while in line, handed you your food about 3 minutes later--no joke--while still in the line, then someone would sit you at a table.

Is it still really busy? If so, people must enjoy watching divers while they eat dinner a lot more than I would ever guess. If not, that place has got to be a serious money pit for the Millers.

It was not busy yesterday. Granted, it was a snowy weekday, though I would say at 6:30ish it was probably between 35-45% of capacity. Granted, at double the cost of even a place like Cafe Rio, maybe it isn't totally bleeding money either. The thing is, with decent food/service, the place could be packed. Maybe it is on the weekends, but the ambiance is definitely cool, but like Indy said, fixing poor service and awful food shouldn't be an issue. Why they don't fix it is a good question.

[Commando]

yes. I went here with my brother on my nephew's birthday, for the same reasons stated by Sizzle. Would it hurt them to at least throw a Lynn Wilson in the microwave rather than serve up the Alpo in a dry tortilla I ended up eating??

bleh. I don't recall the server being an a hole, but that probably would have sent me over the edge, because the food didn't put me in a good mood at all.

[cougjunkie]

It's probably been 5 years since I last took our family there. They had changed the ordering style to where you ordered and paid while in line, handed you your food about 3 minutes later--no joke--while still in the line, then someone would sit you at a table.

Is it still really busy? If so, people must enjoy watching divers while they eat dinner a lot more than I would ever guess. If not, that place has got to be a serious money pit for the Millers.

The last time I went it was like this as well. Total cafeteria style.