Ruben’s Burritos & Catering

Another monument closes, devastating

This place is CLOSED update this Unilocal so other people don’t drive for half an hour for nothing

update: rubens is closed.

The food was tasty, fresh and fast. I had a chicken potato burrito that was just delicious!

Nice location nice outdoor sitting. The staff is nice and helpful, always kind. The food is average, Pretty much Mexican fast food.

After 28 years Rubens is CLOSED. I will miss you, giant flour enchilada.

Burritos are literally amazing. A must whenever I’m in Ojai.

Somebody send me a carne asada burrito or jumbo chicken enchilada please!!! I’m going through withdrawals!
Definitely something I miss from CA!

I’m only giving one star because as one of the original customers for tamales at the shack in Mirra Monte with Rueben Sr. I remember when the business was taken seriously and they always took pride in their product and service. Over the past years the food and service have been in steady decline and todays visit caused me to write a review.
We went in at 10:30 this morning to get a couple burritos. I usually just get been and cheese and I was helping a friend decide what to get when another customer came in and ordered a breakfast burrito. While listening to him order we found out that they didn’t have any meat ;-/​well, I decided it was going to be beans and cheese for both of us until I heard that they were out of cheese too ;-/​
The guy told the customer that someone had left to buy some ten minutes before and the customer asked if it it would be very long. It turned out they they went to Ventura to get it ;-/​
Rubens — get some real management in there before you end up another failed Ojai business.

Best veggie burritos! If you can sit at one of the two tables, the hot sauce bottle can be used for each bite! The salsa is needed to get the entire veggie burrito experience. I crave this burrito when I’m in Ojai.

Best in town I’ll tell you that + great carne asada burrito theres not very many places to sit though and it is very small, be prepared to eat in your car

Ruben’s is an Ojai landmark as is the Duarte family. Carne asada and the Thatcher burrito are favorites. The ingredients are fresh, tasty and savory.
Yes, it’s a tiny, tiny shop with two tables and three chairs at the counter. Don’t sit at the counter if it’s busy because that’s where you order and pick up. Get your food to go and walk over to Libby Park and eat. There might be a line out the door waiting to order when you arrive. Place your order and wait outside in the sunshine. They won’t miss or forget about you.
You’ll have to wait a bit for your order because this isn’t a fast food joint. They’re making your food right back there in the kitchen with skill and love and it’s worth waiting for quality.
Ruben’s is Ojai and Ojai is home. Salud!

Love this place! Everything we’ve had so far is tasty, and usually more than I can eat in one sitting, so I get two meals in one. :-) Lots of great choices for vegetarians.
We’ve always had very polite service, and you do get one free refill on your drink, and we’ve never been charged for their awesome hot sauce.
Looking forward to bringing family and friends to this tiny, quaint place for tasty food!

Whats a girl gotta do for a burrito? the sign says closing at 4 for july 4^th. came to order around 3:15 with Glenn O. and Tom F. Ordered our food, and they asked «for here or to go?» I said for here! and then they told me we could only get to go because the close at 3:30. We ate there anyway and took our sweet time.
The lady behind the counter was extremely rude. yes its hot, yes its a holiday, yes you want to go home… but customer service is always #1.
No free refills on sodas. Limited seating (3 tables)
the burritos are ok. extra charge for hot sauce? lame. i wont be back

Rude service and the food has gone way downhill. I used to eat at Rubens all the time after bike riding up to Ojai from Ventura. Today is July 4^th and we came up, and I had unfortunately recommended that we eat at Rubens. Big Mistake… BIG BIG MISTAKE. The sign on the door said they would be closing at 4PM… but we got there at 3:15… so we thought no problem. After we ordered they told us rudely that we would have to take it to go because they were closing now. We explained to them that the sign on the window said closing at 4PM… «doesn’t matter we are closing now,» they rudely said The food came and of much lower quality than previous visits… Just a lot of Tortilla and rice. They apparently are cutting corners. Anyway… won’t be eating here again… Lot’s of other places to eat… too little time.

This little place is a must visit. We sat at a cozy table nestled in a window.
We ordered chips and salsa, because we thought we would have to wait for the food. it was on the table less than 5 minutes after we ordered. We still finished the fresh pico de gallo style salsa, It was too delicious. The chile relleno in the burrito had a satisfying crunch to it. The chicken burrito was meaty and spicy as promised. The staff was friendly and I LOVE that they play traditional Mex-​radio, The price is more than right.
It could only be better with a nice frosty beer.

I love Rubens! It’s a great little hole in the wall Mexican place and every local’s favorite. But it is literally a hole in the wall. You have to be prepared to wait a long time in line and be cramped in with the other customers. BUt the food is worth it. I always go for a chicken Thacher, chips and guac and a horchata. But be careful, if they say it’s spicy, it’s spicy.
As to previous reviews, they do often get your order wrong, so I always have them repeat it back to me, but I’m usually happy with whatever they give me.

If there are 2 people standing inside here, that is already 1 too many. This cramped lil hole in the wall – literally – is a random portal into Mexico where you will find food of the most exotic and far travelled. They’ve shipped fresh ingredients from their mother country each day over the border and up far and deep into the environs of Ojai. No, just kidding but their chicken quesadilla I encountered is filled with wet dripping juicy chicken & cheese and it is very bizzzommmbbb.
*Bonus: Look for their calendar inside that is still stuck on 1992.

I really hate to give Ruben’s 3-​stars. At heart I am really a die-​hard Ruben’s fan, but I feel I have to be honest about the food.
The food it good, the burritos are big, the taquitos are greasy and awesome, and the super nachos are quite super. Now, I can tolerate a hole in the wall Mexican joint pretty darn well I must say, but after eating and loving Ruben’s food my whole life I am going to admit it kills my stomach. Every time.
It is a cute hole in the wall. Not much seating but walk over to the park across the street when you can’t find a place to sit. I love their hot sauce and have definitely eaten there a few hundred times, but it just makes me feel ill. But still awesome with a large coke when you are seriously hung over.

Oh the joys of a quick stop burrito joint! It’s exactly what any good burrito place should be, quick, cheap, and tasty! No frills, no pretenses and actually no seating. well, maybe one small booth, but that’s all. Ruben’s is the burrito joint for those on the go, or those of us not going anywhere except back to bed on the hangover train who need some comfort food NOW!
And there are few places in Ojai that can fulfill that need. Most places are a bit on the pricey side with delicious and intriguing flavor combinations, but that’s no match for the pull of a hot cheesy burrito wrapped in paper and screaming to be eaten.
Places like Ruben’s are usually not given the respect they deserve. They have no frilly napkins, reservations are not needed, and Ruben will probably never win any Michelin stars for his creations. It took leaving San Diego and its multitude of burrito joints/​shacks/​drive-​ups to realize what a sad, sad world we would all live in without places like Ruben’s. So eat up y’all! keep the dream alive and well in Ojai!