Brought my Korean parents here and they loved the appetizers: BBQ mussels, fried shrimp, and crab cakes. We ordered the Royal Rooster with sweet potato chips, the special of the day, and the Mojo pork sandwich with a side of veggies. Overall, the food was hot and delicious. Andy provided great service. When it was time for banana pudding cake (not pictured), he was quick to communicate that he would bring out dessert forks when my non-English speaking mother nonverbally hesitated to part with her utensils. We appreciated his attention to detail. read more

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I really wanted to give Rico's five stars.. Parking is very limited here as this place is very small, at the beginning of Main Street in downtown Buford. You will need to catch parking in the front or park across the street. Since this place is so small, its tight too and when many are waiting you may have to wait outside. We had our our names down and it they said it would be 15 but that turned into almost 45 mins. I believe the restaurant manager offered us some complimentary fried pork and beef egg rolls for waiting and they were very good. Once we finally sat down, Justin was our server and he was great! He took our drink and food orders and was very accommodating with recommendations. I had the shrimp Po Boy and the Hummingbird Drink. Every was very tasty and the shrimp in my sandwich were cooked perfectly. My husband let me try his diablo scallop pasta and it was very good, I'm just not a spicy person or I would have ordered it. We were a part of 8 with 2 kids and majority of everyone food came out the way they wanted. I love their specials here and their Diablo Pasta and the Surf and Turf tonight look Srd amazing !! read more

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We went on a really busy night tonight. It's a small little establishment with an outdoor patio next to the train tracks in downtown Buford. You can hear and feel the train as it passes by. The wait for 2 people was about 40 minutes. We got there at 7:00pm, seated at 7:40pm and ordered the fried green tomato and crab cake appetizer as soon as we sat down. The fried green tomatoes came out promptly within 5 minutes. There were 4 pieces in a tasty cornmeal breading that was light and not overpowering. It was fresh, hot, and came with a nice creole remoulade. 20 minutes later, the crab cakes come out- 2 pieces with slaw. Wonderful in flavor, however they were really mushy in texture but the black sesame & Asian pear dressing in the slaw accompanied it well. An hour later, our main entree finally got to our table at 8:40pm. I got tonight's most expensive special at $31: The ribeye over potato wedges tossed with crab, truffle, fried cheese curds and demi glaze, with side of green beans. While the wedges and curds were plentiful, I literally only got 5 pieces of green beans and probably about 1 teaspoon of crabmeat which was very disappointing. I ordered the ribeye medium. While some parts were medium, it wasn't evenly cooked because other parts were more medium well to well done. Some parts were tender and other parts were tough and dry. It was inconsistent, however the flavor was still good because it was very well seasoned. My dinner partner got the other special: grilled sea scallops and shrimp over pasta and spinach tossed in cajun butter for $28. I got to try some and it was delicious. All the flavor was there and the seafood was cooked perfectly. The only complaint was that it was a small portion overall and it only came with 2 scallops, but the rest was shrimp. We finished the meal off with some dessert. Now I'm not a big fan of chocolate cake, but I told Siri to flip a coin so that's what it landed on haha. We got the Samoa chocolate cake, like the Girl Scout cookie flavor. It was a good piece of cake- not dense, just the right amount of sponginess and it wasn't overly rich. Overall, I give this place 5 stars for flavor all day. But due to the long wait times and inconsistencies in the food, this place gets a 3 from me. I would still go again and give it another try though. read more

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We always make a stop here while in Buford. The egg rolls and grabbing a cake slice here are a must!

This restaurant has great music and the fo9d is good. Make sure you try the sweet potato tots. Mercedes was our server who helped us navigate through the menu for our first visit. We got there to late for the Purple cake and to early for the specials. read more

I've been here a couple times now and the food is always great. I am also a big fan of the Brunch Apothecary, their sister restaurant in Dacula. Both restaurants are filled with love and a small menu with many different options. I went to Rico's for lunch yesterday. I always end up getting the lumpia appetizer and it is always crispy on the outside and perfectly seasoned meat on the inside. Yesterday I tried their strawberry salad with blackened chicken for the first time. The dressing was amazing! The menu salad is actually bigger than the one I pictured, but the server was nice enough to split the salad for my friend and me! For our entrees, we got the cuban chicken sandwich and it comes with a mojo dipping sauce which was the perfect addition to our sandwiches. Since I was sharing with my friend, the portion size was perfect too. We did not get their daily special for our meal, but their daily special had a poutine that we really wanted and they were nice enough to allow us to just get the poutine side in addition to our cuban chicken sandwich. We also tried the hashbrown casserole which was more of a hashbrown cake. Covid related - we were able to enjoy the nice breezy temperatures outside, the mask wore staffs, they offered hand sanitzer, and encouraged social distancing and mask wearing for guests. We did have seating inside as well, but we utilized their outdoor seating. read more

Ricos World Kitchen - New American Near Me - Buford, Georgia

Found this unlikely place in an old gas station in downtown Buford. The irony of the contrast of the wonderful original creations from Rico's kitchen vs dining in a garage becomes apparent...it's a combination that somehow makes for a magical dining experience. 5 stars and more! read more

Finally had a chance to have a meal at Ricos World Kitchen and oh what a delicious meal it was. Came here for lunch with my wife and though they were busy we were seated right away. This place is popular and from the experience we had and good prices we paid I can easily see why this is a popular spot. Our waitress Mercedes was excellent and very friendly throughout our entire meal. She let us know of the daily specials and was very helpful throughout our entire meal. She even brought us some sweet potato chips which were excellent and we will probably order those over the regular potato chips next time. Our meal consisted of the Royal Rooster, Shrimp Po Boy, Fried Green Tomatoes and a sampling of Sweet Potato Chips. Everything was cooked to perfection and I can see why they are rated so highly online. The ambiance of the restaurant while busy is very relaxing and the atmosphere is friendly and comfortable. Overall I give Ricos World Kitchen 5 stars for service, food, price, and hospitality. Thank you and we will be back! read more

Server refused to repeat one of the specials because I didn't hear with the noise level of this dumpy place. Then she ignored my request for a separate check. The bathroom is absolutely disgusting and front desk does not greet or smile. The front desk/bar and doorways need painting. Parking is awful and they refuse to seat you unless entire party is present. They were completely rude. read more

Service is good. Food is very good. The presentation of the food is good, but it's a little loud and a little long wait.

A go-to when we're in downtown Buford. What a great spot for southern food with a bit of Filipino flair. We've always gotten superb service at Rico's. What a great place for lunch. read more

I have absolutely no words when it comes to reviewing this restaurant. Absolutely incredible food and kudos to the CHEF!!! read more

We usually go for lunch and love the chicken cuban (mojo dipping sauce is phenomenal), royal rooster, strawberry salad and literally everything in the menu. We had dinner Friday and it was outstanding. The filet medallions and beef Wellington were fabulous. Rico's never disappoints. read more

The strawberry,feta, green salad with your choice of protein is delicious! The service is prompt and location has abundant parking nearby.

Rico's has been in our rotation for several years. Food is excellent. We love the salads and oyster poboy. Have tried several items and all excellent. The atmosphere is casual with a spunky little vibe. Servers are very attentive. read more

You will not find a better restaurant anywhere! the food is consistently amazing with great flavor and quality! The staff is friendly and provides exceptional service! Absolutely delicious food and desserts! You will not be disappointed if you go and try it out. read more

If you want a great dining experience, this is the place for you. Rico, the owner, is an amazing human being. The food is outstanding - from apps to the entrees. The ambiance is so cool and has a great vibe to it. I had the shrimp po boy last time and it was fantastic! Highly recommend. read more

Very cool vibe! An old garage turned country style restaurant. Love the musician! Bring cash to tip! Food was amazing read more

Ricos World Kitchen - Open faced country fried steak biscuit and salmon over grits crostini was delicious with a kick - New American Near Me - Buford, Georgia

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We had a wonderful dinner there this evening, celebrating my husbands birthday. Our server Austin was amazing, took such great care of us (party of 14)!!! Food was so good, hubby had the salmon special and I had the ham and Brie with apricot jam sandwich soooooo good!!! Their sangria was so yummy!! Hunny had never been here and was so pleased with everything. Thank you to the entire staff for making everything so wonderful!!! read more

This is such a great place to eat! The daily specials always look incredible and the service is great. I got the chicken cuban, it was super juicy and flavorful, i definitely recommend! read more

Ricos World Kitchen - Chicken cuban with sweet potato tots - New American Near Me - Buford, Georgia

Ricos is a great little local joint with some unique and delicious food. Their patio is a great place to relax & chat (possibly catch a train rolling by) and inside is a very communal (and sometimes loud) environment that can be a lot of fun. Their Royal Rooster sandwich is the go-to and don't forget the friend green tomatoes! read more

YA'LL gotta try this place. I remember calling a week before our scheduled dinner and spoke to different staff. They were very polite and patient. Until I found Nanay Nette whom they call Mom and had preordered cake,Avocado Lime,for the birthday celebrant,Alice C. Instantly,I got all what I wanted plus some Filipino specialties. Let's see...this place was full and there was a 20 minute wait time. The bar was available for us. Oddly,no cocktails served here but Sangria but oh yeah,that was very tasty. The chicharon was the best here. It was still crackling when the staff brought it on our table. The cheesecake dip(name forgotten) was also phenomenal. Uhm..everything was good. We were treated special here because they knew we are from CA and meeting Southern people was always a pleasure. We haven't met Rico but we're happy Nanay Nette(Rico's Mom) sat and chatted with us. Alice C.'s surprise birthday dinner was quite unforgettable here! Thank you,Rico's staff and happy diners that night! read more

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Updating from 2012- what a great place now. I concur with the new reviews. The firecracker shrimp , the fried green tomatoes to the Cuban are all fantastic!!! Now a staple since moving back to Buford! Highly recommend . read more

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My brother and his lovely wife took me there for lunch last Friday and it was a treat to finally go there. They patronize Rico's quite often, so it was fun to finally patronize the establishment. I did an appetizer and soup, and had the Lumpia and the French Onion soup for lunch. The Lumpia was very tasty, but the French onion soup kinda' lacked 'full flavor' from what I've had before at other restaurants. My brother let me try one of his Fried Green Tomatoes and it was good. But again, seemingly lacking in full flavor (at least from what I would expect...or maybe my taste buds were off that day?) Overall, it was a nice experience, with some great service! As usual, the place was crowded and parking was atrocious (glad my brother was driving...), so plan on hunting for parking, and maybe even waiting for a table. Four Stars! read more

This restaurant is one of my favorites. Quaint atmosphere topped with delicious food. Highly recommended!

We got take out and it was great food. I had the Cuban sandwich n others had Strawberry salad n mushroom/fried green tomatoes sandwich. We also got fried green tomatoes appetizer. It was all delicious!! read more

Best chicken sandwich I've ever had. Habinero on it was only slight in spice level, just made it good without too hot. My wife loved her fried green tomato and mushroom sandwich as well. Lumpia was excellent for starter. read more

okay this place is AMAZING! fast service, super friendly, cozy, & the cutest date spot also. My husband, bestfriend, and me stumbled upon this place! we were at a restaurant that never rven noticed us so we left & mapped the nearest restaurant without even checking the reviews or knowing what type of food it was! TALK ABOUT FATE. absolutely AMAZING - the most delicious mouth watering food, we also got the fried green tomatoes which were perfectly crisp. Will definitely be back! read more

Ricos World Kitchen - fresh ground burgers, shrimp bo boy - New American Near Me - Buford, Georgia

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It's kinda hit or miss. For me it's all about the specials and sometimes they are amazing and worth 4 or even 5 stars and sometimes not so much. I am always pleased by there filet specials, they nail it every time. But tonight's shrimp and lobster wasn't great. The risotto was just not done well and lacked lobster. Still a great spot and we'll be back. read more

Service was nice, staff was friendly but their Mojo pork sandwich was extremely salty. Eat at your own risk.

I had the specialty burger. The good: --the meat: whatever the blend of meat is that they use, it is probably the best burger meat patty that I've ever eaten in my life. They cooked it PERFECTLY medium-rare. This patty was oozing with juicy flavor. It was hot. It was amazing. --the homemade pimento cheese: OMG that was genius to put that on a burger. It was so yummy and warm/melty. I loved it. --the fried green tomatoes: I had one on the burger and several as an appetizer. It had a lovely cornmeal crust. The bad: --sweet bacon jam: what the heck is so sweet? Is it pineapple? My mouth was utterly confused whenever I tasted it. Ick. It might work for other dishes, but not on this burger. It was completely confusing and distracting from all the goodness above. --the bun: man, did you read how juicy the patty is above? Well that means the bottom bun is going to be a soggy mess. Suggestion: slather a nice thick layer of homemade mayo on the bottom to try to protect the bun from all the juice. And skip that sick sweet jam stuff, even if it does have bacon. What a waste of bacon. --one shared restroom: the toilet was disgusting. Whichever men frequented the restroom couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. Clearly you were not even trying. Again, disgusting. --the hummingbird drink: it was pretty boring. Very bland to me. I didn't think it was worth the price tag at all. I'd get a glass of wine next time. --Sweet potato chips: I LOVE me some sweet tater chips. Except when they are sprinkled with... POWDERED SUGAR. What the?!??? Seriously, why would you ruin those beautiful chips? I tried 3 times to like them. They were a lovely width. They were perfectly crispy and crunchy. But that sugar ruined them! Ick. read more

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Always consistent, always pleasant and always tasty! Rico's offers a cool atmosphere, fast service, and trendy daily specials. We have been here or ordered 20+ times, and it is always still a family favorite! Mussels, fried green tomato's, strawberry salad, royal rooster, and the ham and Brie are some of our favorites! Tacos, banana pudding, and the burger are amazing when they have them as a special! read more

My wife can eat here everyday! Love the small town flair and the food is consistently on que. Menu is small but we live for the specials.

Awesome food. We're definitely going back. My favorite place to eat now. The waitress is very good. A little noisy coz it's a small place but loved the food. read more

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Service is very good and food is amazing. Would like to try out diff dishes next time. read more

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First off great food! Such high quality. Lived up to previous ratings and reviews. Thanks to Austin he was an excellent server. Very attentive and on point. I had the rooster sandwhich. And my mom got the strawberry salad with grilled chicken. She said some of the best grilled chicken she has had in awhile. Definitely worth a drive to this place. read more

Ricos World Kitchen - Chicken sandwich - New American Near Me - Buford, Georgia

The food is absolutely the best. The chef takes so much pride in his creation. You can see his passion through the every menu item. Very well thought of. The service is just as wonderful, the servers are very polite. Rico's mom is an angel. She bakes the delicious unique flavored cakes and is out there welcoming you like family to their home. My favorite item is the fried green tomato salad with fried chicken. I went there twice in a row just to have it again. So yummy! The restaurant is an old gas station that was renovated, it also feels likes everyone knows the servers which tells me many repeat customers...Fried Green Tomato Salad must try! They also have specials that are not listed in the menu but are posted everyday in the website and the servers will make sure to review them with you. read more

My friend and I met at 2 today to grab one of their sandwiches. And, while the sandwich (smoked chicken Cuban) was very good, a couple of things bugged me a little. The "Hostess" needs to think about where to seat the customer based on what makes sense, not cramming us in between 2 very loud groups - especially silly when there were MANY open tables where we could have been spaced out more!!! Also, I'm not sure what the issue was with getting correct change back, but if the "house" doesn't want to keep change, then they should say" credit cards only". And, the weight staff there as well as mini restaurants I go to just assume that I'm going to give them whatever's left as a tip - even if it's 50 or 60% of the bill. Now I think it's very rude to ask "do you want change back"? because that implies that I'm cheap if I do want change back. The server should bring back the correct change and let me make that decision. But trying to make the decision for me and gouge me out of extra money I may not have been willing to leave, really set a wrong tone for me - especially when she asked me a 2nd time SMDH - she was either unable or unwilling to get my $1's for change. I'd still eat there again, but plan on only paying with credit card. read more

Unbelievable experience in dining excellent dining at a great restaurant . Such a relief from the restaurant chain repeating itself over and over again read more

Once a gas station... you can see clearly as the structure remains ...alongside of the original gas pump. Limited parking but figure it out. It's worth the efforts! Nate, the "janitor "... Rico's partner, greeted us to assure our presence was welcome! Sweet. Proud Veteran who takes pride in the food, management and service...it shows! Lauren, our server who has worked here since they opened 7yrs ago, knows the menu like she created it herself! The good, the best and her favorites. She is also candid about her lesser favs. Honesty appreciated. We ordered as much as we thought we could eat and of course, could not. Starting with the crispy, still crackling pork skins, there were plenty to eat with the vinegar dipping juice. Still popping as they sat and talking right back when dipped. The firecracker shrimp topped with a seaweed salad was spectacular! Wish there were more. Crispy and spicy, Not hot. The Shrimp and Grits are the absolute BEST I have eaten, anywhere. The Remoulade Butter that coated the grits was creamy and savory. Plenty of shrimp and the Toasted Ciabatta for sopping up the sauce was perfect! So piggy me and my man enjoyed this so much, that we caught Lauren and had her deconstruct the Shrimp Poboy for later. She never batted an eye or hesitated. Check out my pics! ....and if you have room, they have desserts and more desserts! read more

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