Rubio’s

Ducked into Rubio’s for some quick fish tacos for dinner on 3−11−16. Service was horrible — restaurant was nearly empty, one person in front of me in line and only 3 or 4 people ordered after me — I waited nearly 10 minutes for 4 fish tacos (to go). When I checked on the delay, it became very apparent the order hadn’t been submitted. Almost 10 minutes later, one of the wait staff asked what I was waiting for… what the???
I was eventually provided 4 sub-​par fish tacos… horribly soggy! PLEASE take me back to the days of the one and only Rubio’s in PB when the fish tacos rocked!
This will be my last trip to Rubio’s…I would rather drive to Blue Water and endure the lines.
Sad to see the demise if this once storied business so unique to SD.

«Expensive and NOt Real Tasting Mexican Food «
My friends and I went to the Rubio’s in El Cajon the other day for lunch and were very disappointed. The Food was very expensive and the taste was like phony Mexican food. I would not go back to any Rubio’s if this is what they serve.

Rubios shrimp burrito is what I typically order. They have changed their menu quite a bit. With menu changed prices increase as well! Cool not a issue until I order my burrito. Shrimp burrito no beans easy rice extra chipotle sauce. That burrito was $ 8 bucks with a drink my total was $ 10.40. The cashier handed me my bag felt light but I took it anyway! I get home unwrap the burrito it was extremely small. So small it was like a frozen burrito you buy in the frozen section. I was not happy nor was I full! I was disappointed should have drove back and spoke to the manager but I was to exhausted after a long day at work and now still hungry!!! The prices should match the food just pissed off

Great lunch today. Fish tacos, cold beer, and 75 degrees out on the patio in winter. Food was great and Cathy & Monique were the epitome of great service. Friendly, fun, and made for a great visit.

This is the 2^nd time I’ve gotten a chicken california bowl here and the chicken has been clear and pink, raw. I’m done spending $ 8 on a bowl I can’t even eat. I got home and had to throw the whole thing away

Got food poisoning drive through wait was extremely long as well. I’ve been to other Rubios and have always been a loyal customer but this location is definitely horrible and not up to par. Every other location i have been to has been great! Pb, Friars, Grossmont, and Parkways Plaza Rubios. The drive through attendant was on the phone the whole time we watched our food sit there, ready and getting colder by the minute. Not to mention we were the only customers in the drive through and waited half an hour. I will not ever be back to this location. It’s quite dissapointing considering I do know Rubios prides themselves on great customer service and great good. I hope this location really cleans up their act.

I’ve never really been a fan of the chain-​style fast food joints, especially for Mexican food, but after hearing so much rave about Rubio’s being fresh and blah, blah, blah, I had to give it a try! During a quick lunch run I pulled into the drive-​thru surprised to see so many fish options: mahi mahi, tilapia, salmon, shrimp and you can get it grilled or blackened. Seriously, blackened! I am in love and my tastebuds start salivating before I can get my money out. I got the Balsamic & Roasted Veggie Salad and added blackened tilapia. The portion size was more than I could eat. Most importantly, there was just the right amount of veggies to lettuce. The tilapia was moist and seasoned to perfection. I can kick myself for not trying Rubios a long time ago!

Pretty bummed. Was the only person in the drive thru and didn’t see anyone inside I ordered a steak especial burrito. They gave me chicken. Glad I paid extra for steak. Burrito was cold and rice was old. You know people want minimum wage upped and they can’t even get 1 order right? Yeah I don’t think so. Won’t be coming back would rather drive further to the mall next time.

Great lunch, fast and fresh. Came to this location to avoid the mall! Glad I did! Ordered the chicken tortilla soup and a lobster taco. Delish! Wish the soup was a permanent on the menu and that tortilla chips were complimentary. Otherwise great!

Order was a mess to start with all wrong one star
After talking to LuLu she took care of the problem
It’s back to five stars
Thank You

The food is outstanding!!! However the customer service leaves alot to be desired. Service is very untimely I love Rubio’s food but I will not go there unless I have at least an hour

The ladies at the office were working hard one afternoon so I ran over to Rubio’s for some salads to take back to work. This Rubio’s has a drive through which I hoped would be a convenience since I wanted to get in and get out as quickly as possible. My entire trip took 45-​minutes from beginning to end which included a trip BACK to Rubio’s because they forgot to put my receipt in my bag which I needed for my office expense report. Aargh… perhaps the most frustrating 3 chicken chopped salads and 3 bottles of water I have ever ordered!

small chintzy portions for a $ 9 shrimp. burrito. literally had six quarter size shrimps in the whole burrito, mostly beans and rice. food is tasty but way overpriced for small portions. u can swing a cat anywhere in San Diego and find great fish tacos and. burritos for less$$$

Upon entering the establishment I was greeted by the staff now that felt welcoming –placed my order the staff showed /​given a pleasant approach with a smile — the food was complete n ready a very short time after — Thank u Rubios

20 minutes in the drive thru for a chicken quesadilla with no chicken! Not even an apology for the wait when there was only one person in front of me. So yea… done deal for me at this establishment!

Another limp burrito, man am I sick of this. I go in tonight 8pm and order a citrus shrimp burrito to go. I get home quick to find my burrito. I grab it with both hands, take a chomp at it and then it falls over. I take another bite and it starts oozing it’s contents.
It does not taste fresh either. In fact it’s dead carcass is left split down the middle so I could dig the shrimp out of it. I found 3 whole pieces of avocado wrapped between the tortia at the bottom end.
So disappointing AGAIN !!! what a waste of $ 8.00. I’m not fulfilled, in fact my stomach feels like there is a rock in it.
I hope I remember to not come here anymore!

I got food poisoning from their shrimp burrito. Don’t go back there! Eating out anywhere is a risk to your health and mine…

As far as Rubio’s goes, this one is probably my favorite. Because it’s cheaper, cleaner or better food than the others? No, Rubio’s has an excellent franchise model. Your Pesky combo will taste the same here as it does in Clairemont, their housekeeping standards are consistently high and their service is as good as it gets in the fast food industry. You got me, it’s close to my bank!
WHEN YOU GO– for a taco shop with a drive through, it doesn’t get any better. I know we have a lot of taco snobs here (SD is the Mexican food capital of the U.S.), but these are decent tacos. Pricey compared to Kiko’s or TJ Oyster bar? Yes. But when you’re in a hurry for lunch, Rubio’s is a winner.

I have been a patron of this Rubio’s location on & off for about a year and I decided to give it 5 stars because the service here is really top notch! I have called in my orders for pick up, dined in, and tried the drive-​thru, and every employee here is so well-​mannered and professional. Plus, the manager, Mario is always friendly, polite and happy. This location is always kept clean and the salsa bar & utensils are usually well-​stocked. There is also plenty of parking and seating outdoors on the patio.
In general, I think this is what separates Rubio’s from other similar establishments. I stay away from fast food joints not only because of the lack of fresh ingredients they use and the lack of overall cleanliness (that’s for another review, haha), but also, I’ve had countless issues with bad service and/​or incorrect orders there. I have never had an issue with this Rubio’s (or any other, for that matter) and I’m a fan!
Most importantly, I love the food here. Yes, I have had «real» Mexican food, but the concept of Rubio’s is quite different. Their focus is more on seafood & they have a wider selection of healthy options than your typical «authentic» Mexican taco shop. I think it’s one of the best places to grab lunch with some co-​workers or come grab some dinner and a beer after work. The calorie counts are easily accessible on the menu and you can even get black beans and corn tortillas as opposed to pinto and flour to cut down even more on your calories (for all you dieting out there). The food is delicious without leaving you feeling too full or too guilty, and the prices won’t break the bank. I think I have had just about everything on the menu and you can never go wrong with their shrimp tacos. For salads, I love to indulge in their Chipotle Ranch salad, but for a simpler meal, sometimes I get the Balsamic & Roasted Veggie salad w/​Chicken, which is great but you’ll be missing out on guacamole, creamy dressing & tortilla strips… but hey, you get what you pay for… in calories!
I also love how sustainable and socially responsible Rubio’s is. They don’t use any styrofoam containers for takeout, and instead, use paper or other recycled materials, which is makes their containers and cups all compostable or recyclable. I admire their initiative and leadership in stopping global warming and reducing polystyrene from piling up in landfills or worse, getting into the ocean. Plus, this Rubio’s has silver utensils for dine-​in patrons, which further reduces unnecessary waste.
**Tip: On Tuesdays after 2:30pm, you can get their fish tacos for around $ 1.50 I think, but you’ll probably need a minimum of 3 if you are gonna have them as a meal. Plus, I always ask for complimentary Salsa Fresca with my tacos! Trust me, you’ll thank me later!***

I have to admit, Rubio’s has not failed me yet to date, and today’s visit was not any different. I had the 3 mini grilled chicken taco combo with black beans and rice on corn tortillas for $ 6.59 (
) and I ordered some tortilla chips and guacamole for $ 1.70.
The meal was very good. The chicken tacos had great flavor and went very well with the green salsa from the salsa bar. (
) The chicken was moist and seasoned well. The black beans and rice both were cooked well and were a perfect sides for the mini tacos. I like that they put a generous sprinkles of cotija cheese on the black beans. (
)
The tortilla chips were good and the guacamole was okay. The service was great. Irene, the girl who took my order was enthusiastic and had a great sense of humor. The food came out quickly and nice and warm. This is a large Rubio’s and has plenty of seating outside as well.