Ted's Cafe Escondido in BA

[osu9400]

Just ate there and the food is very consistent with the OKC restaurants (been there a few times).  The service was excellent, the portions were large, the pre-meal setups (salsa, queso, relish, chips, tortillas) were good, and the free sopapillas were average. The house salsa was plain, but I asked for some hotter. They obliged with their "atomic" - not as hot as it sounds, but it had a good flavor. (I prefer fire-roasted tomato salsa such as that at Las Americas.)

The atmosphere is good. Actually it is MUCH BETTER than the original in OKC.

The prices are a bit on the high side for Tex-Mex, but a lot is included (see setups and sopapillas). You will NOT leave hungry.

The quality of the food is good, but not spectacular. For years, OKC residents have bragged about this restaurant as a point of pride of their city. When visiting, people will often ask "have you been to Ted's?"  This is something I have never understood. It is good, but not good enough to create a city wide buzz.

Anyway, I recommend Ted's to Tulsa and BA diners, but I do not recommend the 2-3 hour wait people are experiencing in the evening.

[sgrizzle]

I had a very bad experience with the new Ted's. I've never been to the old Ted's but I like Chellino's in OKC which is similar except chellino's is good and cheap.

We went at 2:30 to avoid crowds. We were told 55-65 minute wait so we put our name in and went and ran an errand. Total wait time was about an hour and a half. The restocking of chips and salsa was done by a seperate group from the waitstaff and was done well. The waitstaff, and we had a "trainer" was lackluster at best. He had a reasonable grasp of the menu but was noticeably absent. Each waiter is assigned 4 adjoining tables so you know he wasn't "checking on another table" for 15 minutes. Of the 4 orders at our table, 3 were wrong and the 4th was missing. After correcting the first three, the 4th was still missing and the manager had to go get it. Prices for the food was pretty laughable. An Enchilada, taco, rice and beans was $11.99 as was almost every other item on the menu. Lunch is $7.99 for pretty much the same menu. Food was not any better than any other mexican restaurant. Queso was decent but was a little weirded out by the fact that the salsa was milky and had bubbles in it. For two people with two drinks it was about $30 (before tip) and we were never given any sopapillas. Total time was about 3 hours and that was with the fact we got there at 2:30.


Either way, I don't get what the big deal is and I will not be returning. Like osu9400, I'll take las americas and get plates the size of small cars (with good food on them) and good salsa for $6 a person.

[MH2010]

I usually wait about 4-6 weeks after a new restaurant opens before I try it for the first time.  It usually takes that long to get the kinks out and to get the crowds to die down.  Hopefully, Ted's will be the same way.  I like the one in OKC and I hope that this one in B.A. will be as good.

[MichaelC]

I was thoroughly unimpressed with the one in OKC.  And I doubt I'll be going to this one.  There's better food at many a chain, even better if you go to one of the locals.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by inteller

OMG I'm so sick of hearing about this place.  Everyone skip the BS wait and go to Mexico Lindo which is just up the street at 71st/Garnett.

I agree.

[SXSW]

I've been to the original in OKC, pretty good but nothing spectacular.  I doubt I would drive out to BA for this one.  They are planning one in a new mixed-use development in Norman, I may go to that one but then again there are much better local places IMO.

[thevacman]

I must respond to this.  I am a loyal fan of Ted's and have been eating there for several years.  I would say it is the best Mexican food I have ever eaten and the service is superb.  I do consider myself a food connoisseur as I frequent food establishments from Kansas City to Dallas to Los Angeles.  Never have I experienced service in the way that I have at Ted's.  Once I was at the NW 68th St location and they forgot my atomic salsa.  When asked how things were I mentioned that I wish I had my salsa and the waiter went to get a manager and he came over and apologized and took care of the ticket.  In B.A. 2 of the dinners we ordered were just alike and one was not brought out to the table.  When the manager came to the table he offered to pay for all 5 dinners due to just one being 2 min. late.  Never have I seen this type of pride and service.  As for the food I would highly recommend the shredded chicken.  The fajita beef is excellent as well.  The Mexican tacos are outstanding. Perhaps Ted's is for those with more sophisticated palates.  Give them a couple of weeks to work out the kinks and to get used to working under conditions where such high expectations are placed upon their performance. Then try it and let us know what you think.

[brunoflipper]

quote:Originally posted by thevacman

... Perhaps Ted's is for those with more sophisticated palates...

You've got to be kidding? That is the biggest load of crap I've ever heard. If anything, the opposite is true. Ted's will do fine... Hell, there are people who love that ****ty texas roadhouse crap. But in Tulsa, it will not take on the OKC mystique... It just does not translate. Like the OKC obsession with johnnies charbroiler... Tulsans could give a rip.
If you are going to attempt to convince me that Ted's is premier mexican food you are wasting your time.
I am certain the BA'ns will love Ted's but I won't be making the commute.

[sgrizzle]

I don't like Johnnie's, never have. They are building the freaking things everywhere even though the original one in Tulsa barely keeps it's doors open.

I like Texas Roadhouse. Mainly for the Chicken Fried Steak though. It's huuge. Like a virtual planetoid, got it's own weather system.

[Kenosha]

TED'S mexican restaurant.

Nope. Not buying it.

[tulsa1603]

I ate at the one in OKC once a few years ago, and all I remember was the overhwelming taste of what I would assume was Velveeta cheese.  It didn't live up to the hype.

[AVERAGE JOE]

Ate at Ted's in OKC. Wasn't impressed with the food. All the hype is over the fact you get salsa and queso along with chips when you first sit down. Most of the Mexican joints in OKC do that, probably because of Ted's.

But past that, the food was absolutely nothing special. It was fine. Not worth the wait or the hype.

[osu9400]

Are you for real? This post seems loaded with sarcasm to me.

If this is a genuine post, you need to have your taste buds examined. As I stated, the food was GOOD, but not out-standing. You can stop at any "Mexican" restaurant and get the same style food. How you can say Ted's is the "best" is a little strange.

There are a lot of Mexican joints in BA with another big one coming (Los Cabos). Once Los Cabos opens it will be the the darling of the month and Ted's traffic will settle down.

Recap:
- Service: Excellent
- Quantity of food: Excellent (Could feed a small country)
- Salsa: Store bought?
- Quality of food: Average
- Value: higher priced than most, but I realize they load you up with food before and after your entre.
- Atmosphere: Good, a little boring, but better than the original Ted's

Everything about the BA location is very consistent with the home location. If you like OKC Ted's you will like BA.

The thing that most people get caught up in is all of the food and they seem to disregard the average quality of the entree.

q: how was Ted's?
a: It was great, you get a ton of food
q: cool... how were your enchilads?
a: oh, they were ok.

quote:Originally posted by thevacman

I must respond to this.  I am a loyal fan of Ted's and have been eating there for several years.  I would say it is the best Mexican food I have ever eaten and the service is superb.  I do consider myself a food connoisseur as I frequent food establishments from Kansas City to Dallas to Los Angeles.  Never have I experienced service in the way that I have at Ted's.  Once I was at the NW 68th St location and they forgot my atomic salsa.  When asked how things were I mentioned that I wish I had my salsa and the waiter went to get a manager and he came over and apologized and took care of the ticket.  In B.A. 2 of the dinners we ordered were just alike and one was not brought out to the table.  When the manager came to the table he offered to pay for all 5 dinners due to just one being 2 min. late.  Never have I seen this type of pride and service.  As for the food I would highly recommend the shredded chicken.  The fajita beef is excellent as well.  The Mexican tacos are outstanding. Perhaps Ted's is for those with more sophisticated palates.  Give them a couple of weeks to work out the kinks and to get used to working under conditions where such high expectations are placed upon their performance. Then try it and let us know what you think.

[okcpulse]

Ummmm, who said us Oklahoma Cityans obsess over Johnnie's?  Everyone I know at home doesn't even care for Johnnie's.  Everyone is either for Ted's, Laredo's or Pearl's.  Sorry, but you heard wrong.

[BKDotCom]

¿Maybe it's just fun to say "Escondido"?