RED O Taste of Mexico — Restaurant in Thousand Oaks

A friend's (T) birthday is tomorrow. On Wednesday of last week, I mentioned to another friend (K) so we could arrange a celebration. That's when K said T is leaving for Japan on the following Tuesday (the day after T's birthday) for an unplanned adventure. K was meeting T at Red O Sunday evening to provide some pointers on Japan since K had just been to Japan a year ago.

We scurried to pull together a surprise. Since T still did need the pointers from K, the plan was for T to meet K at Red O @ 5:30 as originally planned. The rest of us (6) would arrive at 6:30 & as T & K were leaving, K would say she just wanted to check out the bar.

I made reservations & stopped in Saturday afternoon since I knew our situation was unique. I needed reservations for 8 but 2 of the people would already be there (& so wouldn't be ordering dinner-since they just ate). Still it got confusing when we arrived. Red O had only planned seating for 6.

This is where the service had an opportunity to shine....& boy did they. Joey, the bar manager, was the first to hear of our situation. He kept me informed that he was working on it. Then showed me the 2 options available. Upon determining the best solution, he reassured me that it wouldn't be long before the table (originally set for 6) would be set for 8. And the 6 of us were seated. Shortly thereafter, K & T were leaving and 'bumped' into our table-SURPRISE!:-) We all were impressed with the atmosphere and the changes from the previous versions of restaurants at this sight. They were happy to take the cake we brought until serving time. (I had checked when I stopped in Saturday to try to clarify the reservation).

Our waitress, Harleen, was wonderful, accommodating, & efficient. The food filled our table, with many commenting about the variety of unique flavors. I sampled the Empanada Poppers with their unique flavor (yum). The guacamole had a slight heat/spice-very nice. Banana chips were unique and good. I didn't sample everything at our table but everyone kept expressing how delicious everything was. When I singled it was time for cake, Harleen was quick to bring the cake, along with a 'sparkler' candle. Very fun. Then they took the cake to cut & bring back. This was a good move, especially since there was no room left on the table.

Throughout the evening, Joey continued to check to see how we were doing. I wanted Red O to know how much we appreciate their excellent customer service (& food). We are lucky to have many options for good food, but many times the service suffers. I can't wait to return to explore even more of their menu options.

BTW: When I stopped in Saturday to confirm the reservation needed, it was busy. When we were there Sunday evening it was busy. A couple in our party have been previously & said it was busy when they were there. Definitely suggest...

We visited Red O Restaurant in Thousand Oaks last night, and I have to say, the restaurant itself is absolutely beautiful. The décor, the atmosphere, and the overall vibe are on point — it really feels like a special place to dine.

Service: The service was impeccable. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted warmly, and throughout the night the staff was attentive, professional, and friendly. The drinks arrived quickly, the servers checked on us consistently, and everything on the service side was outstanding.

Food & Drinks:

The chips and salsa were excellent. The salsa, in fact, was one of the best I’ve ever had — full of flavor and a perfect start to the meal.

We ordered fajitas, tacos, margaritas, and beer. The margaritas were great, and the presentation was as good as the taste.

The issue, unfortunately, was with the entrées. For the price point, the food just didn’t deliver the quality or portion size expected. The fajitas in particular were underwhelming — very little steak, and not seasoned with the bold flavors you would expect from a restaurant of this caliber. The tacos were fine, but again, not memorable enough to match the elevated setting or justify the price.

Message to Management (GM & Chef): You truly have an amazing restaurant here — the design, the vibe, the service, and the drinks are all outstanding. But for the price you’re charging, the food itself needs to be better. Guests will pay for the experience, but they also expect food that matches the beauty and energy of the restaurant. A little more attention to seasoning, flavor, and portion consistency would go a long way.

Overall:

Atmosphere: 5/5

Service: 5/5

Drinks: 4.5/5

Food: 2.5/5

I really hope to come back and see the food elevated to match the rest of the experience, because Red O has the potential to be one of the top dining spots...

I saw this place just opened, so we decided to go there for dinner on Friday night. Immediately upon arriving, I almost turned around and left because the music was so loud I couldn’t hear myself think, let alone hear my dinner date. Since I’m a singer I need to be careful of the volume of my speaking voice, so no member of the staff heard me when I spoke, including the hostesses when they were asking me where I wanted to be seated, including the waiter when he asked me what I wanted to drink and to eat. When the hostess is finally understood my concern, they suggested the patio was not as loud as inside the restaurant. If that was true, it must’ve been deafening inside the restaurant. Too loud to talk. We ordered chips and salsa. It took them 15 minutes to arrive, and then our entrées arrived about a minute later. I ordered sparkling water. They told me they ran out of sparkling water, yet there was a $10 charge on our bill for it when we got the bill. There was a guy walking around noodling guitar over the music that was playing. It wasn’t that he was bad, but he wasn’t adding anything in terms of value because the music was plenty loud already, as previously mentioned. The food was straight up mediocre. Five out of 10. My fish was a little undercooked in the middle, the spice was questionable, the vegetables were tough and not well prepared. I told the waiter it was fine because I needed to get out of there for the sake of my ears. Anyway, I am not in a hurry to return. Perhaps it’s just growing pains, but they seem to be way more focused on what the restaurant looks like and the image they’re projecting than they are on the quality of service or the food. (I also think they want clientele about 20 years younger than actually lives nearby and can afford to eat at...