Rayo Mexican Bar & Grill — Restaurant in North Liberty

I had an absolutely delightful breakfast at Rayo Mexican Bar & Grill in North Liberty, Iowa, this morning.

I had heard great things about this family owned and operated place and found them to be 100% justified!

I was welcomed at the door by Rochelle Lynn Becker, who was so friendly and welcoming that she instantly felt like an old chum.

I chat with waitstaff on a fairly regular basis, but Rochelle was different, more engaging perhaps. We talked of this & that and swapped a few stories. I definitely came away feeling like I had made a new friend.

And I feel like that is at the heart of this restaurant, a true feeling of community, even to a stranger who has walked in for the first time.

And their sense of community isn't limited just to feelings! They regularly host bingo (called by Rochelle), classes of various descriptions, and a salsa music night that has to be a hoot!

So the restaurant is awesome, but what about the food? No worries, it is fantastic!

The menu is not huge, but it has everything one could want for breakfast.

I was torn between Jose's Skillet (you know I love a skillet/shipwreck); chorizo, grilled onions & peppers, mozzarella cheese, and 2 scrambled eggs. Served over crispy tots and topped with queso. Sounds delish to me!

But then there was also the Chori Chimi calling out to me. Chorizo, 2 scrambled eggs, mozzarella cheese, wrapped in a flour tortilla and fried, topped with red sauce, queso & queso fresco. Served with hashbrowns or country potatoes (I chose ‘browns).

I couldn't decide, then Rochelle came to the rescue by suggesting that they combine the two for me. Perfect!

So for breakfast, I had a custom Chori Chimi with the grilled onions & peppers from the skillet, exactly what I wanted.

As soon as the plate arrived, I was pleased to note the reasonable size of the chimichanga. So often, one orders a chimi or a burrito and receives an item the size of a loaf of bread!

I very much appreciated a dish proportioned for a single meal.

The chimi was excellent. It was fried to a nice firmness without becoming overly crispy and crunchy.

Topped half and half with the red sauce and queso, with the queso fresco sprinkled over all. The red sauce was good, but it was the queso that really caught my attention.

All of the sauces are made in-house with traditional family recipes by the owner's mother! Talk about authenticity!

The queso had a subtle flavor that was miles away from the overly cheesy sauce that sometimes tastes far too much like stadium nacho cheese.

Another touch that was welcome was that the dish wasn't swimming in sauce, another thing I run into frequently, and I find it often mutes the true flavor of the dish. The queso and red sauce were accompanying the dish, not smothering it.

The fillings were equally well thought out and executed with care. The chorizo was high quality, the eggs light, the onions & peppers sautèed perfectly, and the mozzarella a great choice, melty cheesy goodness but a mild flavor that accommodated the other ingredients well.

The hashbrowns were flavorful, crispy, and had zero greasiness. Next time, I will ask for a little of that magic queso over the ‘browns.

Finally I will say a few words about the coffee. It is great coffee to start with, rich and robust, and then blessed with just a hint of cinnamon. For those who may wrinkle their nose at cinnamon in coffee, please give it a try. The cinnamon is a hint in the background that accentuates the coffee's flavor. I loved it and had two cups.

There is no question that I will be going back.

Unfortunately I will be hard pressed, once again, to choose between the Camarones a la Diabla (Shrimp Diablo) and a beloved Tuesday special that one can order any time, Pollo Asado with a unique black bean side.

I am sure Rochelle or the ultra friendly co-owner Sarahi will come to my aid again!

And a final shout to the other co-owner and head chef Martine, thanks for a delectable and memorable...

This might be the best sit-down Mexican restaurant I've been to in the lowa City area, especially compared to others that have been fairly disappointing. We visited during lunchtime on a weekday, and the space was clean, spacious, and cutely decorated, with plenty of seating options across different areas. The service was attentive, but there weren't many people in at that time.

The complimentary chips and salsa were a great start--the salsa was chunky and flavorful, which I much prefer over pureed salsa. I ordered the Enchiladas Zuisas lunch special for $9.50, which included rice and beans (I dislike when restaurants charge extra for them as sides). The house-made cheese sauce on the enchiladas was delicious, though I would have liked a bit more of it since there was also a lot of lettuce on top. The only disappointing item we tried was the guacamole appetizer, which tasted more like plain avocado spread without much flavor.

Highly recommend, and I'll definitely be back to try more things...

Been very pleased with Rayo every time I've visited, at least a dozen times now for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It has always been a solidly positive experience.

I really love the breakfast menu (especially the José skillet!) and the Mexican-style coffee is just amazing. I've tried four breakfast entrees now and they've all been spectacular. Darn good pancakes too. And for you late-risers like me, breakfast is available through early afternoon!

Dinner menu and drinks have also been very good. Only been in four times for lunch or dinner, but the experience has been equally satisfying each time. I very much enjoy the chori-pollo.

The staff is always so friendly and accommodating, especially Rochelle, who really knows how to treat customers. She's always a joy to see and it's refreshing to know just how important the customer experience is to her; it really shows.

It's great to have such an accessible and well-rounded cantina/breakfast joint in North Liberty, I encourage you to...