Cafe Rio Mexican Grill
2904 S Santan Village Pkwy, Gilbert, AZ, 85295
Cafe Rio Mexican Grill Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Gilbert for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Gilbert for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Gilbert for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
2904 S Santan Village Pkwy
Gilbert, AZ, 85295 - Phone (480) 258-6750
- Website https://www.caferio.com/locations/store/santan
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Brunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Alex A.
Food is great! We ordered Taco Tuesday tacos for our office and everyone loved it. Super yummy!
(4)Liesl D.
I absolutely adore Cafe Rio's food but this location is incredibly SLOW! Even during low traffic hours when there are maybe 2 people in front of you it will surprise you how long it takes to get through the line and pay for your meal. It's incredibly frustrating. Sometimes after I'm finally sitting down eating, I'll watch others go through the line and am entertained at how long it takes them to make it through the checkout process. Almost makes me feel better knowing it doesn't just happen to me. Aside from that complaint, I highly recommend the Sweet Barbacoa Salad. It really is to die for.
(2)D V.
I really wanted to like this restaurant, but I was disappointed. So, let's start with the positives: Pros: - Most of the people working behind the counter were very nice (pretty much everyone but 1 person was super pleasant and even funny. - Very big portions, so if you're really hungry, this is the place. - Fountain drinks have free refills. - The horchata wasn't overly sweet. My family enjoyed this. - Fountain drinks had not only sodas, but a couple teas, and horchata and other stuff. - Their restaurant is prepared for large crowds to be in line. - Menu is simple and easy to navigate in case you forget. - Lots of tables. - There were a couple people in the eating area cleaning up areas. - Homemade tortillas. This was cool. - I like that you can get enchilada style. - Prices were reasonable, maybe slightly more than we would spend at Chipotle. Cons: - One lady behind the counter attending the guacamole & sour cream was a real b****. She was incredibly rude not just to me, but to other people. Yes, I know the guacamole & sour cream are extra charges. It says so on the menus. And after I confirmed the first time I knew, when I asked for those same items on another order right after the first, you didn't have to repeat that they were extra charges with a sour face. Chill, lady! Yes, I know I have to pay for it and was planning on it. - The line was super long. And when I went to check out, the guy said this is normal and what I was experiencing was typical. If you don't mind waiting in line, though it moves somewhat quickly, then have at it. - Restaurant is really dark. Maybe something in between and not so dungeon looking. - The food was okay, but some of the food was too salty and some sort of bland. I'm a big Chipotle fan, and Cafe Rio's food just didn't taste nowhere as good. But, maybe it was just me because they seem to get plenty of business. ------------------------------------ The food wasn't awful, but since there are plenty of other places I do like to eat at more, only if coming here was a social thing with other people other than my family, the taste of the food just didn't appeal to me. So, if it's just with my husband and kids, we would probably opt to go to Chipotle. Food would be 2 stars. Everyone minus one crabby lady was really nice, so other than her, service was good and people were pleasant. I would give the service 4 stars.
(3)Brittany F.
Currently having the worst experience I've ever had at Cafe Rio. The line was incredibly slow and the employees seemed to not even care (or notice??). The person putting the meals together didn't know what he was doing and the crew seemed to just be goofing off. The line was almost out the door! On top of that, every table was dirty and the floor was disgusting. Giving 2 stars because my food tastes yummy but other than that this has been a bad experience! Loud ringing noise (phone??) nobody answered the whole time I was in line and on top of that a guy was using a power drill on one of the posts of the line!! What???? Update: 10 hours later and I'm still annoyed telling my husband about lunch today so changed to 1 star.
(1)Lindsay H.
Went to Cafe Rio again today (Thursday at 4 PM) and the food was good, as usual, but there was a noticeable decline in service from our previous visits. The lone food line worker was clearly unhappy and would rush us for choices (even though we were one of about three customers in the entire place) and seemed annoyed when we asked for a kid quesadilla. The cashier was equally as unhappy to be here and didn't greet us or look at us while we rang up our order. A customer behind us asked a worker how their day was going and they said, "I would rather be at home." Lol. Well, most people would rather be at home than work but if your job is customer service, that's what you signed up for. Take a deep breath, chill the heck out and start fresh tomorrow. The strawberry lemonade was out and all of the garbage cans overflowing. I like the food but workers this unhappy always make me wonder what's going on behind the scenes with management. Not sure that we will be back as often. See my previous review for the yummy salad that we always get. :-)
(3)Brian S.
Sweet pork barbacoa salad with creamy tomatillo dressing is great!! Unfortunately it racks up calories for a healthier alternative. 3 stars for taste, docked a few for lack of healthy options.
(3)Joe T.
Usually no problems when I've eaten at Cafe Rio except at this particular location. When I was paying for my Taco Meal I tried handing my punch card to the cashier who told me he couldn't punch it for taco meals. I asked why and he shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't know. I guess because it's one of the cheaper meals." If there are rules behind the whole punch card thing you might want to consider enlightening the cashiers because this kid didn't have a clue.
(3)Chase M.
Extremely under staffed and slow to serve. Everytime ive come here, there are lines that grow bigger and bigger because its under staffed and workers are moving in slow motion. I only come here still because the food is good. But they need help running the place
(2)T W.
This is a quasi-Mexican cafe. It's similar to Qdoba and Chipotle, but has a few more menu items to choose from. It's simple, basic, but good. The tortillas are made fresh from balls of dough (not just warming pre-made tortillas as the others do). They are not a match for someplace like La Tolteca, but good for "Mexican" fast food.
(3)Chheng L.
I really like the salads here. The house dressing is yummy. It comes out to ~$9 but it is enough for 2 meals. My BF likes their burritos & the fact that you can get it enchilada style (no extra change). Unfortunately, the service is horrible. Every single staff looks like they absolutely hate being there. From the tortilla makers, the line staff, to the cashiers. I've been here 3 times now and witnessed poor service each time. Last night was the worst. While waiting in line for nearly 30 minutes (shouldve been quicker, line wasn't that long) I heard and witnessed some inappropriate behaviors from the staff: 1) a lady asked for an extra plate because she was splitting her salad with someone else and the employee rolled his eyes and gave her an attitude about it. Same guy- the next costumer asked "how's your day going?" In which he responded "it sucks" and when she said "oh I'm sorry to hear that", he said "well im stuck here, that's why" 2) the staff was talking with each other across the kitchen about what I'm assuming an employee that quit and one said out loud "when he left he said 'Eff this place! I'm never coming back'". So loudly that I'm sure every other patron in line heard also. 3) the lady rolling the dough for the tortillas stepped away for a moment and when she came back (gloves still on) she went behind the lady cooking the tortillas and began to massage her shoulders. Then she went on to continue touching and rolling the dough with the same gloves!! 4) waiting to pay my interaction with the cashier went like this: Me: hi Cashier: what kind of meat did you have in your salad? Me: barbocoa Cashier: (rings it up) $9.15 Me: (hands over cash) Cashier: (hands me change) your change Me: thank you. Have a good night. Cashier: (looks past me to the next guy) what kind of meat did you have in your salad? The staff needs to be trained better or they overall need new staff. None of them want to be there, it clearly shows. From reading their reviews, there seems to be quite a few people who agree. I'm usually very patient but they have maxed out their limit with me. I would go a lot more often if the service was better.
(2)Ken S.
Sloooooowwwwwwwwwwww Did I mention that they are slow Good is usually good. Team members are usually stressed out. How is this location such a problem when others are awesome
(2)Mishell L.
I'll start with the positive. Tortillas are made on site & super fresh. Unfortunately that's where it ends. This was my first visit so I wasn't really sure what to order, had the pork burrito (rice & beans inside). The gal preparing my food looked super annoyed that I took more than 10 seconds to choose between green or red sauce, talked so low I couldn't understand her, and once I selected the red sauce she put so much on my burrito it's all I could taste. And it's SUPER sweet. Not my thing. If the meat, beans, or rice were good or not, I have no idea. Tried my brothers shredded beef burrito, same thing. All one note and super sweet. Guess I'll go back to Moreno's if I want real Mexican food I can taste.
(1)Lainie S.
We did not experience a long line. Got here early though. Positives - free quesadillas for young kids, watching tortillas be made fresh, self-serve horchata and Agua frescos & other unique fresh drinks (mint lemonade), large portions. Negative - not very different than qdoba or chipotle in menu or taste, $20 for me and my two young boys for lunch (though we do have leftovers). Waive red between 3 and 4 stars - probably 3.5 if I could rate that.
(3)Kevin G.
Food is great. No doubt. Don't miss the Sweet Pork Barbacoa but ... The line is ridiculous and only because the production line is poorly devised and managed. At a glance this is an easy fix. It is just a matter of how the line is organized. Check out how it's done at Chipotle or Einstein's bagels as an example. Not only will this move the line faster it will likely produce better employee attitudes. Right now, they appear stressed out and unfriendly ... that is unfortunate.
(3)Chris P.
This place does not disappoint. Barbacoa is amazing. This place is better then chipotle and better then costa vita. Tortillas are fresh and so are the ingredients. Do yourself a favor and try this place out.
(5)Samantha S.
So my fiancé just left from there. Let's just say he wasn't pleased with the service. There was a father and daughter in front of my fiancé and the "distributing line" accidentally grabbed my fiance's order and just started putting every topping on both our quesadilla and tacos. The "kids" working behind the counter then bagged it for the father and daughter. After explaining to the cashier that it wasn't his order my fiancé had to have them remake both the quesadilla and the tacos. Also the young lady who took my fiance's order was very rude! We LOVE Cafe Rio and come here all the time! Maybe it was just a bad day but regardless there needs to be a bit more communication between the workers. The food was very tasty as always though!!
(3)Anthony B.
Slowest cafe rio ever. It's good. Still cafe rio but you'll wait an hour if the line is out the door. It's bad.
(1)Easy P.
Very tolerable food but nothing different from Chipotle or Qdoba except I liked the drink options. Lemonades with flavor.
(3)Dana B.
We ordered a cheese quesadilla. Just cheese, no meat, veggies etc and it cost $8.25. Seriously? Worse yet, it wasn't very big. I let my husband have most of it because it was so paltry with very little cheese. We also ordered chips n queso with two drinks for a total of $18. Their system of ordering similar to Chipotles, going down the line where different people put various ingredients in for you. Multiple people try to take your order, no one seems to know what the other is doing and the cashier always seems confused. We've been here a couple times since they opened. For me, the meat tastes very sweet and the process of ordering and paying is so convoluted that we've decided it's our last trip. We will go back to Chipotles who has this process down, has better customer service and it doesn't cost as much.
(2)Lane V.
Good Mexican food (including fresh tortillas), they are trying real hard, but their process is jacked up. This process issue creates two main problems for the customer: as your order moves down the line, each separate employee has no idea what you told the last person, so you have to constantly repeat yourself, and then to add to the confusion, once during the process your order disappears to be baked and you as the customer have to be watching to "claim" your order to continue the process. This process issue also creates their second main problem which is their long, slow line.
(3)Tony J.
Used to love this place, but it continues to decline with every visit. Our visit last week was terrible. The line wasn't even long and it took an eternity. God forbid an online order comes in, they will stop the line inside and work on that order without as much as telling you to wait a minute. They just start ignoring you. Beans and rice were completely dried out and had a chewy, crunchy texture. Speed up the lines and don't serve old food. A Costa Vida is opening up across the parking lot, work on the customer service while you can!
(2)Amy M.
Love this Cafe Rio! First of all, our dinner tonight was fast, fresh, delicious and affordable. I've visited other locations previously and never wanted to return, but my husband talked me into tonight's visit and I couldn't be happier with our experience. As a bonus, after a 700+ mile drive from San Francisco today, in my exhausted stupor, I forgot my purse and didn't realize it until we got home. Even though the restaurant had closed a few minutes earlier at 10pm, a very nice lady answered my anxious call and reassured me that they had it, which was a great relief. Five stars for awesome service? Good food, and awesome employees!
(5)John B.
AMAZING FOOD! I love it I love it I LOVE IT! Super friendly service, quick line, custom burritos, tacos, and salads - all sublimely delicious! Oh my lanta! The nachos are good, too. Also, the drinks are out of this WORLD! The hot hats and the mint limeade are my favorites, although the strawberry stevia lemonade and the hibiscus limeade were also super yummy. I've gone there just for the drinks!
(5)Daniel G.
The food is ok, but if you like imitations mascaraing as authentic this may be your favorite spot. What is most interesting to me is not the food, it's the other patrons. If you are people watcher THIS IS THE MAIN REASON TO COME HERE. There majority of their clientele have something just a little bit different about them. It's pretty creepy, and very entertaining. If it's between this spot and Taco Bell, come here... unless you are in a hurry.
(2)Raquel R.
This could be a 5 star for me but honestly its been months since they have been opened and they have yet figured out a way to keep the line flowing. My suggestion is to use the other register and put no reserving seat signs like Zuppas. I can hardly ever find a seat after i order my food and half the people in it dont have thier food yet. I know that its quality food everything is fresh but when waiting over 30 mins or long in line kinda turns you off! Beside that i loveeeee the food here!! Unfortunately i dont come as often as i would like for the reasons above.
(3)Jason C.
Love it great value. The salads are really good. I like the various hot sauces available too.
(4)QT C.
So slow. Air conditioning broken. We finally left to go to different location. Very disappointing.
(2)Kierra H.
Love this place!! Get the pork salad! Seriously delicious!! But the pork burrito is also amazing! Get it enchilada style if do get a burrito. The line seems long sometimes but moves pretty quick and it's so worth it for fresh delicious Mexican!
(5)Mark O.
It's fine, a little pricey, but kind of upscale mexican.
(3)Clinton P.
Thankful that this location is open and close by. The burritos and the chicken salad is what we usually get and it's just perfect for satisfying that hunger. Watching them cook the food is always fun for me to watch, but on top of it..the food is very good..the chicken is seasoned perfect and very juicy..must try
(4)Ashley M.
Had my first experience with cafe Rio today. It's basically a chipotle with more options and in my opinion tastes better. It's kind of expensive. I had the tostada with chicken and a coke and it was over $9. There was a pretty big portion though, I ate about 75% of it and I didn't even have all the available toppings. Don't tell them it's your first time unless you enjoy being embarrassed as they sing a very long, loud and obnoxious song while banging on the stainless steel counters. Overall I would eat there again but I wouldn't seek it out.
(4)J T.
I fiiiinally made it into Cafe Rio tonight. TLDR: Costa Vida is better. I will say that they had a better drink selection and definitely deserve extra points for having crushed ice, but while the food was very similar to CV, it just didn't hit the spot for me like Costa does. The assembly line flow was a little rough, especially when it seemed as though they had more people back there working. At one point the employees started throwing tortilla dough at each other, glad mine was already on my plate. Would I eat here again, yes - but not if it was between the two.
(3)Bekah S.
We love this food for a quick weeknight meal . But this location is poorly managed and sloppily maintained. Our call in order has been wrong 6/10 times. The food prep seems sloppy compared to other Rio's we've visited. And the customer service isn't what it should be. The staff seems rushed, annoyed and short.
(2)J R.
We were so excited Cafe Rio was near our new home! Sadly, this is not the same experience you get at a Utah Cafe Rio. The work ethic is far inferior. Long lines because the workers are not efficient, not because they are incredibly busy. Many workers will be standing around while a few work hard, orders are often wrong. You have to ask for someone to clean a table and the floors. They have a rickety table that moves so much it makes you dizzy. The food is pretty good, but the poor service trade off is not worth it when there are other eateries nearby that have better, much better service. (The managers are certainly not dynamic. If I owned Cafe Rio, I would yank this a franchise.)
(2)John M.
I first came to love cafe rio while going to school in Utah. Apparently the standards drop the farther you get from home base. This place seemed dirty and the line took forever. I'm accustomed to long lines at cafe rios, but they usually move quick. The two times we've gone the line has taken at least 30 mins. The crew seems slow and careless. Very poorly run. I don't care how good food may be, it's not worth the wait and mess. Not planning to go back to this one sadly, just not worth the terrible service.
(1)Matthew G.
What can I say....great food and crappy service. The food outweighs the service I. This case. Very rare for me.
(5)Rebecca H.
Placed a phone order to go for 2 grilled chicken salads Saturday night. I was quoted 20 minutes but salads weren't ready for 33 minutes. Because I was waiting I got see our salads literally thrown together before being packaged up. When you dine in the salads look like a work of art. Not so much when you get it to go. Our salads were weak and missing components. Mine had everything but was lacking in quantity. It didn't even clear the lip of the foil pan. My husbands was missing his guacamole and only had a few crumbled remnants of tortilla strips on it. And was also lacking in quantity of everything else. The girl preparing also put the pico on top of the strips so they were soggy when we got home. When I dine in I can't finish a salad by myself.... I ate all of this one and was still left wanting. Disappointing experience when you spend $22 bucks for salad.
(2)Troy B.
Food is fresh, but service is slow & facilities are dirty. With Smashburger, MOD, & Kneaders nearby, there's no need to stop at Rio.
(2)Jade M.
Sad to see this place only has 3 and 1/2 stars. The barbacoa (sp?) pork is to die for! I get it in a cheese quesadilla! Would totally eat it as my last meal on Earth if it came down to it ;D
(5)Marshall R.
I have had good and bad experiences here I typically have problems with cores or lettuce in my salad. They also can't seam to cut the lettuce correct it is to big or not cut at all. I really love the flavors but they need some work on cutting things better. I recommend the sweet pork can go wrong with it! Hopefully they teach the employees to not serve bad parts of lettuce.
(2)Michael A.
Decent food, gargantuan sized salads in this chipotle type semi fast food place. Although there were 7 people behind the serving line/kitchen only 1 of them was actually working on orders so it's a bit slow. Good selection of drinks at the self serve bar.
(3)Jamie J.
This place is my new favorite for Tacos!!! We came on tuesday and got $2 tacos that were out of this world! The rice and beans had so much flavor, and I don't ever like beans but it was only $2 to add them to the tacos! They have a raspberry hibiscus tea that is the best I've had in Arizona and they have hand squeezed mint lemonade, delicious horchata, southwest limeade, and stevia sweetened lemonade! I could go on but I won't, just try it!! :)
(5)Larry M.
Multiple positive experiences here, so I decided to leave a review. Excellent customer service! There was a little mix up with my wife's order, and they fixed it immediately, within one minute, no joke. Each person serving us was kind. The manager Cici was pleasant and friendly, she complimented my pregnant wife and made her feel good. Oh, and the pork burrito was superb!
(5)Chris N.
Our family loves Café Rio. This review has nothing to do with the food (which is great), but everything to do with the service. We had placed an online order that was to be picked up at a specific time. When we arrived, precisely at that specified time, we were told that the order was not ready. I waited and watched as several other online orders were filled, despite having shown up after me. 45 min later, (yes, 45 min later!!) we were given our food. I could have stood in line 2-3 times and still gotten our food faster. Needless to say, we will never go to this location again.
(1)Brian P.
Expensive. Not that good... And they've charged me twice for "extra guacamole and sour cream" that I didn't ask for. That's $2.50 each time. Enough to be aggravating but not enough to drive back for. I won't be back.
(1)Courtney S.
I am beyond excited that this new location is open! I LOVE Cafe Rio! I went in on opening night and they were doing a great job keeping up with the long line. I will be back often! It's almost a bad thing that I work right across the street.. Almost :)
(5)S P.
I love the vegetarian cafe rio salad! It's amazing! Ask for the shredded lettuce instead of the whole. It will make a huge difference!
(5)Amy G.
Love everything cafe rio has to offer. I could drink the salad dressing, the chili beef is stellar and the horchata is the best around!
(5)Erin Y.
My family and I love the food here but the service is really slow! We waited in line for 30 min to place our order. The teenage kids working behind the counter are either rude or pretending to work. This place could be really awesome if they had some competent workers behind the counter. The tortillas are fresh and the burritos are amazing. Just be prepared to wait a long time and be treated like crap
(2)Mike W.
Nice workers and good food. It seems to have the problems that a new location would have but I'm hopefully they will get them worked out soon. The sweet pork tacos and burritos are awesome.
(4)Bryce B.
If you like SALTY!!!!! Mexican food... This is your restaurant. I had a chicken burrito yesterday and no matter how much water I drank after my meal, I couldn't quench my thirst from all the sodium in the food. Come'on people in order to be fresh you need to remove the high sodium preservatives. It will cost you more, but your guests these days are much more educated when it comes to high sodium food. I wouldn't go back!
(2)Aaron A.
I absolutely LOVE the food at Café Rio! I first found them when I was living in St. George UT, and was excited to find out that they were opening this store so close to my current location. My Favorite: Chicken Burrito, rice, pinto beans, medium sauce, sour cream inside, enchilada style! If you are nearby, give it a try...you'll LOVE it!
(5)Karisa P.
My friend and I went for lunch last week right at opening (1030) and while my meat filling (barbacoa) was ready, my friend's (steak) was not. In exchange for our having to wait, they comped our entire meal without our even saying anything or lodging any kind of complaint. Plus the barbacoa was phenomenal as always. Love this place and their willingness to "make it right" is refreshing.
(5)Brandon B.
So I need to update my previous review. This location has gotten a lot better. It seems like they needed to iron a few kinks out from being a newly opened location. They are no longer chinsy on the meat and the overall quality of the food is better. I've been going to Cafe Rio a long time and I'm glad this place stepped up their game. I'd recommend it to anyone!
(5)Alexa M.
This is a new location for Cafe Rio. I have been a die hard fan since it opened up years ago in Gilbert off Baseline and Gilbert Rd. It is really busy so best not be starving as it will put you in a funk real quick. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the food and my fav are their salads and house dressings. Both the dressings are delish! Now with this new location.. the parking sucks due to having way too many businesses jammed in one area. And their service line has not been fine tuned yet. They will eventually get it. My only complaint really is they are typically slammed (because the food is freaking delish!) and it takes some time to get through the line. But worth it at the end. No problems with the workers there either. They seem to be friendly.
(4)Eric M.
First time here for me but my wife's becoming a regular so I came along. I had the pork barbacoa burrito enchilada style. Delicious. My wife likes the salads. Definitely still fast food style but very good and at least some decent decor and style. Will be back for sure.
(4)George V.
Well that settles it. The next time I want Mexican food...I'll drive to Mexico! Why is it apparently so difficult to get decent Mexican in Gilbert?!?!?
(1)Jenny B.
I have been to this location many times. The food is okay. The staff is terrible! I haven't seen one person that looks pleasant working there. They don't even care what you ask for they will throw it on. If you tell them you don't want something they get completely annoyed. I hope the manager sees these reviews and tries to make positive changes around there. Why do they only have one cashier?! It's usually one that has no idea what they are doing either.
(1)Brad B.
Great food! I've been eating at other locations for years. I recommend the pork salad. It's fun to watch them make the tortillas as you stand in line. The place is always packed at lunch and dinner but that's because the food is good.
(5)Tyler H.
I love Cafe Rio because of the great burritos in the amazing TAsteE they put them in pie tins to make the burritos more like enchiladas. I think they soak the pork in soda so give it even better flavor.
(5)Kathleen D.
Love the food but hate the service. The service employees preparing the food are to busy socializing with each other instead of paying attention to customer. I had to repeat my order 5 times before they got it right. The staff needs to slow down, give eye contact to the customer and quit talking to each other about who is dating who.....what their plans are later tonight....and stop bitching to each other about who is not working their stations. Bad customer service!!!
(2)Alyssa E.
First time here....decided what to get and the line staff was less than helpful. 1. A coworker came in behind us and they were more interested in helping him and left our tacos sitting on the grill while talking to him. 2. I made a comment and they said "oh" and then let it sit there. The lady at register came and finished the meal but you were out of pico and nobody knew where any was. Then the "manager" said some was being made but didn't offer to get us any once it was done. 3. Then we watched the entire crew eat donuts and try the pico they just made with chips. 4. The lady making tortillas walked out onto the floor with dough in her hand looking at someone in the parking lot. 5. The lady making tortillas walked over to the bathroom area with gloves on to use her cell phone. Then go back, eat more chips and start making tortillas again. 6. Did I mention eating donuts? Because now they are doing it again, walking around the store. 7. Trash cans are over flowing and nobody is cleaning the tables....just sitting around with nobody in line to help. 8. Now the "manager" is putting her hair up with gloves on. 9. Now the next shift is arriving, I can only hope this crew is better! 10. Wait, I was wrong! This employee has gloves on but putting her hair up and fixing her hairnet. Then logs in and now goes and does someone's food with the same gloves on. The manager has no control over the employees, they run her and the restaurant. Sometimes you wish you worked for the health department so you could write them up!
(2)Troy G.
First, the staff does not listen very well or really pay attention to what the customer wants. More importantly, they tend to be very unfriendly and sometimes downright obnoxious with a flippant attitude. The food is ok, somewhat flavorful and a fair variety. However, it is expensive considering the size of portions. It appears they are trying to project an image of a more upscale, authentic Chipotle. However, what it really is, a cheesy, arrogant version instead. Although Chipotle itself isn't cheap, at least the staff is friendlier and portions are larger.
(1)Marc B.
Takes too long to get my food. There was hardly any meat on my tacos. I think its over priced. Food quality was good and friendly service. Clean also.
(3)Clint D.
So slow! I refuse to eat here during peak hours! The staff is slow it's just amazing! The management needs to do a better job of training the staff. The Cafe Rios in Utah handle 4 times the traffic twice as fast! Company is losing big time money for being so slow. Don't come unless you're ready to wait around! Oh yeah food is pretty good...
(3)Tracy H.
Food is over priced and very bland. Husband had the steak burrito and I had a chicken quesadilla. Both of us agreed that it was bland and needed flavor. The place was packed which leaves to believe that either it is new and people are trying it out or there is a market for bland Mexican food. The drink bar did have a nice selection of options, that would be the highlight of our visit. We won't be returning.
(1)Travis H.
Café Rio is your average Mormon gathering spot for halfway decent "Mexican" food, but it's nothing new and in my opinion doesn't trump Costa Vida or Chipotle by any means. It's your standard wait in line, black or pinto beans, what kinda meat (sweet pork obviously), yada yada yada. The biggest difference (and my biggest problem) with this specific Café Rio is the time spent in line. During my last visit, I didn't move more than a foot for almost 10 min. The attitude on the serving line was pretty lackadaisical, and it looked like it may have been greenie training day because orders were being mixed up, ingredient containers were empty (hence the long wait until supplies were replenished), and there was just a general lack of hustle or even concern, I guess? Perhaps my impatience was quickened by my hunger but I ended up leaving the line and went to Firehouse Subs across the plaza. I had eaten at that Café Rio before multiple times, but every time I finally get to the cashier to pay after a grueling wait and stiffened knees, I catch myself thinking, "I could have driven across town to Costa Vida, eaten it, mastered the violin and returned here by now".
(3)Alan H.
Consider it's a knock off ate at another place the other day slightly better, but really a knock off and they don't really do it that well. One visit only and only in a pinch if there's to be a next time.
(1)Jason F.
Really good food, nice outside seating during spring weather. Price was acceptable. Biggest problem is to avoid it during the rush. Super packed.
(4)Katie K.
Chili roasted beef burrito with the medium green sauce is amazing! I had the enchiladas here once but ended up being sad because the burrito is so much better. Portion is huge, so come hungry or take some home for later.
(4)Eric H.
Super happy they opened close by! Love this place. The food is AMAZING. You can't go wrong with their pork taco's--delicious. I've stopped by and they are very busy! So, expect a wait, but not too long. Even when it's busy I still manage to find good seating. And, you cant' go wrong with their Taco Tuesdays!
(5)Leah D.
Delicious food and fresh ingredients. Their homemade tortillas are my favorite and love that they give a free Niño quesadilla to young children. Ordering via phone for take out is far from fast...
(5)Tara S.
I have been a Cafe Rio lover since the first time I had a salad there in SLC, Utah. We usually frequent the Gilbert/Baseline location and were thrilled when they opened San Tan since it's closer to our house. The food was just as good as always- I love the beef barbacoa salad and my husband loves the steak burrito. Portions are large, so sometimes we share. The queso is to die for, and we love that they give free "nino quesadillas" for young children. My 2 year old eats every bite and I don't have to be upset later that I spent money on a kids meal that went uneaten. Taco Tuesday is the best- and I still leave completely stuffed after just one taco. Now, beware- this location gets CRAZY busy with the white shirt and tie crowd coming in from the Gilbert LDS temple around the corner. It's often difficult to find a table and the line can be long. I would definitely recommend to them that they not allow seating until you have your food in hand, as there are always huge parties taking up several tables pushed together that sit around and chat when they haven't ordered yet. Otherwise this is a spot we will continue to visit!
(4)Whitney Z.
LOVE LOVE LOVE Cafe Rio!! & I'm so happy they finally built one in our area! This place is always busy & will remain to stay that way! I would recommend this place to everyone! Just beware.. They get SUPER busy @ lunch time! :) finding setting can be difficult :) but great atmosphere!
(5)Danielle Marie S.
Don't get me wrong, the food is good, but the prices are outrageous for what you're getting and it isn't exactly what I would call Mexican food. It's just too expensive to eat here especially considering that the taco salad is the best thing on the menu but its not really something that would make a good leftover. The decor is cute, and it's a fun atmosphere. The staff is friendly and the drink choices are excellent, but until they're going to either turn it into a nicer restaurant or lower the prices a bit, I'll just stick to a different restaurant.
(3)Nicole L.
I absolutely crave the pork barbecoa burrito. This place is always busy since it opened. I recommend calling in your order if you're just picking up to bypass a very long wait time.
(5)Ryan S.
Cafe Rio has been a family tradition for me, growing up in Utah. It was the best Mexican food around up there and I I've the taste. My favorite dish is the double pork enchilada with medium sauce (it's not spicy, I promise. Just get it) all rice and no beans. I love their cilantro lime rice, and the pork is tender and sweet. They are usually friendly, but they are making a lot of orders quickly, so I can understand them being a little abrupt. Great food as always from this chain.
(5)Alexis D.
Similar to Costa Vida. The new location has brought the crowd so avoid lunch time and dinner if you don't want to wait. The food is salty as others have commented, but I think that is what you get. I have eaten at a couple of their other locations and experienced the same salty dishes.
(4)Andrew B.
They would not except to my coupon that was just a few days late. Smash Burger that's right next to him except coupons anytime. Plus I prefer coasta of Vida
(1)John L.
Food is good, but a over priced for what you get. The food tastes just like the food at Costa Vida. I'm not sure what chain come first, but they are nearly clones of each other. I also was a little frustrated that they didn't have any baby Chang stations available. This made for a major pain when changing my kid's diapers on the bathroom floor. It was very busy when I came in, but the line moved at a reasonable speed, and staff was friendly.
(3)T L.
Very tasty and plenty of space. I always like Chipotle, but it gets a bit crowded. This food tastes great and the tortillas are rolled out and baked right in front.
(4)Melissa K.
If I could give negative stars I would. Everytime I leave this location I'm so frustrated. Formerly we lived close to a cafe rio in Nevada and loved it. We have been to several locations and always had great customer service. This place is the worst I've ever encountered. The staff is young and careless it seems like they just hired a bunch of 16 year olds and didn't train them. The wait is often back to the door thanks to lack of efficiency. Example, tortilla maker was too busy talking to care that they were out of tortillas while their line of 30+ continued to pile up to wait for her to do her job. For some reason this location is the skimpiest on portion size that I've ever seen. Why is this so inconsistent from Cafe Rio to the next Cafe Rio??? Presentation is aweful, you seriously have some shaggy haired kid throwing tortilla strips on top of your salad with no matter what it looks like he just grabs a handful and throws it on there. I have no problem paying extra for the different sauce that I want or cheese etc. however there is no reason to rudely state it the way this staff does. Seriously where is the training here?? If this wasn't enough to fire the entire staff and start over new then the hair in our salad should do it. Yes that's right a nice long long piece of hair halfway through the salad. Seriously so disgusted and disappointed. I'm a huge cafe rio fan but after many chances at this location IDE rather starve than go back to this staff. Seriously, fire them all and start over.
(1)Anthony R.
I didn't know what to expect but it was recommended from a coworker so I tried it out. The setup is similar to Chipotle, however the atmosphere is more authentic southwestern style. More than just burritos and bowls. The food is better tasting. I will definitely come back again and again! Thumbs up!
(5)Jason R.
We tried chicken & carne burritos & a salad. Really good flavors across the board. Food itself is fine, no complaints there. Major problem is their service & line setup - it wasn't all that busy the day we tried it and yet they rushed us through the line like there was a fire. I get the fast casual concept, but that was ridiculous! There's no point in pushing people through choices when there was a bottleneck at the cashier and we didn't get our food any sooner had they taken a second to clearly explain options or give us a chance to even see what all toppings are available (they didn't design the queue well and you don't see your options until you're right on top of them). Staff didn't communicate well & just about made the wrong burrito before my family noticed and spoke up. Also they just assumed everyone wanted rice & didn't ask. Price is high too for what you're getting. Chipotle & Costa Vida are superior. Likely won't go back but flavor of the food is the only reason they rank higher than 1 star.
(2)Dawn L.
I'm obsessed with cafe rio. I've eaten cafe rio probably over a hundred times in my life. Their food is always consistently great. This location, however, is usually packed and I've just had back luck with staff on ordering pick up over the phone. My order was wrong a few times, but they corrected it just fine.
(4)