This place is our favorite! There are so many ways to customize your food with different meats, salsas, sauces and beans. Perfect for the kids too. The kids meals also come with a cinnamon sugar tortilla as a sweet treat with their meal. Fast, friendly and helpful staff with great prices and daily specials.
(5)
Danielle A.
Yum so I've had this place a few time as this is my jobs go to catering spot! They make their own tortillas and OMG they're to die for. Idk what it is about them just taste fresh. This time I got a "salad" Aka a burrito bowl. The chicken was not dry at all very good and a good crispy char. Awesome! Their dressing (I tried them all) I loved them but I had to go with the cilantro one! Very good portion especially when you're just going on your lunch break and don't plan on keeping left overs. The only thing I didn't like it how everything is extra. I paid 7+ on my bowl & salsa , cheese, sour cream, ect is all extra!! I feel like it should come with it. Overall very tasty , but I may just stick to non GMO chipotle lol ;).
(3)
Samantha N.
I was very skeptical to come here because I don't enjoy going to chain restaurants for Mexican food but I'm glad I did. This place is different from other burrito/Mexican restaurants. It's more similar to the Chipotle family. It was very different for me because they don't put the salsa/lettuce inside the burrito unless you ask them. They put the burrito in the oven, so they told me it was be soggy if the lettuce and salsas were in the burrito. I did ask if they could after the warning and one of the workers were super sweet and did it for me. The burrito was so huge I had to eat it with a knife and fork - I'm usually not as proper. Haha For their meats, they have different options like sweet pork, shredded beef, grilled chicken and more. You also have the option to put different sauce to put in your burrito as well like queso, sweet pepper sauce and enchilada sauce. Again, the workers were super awesome and allowed me to taste the meats and sauces. I would definitely come back for their huge servings and amazing customer service. PS. If you're a student, you can qualify for basically a free soda only if your meal is one of the daily specials.
(4)
Jazmine D.
Came in after a long day of shopping so food was on the agenda next! This place is usually very good but today the ATM machine broke down so the line was held up skittle. So I was thinking no biggie! Well I went to sit down and eat my food and drink and realized that there were a few of those little flys that swarm around and land on anything that smells good. I promptly moved to a new seat in hopes of escaping them. I found a new spot and started eating! A few ministers into it, I had realized that one one of the little flys landed on my plate. I took the part that it landed on and threw it in the garbage, boxed up the rest of my food and took it home. I don't know what the deal was with the flys but it needs to be fixed!
(3)
Horst S.
Just had lunch here with some office peeps, and if you want a tasty and filling salad that is endlessly customizable, this the place. I had the mango chicken salad, and it was really quite good. It's not cheap, but everything is fresh and tasty, and the employees were helpful and enthusiastic. Not sure where all the negative reviews are coming from since they look nothing like what I experienced today. It's definitely being added to the work lunch rotation.
(4)
Monica T.
A great contender to chipotle. My husband and I just moved to the area and needed something close and quick. When we got there, we told the employee it was our first visit. His. Eyes. Lit. Up. I have never seen someone so happy to help us in the restaurant industry ever. Rusty was so helpful and let us taste a few different options to make sure we knew what we were ordering. He explained everything in front of him and seemed genuinely proud to work there. We left feeling confident we would love the food when we got home. We were right. The food was fresh and flavorful. Definitely going to be back. And I hope that if anyone managing this store reads these yelp reviews, they know Rusty is 90% of the reason we'll be back. Good food is easy to find, stellar customer service is not.
(5)
Alexandria L.
All that is expected from a chain restaurant. Smothered and full of cheese is what I recommend. A tin plate of deliciousness! They sell horchata but I've never been able to stomach the consistency.
(3)
Solange L.
Great service every time I've been to this location. Minus 1 star for the girl who made our food. She was very impatient & made our food sloppy. But, the girl who rang us up was very pleasant. Overall they have good food & good service besides this one time with this one person.
(4)
Michie S.
Great chicken salad for a good price. Fresh produce and the cilantro dressing was delicious! Great place to stop for a quick bite to eat
(5)
Shane N.
My wife and I were shopping nearby and she got a craving for Mexican food. This restaurant was conveniently located across the parking lot. Despite touting a polished outward appearance, the food is not very satisfying. I was not impressed. I ordered the specialty Chile Verde Burrito (without rice). My burrito was lacking in terms of flavor and portion. The Chile Verde was bland, no flavor at all. It consisted mostly of the verde sauce with the pork chunks few and far between. I also requested their hottest salsa of which the guy behind the counter suggested I get it on the side because it was so hot - bland, with no spice at all. Even the Tapatio hot sauce had more punch. To be honest, I've experienced a lot better at another well known Mexican fast casual. As a matter of fact, there's one in very close proximity to this one.
(2)
Patrick S.
Raspberry Chipotle Chicken burrito is bomb dot com. This is my new favorite Baja Mexican restaurant. The meat was juicy and crispy like right off the grill, smothered in sauce and topped with melted cheese and guac! Wash it down with some fresh authentic horchata. Not to mention the design and feel of the place is really hip.
(5)
Jenny I.
Alright, enough is enough. I want to like this place, I really do. But they've had three chances now and it just ain't happening. The first time, i came in for take-out and they gave me someone else's order and it didn't see it until I got home. The second time, I decided to try the "sweet pork" which was a horrible decision. It was sickly sweet, like fake-sugar sweet. And that's coming from a sweet tooth such as myself. The third and final attempt, I got a shredded beef burrito. Not bad... But not good either. It was smothered in sauce and still bland. How exactly does that happen?? Its a clean, brand new restaurant and the staff has always been quick and friendly, so the actual food is my only issue. Quite frankly, its the same price point as Chipotle and Chipotle is 10 times better. Sorry, Costa Vida, three strikes, you're out!
(2)
Brett N.
Not really that great, and pretty pricey to boot for self-service wait in line food. We went on a Sunday and the beans looked like they'd been cooking all day with a skin on them, everything was kind of bland and tasted the same, complicated ordering and staff wasn't all that jazzed to be there it appeared. All in all I wasn't that impressed - we may try a second time - but maybe not. I remember lunch coming to $25 for 2 people, and for that I can get a real sit-down meal. There's Mexican food all over the place, most cheaper and better if not the same. Lots of money spent on advertising and decorations, maybe too much.
My roommate has been going on about how yummy this place is so I decided to give it a try. I had a buy one entree get one free with purchase of two drinks so was perfect for my boyfriend and me. When we first got there, I saw that they ha $5 deals for burritos but since I had the coupon, decided to use it as the price would've been about the same. It wasn't very busy and when we first got there, the set up reminded me of Chipotle but it was nice to have a choice of tortilla as well. Thr burritos were a good size and was toasted with meat, chease and sauce and pico de gallo/lettuce was put on the side. It was pretty good and the service was friendly but it wouldve been nice if the veggies were in the burrito and not the side.
(4)
Penny R.
I was visiting the new location on Olsen Lane in Rancho Cordova, CA around 8:30 July 3. I've never been to a Costa Vida. The male employee was apathetic, really giving me lackluster service, I could tell. He just didn't care, but I could go on and on about that. To the rescue comes the assistant manager Issac Zavala. I noticed that his actions and movement at the restaurant were blurs of speed compared to everyone else "working" there. You can tell they're just warm bodies, people that are hired just because they walk in the door. He took care of the problem, bent over backwards to make me a happy customer. Anyway, I will go back to that location, but only if I see him through the window. ;-) This is what exceptional customer service should be. He made my day....
(2)
Duane H.
What can I say. Just another fast food take on Mexican. I was appalled that they would try and put cheese goo on the nachos I ordered. Given the otherwise fresh-food approach of the place this was totally out of place and tacky. I'd eat here in a pinch if I was in a hurry but otherwise there is little reason to come here with so many very good authentic taquerias in the area that make really good Mexican street food.
(2)
Sami S.
I really wanted to like this place because it's close to work and my bf enjoys the food. However, good customer service is important to me, and after a couple of chances, I won't be giving them my business anymore. The issue started when I got horrible service from a cashier... There was only one person working the food line, and she just stood there and watched him. He was great though, good attitude, friendly and working his butt off. As a result, there was a considerable delay for my food, which I didn't mind considering the staffing level. My problem was that she didn't attempt to smooth the delay by helping out, or even having a friendly conversation. She gave more attention to her coworker, who had just had lunch there and was trying to get change at the register. It was so unprofessional. Then, when she did ring us up, she was very rude and had zero personality. I asked her a question about salsa and she just replied that it would cost extra and didn't help me anymore. I took the survey letting them know I was disappointed with the service. A manager did get back to me that day and offered to discuss it. When I got a chance to call them back, I couldn't reach her. I suspect she didn't want to deal with me. I finally spoke to a different manager who was very apologetic, and offered to mail me 2 free meal vouchers. I thought it was odd that they wouldn't allow me to just go and redeem it in store and asked for my personal address, but appreciated the gesture anyway. Fast forward 2 weeks... Still no coupons in the mail. I went with a coworker to get lunch there. I mentioned to another cashier that I'd never received the coupons and he again took down my name and address and assured me he would notify the manager. Well here we are a month later and I haven't received anything. Either they can't read, or they're just giving me the run around.... I'm betting on the latter. I'm done. Not giving these people any more of my time or business, and I'll be notifying everyone in my department of their terrible service as well. You guys could have had a lot more business, but I'll let my fellow state workers know. Too much trouble for just mediocre food, anyhow. Thanks for nothing!
(1)
Michael T.
Great and original food! Love the sweet pork! My only complaint is all the up charging. They charge for everything! And it adds up. So as long as you're ok with spending $12 on your $7 burrito, live it up! Other than that it's a great place with good food.
(4)
S F.
Came here with my friend last week. I got a beef burrito. Special of the day, Saturday night. $6.99 It was just OK for me. I noticed every extra thing is an additional cost. The flavor of the meat was good, salsa was bland. I prefer Dos coyotes or Chipotle more but I will probably pay another visit to try something else next time
(3)
R Q.
I would say this is an above average Mexican Restaraunt. Tasty food and decent service. If you need something quick and good, then go here. I like the online ordering service too. Only minor complaint was the green tea and raspberry tea was very watered down.
(4)
P K.
Omg best food ever. I dream about this place when I sleep. I've been here tons of times and I always forget to write a review .It's always spotless, food is fresh and it's always at good price. I really love the tortilla machine warm and fresh and delicious and I usually get the sweet pork salad. I LOVE ALL THE BURRITOS and can never decide on what to try next. I can't find this anywhere else in Sacramento and that's very disappointing. I live all the way across Sacramento and have to go all the way to Rancho to get this delicious food. The staff is very friendly I had a favorite server there.(Hennessey) and was very sad when I learned she did not work there anymore. I am very picky on how my food is prepared and I must have very sanitary conditions. I recommend this restaurant for everybody it is a beautiful place and I hope it is always there. The chips and salsa are fabulous!
(5)
Karri L.
So I got to Costa Vida right as they were opening. There was one guy in line ahead of me, and about 5 or 6 employees milling about behind the counter. So guy orders a bunch of tacos and apparently, there aren't any tortillas made yet. After what seemed like an eternity, things start moving along and his taco-maker gets his tacos to the grill. Then she asks me for my order: a salad. Again, no tortillas. So we wait. And wait. And wait. And finally, the tortilla-maker tosses my salad tortilla over and asks me what I want to order. I indicate that "she" already took my order, and he growled back "she's doing something else now - I'm taking your order." Awesome attitude! After putting my tortilla in a bowl, adding chicken, rice and beans, he hands me off to another person, who seemed much friendlier but a bit confused (maybe she was new??). As she's finishing up, she tells the cashier what my order was (she should already know, she was the one that originally took my order) and she rings it up. I pay. She stares at me oddly for a few seconds and says "have a nice day", and I reply, "thanks, I will once I get my order." Apparently that little piece of the puzzle escaped her. She grabbed it, bagged it up, and I left. Almost 20 mins to get one menu item. The salad itself was very good. Lots of crunchy lettuce, flavorful chicken, rice and beans, guac, sour cream, cojita cheese, and tortilla strips. It also came with a yummy tomatillo-ranch dressing that was fantastic other than the jalapeno the size of my brain floating around in it. While the food was really tasty, the service was the complete opposite and downright crappy. I don't knew if the staff is new, it's a training issue, or just an off day, but it seemed highly unorganized, and fairly rude at one point. Ugh, I feel like I need to try this place again and see if the service goes any better. If it does, I'll post an update.
(2)
Mitzy M.
I was across the street for a work training and craving some Mexican. This place is slightly more pricey than Chipotle, but for the amount of food (and guacamole for no added charge!) it was definitely yummy. I had read the Yelp reviews before heading in and am not sure why everyone was hating on it so much - maybe everyone is comparing it to Chipotle? I would definitely return if I was in the area, but wouldn't go out of my way just to eat here. 3.5 stars really
(4)
Chantal T.
Wow. I am appalled that this place is still in business. I hate giving businesses bad reviews but I have given this place more chances than it deserves. Strike #1: We try to place a to-go order. We call and someone there answers and says that they're too busy to take food orders. We try again later and they don't even pick up the phone. We end up going to a late lunch somewhere else. Strike #2: I call early and ask them if I can place our to-go order now and pick up later. They say ok. I was super excited to try this place out, but I was disappointed as the fish in my tacos were raw .... Strike #3: We do a big group order. We call it in early, tell them we want separate orders, and let them know what time we are picking up. When my colleague gets there, the food is not made, but our order is sitting next to the register. So they start making it and then ring us up and tell us that we have to pay together and proceed to lecture us that we should have told them we wanted separate orders. And to top it off, NONE of our orders were correct. Strike #4: After my colleague takes the time to write letters of complaint regarding our previous experience, the manager apologizes and offers to meet with us and a complimentary lunch. Well, when she gets there, the manager was not available to discuss our experience and again NONE of our orders were correct. Absolutely ridiculous! We will never go back and I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone based on the food quality and service.
(1)
Love Y.
Love this place! Fresh food and the people are nice, great service...my kids love it. Their salads are delicious! Try their grilled steak, you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Alliver V.
I was in the area for work and so i came in here to check this place out. I was curious on what Costa Vida is all about. You can't but help to compare this to chipotle. It's a chipotle style ordering but it with a twist. They serve your burrito in a pan and it goes through an oven for your tortilla to be heated and they serve different types of tortilla.They ask you if you want any sauces on your burrito. Which all was cool! The decor was bright and had a fun atmosphere. I ordered a steak burrito. They serve their lettuce and salsa on the side and you can ask for a handful of chips. Which you can make it into a salad. The meat was delicious. I hoped the lettuce, tomato, maybe sauces were inside the burrito instead of outside. It was too late before I said anything. It was my fault. Maybe have a sign on how to order for first timers. Overall, Costa Vida was convenient to where I was working at and slightly pricier than chipotle. I wouldn't come back or make a drive out from East Sac just to go to this place. I'd come here if I was in the area and was craving a burrito.
(3)
Shepherd G.
Costa Vida is a knock-off of another great place, but the food is good. If presented a choice between the two, Costa Vida would be my second choice. Pork burrito, white tortilla, black AND pinto beans, cheese inside and out, medium sauce, smothered! Don't forget the lettuce and pico! Good to go!
(3)
H T.
Should of listened to some of the reviews on here. Food is not good at all I asked for a veggie burrito and they basically gave me a bean and cheese burrito and everything else is extra like bell peppers and onions BUT the manager really knew handled herself really well and because it was my first time she didn't charge me for a lot of the stuff. But the food was not good at all. And a lot of the people working there were completely lost and a little rude except the manager and she's the only reason for my 2 start. I basically threw $8 in he garbage. Would I come here again? Absolutely not.
(2)
Ross K.
2nd time and service is slow and cashier has to many other duties that it takes forever to pay
(1)
Sabrina P.
I take my mom here every Sunday after church and every single time it's amazing. The staff is so nice and always friends and the food is amazing. I've never had to wait in a long line and I've never had anything bad. My personal favorite is the sweet pork enchiladas with the red sauce :)
(5)
Anthony M.
This place is great! We were looking for a place to eat and came across Costa Vida! IM GLAD WE DID! Food is fresh, tastes great, portions are perfect size and price is fair!
(5)
Julie T.
Not a fan. Chipotle is much better. I had the wet steak burrito. It was really dry. Didn't seem flavorful. The tortilla was so thick and so much that I felt like I was only eating tortilla. I hear the sweet pork thing is good but I probably won't go back.
(2)
Lionel B.
From Los Angeles. From the local hotel I wanted to see what was out there. Instead of good ole Chipootle, decided to go with this place and try it out. Long line, is a good sign, they must be doing something right. I had a chicken burrito in a whole wheat tortilla, smothered in roasted verde sauce... It was totally worth the 15min wait in line. Its almost like a chipotle, but with way more options: burritos, tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, salad...all kinds of meats sauces, desserts... Chipotootle on steroids . Not to mentions they have daily specials and a mango salsa! But they hooked me with surfing videos - A satisfied customer
(4)
Bruce O.
Came in on a Saturday afternoon. Was greeted by friendly staff who asked if it was my first time here. After I replied yes, they explained my choices of burritos, enchiladas, et. I got the chili verde enchilada with rice and beans. Excellent choice and very filling. If you're a big eater, you can order two items. One was plenty for me with a regular size drink. My wife got a burrito bowl with chicken. Also very tasty. Give this place a try. I know I'll be coming back.
(5)
Dave R.
This place is the best! Great food, fantastic service and really friendly employees, you really need to try this place
(5)
Big C.
We ordered from here 3 times this week. We enjoy the food, the Chicken burrito covered with red sauce is great! Ordering online each time we had 1 of 3 of our orders come out correct. I recommend inspecting your orders before leaving. So in short, the food is great when made right
(4)
Nikki G.
Costa vida has never been a disappointment to me and always has been a consistent taste. The only issue I have is the amount of meat they have been putting on my burritos lately. I guess its dependent on which employee you get. Some will stack the meat on while others will initally pile it on then start taking it off my burrito because its too much. I just wished it was more consistent but costa vida is always my dinner craving.
(4)
April B.
***For people complaining about sparse toppings** You can ask them to add more, like other similar food places. I didn't have any issues ordering. I got a smothered shredded beef burrito and loved it. The other two people with me liked their food. I had a coupon for a free entree, so that was a bonus.
(5)
Michele P.
I am appalled by the lack of customer service. Recently we tried to pre-order a to go order for approximately 8 people. When placing the order, the person(s) on the other end kept grumbling about doing our order and kept pushing for us to do a big catering order instead. Uhm, no! We made it clear this is not what we wanted or needed; however, they continued to pressure. Ultimately, we wound up ordering from another restaurant instead. We will not be back!
(1)
Ivan P.
one star for the nice layout and decor inside. A second star because they have a great staff that is very friendly. Now for the bad part. They have a chipotle assembly line style of ordering. I got a chicken burrito. They only put rice, chicken, beans, cheese, and a sauce then proceed to put it through a pizza oven style conveyor belt heater. At first I thought it was a great Idea. Next the was lettuce, sour cream, and other stuff. Well the lettuce was free but they don't put it inside. In fact all the rest of the ingredients are external to the burrito. The small amount of sour cream and guac that they offer for 90 cents each is laughable. It is one spoonful, I literally ate all the guac in one bite. The server used one of those small ice cream scooper looking things and I heard her quietly counting the amount of scoops. What also irritated me was how in the world do they expect me to eat the small portion of lettuce? I ordered to go and they did not provide utensils. I ended up picking up lettuce with my fingers and eating it. I understand eating a burrito or other foods with your hands but lettuce? Half way through the burrito I lost my appetite from how irritated I was with the way things turned out. I give this place 6 more months before they go out of business and that's being generous. Points to take away: Horrible method for putting together a burrito Ridiculously small sizes of guac and sour cream No Hot salsa. All the salsa's are mild and have no umpf to them They expect you to eat lettuce with your hands like a monkey. All that for $8.62
(2)
Kaitlynne L.
I work within walking distance of Coasta Vida and when I saw that it had finally opened I was really excited. I went in during my half hour lunch break around 11:30 in the morning and I ordered their Sunday Special, which is any special from another week day and a drink. So I asked for their Saturday special which was a Shredded Beef burrito.The employee behind the counter apparently misunderstood my request and then told me that I couldn't pick the Saturday special because it was Sunday. So after pointing out what the Sunday special actually was she then proceeded to make my food. I ended up ordering a shredded beef burrito, with rice, refried beans, cheese, guacamole and smothered with enchilada sauce. The proportions of the fillings were out of control, they also put the enchilada sauce inside the burrito as well as on top, and the girl behind the counter didn't actually know how to wrap a burrito. By the time my food was actually handed over to me it was soggy, barely even wrapped, and the tortilla was ripped open so the fillings were spilling out. They also forgot to add my guacamole to the burrito and when I asked for it on the side I got one scoop in a tiny cup for $1 extra. The Sunday special was advertised as $6.99, but when I went to pay I was charged almost $11. My food was definitely not worth what I paid for. The enchilada sauce has bitter and bland and it was on everything so I couldn't just scrape it off. Also, the beef was greasy and mushy, the rice was dehydrated and crunchy from either sitting out too long or because it was initially undercooked, the refried beans had no flavor and were also mushy, and the side of guacamole tasted store bought. The only way I managed to eat everything was by drowning it in hot sauce. Overall, the employees didn't know what they were doing, the food was terrible, and everything was overpriced. I won't be coming back any time soon.
(1)
Sara B.
Well, well, where do I begin? Let's start off by saying that my husband and I had heard a great deal about this place, so, when a Costa Vida location opened up in the Target shopping area, we were both very eager to give it a shot ... up until we gave it a shot. My husband ordered their smothered chicken burrito which came wrapped in their sweet flour tortilla, along with a side of ranch. The burrito was $6.99 and, get this, the ranch was 50 cents! Um ... last time I checked that stuff was supposed to be free, especially when you're paying an arm and a leg for a burrito. With tax, the total came out to $8.09. The burrito plate came with a side of lettuce and pico de gallo. He brought it home and at first glance, it looked pretty appealing. It was smothered in green sauce and didn't look half bad. Upon taking his first bite, my husband said that this was probably the worst burrito he's ever eaten and that he could definitely have made a better one himself. All he had was a mouthful of rice, green sauce, and some half-assed melted cheese (his words exactly.) You could literally count the pieces of chicken in it (his guess: 4.) I took a bite, too, and was not impressed. Since when were burritos supposed to be sweet?! The burrito was very disappointing, to say the least. Total rip off. On top of that, my husband said the inside of Costa Vida was dirty and that the service was mediocre, at best. They were definitely not trying to retain their customers with their lackluster customer service. Chipotle, which is less than a quarter of a mile away, has nothing to worry about.
(1)
Dre T.
My first time in, the staff was over enthusiastic and welcoming. I ordered a salad. The chipotle chicken was good, my salad was large.... It was fine. The second time, I tried a burrito. I like the hand crafted wheat tortillas. I had a good sized burrito. It was not bad at all!! I dislike the tin take out supplies, however. Oh, and they need to get stevia for the drink station. I don't drink sweet n low. The restaurant was clean, charming. It beats the pants off Rubios since Rubios screws up all their orders. Chipotle is different (it's not baja style) so you can't compare Costa Vida with Chipotle. Rubios is baja, however. If I have a choice to go to Rubios or Costa Vida, it will be Costa Vida! One more star if they had more salsa choices.
(4)
George W.
I really liked it. Clean, fresh. Nice change from Chipotle. The meal is assembled Chipotle-style, with quite a few additional options. The burritos are more "wet style" and are heated. Cold ingredients like lettuce and sour cream are added on the side. Friendly, patient staff. I'll recommend to friends.
(4)
Will N.
Love love love this place. Very clean interior, and a very friendly staff. Their signature is the Sweet Pork which is good, but I prefer their Steak, particularly in Salads, which is over the top awesome. Always a big crowd during the lunch hours, which speaks volume for the place.
(5)
Mary C.
I went to the costa vida in Yuba city after a friend of mine raved about it. It was yummy so I was excited to see one closer in Rancho Cordova. When I walked in their was only one other person in front of me. I remember from my first experience that I didn't like big strips of chicken in the enchilada so I asked the server to chop up the meat. He acted like this was such a big inconvenience to him. If there would have been a huge lunch crowd I would have just dealt with it. He was all flustered like he had not idea how to get a knife and cutting board to cut the chicken up. He even had to say, "this is an odd request and I doubt anyone else will do this for you" ok you work at a restaurant and can't even do a simple request like that when no one is in line. I should have said something while I was there but I figured I'd just vent on Yelp. The food was still good but the service sucked.
(2)
Jessica P.
Confusing coming in as the door is toward the back of the place. Minus one star for what seems to be a lack of organization and routine in serving customers. It took me 15 minutes or so to get two tacos, about half that time the tortillas spent unnecessarily on the grill. The food was filling and more authentic to the Mexican style, but was dry and subpar for the price. Minus another star. Good restaurant but not amazing or excellent by my standards. For this type of Mexican I will be sticking with Chipotle.
(3)
Vanessa H.
This place is just a more expensive Baja Fresh. For $8.49 I had a "salad" that consistent of refried beans, romaine lettuce, tortilla strips and a spoonful of pico de gallo. The cilantro dressing was good, but I don't know what this restaurant's fetish with all things "sweet" is a about. Sweet cilantro dressing, sweet mango dressing, sweet pork, sweet chicken. No one needs to consume that much sugar while eating mexican food.
(2)
Lauren T.
My husband and I have tried this restaurant in Roseville and loved it so we were very excited for one to be opening so close to our home. I've read some previous reviews about orders being wrong from ordering take out. I've never ordered the take out but if they're a business getting lunch, I have been at lunch time during the week and it's crazy busy. So I would attribute it to being a new business and still training everyone along with the fact it's new so a lot of people are still coming during lunch and dinner. I've been where the line has been out the door at lunch over a month after it's been open. Between my husband and I we've had the chicken, sweet pork, and steak in the enchiladas, tacos, quesadilla and burritos. They all have been delicious. I love the freshness of the food, especially the tortillas. I can't wait to try the nachos.
(4)
Jon J.
I don't like leaving bad reviews but I have too on this one. I have been to this place 3 times and every time my food is made by a new hire. The first time the guy making the food seemed more interested in chatting up some girls he knew than making the food which took forever!! Other than the tortilla's which are made fresh the rest of the food looks like it was ordered from an industrial restaurant supply like SYSCO. I got a chicken smothered burrito which was small and cost me almost $10. I was kicking myself for not going to one of the many local mexican restaurants which would have given me a huge smothered burrito for $2 less. There is also no salsa bar. I just feel like every time I come here nobody seems to know what is going on and everything is disorganized. They do a good job of messing up something that is supposed to be very simple.
(1)
Carol A.
Sooo good! Do yourself a favor and eat here! Raspberry chipotle chicken tacos..delish!
(5)
Alvaro_Melissa S.
So I hear that Costa Vida opened 6/16/2014 Wife asked to try it out, we come in at 12:30, Atmosphere is like Freebirds and chipoltle, wife wasn't impressed on how long the line took, lot of the employees were to chatty with each other. With lunch it has to be quick. So we has the steak taco salad, which was good, meat was marinated nicely, but it was a small portion of steak, more would be better. Cheese Nachos were very crisp and fresh. And cheese enchiladas, sauce was ok. I would of givin a 5 star but it was a long wait for food. Good luck, Costa Vida, and welcome to Rancho Cordova.
(4)
Rosario F.
loved it here. Better than Chipotle. Food taste much better and has a much more flavor than Chipotle. The food comes in a large portion for a reasonable price. Workers were very nice and the environment was pretty awesome as well. It reminds me of the beach at Santa Monica. Music is pretty nice too.
(5)
Anthony F.
Horrible food and service. The food was disgusting and the staff did not know what they were doing. Didn't know their own menu or preparation of the food.
(1)
Jen M.
I am so happy they opened a costa vida closer to where I live so I don't have to go to roseville anymore! love the sweet pork quesadilla. the decor in this costa vida is very fun and surf like.
(5)
Brian M.
Had two pork enchiladas. They had some yucky sweet sauce on the meat. According to the reviews I just read it was a raspberry sauce. Does not belong in an enchilada. was not told by the counter person it had that or I would have left then. Eating with plastic utensils out of a aluminum pan. Worse than camping. Never going again even if I was delivered by someone to the front door. Gave it two stars because I am saving the one star for something worse.
(2)
D S.
Disgusting and way over priced I will stay with chipotle I ordered a chicken burritto it was so dry and unflavoured my friend ordered enchiladas they were so disgusting it was barely edible truly it tasted like dog food the steak was chewy and fatty
(1)
Robert G.
After a busy Sunday my girlfriend and I decided to try out this Costa Vida location in Rancho Cordova. I'm disappointed to say that I did not read the Yelp reviews prior to coming in to this establishment. They do have a really cool water color bubble wall thing to look at when you first walk in but let's get down to the review. Costa Vida had a huge staff semi working/semi standing around.. The staff is new because the establishment is new.. (PS Costa Vida Roseville send some help to this location asap..) I ordered two tacos, and my girlfriend ordered a steak burrito. The style of Costa Vida is very similar to Chipotle where you walk down the line and pick and choose which ingredients go into your meal. The employee stated that my girlfriend was getting the last portion of steak (half sized portion compared to Chipotle) what got me was that she didn't offer to prep more fresh cooked steak. The next strike was that their steak burritos came with a side of lettuce and our choice of sour cream, salsa, etc.. The aluminum dish that ALL the Taco,Burrito,Salads com in are a bowl shape. So she puts the pico de gallo on the lettuce.. The pico de gallo juice from the tomato caused the burrito to become extremely soggy. After attempting to open the sad soggy little burrito to put the pico de gallo back inside the burrito we both noticed the cheese was a balled up and not melted. The last strike was during checkout, the register employee over heard me asking her co-worker if my chips and salsa would cost extra to try out an addition salsa.. her co-worker said yes it will be an additional 1.00 charge for a spoon full of salsa. Then the register employee said it should be free if I didn't get salsa on my second taco, then what seemed to be the manager on duty told the register employee that "no traditionally the taco doesn't get free salsa" Overall the taste of my tacos was bland and texture of food was soggy, and my girlfriends burrito was soggy with an awkward lettuce/pico de gallo salad on the side. I doubt this location will stay in business long. Until this place learns how to talk to customers and cook their food correctly we will not be returning. Also that one employee picked up my tacos and put them really close to his face saying how great the food smelled.. really? Thank's Rancho Cordova Costa Vida for the bland canned food taste. (Best part was the tortilla chips)
(1)
Craig J. T.
The wife and I went in for the first time a few months ago, had the sweet pork tacos, didn't finish them. We both became ill later. Prices are high and the serving size is small. All we could think is who would pare those flavors with Mexican food. Have never returned.
(1)
Petra N.
Not impressed! The assembly line is not very appetizing, the aluminum bowls are different (not in a good way). You order a salad from the menu and someone wants to add a warm tortilla, rice and beans to your cold lettuce..hmm, sounds more like a burrito bowl to me. In order to get to the condiments area you have to stand in line with the people at the soda fountain. I don't think the layout of the restaurant was well thought through. Most likely not going to return :(
(1)
Sean J.
Service was pretty good. Very friendly staff. Had the shrimp tacos and they were very different but not to bad. I'd rate the food average at best.
(3)
S D.
Last night they did not serve corn tortillas. The cashier said that they did not make any because they are only good for 1 day, so if they had any left over, they would have to throw them away in the morning. I think this is a very poor excuse not to have traditional tortillas in a "Mexican" restaurant. The menu is a very simple one with little options, so it's extra disappointing. Anyhow, when you serve food it is assumed that you might have to loose a small amount of it to ensure you have fresh ingredients ready. I don't imagine they save the heated topping or sides for the next day either. How long could it possibly take them to make/heat a tortilla anyway?? I think this is poor business and poor planning.
(2)
Sarah H.
I'm usually all for the authentic Mexican but Costa Vida is a great fresh mix place. I'm not a fan of Chipotle or similar chains and Costa Vida is fresh and delicious. Their sweet pork and raspberry Chipotle chicken is awesome. I have cravings solely for their sweet pork regularly. I hope they keep growing in sacramento and pop up more. Great food for a good price and if you get a member card you earn points/money quickly.
(4)
Eric H.
this place is so yummy! first time trying it today. 100 times better than Chipotle or Baja Fresh
(5)
Kristin M.
Customer Servce: Good Food: Horrible I ordered a pork (don't say carnitas because they wont know what you are talking about) burrito. I did'nt really want cheese but the employee just stacked it on there and started rolling it up. I also was'nt expecting the pork to be sweet (I did'nt really want a BBQ burrito). lastly, I paid extra for gac which ended up being about one bite worth. I will not be coming back, with Chipotle accross the street I don't see them lasting very long.
(1)
Tee K.
Great food every time I have been here for lunch. Chicken burrito has a very unique flavor to it (better than the one at Chipotle). Chicken enchiladas could be a bit bigger for the price but still tasty, nonetheless.
(5)
April E.
I had wanted to check this place out as an alternative to Chipotle, which I love but the same thing gets old fast. I loved their food! It was very tasty and large portions. You can always ask for more or extra if they only put on a little bit of something. My husband and I have returned several times and we have been pleased with the food as well as the service. I would absolutely recommend this place.
(4)
Hitesh B.
Went today to Costa Vida for 1st time for a coworker's birthday. I thought the food was decent, but they charge $0.50 for sour cream, and $0.99 for guacamole and you get less than half of what Chipotle gives. Place has more options than Chipotle, but you get more for your buck at Chipotle. Veggie burrito and drink ended up costing me $12, where as at Chipotle a significantly larger veggie burrito and drink is $9 and you know it is farm fresh.
(2)
Susan R.
We went here for nachos. It was our first time get and the guy that was putting our nachos together was super friendly and helpful. I got the small chicken nachos and my boyfriend got the small shredded beef nachos. Both were delicious and we will be coming back for more.
(4)
Allen Y.
First time here and I gotta say that service was very slow and at times unprofessional. Food was alright nothing compared to chipotle. Not not go there next time.
(3)
Mariah M.
This past Friday was my first experience with Costa Vida and it will be the last.. First of all as I get up in line to order my food we were told that they are out of rice and it will be about 20 minutes. Seriously Costa Vida how do you run out of rice at 7:30 in the evening?? Not to mention the organizational skills at the food line. Their we're 2 guys trying to cook and service the food line while the unfriendly cashier gal looked on. As my first experience there I didn't know what they offered on the line for the salad that I ordered, so the guy rushed me and announced what they had really fast without giving me the choice to choose what I wanted.. Then as I proceed to check out the unfriendly Hispanic gal was very rude and unfriendly. I told her that since you guys didn't have rice that the guy on the line said I could have sour cream in replace of the rice. She threw major attitude and said "what" ok?? Like she wanted to argue.. So she proceeds to put my order in the bag unprofessionally I then pay. She didn't even hand me my bags nor did she thank me for visiting Costa Vida. She turned away to help a customer with a refill.. I thought that was very very rude and lacked customer service!! Costa Vida needs to train their employees with high exceptional customer service from the time you enter their food chain until the time you exit!! With that said, you've lost a first time customer and through networking, I will express my experience and never ever go back!!! I hope a manager seriously reviews these yelps about Costa Vida and takes serious actions!!!
(1)
Ando S.
Couple of my friends told me about this place. I gotta say loved it! The place was nicely decorated, specious parking lot & customer service was great. I ordered raspberry chicken burrito. Wow it was goooood! They also make their own tortilla. You can add beans(3), cheese, guacamole hot & mild sauce & etc. 50 cents for the guacamole. Prices much cheaper than Chipotle. I would definitely will be back.
(5)
Matt L.
Imagine throwing up after eating Chipolte, and then putting into a burrito. That's Costa Vida. What a waste of time and money. It's overpriced. They charge you for everything. I had a wet chicken burrito with a side of sour cream (which they don't put in the burrito itself), and a drink and it was 12 bucks and change. If wanted chips that was extra, if I wanted guac, that was extra. What a bunch of crap Now to how it tasted. Bland, too sweet, and no spice. I had to dump a bunch of hot sauce on it just to get it down. For all people who gave this place 5 stars. I feel bad for you. You must have no idea what Mexican Food should taste like.
(1)
Debbie D.
I'm well versed with foods and this place is not so good. I'm Latina and can appreciate great Mexican American food, but this is not great. Very BLAND, and mind you I judge on food not the fake "how are you today?" customer service. For me it's about the food. Very bland. Ask to taste their salsas they use on their enchiladas and you'll see.
(2)
Randy C.
Ate here for the 2nd time today. I told my wife about it and she wanted to try. We both work in the area. 1st time I had the sweet pork burrito. Pork was tasty but lacks in quantity. 60% of the burrito was rice. Today, I tried the special which was the chicken burrito. Sweet pork was definitely better. Rice content was still the same... barely any meat inside. :( Wife asked what to try so I suggested the sweet pork so she ordered it. She was barely getting started and she noticed a strand of hair in her burrito. I brought it up to the counter and gave me a refund. I feel like they should have offered a little more since my wife lost her appetite. Freebird and Chipotle still serves a better burrito IMO... usually hair free too! :(
(2)
Beverly P.
tried this place because i heard is was good. They offer chili verde, which is really green sauce with small chucks of pork, i swear i thought it was just sauce until they said it was chili verde. Got the sweet pork because they didn't have carnitas or plain pork. they also have a raspberry marinaded chicken. really? why are we trying to re-invent the wheel people with your sweet takes on the pork and chicken? They do have fresh homemade tortillas, staff is friendly and it was 7 bucks for lunch.think I'll stick to chipotle instead tho.
(2)
Courtney L P.
Costa Vida is the best! I've already been several times since they opened last month. Everything is so delicious and all the employees are so friendly. This has quickly become my go-to Mexican place. Try the raspberry chicken, it's amazing!
(5)
Shevy C.
The prior reviews are a bit harsh. I just went there and had a fairly good experience. They were fast and friendly. I had the chicken burrito and had it smothered with the red enchilada sauce and it was pretty good. One thing I didn't like is they didn't give me that much salsa when u asked for it on the side like chipotle does (since everyone is comparing). I say its worth a visit and I'll be back to try more things.
(4)
Myron G.
Tried this new place after receiving flyer in the mail and seeing billboards nearby. Cool-looking place, with menu on wall and stand-in-line ordering. Since it just opened, I'll forgive the erratic and confused staff in the kitchen/order counter. We tried the "specials", both enchiladas w/sides. POORLY DONE! I counted JUST 4 PIECES of pork mini-chunks in my Chili Verde dish - too soupy and SMOTHERED in sauce making the tortillas sloppy and too wet. Beans and rice were only "just warm". Chicken pieces, observed cooking on the grill, looked good so we might go back for that instead.
(2)
Matthew B.
I ate at this new place today and the food is really great. It's an awesome concept. Totally fresh Mexican food...they even press and cook the tortillas right in front of you. Pretty cool :-) they were a little disorganized and sone things weren't being done quite right, but the manager was there correcting people so I'm sure things will be running smoothly soon. When I was rung up they had no change for a 20 so the cashier took a stack of 20s to the back to get change but she dropped a few and I had to tell her, she's lucky I'm honest lol. She also left the cash register drawer open while she was gone. I hope they can keep training and get everyone working at the right level. They food and concept has promise, now execution is key. Come on owners! You can do it.
(4)
A A.
It took us 30 minutes to get through the line to order and pay for food, and there were 3 employees serving the lunch rush. My $7 burrito didn't come with anything, so when I asked for salsa I was told it would be extra. So are the chips, sour cream, and anything else. Our trays smelled like dirty rags and it ruined our entire meal. Never coming back. Chipotle is where it's at !
(1)
Shana H.
Good food and friendly service. The beef is fantastic! I've had both the tacos and quesadilla. The chips have a slight lime taste, but not as overpowering as Chipotle. As for the chicken tacos I prefer Rubios.
(4)
Jen G.
Very friendly staff. Very quick in getting your food made. im glad i chose to come here for lunch.
(4)
Brian F.
Great food. I've tried the tacos, salads, and burritos. The food is good and the workers are very polite for this particular location being so new. I brought my 2 coworkers and they were also satisfied. Excited to try the rest of the menu!
(5)
MATTY g.
Thanks Yelper's for the warning. I almost wasted my time and money on this place. I was In the parking lot, read the reviews of overpriced , chincy food , and spent my money elsewhere. 6.99$ for a cheese quesadilla ??? No thanks.
(1)
Josh P.
Had the mahi mahi tacos and girlfriend had pork burrito. Everything was very fresh and tasted great. Only reason for the four stars is the lack of organization in the assembly line to the register when it got busy. Also not a fan of the foil bowls. Otherwise i highly recommend the food.
(4)
james r.
First off this place is a new twist on Chipotle, but with higher prices and way smaller portions. For $7 you can have a custom made enchilada with a pinch of chicken and read in under 2 minutes. The tortillas are yummy and house made. The quality of meats is just mediocre at best. I won't waste my time or money again on this step above fast food establishment.
(1)
Jen W.
Over priced and not very good. They are chinsy with their sour cream and guacamole too. I'd rather have chipotle.
(1)
Mary E.
Just stopped by and ordered the small nachos with chile verde. Now I see I should have read the reviews first because they are right. The chile verde is mostly just a sauce. No decent sized pieces of pork at all. When the menu says pick your protein, the chile verde shouldn't be a choice because there isn't much protein in it at all. Flavor was ok, but for over $7 I need some meat with my order.
(2)
Jessica R.
My husband and I recently tried Costa Vida. My first comment is regarding placing a phone order. When I called in, the gentleman who took my order was unfamiliar with ingredients. I ordered a vegetarian burrito and he was not sure which beans were vegetarian. In my opinion, staff should be familiar with all menu items and able to answer any questions a customer has. I ordered the chicken nachos for my husband. When we arrived home, my husbands order was incorrect. As for the quality of the food, sub par. The vegetarian burrito was mushy and lacking. My husbands nacho did not have guacamole and were standard fast food nachos. I would not return, not would I recommend Costa Vida. There are other fast food restaurants in the area I would prefer to dine at.
(1)
Steve R.
Meager, cold serving of a hot dish - haven't had such a lousy meal since Del Taco - another place I will never return to.
(1)
Jeffrey P.
Oh Costa Vida! I really wanted to like you, but you continued to disappoint me visit after visit after visit. Even after the fantastic coupons you gave out, will I order another salad here. First off, the cafeteria style ordering process does not work with your business model. There are too many add ons and heat ups to have this style of ordering. The line gets bottlnecked and a lunch rush is out the door without the speediness of Chiptole. (took me 35 minutes to get my food and out their door.) But my problem with Costa Vida is staff training! They do not how to do simple tasks such as phone ordering protocol and side conversation ettiquette. I blame the managers on this one. I understand a new business takes some time to get acclamated, but the ordering problems seem to keep happening. Always something wrong on my order, time after time. Get it together guys! Sorry, but even the do overs aren't worth the return.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Amanda J.
This place is our favorite! There are so many ways to customize your food with different meats, salsas, sauces and beans. Perfect for the kids too. The kids meals also come with a cinnamon sugar tortilla as a sweet treat with their meal. Fast, friendly and helpful staff with great prices and daily specials.
(5)Danielle A.
Yum so I've had this place a few time as this is my jobs go to catering spot! They make their own tortillas and OMG they're to die for. Idk what it is about them just taste fresh. This time I got a "salad" Aka a burrito bowl. The chicken was not dry at all very good and a good crispy char. Awesome! Their dressing (I tried them all) I loved them but I had to go with the cilantro one! Very good portion especially when you're just going on your lunch break and don't plan on keeping left overs. The only thing I didn't like it how everything is extra. I paid 7+ on my bowl & salsa , cheese, sour cream, ect is all extra!! I feel like it should come with it. Overall very tasty , but I may just stick to non GMO chipotle lol ;).
(3)Samantha N.
I was very skeptical to come here because I don't enjoy going to chain restaurants for Mexican food but I'm glad I did. This place is different from other burrito/Mexican restaurants. It's more similar to the Chipotle family. It was very different for me because they don't put the salsa/lettuce inside the burrito unless you ask them. They put the burrito in the oven, so they told me it was be soggy if the lettuce and salsas were in the burrito. I did ask if they could after the warning and one of the workers were super sweet and did it for me. The burrito was so huge I had to eat it with a knife and fork - I'm usually not as proper. Haha For their meats, they have different options like sweet pork, shredded beef, grilled chicken and more. You also have the option to put different sauce to put in your burrito as well like queso, sweet pepper sauce and enchilada sauce. Again, the workers were super awesome and allowed me to taste the meats and sauces. I would definitely come back for their huge servings and amazing customer service. PS. If you're a student, you can qualify for basically a free soda only if your meal is one of the daily specials.
(4)Jazmine D.
Came in after a long day of shopping so food was on the agenda next! This place is usually very good but today the ATM machine broke down so the line was held up skittle. So I was thinking no biggie! Well I went to sit down and eat my food and drink and realized that there were a few of those little flys that swarm around and land on anything that smells good. I promptly moved to a new seat in hopes of escaping them. I found a new spot and started eating! A few ministers into it, I had realized that one one of the little flys landed on my plate. I took the part that it landed on and threw it in the garbage, boxed up the rest of my food and took it home. I don't know what the deal was with the flys but it needs to be fixed!
(3)Horst S.
Just had lunch here with some office peeps, and if you want a tasty and filling salad that is endlessly customizable, this the place. I had the mango chicken salad, and it was really quite good. It's not cheap, but everything is fresh and tasty, and the employees were helpful and enthusiastic. Not sure where all the negative reviews are coming from since they look nothing like what I experienced today. It's definitely being added to the work lunch rotation.
(4)Monica T.
A great contender to chipotle. My husband and I just moved to the area and needed something close and quick. When we got there, we told the employee it was our first visit. His. Eyes. Lit. Up. I have never seen someone so happy to help us in the restaurant industry ever. Rusty was so helpful and let us taste a few different options to make sure we knew what we were ordering. He explained everything in front of him and seemed genuinely proud to work there. We left feeling confident we would love the food when we got home. We were right. The food was fresh and flavorful. Definitely going to be back. And I hope that if anyone managing this store reads these yelp reviews, they know Rusty is 90% of the reason we'll be back. Good food is easy to find, stellar customer service is not.
(5)Alexandria L.
All that is expected from a chain restaurant. Smothered and full of cheese is what I recommend. A tin plate of deliciousness! They sell horchata but I've never been able to stomach the consistency.
(3)Solange L.
Great service every time I've been to this location. Minus 1 star for the girl who made our food. She was very impatient & made our food sloppy. But, the girl who rang us up was very pleasant. Overall they have good food & good service besides this one time with this one person.
(4)Michie S.
Great chicken salad for a good price. Fresh produce and the cilantro dressing was delicious! Great place to stop for a quick bite to eat
(5)Shane N.
My wife and I were shopping nearby and she got a craving for Mexican food. This restaurant was conveniently located across the parking lot. Despite touting a polished outward appearance, the food is not very satisfying. I was not impressed. I ordered the specialty Chile Verde Burrito (without rice). My burrito was lacking in terms of flavor and portion. The Chile Verde was bland, no flavor at all. It consisted mostly of the verde sauce with the pork chunks few and far between. I also requested their hottest salsa of which the guy behind the counter suggested I get it on the side because it was so hot - bland, with no spice at all. Even the Tapatio hot sauce had more punch. To be honest, I've experienced a lot better at another well known Mexican fast casual. As a matter of fact, there's one in very close proximity to this one.
(2)Patrick S.
Raspberry Chipotle Chicken burrito is bomb dot com. This is my new favorite Baja Mexican restaurant. The meat was juicy and crispy like right off the grill, smothered in sauce and topped with melted cheese and guac! Wash it down with some fresh authentic horchata. Not to mention the design and feel of the place is really hip.
(5)Jenny I.
Alright, enough is enough. I want to like this place, I really do. But they've had three chances now and it just ain't happening. The first time, i came in for take-out and they gave me someone else's order and it didn't see it until I got home. The second time, I decided to try the "sweet pork" which was a horrible decision. It was sickly sweet, like fake-sugar sweet. And that's coming from a sweet tooth such as myself. The third and final attempt, I got a shredded beef burrito. Not bad... But not good either. It was smothered in sauce and still bland. How exactly does that happen?? Its a clean, brand new restaurant and the staff has always been quick and friendly, so the actual food is my only issue. Quite frankly, its the same price point as Chipotle and Chipotle is 10 times better. Sorry, Costa Vida, three strikes, you're out!
(2)Brett N.
Not really that great, and pretty pricey to boot for self-service wait in line food. We went on a Sunday and the beans looked like they'd been cooking all day with a skin on them, everything was kind of bland and tasted the same, complicated ordering and staff wasn't all that jazzed to be there it appeared. All in all I wasn't that impressed - we may try a second time - but maybe not. I remember lunch coming to $25 for 2 people, and for that I can get a real sit-down meal. There's Mexican food all over the place, most cheaper and better if not the same. Lots of money spent on advertising and decorations, maybe too much.
(2)Jazmin Q.
I had the enchiladas plate and my fiancé had their burritos. Every time we go our experience has been a good one. The staff is nice, clean & inviting atmosphere and the price isn't too bad. Tip: I was able to get the kids meal (smaller plate) since I can rarely finish their normal plates. Cheaper and it comes with the cinnamon tortilla and a drink! We'll be back.
(5)Nai S.
My roommate has been going on about how yummy this place is so I decided to give it a try. I had a buy one entree get one free with purchase of two drinks so was perfect for my boyfriend and me. When we first got there, I saw that they ha $5 deals for burritos but since I had the coupon, decided to use it as the price would've been about the same. It wasn't very busy and when we first got there, the set up reminded me of Chipotle but it was nice to have a choice of tortilla as well. Thr burritos were a good size and was toasted with meat, chease and sauce and pico de gallo/lettuce was put on the side. It was pretty good and the service was friendly but it wouldve been nice if the veggies were in the burrito and not the side.
(4)Penny R.
I was visiting the new location on Olsen Lane in Rancho Cordova, CA around 8:30 July 3. I've never been to a Costa Vida. The male employee was apathetic, really giving me lackluster service, I could tell. He just didn't care, but I could go on and on about that. To the rescue comes the assistant manager Issac Zavala. I noticed that his actions and movement at the restaurant were blurs of speed compared to everyone else "working" there. You can tell they're just warm bodies, people that are hired just because they walk in the door. He took care of the problem, bent over backwards to make me a happy customer. Anyway, I will go back to that location, but only if I see him through the window. ;-) This is what exceptional customer service should be. He made my day....
(2)Duane H.
What can I say. Just another fast food take on Mexican. I was appalled that they would try and put cheese goo on the nachos I ordered. Given the otherwise fresh-food approach of the place this was totally out of place and tacky. I'd eat here in a pinch if I was in a hurry but otherwise there is little reason to come here with so many very good authentic taquerias in the area that make really good Mexican street food.
(2)Sami S.
I really wanted to like this place because it's close to work and my bf enjoys the food. However, good customer service is important to me, and after a couple of chances, I won't be giving them my business anymore. The issue started when I got horrible service from a cashier... There was only one person working the food line, and she just stood there and watched him. He was great though, good attitude, friendly and working his butt off. As a result, there was a considerable delay for my food, which I didn't mind considering the staffing level. My problem was that she didn't attempt to smooth the delay by helping out, or even having a friendly conversation. She gave more attention to her coworker, who had just had lunch there and was trying to get change at the register. It was so unprofessional. Then, when she did ring us up, she was very rude and had zero personality. I asked her a question about salsa and she just replied that it would cost extra and didn't help me anymore. I took the survey letting them know I was disappointed with the service. A manager did get back to me that day and offered to discuss it. When I got a chance to call them back, I couldn't reach her. I suspect she didn't want to deal with me. I finally spoke to a different manager who was very apologetic, and offered to mail me 2 free meal vouchers. I thought it was odd that they wouldn't allow me to just go and redeem it in store and asked for my personal address, but appreciated the gesture anyway. Fast forward 2 weeks... Still no coupons in the mail. I went with a coworker to get lunch there. I mentioned to another cashier that I'd never received the coupons and he again took down my name and address and assured me he would notify the manager. Well here we are a month later and I haven't received anything. Either they can't read, or they're just giving me the run around.... I'm betting on the latter. I'm done. Not giving these people any more of my time or business, and I'll be notifying everyone in my department of their terrible service as well. You guys could have had a lot more business, but I'll let my fellow state workers know. Too much trouble for just mediocre food, anyhow. Thanks for nothing!
(1)Michael T.
Great and original food! Love the sweet pork! My only complaint is all the up charging. They charge for everything! And it adds up. So as long as you're ok with spending $12 on your $7 burrito, live it up! Other than that it's a great place with good food.
(4)S F.
Came here with my friend last week. I got a beef burrito. Special of the day, Saturday night. $6.99 It was just OK for me. I noticed every extra thing is an additional cost. The flavor of the meat was good, salsa was bland. I prefer Dos coyotes or Chipotle more but I will probably pay another visit to try something else next time
(3)R Q.
I would say this is an above average Mexican Restaraunt. Tasty food and decent service. If you need something quick and good, then go here. I like the online ordering service too. Only minor complaint was the green tea and raspberry tea was very watered down.
(4)P K.
Omg best food ever. I dream about this place when I sleep. I've been here tons of times and I always forget to write a review .It's always spotless, food is fresh and it's always at good price. I really love the tortilla machine warm and fresh and delicious and I usually get the sweet pork salad. I LOVE ALL THE BURRITOS and can never decide on what to try next. I can't find this anywhere else in Sacramento and that's very disappointing. I live all the way across Sacramento and have to go all the way to Rancho to get this delicious food. The staff is very friendly I had a favorite server there.(Hennessey) and was very sad when I learned she did not work there anymore. I am very picky on how my food is prepared and I must have very sanitary conditions. I recommend this restaurant for everybody it is a beautiful place and I hope it is always there. The chips and salsa are fabulous!
(5)Karri L.
So I got to Costa Vida right as they were opening. There was one guy in line ahead of me, and about 5 or 6 employees milling about behind the counter. So guy orders a bunch of tacos and apparently, there aren't any tortillas made yet. After what seemed like an eternity, things start moving along and his taco-maker gets his tacos to the grill. Then she asks me for my order: a salad. Again, no tortillas. So we wait. And wait. And wait. And finally, the tortilla-maker tosses my salad tortilla over and asks me what I want to order. I indicate that "she" already took my order, and he growled back "she's doing something else now - I'm taking your order." Awesome attitude! After putting my tortilla in a bowl, adding chicken, rice and beans, he hands me off to another person, who seemed much friendlier but a bit confused (maybe she was new??). As she's finishing up, she tells the cashier what my order was (she should already know, she was the one that originally took my order) and she rings it up. I pay. She stares at me oddly for a few seconds and says "have a nice day", and I reply, "thanks, I will once I get my order." Apparently that little piece of the puzzle escaped her. She grabbed it, bagged it up, and I left. Almost 20 mins to get one menu item. The salad itself was very good. Lots of crunchy lettuce, flavorful chicken, rice and beans, guac, sour cream, cojita cheese, and tortilla strips. It also came with a yummy tomatillo-ranch dressing that was fantastic other than the jalapeno the size of my brain floating around in it. While the food was really tasty, the service was the complete opposite and downright crappy. I don't knew if the staff is new, it's a training issue, or just an off day, but it seemed highly unorganized, and fairly rude at one point. Ugh, I feel like I need to try this place again and see if the service goes any better. If it does, I'll post an update.
(2)Mitzy M.
I was across the street for a work training and craving some Mexican. This place is slightly more pricey than Chipotle, but for the amount of food (and guacamole for no added charge!) it was definitely yummy. I had read the Yelp reviews before heading in and am not sure why everyone was hating on it so much - maybe everyone is comparing it to Chipotle? I would definitely return if I was in the area, but wouldn't go out of my way just to eat here. 3.5 stars really
(4)Chantal T.
Wow. I am appalled that this place is still in business. I hate giving businesses bad reviews but I have given this place more chances than it deserves. Strike #1: We try to place a to-go order. We call and someone there answers and says that they're too busy to take food orders. We try again later and they don't even pick up the phone. We end up going to a late lunch somewhere else. Strike #2: I call early and ask them if I can place our to-go order now and pick up later. They say ok. I was super excited to try this place out, but I was disappointed as the fish in my tacos were raw .... Strike #3: We do a big group order. We call it in early, tell them we want separate orders, and let them know what time we are picking up. When my colleague gets there, the food is not made, but our order is sitting next to the register. So they start making it and then ring us up and tell us that we have to pay together and proceed to lecture us that we should have told them we wanted separate orders. And to top it off, NONE of our orders were correct. Strike #4: After my colleague takes the time to write letters of complaint regarding our previous experience, the manager apologizes and offers to meet with us and a complimentary lunch. Well, when she gets there, the manager was not available to discuss our experience and again NONE of our orders were correct. Absolutely ridiculous! We will never go back and I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone based on the food quality and service.
(1)Love Y.
Love this place! Fresh food and the people are nice, great service...my kids love it. Their salads are delicious! Try their grilled steak, you won't be disappointed.
(5)Alliver V.
I was in the area for work and so i came in here to check this place out. I was curious on what Costa Vida is all about. You can't but help to compare this to chipotle. It's a chipotle style ordering but it with a twist. They serve your burrito in a pan and it goes through an oven for your tortilla to be heated and they serve different types of tortilla.They ask you if you want any sauces on your burrito. Which all was cool! The decor was bright and had a fun atmosphere. I ordered a steak burrito. They serve their lettuce and salsa on the side and you can ask for a handful of chips. Which you can make it into a salad. The meat was delicious. I hoped the lettuce, tomato, maybe sauces were inside the burrito instead of outside. It was too late before I said anything. It was my fault. Maybe have a sign on how to order for first timers. Overall, Costa Vida was convenient to where I was working at and slightly pricier than chipotle. I wouldn't come back or make a drive out from East Sac just to go to this place. I'd come here if I was in the area and was craving a burrito.
(3)Shepherd G.
Costa Vida is a knock-off of another great place, but the food is good. If presented a choice between the two, Costa Vida would be my second choice. Pork burrito, white tortilla, black AND pinto beans, cheese inside and out, medium sauce, smothered! Don't forget the lettuce and pico! Good to go!
(3)H T.
Should of listened to some of the reviews on here. Food is not good at all I asked for a veggie burrito and they basically gave me a bean and cheese burrito and everything else is extra like bell peppers and onions BUT the manager really knew handled herself really well and because it was my first time she didn't charge me for a lot of the stuff. But the food was not good at all. And a lot of the people working there were completely lost and a little rude except the manager and she's the only reason for my 2 start. I basically threw $8 in he garbage. Would I come here again? Absolutely not.
(2)Ross K.
2nd time and service is slow and cashier has to many other duties that it takes forever to pay
(1)Sabrina P.
I take my mom here every Sunday after church and every single time it's amazing. The staff is so nice and always friends and the food is amazing. I've never had to wait in a long line and I've never had anything bad. My personal favorite is the sweet pork enchiladas with the red sauce :)
(5)Anthony M.
This place is great! We were looking for a place to eat and came across Costa Vida! IM GLAD WE DID! Food is fresh, tastes great, portions are perfect size and price is fair!
(5)Julie T.
Not a fan. Chipotle is much better. I had the wet steak burrito. It was really dry. Didn't seem flavorful. The tortilla was so thick and so much that I felt like I was only eating tortilla. I hear the sweet pork thing is good but I probably won't go back.
(2)Lionel B.
From Los Angeles. From the local hotel I wanted to see what was out there. Instead of good ole Chipootle, decided to go with this place and try it out. Long line, is a good sign, they must be doing something right. I had a chicken burrito in a whole wheat tortilla, smothered in roasted verde sauce... It was totally worth the 15min wait in line. Its almost like a chipotle, but with way more options: burritos, tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, salad...all kinds of meats sauces, desserts... Chipotootle on steroids . Not to mentions they have daily specials and a mango salsa! But they hooked me with surfing videos - A satisfied customer
(4)Bruce O.
Came in on a Saturday afternoon. Was greeted by friendly staff who asked if it was my first time here. After I replied yes, they explained my choices of burritos, enchiladas, et. I got the chili verde enchilada with rice and beans. Excellent choice and very filling. If you're a big eater, you can order two items. One was plenty for me with a regular size drink. My wife got a burrito bowl with chicken. Also very tasty. Give this place a try. I know I'll be coming back.
(5)Dave R.
This place is the best! Great food, fantastic service and really friendly employees, you really need to try this place
(5)Big C.
We ordered from here 3 times this week. We enjoy the food, the Chicken burrito covered with red sauce is great! Ordering online each time we had 1 of 3 of our orders come out correct. I recommend inspecting your orders before leaving. So in short, the food is great when made right
(4)Nikki G.
Costa vida has never been a disappointment to me and always has been a consistent taste. The only issue I have is the amount of meat they have been putting on my burritos lately. I guess its dependent on which employee you get. Some will stack the meat on while others will initally pile it on then start taking it off my burrito because its too much. I just wished it was more consistent but costa vida is always my dinner craving.
(4)April B.
***For people complaining about sparse toppings** You can ask them to add more, like other similar food places. I didn't have any issues ordering. I got a smothered shredded beef burrito and loved it. The other two people with me liked their food. I had a coupon for a free entree, so that was a bonus.
(5)Michele P.
I am appalled by the lack of customer service. Recently we tried to pre-order a to go order for approximately 8 people. When placing the order, the person(s) on the other end kept grumbling about doing our order and kept pushing for us to do a big catering order instead. Uhm, no! We made it clear this is not what we wanted or needed; however, they continued to pressure. Ultimately, we wound up ordering from another restaurant instead. We will not be back!
(1)Ivan P.
one star for the nice layout and decor inside. A second star because they have a great staff that is very friendly. Now for the bad part. They have a chipotle assembly line style of ordering. I got a chicken burrito. They only put rice, chicken, beans, cheese, and a sauce then proceed to put it through a pizza oven style conveyor belt heater. At first I thought it was a great Idea. Next the was lettuce, sour cream, and other stuff. Well the lettuce was free but they don't put it inside. In fact all the rest of the ingredients are external to the burrito. The small amount of sour cream and guac that they offer for 90 cents each is laughable. It is one spoonful, I literally ate all the guac in one bite. The server used one of those small ice cream scooper looking things and I heard her quietly counting the amount of scoops. What also irritated me was how in the world do they expect me to eat the small portion of lettuce? I ordered to go and they did not provide utensils. I ended up picking up lettuce with my fingers and eating it. I understand eating a burrito or other foods with your hands but lettuce? Half way through the burrito I lost my appetite from how irritated I was with the way things turned out. I give this place 6 more months before they go out of business and that's being generous. Points to take away: Horrible method for putting together a burrito Ridiculously small sizes of guac and sour cream No Hot salsa. All the salsa's are mild and have no umpf to them They expect you to eat lettuce with your hands like a monkey. All that for $8.62
(2)Kaitlynne L.
I work within walking distance of Coasta Vida and when I saw that it had finally opened I was really excited. I went in during my half hour lunch break around 11:30 in the morning and I ordered their Sunday Special, which is any special from another week day and a drink. So I asked for their Saturday special which was a Shredded Beef burrito.The employee behind the counter apparently misunderstood my request and then told me that I couldn't pick the Saturday special because it was Sunday. So after pointing out what the Sunday special actually was she then proceeded to make my food. I ended up ordering a shredded beef burrito, with rice, refried beans, cheese, guacamole and smothered with enchilada sauce. The proportions of the fillings were out of control, they also put the enchilada sauce inside the burrito as well as on top, and the girl behind the counter didn't actually know how to wrap a burrito. By the time my food was actually handed over to me it was soggy, barely even wrapped, and the tortilla was ripped open so the fillings were spilling out. They also forgot to add my guacamole to the burrito and when I asked for it on the side I got one scoop in a tiny cup for $1 extra. The Sunday special was advertised as $6.99, but when I went to pay I was charged almost $11. My food was definitely not worth what I paid for. The enchilada sauce has bitter and bland and it was on everything so I couldn't just scrape it off. Also, the beef was greasy and mushy, the rice was dehydrated and crunchy from either sitting out too long or because it was initially undercooked, the refried beans had no flavor and were also mushy, and the side of guacamole tasted store bought. The only way I managed to eat everything was by drowning it in hot sauce. Overall, the employees didn't know what they were doing, the food was terrible, and everything was overpriced. I won't be coming back any time soon.
(1)Sara B.
Well, well, where do I begin? Let's start off by saying that my husband and I had heard a great deal about this place, so, when a Costa Vida location opened up in the Target shopping area, we were both very eager to give it a shot ... up until we gave it a shot. My husband ordered their smothered chicken burrito which came wrapped in their sweet flour tortilla, along with a side of ranch. The burrito was $6.99 and, get this, the ranch was 50 cents! Um ... last time I checked that stuff was supposed to be free, especially when you're paying an arm and a leg for a burrito. With tax, the total came out to $8.09. The burrito plate came with a side of lettuce and pico de gallo. He brought it home and at first glance, it looked pretty appealing. It was smothered in green sauce and didn't look half bad. Upon taking his first bite, my husband said that this was probably the worst burrito he's ever eaten and that he could definitely have made a better one himself. All he had was a mouthful of rice, green sauce, and some half-assed melted cheese (his words exactly.) You could literally count the pieces of chicken in it (his guess: 4.) I took a bite, too, and was not impressed. Since when were burritos supposed to be sweet?! The burrito was very disappointing, to say the least. Total rip off. On top of that, my husband said the inside of Costa Vida was dirty and that the service was mediocre, at best. They were definitely not trying to retain their customers with their lackluster customer service. Chipotle, which is less than a quarter of a mile away, has nothing to worry about.
(1)Dre T.
My first time in, the staff was over enthusiastic and welcoming. I ordered a salad. The chipotle chicken was good, my salad was large.... It was fine. The second time, I tried a burrito. I like the hand crafted wheat tortillas. I had a good sized burrito. It was not bad at all!! I dislike the tin take out supplies, however. Oh, and they need to get stevia for the drink station. I don't drink sweet n low. The restaurant was clean, charming. It beats the pants off Rubios since Rubios screws up all their orders. Chipotle is different (it's not baja style) so you can't compare Costa Vida with Chipotle. Rubios is baja, however. If I have a choice to go to Rubios or Costa Vida, it will be Costa Vida! One more star if they had more salsa choices.
(4)George W.
I really liked it. Clean, fresh. Nice change from Chipotle. The meal is assembled Chipotle-style, with quite a few additional options. The burritos are more "wet style" and are heated. Cold ingredients like lettuce and sour cream are added on the side. Friendly, patient staff. I'll recommend to friends.
(4)Will N.
Love love love this place. Very clean interior, and a very friendly staff. Their signature is the Sweet Pork which is good, but I prefer their Steak, particularly in Salads, which is over the top awesome. Always a big crowd during the lunch hours, which speaks volume for the place.
(5)Mary C.
I went to the costa vida in Yuba city after a friend of mine raved about it. It was yummy so I was excited to see one closer in Rancho Cordova. When I walked in their was only one other person in front of me. I remember from my first experience that I didn't like big strips of chicken in the enchilada so I asked the server to chop up the meat. He acted like this was such a big inconvenience to him. If there would have been a huge lunch crowd I would have just dealt with it. He was all flustered like he had not idea how to get a knife and cutting board to cut the chicken up. He even had to say, "this is an odd request and I doubt anyone else will do this for you" ok you work at a restaurant and can't even do a simple request like that when no one is in line. I should have said something while I was there but I figured I'd just vent on Yelp. The food was still good but the service sucked.
(2)Jessica P.
Confusing coming in as the door is toward the back of the place. Minus one star for what seems to be a lack of organization and routine in serving customers. It took me 15 minutes or so to get two tacos, about half that time the tortillas spent unnecessarily on the grill. The food was filling and more authentic to the Mexican style, but was dry and subpar for the price. Minus another star. Good restaurant but not amazing or excellent by my standards. For this type of Mexican I will be sticking with Chipotle.
(3)Vanessa H.
This place is just a more expensive Baja Fresh. For $8.49 I had a "salad" that consistent of refried beans, romaine lettuce, tortilla strips and a spoonful of pico de gallo. The cilantro dressing was good, but I don't know what this restaurant's fetish with all things "sweet" is a about. Sweet cilantro dressing, sweet mango dressing, sweet pork, sweet chicken. No one needs to consume that much sugar while eating mexican food.
(2)Lauren T.
My husband and I have tried this restaurant in Roseville and loved it so we were very excited for one to be opening so close to our home. I've read some previous reviews about orders being wrong from ordering take out. I've never ordered the take out but if they're a business getting lunch, I have been at lunch time during the week and it's crazy busy. So I would attribute it to being a new business and still training everyone along with the fact it's new so a lot of people are still coming during lunch and dinner. I've been where the line has been out the door at lunch over a month after it's been open. Between my husband and I we've had the chicken, sweet pork, and steak in the enchiladas, tacos, quesadilla and burritos. They all have been delicious. I love the freshness of the food, especially the tortillas. I can't wait to try the nachos.
(4)Jon J.
I don't like leaving bad reviews but I have too on this one. I have been to this place 3 times and every time my food is made by a new hire. The first time the guy making the food seemed more interested in chatting up some girls he knew than making the food which took forever!! Other than the tortilla's which are made fresh the rest of the food looks like it was ordered from an industrial restaurant supply like SYSCO. I got a chicken smothered burrito which was small and cost me almost $10. I was kicking myself for not going to one of the many local mexican restaurants which would have given me a huge smothered burrito for $2 less. There is also no salsa bar. I just feel like every time I come here nobody seems to know what is going on and everything is disorganized. They do a good job of messing up something that is supposed to be very simple.
(1)Carol A.
Sooo good! Do yourself a favor and eat here! Raspberry chipotle chicken tacos..delish!
(5)Alvaro_Melissa S.
So I hear that Costa Vida opened 6/16/2014 Wife asked to try it out, we come in at 12:30, Atmosphere is like Freebirds and chipoltle, wife wasn't impressed on how long the line took, lot of the employees were to chatty with each other. With lunch it has to be quick. So we has the steak taco salad, which was good, meat was marinated nicely, but it was a small portion of steak, more would be better. Cheese Nachos were very crisp and fresh. And cheese enchiladas, sauce was ok. I would of givin a 5 star but it was a long wait for food. Good luck, Costa Vida, and welcome to Rancho Cordova.
(4)Rosario F.
loved it here. Better than Chipotle. Food taste much better and has a much more flavor than Chipotle. The food comes in a large portion for a reasonable price. Workers were very nice and the environment was pretty awesome as well. It reminds me of the beach at Santa Monica. Music is pretty nice too.
(5)Anthony F.
Horrible food and service. The food was disgusting and the staff did not know what they were doing. Didn't know their own menu or preparation of the food.
(1)Jen M.
I am so happy they opened a costa vida closer to where I live so I don't have to go to roseville anymore! love the sweet pork quesadilla. the decor in this costa vida is very fun and surf like.
(5)Brian M.
Had two pork enchiladas. They had some yucky sweet sauce on the meat. According to the reviews I just read it was a raspberry sauce. Does not belong in an enchilada. was not told by the counter person it had that or I would have left then. Eating with plastic utensils out of a aluminum pan. Worse than camping. Never going again even if I was delivered by someone to the front door. Gave it two stars because I am saving the one star for something worse.
(2)D S.
Disgusting and way over priced I will stay with chipotle I ordered a chicken burritto it was so dry and unflavoured my friend ordered enchiladas they were so disgusting it was barely edible truly it tasted like dog food the steak was chewy and fatty
(1)Robert G.
After a busy Sunday my girlfriend and I decided to try out this Costa Vida location in Rancho Cordova. I'm disappointed to say that I did not read the Yelp reviews prior to coming in to this establishment. They do have a really cool water color bubble wall thing to look at when you first walk in but let's get down to the review. Costa Vida had a huge staff semi working/semi standing around.. The staff is new because the establishment is new.. (PS Costa Vida Roseville send some help to this location asap..) I ordered two tacos, and my girlfriend ordered a steak burrito. The style of Costa Vida is very similar to Chipotle where you walk down the line and pick and choose which ingredients go into your meal. The employee stated that my girlfriend was getting the last portion of steak (half sized portion compared to Chipotle) what got me was that she didn't offer to prep more fresh cooked steak. The next strike was that their steak burritos came with a side of lettuce and our choice of sour cream, salsa, etc.. The aluminum dish that ALL the Taco,Burrito,Salads com in are a bowl shape. So she puts the pico de gallo on the lettuce.. The pico de gallo juice from the tomato caused the burrito to become extremely soggy. After attempting to open the sad soggy little burrito to put the pico de gallo back inside the burrito we both noticed the cheese was a balled up and not melted. The last strike was during checkout, the register employee over heard me asking her co-worker if my chips and salsa would cost extra to try out an addition salsa.. her co-worker said yes it will be an additional 1.00 charge for a spoon full of salsa. Then the register employee said it should be free if I didn't get salsa on my second taco, then what seemed to be the manager on duty told the register employee that "no traditionally the taco doesn't get free salsa" Overall the taste of my tacos was bland and texture of food was soggy, and my girlfriends burrito was soggy with an awkward lettuce/pico de gallo salad on the side. I doubt this location will stay in business long. Until this place learns how to talk to customers and cook their food correctly we will not be returning. Also that one employee picked up my tacos and put them really close to his face saying how great the food smelled.. really? Thank's Rancho Cordova Costa Vida for the bland canned food taste. (Best part was the tortilla chips)
(1)Craig J. T.
The wife and I went in for the first time a few months ago, had the sweet pork tacos, didn't finish them. We both became ill later. Prices are high and the serving size is small. All we could think is who would pare those flavors with Mexican food. Have never returned.
(1)Petra N.
Not impressed! The assembly line is not very appetizing, the aluminum bowls are different (not in a good way). You order a salad from the menu and someone wants to add a warm tortilla, rice and beans to your cold lettuce..hmm, sounds more like a burrito bowl to me. In order to get to the condiments area you have to stand in line with the people at the soda fountain. I don't think the layout of the restaurant was well thought through. Most likely not going to return :(
(1)Sean J.
Service was pretty good. Very friendly staff. Had the shrimp tacos and they were very different but not to bad. I'd rate the food average at best.
(3)S D.
Last night they did not serve corn tortillas. The cashier said that they did not make any because they are only good for 1 day, so if they had any left over, they would have to throw them away in the morning. I think this is a very poor excuse not to have traditional tortillas in a "Mexican" restaurant. The menu is a very simple one with little options, so it's extra disappointing. Anyhow, when you serve food it is assumed that you might have to loose a small amount of it to ensure you have fresh ingredients ready. I don't imagine they save the heated topping or sides for the next day either. How long could it possibly take them to make/heat a tortilla anyway?? I think this is poor business and poor planning.
(2)Sarah H.
I'm usually all for the authentic Mexican but Costa Vida is a great fresh mix place. I'm not a fan of Chipotle or similar chains and Costa Vida is fresh and delicious. Their sweet pork and raspberry Chipotle chicken is awesome. I have cravings solely for their sweet pork regularly. I hope they keep growing in sacramento and pop up more. Great food for a good price and if you get a member card you earn points/money quickly.
(4)Eric H.
this place is so yummy! first time trying it today. 100 times better than Chipotle or Baja Fresh
(5)Kristin M.
Customer Servce: Good Food: Horrible I ordered a pork (don't say carnitas because they wont know what you are talking about) burrito. I did'nt really want cheese but the employee just stacked it on there and started rolling it up. I also was'nt expecting the pork to be sweet (I did'nt really want a BBQ burrito). lastly, I paid extra for gac which ended up being about one bite worth. I will not be coming back, with Chipotle accross the street I don't see them lasting very long.
(1)Tee K.
Great food every time I have been here for lunch. Chicken burrito has a very unique flavor to it (better than the one at Chipotle). Chicken enchiladas could be a bit bigger for the price but still tasty, nonetheless.
(5)April E.
I had wanted to check this place out as an alternative to Chipotle, which I love but the same thing gets old fast. I loved their food! It was very tasty and large portions. You can always ask for more or extra if they only put on a little bit of something. My husband and I have returned several times and we have been pleased with the food as well as the service. I would absolutely recommend this place.
(4)Hitesh B.
Went today to Costa Vida for 1st time for a coworker's birthday. I thought the food was decent, but they charge $0.50 for sour cream, and $0.99 for guacamole and you get less than half of what Chipotle gives. Place has more options than Chipotle, but you get more for your buck at Chipotle. Veggie burrito and drink ended up costing me $12, where as at Chipotle a significantly larger veggie burrito and drink is $9 and you know it is farm fresh.
(2)Susan R.
We went here for nachos. It was our first time get and the guy that was putting our nachos together was super friendly and helpful. I got the small chicken nachos and my boyfriend got the small shredded beef nachos. Both were delicious and we will be coming back for more.
(4)Allen Y.
First time here and I gotta say that service was very slow and at times unprofessional. Food was alright nothing compared to chipotle. Not not go there next time.
(3)Mariah M.
This past Friday was my first experience with Costa Vida and it will be the last.. First of all as I get up in line to order my food we were told that they are out of rice and it will be about 20 minutes. Seriously Costa Vida how do you run out of rice at 7:30 in the evening?? Not to mention the organizational skills at the food line. Their we're 2 guys trying to cook and service the food line while the unfriendly cashier gal looked on. As my first experience there I didn't know what they offered on the line for the salad that I ordered, so the guy rushed me and announced what they had really fast without giving me the choice to choose what I wanted.. Then as I proceed to check out the unfriendly Hispanic gal was very rude and unfriendly. I told her that since you guys didn't have rice that the guy on the line said I could have sour cream in replace of the rice. She threw major attitude and said "what" ok?? Like she wanted to argue.. So she proceeds to put my order in the bag unprofessionally I then pay. She didn't even hand me my bags nor did she thank me for visiting Costa Vida. She turned away to help a customer with a refill.. I thought that was very very rude and lacked customer service!! Costa Vida needs to train their employees with high exceptional customer service from the time you enter their food chain until the time you exit!! With that said, you've lost a first time customer and through networking, I will express my experience and never ever go back!!! I hope a manager seriously reviews these yelps about Costa Vida and takes serious actions!!!
(1)Ando S.
Couple of my friends told me about this place. I gotta say loved it! The place was nicely decorated, specious parking lot & customer service was great. I ordered raspberry chicken burrito. Wow it was goooood! They also make their own tortilla. You can add beans(3), cheese, guacamole hot & mild sauce & etc. 50 cents for the guacamole. Prices much cheaper than Chipotle. I would definitely will be back.
(5)Matt L.
Imagine throwing up after eating Chipolte, and then putting into a burrito. That's Costa Vida. What a waste of time and money. It's overpriced. They charge you for everything. I had a wet chicken burrito with a side of sour cream (which they don't put in the burrito itself), and a drink and it was 12 bucks and change. If wanted chips that was extra, if I wanted guac, that was extra. What a bunch of crap Now to how it tasted. Bland, too sweet, and no spice. I had to dump a bunch of hot sauce on it just to get it down. For all people who gave this place 5 stars. I feel bad for you. You must have no idea what Mexican Food should taste like.
(1)Debbie D.
I'm well versed with foods and this place is not so good. I'm Latina and can appreciate great Mexican American food, but this is not great. Very BLAND, and mind you I judge on food not the fake "how are you today?" customer service. For me it's about the food. Very bland. Ask to taste their salsas they use on their enchiladas and you'll see.
(2)Randy C.
Ate here for the 2nd time today. I told my wife about it and she wanted to try. We both work in the area. 1st time I had the sweet pork burrito. Pork was tasty but lacks in quantity. 60% of the burrito was rice. Today, I tried the special which was the chicken burrito. Sweet pork was definitely better. Rice content was still the same... barely any meat inside. :( Wife asked what to try so I suggested the sweet pork so she ordered it. She was barely getting started and she noticed a strand of hair in her burrito. I brought it up to the counter and gave me a refund. I feel like they should have offered a little more since my wife lost her appetite. Freebird and Chipotle still serves a better burrito IMO... usually hair free too! :(
(2)Beverly P.
tried this place because i heard is was good. They offer chili verde, which is really green sauce with small chucks of pork, i swear i thought it was just sauce until they said it was chili verde. Got the sweet pork because they didn't have carnitas or plain pork. they also have a raspberry marinaded chicken. really? why are we trying to re-invent the wheel people with your sweet takes on the pork and chicken? They do have fresh homemade tortillas, staff is friendly and it was 7 bucks for lunch.think I'll stick to chipotle instead tho.
(2)Courtney L P.
Costa Vida is the best! I've already been several times since they opened last month. Everything is so delicious and all the employees are so friendly. This has quickly become my go-to Mexican place. Try the raspberry chicken, it's amazing!
(5)Shevy C.
The prior reviews are a bit harsh. I just went there and had a fairly good experience. They were fast and friendly. I had the chicken burrito and had it smothered with the red enchilada sauce and it was pretty good. One thing I didn't like is they didn't give me that much salsa when u asked for it on the side like chipotle does (since everyone is comparing). I say its worth a visit and I'll be back to try more things.
(4)Myron G.
Tried this new place after receiving flyer in the mail and seeing billboards nearby. Cool-looking place, with menu on wall and stand-in-line ordering. Since it just opened, I'll forgive the erratic and confused staff in the kitchen/order counter. We tried the "specials", both enchiladas w/sides. POORLY DONE! I counted JUST 4 PIECES of pork mini-chunks in my Chili Verde dish - too soupy and SMOTHERED in sauce making the tortillas sloppy and too wet. Beans and rice were only "just warm". Chicken pieces, observed cooking on the grill, looked good so we might go back for that instead.
(2)Matthew B.
I ate at this new place today and the food is really great. It's an awesome concept. Totally fresh Mexican food...they even press and cook the tortillas right in front of you. Pretty cool :-) they were a little disorganized and sone things weren't being done quite right, but the manager was there correcting people so I'm sure things will be running smoothly soon. When I was rung up they had no change for a 20 so the cashier took a stack of 20s to the back to get change but she dropped a few and I had to tell her, she's lucky I'm honest lol. She also left the cash register drawer open while she was gone. I hope they can keep training and get everyone working at the right level. They food and concept has promise, now execution is key. Come on owners! You can do it.
(4)A A.
It took us 30 minutes to get through the line to order and pay for food, and there were 3 employees serving the lunch rush. My $7 burrito didn't come with anything, so when I asked for salsa I was told it would be extra. So are the chips, sour cream, and anything else. Our trays smelled like dirty rags and it ruined our entire meal. Never coming back. Chipotle is where it's at !
(1)Shana H.
Good food and friendly service. The beef is fantastic! I've had both the tacos and quesadilla. The chips have a slight lime taste, but not as overpowering as Chipotle. As for the chicken tacos I prefer Rubios.
(4)Jen G.
Very friendly staff. Very quick in getting your food made. im glad i chose to come here for lunch.
(4)Brian F.
Great food. I've tried the tacos, salads, and burritos. The food is good and the workers are very polite for this particular location being so new. I brought my 2 coworkers and they were also satisfied. Excited to try the rest of the menu!
(5)MATTY g.
Thanks Yelper's for the warning. I almost wasted my time and money on this place. I was In the parking lot, read the reviews of overpriced , chincy food , and spent my money elsewhere. 6.99$ for a cheese quesadilla ??? No thanks.
(1)Josh P.
Had the mahi mahi tacos and girlfriend had pork burrito. Everything was very fresh and tasted great. Only reason for the four stars is the lack of organization in the assembly line to the register when it got busy. Also not a fan of the foil bowls. Otherwise i highly recommend the food.
(4)james r.
First off this place is a new twist on Chipotle, but with higher prices and way smaller portions. For $7 you can have a custom made enchilada with a pinch of chicken and read in under 2 minutes. The tortillas are yummy and house made. The quality of meats is just mediocre at best. I won't waste my time or money again on this step above fast food establishment.
(1)Jen W.
Over priced and not very good. They are chinsy with their sour cream and guacamole too. I'd rather have chipotle.
(1)Mary E.
Just stopped by and ordered the small nachos with chile verde. Now I see I should have read the reviews first because they are right. The chile verde is mostly just a sauce. No decent sized pieces of pork at all. When the menu says pick your protein, the chile verde shouldn't be a choice because there isn't much protein in it at all. Flavor was ok, but for over $7 I need some meat with my order.
(2)Jessica R.
My husband and I recently tried Costa Vida. My first comment is regarding placing a phone order. When I called in, the gentleman who took my order was unfamiliar with ingredients. I ordered a vegetarian burrito and he was not sure which beans were vegetarian. In my opinion, staff should be familiar with all menu items and able to answer any questions a customer has. I ordered the chicken nachos for my husband. When we arrived home, my husbands order was incorrect. As for the quality of the food, sub par. The vegetarian burrito was mushy and lacking. My husbands nacho did not have guacamole and were standard fast food nachos. I would not return, not would I recommend Costa Vida. There are other fast food restaurants in the area I would prefer to dine at.
(1)Steve R.
Meager, cold serving of a hot dish - haven't had such a lousy meal since Del Taco - another place I will never return to.
(1)Jeffrey P.
Oh Costa Vida! I really wanted to like you, but you continued to disappoint me visit after visit after visit. Even after the fantastic coupons you gave out, will I order another salad here. First off, the cafeteria style ordering process does not work with your business model. There are too many add ons and heat ups to have this style of ordering. The line gets bottlnecked and a lunch rush is out the door without the speediness of Chiptole. (took me 35 minutes to get my food and out their door.) But my problem with Costa Vida is staff training! They do not how to do simple tasks such as phone ordering protocol and side conversation ettiquette. I blame the managers on this one. I understand a new business takes some time to get acclamated, but the ordering problems seem to keep happening. Always something wrong on my order, time after time. Get it together guys! Sorry, but even the do overs aren't worth the return.
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