20 years ago, the newly opened “Señor Tomás” was dearly named “Hartland’s Hamlet” by the community. Residents welcomed the new restaurant, satisfying the town’s yearning for a Mexican style eatery. A decorated wooden sign was placed in front of the building, boasting its lofty reputation even still today. Yet, 20 years later, the sign is faded, its paint peeling. The trees are dying, weeds unmaintained. Is Hartland’s Hamlet still alive? The answer is complicated.

Today, Señor Tomás is still far from empty. It maintains a wealth of customers on weekends, quickly filling up the modestly sized main dining area. Señor Tomás is often well regarded for its quick service and steaming hot food – yet according to customer reviews, it struggles to maintain this quick service during busy hours. Oftentimes during busy nights, customers are left stranded at the doorway as wait staff fall behind with their orders. One such customer, by the name of Greg Smith, denounced Señor Tomás’s long wait times and poor hospitality from staff when finally seated. Another customer, leaving a lowly one-out-of-five star review, complained of overpriced and unsavory food that left him dissatisfied, noting that the food  “used to be better in the past”. Yet these poor reviews are often not reflected at the restaurant, as hungry customers still eagerly await their dinner, even if it means having to show a little patience. 

Senor Tomas boasts its authenticity to Mexican and Latin American cuisine, well reflected in the abundance of hand painted murals and generously decorated countertops, filled with a mixture of clay and glass art pieces which all originate from Mexico. In addition to the main dining area, Senor Tomas also maintains a large party room, nicknamed “Casa Azul” or blue house. On its walls, dozens of articulately crafted wall mounts and decorations are strewn about, adding vibrancy and color, adding to the restaurant's authentic atmosphere and feel.

Despite certain customer complaints regarding the quality of the food or the swiftness of the waitstaff, Senor Tomas still maintains a 4.1 out of 5.0 rating on google. 

At the end of the day, it is abundantly clear to me why after all these years customers still return to Senor Tomas. It maintains an atmosphere of authenticity and genuinity, backed by a true passion displayed by the two chefs, who have stuck with the restaurant for over 19 years. Personally, after working with those chefs along with many other staff still employed at Senor Tomas, I can say with confidence that their determination, passion, resolve, and also their humor, is what keeps Hartland’s Hamlet, Senor Tomas, still alive after all these years.