Don Ricardo's Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Arcadia

I noticed the change from Pacos to Don Ricardo's Bar & Grill, and I really had high hopes for something fresh and new compared to Pacos. Unfortunately, We were not impressed as it felt like we had just walked back into the old Pacos and not a new refreshed Don Ricardo's. Even the inside hasn't changed...still the same look as Pacos.

When we walked in, the hostess was nowhere to be found. We waited a short time, and a small 2-3 year old lone child walked up to us from a table around the corner from the hosting station. At first we thought it was a customers child but the hostess came running around the corner to get the child and sent her back to the empty table she came from.(the hostess was baby sitting someone's child come to find out) Kid could have went out the front door with no adult if she had wanted to. Very weird situation that had me a bit worried for the kid's safety.

The hostess then sat us at a table that had about the most stickiest table top I've ever felt before. Everything that was sat down on the table, stuck to the table, my silverware stuck, my glass stuck, the plates stuck...it was quite gross, to be honest.

Our food came, and it felt just like Pacos all over again... nothing new, no flare, nothing. We were a bit let down and were hoping for something a bit different compared to Pacos. We assumed it would be different, and we shouldn't have assumed. I avoided the online reviews as they always set my mood when trying out a new place. I like a fresh new experience.

The bar had the usual Pacos drinkers, which didn't change much either. The margarita was too strong, my michelada was basic and my kids lemonade was horrible. We ordered the drinks from our table.

Unfortunately, during our dinner, we were also joined by two pesky 🪰 flies. They would not leave us alone either. It was very annoying.

The service was good and abundant... There was an employee walking around and looking at people(He was not the manager). It was a bit creepy, but he seemed harmless. There were a ton of employees, and we were the only ones there. A couple of other tables filled in, but we finished up and left. Supposedly, it was to get busier later, they said.

I asked for the manager and told him what we thought about our visit, and he told us they were slowly but surely working on sanding the tables and that he was sorry about the flies. He was very polite and honest and explained that they were trying to work out the kinks.

Unfortunately, the damage was done, and we most likely won't be returning.

I hope they figure things out, this could be a gem of a place with some good heart...

The food is delicious. The quality is fresh, seasoned well, & the flavors are well balanced. I order the chile relleno plate w beans & rice & it's always pipping hot, & delicious. Mind you, I just started eating chile rellenos not too long ago. The food tastes like abuelita's home cooking. I'm especially surprised at how good the beans & rice are. Usually, in my humble opinion, the beans & rice at a Mexican restaurant always come up short -- not good. But, the chef(s) at Don Ricardo's know how to get the right flavors & consistency to the rice & beans. The quantity of food is perfect, not a gross amount of food, but enough if you're hungry & enough if you want to take some home. I ordered the "picosita" which is a cucumber, lime alcoholic beverage that has Tajin on the rim of the glass, that is delicious. Sometimes they have a lot of servers, sometimes they don't. However, I've only gone to Don Ricardo's in the middle of the week for lunch. I've never gone on the weekend. The servers are always courteous & professional & are attentive. I've gone by myself & I've gone in a group. All the food is good! I've taken my 90 year old ,wheelchair bound mother. No problems wheeling her in. The bathrooms are large enough to fit a wheelchair. I always look forward to going there when I'm...

This was the famous and amazing PACO'S until recently. The menu claims it's "more authentic Mexican" but the dishes seem fairly identical. If anything the guacamole and taquitos were less Mexican than before, but still delicious. The only difference seems to be a vast increase in price. We used to go here about 4-5 times a year. Now we'll cut that in half, at least, simply because they're too expensive. Pacos wasn't cheap, by any stretch, but when it's $130 for a family of 4, pre-tip & tax, and we don't drink anything other than tap water, this isn't reasonable for many families. The complimentary chips are great. The food is good. If you don't mind paying a premium for above average quality food, this is a good spot. I miss Pacos. When we went to Paco's you'd usually have a manager or mucky-muck come check on you to make sure everyone was happy. That's never happened since it became Don Ricardo's. They also got rid of the yummy mints at the front desk. Little things, sure, but they show the new owners care more about profit than running a family friendly restaurant that values its customers, not just...