Cabo Fresh Mexican Grill

I’ve been back twice since my original review, and I’m the first to say it when I’m wrong about something– so here we are! The past two times, Cabo Fresh has exceeded my expectations! The owner reached out to see what was wrong the first time and how he can fix it– what a great, caring and responsive way to show your customers that their opinions matter! I came back to give it another whirl, and my hard shell tacos were filled to the brim and were tasty! I didn’t see the salsas the first time, but my tacos were given some generous flavorful salsa to spice them right up.
My initial review mentioned that the chicken was bland (flavor-​wise) but after talking to the owner, I totally get why the chicken isn’t spiced up in anything– the freshness, quality, and naturalness of the chicken and other ingredients is important here, and you can add salsas to spice it up. Kudos to this place for believing in fresh, quality ingredients.
My third visit here I tried the nachos with steak and OH MAN they were SO tasty. My friends kept picking at my nachos and raved about the steak, chips, cheese, beans and pico all combining to make an epic selection!
Again, my first review wasn’t so hot, but after returning twice now, I see that it was a fluke. Two thumbs up!

Small portions and the chicken was fatty & barely cooked. Doesn’t taste as good as chipotle either. Sorry!

A normal Chipotle rip off. The prices seem a little high for the quality of the food you receive, but the food has a high quantity and you most likely be full. They can also move a line fast.

I honestly prefer more than Chipotle. LOL its close to campus and delicious :)

Welcoming staff and good service and, the place was clean.
The bowls were fresh and yummy. The one thing we look forward when we come here is the mango sauce.

I love this place. I try to go here as often as possible.
There’s not a Chipotle in the area (yet!), so I thought this would be a good substitute. But I have found I like it more than Chipotle.
It’s the same set-​up: You order the form you want your food in (Burrito, taco, etc), and you go down a line of hot trays of food, pointing to what you want, and they make it in front of you, like a factory assembly line.
It’s often pretty crowded in there, but the line is worth the wait.
They will be opening a Chipotle almost literally across the street, so I hope that it will not hurt Cabo’s business. As I said, I prefer Cabo over Chipotle.

The place was busy (around 6:45pm) so that’s a good sign. The first thing we thought when we entered was this place is a chipotle replica chipotle copied them. I’m not sure if they have carnitas like chipotle but my burrito bowl was great and they have mango. The veggies were very fresh!

we tried a simple salad bowl. Nice touch is you can choose spinach instead of rice. The grilled chicken was properly done and the condiments are great. They charge extra for chips and guacamole or salsa… bad.
service is good and prompt

I just finished lunch here for the first time and it was very good! After reading and hearing so many positive reviews, I decided to finally try it.
I got a chicken salad. I was able to get spinach instead of the typical romaine that most places offer. The chicken is very tasty and not dry at all.
My boyfriend got the pork salad. I tried some of it and was so good!
Guacamole was $ 2.10 extra… it is a little more than most places, but the guacamole is so good! It is worth it.
I would come back! So much better than chipotle!

Eh. I’m not sure if it’s me, or if it’s them. I have this place a shot expecting it to be like chipotle or better. The one thing they did better was their guac. Full flavor and so fresh. Aside from that, eh.
I had chicken tacos, and they didn’t have the flavor I was hoping for. They were also understuffed. so, I don’t know… maybe I’ll try this place again, but I don’t get the rave reviews. Maybe bc it’s near the university so students love it as an option and alternative to campus dining.
Three stars bc nothing was ‘bad’ but rather just not to my liking. The chicken could be cooked with more flavor, and the tacos could have definitely been more stuffed with everything. Picture attached. Nothing to write home about other than the fact that there are fish options here if you’re not into meat.
I’ll stick with my tried and true places in Nassau county.

This place is 10xs better and fresher than chipotle.
I always get a chicken bowl. It’s my go to and my first love.
The bbq quesadillas are amazing and also if you enjoy tuna like I do, give the Ahi tuna bowl a try, it’s delish.
Usually they have a free drink or free chips couple on Valpak. (You can find it on google!)

Exactly what you want… fresh like the name says. Got a chicken burrito for my daughter… all she said was «yum»!!! I got the 3 taco vegetarian deal with beans and brown rice and basically a vegan meal that was really tasty. We pass a few other places coming the 6 miles but these guys are worth the drive.

Love coming here with my sister. The bowls are the best value, and be sure to sign up for their email subscription so you can receive coupons and alerts! The chipotle ranch sauce is great! I also believe they offer a discount with SBU ID

Amazing Mexican! I mean really really amazing! I have literally lived on Cabo for a week straight! And I’m pretty sure I can eat here everyday!!!
It’s not expensive (in fact it’s quite cheap), its super yummy, and being Mexican its on the healthier side. I don’t think I can ask for anything else!

My favorite Mexican place in the area. Better than Chipotle and Moe’s. The food is fresh, and you can taste it. It’s very clean and staff is friendly. The chips are awesome, too!

I order from here at least once a week, everything is amazing except sometimes the rice or guacamole is not fresh. The chips and spicy salsa is awesome! The tortilla wraps are also very good.

I am still a Moe’s fan because of the unlimited chips, but Cabo is a good substitute. The chips are not included (nominal fee) but they are the best chips out of all the other Mexican fast food places. However, the Queso Dip is not worth the extra price. It was like the same liquid cheese you get at the movie theater. Moe’s wins in that department. Sour cream is free but guacamole is another $ 1. I also like that they have lemons and lime cut up by the drink station. You do need those lemons for the beer that they offer (Modelo, Corona). And a small price tag of $ 4.75 for a beer is a great buy. Margaritas are also available. They give out coupons all the time to nearby neighborhoods.

Some people compare this to chipotle, honestly I like this place MUCH better. Everything is fresh and delicious. I always feel like I did the right thing for my body when I eat here. All the voices are healthy and delicious– yes, you can have both– and they make their guacamole fresh twice a day. I get the grilled shrimp on a salad with the salutes veggies and rice or a wrap with the chicken on those extra hungry days.
My boys love it here too. My oldest could live on their steak because he says it never has «those chewy pieces» as he likes to call them. I think he is referring to some meat that is too fatty. My little one loves spicy so he gets the spicy salsa and chips and a kids taco.
All in all a great place to have lunch or dinner.

I went here today for the first time and I liked it a whole lot. I would rank it above Chipotle (too expensive and I still leave hungry) and Moe’s (never any good and the salsa bar is terrible).
My lady friend got a salad (basically, everything in a burrito but on lettuce or spinach instead) and it was huge and really good. I’m going to get that next time. I like that they offer spinach, you never really see that in a Mexican place.
As for me, I figured that it was my first time so I should try the burrito. It was massive and it was awesome…
Positives:
— - no additional charge for a whole wheat tortilla
— - all of the toppings looked fresh and everything tasted good
— - they use RAW JALAPENOS, not those pickled, stale, soaked-​in-​vinegar ones that most places use… these were big thick slices of raw jalapenos that were awesome
— - good hot sauce choices (Cholula, Tapatio, El Yucateco Green, and one in a squeeze bottle that was a chipotle flavor and looked homemade
— - every table was clean; the sauces weren’t filthy with dried gunk; the food area was spotless
Negatives:
— - the pinto beans were cooked in bacon fat (we did ask before we ordered)
Asides from the pinto beans being cooked in bacon, everything else was perfect. Very vegan/​vegetarian friendly, and a great price. The salad and the burrito were $ 15.75 with tax and I’d gladly pay that again.
Kayla was the girl who helped us and made our lunches, and she was great. She explained everything and answered all of our questions.
Great place and I can’t wait to go back.

I come here all the time when I need my Chipotle-​butcantgobacktothecity fix. Although it can’t quite compare to Chipotle, it’s the next best thing, especially around the Stony Brook Area. They have pulled pork, steak, melted cheese, and anything else you’d typically find in a joint that serves fast food Mexican burritos and bowls. Guac is extra as usual, but the one thing they have over Chipotle is their variety of hot sauces.
If you’re a stony brook student, make sure you pay with wolfie wallet so you can save tax money off your meal — every penny counts because broke college student feels.

Best place to go for burrito, rice bowl, taco, etc. in the area. Everything tastes fresh, price is wallet friendly, and a nice friendly team to back it up. It’s small, about the size of your basic Chipotle but I personally enjoyed Cabo cause everything tasted cleaner and fresher. Lots of different options!

Cabo Fresh, to me, is always a safe choice for Mexican food in the area. I’ve been here countless times, and I’ve never heard of anyone disliking it. It’s consistently tasty, and there’s enough variety on the menu to keep you finding new gems every time you go.
As for the quality of the food, it’s not mindblowing, but I would call it a small, but noticeable step up from Chipotle. One big advantage of Cabo over Chipotle to me is the wider selection – you can get either flour or whole wheat tortillas, menu items such as quesadillas, and even seafood (shrimp, ahi tuna) instead of meat. There is a little bit of variance in some of the meats such as steak, but overall, it’s hard to go wrong with steak, chicken, or shrimp at this place.
They also have a nice selection of specials such as the shrimp and mango wrap. I haven’t had many of them, but I’ve only heard good things about it. In addition, they offer drinks ranging from margaritas to smoothies to Mexican sodas, which is a huge plus for me.
My main complaint is that the service is not always cohesive – there is not too much communication between the kitchen and down the toppings bar line in my opinion. Also, they are a bit stingy on their sides when they give you pico de gallo/​sour cream/​guacamole. Some of this is due to the small size of the containers they use, but I feel like they can do a little better.
In short, it’s hard to go wrong. I can’t remember ever feeling like I made a poor choice here after about 10 visits, so I feel safe recommending anything on the item. The prices are fine, maybe even a little cheaper than Chipotle. This is probably my go-​to for less authentic Mexican food, which is the main purpose I believe Cabo serves.

We were going to a movie next door and needed some food to hold us over (instead of shelling out for concessions at the movies). Cabo Fresh seemed pretty welcoming and it was crowded on a Saturday afternoon. The layout and ordering system is the same as Chipotle. Start with what kind of dish you want (I went with a Cabo bowl which is a burrito bowl), choose your greens, rice, beans, cheese, salsa, guac, you’re done! I really enjoyed the fact they offered some healthy options such as spinach. The guacamole was also extremely fresh and tasty.
A bowl will run around $ 7.25 and guac, as usual, is extra. Prices are fair and the amount of food they give you is appropriate. They also offer beer if you don’t want soda or water to wash it all down.

The consistency has gotten better and the food is always delicious. Now they we have Chipotle by my house, I can see how much better Cabo is. Keep up the good work!

Cabo Fresh is one my favorite places to eat near the Stony Brook campus. I have gone here so many times and will continue to do so. The meat is very fresh and tender, and portions are usually quite ample. The staff here are very friendly and I find that the the menu has more options than at Chipotle. Cabo also offers a variety of unique sauces which really complement the food well. I find the chicken to be the best tasting of their meats and usually order a rice bowl, burrito, or spicy chicken quesadilla. Each of these items comes up to about $ 7.88 including tax, but just like any other restaurant be ready to spend over $ 10 if you are going to opt for embellishments like guacamole or extra meat.
Cabo Fresh is in a great location with a supermarket, fro-​yo joint, and a movie theater all within the block. There is usually enough seating except maybe during the lunch rush but always plenty of parking space. Cabo is not an incredibly upscale restaurant but I still give it 5 stars because not many places can provide quality Mexican food with the combination of great taste, value, and consistency.

We tried them today for the first time. Even at mid-​afternoon they were quite busy and fairly noisy, so we decided to get take-​out. The staff was friendly and helpful and the waiting time to get our order was a little over 5 minutes.
The only minor quibble I had was that we asked for a side of guacamole but didn’t receive it. Since we weren’t charged for it, no harm was done (just a minor miscommunication).
When we got home (taking under 10 minutes), the food was great. The beef tacos were very flavorful. The only problem was they had gotten soggy in the bottom (from the salsa) and started falling apart. The chicken quesadilla was excellent. It could have benefitted from a side of salsa (some places will give you some in a take-​out order, by default), but was still quite good and tasty as-​is.
We’re definitely adding Cabo Fresh to our take-​out rotation. Next time we want to try their nachos.

Cabo is my GO-​TO, vegan-​friendly, dinner location if I’m in the Stony Brook area. I know I can get a cheap and filling dinner at a place where I can coerce any of my friends to go!
Portions are huge, everything is fresh, and they have the option of whole wheat burrito. (Which Chipotle does not have) I love their mango and corn salsas and their guac is great too.
BE AWARE: Pinto beans are cooked with bacon. Therefore, making then not vegan. But, if you opt for black beans instead, you will still have a fulfilling vegan meal.
Not only is their food great but they have a great staff! One of their managers always recognizes my friend and I because we go to Cabo so much. Attentive staff makes for a great experience.
Like all «assembly-​line» style restaurants, don’t be afraid to ask for more (or less) of an ingredient. This is key to ensuring the perfect experience at Cabo or any other similar food establishment.
In short, GO TO CABO! Support local business!

Chipotle… you’ve MET your match!
I feel like I’m in on this BIG secret every time I go to Cabo Fresh and realize there are only a few locations in New York.
Now, what I absolutely LOVE about Cabo is the following:
— Chips are fresh. I have yet to have oily/​salty chips.
— They are very generous with their toppings.
— QUESO! How I missed thee!
— Fresh ingredients are always available.
— Kids menu. (If you’re in the mood for a lighter meal these are a great option!)
— Variety of hot sauces.
— They have tuna & shrimp options. You can have shrimp tacos or a tuna baja bowl if you either love seafood or don’t eat meat. Guess who doesn’t do that? I’ll give you a minute to think about it.
— Service is always great. The staff here is EXTREMELY friendly.
— Price wise it’s not bad at all!
— If you’re an SBU student and use Wolfie’s Wallet you actually get a discount!
— Did I mention their margarita options? Yum!
Now, don’t get me wrong, I used to be a HUGE fan of Chipotle, but NOW I’m a believer. Overall, Cabo is my go to place now!

My boyfriend and I came here tonight and were pretty happy with our visit for a late night dinner.
We both ordered nachos and piled them high! Between sharing our two different dishes this is what I’ve come up with:
Chips: Holy crap are these baby’s salty!
Rice: Very moist and tasty
Beef: Wasn’t ground! It had a pulled pork texture which we both enjoyed because it gave it more of a chew
Cheese: Too spicy for me and the spicy with the salty chips just didn’t really do it
Pico: NOM NOM NOM
Jalapeños: As fresh as could be which = very hot!
Sour cream: Nice and firm. I hate runny sour cream. Bleh!
I love how you can customize your order to whatever you want. The employees were very nice also! I also would like to make a note that they have re fillable drinks! WOOT WOOT! The place has lots of seating and seemed very clean. I will be going again!

I LOVE cabo fresh. It’s chipotle/moe’s-styled in that you go down the «assembly line» type counter and pick exactly what you want. The ingredients are always really good and really fresh. The workers are extremely organized, friendly, and always working with urgency.
I normally get a burrito bowl but I have had the nachos and the tacos and they’re all excellent. The nachos are filling and not too overwhelming — they give the perfect amount of toppings! The tacos are great in that they’re big enough to fill the average person and if you have leftovers, they still taste really good when you finish them later. I also always get a strawberry mango smoothie when I’m there — its better than jamba juice in my opinion (and I love jamba juice).
Anyone that left a bad review about this place probably just went on a bad day with some unforeseen circumstances.