Dona Maria Closed

exnewsman · February 05, 2008, 04:55:48 PM

The Dona Maria restaurant on Margaret St in Riverside has been shut down by the Health Dept. Anyone know what happened? In their last health inspection (11/21/07) they had no violations.

second_pancake · February 06, 2008, 10:07:05 AM

ROFLMAO! This place has had so many violations it's not even funny. A friend of mine, and business owner in 5-Points, always refused to eat there with my husband and I whenever we went because he knew of the violations. I subscribe to the philosophy that if I didn't see it and it didn't make me ill, then no harm, no foul. From what he told me though, that place was FILFTHY! I really think you should check your sources again on that last inspection. There are very few places in Jacksonville that have had zero violations. There's usually at least one and that's for a clean, upstanding restaurant.

exnewsman · February 06, 2008, 02:30:35 PM

I viewed the restaurant report online. Previous reports had as many as 15 violations with about half critical - the last one said none. Hence my question. I didn't ask for your ridicule. All I want to know if anyoen had any info as I was curious.

second_pancake · February 06, 2008, 03:48:37 PM

Quote from: exnewsman on February 06, 2008, 02:30:35 PM
I viewed the restaurant report online. Previous reports had as many as 15 violations with about half critical - the last one said none. Hence my question. I didn't ask for your ridicule. All I want to know if anyoen had any info as I was curious.

Dude, calm down. I wasn't "ridiculing" you, I was just saying it would be kind of odd for them to have so many violations and almost be shut down so many times, and then have something that comes up with zero violations when not much changed. Don't you think?

I'd be curious to see what the report looks like for their other location at the Landing.

Madelane · February 06, 2008, 03:56:41 PM

I think their food is nasty and I hate how they serve their beers in those thick mugs. Pint glasses are for beer drinking. In addition! They do not have margarita salt, they just shake frigging table salt onto the rims. And they are supposed to be a mexican restaurant. I have never understood why anyone would eat there. I know mexican food is a very personal choice but for ME, La Nopalera is the only decent one I've found so far. My requirements are fresh chips, yummy queso, and proper margarita salt. Dona Maria's has none of that. Also their salsa has too much cilantro. And by the way, I can only imagine how many violations La Nopalera has, but I don't care, because they have never made me sick.

willydenn · February 06, 2008, 05:37:12 PM

I ate there because of the location. I also found it to be one of the few places to eat outside in Jax. But after eating twice I couldn't bring myself to go back. The food was terrible and the service even worse!

willydenn · February 06, 2008, 06:38:21 PM

Anyone ever seen "Kitchen Nightmares?" Somebody should sign them up for the show!

Coolyfett · February 06, 2008, 10:08:27 PM

Crass comment alert....

There is this one waitress that works there with a really nice ass. No violations there.

second_pancake · February 07, 2008, 09:22:57 AM

QuoteMy requirements are fresh chips, yummy queso, and proper margarita salt.

Well, then I guess you really don't know Mexican food at all, lol. True mexican is dirty and cheap. If you've ever been there, you'll see dead chickens hanging out alongside the road with flies whizzing around them. Some woman who had been crouched on her knees, rolling corn meal in her hands and patting it on a rock on the ground, gets up, grabs the chicken, plucks its feathers, cuts it up and throws it onto what looks like (and probably is) an old front end car grill from a 1970's Chevy, sitting overtop a flame. After it's 'cooked', she throws the chicken (keep in mind her hands haven't touched a drop of water or soap through this entire process), into the corn tortilla she was working so hard to make, and hands it to you as you give her money, which she puts into the pocket of her skirt before grabbing another hunk of corn meal.

My point to that whole story is that when that is the environment that you grow up in and then you move to a country that has health standards, it's difficult to make the transition. They make the food the only way they know how with what they have and nothing more...just like in good ole meh-hee-co.

I thought it funny that Dona Maria's did not suffer from a lack of business at all...despite their health issues. My theory is it's because some of us have come to realize that roach droppings and rat feces in our 'ground beef' enchiladas is all part of the authentic mexican experience, lol. Yum.

second_pancake · February 07, 2008, 09:23:38 AM

Quote from: Coolyfett on February 06, 2008, 10:08:27 PM
Crass comment alert....

There is this one waitress that works there with a really nice ass. No violations there.

I do believe I know the one to whom you are referring

Madelane · February 07, 2008, 09:56:49 AM

You are exactly right, except that I do "know" authentic Mexican food, I just have never liked it. I'm from Texas and I've always preferred Tex Mex over authentic Mexican food. I have been taken to "real" Mexican restaurants and I'm all, where's my queso? Where's my margarita? I am a heathen but it's a personal preference.

However I stand by my postition that those tiny, thick-rimmed beer mugs are against the law.

creeksidebrewery · February 07, 2008, 10:34:12 AM

There is a new Mexican place on Edgewood that is pretty good. Last time i was there (2 weeks ago) they did not have their liquor license but were working on it. The name of the place slips my mind.

second_pancake · February 07, 2008, 11:29:57 AM

Quote from: creeksidebrewery on February 07, 2008, 10:34:12 AM
There is a new Mexican place on Edgewood that is pretty good. Last time i was there (2 weeks ago) they did not have their liquor license but were working on it. The name of the place slips my mind.

It's probably an El Potro or something like that. Isn't that what all the dives are called around here, lol. I'm with Madalene on preferring the tex-mex. Every once in a while I can go for the goop called queso and the salsa complete with the unknown foam topping, but I much prefer tomatos that look and taste like tomatos and meat that is what it claims to be. It really just depends on where I'm at and how much money I have.

Speaking of tex-mex, does anyone know what happed to Don Pablo's on Southside? I went to a movie the other night and noticed they were completely closed with construction tape around the parking lot.

RiversideGator · February 07, 2008, 11:55:26 AM

Quote from: second_pancake on February 07, 2008, 09:23:38 AM
Quote from: Coolyfett on February 06, 2008, 10:08:27 PM
Crass comment alert....

There is this one waitress that works there with a really nice ass. No violations there.

I do believe I know the one to whom you are referring

Wow. Care to send any photos?

Charleston native · February 07, 2008, 12:47:30 PM

Quote from: second_pancake on February 07, 2008, 11:29:57 AM
...Speaking of tex-mex, does anyone know what happed to Don Pablo's on Southside? I went to a movie the other night and noticed they were completely closed with construction tape around the parking lot.

I think Don Pablos went into bankruptcy of some sort. The franchise started closing alot of its restaurants around 2004, and I guess the ones in Florida were doing better for awhile than the ones up here in SC.