El Rincon de Rita Introduce
For residents and visitors in the California Bay Area seeking an authentically memorable culinary experience, El Rincon de Rita in San Jose stands out as a destination of genuine Mexican flavor. More than just a local eatery, it is a haven for traditional, expertly crafted dishes, establishing itself as a favorite for those who appreciate the true depth of Mexican gastronomy. The name itself, "Rita's Corner," evokes a sense of home and warmth, perfectly matching the casual, cozy, and slightly quiet atmosphere cultivated within its walls.
This restaurant is celebrated for serving local specialties that are often hard to find, moving beyond standard taqueria fare to offer regional favorites. A standout feature is its dedication to dishes like the famous Quesabirria—a deeply flavorful, cheesy, and tender taco—and the rich, traditional Barbacoa de Borrego (lamb barbacoa) and Menudo, which are prominently featured on their special weekend menu. As confirmed by satisfied patrons, the food is described as “very good authentic Mexican food,” with recommendations often singling out the excellent quesabirria plate.
El Rincon de Rita caters to every part of your day, being highly popular for not only lunch but also a robust and traditional Mexican breakfast and brunch. Offerings range from savory breakfast staples like Huevos Rancheros and unique Chilaquiles variations to classic Mexican beverages such as Café de Olla. Their commitment to quality is further evidenced by a customer note to "Don't skimp on the hand made tortillas, they're excellent and well worth it." This attention to fundamental details ensures that every meal served is fresh, authentic, and satisfying.
Whether you are a solo diner looking for a quick, quality bite, or a group of tourists eager to experience authentic San Jose cuisine, El Rincon de Rita provides a welcoming environment and fast, friendly service.
El Rincon de Rita is conveniently located in San Jose, California, on a well-known artery that makes it easily reachable for locals across the East San Jose area and beyond.
The exact address is:
- 1520 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose, CA 95116, USA
This location is particularly notable for its excellent commitment to universal accessibility, ensuring a comfortable experience for all patrons. The establishment provides comprehensive accessibility features, making it a thoughtful and inclusive dining choice for the California community:
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot (Free parking lot available)
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
El Rincon de Rita provides a full suite of modern and traditional dining services to accommodate any schedule or preference in the San Jose region.
The comprehensive service options include:
- Dining Options: Seating is available for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dessert, with traditional table service provided.
- Convenience Services: Delivery and Takeout options allow customers to enjoy the authentic flavors at home or on the go.
- Payment Methods: The restaurant accepts a variety of convenient payment forms, including Credit cards, Debit cards, and NFC mobile payments.
- Amenities: The premises are equipped with a clean restroom and complimentary Wi-Fi for dine-in guests.
- Family Friendliness: The restaurant is considered good for kids and provides high chairs for the comfort of younger guests.
This San Jose establishment is distinguished by its culinary focus, efficient operation, and welcoming environment, making it a highly attractive destination for Mexican food enthusiasts in California.
Key features and highlights include:
- Serves Local Specialty: The menu features authentic, regional dishes like Quesabirria and Torta Ahogada, representing genuine Mexican cuisine.
- Extensive Dining Hours: Popular for Breakfast, Brunch, and Lunch, catering to morning and midday crowds.
- Beverage Selection: Offers a variety of drinks, including traditional Mexican Flavored Water, classic Sodas (including Mexican Coke and Jarritos), Coffee (including traditional Café De Olla), Beer, and other Alcoholic beverages.
- Focus on Hand-Made Tortillas: Customers consistently praise the quality of their freshly made tortillas.
- Special Weekend Menu: Traditional weekend-only items are available, such as Barbacoa Taco, Menudo Large Order, and Quesabirria De Borrego, offering a unique, time-sensitive dining experience.
- Menu Variety: Offers a wide array of choices, including comfort food, quick bites, small plates, and substantial main dishes like Mulitas, Sopes, and Gorditas.
- Fast Service: Recognized as a highlight, ensuring that patrons receive their authentic meals quickly and efficiently.
For directions, reservations, or to place an order for pick-up or delivery, you can easily contact El Rincon de Rita using the information below:
- Address: 1520 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose, CA 95116, USA
- Phone: (408) 713-0408 (Mobile Phone: +1 408-713-0408)
Choosing El Rincon de Rita is an excellent decision for any California resident or traveler seeking an authentic and comprehensive Mexican dining experience. What makes this restaurant truly worth choosing is its unwavering commitment to authentic Mexican regional cuisine, particularly its status as a destination for local specialties like quesabirria and barbacoa. Customer reviews consistently highlight the authenticity of the food, indicating a real connection to traditional flavors that is often hard to find.
The unique menu blocks—especially the "Weekend/Fin de Semana" and "Cravings" sections—showcase a depth of culinary offerings beyond the typical Mexican-American fare. Sampling the Barbacoa De Borrego or the popular Quesabirria De Borrego during the weekend, or diving into one of the "Cravings" like the Torta Ahogada, offers a culinary journey within San Jose. Furthermore, the availability of a full Mexican breakfast menu, featuring everything from Huevos Divorciados to Café De Olla, makes it a great morning and brunch spot, solidifying its place as an all-day dining option.
Beyond the food, the establishment is built for comfort and convenience. The combination of a cozy, quiet atmosphere, fast service, and a comprehensive range of accessibility features—including parking and seating for all needs—makes it a truly accommodating choice. Whether you are dining with a large group, grabbing a solo meal, or taking out a quick bite of comfort food, El Rincon de Rita delivers on quality, authenticity, and hospitality, making it a highly recommended and essential stop on the San Jose Mexican food circuit.
El Rincon de Rita Menu
Weekend/Fin de Semana
- Barbacoa Taco $6.50
- Menudo Large Order $18.50
Mexican soup, made with cow's stomach in broth with a red chili pepper base and handmade corn tortilla.
- Empanadas $3.00
Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
- Barbacoa De Borrego $24.00
- Quesabirria De Borrego $8.50
Cravings
- Tacos De Papa Ahogadas Con Carnitas $16.00
- 4 Tacos De Canasta $14.00
4 basket tacos with your choice of meat and toppings.
- Quesabirria De Harina $18.00
- Flautas De Pollo $15.00
- Tacos Dorados De Frijol $14.00
- Tacos Dorados De Papa $14.00
- Quesabirrias De Maiz $18.00
- Quesabirrias A Mano $20.00
- Torta Ahogada + 1 Taco Dorado De Papa $16.50
Promotions
- Torta Ahogada + Can Soda $18.00
Wet torta (beans, relish purple onion, tomato sauce) with your choice of meat with a golden tacos, free can soda.
- Tacos Dorados Barbacoa + Can Soda $18.00
4 hard tacos with barbacoa filling - we call this "Guadalajara style", free can soda.
- Menudo Large Order + Can Soda $20.00
Mexican soup, made with cow's stomach in broth with a red chili pepper base and handmade corn tortilla.
- Sopes + Can Soda $24.30
Buy 3 sopes, free can soda.
- Chicken Enchiladas + Can Soda $18.00
Buy chicken enchiladas, free can soda.
Extras
- Sauces $1.50
4 pcs.
- Sour Cream $1.50
- Extra Portion Of Meat $2.50
- Cheese $1.50
Breakfast
- Huevo Con Nopal $18.00
- Huevos Rancheros $18.00
- Huevo Con Chorizo $18.00
- Huevos Divorciados $18.00
- Chilaquiles Rojos $18.00
- Chilaquiles Verdes $21.50
- Huevo Con Jamón $18.00
- Huevo A La Mexicana $18.00
Beverages
- Flavored Water $6.50
Choose from three options, of lemonade with chia, horchata or jamaica
- Water Bottle $2.90
- Café De Olla $3.50
Sodas
- Squirt De Lata $3.50
- Diet Coke De Lata $3.50
A crisp, refreshing taste you know and love with zero calories.
- Mexican Coke $5.00
The same great taste made with only pure cane sugar and served in a bottle.
- Jarrito Piña $4.50
- Jarrito Tamarindo $4.50
- Jarrito Fruit Punch $4.50
- SIdral Mundet $4.50
- Jarrito Mandarina $4.50
- Coke De Lata $3.00
The cold, refreshing, sparkling classic that America loves.
- Sangria $4.50
Main Dishes
- Barbacoa En Caldo $18.50
Beef in Consomme
- Mulitas $9.90
Meat served between two tortillas with cheese. Choice of meat.
- Sopes $8.50
Pick your choice of filing. We have many options!
- Gorditas $9.50
- Chicken Enchiladas $18.50
El Rincon de Rita Details
Service options
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Fast service
- Serves local specialty
Popular for
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Quick bite
- Small plates
Dining options
- Breakfast
- Brunch
- Lunch
- Dessert
- Seating
- Table service
Amenities
- Restroom
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Quiet
Crowd
- Groups
- Tourists
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
Children
- Good for kids
- High chairs
Parking
- Free parking lot
- Free street parking
El Rincon de Rita Photos










El Rincon de Rita Location
El Rincon de Rita
1520 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose, CA 95116, USA
El Rincon de Rita Reviews
gorditascafe de ollatacos de canastachicharronbarbacoaquesabirriatortas ahogadastacos doradoschilaquilesmenudo
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1Food was delicious and everything was hit. If salsa they give us not hot enough please request hotter salsa and they will gladly give one. Coffee was great. Will come back and highly recommend this restaurant.
July 28 · Maria VargasVery good authentic Mexican food.I'd recommend the quesabirria plate, it comes with 4 quesabirrias which are not only delicious but too many. The broth that is included is also quite tasty.Don't skimp on the hand made tortillas, they're excellent and well worth it.My only complaint is that their Chavela Is rimmed with chamoy and tajin instead of salt. Otherwise everything was amazing.
May 17 · Tamara KleimanBest Mexican food in the area! Have been back multiple times and the food is just amazing! Will be back for sure. If you haven’t tried Mexican food before , this place is a MUST! Such a great atmosphere!
September 21 · faith sooGood Mexican food. Staff is also friendly and attentive.
August 30 · Omar SuaveLOVELY !!! AUTHENTIC !!! KIND STAFF !!! DELICIOUS !!!After recovering from the long illness, I wanted to east something good, affordable, hygienic. Let me recommend this place in my full senses. Justifying my recommendation below:1. It has authentic Mexican food. The real flavors comes out in every single bite.2. They have got a good vegetarian options. They are very open to replacing meat options with the veg options as well.3. Staff is very welcoming to people from all walks of life. They are very well trained in their jobs and ensure to note done any kind of dietary restriction for their guests.4. The ambience is beautiful and gives the Mexican vibe. I just adore to look at the colorful walls and feel lively with the entertaining music (not too loud) in he background.5. The food served is delicious in every bite. It doesn't loses its charm at all at any point.Want to try really good Mexican food. This is the stop. Kudos to the entire staff.
August 13 · Apoorv Mehrotra
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