Cafe Rio Mexican Grill - Valencia

Food was great and the dinning experience was good too. The only problem I had was that I ordered the barbaqoa meat and I didn't realize that it's made with a sweet sauce. I didn't enjoy it but that's the way they make it there so that's more of a personal preference. But overall it's a great place to eat.

First time visit, tacos had so much meat I was full after one, but enjoyed every bite. Husband had the tostada also good! Everything fresh and still hot when we got it home. Staff was not smiling or that friendly, but we were in and out, I'm not trying to make new friends.

The ice from the soda machine is simply the best! If you enjoy spicy food, the salsa fresca is fantastic! I always asked for extra limes on the side and added additional lime juice to mine. I also recommend trying the house dressing, which is made fresh in-house as well. While the lines can sometimes be long, or they may run out of certain items due to being chronically understaffed, you’re least likely to encounter a wait around 2-4 PM. As someone who is gluten intolerant and vegetarian, I sometimes had trouble finding options. I wouldn’t recommend it for those with celiac disease since there can be aerosolized flour in the air from the fresh tortillas. If you have other allergies, there's a nutrition and allergy pamphlet available in-store for your reference. My go-to order was a veggie tostada without the actual tostada, so it was basically rice and beans topped with a salad. One downside for me as a vegetarian is that the vegetable options are quite limited—mostly just lettuce and salsas, with no bell peppers, onions, zucchini, etc. On the bright side, they do offer a complimentary scoop of guacamole with vegetarian dishes. The portions are generous, and I always left satisfied with the hearty servings of steaming rice and beans.

This visit was quite disappointing. Typically, this place is great for straightforward Mexican dishes, but none of my family members were satisfied this time. The proteins and sauces lacked flavor, and the burrito was just not good. Usually, the food is enjoyable, but that wasn't the case during this visit.

I absolutely love shredded beef when it's seasoned well, and this place serves amazing shredded chicken that rivals beef. The tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos—everything you order is incredibly flavorful and filled to the brim. While it is on the expensive side, isn't everything worthwhile that isn't cheap?