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    Fred's Red Tacos

    3.7 (18 reviews)

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    Alan S.

    You'll find Fred's Red Tacos among the eateries at The Riverside Food Lab. There are a number of options to choose from but if you like birria, then you gotta check out Fred's! It was my first time trying their Original Quesatacos which they describe as 3 cheesy red birria tacos fried to a perfect crisp and prepped with Serrano sauce and pickled onion. It came highly recommended and it did not disappoint...so good! I also washed down my meal with one of their refreshing agua frescas. I was only able to try one item off their Birria Creations menu, but I def want to come back and try more!

    Natalia I.

    My new job has us driving around checking out all these new cities, so we had to stop by and try some new grub! My son loves tacos and is a taco CONNOISSEUR, so his choice when we browsed the 14+ selections at Food Lab was Fred's, partially because of my brother's name but also because... tacos. The meat was delicious and tender. Definitely NOT TJ style, not authentic Mexican, but overall a fantastic taco. Guac was very good. Salsa was spicy and tasty. The staff at the restaurant were nice. The ambiance is great at Food Lab because they've created a wonderful hub for socializing and trying different foods. Overall, not a bad experience, but not sure we'd necessarily run to Fred's again when visiting this food court.

    Paul S.

    Encouraged by their success in the Redlands food spot, the owner has occupied the space recently vacated by La Vida Gorda. Today, 09/15/2025, marks the soft opening. Get ready for an array of birria tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and more. I'll followup with more details on food and beverages once that appears.

    Birria Tacos
    Tom-Tom P.

    Fred's Red Tacos in Riverside is an absolute must-try. The birria is perfect--tender, juicy, and packed with rich flavor that hits every time. The tacos are amazing, loaded with meat and cooked just right, with that satisfying crisp on the tortilla. And the consomé? Flavorful, bold, and the perfect finishing touch to every bite. If you're craving birria done right, this spot delivers every single time. Highly recommend!

    Burnt Gristly Carnitas Tacos
    Mitchell K.

    I am writing this review with genuine disappointment. I have given the Fred's Red Tacos location inside the Riverside Food Lab three separate opportunities to deliver a good experience, and each visit has been worse than the last. This is especially frustrating given how much I loved the original spot. The service and food quality at the Redlands Public Market location were phenomenal. I happily went five or six times, and their carnitas tacos were high-quality, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. My anticipation for the Riverside opening was very high, but the reality has been a massive letdown. Repeated Issues with Payment and Service Attempt 1 & 2: Cash Rejection About a month ago when they first opened, I tried to place an order, but the staff refused to accept cash, which was all I had at the time. I left disappointed. I returned later, hoping for a different experience with a new gentleman at the register. He initially agreed to take cash if I had exact change. I quickly went to another vendor, broke a bill, and returned with the precise amount, only for him to immediately change his mind and state they were only accepting card payments. This inconsistency and rejection of common currency was unprofessional and extremely frustrating. Attempt 3: Burnt and Gristly Food A few days after the cash debacle, I returned and paid with a card. I ordered the carnitas tacos I loved so much. Upon receiving them, the first bite revealed they were absolutely awful--burnt, grisly, and frankly, disgusting. I politely asked the staff to remake them, which they did, but the replacement batch was just as poor as the first. Completely dissatisfied, I left and purchased food elsewhere in the Food Lab. Attempt 4: Cold, Forgotten Order My final attempt was just a few days ago. Card in hand, I ordered three carnitas tacos and nachos. I waited about 17 minutes and never received the text message notification. When I walked back up to the counter, my order was sitting there, ready and getting cold. We started eating the food, and again, these were likely the worst carnitas tacos I have ever had. The quality is simply nonexistent compared to the Redlands store. Recommendation and Direct Message to the Owner If you intend to try Fred's Red Tacos, you must go to the Redlands location. The food quality, flavors, and ingredients there are amazing and worth the trip. However, be advised: on a recent visit to Redlands, a woman who identified herself as the owner informed me they also would not be accepting cash, which prevented me from ordering there, too. To the Owner: Please consider that rejecting cash payments is likely causing you to lose a significant amount of business, as a large portion of customers still prefer this method. More critically, the quality of your food and ingredients at the Riverside Food Lab location is subpar. The staff there, in both attitude and attention to detail, also seems to be lacking. I highly encourage you to investigate and correct the severe discrepancies between your two locations before the Riverside spot becomes a significant downfall for your brand.

    Place to sit
    Lauren B.

    My boyfriend and I have eaten here twice and I DREAM of these birria tacos they are so so SOOOO yummy! So much flavor and the carne asada fries to die for. Amazing service. Amazing food. Worth every penny !

    Carne asada minus the sour cream. (Green sauce is Spicy spicy!!)

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    1 month ago

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    3 days ago

    Gave me the wrong order. Didn't realize until I got home. Didn't enjoy the food I got.

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    7 months ago

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    5 months ago

    Me and my friend split some birria nachos. Nachos were delicious, just a bit overpriced imo for the portion size.

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    4 months ago

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    7 months ago

    I ordered a chipotle chicken burrito & I was very shocked it was actually very amazing and the flavors were hitting !

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    6 months ago

    The food was amazing! I got the birria grilled cheese and will definitely get it again. Friendly staff as well!

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    Anchos Southwest Grill & Bar - Mesquite grilled plump skirt steak fajitas

    Anchos Southwest Grill & Bar

    (2k reviews)

    $$

    Ancho's is one of those places I honestly don't know if it's considered a hidden gem or not, but…read moreafter living in Riverside for the past 3-4 years, I can't believe I've never been here until now. I found out about it through my cousin, who's a UCR alum, and I'm really glad I finally got to try it. The staff were super nice and attentive, constantly coming by our table to check if we needed more water, tortillas, or anything else we might want. Even with how busy it was, they still made sure everyone was taken care of, which I really appreciated. The restaurant was packed, and it actually surprised me because I don't usually see that many people at restaurants in Riverside. The energy inside felt lively but still comfortable. One of my favorite parts was the fresh tortillas. They come out hot and fresh from the oven, and you can literally watch them being made right in front of you, which made it even better. And the best part is they're free. We ordered the carne fajitas and chile relleno. The fajitas were incredible, the meat was juicy, tender, and packed with flavor, with that perfect smoky sear that comes from being cooked fresh on a hot skillet. Everything came out sizzling and stayed flavorful with every bite. The chile relleno was also really good, with a nice balance of savory and slightly creamy filling that paired well with the sauce. It was actually my first time trying fajitas, and I can confidently say I'll be ordering them again the next time I come back. I definitely plan on returning while I'm still at UCR to make up for all the years I didn't know this place existed.

    I was brought here by a friend & colleague of mine whose whole family loves Anchos as it was his…read morefather's favorite restaurant. My first thought upon seeing the exterior and entering was, "OK, definitely old school", and I was right... Anchos has been around for an amazing 37 years and counting! The large open space is nice 'n brightly lit, yet somehow not too much so. As our hostess walked us to our table, we passed an enclosed tortilla-making machine where the freshest of the fresh tortillas seemed to be popping off the whirling dervish like Mexican hot cakes (which... yeah, duh). After ordering, we were quickly served a huge container of them-- so fresh, one could barely hold these 1000 degree piping hot discs. It was demonstrated to me that the classic way to enjoy the tortillas was to spread a little butter which melts almost instantaneously due to the sun-like hotness of the vessel, a quick dash of salt, and a dollop of their super freshly made mesquite-roasted tomato salsa makes for a yummy appetizer. While that was delicious, for me, the true test of a tortilla is to try it plain first. And boy, did it deliver! The style is slightly more risen than traditional, but tasty none-the-less, and I would soon find out why its actually the perfect tortilla for our main entrées-- the CARNE mesquite grilled plump skirt steak fajitas! Now I am always dubious when a restaurant calls out that one of their items is "FAMOUS" and actually prints it right on the menu, but in this case I truly get it. These thick juicy slices of mesquite grilled skirt steak are mind-glowingly muy delicioso, and YES, they are plump indeed. We ordered medium-rare, and they came out to perfection! Years ago, I wrote the steak fajitas at the Rio Grande restaurant in Boulder, CO had "the absolutely unequivocal best steak fajitas I have ever tasted in my life!", and I tell you, these really put that statement to the test. If I'm being honest, the steak itself at Anchos is truly on another level. It's not that it's the best "fajita steak" I've ever had, it's possibly the best "steak steak" I've ever had. OK, that's probably an overstatement, but it's not too far off. While I still think the accoutrements of the Rio Grande fajitas (mainly their phenomenal grilled peppers & onions) are standouts, the carne asada here at Anchos is nothing short of amazing! And those tortillas... yup, the slightly extra thickness holds up well when you fill it with with the extra thick cut carne asada, and their tasty arroz con frijoles, onions & peppers. Mi plato was WAY too much food, and I happily ate every single bite :-) All-in-all, Anchos still delivers after almost 4 decades of serving the Riverside community, and I hope it's around for decades to come because as I looked around, not only were my friends enjoying Anchos, but everyone in the restaurant seemed to be beaming with the excitement of the great food & service from this wonderful family gem.

    El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Chicken flautas

    El Patrón Downtown Riverside

    (1k reviews)

    $$

    We celebrated my grandma's 80th bday here. My uncle rented out the outdoors patio & small room…read moreadjacent to it from 1pm-4:30pm for an affordable price with deposit paid in advance to reserve. The owner, Santiago, allowed us to come a half hour beforehand to decorate & we came in, not knowing what to expect. Upon our arrival, the birthday cake was promptly whisked away to the kitchen, we found Santiago PERSONALLY on his hands & knees fixing the electrical cords for us, our servers introduced themselves & graciously helped us rearrange the set-up to accommodate the band we brought in. Then helped us rearrange the layout yet again once we realized the band needed to be next to the electrical outlets. I was embarrassed to even ask so I started doing it myself but they jumped right in without being asked. If I'm being honest, usually I'm not a fan of buffet meals, so I wasn't expecting much. But everything served was SO delicious! The fajitas were my favorite dish, not only flavorful but also nice & moist. Not only that, but they refilled the food for us as it ran out. They brought out to-go boxes for the leftovers, & best believe my family took home every last bite! The lime margarita tower was SO yummy but also hella dangerous because it was strong!! Other restaurants will give you watered down drinks but El Patron doesn't play. We were only planning on one but it was so good, we couldn't resist getting another. From start to finish, the servers (Leslie and Cecilia) were on POINT. Their service went above & beyond expectations-- continuously checking on us, refilling drinks/food, taking photos, etc. Not only that, but also, when my young autistic nephew unfortunately got sick, they were so incredibly compassionate about it & helped clean up the mess right away. I was absolutely blown away by the attention to detail & quality of care. As my grandma is getting older, we are especially cherishing these final years with her. We spent thousands overall (venue, music, photographer, special mass, etc) but every last cent was worth seeing her happy with all of her loved ones. After many months of planning, I was super nervous about something going wrong but I can honestly say that core memories were made. Thank you to Santiago, Leslie & Cecilia for your hospitality, good food & work ethic-- it truly meant so much for our family unit.

    The food was delicious, the service amazing, and the place is really nice. They make you feel…read morewelcomed. We went for my mom's birthday and they went out of their way to make her feel special. Fernando made sure we had everything we needed, he was amazing. Definitely have to go back!

    Tio's Tacos - I'm not sure how to convey on how bad the food is.  This is Enchiladas !!!!!

    Tio's Tacos

    (1.7k reviews)

    $$

    I've read up on reviews saying some of the food is bad, etc SO I did my research on what multiple…read morereviews say tasted GREAT! Their Mojarra for one, is amazing with some corn tortillas, beans and rice, and lettuce. The lime garlicky sauce on that one, is what I've been dreaming of. It was THE star of the show. And we also got their wet supreme burrito mojado, with the mole sauce all over it Also tried their agua fresca, loved the cucumber and lime flavor! Great size for two to share, and we had a blast just eating and enjoying the sights laid out to see. Their pickled onions got a spicy kick to it! I loved the added crunch instead of just having the typical hot salsa. Service was great, with the waiters and waitresses checking in on us every now and then, and I liked that we pay first then eat, so we just leave after we're done! Excellent experience as the weather was perfect too, the outdoor seating has some mosquitoes but be sure to go when it's not molting hot outside! After food we got to go on a photo spree and it was wonderful.

    I got the vegan tacos with potatoes and even though there were only two it was loaded with toppings…read moreand salsa. Really good and a decent price. I do wish there was a vegan protein thrown in like black beans or soyrizo or something to make it more filling but I'm glad there was a vegan option on the menu. There is a salsa bar that can help add to your meal like spicy pickled carrots, cucumbers, salsa and pickled onions. My favorite part of this place is the art decor. They're all made from materials that were bound to go in the trash, most notably cans that they open for cooking. So you'll see lids and the other material from cans beautifully molded into these structures. It may seem random but I found lots of humor and play thrown into the craftsmanship of it all. Some pieces are like playing I Spy. It was funner to see than a lot of museums I've gone to actually. It's truly just packed with art. I even got to meet one of the artists as he was working on something. He was really friendly. There's a few of them who work on them together and I learned they've been doing this since the 90's! How cool. It's so nice to see all the things they've come up with to create. Go check it out! Definitely a date worthy spot too. My bf and I had a lot of fun walking around seeing what they created.

    Fred's Red Tacos - mexican - Updated May 2026

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