This review really saddens me to write, but I understand good customer service, and I feel I owe it to the people searching for that...a heads up. I used this place for my daughter's wedding...if you had asked me for a review 6 months ago...I would have said 5 stars, decent food, and really cool guy. Now...8 months later, I see why others have left him negative reviews. He does the job, at the time of the event, but if a problem should arise, later? He bails. He brings his sister's and kids to work the event, and they seem nice enough, until things start going missing...then the mood changes. He showed up, did his thing, people ate...and I lost an eirloom piece at the end of it all. Funny thing is...his staff seemed cool, but I heard all these people telling me about lost cameras, lost garments...and at the time, I would have NEVER thought it would be the catering company...I DO now. I have a table cloth, from Ireland, that was used during the Sand Ceremony, that was never returned. I called the next morning...talk about QUICK! I was told, yes indeed they had it, and he would ship it to me...NEVER happened. OK, I get it, he forgot, lost it, kept it...whatever, but I called (on record) 15 times, I emailed about 20 times...nothing. NO return calls, no explanations, no apologies, no, "I'm screwed"...nothing! Today...I called from a number he does not know, he answered, but when my cell died out, I immediately called from my home number...guess what? He KNOWS that number, and guess what again? Yep, he didn't answer. In his defense...maybe the phone company has a rule against answering calls from the 310, God only knows, I would! Maybe he gets another call or email, as soon as he receives mine...it could happen. What I would hate to think though, is that he is just a flake. He is just not answering my call, because he knows that he lost my precious, irreplaceable Irish garment..that holds super powers to those who hold it!! That is what I think! Sooooooo...can't refer him...just can't. The food was not worth someone else going through a communication gap or losing something valuable, like this one. It was ok...I didn't get poisoned, but it was not great. Hope this helps anyone seeking good customer service and good morals. If you decide to use this guy...watch your stuff like a hawk! I probably will not get my linen back now for sure...but sort of expected that :( Last note...I needed glassware and linens...Custom Caterers did not offer that, but I paid up the tush, to have him find a company that did...so he did do that. He rents the linens, glassware...but make sure you get them back, before they end up with some other company! I know him and his staff will think I wrote this review out of anger/spite...after the fact...because that is what he said about his last bad review, that I actually helped him get removed...so I am expecting that too...but guess what? It is true...it IS out of anger and spite, with a bit of stupidity mixed in, because I believed some guy who claimed to be a Christian!! Over $3,000 dollars later and an irreplaceable garment...here I am! Can I cuss here? read more

Custom Caterers - Caterers Near Me

Richard and Staff are remarkable!! He is very professional, understanding and delightful! From the first time that I did the food tasting for our wedding I knew that we had to book him. The beef was so tender, and the mashed potatoes flavor was more than I could imagine. The salad and it's dressing were to die for. I could call Richard with a question each day and he always responded with pleasure. At the wedding everything looked so elegantly displayed on the plates, and we got nothing but rave reviews about the chicken in the empanada's. Everyone kept telling us that the skewers were off the hook and the meat just melted in their mouths. Our wedding will be the talk for a longgg time and we can thank the catering services for this as well!! Thanks Richard and staff for helping make Rick & Maya's Summer Love more than special!! Rick and I will be forever thankful for you and your patience, and understanding and Awsomee Food! read more

I used custom caterers for my sister in law's party recently. The food was outstanding and the presentation was superb. The attention to detail on their spices and sauces was great. I will use them again and recommend them to any person that is going to have a special event. read more

My experience working with Richard and his crew was nothing but superb! Richard was fantastic in terms of communication and reliability; my phone calls were always returned within the hour, and intensive projects such as revised catering proposals were completed within 24 hours of the client's request. He was flexible, attentive and accommodating throughout the complex and unique process of planning the perfect menu for this wedding, and he worked his hardest to provide the most competitive price without sacrificing on quality and taste. On the day of the wedding, his staff were punctual, polite and wholly focused on meeting needs of the bridal couple and wedding guests. Richard himself was a great leader, and kept the whole reception running smoothly and on time. The food itself was delicious, plentiful and innovative, and the catering staff created a gorgeous arrangement to showcase the reception dinner that complimented the beauty of the reception hall. I highly recommend Custom Caterers for your wedding and special event catering needs! read more

Custom Caterers just provided the most DELICIOUS food for our wedding. We couldn't have been more pleased with the quality of the food, the wonderful service, and the very reasonable price. Our guests all said how great everything was (although we would highly recommend Richard's spectacular salmon!) We really could not have been more pleased. We even have friends who are planning on hiring them for future events. I wouldn't believe the rantings of the lunatic in the one negative review. Thank you to chef Richard and Nicole, and all the rest who helped make our day even more special! read more

As a long time event planner (now as a volunteer), I've used several caterers over the years, including Richard Ortiz of Custom Catering. We recently heard Richard sold his business to Chef Louis Pechan and his wife Timbrel. We decided to utilize their services last week for an event, and they definitely exceeded our expectations. Not only did they provide delicious gourmet food, it was well presented, with generous portions, and with fabulous service! They went above and beyond to give us what we needed, they were on time and easy to work with. We have another event scheduled in two days with them, and know it will be exactly the same quality. Thanks so much Timbrel and Louis. We will not go anywhere else. read more

We hired Custom Caterers for our recent wedding and we were very happy with our experience with them. Nicole was really friendly and helpful. It was always very easy to get a hold of her and she always returned our calls promptly. We really liked how accommodating they were with any changes we wanted to make and were even willing to give prompt answers to hypothetical questions. We were really impressed by the fact that they came to our home and cooked a sample meal in our kitchen. The only criticism I would offer is that the food at our wedding was slightly different in flavor and consistency than what they cooked for us at our tasting. It was still really good and the guests loved it, but I was slightly disappointed only because I knew that it could have been a smidge better. Overall, I was very happy with the personal attention we received and the quality of the food at the event. The tuna tar tar appetizer was especially out-of-this-world tasty. My husband and I really wished we could have had more of an opportunity to nosh on the hors d'oeuvres amid all the photos and hugs. I was sort of expecting that we would have been offered to keep the left-overs because there were plenty wedding took place at a friend's house, but they did take everything when they left. read more

Tried working with Richard Ortiz. He was initially responsive, but suddenly went M.I.A. when my husband asked to sample his food before ordering. He agreed to contact husband to let him sample food, but never called him or returned any calls or messages we left him. He left us hanging at the last minute with no contact and we had to scramble around to find a caterer at the last minute. Richard...fyi, if you were worried about the price you quoted us, we would have paid more if it was worth it ... But I guess we were asking too much when we asked to sample your food. read more

As expected- a slanderous/ libelous response from the owner. (Read his response and think about whether you want someone like that to work one of the most important days of your life) If you notice, the owner didn't deny the wrong-doings. Instead, he sheepishly attempts to deflect with names of supposed guests that left good comments and by trying to blame poor financial budgeting on my end- which of course, neither have any merit. I guarantee the names on the guest comment cards will not be found on my guest list, and my honeymoon was paid for by a family member as a gift so we were well under budget. What other lies can I disprove? I like this game. If it was more money he wanted, the owner should have said that from the get go instead of booking someone who he felt was not worth his time. Richard, you did not fulfill your promises, but you're absolutely right about one thing. The big man upstairs does know the truth, and he will remember the bull you've pulled on myself and others. Remember- God remembers every lie/ sin. You have a blessed day now. ;) read more

Great Company! Richard went out of his way to make a delivery due to a driver being out. This was much appreciated. Food has always been of good quality with a great selection to chose from. read more

I was referred to Richard by a great friend who promised I wouldn't be dissappointed and he was right! After many tasting I was really impressed with the his amazing food. Although I wasn't too sure if we would be able to afford to hire him since he was a bit out of our budget. Richard was more then willing to work with us. Richard was very patient with me and all my questions and request. The day of my wedding not only was the food amazing but the customer service was Outstanding! To My surprise Richard and Erik went out of their way to show up to my wedding to make sure everyhing went smoothly. Even Richards son was there to help and he was very polite, attentive and professional. As for the food I couldn't get enough compliments on how delicious everything was. The D'oeuvres of mini tostadas w/red snapper cevich was amazing and was a real hit with all my guest. The food portions were more then enough even after we had a bit more guest then planned. The only regret I had was I tried the Chipotle mashed potatoes during the tasting and I don't know what I was thinking but I didn't choose it as one of my sides. I think my guest would have really enjoyed it. Try the chipotle mashed potatoes! I will definitely be using CustomCaters again and reffering them to all my friends and family! Thank you guys sooo much for making my special day just a bit more memorable! Karen Quinteros read more

I attended a wedding this past saturday at the Ararat house in mission hills. I felt so embarrassed for the bride. First of all the table presentation was so poor. When they started bringing the salads out they were wilted and so full of dressing. The chicken was so thick the inside was still pink and the dishes they served it all on was so cheap and chintzy. The staff serving the food looked like they had just walked out of prison (tattoos and piercing). They were so poorly dressed. They served rolls AFTER the salad and on a plate. They ran out of plastic cups for drinks that you had to use the same one for refills so you had to take your own cup to the bar with you When they served the cake they ran out of napkins so they used the trifold napkins from the bathroom. Then when everyone was dancing on the dance floor two staff members started dancing pretty dirty with each other. It was pretty embarrassing. I've seen this caterer at other functions and he seemed to do a good job but this one was horrible that I wouldn't call him. Bottom line: poor service, poor presentation, poor food. read more

Exceptional food with beautiful presentation. A guest at my wedding was so impressed that he used Custom Catering for his wedding. I have used this caterer multiple times and have received many compliments. I highly recommend and could not be happier. read more

In June of this year we celebrated my wife's 40th B day. After several recommendations, I contacted C.C., but I was hesitant because of our limited budget. After talking to Richard, we told me we can "Work it out." Everything was perfect !!! Food and service was OUTSTANDING!!! Thanks Richard and C.C. for making My wife's party a huge, memorable success... I recommend C.C. to anyone..!!! B. Lopez Valencia, Ca. read more

I had a fantastic experience with Custom Caterers. Nicole was SO helpful, flexible, friendly, and overall fantastic to work with. I changed my menu so many times, but she never was anything less than professional. We even had all of the flatware, silverware, glasses, etc. included in our costs. We had many people tell us how great the food was, which made us so happy! The servers were friendly and very professional. My only semi-complaint is that the bartender was a little heavy-handed with the alcohol. By the time our ceremony started (30 minutes behind schedule) we were out of vodka!! Guests who got mixed drinks were all pretty drunk by the end of the night, but they had a great time! Overall, the value was outstanding! Shopping around for a caterer was fairly depressing given the high costs, but when we found Custom Caterers, we were hooked! I'd recommend them to anybody who is looking for great food at a great price. read more

Richard and his team have done a fabulous job catering our business lunches. He has a good menu, service is great, and the food tastes amazing! The presentation is also very nice. read more

Richard and his staff were great! We just had him cater our 100-person wedding and it was a huge success!! Everyone loved the food, and these guys were easy and accommodating the whole time. From the start, Richard was really great to work with. He's on top of things and has a calm, easy-going presence which is good when you're planning a wedding and juggling a million things. He sent us extensive menus and did a tasting for us. The food was great! (I highly recommend the salmon!) Lots of variety, and everything thoughtfully prepared. We had a lot of little exceptions we had to juggle -- strict diet restrictions for one guest, our own booze but no bartenders for the bar, our own cakes for each table. And Richard and his guys handled it all with ease and professionalism. He even came through for us when we forgot to buy ice...! One of the best things is that Richard and his staff are just really nice. Seriously don't underestimate that when you're planning something important! They'll go out of their way for you, and they have good suggestions and delicious food. I highly recommend these guys! read more

We had excellent service and have been customers by the them on numerous occasions. Friendly and courteous staff that are punctual and patient. we really had great service and the food was excellent. we will definitely recommend them! read more

Horrible! Terrible! Do NOT use!!! I am extremely disappointed with Richard Ortiz and his "service"! The service was extremely bad and his presentation was even worse. I would never recommend him to anyone. If I would have read Yelp instead of HIS website I would have noticed all these bad reviews and never would have referred him to my client to use for her wedding which was for 100+ guests! I was the event planner for this wedding, but did not create the contract with him, the bride did. I was referred to him by a very close relative and therefore thought he would be good, but he was NOT. Like one of the reviews here states - he brings his family to work with him and yes, he does. His kid "Junior" sexually harassed and disrespected my assistant Event planner. I was not made aware of this until we had left or else I would have kicked them out immediately! His staff was an hour and a half late and Richard didn't show up until even later. When I noticed his staff was setting up the serving tables, I asked them if they were going to put linens on the tables because they were ugly. He said, "no, because they will get dirty when we serve". I told him that's why you use black linen. Then he told his staff that I was supposed to help them in setting up the tables for the event, which I was NOT. I came back from a vacation I took after the wedding, and called my client and she also told me how disappointed she was with Richard and his service as well. How he didn't do anything that was written in the contract. He forgot to bring a knife to cut the cake. He didn't even serve the cake, when in the contract he wrote cake cutting included. Beware of this type of business people!! Richard will be nice and promise you the perfect catering service but once he has your first deposit, he will forget your name, what he wrote in the contract and will show up late or not at all. He is low level, not worth it, a liar and a cheat! read more

I have used this company for my Christmas Party,Retirement, Wedding Reception, And Baby Shower. RICHARD IS AWESOME!

This place is AMAZING!! Have ordered just about everything from the custom caters fit menu. WOW!!! Food always fresh and perfectly prepared and cooked. Every order made just the way I wanted- Perfect for people who have busy schedules. Can still eat healthy and fresh everyday while still being less expensive than something you will regret later. Give them a try - Best Investment for the New Year and Healthy Lifestyle. read more

I used Custom Caterers for an 80-person wedding reception in June of 2013, and was completely satisfied. Richard and his assistant arrived early, set up a very nice looking presentation, and the tacos were truly outstanding -- my favorite was a delicious pineapple/chorizo marinaded pork, but all of the food was terrific. They also lent us a hand with setting up our tables and glassware, which they didn't have to do.The only thing that I wasn't exactly expecting was that the quesadillas did not have a lot of cheese, but I think that was the more authentic Mexican style than I am used to. I recommend them without hesitation. read more

I hired Richard to cater Thanksgiving dinner for 160 women at a women's homeless shelter. The food was delivered on time, was transported perfectly, was hot when delivered; the turkey was delicious, and the mashed potatoes, yams, stuffing and gravy were a hit. There was food left over for the following day; the turkey bones made a great soup on Friday. The pasta salad was served on Friday and for lunch on Saturday. The women loved the food. It was my first experience with Custom Caterers and I will certainly work with them again. Thank you Richard. read more

A horrible experience. I wish I'd read all the negative reviews on Yelp before hiring this company. (The only good reviews are written by their staff, I am sure.) The owner did NOT SHOW UP at the event and when his staff (who also arrived late) tried to reach him by phone, he was UNREACHABLE! The staff was mediocre, they were unprofessional, barely knowing how to set up their stations for food. And GET THIS: THEY FORGOT TO BRING KNIVES, when the main course was prime rib!!!!!!! This meant there was no way to eat it. They also provided too few forks and napkins and everything. The table-set-up looked like a Boy Scout or PTA amateur event. One food station was so amateurish that it looked far worse than the counter at a food truck. Because they were so late, the bars were not set up while guests were arriving, and the cocktail-hour passed appetizers were not ready. Guests were hungry and thirty. The whole event was a disaster. AND TO DATE, THE OWNER NEVER RETURNED A PHONE CALL nor did he respond to email. It is off to Small Claims Court for me, since he didn't provide what he promised even though I paid in full up-front. My advice: DON'T RISK A HAPPY FAMILY OR BUSINESS EVENT with these people!!!! And look at lots of the negative Yelp reviews, not the fake good ones the owner might have placed!!! read more