Loma Linda’s is a lot like Donald Trump. People either love it or hate it.

After an initial visit, during which I looked forward to its culinary bombast, I hesitated returning for another serving of pedestrian food. We last reviewed Loma Linda’s in 2012, and my hope that things had improved went largely unrealized.

Nonetheless, I found a colleague who cheerfully accepted the invite to tag along with the declaration, “I love that place!”

Across from the Toledo Express Airport since 1955, Loma Linda’s has accrued plenty of loyal customers in more than 60 years, many of whom fill its expansive, colorful dining room. Be prepared to wait about 30 minutes on a Saturday night.

The eatery is legendary for its margaritas. A margarita on the rocks ($3.52) was refreshing and balanced. Could the drinks be the hook? Or maybe the economical prices?

Alas, the restaurant claims to be “authentic” Mexican, yet it pales in comparison to some other Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurants in town. Simply put, there’s very little taste-bud appeal.

MENU: Loma Linda’s

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Each time we visited we had attentive waitresses and the bar was packed. But we found fault with the menu, starting with the appetizers. We were cheated on guacamole ($4.69), which was deceptively placed in the traditional mortar bowl, giving the impression it was full of just smashed avocados. Instead, a scoop of brown-tinted guacamole was propped up by a pile of shredded lettuce, and the house salsa was scooped up with under-salted chips, not made in house.

The Guerito Dip, a cheesy concoction dotted with sausage ($5.39), tasted like sausage gravy. The nachos come in a six or 12 piece order. We received six ($4.29), with a precise stack of yellow cheese and beef. Nothing more.

A companion ordered the Relleno ($5.29), a battered pepper filled with beans and cheese. The coating succumbed to the watery stuffing. When she cut into it, it oozed a brown liquid. She declined to finish.

The beef fajitas ($10.29) also proved problematic. The dish consisted of thick and gristly cuts of beef that were anything but sizzling when they arrived at the table. That made me think it was precooked and warmed before serving.

Another friend found the tacos passable. The El Pastor Taco ($4.29) is made with juicy pork spiced with cilantro and onion. The Monterey Taco ($3.19) was an open shell filled with roast beef. Each dish was served with a shell that had a gaping hole in the bottom, leaving us puzzled.

American cheese with a plastic texture and taste is a favorite restaurant topping. It coated a friend’s mediocre chicken burrito ($6.59), as well as the refrito appetizer ($1.75), which consisted of palatable refried beans. The hard cheese also filled the quesadilla ($4.39), which lacked much taste, except for the vinegar-soaked jalapeno slices.

Yet another friend, who was the aforementioned lover of Linda’s, noted that the tostada ($4.39) was not made out of a crispy shell. Upon closer inspection we realized it was stale.

The waitress, who was nice and informative, suggested we try the house favorite, a Cajun shrimp enchilada ($5.59). The shrimp was overcooked and stiff. The shell was slathered in a watery-cheese layer.

A colleague had suggested I try the beef burrito enchilada style ($8.19). The rich coloring of the meat promised a saturation of spices and flavor that failed to materialize once it was bitten into.

As previously mentioned, Loma Linda’s has a devoted clientele. Sadly, based on our two visits, we won’t be counted among them.

Contact Bill of Fare at: fare@theblade.com.

First Published May 19, 2016, 4:00 a.m.