Diego’s Cantina

Food was pretty good. Cream cheese chunks in lobster guacamole was very weird. Service was the worst I’ve encountered ever. Seriously. So slow and out of alcoholic drinks. Really?

We went to dinner with our neighbors. They arrived about 30 minites before us and had ordered drinks already. We waited another 15 or 20 minutes until I table was ready and they had still not received their drinks.
The poor service continued all night. Wehen we ordered drinks it would take them forever to bring them out. At one point we ran out of chips and asked for more. When the waiter finally returned to the table we had to ask again for more chips.
When the food finally arrived, it tasted fine but tit was luke warm, not really hot, almost like it had sat out for a while. Everyone at the table said the same thing,
Other than that, the view is nice. Its too bad, I wanted to like the place, and if the service were even mediocre I would be ok, but it was really bad. Do not go here if you are in a hurry or expect the staff to even pretend like they care.

I’m surprised the reviews are so unflattering
The décor is adorable. A bit chic, a bit over the top, a bit fun… overall a great ambiance. Energetic, yet romantic.
The menu is diverse ~ loved the Mango Guacamole… and Lobster Tacos are yummy. The Sangria needs a bit more fruit, but was still quite good… as we’re the Margaritas.
Prob one of my fav places in the area.

Sugar Land! Finally a cosmopolitan place with great 180 degree panoramic views. Friendly staff, professional & friendly service with happy background, eclectic Latin music repertoire.
Perhaps the deal here is to stay close to the bar, our first experience was different than other reviewers, we just went for drinks & appetizers & sat at the bar.
Must haves: sit at bar & order the Entourage Margarita, along with crab nachos, what a great way to start the weekend without having to drive to far from home!!!

If it wasn’t someone else’s birthday, I would’ve heeded the other reviews & stayed the heck away. But I didn’t have a choice, so we were subject to the same poor service that so many have mentioned.
On a Sunday evening, there were just 2 or 3 other tables dining. We were the largest group at 5, and from the many gift bags we were toting, it should have been obvious to the staff that careful attention would have been appreciated. It seemed they had a skeleton crew present, so one of the chefs in the kitchen waited on us instead. In most any other restaurant, this might be a good thing — he might show extra pride in the food, give further insight as to how it was prepared. Nope, not this guy. He served like he didn’t really want to be there, didn’t check on us, barely answered questions and to top it off he completely forgot my husband’s main course. When he realized his error, there was never an admission or apology, not even when I pointed it out again at the end of the meal. Good thing my husband wasn’t the celebrant, as his food didn’t arrive until the rest of us had mostly finished. The other staff didn’t bring steak knives, even after we requested them twice. Two in our party were left to saw away fruitlessly at their beef with dull butter knives.
When I brought up the forgotten entrée at the end, still no apology from any of the staff. The «chef» offered to give us desserts. Reheated leftover filled churros — I did not want to accept them. You can guess the perils of accepting food from someone who just doesn’t give a damn, after you’ve complained about them. But I could tell the fam was becoming uncomfortable about our whole experience, so I didn’t push it. They still charged us for his meal.
As we left, that «chef» guy was slumped in a couch by the door chatting with the hostess, sticking his big feet out into the entryway. So professional. They weren’t scheduled to close for another hour. It was obvious he just couldn’t wait for us to leave so he could get the heck out & go home early.
The quality of the food itself was disappointing (everyone shared their food, so I sampled 5 entrees plus appetizers). The prices are on par with Hugo’s so I expected similar food quality & customer service (Hugo’s has excellent service). We deserved service from someone who at least pretends he doesn’t hate his job.

I like this place because they have good margaritas and fish tacos! My boyfriend and I always sit at the bar and drink Entourage margaritas. We’ve had several plates but the fish tacos are our fave. The guacamole plates are pretty yummy too!
The only reason I gave it three stars is because of the inconsistent schedule. Sometimes we come and they say «oh we were slow so we already closed the kitchen.» I think it’s whenever the owner or managers go home early. The bartenders start turning people away because I assume they want to leave too. It’s sad because this place is already slow and to turn away business is not smart at all.

Second trip still a hit and miss. But now that I’ve had a chance to try more than a couple dishes I want to up the rating to 4 stars. Plus the restaurant is really lovely and the view of the water is pleasant for a nice meal — especially a romantic dining experience.
Hits:
Sangria — fabulous, hand made, fresh fruit added deep taste sangria. I’d go in just to sit at the bar and drink these.
Crab nachos — Who’d a thunk it? But these were terrific. Light, not oily, lump crab on nachos chips with black beans with some terrific slaw and pico to add on top to taste. A bit pricey but worth it for the flavor.
Chips — the free table chips come with some of the best flavored salsa. Served hot it does have a kick! And this time they brought a wonderful little dish of what I would call avacado corn salsa to dip the chips in as well. Yummy! Seriously THAT should be on the menu because I’d get it before queso any day.
Charro beans — OMG! These could be the best beans at a Mexican joint I’ve ever had. They don’t come on every dish but ask them to sub the black beans on whatever you get.
Ceviche — good… very good… very very good. I would highly recommend any of their ceviches.
Misses:
Tortilla soup — a bit runny, a bit too cream tomato-​y for my taste. A decent sized cup for the small serving but not really what I was expecting. The food is more sweet than you might expect from most Mexican food and this soup is a prime example of that sweetness.
chile relleno — last visit this dish was the highlight of the meal. I couldn’t wait to get it again. Waaaaay too much melted cheese this time. Sure I could scrape some off and I did, but it still wasn’t as good as the last time. I can’t really put my finger on it. It was tasty but not as freakin’ amazing as the last time I had it.
The place has a lovely view of the water. We watched an egret wade all along the bank until it got to dark to see him. Ducks swam around and waddled up onto the banks to sun themselves too. Service was again very good. Not intrusive but always there when we needed something.
The owner visited with the table next to us almost through the entire meal and never popped by our table but he did thank us as we left.

Lindo lugar, muy romantico! Comida esta divina y muy autentica!
Beautiful place and very romantic. The food is divine and authentic!
A repeat offense for sure!

WORST !!
1. Before we went, I called @ 8:10. Owner hanged up on us when asked for directions. Subsequent calls from same number were ignored. I called from my wife’s phone and they answered. Second time they hanged up again on directions and did not answer call from same number.
2. I had to go as I was committed out of livingsocial. At 8:20 owner says they are about to close and suggested us that we should go to other restaurant.
3. We still wanted to use livingsocial so we sat for dinner. Only two people were working (husband &wife). Place is nice but dead air.
4. They asked us for spice level. We chose spicy and guess what they charged us extra 20% for spicy food at Mexian restaurant. Their explanation was that it takes extra chillies to make food spicy. Take that.
Thanks. But no thanks. We are not coming back.

diamanté en bruto…
had lunch there today. place was beautiful with a great location and view of the lake.
met the owner… after her introduction and informative, friendly manner — anyone with any passion… could see in her eyes. that her heart and soul had been put into every detail from the food, drink, desert and interior design.
i had the lunch special… kinda like a stew [dont ask –cant remember or pronounce!!] very tasty… came with Agua Fresca– Jamaica Hibiscus water, seafood soup, mixed salad with fresh fruit & veggies and Churros — Cinnamon Sugar Fried Dough Sticks — — ALL fantastic.
my friend had the combo – beef taco’s w/​side of tortilla soup — really good.
the only negatives:
she doesnt advertise… which i think could be a huge mistake. in this area is alot of wealth and cultural diversity that would make Diego’s a hit… if people knew it was there.
and
the service was terribly slow even when there were only 8 people in the place… i think its because she makes to order. but, hey… owner is from Mexico and «hurry» isnt in their nature!!!
hopefully, in time it will all come together and be a wonderful addition to the area

Ambiance: ⁵⁄₅ — lovely décor, spacious, and the view from above is nice. I think the setting would be great for a happy hour more than a sit-​down meal.
Service: ²⁄₅ — Our waiter was working hard, but just spread too thin.
Food:
Green salsa: ⁵⁄₅ — I love that they put avocado chunks it in
Red salsa: ³⁄₅
COCTEL MIXTO: ³⁄₅ — marinated cooked shrimp, calamari and jumbo lump crab meat, bell peppers, tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, avocado and olive oil. I didn’t see any lump crab meat. It was good, but I think I’d like to try one of the more traditional cerviche dishes next time
ENCHILADAS TLAXCALLIS: ²⁄₅ — combination of entomatada, enmolada and enchilada mexicana. For $ 18, you get three enchiladas and rice and beans. It’s a bit costly considering the enchiladas only had chicken in them. Two of the sauces were bitter… like a bitter mole sauce that needed more sugar or something to balance it out better. The chicken was moist.
CARNE A LA TAMPIQUEÑA: ³⁄₅ — grilled marinated skirt steak with grilled onions, tomatoes, jalapeños and queso fresco served with cheese enchilada mexicana and black refried beans. This was good, but not great. There were no grilled onions, tomatoes or jalapenos served with the dish. The queso fresco was actually on top of a baked potato. The meat was tender and seasoned nicely. I guess I was expecting something unique.
House Margarita: 3.5÷5 — not strong but the flavor was good. I don’t like it too sweet and this had a nice sour flavor
It’s hard to want to pay for a more upscale restaurant when you can get Chuy’s at a lower price. I think you pay for the ambiance here more than the food.

I don’t like places that are not consistent. Certainly not places that are this expensive.
I ordered the crab nachos again, but got the guacamole, sour cream, and jalapenos this time. (Turns out they *were* on the menu, so that means the kitchen forgot them on my first visit.) Unfortunately, the guac and sour cream were on the nachos rather than on the side (I’ve never seen that before), which made it difficult to follow through with my plans for sharing with hubby, since he doesn’t like guac.
However, the main reason I’m down to «meh» is that their margaritas are way overpriced and not very good. Furthermore, they are in fairly small glasses and mostly ice. I’m usually not that sensitive to price, so if I object you know it must be *really* bad. They seem very proud of them, but they are therefore obviously delusional.
I’m also less enamored of the view than the first time. It’s only good for here, and not worth a visit just for the view.
Oh, and — hubby had the lobster taco, which was OK. I thought it was odd that the rice and beans on the side were virtually unseasoned, while the taco itself was so highly seasoned that you could hardly taste the lobster.

I have been to Diego’s Cantina twice so far, and have enjoyed my stay. The quality of the food is fresh and delicious. The menu serves up a unique and lighter fare of Mexican cuisine. The tri-​colored tortilla chips served here are awesome, along side with the salsa that is paired with it. I have only had good service during my two trips here. The inside of the restaurant reminds me of an art museum. Their are beautiful paintings inside as well as a unique interior ambiance.
So ive ordered the vegetarian tamales here twice during my stay. It is by far my favourite item on the menu. I love the fact that there are roasted corn kernels topped on top of the tamales. The meal sits on top of fresh veggies and is garnished with mole sauce. I have not tried the enchilada’s, but I do remember my sister ordering them, and noticing that the topped corn was missing on her dish. Other than that, my experience has been well here. I do hope they keep their service and food fresh as always, because its a nice place to have in town when you’re looking for something different and on the lighter fare.

This restaurant is awful, horrible, beyond bad. I would give them negative stars if that was an option. We went for my husbands graduation and it took well over an hour for the first few meals to be served and then another half an hour for the next few meals. My kids were not served until 2 hours after we arrived. Then the checks took forever, came out incorrect, AND we later realized our credit cards were overcharged. The staff were barely apologetic and the manager didn’t take responsibility for the disastrous meal. Awful! I encourage you not to waste your time!!!
Oops did I forget to mention — the foods not that great either!

Diego’s Cantina has such great potential. It’s a shame that the management and staff are so inept.
The view is beautiful. The menu goes well beyond typical Mexican food found elsewhere in the area.
The service is absolutely terrible.
After waiting about 5 minutes because they were «cleaning a table» we were seated. The table was clean, yes, but it wasn’t set. At that point, all we wanted more than anything else was something to drink.
After about 3 minutes, someone came by with chips and salsa, but no water. Had this person been properly trained, he could have set the table and maybe poured some water, but he wasn’t properly trained.
We watched another bus person walk around with a carafe of water looking for glasses to fill. He looked straight at us and then walked away. Another person who could have set our table and poured a glass of water, who didn’t.
After we finished perusing the menu and almost finishing the bowl of chips, we saw that same bus person walking around refilling waters and ignoring us. Fail.
I got up and walked to the hostess stand and asked if they could please send over a server because we were getting tired of waiting. She walked back to the table with me, told me that our server was at the table behind us, and «I’ll tell her she needs to get her booty over to you.» Several more minutes elapsed.
Now, in most restaurants, if someone came to the hostess stand with a service complaint, the hostess would send over the manager to check up on our table. Not here.
Eventually, the server showed up. She took my wife’s drink order, and then immediately pressed on asking what appetizers we’d like. Apparently, my drink order didn’t matter. So we asked for our glasses of freaking water (because we were freaking thirsty) and two margaritas.
After 5 minutes of waiting for a glass of water and not getting one, my wife flagged down another waiter, who apologized, set the table, poured us water, and promised refills of chips and salsa.
The refills of chips and salsa showed up shortly thereafter. Inexplicably, the bus person gave us the fresh bowl of chips, then started to reach for the salsa (ours was almost empty) and then stopped and left us with a full bowl of chips and didn’t refill the salsa. Fail. Somebody really needs to train these people.
Several more minutes go by and no sign of our server or our margaritas. 30 minutes have elapsed since we were seated. We gave up and left. We pass our server and she tells us that the bar is slow. As we get to the bar, she points to our drinks that are just now being finished. Too late.
After I asked to see a manager at the front door, the hostess finally found one. No wonder he’s not walking around and checking on tables… he’s working as a server.
Manager offers up a range of excuses, saying that the computer says that the order was entered 10 minutes ago, but he’ll have to talk to the server to find out what was going on. He didn’t give me much of a chance to explain the rest of their screwups, but did half-​heartedly offer to comp our meal if we stayed.
We didn’t. Never again.

Dressed to go to Raising Cane’s and we saw a gigantic line and declined. I saw the little name of Diego’s Cantina right on top on the next building. I was drawn to the swanky look that I could see from my car. I told my husband if he wanted to go and we decided to go up.
Décor is pretty awesome. I love the feel and look to the place. The view is definitely worth the visit. Not too loud and had some quiet romantic spots. We got there right before the band came on so we didn’t get to hear the entertainment.
Food:
Chips and Salsa: I’m not too fond of the cheesy colored chips but they were good despite the color. Salsas: Amazing. The red salsa was my favorite while my husband snagged the green salsa with avocado bits (nice touch, by the way) and we had a pretty decent appetizer of Chile con queso. The queso was pretty much the norm of queso– not too salty, not too chunky.
Meal: We got the fajitas for two. It came with Steak, Chicken and Shrimp. Steak was seasoned well and had a nice flavor. Chicken needed more acid. Asking for a lime gave the spark the Chicken and shrimp needed. Came with a nice helping of sides and tortillas. Plus crema mejicana, that stuff rocks.
Rice was the norm. The Charro beans is what kept this place afloat and will have me back getting a freaking vat of it. The charro beans had such an amazing flavor that I wished it was my main meal to trump the chicken and shrimp.
Service: The guy was great. I was a lil chilly and he turned down the air. Usually most just look at you like you are crazy.
Bathroom: Clean but they had a one of those jerky toilet paper holders that you have to shred like confetti to use. That was not fun.
I will go back because I loved the place but probably won’t order the fajitas. Everything else on the menu is definitely worth giving a second chance. Next time, Lobster Guacamole!

Don’t let the décor & atmosphere here fool you if your coming for dinner. As stunning as this place looks the food doesn’t meat the par. We ordered the fajita combination and let me give you the details
Salsa & chips 4 — warm with a little kick
Fajitas 2 — came out on a hot plate that wasn’t sizzling. The steak was properly cooked but lacked flavor. The chicken & shrimp both dry and flavorless.
Tortillas 0 — didn’t taste fresh and small. Couple of them broke before we got to it
Service 3 — my water stayed full but getting the main waiters attention was hard. We asked for extra salsa and never got it. They gave us a liquid sour cream with no spoon
Portion/​price 1 — this place is more expensive then escalantes but the portion size is a little bigger. But never in my life have I ever been charged extra for tortillas & pico de gallo
I wouldn’t come back here for dinner, but might consider coming back to check out the bar & music
Atmosphere 5 — décor is great, live music on the weekend.

First, it’s absolutely amazing to finally get a restaurant in sugar land that isn’t affiliated with some chain restaurant. The waitress, Brittany, was extremely polite and attentive. She explain to us the history of the restaurant. This is a local born place because both the owner and the interior designer both graduated from high school in the surrounding area. The interior is beautiful and the look out over the lake at night makes it a perfect place to take someone on a date.
I also appreciate them having a vegetarian menu because sometimes its very difficult to find a place that I can even get a meal that’s not just a plain garden salad. I love salads but it’s nice to see culinary creativity.
My dad is also gluten intolerant and the kitchen made sure to prepare his meal without anything that could bother him.
The food came out quickly and the bar drinks were pretty good. The sangria was good, but the frozen fruit inside was a turn off.
My mother got the mixed fajita plate and thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt the same way about my vegetarian fajita plate. My dad ordered the tuna. However, he sent it back because it was too salty. But, they prepared him a new one right away.
It’s going to have problems at the start like any new place, but it’s on the up and up.

Nice quite little Mexican bar/​restaurant. My friend and I visited this place for the first time today and we loved it. The service was great and the Quesadillas were great we really liked them. The margaritas were big and strong for happy hour. I have to say with two I was happy :).
The manager was really nice and was kind enough to give us a little bit of history about the place and the owners not to mention the awesome sculptures and painting all around the place. It’s really trendy and a great place for a nice quiet date or a nice evening with the girls.
The bathroom was really clean and nice. I’m big on bathrooms anywhere I go so I would rate this a place a 10.
I will most definitely return and try everything else on the menu.

It’s open already! Atmosphere is upscale Mexican. Price range is similar to Lupe Tortilla and Escalantes. Nice latin music selection. Great friendly service. The free warm tortilla chips coupled with smoky, tangy salsa warmed us up for our knock-​out creamy crab meat appetizer. My Enchiladas Mexicanas with chicken tasted surprisingly light, tangy, and smoky. Their gigantic tamale Zacahuil was like magic wrapped in banana leaves. Next time I will surely make room for their key lime pie. This cantina straight from Mexico is definitely a delightful new addition to the developing area of Sugar Land. Dancers who enjoy a Latin beat, be on the lookout for dance night here…
My gut has replaced Escalantes with Diego’s Cantina.