Mother's Day Dinner at Abuelo's Mexican Food Embassy in Wichita, KS

For our Mother's Day celebration this year, my husband took our family to Abuelo's Mexican Food Embassy on the Waterfront in Wichita, KS. We knew we would have an incredibly long wait on Sunday, so we celebrated on Saturday. This was an amazing decision! Other families thought this was a good idea, also. There were quite a few others celebrating a day early. Fortunately, we decided to opt for an early dinner or late lunch, so we didn't have any wait at all. We even had a party of nine! They set a table for us in the middle of their indoor courtyard. A mural above our heads looked like a beautiful spring Kansas day with a beautiful blue sky and puffy white clouds. The statues in the restaurant were amazing. They have some great paintings. There is a mural my husband always comments on, because there is a skeleton in a wedding dress. He thinks it is pretty creepy, but other than that, we really enjoyed the art.

The food is very diverse. Everyone should be able to find something they enjoy. Obviously, most everything has a Mexican flavor, but even those who don't enjoy Mexican food will find something they like at this restaurant. The combination platters include things like tacos, enchiladas, tamales, burritos and chimichangas. There are also many grilled entrees. They have a soup of the day, which varies from one of seven varieties. Tortilla soup is always an option. The appetizers are fabulous. The dips, chili con queso, layered dip and guacamole are all excellent. We especially enjoy the queso with their light, crispy tortilla chips. The salsa and chips are complimentary with your meal. The salsa is wonderful. It is mildly spicy, but, if you like your salsa smoking hot, they have a hotter one available on request.

The seared ahi tuna appetizer is very good. The tuna is just seared on both sides and it is served with a wonderful dressing on the side. Be careful, it is very spicy! My father-in-law and I had the steak banderillas. Steak and assorted vegetables are skewered, marinated and grilled to your preference, then served with their papas con chile (potatoes with chilies and cheese) and beans. You may substitute rice if you don't want the papas con chile, but they are very good. I would recommend that you try them at least once. There are also many chicken and seafood entrees to choose from. The other adults had combination platters of traditional Mexican food. Everything was delicious! The kids menu has plenty of variety. It appeals more to their tastes. Nachos, crispy or soft taco, enchilada, burrito, tamale and quesadillas are all on the menu. The kids nachos were nice and cheesy. My daughter didn't care for her cheese quesadilla, so she will get something different next time. Each meal came with a side item, of course, the kids all chose fries.

Our waitress was wonderful. She made sure our glasses were full and that we had everything we needed. She even got my daughter some butter for her tortilla chips. I know it is unusual, but she likes to eat them that way. She also was very kind when the youngest would ask for something, even though he should have asked his dad or myself. She also made sure to double check with me on his requests. They weren't too many thankfully. We were pretty high maintenance, since my husband, his dad and brother can drink quite a bit of tea or soda. She helped make it a very special meal for my mother-in-law.

The restaurant is a very nice place, but it still is kid friendly. We prefer to eat there with adults only, but this was a special occasion. I wouldn't be a mother without my kids, right. Everyone had a really nice afternoon! It is a little more expensive than your average Mexican restaurant, but not too much. The appetizers ranged from about $5 to $8. Kids meals are $4.99. Entrees range from $8 to $20. I am pretty sure there is nothing more expensive than $20 and most things are less than $15. Obviously, steak and seafood are going to cost more than traditional Mexican food.

Abuelo's is a very popular restaurant in Wichita, but they also have other locations throughout the country. If you would like to visit during popular dining hours, you will probably have a wait. Fortunately, there is a beautiful fire pit in the courtyard outside that is lit in the evening. Abuelo's is also on the Waterfront in Wichita, KS. It is known for it's fabulous shopping and dining. There is a lovely pond area to view while you wait. Also, if you get seated in the right location inside, you can look out and enjoy the view during the meal. We absolutely loved our meal, and it made a very special Mother's Day dinner for me. We will absolutely return to dine there again.