Ripe

Wow -- how have I allowed this review to go without a proper update since 2016. Ripe has become one of my fave spots and their burgers and salads are now some of the things I most crave when I'm back in town visiting.

Their standouts to me are their poached pear salad. Probaly one of the cleanest salads that although may seem simple it's the quality of ingredients and those damn red wine soaked pears and the sweet pear balsamic dressing that elevate your salad. If I was living in town, I would probably have this at least twice a week. That's how much I love it.

Top it off with a protein and you have a super health friendly meal that'll keep you full. I opt out of the toasted cashews due to allergens and swap the goat cheese for feta.

Damn now I'm here craving a salad and I don't have immediate access to one.

For my sweet tooth fanatics.... get their cheesecake. You won't be disappointed and you'll regret having to share with the table.

It pains me to write a review like this, so don't be fooled by the 4-stars, which represents the experience shared by my guests, but not me. Their food was all delicious and prepared as ordered, and served by a polished, professional, and courteous server. Ripe is comfortable, and its ambience is casual and stylish without being over-the top. I wish I could say the same for my order, which I refused and didn't place an alternate order.

I've been enjoying ripe for many years, since before the current ownership acquired it from its founders--a brother and sister team who were always onsite--one, the other, or both. When ownership/management is present, bad customer experiences seem to happen infrequently.

On this occasion, two evenings ago, I ordered a burger medium well. Ripe's burgers are GREAT. A thick, 1/2 lb of patty ground beef served on a brioche bun, with inventive toppings if you want them. My burger came with bacon, torreados, and pepperjack cheese. Unfortunately, my guests, all who ordered salmon (excellent) received their orders first, followed by around a short, 5-minute (not too long) delay for my burger. When by burger was delivered, it looked great, but when I cut it in half to avoid making a mess of such a large burger, I discovered a cold-red center, extending outward towards the edge of the burger. I detest rare burgers--and they're unsafe to consume as well.

It was a quick 5-minutes before the server came back around asking everyone if they were enjoying their dinner and everyone replied yes, but I asked if she could take my rare burger back. She agreed it was way too rare and offered to bring it back, but I politely refused, as ten minutes had gone by and everyone else was actually nearly finished enjoying their salmon.

Folks, we have a meat thermometer at our house and every restaurant does, too. I'm not picky. When I order a burger medium-well, I'm happy if it comes out medium, medium-well, or well-done. I'm really disappointed if anywhere in the inside it's cold and red (not pink--bright red and raw in the middle). Personally, I prefer medium, but too often, the burger is under cooked, so avoid that by ordering medium well. My strategy fails completely when the cook is untrained, inexperienced, or too lazy to test the temperature of a 2-inch thick piece of beef. A total fail, I left hungry because I don't re-order. I've seen Road Trip and what happens when you insult the cook by returning his/her masterpiece.

Ordered 20 minutes in advance and they forgot one of the plates in our order. We waited in the drive through for an additional 20 minutes for our order to be completed. We paid 64.00 for the salads that took 40 minutes and no one in outside drive up line besides us. 64.00 for 3 salads.

You pay for cold food. $15 and when I tell her she says I'll take it off. Then Brings me the tab with it. Thanks. Never coming back. Shouldn't have came in the first place.

Came here for lunch and the food was amazing. I had the Bacon Toreado burger and my husband had the Shrimp tacos. I got sweet potato fries with my burger as well. We left with empty plates and full stomachs. Would definitely recommend coming here for the food and for the great service! All the waitresses were amazing with our 9 month old.

Updated review of dessert. I didn't see a picture of the seasonal dessert so I wanted to post it. I just want to say that the chicken fried chicken I had today was juicy. Usually fried chicken like that taste dry. It wasn't and the mashed potatoes were good as well as the veggies. Good size portion not over whelming.
The dessert was good. I really liked the cajeta that was on it but the cake to me was a little dry.

Such a wonderful lunch here today. Our server Patricia was fantastic. Delicious Greek salad with salmon. Steak tacos and soy ginger calamari were a hit at the table. Thoroughly enjoyed!

Food was amazing!!! Annette my waitress was also great, I will definitely be coming back and was pleasantly surprised with lunch today after my gym session! Thank you!!

Great atmosphere and great service. The food was great and the salad was excellent. Nice and quiet too.

*Out of Towners Beware: If you're not from El Paso or have a Texas ID. You will not be served alcohol.

Honestly, I felt discriminated by this restaurant because "this is a neighborhood restaurant" and I'm not from the neighborhood.

I was visiting a friend who moved back to El Paso. She grew up in EP, and had been back for about 5 months.

We came here because she loved the food, service, and drinks. She goes there frequently with her family.

We arrived and were sat down immediately by the host/hostess. We got our server, Carlos, and he seemed rush. My friend knew what she wanted to drink. Carlos asked for her ID. My friend and I are well above the age of 21.

He apparently kept angling the ID, eventually wrote a bunch of stuff down, gave her ID back, and left. Not a word was said.

He came back. We were ready to order and I was also ready to order my drink. He asked for my ID. Looked at it; angled it. Went away. Came back and said he couldn't serve us.

The reason: They just got their liquor license and they can't serve anyone that doesn't have a TX ID.

I stayed quiet to hear his explanations as my friend questioned him. They are a "neighborhood restaurant" and I guess we shouldn't have come bc we aren't from there.

My friend said she's come multiple times and ordered drinks. He couldn't provide a good response. When she told him she just moved there, his response to her was "get a TX ID."

Now, they can say it's based on geography, but a part of me believes it was cuz I'm a different type of "brown" person. He was okay to serve my friend a drink until I ordered one.

We left. He did nothing to correct the situation. We went to another restaurant that accepted our IDs and even gave us an free drink on the house for the trouble we experienced at another restaurant!

I visited El Paso again just recently and I will never step foot in this restaurant again.