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Cafe Rio Mexican Grill
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
24312 Rockfield BlvdLake Forest, CA 92630
(949) 334-9292
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 10:30 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 10:30 am - 10 pm
Sun 11 am - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
123 reviews for Cafe Rio Mexican Grill
Review Highlights
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"The pork barbacoa is great on any meal." In 27 reviews -
"And the creamy tomatillo dressing." In 3 reviews -
"On tortillas alone, this place would be 5 stars." In 31 reviews
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122 reviews in English
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Review from Elaine L.
Irvine, CA
5/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
This was my first time trying Cafe Rio. There was a short line which went really quick. Cafe Rio is Chipotle style where you tell the people behind the counter what you'd like in your entre. I ordered the sweet pork barbacoa burrito with black beans, enchilada style. YUM! The sweet pork barbacoa is very sweet if you just eat it by itself, but it was perfect combined with the rest of the ingredients in the burrito. Their tortillas are made onsite. The tortilla had a nice chewy texture. Yum.
Here's where the -1 star comes in. Their hot sauce isn't very hot. Well at least to me it isn't. If I want hot sauce I mean HOT sauce. One of they guys working the line wasn't too friendly either. -
Review from Drea H.
Laguna Hills, CA
3/28/2012
My boyfriend and I had avoided coming to Cafe Rio after reading such negative reviews from various Yelpers, but we decided to try it out last week...and I'm glad we did! We personally had a wonderful experience and thought the food was yummay. My bf got a barbacoa wet burrito & I got a shredded chicken wet burrito.
When we stepped foot inside, we were immediately reminded of Chipotle. They have a counter where customers line up and place their order, and you're asked what you'd like on your burrito, salad, etc. Pricing is a bit more than Chipotle but their portions are ginormous!! Our meal tasted delicious and we'll definitely be coming back. They have indoor and outdoor seating, so it may be doggy-friendly as well...which is another plus :) ... AND, the employees at Cafe Rio sing. I don't know if they do it at random intervals (I doubt it), but when we stopped in, they were singing about quesadillas...or something.
Although their ordering process is the same, I cannot compare Chipotle and Cafe Rio because their food tastes nothing alike. The Cafe Rio menu is more sweet, while the Chipotle menu is more savory. I love them both :) -
Review from whitney w.
Lake Forest, CA
1/27/2012
Went here today for the first time.... nice place, really good food, friendly service...... they even sang me a "first timer" Song lol VERY funny!
all in all, you dont get much better for an affordable mexican grill lunch..... -
Review from d s.
Anaheim, CA
5/4/2012
Went here for the first time yesterday with a coworker who always goes here for lunch and it was awesome! Better than Chipotle. Try the salmon salad!
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Review from Ashley S.
Los Angeles, CA
5/16/2012
I don't know why it took me so long to try this place out. I had a great experience. I went on Taco Tuesday to find a bit of a longer line, but it went by fast and the employees were kind and worked hard to get our orders quickly. The food was good, decent priced, and I loved the decor (colorful and fun, yet it still looked nice!). This is definitely one of my new favorites in the area.
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Review from Michelle F.
Irvine, CA
10/6/2011
I find this a unique little place to go for fresh and tasty food. I gave this location one more star over the Costa Mesa location because they just do it better here.
I will always try to order something that comes with the fresh tortilla, that is what I most look forward to when eating here. I often order the chicken salad, which comes in a tortilla, and then add rice and beans, which I guess makes it more like a bowl. Be sure to ask for cilantro sauce. It's so yummy and heightens the flavors just a bit more. Another favorite of mine is the salmon tacos. They will grill up three nice pieces of salmon so tasty. I don't know what the secret is, but they are way more flavorful that salmon tacos at other mexican eateries I have been to. Add cilantro sauce to this as well!
On Tuesdays, the special is shrimp tacos served with mango salsa. They are a little on the sweet side, but delicious nonetheless, and quite a deal when they come with rice, beans, and a drink.
This place packs up weekdays during lunch, and their table layout is wacky. You can't really get around without bumping someone's chair or handbag, or baby, or stroller. That is my only complaint. -
Review from Poupee C.
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Sweet Pork Barbacoa Salad. Nummy. It's is freakin' gigantic. Bring an appetite!
It is served in a tortilla, topped with rice and beans (yea, and they call this a salad) It is more like an open burrito with romaine lettuce. pico,guacamole, cotija chesse, tortilla strips chips, and the Pork. HOLY GUACAMOLE! Muy delicioso. -
Review from QB K.
Mission Viejo, CA
2/27/2012
Way better than Chipotle... hands down!
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Review from Debby L.
6/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
This isn't the most authentic Mexican food by any means, but hey, I'm in Lake Forest. It's very similar to Chipotle, and the reason my friend took me here is because I was craving the steak salad from Chipotle.
CHICKEN SALAD
It's huge. HUGE. We could have shared with three people. The flour tortilla at the bottom of the salad is really unnecessary because I rarely ever eat the tortilla. The salad is filled with rice, beans, and chicken at the bottom, then a hunk of lettuce, sprinkles/doused with cheese, hot sauce, and house dressing. It's about a foot tall by the end. I really liked the chicken and sauces mixed in. The meat is tender and the salad is fresh. Easy light lunch to share. $9
TACOS for $1.50 on TUESDAYS
You can get BEEF, CHICKEN, or PORK. Shrimp costs more. I got the beef and was unimpressed. Not very tender, and I left most of the meat.
HORCHATA
Only comes in one size. Not bad. Little too watery for me, so i asked for very little ice. $2.50 -
Review from Shawna P.
Mission Viejo, CA
7/20/2011
The food at Cafe Rio is outstanding. It's always fresh and made fresh in front of you (as well as the tortillas). The customer service is friendly and they always try to make you happy.
The shredded beef is the best. I recommend the nachos, or burritto cafe rio style (wet).
As far as I'm concerned, Cafe Rio beats Chipotle by a mile. -
Review from Daniel T.
7/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good and cheap and big portions! Just the way I like it.
The daily special is a great value that comes with a drink. I ordered the Wednesday daily special (tostada with soda) for only $7 and change. I like that the food is served in aluminum wall-plates (I don't know what they're called, but you'll know when you see the pictures) and they don't chintz on portions.
I cashed in karma points from tipping my barrista in the morning as the staff brought my table a tres leches cake on the house. I was the only one at the table without gluten sensitivity, and without hesitation, I sank my teeth into the cool, dense, moist cake. (That's taking one for the team, right?) But I was too full to eat the entire thing. I created my own unfashionable to-go container using two paper plates, and took home the leftovers for a midnight snack.
I'll be back for more because--to be honest--too much of a good thing is never too much when you're talking about Cafe Rio. -
Review from Homer S.
Lake Forest, CA
6/19/2011
As I have stated before, I try to walk into an eatery with an open mind and an open stomach. My son, Bart, said Cafe Rio (CR) was great and the portions were large - so we decided to give it a try. We arrived around 8pm on Saturday night. The tables were nearly empty, but a wave of customers came in after us.
We ordered: mahi mahi burrito ($9.95), pork enchilada ($5.25), and chicken burrito ($6.75). CR charges $0.50 per tablespoon sized scoop of guacamole and sour cream, so be prepared to add another $1 to each plate. Refillable sodas are another $1.79.
The mahi mahi was advertised as "fresh and juicy"; however, it was neither fresh nor juicy. It appeared juicy after they drenched it in your requested mild, medium, or hot sauce. But wait - they were our of hot sauce (yes, seriously). The taste was okay. Certainly not exceptional. I should have asked how freshly grilled the fish was when I saw the line cook lift it out of the warming bucket.
The enchilada was the size of street taco; two corn tortillas wrapped up and wetted in mild green sauce - as ordered. The tastiest part was the lettuce / pico / guac / cream mix on the side. This plate was essentially a $6 mini taco salad. We would have been better off ordering at the Jack-in-the-Box at the corner. Way under impressed with this one.
The chicken burrito was bland. Even the sauce could not elicit the essence of chicken over the rice and bean ratio. Again, the best flavor was the salad side mix. I would like to compare this to the burritos at Chipotle, but honestly - it's been too long since I have sampled that fare.
Quite honestly, I would rate Olamendi's higher on the flavor. Although I want to be clear that I don't rate either highly. Also, it could be said that you may find a better overall combination of flavor and price by crossing under the freeway and visiting Don Jose's. Cafe Rio does not impress.
I'm going to need to head over to the Twisted Noodle so I can write a 4-star review. My last few visits to local eateries have not yielded many that are of good quality. -
Review from Calvin N.
Costa Mesa, CA
3/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hmm..where do I start? I have been to a few Cafe Rios and I have been impress with the food and service. This time around I was expecting the same great customer service and quality food but I was disappointed. The server seem like he did not want to be in that position. He just asked what I wanted and then just ignore my comments of how I would like my wet barbacoa pork burrito. So the experience wasn't pleasant this time around.
Just 12hrs later the next morning develop symptoms of food poisoning. The only thing I had the day before was Cafe Rio so I was able to narrow it down to exactly what I had. So after a terrible experience I had to suffer 36hrs of discomfort.
I will not be going back to this particular Cafe Rio, let along I do not think I will be back to any Cafe Rio in the future. -
Review from James K.
Garden Grove, CA
5/13/2011
I walked into this joint and saw them grilling up fresh tortillas so my first impression was great, but first impressions can be deceiving.
I rarely give 1 stars unless my experience was below par and I think I'm pretty lenient. I try not to be biased, but I just couldn't help it after my personal experience.
#1 Food poisoning. My friend tried their "special" barbacoa and ended up sitting on a toilet for the rest of the day at work. Definitely not a great 1st experience.
#2 My food did not have flavor. Bland chicken I ordered was dry and a bit dull. Barbacoa was so sweet that it was hard to get down. If you like your food savory...DO NOT get the barbacoa. You will regret it later if you fail to heed my warning. (Don't scratch your head later, I warned you)
#3 A bit on the pricey side for majority of what was on the menu. 2 tacos for 6-7 dollars, cheapest thing on the menu.
My first experience kind of sucked, if you want to steer away from the Chipotle line then be my guest. Not really a spot for one of my extensive reviews, nor a place I would recommend to friends (enemies, maybe). -
Review from Kathy G.
Lake Forest, CA
2/9/2011
Horrible Customer Interface!
I can't enjoy my meal when I am PISSED and annoyed by the time I sat down with my food. The order taking process is complete chaos. I had to repeat my order to 4 different servers. Then the cashier couldn't get it straight at the register. If you're easily annoyed with inefficiency, as I am, then I would advise you against this place.
I love tortillas and the homemade corn tortillas were awesome, but all of the meat was way too sweet! -
Review from Nicole R.
Coto De Caza, CA
9/2/2011
Great food, but portion control needs to be practiced better. Our nation is way too overweight for restaurants to still be serving these ridiculous portions. With that said, I usually get a tostada and it lasts me 3 to 4 meals. Price is good given the amount of food and service is great. I just don't like the stupid yelling and stuff they do when people order extra cheese, etc., this is a restaurant, not a fair.
Also, for those of you out there who keep putting that they don't have Gringo Bandito (you all must work there because I don't know anyone who likes that sludge), STOP whining about no Gringo Bandito hot sauce, it is probably one of the worst on the market. You might as well whine that you weren't given rotten food because putting that junk on your food ruins it. I prefer habanero hot sauce anyway, not this fake local junk. -
Review from Ryan M.
5/30/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've been here a few times and feel I've given them a decent chance.
For starters, I don't care for the pork barbacoa that they push as their specialty. It's way too sweet. Chipotle's beef barbocoa is much better.
-1 for charging extra for grilled chicken or steak.
Chipotle is only a block away; Go there instead. -
Review from Bill D.
Newport Beach, CA
7/27/2011
Taste: 4/5
Quality: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Value: 5/5
Overall: 4/5
Details: I usually get the pork barbacoa salad. It's a huge portion with a giant tortilla on the bottom. The quality and quantity of the food is incredible for about $8. I've had a couple of the daily specials before too and have never been disappointed.
Note: This location can get REALLY busy at lunch. Don't let this stop you, but you've been warned! -
Review from Cheryl C.
San Diego, CA
1/2/2011
Ended up coming here on a drive down from L.A. because my friend swore it was the "best barbacoa burrito I've ever had in my life"...
This place felt like a mix of Rubio's and Chipotle.
We came close to closing time so maybe that's why the food wasn't that great. The cilantro ranch was awesome...but didn't match with the barbacoa. It was mostly for dipping the chips in. As for the burrito, I'm sorry to say that the pork was a bit dry and the bbq sauce was WAY too sweet.
Probably won't be coming back here...even if I'm in the area. -
Review from Sukhraj B.
Lake Forest, CA
11/7/2010
Cafe Rio is adjacent to the 5 freeway and in a crappy rundown part of Lake Forest you would swear is straight out East LA. Couldn't they revamp this place to look more OC-esque? Just doesn't make sense.
Came here for lunch and the place was packed. We got in line and started the assembly line build your order type meal that is similar to Chipotle except your order sits in an oven for a while because nothing is pre-made. Boo.
I love the atmosphere here. Bright, colorful, and fun but their enchiladas weren't all that great and rice was bleh. Nothing to write home about or make for a memorable experience. I don't know if I'll go back for a repeat visit. This place was way too loud and my order took forever to be made. My friend was half way done with her burrito by the time my enchiladas were ready. -
Review from Kayla M.
Corona del Mar, CA
10/11/2010
OMG- I LOVE CAFE RIO!!!
I grew up in Utah, and every time I went home to visit- there were three places that I would have to go to before coming to California. Wingers, Leatherby's and Cafe Rio. When I found out they were coming to California I was STOKED!!!
Cafe Rio is definitely NOT a traditional Mexican place. So if that's what you're looking for- this may not be your place. They are famous for their Sweet Barbacoa Pork- and rightfully so- I haven't seen anything like it anywhere else. There was a chain in Utah called Costa Vida that tried hard, but no can do.
I LOVE the sweet barbacoa salad with the creamy dressing. The flavors all work so well together. If you're not in the mood for sweet- go with the carne asada or pollo asada.
The one thing I wish they would do is serve beer- but being that Mormons most likely own the place- and their values are more important than revenue- I doubt that will ever happen. (I'm having a hard enough time finding a Utah Jazz tank top!! If they won't make sleeveless shirts- they definitely won't serve alcohol!!) -
Review from Cameron C.
Mission Viejo, CA
5/24/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I love this place. Tasty are tacos, I tried the burrito and it was so so... The tortilla soup is REALLY GOOD too! It get pretty packed at lunch hour but the cooks are pretty entertaining singing the whole time they cook. All of the staff seems excited to see you... as in VERY excited.
Try em' -
Review from Jennie T.
Irvine, CA
11/14/2010
Cafe Rio is a Chipotle wannabe that's high on salt and sugar.
The layout is Chipotle-esqe but the flavors are more Taco Bell style. You can get a side of beans and rice, for an added cost (don't do it). The employees were having a fun time throwing a lime around. I was waiting for it to hit me in the face because stuff like that happens to me all the time.
My pork barbacoa tacos cost 7.25 for 2. They were pretty big tacos, much larger than the palm-sized ones that I'm used to. They were so sweet, I thought I was eating candy. No bueno at all!! The toppings were run-of-the-mill: sour cream, lettuce, pico di gallo, none of which could mask the saccharine flavor of the pork. I also tried the quesadilla, and it was way too salty.
Maybe it was their off day or something or the employees had too much fun and went crazy with the salt/sugar. Go to Chipotle down the street. -
Review from michele k.
Orange County, CA
11/11/2010
This is some good stuff!! I was really impressed. Not authentic, but that doesn't mean it wasn't delicious!
I got the pork burrito, the one that is their specialty. I shared it with someone because it was huge. The staff embarrassed me by loud songs/comments while walking through the line, which was pretty funny. My burrito was full of flavor. The place was clean, employees were nice. -
Review from Jen B.
10/8/2010
No bueno.
My friend invited me over for dinner and served food from Cafe Rio. The only thing kind of edible was the tortilla soup. I liked the addition of avocado (it was almost like an avocado broth)
Everything else was not good at all. -
Review from Neen M.
Irvine, CA
11/28/2011
Most monsterous burrito ever! At first you're like, damn super expensive for a burrito! BUT when you see the portion size you get...craaayyyy! MONSTER GIANT portions. Please for the love of monitoring our nations obesity issues SPLIT a burrito w/ someone or at least eat 1/2 and save the rest for later (they actually wrap the burritos in a "to-go" like box from the get go so it's almost as if they know you cannot finish a whole burrito on your own) Overall pretty delicious! Extra plus is the guacamole! So worth it!
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Review from Eric H.
12/29/2010
Not a huge fan of this place.
A friend recommended and said this place was the best.
It wasn't, seems like any chain Mexican place.
The service was friendly but only some of them seemed to be genuinely friendly, a few were fake friendly just since it was their job to be.
I tried the barbiqoa (sp?) pork taco and tried a little of the burrito.
The sauce was way too sweet and didn't match well with anything.
I really had to try and drown the taste with some tortilla chips.
I swear it was sweeter than my soda.
All in all, it seemed expensive for what it was and it really wasn't that good taste wise. -
Review from Sean N.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Updated - 8/20/2010
Just found out this place puts High Fructose Corn Syrup in all of their sauces and in their wheat tortillas. After reading numerous scientific studies regarding HFCS containing mercury, causing liver damage, obesity, and diabetes, I have stayed away from it and know relatives who cut it out of their diet and lost over 50 pounds with nothing but avoiding HFCS.
Again, this is a personal health choice and this 1 star update reflects my personal opinion of the restaurant. HFCS is a cheap artificial sweetener, and quite simply I do not respect an establishment that serves its patrons with cheap ingredients, especially when they are harmful to your health.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/4/2010
The food is good, better than Chipotle, but the price isn't. You get suckered into paying big bucks… Read more »
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Review from Shane D.
7/31/2010 4 Check-ins Here
No need for a long review here.
Imagine if Rubios & Chipotle merged. That's Cafe Rio.
Big portions, great fish tacos, and everything else they have on their menus. They don't have many locations in SoCal yet, but if I'm near one, I'll choose this over the other two places usually.
The only bummer is they don't have carnitas like Chipotle does, which is my favorite. So that cost them a star for me. -
Review from mike h.
Orange, CA
12/16/2011
very average food at best! Do yourself a favor and head across the parking lot to Tula and get a real taco for half the price.
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Review from Dru C.
2/17/2010
Cafe Rio may fly in the Utah area, where it originated, but here in SoCal, there are just too many better choices out here for quality AND inexpensive Mexican food, authentic or not. I heard about this place fairly recently, and since I'm always up for trying new things, so we stopped by to give it a shot... and, probably the only shot.
I knew about the assembly-line setup, as we've all grown accustomed to with Chipotle, Subway, etc. Generally speaking, most of these places are fairly well organized, and you end up with what you want, provided English (or Spanish) is the primary language of choice. Here, however, there was just a whole new level of disorganization. I could go on and on with specific detail, but long story short, I wasn't sure WHAT I had ended up with in the end.
I ordered a salmon taco and a barbacoa pork taco, which also comes with rice and your choice of black or pinto beans. One person takes the tortilla and toasts it on the grill for a bit, then loads on the meat. Then the next worker piles on the toppings for 1 taco, and waits for the next worker to finish so that HE can put toppings on the other taco. So I had to repeat what I wanted... again. So 1 worker per taco, is that really necessary? Inefficiency at its best.
Here's what also made me chuckle. These workers are obviously trained to rush you, moving the line along, mumbling through the entire time, asking what you want. I felt hurried, rushed, go go go! Food slopped in my circular tin can for takeout. But we were there early around 4pm, and there was nobody behind us in line. Huh.
So on to the food. While the tacos are large in size, there just isn't much flavor unless you pile on the hot sauce. The sweetness from their barbacoa pork is a bit overpowering, and there was just too much of its own juice to make everything soggy. The salmon was better, but still bland overall. The rice tasted stale and somewhat "toothy." You want rice to be fluffy and aromatic. And those beans, well, I've tasted better beans from a can.
For 2 tacos, rice and beans, it set me back just a tick under $10. Taking quality in consideration, it's just not good value. The menu lists your standard burrito, enchiladas and the such, with daily "specials." I love Mexican food of all kinds, whether it be from a chain or hole-in-the-wall. But I can think of at least a dozen Mexican food places within a 3-mile radius, that I would rather go to than Cafe Rio. -
Review from Michelle M.
Lake Forest, CA
2/20/2010
I've been curious about Cafe Rio since it finally opened a couple months ago. It always looked crowded when I drive by, so I usually avoide it like the plague because when I'm hungry and in a hurry, a crowd is no bueno. But today, in the midst of my errands, I decided to stop at Cafe Rio for lunch around 12:30pm. It wasn't too crowded for a Saturday afternoon....there were a couple of people in front of me in line, and the tables inside were about 70% full.
After looking at the menu, the beans, rice and cheese burrito caught my eye. So BRC burrito, here I come!!! Cafe Rio has an assembly line type set up where they put your food together, like Chipotle. The only problem inside this place is that it's SO loud I had to shout my order a couple times to the guy behind the counter and I gave the blank stare and "huh?!" question to one of the workers at least twice because I couldn't hear him. I'm not old and my hearing is fine...but it's so hard to hear in here due to the load music and people talking loud!!! Pricing is decent in here, comparable to Chipotle. For my HUMONGOUS burrito and a small drink, it came to $8.10. Not bad.
After getting my drink (yay, they have diet dr pepper!!!) and sat down in a corner table, I dug into my massive burrito. First thought "yummmmm this tortilla is fantastic!!!" After a few more bites I'm thinking "hmmmm, I really don't like these beans and rice....what's up with them?! They only taste good when I have a glob of cheese on them.....I'm not sure if I like this." Personally, I don't think the food was anything to brag about. It was just there. Just blah. Something to fill my tummy with as I go around for a few more hours of errands.
Overall experience was average. I must say the newness of the restaurant and the atmosphere inside really made the place stand out. It was just fun. The food on the other hand was just average, or slightly below average. Nothing special to brag about when you get home or a place I'd think to recommend to a friend. Plus I totally forgot my foodie experience about 15 minutes after I walked out. Ouch!
Cafe Rio, I really want to like you, really I do. I like supporting local eating places, expecially when it comes to Mexican food, authentic or not. But really, step up the quality of your food. For the same price, I'd rather go to Chipotle for my burrito fix. But, since you're so close to my work, I may rethink you one day and stop in and try your enchiladas. Until than, cheers.Listed in: My inner love for Mexican food…
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Review from Rico O.
Laguna Beach, CA
12/30/2009 11 photos
Imagine a bastard love child between Baja Fresh and Quiznos and you'll get a good idea of what to expect from the brand new, Utah based fast casual restaurant Café Rio.
How so? Well, take Baja Fresh's pleasant/inoffensive (read: no cabeza, nor lengua), pass it under Quiznos' conveyor oven and you get this Mexican-ish eatery. It's good, but not great. Just pleasant.
When I visited, it was their third day of operation. (BTW, tell them it's your first time there and you'll get a Stone-Cold-Creamery-circa-Mid-90's cheer.) So the place was brand-spanking new.
Being that I visited on a Wednesday I had their daily special: chicken tostada and drink for $6.47 with tax:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
It's hard to see under all that stuff but the first layer is a crispy tortilla covered with shredded chicken, beans, rice and cheese which was then passed through the oven.
Afterwards, it was topped with the lettuce, Pico de Gallo, tortilla strips, sour cream and a moderately spicy cilantro-lime vinaigrette dressing.
If however you find the mix a bit too bland, they offer a bevy of salsas (below) ranging from mild to F'ing hot ... which I soooo appreciated. Gotta have the spice!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
All together, the meal was pleasant. I don't think I'd bring out of town chef friends here to showcase the cuisine - but it was good.
But, here's the dilemma people: you can easily go to neighboring eateries such as Albatross, Taco Stop, El Pollo Loco or even Wahoo's Fish Taco and get something better and for the same price - if not cheaper. The conveyor oven and the welcome cheers are nifty gimmicks, but will they be enough to compete? Vamos a ver. -
Review from Chris P.
Highlands Ranch, CO
6/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good food at a good price. Similar to qdoba or chipotle. Barbacoa is there specialty and is good. Nice staff. Entertains with spontaneous singing.
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Review from Kimberley H.
Laguna Hills, CA
2/9/2010
Went there last night with the hubs. The place was packed and I had read good reviews on it, so we went in. I LOVE Mexican food and am always excited about new places to eat.
So it is set up like Chronic Taco, which is like Chipotle, but with a lot more chaos and staff not knowing what the hell is going on. We looked at the burrito pictures (with rice and stuff) and opted that route. I got steak and hubs got the barbacoa.
The assembly line forgot my steak and just as he was starting to wrap it, I had a perfect, "Where's the beef?" moment. The guy was like, "Oh whoops," and threw some in. I opted to skip the enchilada style and so it went straight into the Quizno's toaster oven. The guy kept asking me what I wanted, and then was assembling my hubs just like mine without even asking him what he wanted. It was so loud in there, we were both shouting to be heard and there were way too many people behind the counter getting in each other's way. One guy even dumped a salad into the chip container and then just shoved it all back in the bowl and shoved it further down the line.
When they packaged them up, no rice or sides. Just a burrito in a tin. We ordered chips and salsa and weren't even asked what salsa we wanted, they just shoved two in the bag. We wanted the kind that was at the front of the line (that goes in the food) instead of what they sent us home with.
The bill was higher than Chipotle for sure, but we hoped that despite the chaos, that the food would be worth it.
Not so much. We got home and while the steak was REALLY good, the overall burrito wasn't and there wasn't that much meat. The rice was GUMMY and bland and really just took over the flavor of the burrito. The chips were also really good, but the salsa sucked.
Next time, I'm going back to Chipotle / La Salsa / anywhere else instead. -
Review from Roger B.
Irvine, CA
1/4/2010 1 photo
UPDATE: Their salads are EXCELLENT!!! (but the tacos are still horrible) A friend recently brought me a salad from Cafe Rio and then I went back on my own - the salads are absolutely Excellent !
Food taste (tacos combo) was not good compared to the nearby competition of Chipotle, Wahoos, and Baja Fish Taco. With all the marketing hype when they first opened, we thought this place was going to be excellent. We ordered chicken enchiladas, chicken tacos, and a burrito (there were five of us). Everything tasted fried with a lot of oil. The enchiladas did not have red sauce and there was so little cheese, we could barely see it. It tasted bland. The taco tortillas were fried in something that masked the taste of the rest of the taco. It was horrible. The rice was bland.
The burrito was actually good though. I might go back for the burrito but nothing else.
Again, they opened this place across the street from a Chipotle and a Wahoos (what were they thinking???) And there's a Baja Fish Taco across the freeway on Lake Forest Dr. All three of those are a milestone better than Cafe Rio.
UPDATE: The salads are EXCELLENT !!!
(I just increased rating from one star to three stars) -
Review from v v.
Laguna Beach, CA
1/17/2010
Just went there with my family. The food was fine, but nothing special and nothing that you couldn't get at many other chain mexican places. In fact, the menu is pretty sparse, tacos, burrittos (very large), quesadillas and salads. They also have daily specials.
This is not a sit down place with waitresses, it is "an order first and wait till they call your name so you can bring it to your table place".
The handmade flour tortillas look tasty, but alas, you can't buy them ala carte. They are used to make the burrittos and quesadillas, so the filling of the burrittos overpower the tortilla.
This place is definetly popular as evidenced by the long line to place an order, think of the serpentine lines at Disneyland. I think the popularity will wane once folks see that the food here is not "all that". Taco Mesa, and many other places have better more authentic food.
Go here if your close by anyway, but don't make a special trip. -
Review from Ethan H.
Lake Forest, CA
3/2/2011
Move over Chipotle, make room for Cafe Rio.
They have it all: fun environment, spirited staff, free quesadillas for kids, and excellent food (did I say homemade tortillas?).
The pork barbacoa is amazing. It is sweet and juicy.
Taco Tuesday is $1.50 each.
This is my hands down favorite Mexican Grill. -
Review from Isabel T.
Irvine, CA
7/29/2011 4 Check-ins Here
The food at Cafe Rio doesn't disappoint. It's like Chipotle - where you stand in line and they make the food fresh to order. Although, I went on a Tuesday night at 6:30 and stood in line for an hour. I honestly thought I'd walked into some kind of nightmare. No matter how good the food, it wasn't worth the wait or the sound of screaming children and south county parents who are too new age to tell them to shut it. Both times I've gotten the tostada - once with grilled chicken and once with grilled steak. They were both outstanding. My husband has tried the burrito with a red sauce on top which he said was delish and another friend ordered the steak quesadilla which also looked very appetizing. I would go back for the food but never again at a peak hour.
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Review from Bob K.
Mission Viejo, CA
2/20/2011
I read in the Register that Cafe Rio unseated In & Out as the number 1 fast food place so I decided to try it yesterday.
I ordered the sweet pork barbacoa burrito with black beans. I saw the lady making the tortilla for the burrito & quesadilla so I thought this is going to be fresh. Once the meat, beans & rice were wrapped, the burrito went into an aluminum take out pan which was then put on a conveyor belt and heated. Out comes the heated burrito then shredded lettuce and pico de gallo sauce is put in the pan.
The warmth of the burrito and the lettuce & pico de gallo was goodness. I'm not a sweet fan so I would not order that again. I'll try the chicken next time. I cut the burrito in half as I usually do because I've found that if I don't do that sometimes by the time I get to the end the insides are dropping on to the plate. Well in this case after 3 or 4 bites the insides were getting on my hands. It was a pretty messy burrito.
The jury for me is still out if Cafe Rio tops Chipotle. I will come back again to give it another shot.
There was not too many people eating when I went so the order process was fine for me.
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