La Palapa — Restaurant in Fort Bragg

I was road tripping through the area and saw this place had a bunch of good reviews and a pretty stellar rating. It was a ghost town when I showed up, which for the time of day didnt seem too strange. the place was clean and the woman working that morning greeted us promptly. We got water to start and took a sec to look through the menu, nothing special, just your standard mexican restaurant fare. The woman brought out chips and pico, to start and the chips were horribly over cooked and came in odd shapes that made dipping very difficult as well as having a sort of stale taste to begin with. I ordered the special carnitas nachos with jalepenos added to them and a few chorizo street tacos, my companion ordered a bean and cheese burrito. Let the dissapointment begin... There were no tantalizing smells of food getting prepared in the kitchen, no clanking of pans or sounds of fresh sausage sizzling, just the unashamed open and close of a microwave door while the woman sat in a stool by the front. When I received my nachos, I couldnt fricken believe it, the cheese sauce looked like yellow baby vommit separating from itself and watery, the carnitas were hard looking and a strange hue of greenish brown with this irridescense to the surface, and she had put whole pickled jalepenos and carrots over the top of them just coating my stale old nightmare nachos in vinegar. The presentation was bad, the taste was horrific and it wasnt even luke warm. After that got to the table I decided it was time to go. I couldnt imagine what the other food would be like if the nachos were ruined so badly. And like I guessed not even the chorizo deserved to be cooked fresh in her mind, she started bringing what looked like poorly cooked(in the first place whenever that was) leftovers and we got the hell outta there, I was shocked and taken by surprise that an establishment could be so terrible, so lifeless that the food would be that way, I felt bad, because she must be on here way out of the biz so I paid but it was almost 40 dollars for the aforementioned slop plus 1 beer and a bottled coke. Just crazy, never again! Dont send your friends or your enemies to Ricardas. Id have rather been punched in the face and saved my 40 bucks than to have burnt it in...

The Supreme burrito had no beans and no sour cream and barely any guacamole! There was lettuce in it that was like slime and tasted really bad. Zero cilantro!The carnitas is really bland! No cheese. I do not recommend anymore. The amerak person who came in to the restaurant picked up the rubber rug and actually shook it out on the floor in front of me. The dust cloud was noticeable but I had a mask on. The other obvious out of towners sitting in the booth had no masks and were also aghast. I haveca Pic of the insides of my last burrito from LA palapa. If only I could show you how ugly my burrito was but I had to take a picture because it is disgusting.

Edit, September 2025 Very disappointing Carnitas! is bland again. Maybe garlic missing? Carnitas is not supposed to be mushy! Pan sear for 30 seconds and add garlic, cilantro, and a touch of the sweet coke cola please to get the carmalization! You will thank me!! The Mexican rice was the only tasty add on inside. GOOD LUCK FINDING A DECENT BURRITO IN FORT...

Being a Southern Californian latina, and growing up with extensive knowledge with Mexican and Latino foods. I have to say that I'm very disappointed in the pricing and the quality of food that was given to me at Ricardas. Menudo is $11.00 when it should be $8.00, (it's just broth and tri-tip) flavorless, and you can absolutely tell that it was sitting in a cauldron all day. It was luke-warm when it came to my table. Did not finish it.

The Carné Asada was old, bland and didn't have that fresh off the grill taste or feeling that asada is suppose to have. I feel like the woman taking my order was taking advantage of the English speakers in her restaurant. Trying to upsale at every moment.

It makes me sad to see Mexican Americans loose pride and dignity in their cultural dishes, just because we are a consumerist country. The employees of Ricardas know that they are a minority in town and any dish will sell.

Don't waste your time here, way better places to eat in Bragg. Im still dealing with a stomach ache from just soup...