Quiero Brunch — Restaurant in Temecula

It looks pretty until you see the little details.

We waited for an hour and a half, it was acceptable as I had high hopes for the restaurant. We had two kids in our group and they only gave us 1 kids menu, since they ran out of kids menus. The floor in the restaurant hallway was so slippery, because it is constantly wet. It was an immediate red flag of the staff not being on top of things, as this could be a huge lawsuit for the owner. We were seated outside. They try their best to cover up with umbrellas, however it was still really hot. It took 30 minutes just to get chip and salsa. We had ordered "chicharrón chips and guac" as an appetizer, but we had to settle for chips and salsa as they ran out of guac. They tried to accommodate by serving chicharrón on the side. When they brought the chicharrón as an "appetizer", I was surprised that it was one huge lump of pork belly. I asked the waitress if it could please be taken back to the kitchen and cut in pieces, as an appetizer. Waitress took it to the kitchen and came back with it back exactly the same way she took it, added plates and a steak knife for ME to cut it. Unbelievable! There was never a time when she came back to see if we needed refills or anything else. Someone else actually came once at the beginning of our meal to see if the food tasted well. It did. Except for that man who came once, no one came to see how we were doing. No refills or anything. We had to ask some other waitress nearby to get the check. I saw the waitress inform our waitress to get our check, our waitress rolled her eyes and made an upset face and hand gesture. Lack of professionalism!

The food and drinks were mostly good. The piña was watered down too much, however the horchata and jamaica seem fine. The Queso Birria Tacos were good, I found it weird that they were not consistent as we had two of these and they were not served the same. One order had a sauce on the side and the other did not. The Chilaquiles Torta was good and the steak on it was on point. The Coconut Lime cocktail was delicious. The food is a little over priced for Mexican food, however understendable due to the area. The huge negative is dealing with the bad service.

The glasses for the water are beautiful, but hard to clean as they have decorative circles that trap things in between. My glass came with someone else red lipstick still on it. Common sense would be short straw for them, to avoid this. The utensils are gold, but the gold is already peeling off. The wood boards to serve the food are cracking. The little cast iron pots that they use to serve broth have oxidation on them. The restroom are not maintained well as the sinks are full of water all around.and the grout is filthy.

The restaurant has great potential, but the staff doesn't put attention to details. Unfortunately, I can see how that pushes away new clients that could have...

Disappointed After the Hype Visited: Saturday morning Location: Temecula (appears inspired by Cocina 35)

We were visiting family in Hemet and decided to drive out to Temecula just to try this hyped-up brunch spot that looks and feels exactly like Cocina 35 in San Diego — the branding, vibe, even the menu. We were excited. I tried making a reservation at 7:30 a.m., but had no luck. We arrived around 10 a.m., only to be told there was a 1.5 to 2-hour wait. That seemed fair at first — it was a Saturday morning — but we noticed several parties inside, some seated and some waiting. There were booths and tables visibly open. What started to feel off was the lack of clear communication. Everyone in line kept saying they had a reservation, but nowhere on the website or platforms was that option clear. When I asked the hostess, she explained that weekday reservations get priority, and walk-ins could expect longer waits. That would’ve been helpful to know up front, especially for people driving in from out of town. Worse, we witnessed a party of 3 get seated immediately — no reservation, no waitlist, just friends with an employee. We had already been waiting over 1 hour and 15 minutes at that point, and that didn’t sit right. Eventually, after nearly 2 hours, we were seated. Fortunately, our server was excellent — friendly, helpful, and gave great recommendations. Now the food… I ordered the chipotle chilaquiles steak torta — solid flavor, but $28? Even Cocina 35 in San Diego doesn’t charge that much. A side of country potatoes was $5 — and it was maybe half a potato. Our drinks were overly sweet and the coffee had zero flavor. Final thoughts: While the service was the highlight, the rest felt like an overpriced imitation of Cocina 35, without the polish or transparency. Between the vague reservation system, favoritism, high prices, and average drinks, I won’t be back. Sad to see a place with potential feel more like a money grab than a great brunch spot. Next time? I’ll gladly stick to Cocina...

Quiero Brunch – Temecula, CA (Ynez Rd)

The restaurant is beautifully designed and very clean definitely a great atmosphere for brunch. That said, the service during our visit was disorganized and highlighted a lack of communication among the staff.

A couple seated next to us had to explain twice that they didn’t want their appetizer served with their entrée, yet both arrived within minutes of each other. We also had our drinks mistakenly delivered to another table. Not a big deal we understand mistakes happen and ours arrived shortly after.

The bigger issue was with the timing of our food. My wife received her meal, but mine didn’t come out until nearly 20 minutes later, after several polite check-ins. She had to eat without me so her food wouldn’t get cold. When I finally went up to cancel, they apologized, said it was just coming out, and offered to pack it to-go and discount the meal. I appreciated the gesture.

However, when the server brought the bill, she casually mentioned that the food is “still delicious even cold.” When I asked to speak with a manager or owner, I was told they had already left and that they’ve been having issues getting food out on time. I also offered some polite advice about better communication between servers and kitchen staff, but was told, “It’s not my fault”which, frankly, isn’t the kind of response you want to hear as a guest.

Despite everything, I still left a tip and genuinely hope this review is taken as constructive feedback, not criticism. I’d love to see this place thrive, it has potential. I’ll give it another try soon, hoping for a smoother experience.

This review isn’t about a discount or free meal. I came in to support a local business in my city instead of ordering takeout. I hope management takes this as an opportunity to improve operations and communication...