Cafe Rio Fresh Modern Mexican — Restaurant in Herndon

Almost every time we go there regardless of time their specialty drinks or their tea is not available!!! Why have them? On their food, we order the shredded chicken which is wonderful, but they slop the chicken on without draining it drenching the tortilla with juice, ruining your clothes as it drips all over you when you are eating it. It's a mess and the food tastes terrible. Drain it for God sakes! That's common sense! The cashier we get there, usually doesn't care what he rings up. Got a kids meal, upgraded the drink from a kids cup to regular. He didn't upgrade, he just charged me for a regular drink. $27 for a kids Quesadilla and a regular one, both with chicken and 2 drinks. This cashier actually competed in front of us for a tip against another employee. I actually took a tip to the other employee at the end of my visit and gave it specifically to her in cash. He's obnoxious. There never seems to be a manager around. This is CONSISTENT every time we go there. It's not just this one time. The issue with the meats not being drained before they slather it all over the tortilla has been at every store we have ever been to. It permeates the entire plate and your clothes. It takes napkin after napkin to soak it up and takes the whole taste experience away from it. DRAIN IT! SQUEEZE IT OUT! I have been meaning to do this review for a several years now, but I finally got fed up tonight and took the time. (6/3/25) My daughter likes going there because she likes the chicken as we all do, but I can't handle the presentation. The fact that their specialty drinks are rarely available just sucks. I can get...

I went here for the first time yesterday and they messed up my order. I ordered online, and their online ordering system is very confusing. For example, it lets you customize your taco by selecting "no pico de gallo", which implies that it comes with pico de gallo unless you specify otherwise. However, if you scroll down to "extras", it lets you select "pico de gallo", implying that it doesn't come with pico de gallo unless you ask for it. I was given two salmon tacos with no toppings, even though I didn't select "no cheese", "no lettuce", "no cilantro", or "no pico de gallo".

Update - January 2025: I decided to go back here for the first time since 2019 because they sent me a coupon in the mail. I got a veggie burrito, and I didn't have trouble with ordering online this time, thankfully. The burrito was decent. They stopped serving salmon tacos, and it seems like they only serve shrimp on Thursdays and Saturdays, so if you want Latin-style seafood on one of the other five days of the week, you're better off going to El Fresco. They also don't serve tofu, so if you want tofu, you're better off going to Moe's. Also, it would have been nice if they put napkins and utensils in my takeout bag before tying it up.

Update - July 2025 - The male manager here is not very friendly. This place needs to work on their customer service before they lose customers to Moe's...

Oh, where to begin... Staff used to be so happy and like their job, but over the past year, year and a half...they are miserable. No smiles, or any social integration from the girl who assembles the food..I think if she smiles she will be in pain. They never seem happy. We always feel rushed when in that place. Food portions are insane. They "barely" give you any thing..this includes rice, meat (we aren't even getting an upgraded one), and it's like the employees want to take it home for themselves the way they serve it.

The size of the ladles/scoops are a joke. They are almost non-existent, and she scoops up stuff like she is rationing for the end of the world! You had a location a few years back in Chantilly. You need to open a new one along Rte.50/Lee Jackson area or over by Centreville on Stone Rd.

This location needs a staff overhaul or they need more training in how to work with customers. You can't give big attitude to your paying customers!

We will no longer be going to the Herndon location with the miserable people working there.

The cashier, a young man was the best part of our...