Food was amazing and authentic. Giving this a 2 star review solely because of service. Noelle, the Server was very rude throughout the whole meal, giving an off putting experience. The food was good but not good enough for me to come back, there is better customer service else where with the same quality of food. First and last time here. read more

Food is amazing. Service is horrendous. I'm surprised they are still in business frankly. I went for dinner with my son at 7pm. We ordered water to drink, queso for an appetizer and a burrito and Mexican salad for entrees. There were only 6 tables at the restaurant. After an hour (and two tables who sat down after us got-and one table finished-their food) I asked the waitress where our food was. Turns out she forgot to put the order in. And in all that time, it apparently didn't occur to her to possibly check on it. They comped us the $7 queso and told us it was "on them" like they were doing us a favor. Needless to say, we stopped at Subway on the way home. Totally disappointed and don't ever plan on going back. read more

Giving 4 stars based on their location. You can hardly find this place due to the trees blocking the store front.

I like the comfortable, bright dining room. It's a pleasant restaurant. The staff is very friendly. We got guacamole and queso. I got the empanada. It was good. The star on the menu is the Mexican wedding cake. Delish! read more

This must be a little hidden gem. We had a wonderful meal consisting of the Queso Blanco. The only thing that could use improvement iare the chips. Not sure why, but they tasted like cheap chips out of the value bags. Everything else was delightful! read more

I've been wanting to come to this restaurant for awhile now and I finally did, the food here is beyond amazingly delicious! I'm from California and when they tell you it's California style Mexican food they mean it! The food is amazing the margaritas were delicious and the service was excellent! I definitely recommend coming here. And I will most definitely be coming here more often! Best Mexican food in Raleigh hands down.... in my opinion of course haha read more

Margarita was good. Chips were good. Salsa was flavorless and tasted like it came from a jar. Queso dip was runny and literally tasted like warm milk. Shrimp tacos were good. Seemed fresh and shrimp was cooked perfectly. As for the cilantro lime rice, no. Tasted like rice mixed with lime juice from a squeeze bottle. Waitress was nice but was being awkward and it made things kind of weird. Won't be going back. Sad because the pictures of the food looked yummy. read more

This place is horrible! Overpriced!They make themselves out to be a healthy "California Baja Mexican" food joint, but in reality, it's nothing special, or "made to order with the freshest ingredients" like they advertise. The food was garnished with canned tomatoes. Seriously- They were definitely canned! The burrito was a muddled mess of rice and beans, and no flavor. No avocado, or sour cream. It was a let down. The sour cream chicken enchiladas tasted like dish soap. Sorry, but I will never go back. How hard can it be to make fresh Mexican? read more

Very disappointed! We have been coming to Cafe Capistrano for years, one of my favorite places. I am aware they are under new management. Bad experience last night. Called in to-go order which was all wrong. Wanted to use a coupon and they said it was dine in only, coupon did not state dine in. When I stated coupon doesn't say dine in only they said they would decide when I came in if coupon would be honored. The female who took my order was irritated, gave misinformation and rushed me off the phone. Tried to reach them last night but it was closing and no one answered. Called today and they justified their actions and said sorry...no reimbursement or replacing missing items. Very unhappy! read more

Went back 2 weeks later withh some friends. Got the mango shrimp salad. Amazing. Sat outside and service was exceptional. Told the waitress we did not have to get back to work, so she would slow down! Had my 11 month old grandsone with us, and they were very accomodating. Next table had their dog sleeping under the table. Will be a regular spot to get a delicious, fresh made lunch. read more

My wife and I have been eating here for years, the service and food were excellent at the beginning, but lately the service has suffered. I think they may have new management. Last night the service was very slow. Our margaritas took longer than usual and we finally gave up on the food. Our server told us 3 times that "it was coming right up", but after 45+ minutes I asked for the check. After another few minutes I walked up to the waitress and manager to ask for the bill again, and the manager walked off without speaking. I paid for our drinks and we left. No apology or explanation from the waitress or manager. By the time we left, it was after 9:00 and we were the last people in the restaurant. Obviously they just wanted to go home. We ate at chick filet. They were very nice. read more

I'm so sorry to have to rate 2 stars but really the food just isn't good. My husband and I each had a different enchilada dish. The meat for each was prepared well, thus not a 1 star and the server was pleasant. The tortillas were raw and gummy, no spice whatsoever, rice & beans courtesy of those big cans and mixes from Sysco. Lettuce & tomato not at all fresh, wilted, old and ready for the trash. Fountain soda had an inexplicable scent & flavor of bleach, very strange as the water was fine. We won't return :( read more

Oh yeah i went back and got the beef tacos and they were amazing and so were the sides. I'm not going to ramble on and on about how good they are im just going to tell you like this"GET OUT AND GET SUM". read more

Catered lunch, so can't speak on the actual restaurant service, but the food was great! We had sides, meat, and shredded chicken for make your own tacos...it was all super fresh. The chicken was well seasoned and very flavorful. Very similar to the Baja style Mexican you get in LA! I would love to try the restaurant soon! read more

This is one of the best mexican restaurants you can find in North Raleigh. The prices are reasonable, the portions are huge, and the food is yummy! I had the Enchiladas Verde because the group whom I went with, frequent visitors, suggested it. Go there. Eat. Yelp. read more

Amazing food! We drive 40 minute across town just for this delicious and unique Cali-Mexican food! We try to bring new friends or family whenever possible. Service is spotty and relatively slow, but friendly. The owner/mgr usually comes out to say hello. read more

Delightful restaurant that serves wonderful food and great coffee also. The place is usually packed in the evenings so that tells you alot. The dishes they serve a kind of a mix between Central American and European Spanish cuisine. Really refreshing and incredible dishes in the the mango shrimp tacos and the Mexican salad w/ mahi mahi. The service can be hit or miss but it is because the servers are usually slammed. Good problem to have as a restaurant. Not a restaurant to miss! read more

First timer! Everything was fantastically fresh. Cilantro lime rice incredibly flavorful. Grilled tenderloin wrap will be a favorite I'd put on repeat! read more

Food, atmosphere, and service were all so-so. Per my visit, the best things they have going for them are the rice and salsa. Everything else was mediocre. read more

I am giving a one for service. We have been going to Cafe Capistrano for a while and enjoy the food but have had sub par service a few times. We didn't go for a while due to poor service and had recently started going back. Well, tonight was the last trip there. We called in an order and were told that it would be ready in 20-25 minutes. I arrived about 20 minutes later and the lady seemed perplexed that I had a pickup order. She went to look for my order and couldn't find it in the computer. I then gave her my phone number and still nothing, she then asked a few others and looked through an order pad. All of this and she came back and was like I'm sorry but we don't have your order, would you like to order something. No, I did not order anything and I will never order anything again. I then ended up being gone for almost an hour having to find something to eat! So if you are looking for great service this is not the place. read more

Great food and a fun place. Good music not too loud. Must visit if you like Mexican food.

Not sure where I have been, but...just recently tried this amazing restaurant for the first time. Wow what a treat! Service was great, food was so flavorful and we walked away wanting more. The chicken tortilla soup was amazing, as was the quesadillas. I don't understand how anyone would not love this place. The chef came out of the kitchen several times to make sure we loved our food tool So impressed, which there was one on the Western side of the County! read more

Lunch menu over priced, slow service and enchiladas were bland. Will not recommend to coworkers who frequent local establishments for lunch.

I love this place! I have been about 5 times now and have had consistently great food. The dining area is a bit loud, but the food more than makes up for that. I think the prices are pretty reasonable too. Not sky high, but certainly not cheap either. I have gotten the fish tacos, chicken quesadilla, and chicken enchilladas, all of which were great. Give it a try, you will not be disappointed! read more

Fresh and delicious meals. Never had a bad option. Sometimes service is slower than desirable but food makes it worth it. Wish it was open on Sunday! read more

Awesome food at great prices! The staff is friendly and goes above and beyond to ensure not only your meal, but your entire visit is awesome. The manager also truly cares for his customers and does everything he can to ensure you have no complaints. But really, there's really nothing you can complain about! Low key enough that you can feed your family here or grab quick take out relatively inexpensive for a great meal. But also a great place to have a date night meal at. read more

Not what it used to be. I've had 3 consecutive bad experiences before deciding to change my review. Not sure what's going on but it isn't the same place it used to be. Maybe there are different people in the kitchen? read more

GROSS!!!! Do NOT ever get the special Blue Crab Quesadillas! They stink and tastes like ruined tuna fish. OMG!! I was SOOOOOO sick for 2 days. YUCK!!!! Disappointing since we always have had a good experience in the past. Never Again! read more

Always have a great.meal here. The staff goes above and beyond to make sure everything is perfect. Charlene was our server tonight and was extra attentive to our needs. We always look forward to our next time there. Keep up the good work. read more

UPDATE I'm happy to be able to update my review to raise my rating from two to four stars. I really think this restaurant has very good Mexican food, in comparison to the other Mexican places you find in every other strip mall. I ordered another to go order, in hopes the experience would be better than last time. I'm happy to report the portions were reasonable, not skimpy, and service was quick and friendly. I do hope I can raise to five stars, with consistently good visits in the future! I do miss the old chips that were made in-house with some type of unique seasoning. ***** I've been visiting this restaurant for many years and have always been a big fan- until tonight. I've been reading recent reviews for this restaurant is under new ownership and unfortunately this was confirmed for me tonight with unapologetic apathy from the new owner. I ordered the queso dip to go, for a light dinner. When I got home the container was barely half-full- an inch deep of cheese dip for $7. I had ordered this dip to go many times before and got double this amount before. I called thinking maybe a mistake had been made in the kitchen. Nope, I got exactly the right portion according to the new owner, their new portion size has decreased but not the price. She said "maybe next time we might give you a little bit more." A really strange response and no apology offered. Sad to see a really good restaurant go downhill under p. Chips are no longer made in-house and are the standard chips you find at any Mexican restaurant you can find in any strip mall. My six bites of dip was ok, not great. read more

Great and very tasty food, friendly staff and excellent music. I will definitely come back again

Great little mexican place! The salsa is amazing, as is the service. This is my go to mexican place in the area.. not greasy and california style! read more

The most disappointing experience in a Mexican restaurant. As soon as we arrived at our table, before we could take off coats and sit we were bombarded with "what do you want to drink, what do you want to drink". Eventhough there was hardly anyone there, it took an unusual long time to get dinner. First three of us were served and later two more and finally the last one. The food was bland and not as described on the menu with some elements (sour cream, etc) missing. The best part of the meal was leaving this restaurant. read more

Love this place. Tried the torta sandwich and it was amazing the tortilla soup flavorful. One of the best Cali style mexican food in the triangle. read more

My family discovered Cafe Capistrano many moons ago and are NEVER disappointed in the food or the service. The prices are very reasonable, the portions are perfectly sized and the taste! Wow!... Give this place a try if you have not and you will be a regular in no time flat. read more

Terrible terrible service. Waitress brought chips and salsa which was terrible...jar sauce and bagged chips are better! All Mexican restaruants usually bring out warm homemade chips....then after waiting 25 minutes and asking where ourfood was the waitress admitted she forgot to put the order in!! We then left and never to return. Absolutely the WORST restaurant experience EVER!!!!! read more

Great fish tacos and tortilla soup. The three-taco plate is really enough to share, especially if you get soup or an appetizer.

In March just after they had switched owners we had a very poor experience. In our first trip back both the food and service were excellent. The menu is a little heavy on jalapeños but not overwhelming. I had never had flan with whipped cream on top but it was ok. We will return sooner this time. read more

We have eaten here many times and found the food and service to be good. The atmosphere is poor, but it is a nice alternative to greasy Mexican food. Unfortunately, last night we went and the food was so-so. The service was actually better than normal, but BOTH of us came down with food poisoning, which has been horrible. I suspect the culprit was the shrimp but cannot say for sure. I am troubled, though, that the Cary location also has at least one complaint of food poisoning. I would not recommend taking the chance on this place. read more

Awesome food. Great service. Great price. Don't order chili rellano. Mahi chimichanga is also good.