Online Order Restaurant Review: Rubio’s Coastal Grill in Point Loma

Rubio’s Coastal Grill
3556 Rosecrans St.
Suite 101B
San Diego, CA 92110
619-223-2631

My First Review in Many Months and It Isn’t a Good One

By Judi Curry

Because of Covid-19, I had elected not to eat at any of the outside restaurants, nor have any food delivered to the house. Since I am in the vulnerable age group I felt it was safer to just stay at home and try different recipes for my 4th cookbook.  I have pretty much followed that routine until yesterday.  What changed my mind?

The other day was “National Avocado Day”! I love avocados. In fact, I have two productive avocado trees in my back yard, but they are not yet ready for picking.  “Rubio’s” had a promo of “free chips and guacamole” if you purchased other items.  How could I turn that down?  (I make a wicked guacamole; Hugo’s makes a good one also. Do not like the one at Sunnies because it is too salty for me.) Since I received the notice about the “freebie” earlier in the week I found myself edging closer and closer to ordering on-line and having it delivered.

Finally the day arrived and Hitomi, my foreign-exchange student, and I spent at least 45 minutes deciding what we would order to get the freebie.  She decided to have the Coastal Trio – Fish Taco, Mahi Taco, and Shrimp Verde Taco. I decided on the Three Street Taco plate – Steak or Chicken taco, Pinto Beans and Chips.  Additionally, because delivery was free if we spent $30, we ordered two Churro’s.  And then I sent to place the order on-line.

I should have known that when the on-line order wouldn’t take the promo code for the free chips and guacamole to stop there. But, of course, I didn’t .  I tried 3 different times and it was rejected each time.  I finally called Rubio’s to place the order, and realized that it would not be delivered; either Hitomi or I would need to pick it up. Hitomi said she didn’t mind, so we placed our order. I was also told that she would have to bring the coupon in, even though I had the promo number, so that it could be scanned on the bill.  No problem. (Or so I thought!)

The total of our order came to $31.11 – enough if our order was to be delivered.  The Churro’s were really not needed for a pick-up order. And when Hitomi went to pay, she couldn’t find the coupon for the guacamole and chips, and we ended up paying for it! Figures. That was the entire purpose of ordering from Rubio’s in the first place!

To say that we were disappointed in our meal is putting it mildly.

First of all, with Hitomi’s “Coastal Trio” there was no salsa with the order. The tortilla’s were dry and hard around the edges. The fish had little flavor, if any at all.  A dab of salsa – which I had in my refrigerator – would have made a poor meal better, but there was none to be had with the order.  I have had fish taco’s at Rubio’s for years and they have always been good.  But not this time.  Maybe there is too much competition for good fish taco’s now, but these ranked pretty low on the “fish taco” scale. Maybe they were too busy because of the “free promotion.”

And then there was my order.  And I was more disappointed than Hitomi.

First of all I ordered two chicken street tacos and one steak street taco.  What I received was two STEAK tacos and one chicken taco.  When I went to pick the first one up the tortilla next to the taco I was getting ready to eat was stuck together – I literally had to “pull it off the one next to it because it  like they were  glued together”. Of course all the ingredients in the second taco came out and fell everywhere.  The pinto beans were glutinous and so unappetizing that after putting them on my fork I decided not to even try eating it at all. I won’t tell you what it looked like because I don’t think my publisher would print it but suffice to say it was not very pretty.

And what about the “free” guacamole and chips?  Believe me it was not worth the consternation caused by this order.  First of all there was a very small amount, which was probably good since we didn’t eat it anyway.  Secondly with the second chip there was something, maybe 1 ½ inches long,  hanging from it.  Was it a green onion? I don’t know. It was awfully skinny for a green onion. I am not sure what it was but I wasn’t going to find out. Suffice it to say the entire container went into the trash, where the Pinto Beans and remaining street taco’s were also placed.

The Churro’s were fair – oily, and of course no longer warm. They joined the rest of meal.

I will say that I filled out an “on-line” questionnaire regarding my thoughts about the meal.  I hope that it is read and changes are made that are necessary.  It is difficult for me to believe that Rubio’s has changed so much in the past few years, but this meal only reminded me that I need to add a few more items to my cookbook than I intended  – like Pinto Beans and Guacamole.