This is not a place that we usually dine at. But I'm glad we decided to try. I was pleasantly surprised with our order. We got the fish sliders, fish tacos and beef taco. Loved all of it with spicy sauce. Its counter service, so you order and then wait for it to be completed. read more

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I grew up in San Diego in the 80s and loved the original Rubio's down in Pacific Beach. So every time I come back to visit Southern California I make it a point to visit a Rubio's. The restaurant is mostly the same for what I remember. The tacos were good, but they were missing seasoning and didn't quite have the kick that I remembered as the most delicious fish tacos ever. I also had a churro and that was Spot on still a good place to stop and have fish tacos. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Fish Taco Especial Two Taco Plate - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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So delicious. Will definitely come back here to eat again I highly recommend it Staff are friendly read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - The foods was so delicious. Coastal Trio® was so good. And my husband Especial With Grilled All Natural beef. I highly recommend it - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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First time trying this place while stopping in Carlsbad. The staff were super friendly. The place was clean. The food was fresh and delicious! I love that they have a salsa bar with different salsas and onions, cilantro, and lemons and limes. I liked their citrus rice and my daughter liked it too. I ordered their fiber bowl it was full of veggies, sweet potatoes, black beans, and avo. It was filling and flavorful. My husband ordered the double protein bowl he chose salmon and steak for his protein. He really liked his bowl! We ordered my daughter a kids chicken and cheese quesadilla. The kids meal are a good portion and come with a choice of rice, apple sauce. Or a churro for their side. The only thing is that they didn't having a baby changing table in the bathrooms. So knocking off a star for the inconvenience. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - High Fiber Veggie Bowl - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I am a horrible elite , I was in such a hurry that I didn't even take pics of my food :(. I used my mobile app to order and it took longer than expected but the manager was nice and made sure they got on it as soon as possible. I went with the 7$ meal which comes with 1 original fish taco and 1 Baja battered shrimp taco. I'll start with the original taco , I had high hopes for it but it was soooo soggy . For a fried taco it had no crunch and was just pure mush, I was very disappointed . I expected to have the same issue when I bit into the shrimp taco but I was pleasantly surprised to have no mush but some crunch on it . Crazy how one item was soggy and one wasn't . The shrimp taco was actually pretty good and I would get it again. read more

We visited this location this Saturday while in the neighborhood, and we were very happy! We were BIG Rubio's fans but haven't been to any locations lately since the food amount, quality and the price didn't all add up any more. After multiple deflated "rice" burritos, we said "no more", and said goodbye to Rubio's. Anyway, long story short, we had a great "Rubio's reunion" visit at this location. We heard that Rubio's was trying to get the customers back and doing some new things such as making their burritos larger again. To be honest, we were a bit afraid to be disappointed again. My hub was happy that his chicken especial burrito was well stuffed with less rice and more meat, and was as flavorful as before. I ordered grilled fish tacos plate. The tacos were delicious, with a new touch of the street corn sweetness. We both loved the food again! We were so happy that we could love Rubio's again. Now we know we have been missing going to Rubio's. The place was kept clean, and the salsa bar was clean and stocked up. We loved the ambiance of this location. Can't wait to go to other locations as well and try more items to see what's new! read more

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Love Rubio's. Sad we don't have it in NorCal anymore, so had to make a stop here since we're in SoCal. Their battered fish tacos are delicious! Love that each taco comes with its own lime slice. We also enjoy the variety of salsa offered at the salsa bar. The service is fast and the tables are clean. I also appreciate the Tesla chargers right outside this specific location. Very convenient. This is our first time at this location and won't be the last when we're in the area. read more

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It's Sunday @ 1800 hrs and line was long and no help on sight. Poor guy who's doing cashier - he doesn't get help or no one there to hep. He said they're staffed right but I disagree. People walked out ...: there shouldn't be more than 5 people lining up and cashier is new and not familiar with all the menu. Food was food but service so slooooooooowwww! read more

TL;DR: Not a big fan of Rubio's due to inconsistent food prep, but I've always counted on their chips to be fresh. Sadly, even that let me down here. Staff was polite, but the nachos were a flop. Your Thoughts? 0/2 I've noticed inconsistencies at various Rubio's locations. Sometimes the cheese isn't melted, or the proteins arrive cold. Despite that, the one thing that's been reliably good across locations has been their chips. Unfortunately, this time even that fell short. I ordered the nachos, and the chips were noticeably stale. I didn't ask for a replacement since I was in a rush, but it was disappointing to see the one consistent item drop in quality. Expenses: 0/1 I don't think the prices are justified by the inconsistencies in the food preparation. Only thing that is somewhat reasonable are their tacos on Tuesday. Location: 1/1 Parking was a bit hard over the weekend, but we eventually found a spot. Staff has always been polite and their salsa bar is always fully stocked. Possibility of a Future Visit & Recommendation: 0/1 I probably won't come back on my own, but my girlfriend likes this spot, so I keep coming back for her. read more

Typically Rubio's is great for a fish taco and everyone loves their hot sauce. But today it took them 35 minutes to make our to-go order and when I finally got the Lobster Burrito there was only 3 small langostino pieces, otherwise it was a bean, rice and cheese burrito. To boot they made everyone self order from the registers... and if the kitchen was so backed up, they should be informing incoming guests that the kitchen is running at 30+ mins per order. Would have liked a heads up, I would have chosen elsewhere to eat, but they would have saved me as a long term customer. read more

We visited this location today at around 7:00PM. I called prior to place an order for pick up since I was driving, and was told that they couldn't take my order at the moment. Okay, that was the first no-no. I ordered several items including a plain chicken "taco" for my daughter, and this is what I got (see picture). I was shocked to even think I paid almost $6 for this "taco." I went back and showed it to the team leader, and was told that they are doing portion control and that is what I get because I didn't include the other ingredients. So now you know how much chicken / protein you are getting under all the "fluff" ingredients. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I work at the auto mall here next to Rubio's. Me and several of my fellow employees eat here quite regularly. This evening my wife stepped in to use the restroom. Whoever was working behind the counter, insisted she purchase something. I hope it was worth it. I won't be eating there again. And will advise everyone at work not to as well. Pathetic customer service! read more

I love rubio's in general, but today 07/18/2025 @6pm, I had the BEST experience at Rubio's Coastal Grill thanks to Ranin, the team lead on shift. From the moment I walked in, Ranin was welcoming, upbeat, and genuinely helpful. You could tell right away he takes pride in his work and cares about the customer experience. Despite it being super busy, he was handling order pickups, coordinating service, and running the front all by himself; and somehow doing it all with a smile and calm energy. He kept things moving quickly and made sure everyone felt seen and taken care of. My order was hot, fresh, and exactly right, we sat outside and he brought the condiments and utensils over to us and that's saying something considering how much he was juggling. Ranin is the kind of person who makes a casual meal feel like a bright spot in your day. Huge shoutout to him for going above and beyond! If you stop by this location, I hope you get lucky enough to be helped by him. Rubio's, hang on to this guy; he's a gem! read more

No employees watching at front desk, had to wait for a missing item in my to-go order that should have already been in there, chips were stale, soggy burrito. The service here has gonna really downhill the last couple years, will be making the longer trip to a different location from now on. read more

Wow I couldn't wait to come to San Diego to eat this right after we landed. I'm from San Francisco and all the Rubios closed down now son I'm super bummed about that, but when I knew it was 8 minutes from my hotel I ran. The food was absolutely delicious. Besides the chips they were not fresh kinda stale. But the location was super clean and the man that took our order was super sweet and kind. He was welcoming and fast and efficient. I'm really going to miss this place :( read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Original fish tacos on flour tortillas - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Stayed at the Hilton grand vacations nearby and found Rubios to be a good, affordable and tasty lunch option nearby! I enjoyed their fish tacos, heavily discounted on taco tuesdays! They have a large variety of menu options and a pretty awesome salsa bar. Kids and adults all found something they liked! This location is busy but service was good and efficient. Definitely more of a grab and go vibe but many people were dining in as well! read more

We ate here a few months ago and it was great, staff was helpful and professional, etc. but today we had a very different experience. We arrived shortly before they opened (35 mins prior) and the door was open, so we didn't realize they were necessarily closed and walked in. When the staff saw we had walked in they started freaking out and waving their hands telling us to get out and we explained to them that the door was open. They were very cold and unprofessional, I almost never write bad reviews esp since I've been eating at various Rubios my whole life and always had a good experience, but the lack of professionalism today was inexcusable, they could have handled this a lot better. read more

We love Rubio's. We have lost them in our are as they all closed. We thought they pulled out of Ca but in a visit to Carlsbad we found them again. The fish tacos are my favorite and my husband loves the gourmet shrimp tacos. read more

This is for the Rubio's connected to the Carlsbad Outlets. They close at 9PM. We arrived at 8:25PM. Manager took our order she was very nice. Young blonde girl working was clearly miserable. She gave me my receipt. As we ate our food, the staff was starting closing procedures. A lot of loud noise of items dropping in the kitchen. The blonde worker went into the bathrooms to clean. She came out with a rag. I watched her use that same rag to wiped down some of the high chair seats, then proceeded to wipe down the drink station counters and area with the same rag!!!!! So gross! Health code violation! I wont go to this location again. read more

Catering trays not even 1/2 full. Shrimp not even 1/4 full. Guests arriving in minutes and not enough food for our party. Calling 20 minutes and "all team members are busy". 100% absolute rip off!!! read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - 1/4 full tray - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Food quality has gone downhill over the years. We had to pause our conversation while an employee loudly pushed in a dozen chairs dragging every single one across the floor instead of picking them up. It's carlsbad, I shouldn't need a code to use the restroom read more

I really love Rubio's food -- it's always good. Unfortunately, I'm giving three stars because of the poor customer service during my recent visit. I was helped by an employee named Ranin, who was extremely rude and seemed annoyed with everything I said, which made me very uncomfortable. I also noticed his false fingernails were long and dirty, and he went from the cash register to the kitchen handling food, which did not seem sanitary. While waiting for new customers, he stood behind the register tapping his nails on a glass bottle -- very unprofessional. Great food, but the service and cleanliness need serious attention. read more

Not fast food or gourmet dining, but you always find something somewhat healthy here. This one is tucked inside the outlet mall, so maybe location works or doesn't. It's easier parking down on this side so we can get in and out. Nice patio for people (of all kind) watching! Crazy how many people love these malls. The original fish taco is my go to and the salmon is my wife's favorite. I tried the shrimp and Mexican corn taco and didn't love it. The Especial burrito has had my name many times but I've grown up... ha. The last thing I'll say is the ordering process. People have a tendency to walk up to the cashier and just stare at the huge menu. Maybe create a different way to order? Or maybe just me?? Anyway, good alternative for a fast food taco. read more

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This was my first Rubios Coastal Grill experience, and I can't say it was stellar. We've seen how busy this place can be, and yesterday we chose Jersey Mike's next door. Wanting something more exotic we planned for the Rubio's Mexican flavors. We were going to call ahead but decided a trip down to the Carlsbad Outlet Mall is not that bad. The wait to order was a quick one, but ordering just the right amount of food was a bigger challenge. We actually brought a list that had to be modified on the spot. Ok, so we got bean and cheese burritos, a chicken grill burrito (not a belly filler), a kids taco meal, shrimp burrito (meh).. Calif chicken bowl ( best of the bunch). I wish I had ordered the chicken bowl as it was the best-looking one. We did like the helping and patient staff at Rubio's Coastal Grill... but for real hunger pangs, we would most like order two of each... which adds up to a lot more $$. read more

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Absolutely loved this Rubio's the food was fresh and the salsa's were good with great customer service!!

Terrible! Their website was difficult, took my credit card number and even presented a ready time. When I arrived there was no record of an order. I ordered a "Blackened Mahi Burrito" and received a bag of mostly soggy rice and corn chowder with very little "Mahi". For my wife I ordered the "Steak and Fries" bowl. It turned out to be a whole bunch of soggy "fries" and very little steak. Worse stuff we have ever experienced. What the heck happened to Rubios? It was NEVER this bad read more

Chicken was rockhard and uneditable. This is the second time they overcooked their chicken.

Why can't you ever get modifications right!?! Your app makes it so easy to swap or put things like sauce on the side. But whenever I go to pick up my order it's always wrong. You are so consistent with the orders being incorrect that I can't trust you to prepare my order for delivery. Because if the order comes to my home, I can't just walk up to the counter and ask for the sauce I ordered on the side. Or the guacamole I ordered. Please do better. It's so frustrating. read more

Rubio's is my go to fast food restaurant, and I especially like this location. I know that chain restaurants spend a lot of time and money to offer a consistent product across all franchises, however they are not able to compensate for the human touch. And that is why this Rubio's location is superior. I love tacos, bowls and burritos stuffed with mahi mahi, shrimp, or langostino and Rubio's makes it easy to fine tune any of these items to my mood. They literally say yes to my every request. On my last visit I wanted the keto wrap instead of a corn wrap, and of course they were more than happy to oblige. My rating system allows for franchises to earn 5 stars because I compare them to other franchises and not fine dining, and this location is almost to that level. I came in a month or two ago and asked for beans in my burrito and ended up with no beans and citrus rice which has an artificial flavor that I do not like. I called them and they mentioned that they would load my app with a free burrito from their district manager. But the DM is lazy and ignored me, so I called again. To me it is not about the $12 bucks. It was annoying and I wanted them to acknowledge their error. He had the opportunity to turn this into a positive experience but did not accept it. I certainly will be back for the exceptional service from this restaurant's employees and the "slightly better" than the normal Rubios menu items. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Langostino tacos with keto shells. - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Awesome service here! The cashier Blane was a super star thank you for being so kind! Very doggo friendly patio environment as well! read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Doggo - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Love this place and how vegan friendly it is. Ranin was my cashier and he was very kind and friendly!

Plugged in to the superchargers and needed to eat, this was the closest and we're always up for good tacos! Super good for fast Mexican! They've got a Gourmet Taco with crispy cheese that was FANTASTIC! A place in AZ does the crispy cheese and I've never seen it anywhere else, so I stopped reading the menu when I saw it. Have you tried crispy cheese on a taco? I highly suggest it! That being said, I was so focused on my order that I have no idea what the hubs ordered. It was three tacos of some sort and he enjoyed his too. They charge you, give you a number, then bring your food to the table. Didn't realize it when we placed an order but the salsa bar is closed, so be sure to let them know if you want any when you place your order (although, they're super nice about making sure you get it if you're like us and totally space on the salsa issue). read more

02/23/2024 did an online order cilantro/lime shrimp bowl you pay extra for shrimp no shrimp instead chicken almost no romaine lettuce called store twice no answer wrote complaint through app still no reply BAD SERVICE ALL AROUND Happy to report that rubios refunded my money read more

asked alley if I could get more chicken because I paid 14 dollars for a bowl full of cabbage she walked away read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - basically got 3 pieces of chicken - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Happened October 16,2024 Usually love all Rubios, but this one was very disappointing. We ordered all our favorites, the fish in the taco tasted like if you were chewing leather, both salads the chicken was so dry. Now I'm saving the worst for last, ordered a gourmet shrimp taco which is my personal favorite, they did not heat the tortilla., it was crumbling so I ask for a new one. They brought me out another warm one, thought to myself this is gonna be good but I got a surprise... A big long hair baked into the cheese. I pulled the taco out of my mouth and the piece of meat was hanging from the hair. Total gross out!!!! The manager did not say anything, just grabbed it and threw it away with no apology. Asked for my money back, she acted very cold about the situation, so I just left without a refund. read more

I can stress enough how good Rubio's is. Although,I don't live in California to really get to know the customer service, the one here at the Carlsbad Outlets was not that bad and they actually helped me out with a free offer I got from checking in at this location. I will say: if you're going to Rubio's , you must try their shrimp tacos or anything with the shrimp. Something about the way they make their Shrimp in their dishes is crazy delicious. My favorite will always be their Quesadilla's with the shrimp (I know very basic, but trust me.) Even their bowls are huge and have so much to it that you probably won't finish it all . (And btw i highly recommend checking in as we were able to get a free offer for one of their bowls!) I really don't have much to say besides the fact that I actually love and enjoy Rubios. You just have to try it for yourself and see what I'm talking about and I promise you won't be disappointed. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Shrimp Tacos , Shrimp Quesadilla , Baja Bowl, Chips & Guac . All delicious! - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Everything's relative in life, right? Sure I've had life changing fish tacos at stands in Ensenada but for day-to-day, it's nice to have a reliable option in North County in the Carlsbad outlets. Combine that with their Taco Tuesday specials and digital coupons means I swing by from time to time. Service has always been courteous and prompt. Portions are great. Salsas are fresh and flavorful. Parking is easy. If you're shopping nearby or looking for a quick bite when you're in the area, stop by to try any of their seafood tacos or bowls (which feature huge portions and great flavors + textures too). read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Seriously, Rubio's is so good. This joint is a chain restaurant, and it all started in San Diego by a SDSU grad! Whoo! I absolutely enjoy their Gourmet Grilled Veggie Tacos. Omg, all you meat eaters are missing out if you stick with their other tacos (which I agree, Their fish tacos were my favorite before I chose to eat more veggies). The sauce that is used for the tacos is delicious!! All you need is a spritz of lime, if you're into that. I also enjoyed their side salad that comes with the plate meal. What an awesome meal. I also got the guac and chips (I had a free coupon). I didn't need it with my meal, but it's such a good deal as a snack or side dish. I visited this location during their lunch rush hour. This location would be best visited by all the businesses off palomar airport. The employees were great in pushing the line and food out. I understand the robotics of a rush hour, But there was no personalization to the service. I have to say something about service when it comes to a well known chain! P.s. they have indoor and nice outdoor seating. I also enjoyed the music they were playing. It caught my attention enough, right? But it also set a good tone to my lunch there. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Grilled Veggie Gourmet Taco plate with greens. Guac and chips with a side of jalepeño salsa and onion + cilantro to to the chips. - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Cannot believe that a 11 buck burriit...especial packed with 95% rice and a couple of small pieces of chicken is served.

Yesterday we came here for a quick dinner and it was ok. My California rice bowl was really good but the salmon protein I chose as a topper was really tough and not too great. My parents ordered the same dish with shrimp and they said the shrimp was fantastic. I guess it depends on which protein you choose. I'd recommend you don't get the salmon. Lol The style of this restaurant is very low key. You order at the counter and an employee delivers it to your table once it's ready. It's a nice place to get a quick healthy (ish) meal in Carlsbad. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - California salad with salmon (don't get the salmon, get the shrimp) - Mexican Near Me - Carlsbad, California