Yes, I am a fan of Aqui's! Lunch, appetizers, dinner, SWIRLS, you name it! My favorite swirl is the sangria. You can only order one and if you order two, you have to show an ID of the person you are buying it for and point them out (crazy?!?!). Interesting rules, but the SWIRLS are strong and worth it! Here are my favorite dishes. For appetizers: fresh guacamole or pico de gallo salsa with chips. For lunch: any chicken wrap with salad. For dinner: verde cheese enchiladas, or the vegetarian taquitos. Any dish taste amazing with the variety of salsas to pour onto your meal. I also love that this place has plenty of seating, and, the outside patio is great for people watching. read more

My rating system is a possible star for: food, drinks, service, ambiance, and "other." Food: +1 star. Their bbq chicken quesadilla, and flautas platter are bomb. Drinks: +1 star. They're known for their swirls, but be warned, they are STRONG! 1 is enough; 2 and you'll be hungover ;) Service: +1 star. They don't have servers, but the service is fast and friendly. I'm normally not a fan of places you have to wait in line to order, but the line moves so crazy fast that it's never been an inconvenience. Ambiance: No star. The bar's okay, but the restaurant itself is very plain, with just tables and cold, uncomfortable metal chairs. Other: No star. Nothing cool or special that stands out. People really only go for the swirls. read more

Love the quality of the Food, but twice now the food is luke warm. I like my food piping hot. read more

Great place typically with very good food, drinks and ambience. At a wonderful Campbell downtown location which keeps it lively and entertaining: read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

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My girlfriend Kat and I love Mexican food, it's one of our 'go to' meals when we go out. So on a recent trip we decided to try Aqui, and I'm glad we did. They advertise 'killer drinks' and they delivered! I had a Carlito's Cadillac, and Kat had the Black Currant swirl. We shared the avocado appetizer, which I recommend, then I had the Chicken Chili Verde which was delicious. Kat had a meal size quesedillia. A hair on the pricey side for a place without waiter service, you pick up your food when the buzzer goes off, but the food and drinks are great so we'll be back! read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Food! - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

Oktoberfest 2 years ago, I was here w/ friends but didn't dine here. I did take a few sips of my friend's Paradise Citrus Patron and it was very good and strong. Their claim of serving "industrial strength" drinks did not fail. I have bookmarked this place since then but did not knock this off till now - this past Sunday after a stroll through farmers' market. I was thinking to myself, "I should get brunch to feed my tummy and to gain fuel for my 5-7 mile trek on the Los Gatos Creek Trail". I walked in and was surprised that there were about 3 vacant tables, none outside though but that was OK since this place is usually packed during brunch especially on a Sunday. After viewing their menu and their brunch menu, I went w/ the huevos rancheros ($8.99). It's actually called Cal-Mex Huevos Rancheros - it's scrambled eggs, black beans, cotija cheese, avocado, salsa, tomatillo sauce, Yukon home fries w/ corn tortilla. I was about to spring for a drink but I didn't want to spend $20 on brunch for myself but I kind of regret it now. The line to order moved very fast. The girl that took my order was friendly, generic, and tried to increase the guest check but that is understandable. I got my pager and grabbed a seat. Not even a 5 minute wait, my pager buzzed and I was greeted w/ this: http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=gQB4zF8pV-zvZM2K_B9mWA&userid=0QeJC2inz6P-OVzROU_LNw. I normally prefer my portions regardless if it's breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or desserts to be massive but for some reason, this plate contained the right amount of everything to me. I think I will blame Anna R. because now that I'm on this diet, I am watching my portions now, too whereas all I did before was eat then workout like crazy. The eggs were fluffy, the potatoes soaked in the tomatillo sauce was excellent; still had texture, not soggy at all. The cotija cheese on the black beans is probably my favorite. The beans were tender and the cheese provided the saltiness to the beans and somehow kept the beans "dry". Cotija cheese is a dry cheese which soaked up the juices from the beans quite right along w/ the salsa and avocado that I happened to spoon everything on. The tortilla was soft and I used it to dip it in what was left of my plate. If you want more salsa, ranch, sour cream, jalapenos, etc. then you can do so at the bar in front near the soda and iced tea machine. I walked by it and didn't notice it at all until I was about to leave. I like the fact that I ate a meal that was both delicious and healthy (except the potatoes and tortilla) but the portion was adequate leaving me feeling satisfied but not entirely full. Next time I will get my drink. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Huevos Rancheros (sp?). No alcohol.. saving that $7.50. - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

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The chipotle and mango habanero salsa is bomb. For $11 a whole grilled chicken burrito and salad is going to keep me fed for the next 8 hrs. Impressed w how clean and spacious the interior is. Salsa bar is bombbbbb. I put tomato fresca all over my salad. The mango habanero is spicy enough and not too spicy the burrito had whole wheat wrap. Rice inside was tasty, moist and flavored. Pinto beans over black beans any day read more

2.5 stars. Hey Bartender . . yeah you. Can you please serve me or do I still have to stand here like FOREVER? Not a fan of the bar, but a fan of the Carlitos Cadillac margarita ($8.25). The girls ordered their salads (which I have tried at the Willow Glen location and is decent) and I had a few guacamole and chips. Is it Cal-Mex, Tex-Mex, or just PER-PLEX? Ha. Nothing to write home about, but hey, if you live in Campbell, what other choices do you really have? read more

You can count on the line to get into the restaurant to wrap around the front of the building once summer kicks in. Everybody comes a'flockin for the ice cold swirls ya heard... The swirls are the ultimate thirst-quencher in 80-90, well actually, all degree Cali weather, they're good to drink even in the cold. They've got three different flavors and even experimented with a few new ones. The food is also pretty good here. They've got chips and accomodating salsa bar, tacos, burritos, and other plates to choose from. The dining area is expansive with a patio that wraps around the front. Nice to sit out on their patio if you're able to find a seat allowing you to partake in one of America's greatest pastimes: People Watching. There are other locations but I'm especially partial to this particular one. Stop by when you're in the area and pull up a seat next to me if you dare. Double dare you a Swirl! read more

The food is deliciously fresh. Nice atmosphere. Great service, our party of was served quickly.

I love their food & salsas. A lot of drink options. They have a variety of vegetarian options too. If you like any dish & if you request, they will make it without meat. The only problem is it gets crowded very quickly and takes a lot of time & hustle to find a place to sit, especially during weekends. read more

Since moving to San Jose, I've heard about this place from a handful of people. Was bored one Saturday so we decided to go to Downtown Campbell to check it out. You order your food and drinks first and they will give you a pager that will buzz when your food is ready. We just ordered the avocado dip and two swirls while our friend ordered a swirl and a quesadilla. Avocado Dip: Essentially a mountain of avocados sitting on a bed of salsa. Avocado was fresh and delicious. 4/5 Chips: The chips here are bottomless which is awesome! & there's a salsa bar you can hit up. Quesadilla: Friend ordered the chicken quesadilla. They were generous with the chicken chunks. It was pretty tasty from the one bite I had. 4/5 The drinks here are really strong, we already drank before we came here and all of 3 couldn't finish our drinks because it was too sweet. But they sure are strong. I can see why they give you a two max warning. Would come here again next time for another swirl. read more

A nice place to grab a drink in downtown Campbell before hitting the bars. I love that this place is conveniently located next to the parking garage, which is free and easy to find parking (unlike downtown San Jose). Plenty of seating in doors and outdoors, when it's not a busy weekend. I've only visited Aqui on the weekends unfortunately and there was never any seating for my friends and I unless we really kept an eye out. The only things I can comment on are the swirls, the chips and salsa, and the guacamole. Chips and salsa: Decent snack to munch on but nothing special. Guacamole: Again, nothing special. Swirls: Yikes they weren't kidding when they said "industrial strength margaritas"! I am super light weight when it comes to alcohol so one swirl is always enough for me. My friends on the other hand can usual go for a second. In regards to the taste, the alcohol is a little overwhelming for me, but my friends looooove it, especially the strawberry swirl. The bartenders who made our drinks were decently friendly, I'm sure they did their best considering the busy crowed. But their work was sloppy and I expected a better quality drink considering the price I paid (~$10 a swirl). read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

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Used to go here all the time until today. I ordered my usual goat cheese quesadilla. They added a bunch of crunchy stuff in it and it taste like crap. I just wasted $14 and will not be returning. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Goat cheese quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

Would I come here again? Sure, for the drinks. Absolutely not for any of their brunch "mexi-cali" food. I always notice how busy this place gets when I come to the Farmers Market. This last weekend my gf and I decided to stray from our normal routine (Bills Cafe) and try out this place for brunch. Big mistake!!! I always leave Bills with a feeling of complete gratification. I left this place thinking I paid $40 for that!?! Drinks.... The best part of the meal, although way too strong a drink for brunch. We had the classic Margarita and a Mimosa Swirl. Since it was brunch i liked the Mimosa Swirl better. It's basically the Margarita with a splash of OJ and champagne. We knew the drinks here were very strong, so I'm not giving negative feedback there. But I can say that I would probably never order that again for brunch. Potent stuff, lol. Food... In certain instances fusion style dishes can be successful. Aqui's reworking of Huevos Rancheros however was not successful in my eyes. If I had to be completely honest I would say that the changes made to the classic recipe resulted in a dish that's far worse. Huevos Rancheros is my all time favorite Mexican breakfast food dish, so I'm an expert here, lol. The eggs were scrambled, which is weird for this dish. The corn tortillas were on the side and were cold (intended? Idk). The guacamole tasted fizzy, like it was bad. Overall not one good thing about the dish. Even the portion of food you get is way too small for what you pay. So in summary: great open layout, drinks (although strong) are great. Mexi-Cali huevos rancheros are poorly executed. My advise for brunch here would be to try a classic breakfast item like pancakes. Stay away from Mexi-Cali food. I know I will. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Margarita and Mimosa Swirl - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

Aqui? Alla? Alli? Aqui! Aqui, which also means "here," en la idioma o la linqua de espanol, is absolutely COOL. So what exactly makes it cool? Well, if you read my previous posts, I think you would understand.....Industrial Strength Margarita's. "What, whaaaaa?!!" do you ask? Ok, with all these places to eat in the Bay Area, every restaurant has a gimmick; marketing at it's best. Whether the menu was written by a culinary artist who's trying to suck you into their food by means of orgasmic verbiage, or skillfully placed pictures of their dishes on the menu, all restaurants have this. But what caught my eye was the large, stainless steel, margarita machine, churning away as if it was trying to keep concrete from globbing together.....and the sign above that clearly read in bold print "INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH MARGARITAS." I thought to myself, "Meh, another gimmick. Sigh.....ok, pull the lever and 'git me one." 10 minutes and a Tequila-high buzz later, I was hooked! Those margaritas are not only extraordinary, but also, hmmmmm, what's the most eloquent way of putting this......KICKS ASS? I'm the only other person that I know of that makes Margarita's this strong and I was impressed by the fact that they used Premium label Tequila; irony here is that I utterly despise Tequila - it is simply the Devil's drink (I consistently say to myself, whenever I see tequila, "El Diablo! El Diablo!" as I point at the various bottles of Cuervo, running away like a little girl.) This is definitely a home away from home from this point and I'll be making numerous pilgrimages to this wonderful little place. I wasn't able to try all their beverages, but that's never stopped me before; it's simply a challenge by the Tequila God's, as they point their wry fingers at me and scream, "Oye! Que quieres bebir? Cerveza? La Sangria del Diablo? Que, que? Corona's? Modelo? Jaja, el tiene la sangre de los Dioses." My response: "Si." read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Industrial Strength Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

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So, you walk in, place your order, get a pager, pick up your utensils, napkins, fountain drinks, & seat yourself. Your pager goes off when your food is ready to be picked up. This concept is getting pretty popular, & I'm sure it saves them from hiring staff; they don't need servers, just busers. Very similar to the restaurant right across the street, Sonoma Chicken Coop, but with a different menu. The food's Cal-Mex, meaning they have salads, enchiladas, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tamales, but not with your traditional ingredients. Instead, there can be an Asian or Southwest or Latin American twist to things. You can get chips with salsa, guacamole, bean dip, hummus or polenta. So, definitely California style. The food tastes pretty fresh. I've tried the burritos here & the spicy Cuban enchilada (because I'm a sucker for plantains), they were good. There's tables & chairs both inside & outside, & a bar. It can get pretty busy on weekends. I can't comment on the bar or alcohol...haven't checked it out yet. I think this is the newest branch of a local chain, with the other two locations being Willow Glen & Blossom Valley. Located on the northwest corner of Campbell Ave. & 2nd St. There's a parking garage right behind it on 2nd. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

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'got lost after taking a wrong exit, only to find ourselves on this street around lunch time. So we park the car and walk into this "find!" Mighty pleased! :) loved their Salsa bar-what a choice/variety! Loved their Quinoa soup :))) Service - good Cleanliness - great Food - tasty & terrific menu EXCELLENT presentation!! Lots of choices even for vegetarians, with a bit of tweaking the orders. I would go back! read more

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Stopped in for an Industrial Margarita before going to Quicksilver, good thing it will be a short hike. Ended up getting the Apple Walnut Salad . I'll keep the four star rating for now but the amount of dressing on the salad was overpowering. It was swimming in it, I would have returned it but we were in a hurry. I've had this salad before and it was fine but I'll certainly get the dressing on the side next time. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - The amount of dressing made the salad a bit mushy - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

I was here with some friends over the weekend and had a great time! It's a bit of a hassle to order as you have to order upfront, find your own table, & grab your own food. However, once you have a couple of margaritas & swirls in your system, you will forget about the hassle in the beginning and enjoy your experience. Do sit outside as it's a great place to enjoy the beautiful California weather and semi healthy Cal Mexican cuisine! The avocado dip is a generous amount and very fresh. The Roasted Pork Carnitas was tender & flavorful. I also had a batter Chicken Special that was good. Since i'm really in to sauces and salsa, I really enjoyed their Salsa bar. Great place to just chill and hangout in downtown Campbell! read more

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I had eaten here once before years ago & was not impressed. Years later, I still see it very busy every weekend when we come to the Farmer's Market. I had also been hearing lots about their very strong swirl drinks, so I wanted to give it another shot. What a mistake- I still feel sick from this meal. I got the tofu, egg, & avocado tortilla rolls, & my boyfriend got the huevos rancheros. Mine, was bland, & only tasted good with a heavy dollop of their fire roasted salsa. It was basically scrambled eggs, some avocado, & a couple cubes of grilled tofu all rolled up in a wheat tortilla. Nothing special, & the portions were not that generous. The only postive thing would be that the fruit on the side was not your cheap melon/grape mixture, it was strawberries & mangoes (although a very thinly sliced serving). My boyfriend's entree was much worse. We were even pondering for awhile if he had picked up the wrong order! The eggs were scrambled- for a huevos rancheros?! Beans were dried out, the tortillas were hard & cold, & his avocado slices were rancid! The actually fizzed in your mouth from the fermentation. UGH. Public courtesy went right out the window when it hit my tongue- I immediately spit the whole glob out. My boyfriend looked so miserable during & after he was done choking down this meal- like a kicked puppy. Our drinks definitely lived up to its "industrial-strength" reputation! But they are really just cheap pre-mixed drinks with plenty of ice, syrup, & low-grade tequila. I only had one, & I had such a massive headache & nausea after- & I am no lightweight, & wasn't even drunk! T'was our punishment for cheating on our regular spot: Bill's Cafe. We will NEVER be back, for anything. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Mimosa Swirl & Industrial Strength Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

The only problem I have with this place is how insanely crowded it gets. Trying to get a table is a game of thrones-esque fight. You better keep your eyes open and move quick or you'll be left standing awkwardly by the kitchen. The food is good and you can't to wrong with their industrial strength swirls. If you want a quieter dining experience, I would suggest going to the Aqui on De Anza. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Sangria swirl - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

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This place was super crowded on a Saturday night. They have indoor and outdoor seating, which is definitely a plus during rush hours. We got the west coast salmon and blackened salmon. The order didn't take a lot of time in spite of the rush. The food was not only presented well but was also delicious. They also have an elaborate salsa bar. I didn't try any of the drinks but they seem to have great margaritas! read more

I came here really hungover but after 3 of the peach patron swirl drinks I was feeling alive again. And I don't even like tequila. The drinks definitely creep up and they recommend no more than 2 which is definitely a good tip. Food was good I love all the vegetarian options. I got the avocado roasted corn bowl which was good but the sweet potatoes were cold and that was weird. Loved the sampler with black bean dip, hummus, and salsa + guacamole. They have super good guacamole it's basically just avocado and tastes really fresh. The chips aren't that good but I think that's because they are trying to be healthier or something and go for that multigrain vibe. Anyway, good food and drinks. Nice and fast service. I'd definitely come back. read more

Service: N/A this is a place that you walk up and order at the front and they give you a buzzer. That said, they are pretty quick at cleaning up the tables but if there is a chance that you will order and then learn that all the tables are taken Food: 3/5 The veggie quesadillas lacked salsa and was a really random assortment of ingredients that didn't work too well...feta and edamame? The beef brisket was decent but the barbecue sauce tasted like something out of a bottle and overpowered everything so I had to drench it in salsa read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Veggie quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

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all time favorite. healthy mexican food full of taste. its a go to place for our entire family

If you love Tex-Mex but would prefer a lighter meal ....you will love this restaurant. I didn't have to kick off my boots - of which I have many - and wear a cowgirl hat to dine. I had the scrambled eggs, polenta, crispy diced potatoes and turkey sausage which was excellent and my husband had the tortilla soup and beef salad. Both were about 10 dollars and served in a very modern restaurant with great, friendly service. read more

Turn key healthy,clean Mexican chain. Loud,goodcombinations,open pleasant very busy lay out.Not as cheap as the other two Mexican food places in Campbell I reviewed .Younger higher end crowd this place knows what they are doing and will be around for a long time. Drinks are weak and expensive to make the chain money. read more

Mehhhhhh. Had to give it three stars still because it's a great location and of course everybody loves the drinks. The waits are long and there's absolutely nowhere to sit. We had to wait about 2 hours before we got two extra chairs so our whole party could sit (not to mention it was our friend's bday). Every time I have been here, I have hated everything I ordered. This time, I ordered the "salmon tacos", which is actually one taco with one big ass piece of fish. The salad that comes with it is totally lame. Have you guys (chefs/owners) tasted this? Anyway, only come here if you want some delicious swirls. Other than that-there are so many great restaurants in Campbell where you would enjoy the food much better at. read more

First time I went this restaurant and I was impressed for the great menu and the service. Food is fresh and with great selection. I ordered for starting Avocado Dip and second plate Blackened salmon, everything it was outstanding. I really recommend this place. read more

Can you hear that... no you can't because it's so yummy I'm just eating.. I've been twice I ordered the crab cake salad.. had mango, fresh crispy crab cake, nice greens, great dressings I added jalapeño to mine because I like spice.. my friend ordered the crab cake chicken enchiladas those look super yummy and really fresh. The first time we went we had the salmon on a zucchini noodle cake amazing, luscious salmon.. they are typically busy but the guy who helped me took time to talk and joke around and was really great.. The food is order at the counter but the staff is very efficient in picking up empty cups and plates. There is lots of indoor and outdoor seating. The seating outside has heat laps above.. place is great cheap and nice read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Crab cake, fresh greens, mango, mango and chipotle dressing,And jalapeños ( I added those) - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

This place was POPPIN on St. Patty's! Probably because of their SWIRL dranks. They're basically the best (alcoholic) smoothies you'll ever have. There's multiple "industrial strength" swirl flavors - all are fruit juices, sangria, or Patron with their frozen margarita mixed in. Really makes you feel like you're chilling on the beach in some tropical island and it tastes DELICIOUS! I tried their monthly special - Pomegranate Berry Moonshine Swirl. Pomegranate berry juice, lemonade, peach moonshine... so good! Even though it was super fruity, it was surprisingly strong. Definitely worth the $9! read more

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I have only been to Aqui once and can only speak about the one swirl that I had but I still believe that my experience warrants a review! First off, I visited Aqui on a Sunday night, and you would have never known that it was a Sunday! This place was packed and people were drinking and eating all over the restaurant, I did not see and open seat anywhere! There's a good sign the food is fantastic! Second, I was super lucky in having a great seasonal swirl the evening I visited. The swirl I ordered was the Blood Orange Makers Mark swirl. This drink was one of the most delicious and strongest drink I have even been served at a bar! The restaurant suggests that you limit your intake of swirls to two, and I couldn't believe how hard just one hit! The swirls are affordable and awesome! I believe it was somewhere around $7. read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - The special Makers Mark blood orange swirl in the front and the cosmopolitan swirl in the back. - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

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We have here multiple times I enjoy their vegetarian options. They have healthy options as well. Whole wheat burritos, organic veggies etc. Taste is good Really like their salsa bar and the options there Wish they had a really spicy salsa option though read more

Came here for national margarita day with a few friends. This place is not great at all. I often visit the Aqui's in Willow Glen, and I like that location a lot more. Even though I know drinks at both locations should be the same, the industrial strength swirls here are extremely sweet! They just don't taste as great as the drinks at Willow Glen. Not only are the drinks not great here, but their service is horrible as well!!! I was saving a table for my friends and I in the outside patio, and one of the waiters forced me to change tables because I didn't have a large enough party for it. The new table was extremely tight and had very little space. It was ironic that I had three people in my party, and my old table was taken by a party of three right away. I thought this restaurant was open seating... Not impressed by the service here. Don't think i'll be returning here unless my friends drag me. read more

PARKING... Oh my god. It is a total nightmare and that is the only reason why this place has a -1 star ;( + another -1 star because the food is really average... There's a public parking lot like on the same street as Aqui's, but it's really competitive to get a spot. In regards to the food... I've tried a bunch of things but can never remember the names because the food isn't that good for me to even want to remember the names... Meh. It's okay though, Aqui will always have my business and you know why? Because of SWIRLZZZZ. But of course, all the cool kids know that Aqui know about this! The limit is only 2... And anyone can probably guess that these bad boys are dangerous(ly &) delicious! So make sure you have your designative drivers ready! Seating is quite limited - those there are some spots outside, this area can get fairly chilly past 7:30PM! read more

OK, the food is edible -- but I don't have any weird cravings in the middle of the night for a certain dish. Basically -- it's about the Aqui Swirls! But remember, unless you took a cab -- only have ONE! Nice place to go have a *swirl* & people watch. Or, if you have a hankering to get your groove on and go dancing, make your friends to drink a bunch of them so you can convince them to go across the street to Cardiff after. =) read more

I have been coming here since I was a kid. The food is fresh and delicious every time. My favorite would probably be the thai burrito. Full of flavor! Another safe pick would be the taquitos. YUM YUM YUM. Also- you have to order the sampler with hummus, black bean dip, and guac. The black bean dip is to die for! So good!! and..of course you cannot come to Aqui without trying a Swirl! These things are no joke, they have a 2 drink limit and at 1.5 I can barely walk. I do wish they stayed open later and had a bigger space. If you don't get here early you are either standing at the bar around a tiny table or walking around the dining room for an hour waiting for someone to get up- then you BUMRUSH the hell out of the table and its yours! read more

Aqui Cal-Mex - Swirls - Mexican Near Me - Campbell, California

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Wow. This place has really gone down since I was last here about a year ago and had food to go. The kids plates were very good and carnitas was great but the shrimp bowl was weird. The shrimp were rubbery and the guacamole on the plate tasted really strange. I didn't know if I should have a second bite because utt didn't taste bad just weird. Sure enough it was not good. It was a taste like mold or old avocados. Not quite sure but inedible. The shrimp cake seemed to have no shrimp in it but mostly panko. Drenched in old fried oil. Inedible. Rice good, salads good, veggies good and carnitas good but everything else really inedible. I hope they can get back to what it use to be..fresh and better prepared. read more

i'm from Texas, so it was interesting for me to try another xxx-Mex type. Cal-Mex appealed to me since I'm in Cali now, so a couple of co-workers and I decided to give this restaurant a shot. The service is similar to Sonoma Chicken Coop. You grab a one-sheet, double-sided menu to peruse as you wait in the line to order. You then place your order with the cashier, receive a pager, and go find yourself a table. You won't need to bus your table though; they have staff that come through to keep things clean every so often. The food was really interesting and quite yummy. I wondered what would make it "Cal-Mex" as opposed to "Mex", and the difference is in the pairing of different types of sauces and ingredients in all of their offerings. There's a bit of a Pacific-rim fusion taste to their menu, where salmon, mango, and jasmine rice make their appearance as vital components of various dishes. Their menu is kind of the answer to the question "What do you get when you cross Mexican food and Asian food?" It's a pretty good answer at that. To sum it up, I think the food is refreshingly different and worth going back for. The portions are just right for lunch, though they seem a bit small for dinner. (I haven't been for dinner, so I can't say for sure.) read more