The Whole Enchilada

I wanted to walk around the mall, but didn’t realize that Sunday the mall closes early. The hubs wasn’t ready to head home. It was a rare occasion that we were out on a date night, and had some time… First I am not in love with stand-​in-​line-​and-​order-​your-​food model. It is not cafeteria style, as the food isn’t ready, and it isn’t restaurant style, as there are no waiters… There is a growing number of businesses with this model. Not sure how popular it is. (Perhaps that is a question for the Talk threads!) While standing in line, a patron cut the line and ordered… Again, I’m not a fan of this model. The wonderful gentleman who took our order was apologetic.
I ordered a standard fish burrito. The food was ready in a reasonable amount of time. The cheese was cold.
That does not negate the fact that the fish was delicious, I just believe it would have been even better had the cheese been melted. The salsas were also quite tasty. My favorite was the mango. They also offer onions and jalapeños.
We were there at 7pm which seems like it is not a good time for this place on a Sunday. The garbage was overflowing, there weren’t any containers for the salsas, there were tables with empty glassware and covered with crumbs… When we ordered and the extremely amazing bar tender explained he was assisting the person who takes the orders, so it was obviously a funky time that we showed up, but it wasn’t overly busy…
Within 10 minutes of us being there, this take charge bar tender — like in the Micky Mouse in Fantasia scene when the magician magically cleans up a huge mess — everything was cleaned and refilled within minutes. If only I’d come 10 minutes later I would have found a completely different atmosphere.

Love going here with my family. Great chill atmosphere very laid back and what’s best is the food. Honestly by far the best tacos, burritos, in the area and for a good price. Usually sit outside they have live music most days which just makes everything an experience.

YUM and yes! If you’re looking for a delicious fast food kind of place on the healthier side, then hit up The Whole Enchilada. First off they alway have awesome 90’s alternative music blasting (unless it’s a night where they have live music). Second win, they have a help yourself salsa bar with jalapeños, limes and tons of cilantro!
I always end up ordering the same thing when I’m there, because it’s so good. I get the skrimp (that’s what it’s called, but it really is shrimp) tacos and I order it «go green». That means it comes served on a giant bed of lettuce instead of taco shells. I recommend this dish with their chili lime dressing. Their guac is decent and so are their black beans.
There’s a nice bar in there and the place tends to attract a cool crowd. I’ve been there for both lunch and dinner and I’ve yet to be disappointed. Check them out!

This is a very cool spot. The menu is fun and drinks are good. Saturday nights they have live music. The vibe is always chill here. The staff is warm and very inviting. Bartender Jess is the best and Manager Kevin is always nice and helpful. I’m a regular and plan to keep it that way.

Really enjoyed this place. Stopped in for some dinner before a movie. I had the burrito and took advantage of the buy one get one drink special, Moscow mule. The burrito was delicious; kind of heavy on the beans but still good. I really liked the salsa bar. Mango salsa was the best! First mule made by the female bartender was delicious, the second mule made by the male bartender tasted like straight vodka. While I appreciate the extra alcohol, I didn’t order a shot, I ordered a girlie, sugary drink. All staff were super friendly. I will be back again!

Underwhelming is the word here. Really wanted to like the place as the atmosphere was great and the décor is hipster enough. The food was bland though. Even the salsa was lackluster. Got the tacos and nachos and added some queso as a side. Nothing made me say wow. When I consider Tijuana Flats a better Mexican restaurant, that’s a problem.

This is about my third time here and I’m not very impressed. The décor and bar area are pretty nice, but the food is a bit on the bland side for my liking. I’ve tried the Hasselhoff, Nacho Mama Nachos and one of their burritos (each on different visits). I do enjoy their queso, however, the guacamole was disappointing. I understand that it’s not authentic Mexican food and more of the American-​Mexican fusion. It seems like there’s a similar taste and texture to all the dishes I’ve tried so far, and something is definitely missing in my opinion. I was definitely trying to like it each time but was disappointed. I don’t think I’ll be returning, especially with the numerous other options out there.

Ok, soooo let me start by saying I LOVE Mexican food (especially Tacos) therefore I am an extremely tough critic. It also might not help that I’ve been to many authentic Mexican restaurants, so any restaurant that’s going to attempt Mexican-​American cuisine has their work cut out trying to impress me.
I’ve been here about 3 times and I am not impressed. At all. Unfortunately this place just does not meet my standards for Mexican /​Mexican-​American cuisine.
Honestly the only reason I gave it a two star is because they usually have some kick ass live music there on Friday and Saturday nights, which I enjoy.
It’s crowded, being at one of the main entrances for Broward Mall and right next to the movie theater. There’s always limited seating and the line usually moves slow. Waiting for your food could take a good 20 minutes.
Personally, I think the food is completely bland and I’ve tried several dishes. Even the guacamole (and boy do I love guacamole). The salsa bar is boring and I think the salsas are tasteless as well.
The staff is nice though :)
Of course, please, be your own judge and give them a try.
I think Taco Bell is a better selection for overall taste and price (and I don’t even eat there). Sorry The Enchilada, I really wanted to love you guys but I just can’t get there.

Just the worst. Typical «mall» pay-​before-​you-​eat fare, so didn’t expect much in the way of flavor or service but my daughter requested Mexican and this was closest to the concert we were heading to. BUT the other night, the entire restaurant was «slammed» for no reason other than that it’s staffed with underpaid, joyless workers who have no reason to work hard. They don’t make tips and are most likely paid a pittance. It took 30 minutes to screw up my order and another 30 to fail to fix it. In that hour, maybe only 6 other people placed orders. Literally could not explain what was going on and why I never got my food. «We’re slammed!» the food runners would say to everyone, but it looked like a typical weekend night’s crowd at a restaurant. Finally just left without getting my food — we had a concert to catch — after the manager and employees just kept saying «5 more minutes.» I don’t blame any of the people working there, as the structure of the place lends itself to that corporate feeling that we — you as a customer and they as the employees — are just numbers (they literally give you a number card when you order).
Do yourself a favor and find a local place, owned by locals, that makes real food — and finish killing off these remnants of the corporatized TGIF flair mentality that began dying a few years back. You’ll have a meal prepared by real people who like their trade and you’ll make the world a slightly better place — one enchilada at a time.

Great place! Love the food! Conveniently located inside the Broward Mall next to the theater. I’ve gone here twice before going to see a movie. I like that there is also a full bar. The Fort Lauderdale location doesn’t have one. There’s also live music most nights. The food is delicious! Fresh ingredients and an excellent menu! Will always be coming back!

This is a really great happy hour– two for one on drinks from 4 – 7. This is not fancy Mexican. Don’t come here thinking it is. The outdoor modern appearance fooled us at first. It is faster food– much better than Taco Bell but not upscale or great food after you order and eat. Think– chipotle, with some fresh salsa… And a fantastic bar that is breezy and has a trendy and fun feel. The bar really is great. A great deal financially, attentive service, great atmosphere with a fun group of folks hanging out here. The outdoor portion of the bar is the best. If you decide to sit there, another bonus is they offer full service so you don’t have to wait in the normal food line you would if you say in other areas of the restaurant. If I could — I would give the bar five stars, but I’m dropping a star because the food was good but not really great.

It’s not the best fast Mexican but it does have slightly healthier choices, and the location is really nice. I used to like it more when I first found it but after a few visits I don’t like it as much. It really depends on what you get and the salsa bar is fresh and delicious some days… and not so much on other days. I do appreciate the variety of vegetarian options .The nachos were way too soggy for my taste– it seems like the chips weren’t crispy enough to hold the toppings well. The service isn’t bad but a bit slow at the bar– that said they were busy.

Fast food Mexican restaurant located in the Broward Mall, with entrances directly from the street/​parking or from inside the mall. The restaurant serves freshly made Tacos, Burritos and salads and offers a large fresh salsa bar with different types and spicyness of salsas including a tasty Mango salsa. It is counter service, they have a large full bar with a few of the outside and what appears to be a large glass garage door.
The ambiance is nice, the restaurant is large and clean with plenty of seating. The reason for my 2 stars is the food is incredibly bland. It just lacks flavor, it looks nice but its flavorless, and I am not speaking spicy because I don’t like spicy food, I just mean overall flavor, they must not marinate their meats, and just about everything is blah which is very disappointing since this place has so much potential. I gave it a few chances and even brought a few friends and they all agreed it was Meh. I hope that they are able to improve their recipes because it is a pretty nice and original venue.

****** update to my original review ******
We decided to give it another Chance with the gift card we were sent. As we seated ourselves outside the waitress came over and was very nice, made some recommendations and took our order. Turns out our waitress was Jessica again! This time every thing was great and she was great so I guess that goes to show how we all just have an off day sometimes.
Will probably not come here again. After shppping at the mall we decided to stop in and sat at the bar for drinks before heading home. Jessica was the bar tender and was nice enough and made a good first round of drinks. The whole place was slow on a Sunday evening. As we finished our first round, another waitress came over and asked us «Would you guys like some nachos?» As she sat a plate of nachos down in front of us. We said ok and thanked her as she walked backed to the kitchen. This sometimes happens at restaurants promoting items etc. We asked Jessica for another round of drinks and as I took my first nacho, she asked if we ordered nachos. We told her the kitchen brought it to us and asked us if we wanted it. This is where things could have gone either way. She immediately said it was for the other people who ordered it at the other end of the bar. We were very surprised obviously and felt bad but she said if we knew we didnt order it we should have told them. She then told the customers whonordered the nachos in a loud and obviously annoyed voice while standing in front of us, they would have to wait for their nachos another ten minutes now because we got them. Then she stormed off to the kitchen without making our drinks. When she came back we cancelled our drink orders and will most likely never go back. We were made to feel so uncomfortable for something that wasnt our fault. We even tried to explain it to the manager, (who appeared after we were told one wasnt on duty, probably a line cook) even asked them to put it on our tab, but the manager barely apologized just saying shes the best bartender they have. All in all, the drinks were good but their mistake ruined it for us.
I am editing my review to be fair. After my boyfriend emailed the establishment, upper management reached out to us right away. He made things right with an apology which is all we wanted and sent a gift card by mail as well. I will not hold the place responsible for the actions of one person. Im willing to give it another chance.

The Whole Enchilada in located inside the Broward Mall in Plantation, though it has access from outside as well, so you don’t have to be IN the mall to get to the restaurant. We chose The Whole Enchilada as a place to get dinner and drinks before a late night movie. The theater is also in the mall, and just across from the restaurant. We were sadly too late to partake in happy hour, which may be influencing my 3 stars.
The setup here is a little strange. If you come in through the mall entrance you are in the typical Mexican fast food situation we are all used to. You order at the counter and are given a number, and your food is delivered shortly. The line is slightly disorganized as you are kind of just standing there reading a paper menu in line, so there is some confusion as to who is ready to order vs who is in line first, but the staff is friendly and quick to ring things up. The cashier did ask if we had been there before, and was happy to explain how everything worked when I said that it was my first time. If you want wine or beer with you meal you are able to get that when you place your order for food. However, they also have a full bar outside, which is part of the same restaurant, but you go there to get your hard liquor beverages, including the margaritas everyone wants with their Mexican food. I find it kind of inefficient that I have to ring up my food and drink separately, but the liquor bar seems unique to this location, so it seems they are trying to keep the bar separate from the family restaurant, which is fine, just a little awkward. It would be best to just sit at the bar and order food there (which is possible) but at this later hour the bar seats were all taken.
As for food I was torn between quite a few options. In the end Mexican is always tortilla with cheese, meat, and veggie, but they have tacos, quesadillas, and a whole lot of burrito options. I ended up with the Not Yet Famous burrito which had mahi, cheese, cabbage, avocado, tomato, and a chipotle sauce. I also can’t seem to escape a place like this without ordering chips and queso (which is incidentally why I don’t really care for Chipotle, but that’s for another review.) The food was delivered to the table very quickly, but I still had to get my margarita from the outside bar. Being that we were there late night (it was about 10pm at this pint) the bar was hopping, and you are able to sit there and order food and drinks, so approaching an empty area to order a drink was a bit tricky. The bartenders were definitely busy, but they kept their eyes out for people in need of alcohol. It may even be best to be a little pushy, and if you hear someone order the margarita you want, be vocal and let the bartender know. They are making the drinks in shakers, and it’s easier to make a double or triple batch than one at a time. Margaritas were ~$ 7 a piece, for the basic one, pricing went up for the fancier and fruitier ones.
Once I got my margarita and sat down I enjoyed my burrito. It’s a good size not being overwhelmingly large, but definitely filling. The chips and queso were delicious as expect. They offer a salsa bar with quite a few varieties for your chips and to add a little customization to your meal. Overall though, there weren’t really any spicy options. The mango salsa was a little too sweet for my taste. Yes, mangos are sweet, but in salsa they need a counter.
For my burrito, chips, and two margaritas I spent around thirty dollars. Not bad for dinner and drinks, but if you can make it earlier for 2 for 1 happy hour you will definitely get a better value.

I was really impressed with this place. The food is made to order and on the healthier side. We came here coincidently on a Tuesday… Taco Tuesday! They had a live band and the place was fairly crowded. The line to order was really long but moved fast. The special was 2-​tacos and a corona/​soda for $ 6. Awesome deal. Wanting to try what they are known for, I ordered the ground beef enchilada plate. The plate comes with chips, rice, and black or pinto beans.
They have the coke soda machine that makes a ton of flavors and every beverage. Lots of options, but annoying when you have a little kid in front of you trying to taste every combination.
You are given a plastic number to place on your table and the order comes out to you. In the mean time, head to the salsa bar and have fun. Mango Salsa A++
The food came out hot and quick. Portions are fairly large. The serving of black beans was huge and they were so good. The enchilada was on point. I enjoyed it very much. The tacos were fresh and had nice sized pieces of grilled chicken on it. I like that this place allows you to choose corn or flour, hard or soft shell.
They lost a start because they only had one soda machine for one person to use at a time. This kept getting backed up.

After being in the sun all day at the Funky Buddha 2 year anniversary event, I was really craving guac. I have been on the hunt for the best guac in South FL and yes, with this review, I am still on the hunt. (I am taking suggestions) I saw a few options near the event that I could try out but I really just wanted to head back to my area so I settled on this place since I have yet to try it but I always eyeball it when I am walking into the movie theater.
I spent like a minute looking for a hostess until I realized this isn’t the kind of place for that and walked over to the line they had. I looked around for menus but I didn’t see anything. Not on the walls, not on a board. I turned around to the girl behind me who didn’t appear as lost as me and asked where are the menus. To my luck, she actually works here and it was her day off. She explained the menus are located when you get closer just like laid out along a long table. I said this was really strange and she agreed. She mentioned getting yelled at a few times by frustrated customers because of this. She suggested a few things for me to get and I settled on a steak quesadilla and the guac w/​chips.
The chips were… idk. I hated them. They were salty and pastey like (if you can handle that). I prefer chips out of the supermarket bag over these. The guac just tasted like avocado mashed up, no flavor– no love. I was super disappointed. The quesadilla was good and probably the only thing I liked here.
Here is the good part, I was faced with a struggle. Out of Soda but I was sitting alone. I was almost finished with my meal but I just needed more because I was just too thirsty with all the sun today. I knew if I left my table, employees would think a pig left all their food on their table. And yes, of course, thats exactly what happened. As I was about to pour my soda into my awesome cup of plasticness, I see an employee at my table! I ran over and everything from the table was now on my meal. I notified him I am still eating but I am sitting alone and I needed a refill. He said «oh sorry» and took the napkins off my food. What? I walk back to the soda machine and decide it’s whatever I will just throw it away. As I am walking by, I guess he realized what he did was gross & said he put a new order in for me. Hey, at least he made up for it.
i thought the bathroom was really cool (is that weird?). I just like how they kept the wood tables look inside the bathrooms as well. Womens bathroom door opens outwards– I am sure people get hit all the time trying to walk to the kitchen/​mens room.
Everyone really likes how its open to the mall with no walls and windows but I personally didn’t like it. This location is located right in front of the movie theater so all I heard were teens acting out, screaming, and what not. I guess I should have expected this knowing how this place was designed.

Whole Enchilada has become my Friday go-​to lunch spot. It’s go a great vibe to it and I’m sure even if you came at dinner time, this location would be a fun spot to visit. They always have signs for live music which is always a cool thing.
The menu is pretty simple: tacos, burritos, and any burrito can be made into a salad all you have to do is ask for the «go green» version of it and you’re all set.
Your meal comes with chips and I believe you can get extra for no additional charge if that salt addition of yours is high like mine. For one person, meal and a drink always costs me $ 13. Somewhat high for s fast casual lunch but roughly the same as a trip to Panera.
The space is huge. Great for solo or large group lunches. They have one of those annoying coke machines with all the different options so getting a drink is annoying because everyone stares there for minutes until they make a selection. They only have one so it makes it even worse.
They have a back bar if you want s liquid lunch. Always a good thing.
One thing I don’t like is their salsa. It’s very watery in my opinion and has a paste-​like taste to it. I go without it. Their salad dressing on the hand are great.
The drink cups are small, sometimes the tables are a little messy, the staff is usually pleasant. My last visit I noticed a line employee texting which doesn’t bother me only that I wondered how dirty his phone was? And then he was going to make my food? I wasn’t excited about that, but it doesn’t stop me from coming back.
My tip: get the salad version of your burrito I think you get a lot more that way.

3.5 …For a fast food Mexican concept I think this place does quite a good job. We have been here at least 3 – 4 times. We head straight to the bar area which is super casual and fun. They have garage doors that they leave open. Not that you have any kind of view of course but it’s just a nice feeling as if you are sitting outside.
They do have a walk up counter and a decent size dining area. The bartenders here are awesome! They alone deserve five stars. They offer specials throughout the week with beer and cocktails. They have a small selection of draft beers but a good selection of nice craft beers. The Margaritas are just OK.
Unto the food, the chips are thin and fresh, and yes they have a salsa bar area that I see many people dislike. I am a fan of just plain basic salsa with the chopped onions, parsley and spices so it works for me. My daughter enjoys the burrito’s, she has tried two different kind. I love their chicken quesadilla. The quesadilla is perfect. Just the right amount of each ingredient, fresh tasteful chicken and the flour tortilla is good quality. The guacamole is not very good. But if you stick with basics like a burrito or quesadilla it is quite good.
To hang out and have a few beers or cocktails with some decent food this place satisfies me. Funny thing is every time we have gone it is seriously better than anywhere in the area for people watching. Very diverse set of folks come here. Yes you get the drunks, the cougars, the rednecks, the tourist, the businessmen, casual folks, and other crazy people. So we are usually quite entertained here. It is fun!
One day we ordered some beer and we were going crazy over the glasses because it had the FSU symbol on it. The bartender was so sweet she gave us a few to take home. The young ladies are sweet, pretty and very friendly.
Oh and only once did I come here because I was in the mall. It is on the outside of the mall so very easy to get to.

This was probably the worst and most unsatisfying meal I have had in ages… and that includes meals I have had in fast food, casual fast food, moderate, and expensive establishments.
This casual fast food place is located right next to the Regal Theater at the Broward Mall. We came for a quick bite before a movie. Honestly, as far as convenience goes, I don’t know why anyone would come here unless they were already at the mall for something as the parking is horrendous!
I opted for the «Not Yet Famous» burrito ($ 7.99) consisting of Mahi Mahi, cheese, cabbage, avocado, tomato, and chipotle sauce. In order to handle the burrito a little easier, I cut it in half. When I bit into the first half I thought they forgot the fish as there as there was absolutely none inside! I did check the other side and the three small bites of fish were all on the other side of the burrito. It was really no great loss, as the fish was cold, dry, and tough anyway. I barely tasted any chipotle sauce, making the burrito absolutely flavorless.
Husband ordered the «One of Those» ($ 6.99), basically a basic burrito that he had with chicken. He said his burrito was actually filled with chicken but the flavor was just okay. 10 year old really enjoyed his Shrimp Tacos ($ 7.99).
The salsa bar was horrible! I tried what is usually my favorite, salsa verde and roasted tomato. Both tasted like spicy mushy tomatoes. They were so bad that I could not bring myself to taste the Mango or regular salsa. The Whole Enchilada should be embarrassed to put this nasty product out there!
Servers were average. They answered questions when asked. However I have to say, they did not greet us, did not offer suggestions, and were not particularly friendly as at my favorite fast casual Mexican place, Salsa Fiesta. The food did come out very fast.
Compared to Salsa Fiesta, Lime. Tijuana Flats, and Chipotle, this is the worst fast casual Mexican I have ever had. I added the second star simply because my son enjoyed his meal and husband did not hate his. I have passed by the Whole Enchilada in Fort Lauderdale for many years and have heard great things so this was a big disappointment!