Aqui Cupertino

Place is great for groups. Love the outdoor seating. Vibe is lively. Staff are friendly and helpful. They have a lot of vegetarian options. We tried the Thai peanut tofu - 3/5, cauliflower bites side 4/5 and veggie quesadillas- 2/5 (it was burnt a little. The food felt healthy but didn’t taste as good as I expected. Priced reasonably. Will be back to try the chicken and pork options and the swirl.

First time. Glad we found this hidden spot in what seems to be China town. The atmosphere was clean, friendly staff. Enchiladas and crab cake meal had soooo much flavor and came out scorching hot for a caferteria type pick up style. Like the fact I can get my healthy alternatives in. My meal included zucchini and cherry tomatoes, soft and flavorful. Brown rice was cooked perfectly. The portions were fulfilling. Couldn't finish the appetizer black bean dip (delicious). We tried half of the salsa bar sauces, all were delicious. The ghost sauce will creep up on you, oh and the drinks as well. Mai Tai and Carribean slushy premade drinks had a punch with lots of flavor. Did the job 🙌.

I walked into this place with high hopes, and it didn't disappoint. The Thai burrito was a delightful fusion of flavors, and the mango swirl was both refreshing and potent. The outdoor seating area, complete with heaters, provided a cozy atmosphere for our meal. Ordering at the counter was efficient, and our food arrived promptly. However, the lack of table service made it feel less personal, and the indoor seating area was a bit noisy during peak hours. Despite these minor drawbacks, the quality of the food and the vibrant ambiance made it a worthwhile experience

We were just blown away by the food. I got the Vegetarian Jambalaya - the cauliflower being perfectly crunchy outside and soft inside. The Veg Enchiladas also looked stacked and were apparently very flavorful themselves. Definitely worth going!

I have mix feelings about this restaurant. It was our first. Ordering was simple. Everything was ala carte. You pay at the counter and they give you a beeper when your food is ready. We had to pickup our food when it became available so there are no servers really. Food presented well and tasted good. Pico salsa was tasty but chips weren't exactly my favorite. Seemed like a popular place visited by locals. It's an upscale taqueria located at nice area, easily accessible, with adequate parking. Maybe worth a second visit.

Great spot for groups but you'll have to show up early to get enough seating, despite how large the restaurant is since Aqui is popular!!! And you'll quickly discover why: large variety of dishes so one could come multiple times a week without getting bored and it's relatively affordable. Portions are smaller than they were a year ago, but enough for one person. The bowls are great if you want more veggies in your meal. Pork loin plate (special of the day) shown in the photo.

Clean fresh eating and the seniors here know it. Much better selection than Chipotle and also comes with salad / soup sides. The margarita freezes are also a great treat for adults with kids.

I recently visited this restaurant again, and it was such a fantastic experience, never disappoints! vibe is great—lively, modern, and welcoming. As always, the food was amazing, with flavors that never disappoint. But the real standout for me was their industrial-grade drink totally unforgettable! Highly recommend Aqui for anyone looking for great food, drinks, and a wonderful atmosphere.

I used to go to the Aqui near the FLEX SAT prep classes so I have fond memories, but I do remember it being a lot more flavorful a decade ago. Aqui is now very healthy upon ordering, and because of that there's not much flavor. But grab some sauce and you can make it your own! My favorite is the firecracker, habanero mango should not be messed with if you don't do spicy. I came here with 9 coworkers, took a minute to order behind a line of 10 people but it was also because we were deciding. Moments after sitting down and getting utensils and salsa, we were served super quickly. For $17, I was so impressed with the amount of crab cake I got, plus enchilada. There's plenty of space and mobile tables so we had some good conversations while watching basketball. Efficient, chill, healthy, and cheap!

Aqui is a casual restaurant where you order at the counter, they give you a buzzer, and then you look for a seat until food is ready for pickup. For a weekend dinner, it was slightly challenging to find seating. Overall service was pretty decent at the counter, and I like that they have a condiment bar with salsas. I got the crisp chicken supreme bowl and the chicken wasn't really crispy. There was also way too much lettuce and not enough rice, but the flavors are better than Chipotle. This is probably more comparable to El Pollo Loco, which is also a casual restaurant. Would rate this a 3.5/5, rounding up to a 4 and would come back to try another dish if I needed a quick meal.

Our first visit to Aqui was absolutely 'Soul Satisfying'!! It was a great pleasure to meet with Diana to check us in and take our order. She was very helpful in conveying our nuts allergy concerns to the chef. The food was delicious!! We ordered the Salmon Jambalaya, Tofu Fajita, Southwestern Chicken Taquitos, Chicken Quesadillas ... it came with soup.. and Avocado Corn Bowl, and finally the chocolate cake, each dish was spectacular and delicious!! The presentation of each dish was beautiful! We sat out in the patio with heaters, the ambiance was serene with the lovely floral plants set up.. !! Later I got to meet with chef David. We would like to convey our appreciation and thanks to David for his kind hospitality and delicious food! We hope that the owner David will recognize and applaud the hard working crew he has at this fabulous restaurant!! It's a very well done streamlined operation running successfully!! Thank you for a lovely experience!! We'll definitely see you again! :) Ria

I enjoy this place as it has a lot going for it. *Great ambiance *Varied menu with lots of choices to satisfy even the pickiest of people. *Amazing salsa bar, one can be sure to find something they like as they have a ton of options. *great food presentation, the fruit on some of plates is confusing but surprisingly delectable and somehow works with the savory elements, We have been here several times and tried the sampler, bowls, taquitos etc.

There was plenty of parking in the large lot, and I never knew from looking at the restaurant from the outside, but plenty of seating indoors too! We ordered at the front, very friendly and efficient service! We took our number and very easily found a place to sit. We decided to split an adobo chicken supreme bowl between the two of us. Super delicious and fresh! It was the first time either of us had been to an Aqui Cal-Mex and we will definitely be back! There is also a salsa bar and self serve utensils. Pretty casual place!

Had a chance to try Aquis in the Cupertino location and this was a nice experience. I have been to other locations and like usual this one was not different. If you are looking for Swirlz - slushie like alcoholic drinks, this is the place to come to. However for this outing I just wanted some food. I ordered the crab cake with enchiladas and this was delicious. The crab cake was crispy with a creamy inside and I had them swap out the potato enchiladas for the chicken ones. The sauce this came with was very yummy and I liked the rice and veggies that accompanied this as well. Overall service was pretty fast from when we ordered to getting our food and ambiance was on the casual side as it is in all their chains. Overall - great experience and would go back again!

You know about Aqui's if you have lived in the South Bay. They are known for their swirls (alcoholic beverages). One swirl will give you a good buzz. When you order a swirl, they will ask for an I.D., and you can order two drinks max at a time. They have their usual swirls, but they add new swirls during different seasons as a limited-time addition. I've had this in my 20's when I wanted to rage, but now that I'm in my late 30's, I don't even drink these anymore because I find them too sweet now. For the food, don't expect authentic Mexican. This is why sometimes people rate their food low. It's Mexican American but with high-quality ingredients. My go-to order is their Southwest Caesar, but I substitute the grilled salmon with blackened salmon. The salmon can sometimes be dry, but I like the flavor profile. Also, their crab cakes are delicious. Avoid their chips! Their tortilla chips are not good. They taste dry and stale, similar to those big-bagged tortilla chips at Costco. Trust me, I'm a tortilla chip lover and very picky when it comes to tortilla chips. This place has a salsa bar, which is a huge plus. If you like spicy food, get habanero salsa (orange). Their firecracker sauce is good, too, which goes more with seafood. It's the one that looks like Thousand Island dressing.

I always enjoyed going to Aqui either group of friends. They have staple food menu and awesome swirls at reasonable prices. Service is efficient. You line up at the counter for your food. And get it when it's ready. They are fast to get your food out. Just tried the Blueberry Guava Swirl and it's good! (And still strong) :) Forgot to take a photo of the food. But got the salmon plate. It has a tomato based sauce this time compared to the previous salmon I usually order. Definitely good to be back at Aqui!

Stopped by on a Sunday for dinner and found plenty of parking since the restaurant is in a complex. You grab the menu as you walk in, place your order at the counter, and get a buzzer that goes off when your food is ready. Seating is self serve, and there's a salsa bar with tons of options, from mild to very spicy. We ordered the chicken enchiladas, cauliflower bowl, and chips with salsa. The food presentation stood out, especially the enchiladas. They were well-stuffed, cheesy, and delicious. The rice on the side was a nice touch, and we loved trying out the different salsas with our meal. Bonus: they have a full-service bar with margaritas. Definitely planning to come back!

Food: - Crisp Wild Mahi bowl - Great. It's a premium salad bowl with a crispy mahi fish filet, cilantro rice, avacado, and other toppings are flavorful. Would order this again. - Petalumas Chicken Enchiladas - Good. Enchiladas were soft, chicken filling was tasty, and mole sauce was good. Fried rice with corn was a bit dry/overcooked, but edible. The boiled zuccini was bland, needs some salt, couldn't finish it. - Sangria - Good. It's cheap alcohol with decent flavor and strong enough to get a good buzz. Service: Good. It took me a while to realize this is a self-serve restaurant concept and didn't need to wait to be seated. Order at the counter, they give you a buzzer, find your own seat, and pick up your food. Took less than 5 min to get our food. Ambiance/Vibe: Great. Casual Mexican bar & grill kind of place. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating. Even some big families having lunch and birthday party there. Cost/Value: Great. Portions are large. Prices are very reasonable in the $13-16 range and portions are filling. Visit again? Yes. A good place to visit occasionally for some Cal-mex fusion dishes.

During the weekend, my partner and I stopped by Aqui for lunch while running errands in the area, attracted by the high ratings on Yelp. PARKING There was an abundance of space in a private lot, which made it convenient for us. SERVICE When it came to service, we noticed that it was a walk-up-to-order, pay, and find a seat type of place. Although it was a little busy at the front, the staff eventually acknowledged us and walked us over to the pick-up/to-go order counter to place our orders. The staff was friendly and accommodating. FOOD For our meal, we both decided to go with salads. The portion sizes were generous, and the salad greens were crisp and fresh. However, the salmon in the salad was served slightly colder than we would have preferred, which was a bit disappointing. On the positive side, we liked that the restaurant offered self-serve drinks and utensils, and we were pleased that our food was ready as soon as our buzzer went off. Overall, Aqui has an extensive menu, and I'm interested in trying out other meals besides the salads we had.

Food was ready instantly. It was all sweet, salty, mushy, and had no flavor. It could have been pulled from a pot of boiling water. Sauces were factory made gel and powder seasoning. I didn't finish.

I've had the grilled chicken burrito and OMG IT WAS DELICIOUS!! Every bite was a bite of heaven! Everything was cleaning and neat inside the restaurant and staff very friendly highly recommend this place and will be coming over and over until I get tired of it!

Super delicious and the slushy margaritas are so amazing. I get a few from here every time I visit.

This is one my favorite cal mex fusion restaurants. The plating of each dish is on par with expensive upscale restaurants, but the pricing is very reasonable here. There's plenty of seating available. I like their salsa bar with wide variety of options. My favorites are Adobo chicken bowl, firecracker shrimp and crab cake. I tried the tomatillo soup once and it was nice too!

First time going to this location! Aqui has been fairly consistent in my experience across their various locations. I visited on a Saturday afternoon. Their service tends to be great and their staff is always very welcoming and helpful. I ordered the grilled steak burrito. It's a solid burrito, but their other items are worth exploring. It comes with a small salad. The wait in line was short. Although it may appear long, they have plenty of staff available to help during peak hours. Restrooms are clean. Tables are clean. Parking is abundant at this location.

Had a very nice dinner with the family after wine tasting. East counter service. Good salsa bar. I had the Salmon enchiladas with crab cake. Delicious. Casual seating. Order at the counter and seat yourself. Good swirl drinks.

This is still my fav location! I love Aqui's because they keep their menu the same but then add daily and weekly specials! It's great for those who have a "special" dish yet like to try something new. I usually get the salmon but they had a delicious special today! Catfish with taquitos, shrimp, rice and veggies. Insanely good... a lot of food and totally worth the price $17. Hard to find a healthy fresh meal for that price nowadays. They have a seasonal cheesecake (pumpkin) it is legit the best cheesecake I've had in forever! Wish it was all year round. Can't wait to come back soon.

This is a really bad Aqui's. It disappoints me to say this because in general I love the company. But this location specifically, is by far the worst!! Go to Campbell if you want the real experience. There is a reason why they arent as busy anymore at this crappy location, and IMO, it will keep trending that way. When you enter, it smells like old people, old furniture... i.e. you know that musky smell. There is a person who is always there who always acts rude, never smiles, and just comes of as pretentious in general. I want to say Romero or Ramirez is his name, he is usually working the front desk and acts as the floor manager. In short, Aqui's isnt all bad, but I would HIGHLY recommend any other location then this one, The staff is at an all time worse, and they all walk around with there noses in the air instead of helping. YIkes.

I had always heard this place was great so was excited to try it! We each got a swirl and absolutely loved them - they are definitely strong! My fiance got the pork carnitas bowl and I got the chicken taquitos. They were both ok but nothing that exciting and kind of lacking in flavor. It was so crowded that we didn't even see the salsa bar until we left as it's positioned kind of near the door, not really near where you pick up your food. Probably would have been better with some salsa. It was also tough to get water. The glasses are where the employees are so you have to ask for one from them but they're all busy and won't look at you, so not the easiest experience. I think this would overall be a better spot to go to for a drink and appetizer than a meal.

The food here is great, I got the shrimp bowl and loved the mixed texture of everything in the bowl. Here is more of a self serve model but the staff was great and very kind. Ambiance gives off pub vibes a little and there were plenty of parking

Aqui Cal-Mex is at the intersection of what is good for you and tastes amazing! They have amazing soups, salads, rice plates, enchiladas and burritos. Salsa bar is out of this world. Ambience is casual and self-service but you don't have to bus your table. The staff at the front desk is amazing. Daily specials and seasonal menu will never make you bored.

Service - It's a walk up and order and pickup from the counter, but they're always friendly. Ambiance is family friendly, but loud and not enough seating. Food - here is always fresh and tasty, but lately the portions are a bit on the stingy side. We ordered the Avocado Dip to go and for $7.99 we got 4 oz of pico de gallo, lunch bag of tortilla chips and about 2oz of avocado.

Aqui has been a favorite of mine since I was a child. The atmosphere and ambiance is incredible. They have a wonderful outdoor seating area with lighting and heaters which makes it the perfect social gathering spot. The drinks here are also very reasonable. We got the Sangria Swirl and the Bramble Berry Swirl which was delicious, would highly recommend. These drinks are also extremely strong. We got taquitos and a burrito and the food was sizeable portions and extremely tasty/fresh. The salsa bar is also one of my favorites. I love the firecracker salsa and it keeps me coming back each time. Would highly recommend you visit this Bay Area gem.

Ate here recently, the food tasted stale like it was made months ago and heated in the microwave. Couldn't wait to get out.

We tried this place with friends because we were told they have amazing live there, but I was not very happy about it because this place was not very clean. It was really dirty and it was just a bar kind of place where you would go sit and have some slushy. They were not bad. It was good amount of alcohol in it. We took up slushy and it was OK we loved the red flower drink. It was really good. We ordered the chicken taquitos. It was good but not great. I would not go back there again, but it was not bad place for others to go and enjoy, they have good parking and people were coming and going thing I did not understand. Was there billing system because you would basically have to stand in line order your food and go grab a place would be nice to have a seated where people can come and take an order, but it's OK.

True to the Cal-Mex fusion idea, this feels like an in between of fresh, light "Californian" cuisine and rich Mexican cuisine. They are relatively successful in cultivating a menu that incorporates relatively light fare with a good balance of nutrients and flavors. If you want purely just standard good Mexican food, I would say this is not the place to go. The service is quick and easy, and servers are super helpful. Seating is very plentiful and the atmosphere is vibrant both inside and outside. I do enjoy the decor here. Aqui fits its niche of wanting to indulge in flavorful food while also eating healthy at a restaurant, which I quite appreciate!

Can't go wrong with the swirls. My go-to is the Paradise Patron with the Enchiladas and Crab Cake.

It was my first time here with some friends. We went on a Friday around 5pm. Environment was chill and quiet -7/10 Swirls were good and strong- 8/10 Food is very mediocre - 3/10

Want to compliment the chef on the perfectly grilled Salmon in my "West Coast Salmon". People and the staff dressed for Xmas made this Sunday night extra cozy. We also ordered the pumpkin cheese cake. Perfect finish!

Food was very delicious in addition to being healthy and appealing, I especially love the agua fresca. I typically get one of the salmon dishes, they're definitely the best I've had so far! Would definitely recommend this place, wait time is pretty good, staff is attentive, and the prices are affordable. I really enjoy coming here with my family and I definitely recommend it for anyone or any families looking to watch their budget while still having a great meal!

Super nice, took my out of town visitor here today and what can I say? Food was great. Had a salmon fish taco with a salad and a tofu plate. Really enjoyed the location and walking in town. Area is busy with people out and ambience of the overall downtown area is really nice.

I really like this place for lunch. Fresh, healthy food and many choices. Will keep returning!

I've always received good service here, whether I've come with a big group or on a date. Lovely atmosphere, decent food (not exactly bursting with flavor, but consistently made with quality ingredients). Clean and inviting restaurant, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, and a small bar. If you're only ordering drinks, skip the food line and just head over to the bar. We ordered 4 swirls to go. No wait, no problem. Got my regular flavors for swirls, strawberry and deep eddy mango. My bf got the watermelon and guava paloma. The worker was quick to serve, friendly and helpful. The drinks were made perfectly, strong in alcohol as usual, and sweet and flavorful just the way we like it. It's the consistent quality and service here (and at most other Aqui locations) that keep me coming back for more.

I went there for my anniversary and they had a different sets of menu which is fusion menu with the Mexican menu. I am a vegeterian and I see that the brilliance in adding tofu to the Mexican cuisine was simply amazing

Literally the worst Aqui's I've been to in terms of food quality . I used to love going to Aquis years ago . There food was always pretty good & the prices were decent. It's been years since I've gone and decided to give it a try for lunch . I ordered the Cuban roast pork carnitas. It consisted of roasted pork with achiote sauce, plantain salsa, roasted corn brown rice, black beans, pozole escabeche and cotija cheese. It was around $18 with tax and tip. The food was literally flavorless . Tasted like they just threw it in a crock pot. The flavor profile was super bland & even the side sauces didn't help . Probably one of the worst meals I've had at Aquis . I've been to the location in Campbell , Blossom Valley & Waterford areas . Those places are way better . Couldn't even finish the food since it was that bad . Probably won't be back anytime soon.

Aqui has always been overrated and overpriced. This location is no exception. The cooks and chefs make a lot of errors-- the portions aren't great-- and I've never thought it was anything special. They have a big menu, vegetarian options, drinks... but the food really lacks flavor. Cupertino has limited options if you don't want Indian or Chinese food, so i always wind up here.. and it's not even that good ! Aqui is only popular in Silicon Valley because there's not a lot of choices here. Don't think it would do well in other major cities. Bland.

I normally go to Aqui's for their swirls, but my partner and I decided to come here for lunch to celebrate an achievement! The service is usually set up for customers to order at the register and then you can find a table to sit at and wait for your order to be ready. Kind of like a fast food restaurant process, but a bit fancier with the modern and clean environment. There was an outdoor patio for customers to sit at, so we decided to eat outdoors since it was a sunny and nice day. We tried their salad bowl and enchiladas which were super filling. If you're also looking to get tipsy or drink some alcohol that isn't too strong, their swirls are definitely a go-to!

Great overall experience. Even the small plates were bigger than expected. Really liked the full access to a wide variety of salsas and dressings, including sour cream which goes well with some of the dishes.

We love coming to this Aqui location. Food is always wonderful, the atmosphere is nice, the restaurant is always clean and tidy, and 99% of the time the service is fantastic. What would have been a 5 star rating today, sadly got knocked down to a 4, due to the server/cashier Samara. Samara kept asking us if we were ready while we stood OUT OF LINE looking at menu, when I ordered my food and asked for a side of sour cream she visibly rolled her eyes at me and pointed saying "sour cream is in the condiment station behind you" and when my partner ordered his food, kept interrupting him and asking him questions about what he was ordering (for the record he ordered the "supreme adobo bowl no sour cream), and when the order was complete, threw the buzzer on the counter in front of us. We will still frequent this location, but will be wary of returning to Samara's register.

Fresh, organic, sustainable food that taste good too. So glad my friend introduced me to this Cali-Mex restaurant. There's lots of seafood options, and lots of vegetarian/vegan options too. You order at the counter and are given a buzzer. You find your own table, either indoors or outdoors. Even though it was really cold outside, there were plenty of heat lamps to keep the patio warm and comfortable. Our food was ready very quickly (like about 5 minutes), which isn't always a good sign. But the food was still really good. The shrimps on my friend's plate did look a little dry from reheating, but she thought it was still good. I got the Wild Salmon Cake with 2 chicken enchiladas. The salmon cake was delicious - crunchy outside and flavorful and soft inside. The chicken enchiladas were really tasty too. It was served with roasted corn brown rice, which was surprisingly really good. Overall, a great find. My group of friends sat outside and chatted for hours and no one minded.

I love Aqui in Cupertino! Food is good and the staff is very nice! Burritos are yummy, Fajitas and salmon dishes are my favorites! The famous industrial strength margaritas are the best in the whole Bay Area!

It has been a while since we visited Aqui. The food is delicious as aways. It was very busy nigh but we were able to get the table without having to wait too long. The placed was packed but the workers were bussing the tables constantly to make room for other visitors. The place is nice and clean, we will be back more often now that we are back in town.

Great place to hangout! So many vegan/vegetarian options on the menu. We didn't have to wait long (~10mins) before our order came. I ordered Thai Peanut Organic Tofu and my friend ordered Cuban Roast Pork Carnitas. Yummy flavors in both dishes. Cilantro rice that came with Tofu dish was delicious. I didn't expect to see grapes and mango in the dish and was wondering if they would make the dish too sweet, but the combination was delicious. The fried plantains that came with the pork dish were amazing!

We just finished eating at the Cupertino Aqui 's and I have to say we came across the rudest server I have had in the last several years anywhere. This review is specifically, for the server at the pick up window. We walked up to the window looking at the food because it did not look like our order. You rudely told us to put our beeper in the basket and to take the food because it was ours. You were so wrong. It was not what we ordered. I even took a double look at our receipt and what we took and what we ordered we not the same. We ate it because we had some where to go. The more I thought about it the more I realized I needed to write a review so you do not do this to someone else and ruin there meal and evening. Perhaps if you had stopped talking to the co-workers and asked us what we had ordered instead of barking comments, we would have enjoyed our experience.

Great tasty food, great drinks, especially the swirls. Really smart and clean. Hidden gem.

Delicious food at a great price! I particularly love and recommend their salmon dishes. It is healthy and fresh. There is something for everyone on their large, varied menu.

Just know that before you come, it's not authentic Mexican food. It's like organic healthy Mexican. I ordered the crab cake with enchilada and thought it tasted great and fresh ingredients. The portion is not too big, just right. I also got the kamikaze swirl drink which uses their industrial strength margarita and it also has vodka I think, I'll just say you get your moneys worth in ABV, it's super boozy and I loved it. Get two and you'll be partying. With love, from San Diego.

For newbies - right when you enter there's a line to order your food, then seat yourself! Even if it seems crowded, just hover around some tables that are close to done and you should be able to grab a seat in no time. During the good weather seasons, there's also some tables set up outside that are nice! The chips are bottomless and there's a salsa bar, so I always get chips/guac or chips/salsa. Unfortunately the guac isn't refillable. Food is mediocre. I'm here for the drinks - the swirls!! A South Bay classic. They do samples if you're unsure between choices. I like the white peach lemonade & mai tai swirls (I enjoy a sweet drink). Be careful of a fun night ahead! 2 is the limit. The bar is around the corner so you can skip the front door line and order straight from the bar if you are just here for the drinks. But bonus, they let you order chips from the bar too. Now you know all my secrets! Bathrooms are by the front door.