Don Jose & Ricardo’s Mexican Cafe

I’m sitting here right now at Ricardo’s. Great Wifi, chips and salsa. I can write this review as I’m experiencing this great place because they are a beautiful local business that has been serving the community for years. I love their dinner salad, fish taco, and diet pepsi (that part I don’t like. I’m a diet coke guy). Waiter just came and took order. Wonderful atmosphere. If you haven’t been, I highly recommend it.

Nowhere outside the building does it say this is a Don Jose’s. The food tasted like everything came from a can and I wouldn’t recommend coming.
Oh, if you like Don Jose’s on Placentia, it tastes exactly the same.

We love this place! Our family has been coming here for years! The owner and staff are always on point. I love the food here too! I had the chicken fajitas the last time we were there, the salsa is super amazing too.

Was in the area visiting a friend and we decided to come here for dinner. This was my first time at Ricardo’s and I would have to say the food was good. I had the 2 item combo with a cheese enchilada and a chicken taco. The four star is for the service being a little slow but nothing to bad. I wound definitely come back if I was ever in the area.

My husband and I love this place, especially the Anaheim Hills location, since 1975! The food is always good, it never disappoints. The margaritas are the best! My husband loves the tacos, enchiladas and burritos. I find the tostadas and especially the fresh grilled salmon or chicken salads are outstanding! We love to sit in the bar area. It has a real warm atmosphere. We can highly recommend this location and the Orange and Tustin locations.

I can’t believe this restaurant is even still in business! I had the worst experience. I went on a taco Tuesday during lunch time. The hostess tried to seat me and my family at a dirty table with chips on the ground. This should of been a red flag for me to Head out of there. But I decided to stay and sat at a clean table. I ordered the chicken tortilla soup. It was bland and overpriced and totally disgusting. I also ordered an al-​cart beef taco that was overpriced $ 5.00 for one taco! On taco Tuesday yikes. Also we were told by the hostess that taco Tuesday does not start till after 5 PM. My meat on my taco was very bland no flavor. Overall experience mediocre Mexican food if you can call it that! Save your money don’t eat here. Orange County has better Mexican food restaurants. I will not be back ever!!!

I’ve visited Ricardo’s a handful of times, and it’s always on Tuesdays with my coworkers. I love their taco Tuesday specials. $ 2 tacos served outside in their patio till 10pm. The tacos are stuffed and can easily be split in to two since you get two tortillas. They have a variety of condiments you can add. They also have happy hour till 10 pm, Monday to Friday which includes $ 3 margaritas, a selected draft beer (bud light) and a house wine. They have $ 4 appetizers, chimichangas, quesadillas, potatoes skins and macho tacos. They take reservations so you can plan ahead and enjoy a delicious and affordable evening!

DJ/Ricardo’s would have gotten two stars from me before I had the fajita quesadilla… now, I won’t order anything else! The veggies are always fresh and well cooked, the cheese is plentiful, and when I get chicken (it’s good with or without it) it is always seasoned perfectly. It comes with some cute little tortilla cups with sour cream, guac, and salsa. Their chips are killer, too!

Great atmosphere and samples. Our women networking group. met here for a business lunch and I was very satisfied with the dishes served even tough I am not a big fan of spicy food there were. some option to satisfy my taste.

I am revising my earlier, more positive review. Here’s my current opinion, after two visits:
Food = 4 stars (based on overall value and quality)
Service = 2 stars
Ambience — 3 (would be a 4 except they were in full Christmas finery by mid-​November, which turned me off)
Last time we were here, we loved it, so we headed back to celebrate our adult son’s birthday. This time, not so much love. For starters, it was November 11 and the place was already fully decorated for Christmas. Meh. It was early (about 4:30pm) and the hostess seated us right away in a festively decorated alcove, which was nice, and I told her we were there for our son’s birthday. No response, not even a smile in his direction (he’s a good looking guy, so it’s not like she was grossed out or anything). When the busboy brought something to our table, I again mentioned it was my son’s birthday. No response.
We gorged on warm chips and salsa, and our food came quickly, very hot and well-​plated. The food was yummy except for the rice, which was bland. Nothing very spicy, but the flavors were good and the servings were generous, in keeping with our previous experience. I had the chile relleno, my son had sizzling fajitas, his girlfriend had street tacos. All three of us cleared our plates. My husband, who had the seafood enchiladas, is a slow eater and still had a good amount of food on his plate when the busboy came and reached across the table to pick up my empty plate. He literally put his arm right over my husband’s plate of food. My husband saw a bit of something fall off the guy’s arm into his plate, and was grossed out. He didn’t want to make a scene, so we didn’t say anything, but the rest of his food (almost half the plate) went untouched.
At one point, when the server came to refill drinks, I mentioned it was our son’s birthday. Again, no response. I wasn’t asking for free dessert, but you would think she would have told him happy birthday! Nope, even when she asked if we wanted dessert, she didn’t even use the birthday as motivation for us to order something (ie, «How about some dessert to celebrate his birthday?»). While she went to prepare our check, we decided we would go to Marie Callendars for coffee and dessert, since Ricardo’s didn’t seem to care if they had our business or not. Then, after we paid the bill, she came back to our table to tell us that she’d accidentally given us a coupon discount, and she was going to have to re-​bill us for $ 12 more. I had my iPhone out and was on Unilocal at the time, so I said, «How do we get a coupon?» (thinking maybe I could somehow keep that discount). She said we could go sign up on their website and they’d send us «discounts and stuff,» but she didn’t even know the URL, and seemed more eager to re-​bill our card than to even bother earning the extra tip it would represent.
Overall, not thrilled. We had more fun at Marie Callenders, sharing a plate of cheesecake with coffees all around, and taking home a delicious apple pie for later. Another $ 20 or so that Ricardo’s could have had, if they’d just shown a little more enthusiasm for our business.

The reviews on here saying that this place is authentic provide some comedic relief to the fact that this place is such a bummer. If you think this is authentic Mexican food, then you probably think that Panda Express is authentic Chinese food, and that Chili’s and Applebee’s are bordering on 5-​star dining. This place is the worst Mexican food restaurant I can consciously remember eating at.
Let’s start with the fact that I gorged myself on Del Taco three days prior to coming here and felt sort of gross for about an hour afterwards. I left Ricardo’s and felt legitimately ill for DAYS. And let’s be honest, the food at Del Taco was better AND more authentic. Considering that I have now devolved into comparing Ricardo’s to a fast food chain, it should be clear how much I disdain this place. I am Mexican. I have been to Mexico multiple times, and the food is amazing. The food at Ricardo’s is nothing like it.
Thus, after being served what can only be classified as stale, soggy chips with tomato sauce that cannot possibly be classified as salsa, I dove into my fajita burrito. Funny, there was more tortilla than either fajitas or beans, and all of these items were incredibly bland. Furthermore, I specifically asked for a vegetarian option and found a fat chunk of chicken in my meal. Great. Here comes an allergic reaction considering that I’ve been without meat for health reason for years.
All in all, this restaurant is phenomenal if you hate Mexican food, have never been to Mexico, enjoy bland food and horrible atmospheres, and want to experience the McDonald’s of appropriated, whitewashed Mexican culture.

Came for taco tuesday. Al pastor too dry. Chicken needs seasoning but guacamole was good. I little pricey for what we got.

I love this place so much– they are so quick and they have great customer service! Their food is filling, their salsa is tasty, and the atmosphere is great!

I give them five stars! Authentic food and atmosphere. I love their combo deals and I love their chili rellanos! The only thing I would change or wish for is authentic Mexican rice, tastes a
But like minute rice. But we will be
Back!

The food is very bland here. Nothing tastes fresh and everything tasted prepackaged. The steak fajitas were dry and flavorless, the chile relleno tasted like batter and processed cheese. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. The Del Taco across the street is more authentic and a lot more affordable.

Ordered the 3 plate combination with a chile relleno, taco & enchilada. The chile relleno had so much egg it was disgusting! The rice wasn’t cooked, it was really hard. Chips were good salsa had no flavor. We had to place an order for drinks twice because the waiter forgot to bring us our drinks. Not coming back to this place.

My family and I came to eat on Sunday eavening, the restaurant was fairly empty and seating was immediate. When ordering my drink I was saddened to find out that a Mexican genre restaurant did not have any Mexican waters like; Orchata, Jamaica, Tamarindo. I decided just to go with a common drink (Sierra Mist).
When chips and salsa arrived, it was more like chips and tomatoe sauce, didn’t have any spicy flavor. I asked the waitress for Tapatio sauce and she replied «sorry we don’t have that sauce.» Lol, you see what I am talking about, every wanna be Mexican restaurant at least has that. Anyways, I ordered the Fajitas Burrito, and when it arrived I have say this was by far the worst Fajitas Burrito I have ever had. It was literally stuffed with beans.
If you’re looking for real Mexican food, skip this place, because myself being Mexican I can say this place has no taste like Mexico.

I love Mexican food, I worked for a good Mexican restaurant while I was in school. I been in Orange for 7 years and we just tried this place, because we had a coupon from The Entertainment book. Pretty bummed it took me 7 years to know we had such a great Mexican restaurant near us.
My wife, 4 and 6 year old all loved our food. In my opinion they have the best chips and salsa. Looking forward to coming back.
Staff was friendly and it was a good crowd too.

A fake excuse of a Mexican restaurant. I tried the tamale cheese enchilada and crunchy taco.
The tamale was the worst tamale I have ever tasted, the meat had absolutely no flavor.
The taco was hideous. The shell was stale and hard to eat. The shredded beef was old and dry and filled with lettuce.
The only highlight was the cheese enchilada. Plain and simple and good taste.
It was a little awkward that most customers and employees were Caucasian. We were the only Hispanics there and now I know why, no true Hispanic would think this is good authentic Mexican food.

On the bright side, they have Margarita Mondays. Which aren’t great margaritas, but they are cheap.
Food is generic mid-​level Mexican (though the chips and salsa are decent). Service is generic so-​so as well.
But, again, Margarita Mondays.

We first ventured over to the local Don Jose’s in the City of Orange about a year ago. They regularly put out coupons in «The Penny Saver» and the like.
Their chips and salsa, free, included the moment you sit down, are fresh, and the salsa is better than most, tastes homemade, not out of a jar. (#FreshMEXFail
)
About 3x a year I opt to indulge in their House Margarita (on the rock or frozen options, salt, no salt, little salt options). After today’s #HairColorFail disaster at Marinello in Anaheim, like too many others, I needed a reprieve from making dinner and nice Margarita. Don Jose’s fit the bill.
While I often (too often?) select their really wonderful «Chicken Sonora,» tonight I ventured a bit further a flung. My life partner selected the same option, so, we both went with «Stuffed Pasilla Chile Relleno.» He never met a chili relleno he didn’t love.
SoCal Concerns: Free Parking baby, no valet surcharge. Yeah, you love it. No, California street isn’t a straight shoot through from Walnut ave.
They greet with smile and hellos when you walk in the door.
The outdoor colored lights remind me of the Spanish feel of Taos, NM.
Friendly helpful servers.
Lush really nice looking plants, all plastic but lookin’ good.
Clean bathrooms.
Nice experience all around. We eat here regularly.
Use their email fans coupons as well as coupon book coupons. II joined their mailing list for offers. They don’t spam you. I get one major postcard mailing from them per month with a coupon or two which we can usually use.
Yes they are a chain, but they are a mini-​SoCal local chain.

Should I start with the awful food or the even worse customer service? Hmm… what choices.
I suppose this place is everything you would expect from a chain (Mexican) restaurant. Chips & Salsa, mediocre over priced margaritas, tacky dressed servers…
2 things that one should not have to expect or experience is bland food & despicable management.
I was with a group of 5 celebrating a birthday. We sat in a booth in the bar area.
After ordering & finishing 2 margaritas each, our food finally arrived. Everyone’s food was either completely tasteless or barely warm. Except for my boyfriends order, whose didn’t arrive until the rest of us were almost done with our meal. When his food finally did arrive… well, lets just put it this way, I bet cardboard has more flavor than his taco & tamale did.
He complained and was offered a replacement plate. As he was completely over the meal by this point, he politely declined more food but instead ordered another margarita. His meal was taken off our bill, but no one else’s was. He was not offered a free drink in place of his food, which would have at least been the decent thing to do.
It was a slow Wednesday night, so we took our time & ordered more drinks. About half way through our time there, a couple with 3 small children sat themselves at the booth IN THE BAR AREA next to us. Since we are adults, the conversation was, at times, less than child friendly. The man with the children kept shooting my boyfriend & our friends dirty looks.
He finally jumped up from his booth, stomped over to the manager & very loudly complained about us, pointing yelling & making a scene. You know, because turning around and actually ASKING us to not curse or discuss adult topics was WAAAAY too mature of a thing to do. The manager came over to our table & asked us to be more courteous of our fellow diners.
Never mind that we are paying customers who have already had shitty food, but now you want us to censor our conversation because a family CHOSE to sit in the BAR? The situation was not resolved at all. We paid our bill reluctantly & went to leave.
On the way out, we were stopped again by management. They manager told us that Ricardo’s is a family restaurant & we really need to learn how to be more respectful when their are children present. My very outspoken boyfriend pointed out that the people we were being told to respect sat themselves in bar with their small children, rather than one of the dozens of open tables outside of the bar area. We could understand the rationale behind «being more polite» say if we were sitting in the main part of the restaurant. The manager said regardless of that fact, we had no business using adult language around small children, then asked us to not return to Ricardos again.
THAT IS NOT A PROBLEM. If this is how a business wants to treat their guests, PAYING GUESTS, I have no qualms about never going back. I wish I could give zero stars, that’s how disgusted I am with this place.