Let me start by saying I don't usually write reviews unless I feel it can truly help a restaurant grow. I understand how hard it is to run a business like this, so I always aim to be fair and constructive. That said, after giving Don Rafa another try this past Friday, I feel compelled to share my experience. My wife and I had visited this restaurant in the past, and we've always had mixed results--sometimes okay, sometimes not so much. Because of that inconsistency, we stepped away for a while. Recently, we decided to give it another shot and ordered a variety: fajitas, a chicken torta, and enchiladas. Unfortunately, all three were disappointing. The beef in the fajitas was inedible--so tough it had to be thrown out. The chicken wasn't grilled or sizzling as expected, but stewed in an overly salty sauce. The torta, which I usually enjoy, was likely made with the same salty chicken and was drenched in wet ingredients, making it soggy and unpleasant--though the bread itself was toasted nicely. The enchiladas were the biggest letdown. We tried all varieties--beef, chicken, pork, and cheese--and none were enjoyable. The beef was tough, the chicken overly salted, and the cheese had an odd, overly salty flavor. The red and green sauces poured over them were thin, watery, and lacked depth. Compared to the enchiladas we've enjoyed in Texas or even some places in Chicago, these were unfortunately the worst we've had. I share this not out of malice, but in hopes the owners or cooks see this as an opportunity to make improvements. Consistency, meat quality, and seasoning levels matter. If you wouldn't want to eat the dish yourself, it shouldn't be served. I genuinely hope things turn around--this area could really use a great Mexican spot. But based on our most recent experience, I have to give it one star. read more

Wow! Just moved to this area and decided to try this place out. The warm atmosphere as soon as I walked was unbelievable! They helped me right away and I believe the manager it was greeted me and handed me a sample! The woman cutting the carnitas gave me a sample! Amazing! The lady that rung me up asked for my bad and then introduced herself. I felt very welcomed and the food is amazing!! read more

The shank soup was delicious. More food than I could possibly eat at one meal. The chips and salsa are really good whether you like spicy or mild salsa. The people are very friendly and make you feel like you're in their home. This is the only place we go to now for sit down Mexican food because there food is that much better. read more

The carnitas are wonderful. I've only had the carnita dinners during the week with nopales. Then I go on Sundays occasionally to get a couple pounds to take home and eat. Give them a try. read more

From a Latina, this food was simply tragic. We ordered a carnitas burrito is was doused in sour cream and even then the carnitas were flavorless and dry. We also got a steak torta which there was no steak only steak fat in it with gross kind of Mexican cheese unless it was old cheese. We also ordered guac & that was the worst plainest guac I've ever had in my life. Don't waste your money here. read more

Carnitas Don Rafa - Steak fat from horrrible Torta Dinner - Mexican Near Me - Crest Hill, Illinois

The food and staff are great! The atmosphere is great! The art on the wall is awesome! We ha

The employees are very excellent and definitely be working so hard, the place is usually busy especially on weekends, I love there delicious steak tacos and veggie tacos as well. read more

I had the worst experience ever. Our service was terrible had to wait for 20 minutes for refill on chips when there was no one else in the restaurant. Had to wait a very long time on a refill on my drink also, maybe like 10-15 minutes. Our food took a very long time when all we got were tacos. They got my tacos wrong and my friends dinner wrong also. The steak was not edible it was completely full of fat and couldn't even chew it. We also ordered an appetizer and they never brought it out and we told them we no longer wanted it and then they ended up telling us they would give it to us for free because it took so long and then she game back saying that they burned them! I used to love this place but I will not be returning and be telling others of this horrible experience. Very terrible waitress and food was not good. read more

I saw an advertisement for a carnitas family pack. We needed food for a group so it was perfect timing. When I arrived there was one table of people eating. I asked about the family meal and she pointed to the chalkboard with the information. I asked if the tortillas were homemade and she said only on Saturday ( it wasn't Saturday). I asked if there are crispy bits that can be included...she said yes. I asked if I could get cilantro and onions...again, she said yes. When she brought out the food it was in a small plastic bag. For $60 I expected a bigger bag. I happened to ask where the cilantro and onions were because I wanted them separated from the hot food. She obviously forgot because she went running to get a small container. I then thought to also ask about the red and green salsa for the same reason. Guess what...yup forgot that too. So we would have left without both if I hadn't asked. We get home and the carnitas were in a soggy paper boat with NO crispy bits, store bought tortillas, and not much food. Never again. read more

My wife got sick , their food needed more flavor, they took 40 min to give us our food and the waiter forgot a few things . It's a big no for me read more

I went to Don Rafa this past Sunday. I went with my husband... we have been trying to find a good Mexican place for us to eat it at and this place is it! The food was perfect, I got the tacos de asada and my husband, a torta. Our server, stephanie, was friendly and conversational with us. Great atmosphere. Will be back soon!!! read more

Me encantan las carnitas somos clientes de años mi mesera muy buena gente llamada Nancy estuvimos sentados en la mesa redonda de la esquina nuestra mesera y manager muy amables No nos gusto que una mesa grande igual que nosotros no se quisieron sentar donde ellas amablemente les dijeron y tuvieron que hacer trabajar a nuestra mesera sabiendo que era la unica y tenia otra mesa tambien se portaron muy groseros Buscaban sacar ventaja y no era justo y casi nos parabamos para defenderlas. ​ Escribimos porque la gente amenazo en poner mal review cuando ellos fueron los pesados desde que llegaron Excelente servicio y buen managment. Regresamos pronto read more

Walked in, waitress made eye contact with me and walked away. Followed her to kitchen area to ask if we could seat ourselves. She looked up annoyed and first looked out as if to see if we could then just nodded and turned away. Selected a seat, then ........waited. And waited. For 15 minutes without so much as a hello from staff. We had to rush back for my daughter' softball game and just made a pit stop at Sonic. Never walk in if they seem busy - cause they're not going to get busy attending you. read more

Looks small from the outside, but is pretty large and roomy. Had the carnitas plate which was amazing, along with the queso fondido (I think that's what it's called) along with the cebollitas frita. Great flavors, very nice ambiance kid friendly, margaritas were pretty good. Will definitely be returning. read more

I had a taste for carnitas so I want to this place. I ordered the carnitas for "2 people" so I could have for dinner and my lunch Sunday. I got home and opened the container and I got this. Really $20.00 for this it's bullshit Don Rafa. Third and last time I go to this place. read more

Carnitas Don Rafa - Supposedly $20.00 worth of carnitas - Mexican Near Me - Crest Hill, Illinois

I've been here once before & I never had a problem but I went yesterday May 17th, I was actually very disappointed I took a bite of my taco and pulled a whole hair out of my mouth I didn't give the waiter a hard time because I'm a waiter and I understand I asked for a whole new plate when I received it I wasn't hungry anymore I didn't have an appetite after that I asked for a box to go and as I'm putting my food in the box there is another hair and the bottom of my rice I was in complete shook my sister also had a hair in her food but I didn't get a picture of that. I didn't receive a discount or nothing I had to pay full price for everything. I was very upset because the first time I ever tried their food it was very good. The pictures below are screenshots from a video that I took. read more

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muy mal servicio del personas las quesabirrias son carnitas y no es birria la comida te la sirven casi fría

Amazing Mexican food. My wife is Mexican American and we are very picky when it comes to that food. Barbacoa and carnitas were wonderful. Great horchata. The kids loved their tacos and rice. read more

Carnitas Don Rafa - Mexican Near Me - Crest Hill, Illinois

My husband picked up Menudo today. It was flavorless and the meat was overcooked, hard to chew. We were disappointed. We feel we wasted our money on it. Although the carnitas were good. read more

Best tacos in town! The staff is always friendly and ready to help. Not to mention the atmosphere of the restaurant is to die for! Authentic Mexican cuisine at great prices!! Love ordering the taco platers and having parties here because it's just that amazing! read more

Carnitas from Don Rafa are our fall back for feeding a large group of people on short notice. The succulent pork is a hit with almost everyone. Even those (I won't out a family member) who claim to not like Mexican food! I always ask for the dark meat and some of the salty bits put on top! There's truly nothing better than a salsa verde topped carnita from Don Rafa taco! Edited to add: In as long as they've been open, we've only gotten take outs and often the picnic pack. I can't comment on the service in the restaurant. read more

Sorry, but this was just bland food from start to finish. I should have stuck with my gut instinct,but I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. We walk in no one to welcome us or seat us. Only 2 other patrons in the place this is the bad sign for me. I ordered the chimichanga which was just bad no flavor at all but salt. My wife ordered the Chilaqulie plate it was nacho chips with scrambled eggs set on top of the nacho chip. Unbelievable!! I even ask our waitress if that was the way they always prepared them she said yes. Sorry, i will stop there . One more they nickel and done you for everything. Not good! I'm one and done very unsatisfied costumer. read more

Wanted to support a local restaurant with a carry out order on 5/17/2020 at 5:00 PM. Order was simply, 1 Carnitas plate, 1 Chicken Fajitas Plate, 1 Steak Fajitas Plate, and 1 Taco Plate. All was packaged and ready when I went to pick up but how can you forget to put in the Tortillas.... Mexican Food Does Not Go Without Serving Hot Tortillas. Come On... Get It Right.... Paid $70.96 with no Hot Tortillas.... read more

Wow, this is the best Mexican food we've ever had so close to our house! You may not have noticed this place since the location it's sitting in has changed businesses a few times in the last few years. When we walked in we couldn't believe the decor. This place is truly beautiful, warm, and inviting. It's not loud or tacky. The managers and servers here are always polite and check back often to make sure you have everything you need. Obviously I highly recommend the Carnitas! and and all versions of them. They are slow cooked in oil so their flavor is rich and melts in your mouth. They have the slightest bit of crunch making the texture an experience of it's own. We've also tried the carne asada here which, like the carnitas, melts in your mouth. My mouth is watering just trying to relive the experience while writing about it. They start you off with chips and salsa. The salsa has a seriously spicy kick! So beware if you don't love spicyspicy food. I personally love the no-apologies spiciness of the salsas here. All the appetizers are great as well. I recommend getting the Chicharrones from here if you like pork rinds...maybe grab some to take home for the game too! read more

So, after passing by this location for weeks now, they finally opened and we were excited to try it since carnitas are a weekend staple for us. We decided to go this last Sunday morning for a late breakfast. What surprised me the most of this location is how small it is. What was also surprising is that they don't use the whole space as an actual sit down restaurant, they only use half, the other half is for carry out. Carnitas were good, but you have to keep flagging down waitresses for the sides. The wait for the food was waaay to long and I noticed other tables were having the same problem. We had a male waiter at first, then we had a waitress but then there was noone on the floor, very irritating. Had to flag down any one for a to go box, then someone else for the check. Didn't want to wait 20 minutes for someone to take the check so we went to pay at the register. I did not like the service here. Also, I noticed they were heating up food in microwaves, ewww. So in conclusion, I don't think I would eat there again, I might do the carryout instead. The carnitas were pretty tasty, but the service kind of canceled it out. read more

I guess Carnitas Don Pedro on 18th street really spoiled me because I find it hard to find a better place. They were very heavy on the stomach, they tasted like old lard, the portions were small for the price (including drinks; all ice). Their other meat selections faired no better. They also screwed up my order. I wanted to like them since they are the closest thing to home now. I will try them once more to see if I just got them on a bad day. I will say that the staff was nice & their salsas were very very tasty. read more

The service is great here. They give you samples of carnita as you wait in line for your to go order. The restaurant is small, but it is cozy. Everyone is there to enjoy a good Sunday Mexican lunch. Their catering is a bit difficult to deal with since only one person is in charge if it. Prices and portion sizes are difficult to pun down, but the food is great. read more

4.5 stars Chicken enchiladas were ok, not bad, just the texture was rather soggy we'll say. Fared better with the al pastor burrito was it was big and quite filling. The pork tasted amazing as it was marinated. Also tried my buddy's Caldo de Res (beef soup) and I just love how the broth tasted, especially when you add in the diced onions, cilantro, and lime juice. read more

Best Tacos in the area hands down!!! Everything was great here and most of all, fresh!!!! I've tried the other taco places in Plainfield/Joliet/Shorewood..Nothing even comes close to this place. Also the service is good as well, definitely recommend!! read more

Very good!! Great service!! Clean!! Carnitas were amazing, great beer selection. Friendly staff! I recommend read more

This is probably my absolute favorite place to eat near Joliet. The price is a little more than other places but you more than get your money's worth. Portion sizes are great, staff is friendly. I stopped in on a crazy Sunday and they were behind on busing tables and I didn't end up staying but I still love this place. Will be back!!!! read more

Carnitas Don Rafa - Awesome dish - Mexican Near Me - Crest Hill, Illinois

First time we went there the food was great and the service was great this time not the same story food came out in three different servings about 10 minutes apart so by the time the last people were fed the first people were already done my food was cold I asked for it to be reheated it came back barely warm my husband waited over 20 minutes for his tortillas then they refused to split our bill for us and just like the other people added a 22Percent gratuity and charged us gratuity tax on top of regular tax not the same Don Rafa as it used to be I wouldn't waste my time. read more

I love good mexican food, and I wanted to try this place. I ordered the enchiladas with a side of queso using grubhub. I can eat anything, and I don't like to complain. This order came out bad enough that I'll comment. The beef in the enchiladas was so well done that I couldn't chew it completely. I ended up throwing it out. I couldn't recognize what was the sauce and what was mushy tortilla. It looked like throw up. Also, the chips were obviously stale. I'd guess they were leftover from the day before. I did wonder if, since I was using grubhub, they felt they could cut corners and slack with my order since I can't send it back. That's how bad it was. I'm not going to eat here again =/. read more

First, the food was good. It had good flavor and good portions. Our server was friendly. We had a group of 10 and we felt she did a good job. That is why when it came time to pay the bill, and we saw an automatic gratuity charge of 22% (we usually tip 20% for great service) we didn't raise issue with it. Upon getting home and further inspecting the receipt, we noticed that not only was that nice tip automatically added, but we were taxed on our gratuity! I don't mean to say that they added gratuity after taxes, I mean they actually charged us a tip tax. They were kind enough to label it "Gratuity Tax". read more

Carnitas Don Rafa - 22% automatic gratuity, plus we get to pay a tax on it. Smh. - Mexican Near Me - Crest Hill, Illinois

Ok this place is solid! Mexican food on point! The inside may not be 5 star because its very basic decor but the food is what matters! Everything we had was good! Prices are fair and the service is excellent! You gotta try it! read more

Carnitas Don Rafa - Chimi soo good!! - Mexican Near Me - Crest Hill, Illinois

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I ate the best carnitas tacos! They were seasoned to perfection. My husband ordered a Michoacana plato and it it had carnitas, rice, nopales salad and barbacoa. The barbacoa was juicy and flavorful. Excellent customer service. I highly recommend. read more

Many times I think people complain just to complain. You weren't greeted immediately? Gee whiz, but this isn't a chain restaurant with a hostess stand and someone who ignores you for a while. You weren't rushed to a table by the matre d? Too bad, so sad. The restaurant wasn't jammed pack with noisy patrons letting their kids run wild? GOOD!. My gosh, they had a tray of chips on a table out in the open? Try thinking that they were samples put out by the carry out counter. In the 90 minutes I was there not one customer ran their hand through it digging from the bottom, they all used tongs to put a few into a little cardboard tasting dish. My wife and I came to Don Rafa on New Years Eve because we didn't want to hit a chain Mexican restaurant. We wanted to go somewhere smaller, a bit more quiet with food that tasted good and was priced sanely. At first we were disappointed that they were only open until 4:00 on the 31st but we got over that quickly and decided to go for a laid back late lunch instead. We were greeted within a minute or two and were invited to pick a table we were comfortable with. At the time there were only three or four tables taken so we had no problem. When seated, we were approached by a friendly server almost immediately. She had a thicker accent and we only speak English but we had no trouble communicating. If I have a complaint, it's that I looked at their on-line menu and saw a variety of flautas available, only to find out once we got there that they were no longer on the menu. Our server said she would ask the chef if he would make an order for me but he refused. I was not going to let something like that upset me and just rolled with it. I ordered three different types of enchiladas while my wife ordered carnitas, a pork dish. She was satisfied with her meal and I really enjoyed mine to the point that I just had to order one more cheese enchilada. The chips that were served pre meal were tasty and crisp, both the red and green salsas had a bite to them. They weren't "dumbed down" for the non-Latino diners. After dinner we split an order of fried ice cream for desert. I drank cola while my wife had two frozen margaritas. They were a good size and while I'm not a drinker I thought they had a very good taste to them. As we were eating more customers came to dine in and they had a steady flow of carry out customers. Don Rafa is on the small side and we didn't hear anyone bitching about food quality, taste or service. As I said, I think some people complain just to complain. If my next visit is as good as this one was I'll become a regular customer. Only four stars instead of five? Well, I got salsa on my meal when I asked for none at all. Small bitch, and nothing to get excited about. read more

I had my daughter birthday there. And if it wasn't for the manager Fernando, we wouldn't come back. The server was rushing us out and not paying attention to us. The Fernando did a great job on taking care of us! read more

Ok, I went to this place because me and my girlfriend decided not to go to Outback thats where we were going to go, good thing. We went in there for carry out but the server and cook greeted me I told them that I use to go to their parent company on Ashland. They gave me a taste of their carnitas wow, great then they gave us a taste of their coffee flan, double wow. Not only were they friendly beyond belief the food was fantastic. We ordered the steak tampequenia it was phenomenal. I am somewhat a critic because I am a foody I studied culinary arts have a servsafe certificate and this place is the real deal. I found a new favorite Mexican place. read more

Just ok.....nothing to right home about. They had a big bucket of chips sitting out on a stand close to the floor uncovered:(