SHORT ANSWER: Yes, always a good choice. Well managed, good food, and staff always are friendly. LOCATION: This visit was in Palm Desert, first time as we usually do the La Quinta Location. Lots of parking in this Palm Desert location but at seasonal times it may be difficult to find a spot. FACILITY: Like new, clean, bright, a good place to relax and enjoy a meal. Very quiet but cellular strength is poor. MENU: Your standard menu items, some good deals on different days and I believe they do coupons. They do have an app which I am sure is better for some people especially for to go orders. FOOD PREP: Excellent, good to see they care. Portions are always large and their bowls are great, enough for two. FOOD QUALITY: Well above fast food, I think that is the point but the word does not get out, this is good fresh food pretty fast and they deliver to your table which is a nice touch. WAITSTAFF: Everyone was positive, polite, and respectful customers have an option... management has done a good job here. OVERALL VALUE: Very good, TIP: I am fortunate enough to be able to avoid busy times, lines, and crowds, but if you can visit off peak hours it will be a better experience as there is not a lot of seating. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Keeping it simple, Been and Cheese Burrito... - Seafood Near Me - Palm Desert, California

When I'm shopping El Paseo I like to stop here for lunch because the food is so sooooo good and the service is just the best. If you come after 2 pm there isn't much of a wait, but if you go around 12:30 there will be a long line and wait for your food. That doesn't put me off because the food is worth waiting for and the good souls who work behind the counter maintain this incredibly positive attitude while helping ring up customers and handing over your food orders. Honestly during those hectic times it can't be easy to stay so pleasant. I am obsessed with the surf & turf double protein bowl, it gives me long lasting energy without weighing me down and feeling sluggish (but mind you, I don't eat the whole thing in one sitting). Just all around a great place to get yummy food. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - A busy Monday lunch time. - Seafood Near Me - Palm Desert, California

I have been to this restaurant multiple times but I don't understand why the rice portion is so small. As you can see the bowl is not even full. I was able to eat this whole bowl and my bf ate the same and was still hungry. I am surprised how small the portion is. The shrimp was great on the bowl but the steak tasted very dry and the side of chips as well was very stale. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Surf and turf Double Protein Bowl - Seafood Near Me - Palm Desert, California

Tucked away but a great spot. Always fresh food. Not as expensive as sit down, much much much better quality than fast food. One of my favorite spots for a good meal. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Shrimp burrito - Seafood Near Me - Palm Desert, California

See all

There is something very very Fishy about this place.... About this review... And I think... You're gonna Love it!!! O.k. maybe I'm a little bias due to my addiction(s), but I just can't quit and trust me I've tried. The Bar As a struggling addict, the last place I want to be is here, alone, just staring at the temptations behind the bar... But then I remember that I've been good. I've been on the up and up so I convince myself it's ok... Just one or two isn't gonna get me into trouble... But I was wrong!! As I sat at my table shaking, nearly sweating from the decision I just made, I decided that I already fell off the wagon so why stop there... And Back to the SALSA BAR I went!! That's right! Put any Salsa Bar in front of me and all my inhibitions go right out the window. It's like I just black out and go wild. The song from LMFAO comes on and all of a sudden I'm doin' shots, shots, shots, SHOTS, SHOTS Everybody! of whatever mild, salsa picante or tomatillo salsa that I can get my little hands on. Yeah it's that bad! Pico is like crack to me. Green salsa, Red Salsa, Roasted Salsa... Hell, I don't care if it's purple! Just pour it as fast as you can and get it inside my body! And as for my other vice... Don't get me started on my other addiction: TACOS!!! Yeah, Rubio's fish tacos hits hard and this last visit, I definitely relapsed. I went with their Coastal Trio; a taco flight of their most popular tacos: -The O.G. Fried beer battered Fish Taco -A Salsa Verde Shrimp Taco -And a wild-caught mahi mahi taco. Damn... it had me feelin' like I was straight out of Baja. This and a side of their Mexican Rice & No-Fried pinto beans and my fix was finally satisfied! Located right off the CA 111 in Palm Desert... If you're looking for fresh fish smack dab in the middle of the desert... (don't worry, it's fresh!) I say Rubio's is your best bet. O.k... I'm finally ready for my intervention. Hi, my name is Lance L. and I'm a Tacoholic. Now, take me to the salsa bar & let's tacobout it!!!! read more

See all

A group of us went to lunch and experienced unprofessional attitude from a female employee. Clearly the place had just experienced a rush of clients and they were out of lemonade and mango teas and the salsa bar was not in the most eye appealing conditions. No fault to them. I asked one of the employees if she had more mango tea and she mumbled something. I waited about 5 min and went up to the salsa bar as she was cleaning it and asked her again if she had mango tea, and she replied with "when I'm done cleaning this mess so will get it" with an attitude. When I said ok thank you and there is no need to respond in that tone, she got defensive and responded with, "what tone, the resound til tone I responded you with". Never the less she continues to respond with an attitude which I then asked her if she was the manager, and she responded with "thankfully no". When I went back to the registrar I spoke with one of the cooks who was prepping food and she stated that she was the asst manager. When I began to share my concerns with her the other female employee interjected with her attitude. The two other female employees were polite and professional when addressing the concerns. Nevertheless the service from this one employee was uncalled for. Hope you follow up with this asst manager and to the name of this employee and address the concern. read more

So the other Rubios in LQ is barely avg so I was actually pleasantly surprised how good the PD store food was. Had a Chicken burrito and tasted like it was from a sit down restaurant. Got great service when I called in and then picked up my order. Had it ready in 10mins. This is a good location. read more

First time here - nice employees , clean and the fish tacos are wonderful- definitely recommend

First off all the service here is fantastic. The two servers we interacted with were polite, attentive, accommodating, and efficient. The food was great. I had the taco trio which was great. However the Mexican street corn was out of this world amazing. Some of the best I have had in a long time. It did not take long before the bowl was sadly empty. Reflecting on it about 3 hours later I still want more. The inside was pleasant and nicely decorated. It has been a year since we ate here, but for the life of me I don't know why. I definitely want to come back next week and just order the street corn. read more

See all

Haven't been to Rubio's for a while, trying to find a place on Cinco de Mayo that wasn't packed. Was entirely pleased with our orders, we both had the Special seafood taco. read more

We went to two locations in 3 days. I tried steak and chicken tacos from the $10 menu. Another person tried the shrimp tacos with verde sauce . Very good. I went with blackened mahi tacos the second day and these were so good too. Everyone else got the same thing as the first time. Service was pretty fast . We liked the consistency between the two locations . read more

I want to share my experience with Rubio's at this location from the perspective of a potential employee. I was interviewed with the manager, was told I was a great fit for the closing position, and was advised to give notice at my other job to start training. I trusted that and made the change, but never received the promised orientation email. After multiple follow-ups and being told it would be resent, I eventually learned they might rehire a former employee instead. I never received a rejection email, a callback, or any clear communication. This left me without a job and created unnecessary financial stress. To me, this reflects poorly on how the location values people's time and trust. I hope management improves communication and professionalism moving forward. read more

Going out to eat is expensive these days, especially with a family of 6. I am always looking for a good deal. If I can avoid McDonald's, yeah! To me Rubios is healthier fast food but they are pricier. I have the app for most of the major fat food restaurant. I go where the deals are. I got an email that I have a BOGO entree with the app. This Rubios is of Hwy 111 in Palm Desert. It is tucked away in the corner. It looks relatively new. Problem is, after I took a picture of the outside, I tripped over the curb. It's kinda dangerous right there. The inside of Rubios is clean and has an upscale vibe. There was only one person in front of us. Service was impeccable. The gentlemen who took my order was very patient. I had to do 2 orders since my husband was coming in later. He mentioned that there was a survey at the bottom of receipt to get a free drink or dessert with a purchase. What a great tip. The BOGO offer on the app allowed me to get 2 trio steak tacos for 11.99. That was a very good deal! The tacos were loaded and tasted fine. Are they the best tacos are there, no. I do like their salsa bar. So many choices. My husband got the street taco elotes and he really likes it and will get it again. read more

See all

3.5 Ordered food via the app for pick up for my 7 year old. When we got to the store the food was bagged and ready. The bag was sticker shut so we did not look inside. Once we got back to the hotel we realized they gave us no utensils. Luckily the hotel was able to give us some but it was inconvienent to not get utensils on a to go order. I have ordered from them before via the app and got utensils. If there was a spot on the app to request them I may have overlooked it. Food per my 7 year old was good. No major issues and would get food here if needed. read more

The food here is fantastic and the portions are large. I've ordered the chicken and fish tacos, Mercado salad and the California Bowl many times and never been disappointed. Just avoid the tortilla chips. They really suck read more

My all time favorite has always been the gourmet shrimp tacos!!! Service is always fast when I visit and get my food within 15min or less.

Was looking for a taco joint for Taco Tuesday & was on a budget bc I'm out of town. Walked a mile from my hotel and found this lovely restaurant. And all I can say is .. my poor tacos + corn didn't stand a chance. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Chicken street tacos, Mexican street corn, chips + salsa - Seafood Near Me - Palm Desert, California

If you want to enjoy Rubio's go to La Quinta or Palm Springs. I just left there and the girl called Ana took my order and completely ignored when I told her I was allergic to dairy. They made another plate completely tasteless and when I complained they were laughing. I got a third order still with no seasoning but burnt. If you have any type of allergy stay away from this place! read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Seafood Near Me - Palm Desert, California

It really is a shame since Rubio's went corporate. Back when it was family owned it was much better and the quality was much better. The value did not exceed the cost at this visit. We had the lobster tacos, two lobster taco plate and a drink $18 that's a bit ridiculous actually. There was no butter for the lobster tacos. The place was somewhat of a mess and the employees seemed in disarray, I'm not rushing back here anytime soon. read more

Fish Tacos From Rubio's are a favorite of mine But since This year there fish tacos have depleted turning into soggy messes of fish The workers are all teenagers and I understand they try there best but there was nobody else there when I ordered and there was 3-5 workers on shift food took forever to come... They served us chips While we waited they where stale and they Made us pay extra for the second serving without notice Would not recommend works are lazy bad food and more. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - My dog he was served as a fish taco there rip His name's fish - Seafood Near Me - Palm Desert, California

Great spot to grab some crispy fried fish tacos. I like their carne tacos too. We stopped by here for a quick lunch break from the zoo. Service was quick and friendly. We refueled quickly so we could get back to seeing the beautiful animals at the Living desert zoo. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Carne and fish taco - Seafood Near Me - Palm Desert, California

Employees were too busy working on their closing and clean up duties to make my order. I had to ask three times for the salsa to be refilled while the person she said was going to do it was wandering around doing nothing. Then I watched the manager stand around filling containers and chit chatting instead of making my food order. Filling straws, doing dishes, and cleaning the grill were much more important. Finally they tell me they are out of chicken! Then when I asked for my money back I had to wait while three times they got the total wrong. The store closes at 9 and it's currently 6:56pm. This is very poor management. I wasted half an hour and got no food. And then they had to call the actual manager on the phone to get my refund! read more

The person behind the counter used the same gloves they took the money with to grab the chips to fill the bags for to go orders. The lemonade dispenser had water (that tasted like they didn't clean out the lemonade residue first). Then when we received the fish tacos, the tortillas were cold and hard. Would not recommend. read more

I love the taco Tuesday special. I can get four tacos for around ten bucks. I'm saddened to hear 12 Rubio's are closing in San Diego, but the original location on Mission Bay Dr will say! read more

Do not waste your time or money!!!!!there's a reason there's no one in there !! The meals? Are actually samples. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - That's what I got for $24.00 ? No drinks, beer nothing except some help urself been sitting all day salsa. Won't be back. - Seafood Near Me - Palm Desert, California

We stopped here on a road trip and were very happy that we did. The staff is attentive and pleasant and the place is very clean. The food was flavorful and fresh. We just might be stopping here every time we pass by here again read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Coastal trio - Seafood Near Me - Palm Desert, California

I was eating my "unfried" refried beans and avoiding a chunk in it, thinking it was a piece of burn beans from the bottom of the pan... NOPE! It's a piece of grilled chicken! Being a vegetarian, I am deeply upset about this. Food was great until I came across this read more

See all

Best Rubio's I've ever been to. Excellent customer service. The manager Alex was very accommodating and gave us great suggestions on what to order. Meanwhile the husband and I were quickly trying to download the app to receive a free Taco but Alex told us he'd give us each a taco if we did the survey. What a nice thing to do! We sat and did our surveys while we waited for our our order and the extra tacos. The food is always tasty and fresh. You can never go wrong if you want a fresh fish taco paired with the best salsas around. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Original Fish Taco - Seafood Near Me - Palm Desert, California

As usual, Bobby and his staff are committed to Excellence in this particular category of quick food service. Pleasant greetings and personalized service along with consistent food quality make this spot a "go-to" for anyone that needs great quick food at good prices 2/26/2020. Arrived for late lunch. Pleasant staff but lacking personality. Restaurant is clean and orderly. Food brought out quickly. All is well. read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Liam loves the outdoor patio seating - Seafood Near Me - Palm Desert, California

Great quality fast food Mexican coastal; highly recommended; will return; love the salsa bar.

Yummy fresh food... Nice atmosphere inside & lovely outdoor patio that I expect to use when the summer is over...The temperature inside was refreshing & I cooled off nicely from the 110°F + weather outside. Not 5 stars because there were some minor cleanliness issues that didn't seem to be from the customers of today but just not cleaned up regularly. Here's what I mean, the wall & picture behind the drink station had dried on gunk all over them... It's not really going to affect the drink I drink or the straw/lid I use, it just looks bad... Mgmt, if you're reading this, this is one area to do better in to earn the 5th star. I'll definitely be back. Food was tasty & filling. Drink options were plentiful with choices like sodas, teas, & agua frescas... love the options! read more

Their food is DA BOMB!!! Best little fish taco, shrimp tacos, burritos, etc., etc. around! Don't think twice, food is seriously good!

Brad, As much as I appreciate the "gesture", I find that was a typical corporate response to a small town problem. Exactly why we shall remember to support local. I realize many locals work in franchise America and that you may be a local boy yourself but just looking at the form you wanted me to fill out, I decided to just skip it. Thanks anyway read more

I'll sing the praises of Rubio's from the rooftops as long as they're in business. This place is the best fast Mexican food on the planet. Can't recommend the salmon burrito enough (I know it sounds crazy). read more

If you want the slowest service of your life, I recommend going to THIS Rubio's. I am from out of town, and thought this would be a quick pitstop but completely regret my decision. I understand wait times, but waiting 25 minutes while there's two people in front of me was just ridiculous.Needless to say I just won't be coming back to this location specifically. If I wanted to go eat at a sit down restaurant and wait for service, that's what I would've done. Seriously, don't come here unless you have a lot of time on your hands. read more

Best Rubios I've ever been too. The nicest people work here which creates a positive environment. Always fresh food.

I was a fan of this place when I was in college but since then this brand has been given makeover and I like it even more. Great salsa bar that goes well with their seafood and chips. I recommend their fish tacos which surprisingly will one of best you have had. Prices are fair. This location provides parking. read more

I love Rubios, a regular. Been wondering when the Desert would ever get one as I thought it would be a great location. Finally after 25+ years..ha..I come SD where it first orginated. Modern hip vibe with low key ambiance. Busy. Service was slower when ordering. Needed 2 cashiers not 1. Food was tasty, but tempid and portions skimpier than my local Rubios. First time for my guest. They probably won't return. I've had better read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Classic chicken tacos - Seafood Near Me - Palm Desert, California

See all

BEST SERVICE I HAVE EVER HAD. They are always on point with to-go orders and the food is always good and fresh tasting! I love how CLEAN it always is inside there, also there salsa bar is bomb as well! Thanks team, your the best. read more

I hadn't been to Rubios in a very long time, and I was craving their beans so I stopped in for some lunch. I got the original fish tacos, and they still did not disappoint even after not having them for years. If I'm not mistaken, their beans do not have any lard in them, so they're light and tasty. I love their chips because they're thin and salty. I've missed this place. I'll come back for sure!! read more

Rubio's Coastal Grill - Fish Taco Especial - Two Taco Plate The Original Fish Taco - Seafood Near Me - Palm Desert, California