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Rincon Sabroso
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
122 N Rengstorff AveMountain View, CA 94043
(650) 968-3990
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
146 reviews for Rincon Sabroso
Review Highlights
"This place has great tacos and pupusas."
(in 52 reviews)
"The carne asada was very tender and flavorful."
(in 46 reviews)
"These are the best tacos I've ever had."
(in 74 reviews)
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146 reviews in English
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Review from Marilyn T.
Palo Alto, CA
1/31/2012
I always drove by their van but never saw the actual restaurant until i came into the parking lot looking for it.
They focus on Mexican and Salvadorian food, and I think most people come for pupusas and empanadas. It's hard to find Salvadorian food around here, so if you must try a hand made, made to order pupusa ($2 each). Fillings include vegetarian squash and cheese, chorizo, lengua, cabeza, tripa, goat, and the usual chicken, al pastor, and asada. They're just the right thickness, done on the griddle, and there's a generous amount of filling (mmm oozing cheese spilling out). It comes with a red sauce that's not really spicy, and it tastes pretty ordinary on its own, but in combination with the pupusa, it adds a lot of dimension to it. There's also a house slaw served on the side to help cut the heavier flavors of the pupusas (though they're by no means greasy).
Other unique things on the menu include tortas, mole, pozole, menudo, caldo de mariscos, house made flan, along with the usual burritos (gigantic and grilled!), enchiladas, quesadillas, and tacos. They also do breakfast ($7 each): burritos, different types of huevos, chilaquiles.
Bonus: they do serve beer and take American Express :) Service is super friendly. The order takes a little longer than at some other places since it's all made fresh, but it's worth the wait.
It's a little hidden in the rincon of the Walgreens plaza at Rengstorff and Central, so look out for the colorful truck that's often parked near the street! -
Review from Ashley N.
Cupertino, CA
12/13/2011
I visited Rincon Sabroso around 9 pm for a late, quick dinner. The food was poor quality and had signs of being left out for a long time before being prepared. The carne asada steak tasted off and the rice had browned edges as if it had been sitting out or was over-cooked. The horchata was sandy and watered down. The quesadilla was soggy and the meat inside had a gristly texture.
The service was quite slow even though we were only 2 out of 4 people in the place.
I am surprised at the high ratings because my experience was far below my expectations. -
Review from Kaila J.
Menlo Park, CA
12/13/2011
This place has great quality food, but the customer service wasn't all that great. I went in here with my sister for lunch to get some carne asada tacos that were amazing! We walked in and we weren't acknowledge for the first 2 minutes of walking in. When the lady finally came to the register, she seemed bothered and was very short with us. It wasn't until she found out we spoke Spanish that she warmed up to us. Not sure what that was all about.
On to the food...the tacos again, were amazing. Their salsas were also very well made, especially the one they give you for the chips. Despite the weird customer service, I will be going back to try some of their other dishes, including the pupusas for $2 each, they were huge! Overall I was a happy camper! -
Review from G M.
San Jose, CA
1/5/2012 1 photo
The food used to be good but the quality has come down quite a bit over the last few months. It's pretty easy to see that brown avocado it's not edible, so why do they put it on my dish? Not a wise choice to cut corners here - makes me wonder where else they're cutting corners. I hate to give a bad review but it's about the 4th or 5th time the quality of my food was poor. My company orders about 60 lunches from here every other week but we're going to cancel now because of all the meals that had avocado, all were rotten. :-(
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Review from Saliha B.
Mountain View, CA
11/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Amazing papusas made fresh!
They have just about everything else here as well - tacos, quesadillas, burritos.....but the best thing on the menu are the papusas.....
Free chips and salsa! :)
Kind of a hole in the wall and easy to miss (unless you see the Rincon Sabruso truck parked at the edge of the lot then it's easy to spot) but don't pass it up! For those of you who don't know a papasu is a dough-filled fried goodness El Salvadorean food item. Can be filled with cheese, chicken and cheese, etc. I usually get the chicken and cheese. Two of these babies can fill you up with some chips/salsa on the side.
Once you go papusa, you don't go back.... -
Review from Demetri M.
Mountain View, CA
11/8/2011
I ordered:
Steak (Carne Asada) Taco
Chorizo Taco
Special Papusa
Regular Papusa
Modelo Especial
If you go to Rincon Sabrosa and order that you'll give it 5 stars as well. -
Review from Winnie C.
Oakland, CA
10/18/2011
I was incredibly scared of coming here to eat because I get such good Mexican food in Oakland, but boy am I glad I just let my budget beat me out on this one.
Rincon Sabroso has some of the best pupusas I have ever had in my life. They tasted homemade, ridiculously fresh, and so worth the wait. I didn't even order one, I ended up eating nearly all of my partner's!
Tacos were not bad, BUT not on the same level. I loved the pupusas. I think it is a really good deal for the food too! $1.25/taco, $2.00/pupusa. Now I just wished I lived closer to it! -
Review from Jon V.
Mountain View, CA
10/16/2011
OMG this place is SFG! It makes me want to CAINMP! Know what I mean?
(Try the chicken tacos) -
Review from Jonathan L.
Saratoga, CA
10/25/2011
Been coming here for the past 4 years and I must say that this place does not disappoint on the pupusas and tacos.
With complementary chips and salsa (HOT), and their pupusas with a side of veggies and carne asada tacos, I was complete. -
Review from schelly y.
Santa Clara, CA
9/5/2011
Cheap and delicious. 1.25/ taco and 2.00/ pupusa
Carne asada tacos, carnitas tacos, and pork and cheese pupusas!
All of the meats were cooked well and flavorful. The carnitas had just the right amount of crispness. Pupusas were the perfect combo of crispy on the outside and oozy inside. -
Review from Luna L.
Mountain View, CA
Updated - 10/23/2011
I'm gonna cry because this place has changed owners. Everything has changed. The flavor of the lengua and al pastor is not as good and their horchata is powdery. Wah.. there goes nearby good mex food. I guess I'll have to go back to SJ and RWC for my fix.... :(
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/8/2008
I always overlook this place when I go to Walgreens but then I saw a couple walk out and eat their… Read more »
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Review from Crick W.
Burlingame, CA
7/18/2011
Went here blind based on Yelp reviews - great choice!
Food was excellent. Way on top for the category!!
I had the pupusos, which I'd never had and was excited to try. They were really good. Plan for extra time as they are cooked individually to order - worth the wait. Slightly crispy on the outside, meaty and cheesy on the inside - and piping hot fresh off the griddle.
The only downside for me was the noise level. The kitchen is open with no insulating walls or ceiling drops, and the stereo is blasting to keep up with the kitchen fan noise. Walls are hard and smooth - lots of reflected noise. I found myself cupping an ear to focus on my table-mate's voice.
But the food is great and I'm going back for sure. -
Review from Daniel R.
Santa Clara, CA
10/17/2011
I came here for a burrito after moving to the Mountain View area from San Jose. The burritos were ok, but not as good as I was expecting.
The asada had some flavor to it, but even within the burrito I had, some bites were bland, while others were good. Overall, though, it was fairly dry.
My friend tried the al pastor, and seemed to have a similar reaction to its quality. He needed to pile on a ton of salsa onto the burrito to enjoy it.
The food probably is worth around 3 stars, but the service pushed this down lower. I am not hispanic, and I feel like this shouldn't be an issue. When we showed up, it was 15 minutes before closing. The group in front of us ordered in spanish, and this took a good ten minutes or so while my friend and I stood in line. Then, when we got to the front, even as the group in front of us settled down as a large group, the cashier said "We are closing, so you're not allowed to get food to eat for here. You can only order to go." There was no apologetic tone in her voice; just crass impatience with our daring attempt to order food at her establishment. This happened a good 5-10 minutes before closing.
I suppose this is an improvement from other peoples' comments of not getting served at all, but it is still unacceptable. I have noticed being the only non-hispanic person in an establishment before, but usually this has reflected in the food being good. Perhaps this place's forte is not burritos, but unless I have no other choice, I will probably avoid coming back here in the future. -
Review from Ziyan C.
Updated - 5/25/2011
Did a side-by-side comparison of the chorizo taco here vs. mi pueblo across the tracks.
Ricon wins by far!! Their meat is so much more hearty and flavored well, less oily, just way more delicious. Has that tiny bit of a crisp where you know the meat was cooked just a second ago. I like the tacos are a little more on the crunchy side, don't like them so soft/soggy.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/27/2010
Great inexpensive little Salvadoran place.
I got my first pupusa.. basically the size of a taco, but… Read more »
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Review from Joel F.
Palo Alto, CA
10/30/2011
Rincon Sabroso is in a little strip mall at the corner of Rengstorff and Alma. Not much to say about the decor, but I imagine you're not looking for tacos and/or pupusas because you have requirements like white tablecloths, original artwork, or valet service.
Unfortunately, the pupusas are pretty good but nothing to write home about. The horchata, again, is pretty good, but overall I was underwhelmed by this place. As for pupuserias in the area, I haven't found anything great in Mountain View. The closest ones that knocked my socks off were at El Guanaco over on Middlefield in Redwood City.
As for the price, they get some extra points, as they charge a little less than most spots in this area.
If you're looking to save a buck or two, and you really have an itch for pupusas while you're driving down Alma, head on over. However, don't expect more than a pretty tasty, pretty cheap meal. Like the three-star rating says, it was "A-OK." -
Review from Tiff W.
Mountain View, CA
3/6/2011
This is my favorite place to go for Mexican food. When I get a craving for one of their crispy and flavorful burritos, I cannot be stopped. I turned my sister on to this place and on a few (mildly embarrassing) occasions, we've randomly run into each other, dropping by to grab a yummy lunch or pick up dinner on the way home.
My staple is the carne aside burrito with a bean and cheese pupusa. For only a couple bucks, you get the pupusa with all of the fixings in a little baggies so it's perfect to pick one up on your lunch break and head back to work. You'll want to move quickly, though, because achieving the perfect burrito does take time and I've been late getting back to work (about 6minutes away) because of waiting on my food. If I'm not in a rush though, I usually swing by walgreens next door and grab a drink or pick up some cheap unneeded nail polish, and by the time I head back to Rincon, my food is ready for me.
Try this place on a day when you've got time to sit and enjoy it! It's delicious and cheap, what more could you ask for?! -
Review from Alan L.
Ahhh....Thanks to my Co-Workers and Yelpers....this is the "hole in the wall" place that I've been missing!!
I've been here a few times already and loved their food. Business started out as a Taco Truck and in 2004 Rincon Sabroso was established. Good Job!!
I've had the:
Super Burrito
Pupusas
Tacos
I can't complain about any of the dishes I've tried so far.
The meats I've had are:
Carne Asada / Grilled Steaks
Pollo / Chicken
Lengua / Tongue
Pastor / BBQ Pork
All of the meats were cooked just right. There was always more than enough meat to fill a Taco or Burrito in every delicious bite.
Chips are free.
Today I had the "3 Tacos, Rice and Bean Special"......yummy!!
Cost here is cheap to reasonable.
Highly recommended if you are in the neighborhood!!
At first.....kind of hard to find place, but is not really.
Good food, lots of parking.....let's eat up!! -
Review from Tierney W.
Santa Clara, CA
1/22/2011
Two words: Utterly disgusting!!! I am new to the Silicon Valley and have been trying out different places to get a feel for the area. After a long day at work, I was in the mood for Mexican food and based on the Yelp reviews, I decided to drop in.....huge mistake!!!
I am coming from Los Angeles where hole in the wall Mexican food places are damn near on every block in some areas and rarely disappoint. Unfortunately, after this visit, I see that is definitely not the case here.
When I walked in, I got the normal vibe of this type of restaurant and places my order. I tried the chips and salsa available to customers as they wait and should have taken the bland tomato paste blend as a sign of what was in store for me but hey, everyone has an off day so I opted not to hold that against them. Besides, my order had already been started and I was hungry.
I ordered a basic Carne Asada taco plate with rice and beans to go and it it smelled delicious. I could not wait to get home and dig in, thank goodness for the short drive!
Now here is the worst part.....I get home, sit at the table ready to eat and wanted to throw everything away after the fist bite. The plate was filled with the driest and most sorry excuse for Mexican rice I have ever tasted. The refried beans were doable but those damn tacos were a crunchy mess. There was no flavor to the meat even with tons of lemon and Tapatio added.
Needless to say, I was very disappointed and vowed at that moment that El Pollo Loco will be the extent of my Mexican food consumption while in the bay area, which in my opinion is very sad to say. I'll satisfy my cravings for asada tacos and Mexican food when I visit my family in Los Angeles!!! -
Review from Jason K.
Sunnyvale, CA
3/17/2011
This place has great Mexican Food!
I went for lunch today, I will definately go back.
Everything tasted fresh and delicious.
Carne Asada is a winner! -
Review from Erika W.
Mountain View, CA
9/13/2011
I took my mom here for her birthday dinner and it was amazing. All of our food came out piping hot and stayed that way throughout the entire meal. We tried the carnitas tostada, carne asada tacos, and the pork/cheese pupusas. The carne asada was very tender and flavorful. The carnitas was not dry/overcooked, but flavorful/juicy and just a touch of crispiness. I ended up bringing the pupusa home for breakfast the next morning and it was really tasty even though it was eaten cold straight out of the fridge. This has since been moved to the very top of my 'taqueria favorites' list. I returned here for tacos on two other occasions and they were just as amazing, if not better, than the night I took my mom here.
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Review from Sunil R.
10/31/2010
Hole in the wall with good food. The pupusas were very good and the flan was humongous. First place I have seen a Beef Chile Relleno.
I am a fan! Surprised at how many good Mexican taquerias are in this area. -
Review from Adrienne H.
Palo Alto, CA
10/26/2010
Once a week my boyfriend bikes 5+ miles from Stanford to my office in Mountain View & we go out to lunch together. This week we chose to come here, since my boyfriend had heard me talk about pupusas and how great they are and had never tried them. This is definitely a very hole-in-the-wall place, but I found the food pretty good & the service very friendly.
Pupusas are $2 each, a price which really can't be beat, and they have a wide variety of fillings including plain cheese, beans & cheese, and pork & cheese. 2 pupusas normally fill me up, don't know anyone who's not full after 3, so it's an affordable (albeit unhealthy) lunch. I had bean & cheese & plain cheese, my bf also tried the pork pupusa. I think our favorite was the bean and cheese (first time I've tried that kind), but all were good. The pupusas are definitely on the greasy side and could use a little more filling, but they were pretty good. There's also free chips and salsa to start your meal, which is nice.
Service is great. In contrast to my last Mountain View tacqueria experience, I felt like the staff here was bending over backwards to make us feel welcome. We asked for paper cups to get ourselves water, and they brought out glasses from the back filled with ice water. And even though it looked like a "clear it yourself" kind of place, when we were done eating, a very friendly guy came over and took our plates. And no hidden charge for credit card transactions, either!
We will definitely come back when we get another craving for some cheap, greasy Mexican/Salvadorian food!Listed in: Bay Area Mexican/Latin…
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Review from Victoria G.
San Jose, CA
12/22/2010
They have huge burritos at only $5.95, your choice of meats. Free chips and salsa but the chips are a bit stale and the salsa is more spicy and doesn't taste like anything.
My coworker got the pupusa and the tacos. He said the pupusa was really good and the tacos were good too but he said that the meat had a funny smell like it wasn't fresh. I ended up stealing the cabbage that came with the pupusas. -
Review from Aivy C.
10/11/2010
Super cheap and delicious!
Juicy lengua and crispy tripas tacos. You can't go wrong with carne asada either. Last time I came here, I got four tacos for about 6 bucks.
They also have pupusas here.
They're open pretty late! -
Review from Anson W.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/10/2011
Less than $6 for the largest super burrito I've ever seen. Good thing they brought it to me with a fork, because the burrito was packed so full that stuff began falling out as I was eating it.
A lot of the prices here seem high (e.g. $9 for fajitas, $11 for a bunch of seafood items), but the burritos are definitely a steal.
The lady behind the counter was ok with my request for extra beans in lieu of sour cream, though she had some trouble understanding. -
Review from Love to Dive L.
Mountain View, CA
8/20/2010
Tried the pupusas and a variety of tacos. Bleh... the corn tortillas were way too oily! And I see why... they literally soak the tortillas in a container of oil before putting them on the flat top... and then they don't really leave the tortillas long enough on the flat top, before they top it with meat and then pack it up. You just go and see for your own eyes! =P
Our tacos were all super drenched in oil. The pupusas were not as oily... but oily, none the less. If you can get past all the oil... the tacos and pupusas were ok tasting. We literally paper-toweled the outside of our tacos and pupusas... and they were still oily! Not worth it!
We can get delicious tacos and pupusas without all the excess oil... no need to come here... just stick to La Bamba! -
Review from Collette S.
Los Altos, CA
8/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Amazing and authentic!
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Review from Patricia L.
San Jose, CA
9/16/2010
This place is definitely an authentic Mexican restaurant.
Love the carne asada quesadilla! It's pretty filling...I only need to eat one to be stuffed. I love that there are grilled onions inside the quesadilla...totally different from other places. Sometimes I'll order two al pastor tacos instead. I'll usually switch it up between the two. Love the flavor of the meats here. I usually drench my food with the red hot sauce, but the green one has good flavor too.
I am not a fan of the pupusas though.
This place is kind of hard to spot...just look for the Walgreens on the corner of Rengstorff and Central Expressway. -
Review from Paul S.
Palo Alto, CA
This is everything a hole in the wall Mexican joint is supposed to be.
What's more, they have the elusive half-liter glass bottles of Mexican Coca Cola with all their cane-sugary goodness! (for the metric impaired, that's 16.9070114 ounces... 0.9070114 whopping ounces bigger then the pint bottles I remember as a kid, and I don't have to settle for those little 355ml/12.0039781oz bottles anymore. Sweet!)
Other pros: The default salsa has a great flavor & is actually mildly challenging. They have the squirt bottles of red & green sauce for a bit of variety (both are good). The asada is aways fresh, tender & I've never found it under or overcooked yet.
I'm sure I'm not pronouncing the name right, but I don't have to: the Android Yelp app finds it in one try by voice when I say (in my Chicago accent), "rahn-cahn sah-brah-sah".
Cons? Chips are maybe a touch saltier than I'd like, but whoop-dee-doo, right? It's not in the prettiest strip mall nor is it the prettiest establishment you'll ever see, but c'mon... this is lowbrow Mexican, amigo! Live a little!
PS - I'm checking 'no' on the "good for kids" question. Not because it isn't, but because I don't want to have to endure your snotty nosed brats when I'm eating my burrito. You're welcome to bring them here after I leave though. -
Review from Ian H.
San Jose, CA
8/20/2011
Service sucks - hours posted as open until 10pm. I come in @ 950 with neon Open sign on, and wait in line for a few minutes as person in front of me is being served. My turn comes and I tell the cashier my order - she looks confused and checks with another lady mopping the floor. That lady shakes her head and says "Closed" in a gruff manner. Sucks - tell me when I'm coming in & don't flash Open neon sign if you're closed.
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Review from Andrew S.
Sunnyvale, CA
Updated - 8/11/2010
Rincon Sabroso now has new management, and sadly, it has changed for the worse.
- The mind-blowing carnitas is now your decent crispy carnitas that many taquerias serve
- The tacos are no longer perfectly griddled to crisp-while-foldable
- The once world-class tamales are now sad mushy things
- The red sauce no longer has the rich addictive chile flavor that it used to have; now it's more like some generic hot sauce.
The new Rincon probably deserves three stars but it's really four stars less than the old.
Rest in Peace, RS.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/15/2009
Tacos - perfect
Burritos - perfect, as long as you enjoy excess meat
Pupusas - excellent
Tamale… Read more »
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Review from Michael B.
Mountain View, CA
3/19/2011
The food is authentic, and seeing there have been a few comments about greasiness, I'll say that this is authentic food. It's not healthy, it's not low fat, it's genuine. And, it's delicious.
I've been living in this area of Mtn View for 30+ years. This is the best little Mexican restaurant in the area. Burrito Real? Sorry, it wasn't all that great even in it's prime. It was just a nice place to eat so I'm assuming any real Mexican food aficionados gave it extra points for the ambiance. La Bamba is a step above that and for Enchiladas and Relleno and other dishes, is probably better than Rincon Sabroso.
The pausos are great. The burritos, large and cheap. Very reminiscent of La Costena, but with seating and without huge lines and you don't get charged for extras. La Costena's carnitas are a little better seasoned, but you get nearly twice as much meatier carnitas over here. Definite win in my book.
I have had the enchiladas here, and they're not good. Stick with the pausos and burritos. Excellent value and great tasting.
I used to stop for burritos at La Costena' religiously until I decided to stop by this place about a year ago. I haven't gone back since. I may if this place ever closes. With food this good, I don't see why they would.
Oh and to comment on the 12/22/10 review... based on a co-worker's assumption? They only ate the cabbage? Come on.... that's not a legitimate review if I ever saw one. -
Review from Joyce C.
Saratoga, CA
11/11/2010
Sorry guys, with the abundance of tasty authentic tasty mexican food in the area, this place does not stand out. Also seems like this place has fallen out of favor, at least with the Yelp crowd since the last time I was here. No longer in the top 5 for Mountain View, and relatively empty during lunch.
Friendly people but overall service was just ok, decor/ambiance on par with other neighborhood places. I must admit, pupusas (I got pork & cheese) were very good. But they are super greasy (fine with me). Good amount of pork in them too - better than taqueria la bamba. Also got a carnitas burrito - even though everything else (rice, beans, salsa, tortilla) was very good/well-flavored, the carnitas meat itself was dry and lackluster. Maybe it was just my burrito since it seems like others found the carnitas meat quite tasty. Seriously though, the meat was like the dried chicken breasts right before getting shredded and dumped into crappy salads. Horchata - compared to the freshly made stuff at viva taqueria in santa clara, the spices are more prevalent (yay) but it's not as refreshingly light. I can taste the concentrate/made from syrup-ness.
$8.50 for regular pupsa, and regular burrito + horchata. Quite tasty pupusas and close vicinity to work is a plus, but lackluster burritos. -
Review from Sharah H.
Menlo Park, CA
1/8/2011
I loved my (first-time) visit to this place. I am half bean & the town my dad is from is small so a lot of the food "just like Grandma's" isn't as easy to find around. This place had enchiladas a stilo Michoacan. Also saw a seafood soup (caldo de 7 Mares) which is absolutely to the seafoodie if made correctly. If you don't know about them then hurry up and GO try them!
The staff was friendly and maybe not much english but did not feel ackward or irritated. Call me a b**** or what but most taquerias I always feel like the employees could be rude.
It was me & my cousin, she saw the Pupusas $2.00 & her being the pupusas freak she wanted to try. Us being sooo hungry we couldn't decide which ones. We ordered 2 of each kind:
Veg. & cheese
Bean & cheese
pork & cheese
Then they had pupusa specials for $2.50:
Asada & cheese
Chicken & cheese.
Also being half filipino we needed rice! I ordered a morisqueta plate & It was huge! I had some that night, warmed up a little for breakfast & saved the rest for lunch! The spices great, the quantity great, the prices to my liking! They gave a fair amount of lorocco (cabbage slaw, to top the pupusas) which would be the right amount but we love the stuff & need enough to smother. I offered to pay for another baggie & they said it was fine. Nice gesture they could've easily charged or made a face but no...
I will be for sure coming back for those Michoacan enchiladas & the 7 mares caldo ($14). Hurry I know your mouth is watering Feed Your Hunger ;- ) -
Review from Julie S.
San Francisco, CA
6/25/2010
Hands down, the best burritos in the area. One of my friends, a self-proclaimed burrito connoisseur, introduced me to it a few months ago, and it has since been the place I go to to satisfy my lunchtime burrito cravings. Another plus is that it's cheap, especially given the large portions, which is great considering most of the good food in the area is fairly pricey.
I wish they had a salsa bar for my burrito-topping pleasure rather than just bottles of hot sauce, but aside from that, I'm a fan! -
Review from Joan L.
San Jose, CA
1/22/2011
This is one of my family's favorite restaurants. Everything we have tried here is stellar, and we've eaten at a ton of taquerias. My favorite is the carne asada tacos, which are heaping with flavorful beef and onions. They are so good I don't even need to add any sauce. Also good are the carnitas (done a little crispy), pupusas (take a little while as they're made to order, by hand) and chicken tamales (stuffed with delicious chicken, potatoes and green beans). I love the traditional cabbage slaw that comes complimentary with pupusas, too.
The folks behind the counter are super nice, and though not everyone speaks much English (and I don't really speak any Spanish), we have never had a problem communicating in the many times we've been here. There's usually a steady flow of customers at dinnertime, about half Latino, and half not. One Friday night the place was packed and we were the only non-Latino customers eating there. I always take that as a good sign. :)
This place is not exactly a high-fallutin' establishment, but I have never understood why people will pay twice as much, or more, to eat substandard Americanized Mexican food at a sit down place. I'd much rather come here and get the real thing (plus Salvadoran dishes) and leave with a hugely happy belly, which I do every time! -
Review from Archie R.
9/8/2008
Place looks and feels super shady but trust me, it's legit.
I can actually thank Google for this one.
Since I pretty much work on the Google campus, their free food and restaurants have made the surrounding area a barren wasteland of crappy food options.
So occasionally I have to venture out.
Speaking of the Google campus, it seriously reminds of a college campus.
Except there is one difference.
No one is having any sex.
I don't think its because they don't want to. I just think no one that works there knows how.
Perhaps they can Google it?
Here, let me try and see what I get.......
Oh gross. Forget that idea.
Pastor. -
Review from Randy F.
4/22/2009 3 photos
Heck yeah! Rincon Sabroso was stop number two on my quest for cheap eats today. Located in Mountain View, next to my fave Shanghai Family and a Walgreen's, Rincon Sabroso is a pleasant find in the Peninsula. You'd usually have to travel to SJ for Mexican food this good, but the crowds all seem to know this hidden gem is the real deal.
Admittedly, I had seen Rincon Sabroso several times before while going to Shanghai Family. The parking lot can be a tad sketchy at night as some clandestine transactions sometimes take place and other times there are three cop cars parked in the lot. It wasn't till I saw the Yelp reviews that I knew this place was a must-try.
As the preppy lunch crowds headed to the nearby Hobee's, a diverse and hungry crowd headed to Rincon Sabroso. An extensive menu is plastered on the wall and I, for one, liked the change of pace from all the burrito-centric places we have nearby.
Tacos - I ordered the carne asada and lengua (tongue) taco at $1.25 each. The lengua taco was delicious! Tender, moist, and flavorful, the tongue meat was characteristically different from the chewy tongue I've had once or twice and disliked in Chinese cuisine. The ingredients were fresh and a nice homemade salsa mix gave the taco the needed kick. I had high hopes for the well reviewed carne asada, but found it a disappointing contrast to the lengua. The meat was overcooked and tasted relatively bland. Overall, a darn good taco and I'll have to try the carnitas next time. Very reminiscent of tacos I've had in Mexico though their pineapple and churrascaria meat tacos are still the best I've ever had.
Pupusa - I've long heard pupusa aficionado, Flor D., rave about the delights of this Mexican dish so I knew it was about time that I had my first one. I ordered the pork and cheese. Warm, soft, and full of delicious melted cheese, it was easy to see why the pupusa has it's fans. Very good.
Horchata - this house-made refreshing drink is better than any can of soda. I ordered a medium and found it the perfect compliment to my meal.
My generous order came to $7.50, the same amount I spent on the Hunter Sausage at Polish Deli. Quite the deal and cash only. I left happy.
I have only one question for Mexican food experts: why are the prices for soup so disproportionately high? How can a $1.25 taco shop charge almost $20 for a single bowl of soup? Rincon is no different than many other taco places where I've seen a similar pricing scheme. I love soup, but that was too rich for my blood. Even the beef shank soup was almost $9.Listed in: Cash Only!
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Review from Jason M.
Mountain View, CA
9/13/2009 ROTD 11/11/2009
I walk into Rincon Sabroso and I immediately start feeling the vibe of an authentic taqueria - television in the corner set to a soccer game in Spanish, customers at every table speaking Spanish, and then somewhat goes to the jukebox and the next thing I know the restaurant is blasting some Spanish song.
I ordered a boat load tonight since there were so many things to try - pupusas, tacos, and flautas. The tacos were incredible - meat piled on small corn tortillas with cilantro, onions, and hot sauce. You add a squirt of lime and the little tacos become music to the mouth. Big fan of both the carnitas and the carne asada. To spice things up, take a bite of the pickled jalapeno or to cool things down, chomp on the radish. By the way, only $1.25 per taco, but at least three tacos are necessary for a meal.
Pupusas filled with bean and cheese is good grub. I smothered hot sauce on them and dug in. The best way to describe pupusas is a mix between a quesadilla and a hot pocket. At 2 bucks a pop, I did not feel guilty ordering a couple of these as well.
The main dish of flautas, rice and beans did carry a "normal" price tag though of $9 and change. The flautas were tasty and it did come with four of them (I chose chicken as the meat), but for some reason, I feel that the way to go is a la carte - you get to try a bunch of food and the cost is quite cheap.
At any rate, this food is authentic and delicious. I will be back for more. -
Review from Dan B.
2/8/2010 1 photo
I got all excited after reading all the rave reviews for Rincon Sabroso, and made my way here pretty quickly as a result. But I have yet to uncover the phenomenal taqueria some other yelpers are so hot and bothered about. (RS currently has a stratospheric 4.5 star yelp rating)
Cases in point:
-- What top-notch taqueria doesn't make their own chips? And provides store-bought, trans-fat-laden ones to customers instead? (but only after long negotiation with the staff). Bad form.
-- What self-respecting taqueria would just reheat pre-prepared meat in the microwave, and serve it to customers? OK, maybe a few. But, how many would do it so badly that it had hot and cold spots? My chile verde plate arrived just so. The sauce was gummy too. Terrible.
-- Gaucamole here is a pass; can't remember the last time I tried a guacamole I didn't like
The good news:
- Very good carnitas, with nice flavor and crispy edges
- The al pastor is also above average
- Regular burrito is only $4.25 - cheap!
- Taco plate, including drink, is $7.50 - a great deal
- The staff here are really nice
However, my search continues for those taquerias where all the food actually lives up to the hype.
Dan B.'s Taqueria checklist for Rincon Sabroso:
Food? - just OK on average
x Prices? - Low
Portions? - Average
x Light crowds - Most of the time
x Standout items? - Carnitas, Al Pastor
Chips + salsa included? - No, and only store-bought if you ask nicelyListed in: The Taqueria Epicenter of the…
