Horchateria Rio Luna — Restaurant in Paramount

I’ll start off to say this was my first time here I moved here in Jan. Their IG had a lot of nice pictures to help influence on my decision, The photos are a great presentation and I love to support latino inspired businesses.

What Id like to keep seeing: ✅Hispanic Folk art inspiration store: kids books about Celia, Selena, Mexican Wrestlers, note pads with sayings, La Doña (Maria Felix), mugs with same artist and newest artist like BadBunny, ✅Local artist paintings ✅Inspired lotería art ✅Black & White unique wall art .. coming from a Chalino Sanchez Fan & Frida. Loved it! ✅Food order comes out first & in a cute bag ✅Frappe and Hot Drink cups presentation were good. ✅Cool couches & large space ✅IG profile 👍🏽👍🏽

What they could do better : ❌Less sugar in frappe and hot drinks (diabetic’s beware) ❌Train the employees at register to be a bit more pleasant regardless of the volume of customers (I explain below)** ❌If you’re expecting more milk base in the horchata ice cream, it’s actually more water base taste. ❌In accurate webpage info- says they close at 10pm but lobby closes at 8 and DRIVER THRU at 10pm

** There was a customer in front of us and was very pleasantly enjoying his conversation (chit chat trying to charm) with the cashier. He said he knew they had a military discount and pulled out some sort of card (assuming his ID) With no further questions or comments the transaction is completed and the customer was on his way to wait for his order.

It was our time to place our order and at the end of the order I too flashed my military ID. There seemed to be a big delay, she asked to see my card again so I did, she seemed hesitant and asked a coworker to chime in. Then this employee also asked to see my ID, only for them to step aside and call another person who then asked for my is again. In total I showed it 4 times to obtain a discount, not worth it at this point in my mind. 3rd employee said she didn’t know what kinda card she was looking at.. (even though it said Uniformed Services with a U.S. seal 🙄 at a glance). Now I’ll admit being annoyed by the number of times it was asked of me to present in, so not a great customer experience or a first impression.

Additionally, why did the person before me seem to have greater ease with that ? Why was it that much more difficult for me ? Did his chitter chatter have something to do with it or was it poor training? You guys be the judge of that.

My drink was too sweet and the churros were cold, would have loved them warm over the ice cream AND the actual product was not the same as the IG picture.

Not sure I’m going there again… or taking my teen kids or anyone else for drinks...

Let me preface this by saying: if you're looking for an authentic and delicious taste of Mexican tradition, look no further than Horchateria Rio Luna! This charming spot had me hooked from the moment I stepped inside.

First up, the star of the show: the horchata frappe. Creamy, dreamy, and perfectly spiced, it transported me to a tropical paradise with every sip. It was the perfect balance of sweet and refreshing, with a hint of cinnamon that lingered on the palate beautifully. I could see myself enjoying this on a hot summer day, but honestly, it was so good I couldn't resist finishing it even under the February sun.

Next, I ventured into the realm of caffeinated delights with the cafe de olla. This traditional coffee, brewed with cinnamon and piloncillo (unrefined brown sugar), was pure comfort in a cup. The aroma was intoxicating, and the flavor was warm, rich, and slightly sweet. It was the perfect pick-me-up without being overly strong, and the cinnamon added a cozy touch that felt perfect for the season.

But the grand finale, the one that sent my taste buds into a happy dance, was the churro sundae. Imagine this: warm, crispy churros bathed in a pool of creamy vanilla ice cream, drizzled with decadent cajeta sauce, and sprinkled with cinnamon goodness. Every bite was an explosion of textures and flavors, the warm churros complementing the cool ice cream perfectly. It was the perfect ending to a truly delightful experience.

Beyond the food, the ambiance at Rio Luna was inviting and authentic. The décor transported me to a quaint Mexican village, and the friendly staff made me feel welcome and at ease.

If you're looking for a taste of Mexico that's both authentic and delicious, look no further than Horchateria Rio Luna. I give it five stars and a heartfelt recommendation!

P.S. Don't forget to ask for extra churros with your sundae. You won't regret it!

Check me out on IG...

The worst service I've ever seen in my life!!! I have been wanting to try this place out, so when I finally get the chance, I bring a few guests with me. According to social media, this place is fantastic!! False Advertising!!! The wait didn't bother me at first, I just figured the experience was going to be amazing!! After a 50 minute wait outside, I finally made it inside and the first thing I noticed is the kid mixing drinks with his hat turned backwards, (shows lack of respect for the establishment)!! And he's also walking in and out of the back kitchen, and each time he returns to the dining room to mix drinks, his is mouth full of churros!!! In full view of the customers!!! Wow!!! Really!! Extremely unprofessional and again " no respect for the guests"!! Especially with customers waiting in line for an hour or more!! I see no manager, and absolutely no sense of urgency what so ever by any of the staff to get orders out!! All of the staff was laughing and bullshiting with out a care in the world!!! There are two registers and only one being used!! There was a short heavy set girl walking around in circles with nothing to do!! Everyone behind the counter for that matter was walking around in circles!! So I finally get my turn in line and the only girl with NO sense of urgency taking orders giggles like it's funny!! And does not bother to apologise!! Tells me that there's NO CHURROS!!! and it's going to be an additional 30 to 40 minute wait!!!!!! I WONDER WHY????? So disappointed!! Whoever the owners are, definitely need to reorganize this establishment!! Cause you're loosing money!!!! The drinks were OK, but not mind shattering to deal the wait and horrible service!! And to top it off!! The restroom is out of order!!...