Undercover Diner Visits Lola's

Everywhere we have lived, our family has always searched for a Mexican restaurant. We love it all: Chips and salsa, margaritas, iced tea, Modelo Especial, and nearly anything else on the menu. In the Greater Lynchburg area, we have not found our definitive go-to Mexican spot. My spouse favors Papa Gallo, which is not my preference, while I prefer El Camino, which is not hers. You can see the divergence in our preferences for two radically different spots. However, one place where we both agree is Lola's.

Visits to Lola's can vary; sometimes the parking lot is empty, and other times it is full. The food is always reliably good. Like many places, their service can be hit or miss. Despite this, Lola's is a place we both endorse and where the food is consistently satisfying.

On our last visit, the parking lot was packed, but we were seated quickly. The chips arrived promptly, although the service following was a bit slow. They were short-staffed, as the servers were busy but stretched thin. As the evening went on, my spouse missed out on a potential margarita refill and we both noticed our salsa bowls remained empty, which added to our growing angst.

I opted for a vegetarian combination featuring a cheese burrito and tostada with black beans, while my spouse chose a bean burrito and a vegetable taco. The service was slower than usual, and when our food arrived, the black beans were unexpectedly refried, not a major issue but still noteworthy. The dishes were tasty, though not as hot as it should have been likely they had sat a while before being served.

After we brought it up, our server apologized and made every effort to improve our experience. Although it was not our best visit, I attributed the shortcomings to the large crowd and insufficient new staffing.

Despite this experience, we will return, sparked by my suggestion of El Camino and my spouse's counter for Papa Gallo