Dos Coyotes

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doggies.jpg South Davis Patio.jpgSouth Davis Patio

Location North Davis at The Marketplace     South Davis at Oakshade Town Center
Address 1411 W. Covell Blvd. #107 & #108 2191 Cowell Blvd. Ste. A
Hours Sun - Thu 11:00 AM - 9:30 PM Sun - Thu 11:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Fri - Sat 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM Fri - Sat 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Phone (530) 753-0922 (530) 758-1400
Fax (530) 753-0724 (530) 758-1450
Established January 9, 1991 December 13, 2000
Web Page [WWW]North Davis Location [WWW]South Davis Location
Menu [WWW]Click Here
Catering catering@doscoyotes.net Catering number (530) 753-0202

Dos Coyotes Facebook Page! [WWW]https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dos-Coyotes/102069946537395

Dos_Oakshade.jpgSouth Davis location

Dos Coyotes is a chain of restaurants that serve [wikipedia]southwestern (not Mexican or TexMex) style food. They started in Davis in January 1991, and now have seven locations in the greater Sacramento area, including North and South Davis, Arden, Roseville, Folsom, Elk Grove, and East Sacramento. The North Davis location opened on January 9, 1991 and the South Davis location opened December 13, 2000. A new location at the Sacramento International Airport opened in late 2011 along with the new Terminal B. Their slogan is "Have you had your DOS today?" The back of their menu (and their website) has a letter which is signed "B. Coyote" and lauds a visit to a Davis location.

The name "Dos Coyotes" derives from the owner's name— Bobby Coyote. Jokes involving Acme products aside, it's unclear who the other Coyote is. It is said (and disputed) that the other Coyote is Bobby's ex-wife, the co-founder of the restaurant. She no longer works for the company, but may still own part of it. The owner of Dos lives in North Davis, and has one of the moving sun/horse/skyline things that can be found in the windows of the North Davis location on their front lawn.

Some people believe the North Davis location (the original) is somewhat better than the South Davis location in terms of quality and portion size. Others prefer the South Davis location, which just goes to show that food preferences are subjective. The North Davis location is significantly noisier (both inside and out) and the South Davis outside patio is significantly nicer. Both locations serve a sizable variety of salsas, with options ranging from guacamole-based to old standbys like pico de gallo, and from mild to hot. The quality of meat used is quite good, including premium Angus beef. Dos Coyotes also orders their produce daily so you know that your food is always fresh when you order it. The food is prepared without lard, MSG and trans fat. Their daily specials can be very interesting and are written on the chalkboards in each restaurant, as well as on the Dos Coyotes Website. Their menu is divided into burritos, tacos, Southwest plates, antojitos (quesadillas, nachos, taquitos etc.), salads, kid stuff, side orders, and beverages. On the back of the menu you will find the Dos Coyotes Feeding the Pack- Catering Menu. They offer several seafood and vegetarian options — they are particularly famous for their immense salads (for other immense salads see Pluto's). They also have a "guilt-free" light menu, and a menu card listing Gluten-Free choices. They have more than 30 varieties of beer, priced $2.00-$2.50. The North Davis location has a Freestyle Coke machine that offers many soda+flavor options. Unfortunately, it is not an "all X plus all Y" combinations concept, but rather a branching tree: pick base soda and then pick from listed flavor options. Orange Coke is noted as a particularly tasty option. (n.b. if you're German, this is Mezzo Mix (Spezi))

Note that they do not serve Mexican (or TexMex) food, and they make that fact very clear on their website and other marketing materials. Despite this, many people lament such "inauthentic Mexican food." It's a bit like lamenting that Jimmy Buffett or John Denver are bad country singers... when neither sings country music, but rather something vaguely similar but regionally distinct. Southwestern cuisine has a heavy influence from Mexican cuisine, but also inherits a good deal from the chuck wagons of the old west cowboys and other non-Mexican sources.

They have free WiFi and participate in the Off Campus Meal Plan. Dos Coyotes also donates toward the fireworks of the city's annual 4th of July events, as well as Celebrate Davis.

See other similar options.

North Davis Patio.jpgNorth Davis Patio Dos-SMF.jpgDos Coyotes at SMF

Media

[WWW]Read a story about owner Bobby Coyote and Dos Coyotes in Davis Life Magazine.

[WWW]Read a review of Dos Coyotes in Davis Life Magazine.

Comments:

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Older comments and reviews were moved to separate pages

2008-01-22 21:43:31   For an entertaining time, check out the "hair incident" or whatever it's labeled under for a hilarious anecdote of Amy Lee finding a hair inside her salmon burrito. She and Bobby Coyote have a battle of emotions that amounts to nothing. Really, it's good reading! —Chronoz

2008-05-16 14:14:40   Always like the food here. I usually go to the north location, but went to the south for the first time today. I always get the shrimp burrito. Both places makes it well, but for some reason I prefer the north burrito....more sauce or something? —tgdavis

2008-05-16 15:26:58   I used to eat at the North Dos several times a week. It was convenient and the food is decent. Now, while I don't mind going there from time to time, I don't really understand why people rave about this place. Yea, the food is good (although, I've been served cold food on occasion) and I enjoy the salsa bar, but still. . .this place is way overrated. It is what it is, cheap tex-mex. —CurlyGirl26

2008-06-09 19:37:01   they're really really tasty, but they need to keep the flies out of the salsa. —Adaleen

2008-06-13 20:58:29   Dos coyotes is the best! My favorites are the shrimp burrito and the Adobe salad —jrendler

2008-11-11 00:13:39   I used to order the Howl'n Tostada ensalada (get the dressing on the side if you are health-conscious) here a LOT...but now I am kind of burnt-out on the place. They give you SO MUCH FOOD it is kind of overwhelming at times, and they are not the cheapest place in town. Aree Rating: 7/10. —ArianeMetz

2008-11-13 09:08:44   This is the worst Mexican food I have had in a long, long time — and since I eat it at least 2-3 times a week, that's saying a lot. As others have said, the enchilada sauce is so sickeningly sweet and reminiscent of chef Boyardee that I could only eat a few bites. The rice and beans were bland. I had some of my friend's burrito, and it was nothing but said bland rice. Bad Tex Mex... never going back. —mattf

2008-11-16 18:12:38   VEGETARIANS BEWARE!!!!! i was at dos coyotes last night with a big group, and one person ordered a veggie burrito (the ranchero i think). this person is so vegetarian he wont eat marshmallows. so imagine how upset he was when he found a big chunk of steak on his plate! it was a big stew sized piece of beef mixed in with the sauce that was poured over the burrito. one would hope that a place like davis could handle the "enormous" challenge of not serving meat to vegetarians, but sadly, dos coyotes fails at this simple task. this was the marketplace location by the way. —aro

2008-12-26 14:18:46   Loooooove the shrimp burritos. The Covell location is cozy, but be careful to sit in the back if you go to the Cowell location in winter—it's smaller and if you sit too close to the door, the cold air will waft in over you every time someone comes in! The food has always been good & tasty—and when I've ordered take-out, they always give me a big bag of chips (so make sure you've got extra salsa at home!). —RHeinman

2009-01-26 17:41:44   I came all the way from BC Canada Just to get my Border Burrito fix! nothing fills me up more than a Border steak. I would loved to eat one of those right now. When can we get a Dos in Canada? Im dieing out here !

CR —CurtisRobinson

2009-01-30 20:42:13   My sons and I eat at the South Davis Dos Coyotes about once a week. We enjoy the noise (my boys are noisy) and the floor-to-ceiling windows, and my Southwest Vegetarian Burritos are pretty tasty. Mostly we keep coming back because my boys like the food, because it's nearby, and because we appreciate the excellent customer service. The employees are friendly and remember what we order. Manager Suzie, in particular, offers first class service to the diners. When the place is not too busy, she checks on each table asking about the food. Once I saw that she discovered that the kitchen had made a mistake with an order, and she immediately went to prepare the meal herself, returning quickly with an apology and the correct order. Later I followed this family out as they commented on the excellent service, and the Mom put a five dollar bill in the tip jar. Everyone was smiling and well fed. —DrandyJones

2009-07-21 00:28:10   Decent food and service, but I'd much rather take the short drive over to Chipotle. Their menu isn't as vast as Coyotes, but the food sure makes up for it. —longboardlover

2009-08-17 21:01:11   Dos Coyotes is by far one of the best restaurants in Davis. I have been eating here for over 15 years and in that time they have always been consistent with food quality, kept a clean restaurant/kitchen and continued to satisfy my taste buds with new creations. The owner also supports the Davis community in many ways. Why longboardlover would choose to support Chipotle (McDonald's owned) over a local business is beyond me. As for the criticism that the food isn't real mexican food....I'll take grubbin southwest "mexican" food over crappy "authentic" any day. I love Mexican food and Davis just doesn't have any restaurants that even come close to satisfying my craving. Seriously, La Esperanza is probably considered "authentic" and it has gone way down hill over the last 15 years. They will charge you almost four dollars for a bean and cheese burrito that's a fifth of the size of a Dos bean and cheese burrito. And for all you vegetarians out there-uh, this is a busy restaurant and mistakes happen. Get over it. Thank you Dos Coyotes! I love you! —shelanagig

2009-08-18 23:11:54   the burrito was wrapped terribly. it fell on my pants. good job americans. —jasonwon

2009-09-26 21:03:21   Beware! It'll cost you an extra $10 to get a carafe of margaritas! Two glasses of margs are about $5 each and each carafe, which is equal in volume to two glasses, is $20! We went through this whole thing proving it to them and they gave us a free carafe rather than our money back. Yet, still, it sells for $20 a month later! —mbyars

2009-11-08 20:59:23   the enchiladas SUCK... they always put onions in the sauce, and it tastes like it just came from a can. ew. However, they do do a nice job grilling the chicken, although they dont really separate out the good and bad meat. The only thing I order is the ranchero burrito, big enough to split, pretty damn good! they always put lots of cheese, but they should start serving it with SOUR CREAM....it would be alot better.

2009-11-10 16:08:43   We also got over-charged for the carafe of margs. What a rip off! I wish we had spoken up! —ashleyinthemist

2009-12-03 23:04:49   The food is pretty good but the burritos need more meat. The last time I got a burrito there, the last fourth or so was just rice. However their green salsa is really really good. —jrz

2010-04-10 18:10:40   Went and had a burrito. It was not so great. Chipotle has much tastier burritos and better salsas. The 'hot' was not very hot and the prices were not great for a burrito that wasn't anything to write home about.

They have several beers but it seems that they only have them in bottles.

The margaritas are okay- kind of like a gas station slushie texture and tasted like alcoholic sorbet.

I might come back here, but it is not my first choice. —KenichiSan

2010-04-19 20:22:01   They offer a gluten-free menu!! I had the Howlin' Tostada with no adverse side effects! And, also, I enjoyed the slushy margarita - but I am no margarita connoisseur. (About South Davis location) —nataliesadler

2010-04-26 11:21:03   @mrandmrs just to let you know the sauce used on the enchiladas is the ranchero sauce the same one you get when you order the ranchero burito. So that lacks credibility if you like it on one thing but not the other. —zach33333

2010-05-22 19:52:43   I love this place, from being born and raised in Sacramento(which they have a location near the Arden Fair Mall), their quality and taste of menu items is delicious for being Southwestern. If you're a a paella(rice, andouille sausage, mahi mahi, shrimp combination) fan, get the PAELLA burrito and you won't be disappointed! Their salsa bar is awesome, especially the refreshing hicama, mandarin orange, cucumber salad/salsa and the salsa verde(green salsa) is made to the right texture and flavor. All the food is grilled MADE TO ORDER, not like the meat just sitting around in chipotle or the tough meat at guads. OH and the SANTA FE NACHOS is a HUGE PORTION with tons of grilled steak, guac, sour cream, and fresh fried tortilla chips. If you're looking for something healthier, their seasonal Salmon Salad is addicting. :) —MissAmyQ

2010-06-25 22:48:21   I had the Mahi Mahi Burrito at The Marketplace. It seemed a little dry. Emily, the server, was very friendly and took a moment to chat after she delivered the burrito. Interesting that she's
a nutrition major. I didn't like that they only offered Dasani bottled water. It's reported to be
municipal tap water that has been processed and repackaged.

2010-06-30 15:59:27   Hello nowhereman~ I saw your post about the Dasani water at Dos Coyotes. I did a little research on the water they serve, and it turns out that the water is no different than the water you can get at H2o Togo here in Davis. Both Dasani & H2o Togo use a process called Reverse Osmosis. [WWW]http://daviswiki.org/H2O_to_Go Ted. —TedNorth

2010-07-06 00:25:25   I'm in love with their guacamole!!! Everything else is, well, decent but not the best. Feels a bit overpriced too... I go here once every month or two. —susiekim

2010-08-03 15:05:06   I eat there way too much. The "Hank's Cubano" sandwich is awesome. Wish they had it all the time. (Or actually no, because then I would be 20 pounds heavier). —dejavidor

2010-10-02 16:04:31   I've been coming here since they opened. Was pregnant w/my daughter & craved their SW burrito. Used to drive to Davis from Natomas twice e week, just to get my Dos. Love their salads, too. The best ingredients! Daughter is away at college now, and I'm still a regular. Healthy, and delicious. —DeliaDeMa

2011-01-04 01:43:56   They seriously have to have reduced the size of their soft tacos in half since december or so. Those things were massive! I couldnt ever eat one in like 4 bites like im able to right now. And they think people wont notice! Disappointed. Why am i paying 3 bucks for a taco the size of guads for like 1.40 —Shakazalabas

2011-03-05 15:40:08   Dos Coyotes used to be one of our favorite Davis eateries. Last two times convinced me that they have really lost their touch. Both times,the Southwest and Border Burritos were tasteless. The nachos came with a generous amount of meat, but was tasteless too. The chips had such a bitter after taste that we put them in the garbage. This may be a symptom of not changing the oil frequently enough. Struck out twice....Hope they get back sometime to their unique grilled, fresh-flavored food. We will not be going there any more. —BarbaraGoldman

2011-05-14 17:36:59   The food isnt that good anymore. I would much rather go to one of the taqueria places. —rachealgalante

2011-06-03 15:53:50   will NEVER EVER EVER eat at Dos Coyotes again, especially the one in South Davis. Look out for Keith. He has a horrible attitude and work ethic and is the most unprofessional worker I have ever come across. I will never pay to get treated how I was. I really hope I never run in to customer service like I did! So unfortunate to have to go through what I did. If I EVER disrespected customers like Keith did, I would be fired instantly. If you are going to go to Dos Coyotes, please go to the other one at least! —mwfran

2011-06-26 18:40:26   We had Dos cater a party for 50 people the other night. It was awesome! The man who dropped off the food was super nice and friendly, everything was fresh and hot things hot and cold things cold. Would recommend!!! —jsbmeb

2011-08-05 17:01:09   When it first opened, the original (North) location was half the size it is now... thus the 2 sets of doors you see today (can't remember what was originally next door). I guess they expected most people to order take out, but it was always packed inside. Needless to say, it was with much appreciation (and common sense) that they expanded into the adjacent space. —OldDavis73

2011-08-31 14:46:01   Dos Coyotes has to be hands down my #1 favorite restaurant of all time. I love it for the food quality, prices, ambiance, and environmental awareness. The food tastes very good (and it always fills me up). This is hardly going out on a limb when I say this, it's better than any Mexican restaurant (authentic and unauthentic) that I've ever been to (there are many here in the Sacramento region). I've been a loyal customer since 2004.

I don't know what people are talking about when they say the portion sizes have shrunk. If anything, they overfeed you. More than half of my coworkers cannot eat an entire burrito from Dos in one sitting. With Americans as fat as we are, we should reduce our portion sizes anyway. I don't drink soda or bottled drinks so I can't comment on others' views about the Dasani water other than "Who cares? It's just filtered water. If you really have a problem, just filter your own tap water and bring it with you, it's more cost effective that way anyway. You're worried about the wrong things."

Being a vegetarian, I find that restaurants are generally disappointing with their vegetarian options, they often treat it as a meal for birds or extremely overweight people on diets. Dos Coyotes is aware that vegetarianism is much more than getting healthy. They ensure that their beans, rice and whatever else going into a vegetarian plate does not include animal byproducts (other than cheese). Mistakes happen, meat found it's way into my quesadilla once, but I showed the manager and she gave me a replacement meal so I wasn't at a loss at all (handled it perfectly). They also don't cook with lard or MSG which is a positive note for everyone. They're proportion sizes are right on target.

Environmentally, they don't use Styrofoam or plastic bags. They use paper bags and foil for takeout.

I am a loyal Dos customer. My co-workers have even come up with a catch phrase for me (and the restaurant): "Have you had your daily Dos?" I came up with another one: "Uno, Dos, Coyotes!" I hope they expand all over America to disprove the nay-Sayers. —KyleG

2011-08-31 20:15:32   @KyleG, your loyalness is noted, but IF you work for Dos Coyotes it is okay to mention it on the Wiki, because your comment is beautifully scripted, I will admit that. Either you work for them, or you are a customer who should get a tattoo on your leg of DosCoyotes. I am leaning toward that you are a customer.
The food at DosCoyotes is OKAY. portions are a Exactly what you pay for. Chips are a tad bit greasy though (I am not a fan of that, but that is my personal opinion, many people like the chips greasy) —NikhilDahal

2011-08-31 22:05:07   Huh. I'm surprised I haven't left a comment here. Go figure.

Dos is awesome. It's not traditional Mexican. If you're looking for really good, traditional Mexican food, check out Taqueria Davis. If, on the other hand, you're looking for really tasty, cheap, quick Tex-Mex, this is the place to go. Their border burritos are excellent, especially with chicken... my wife and I rarely get anything else. On the rare occasion I do stray, I get one of the nacho "starters," which is a full meal by itself.

It's also worth noting that they've got the best damn salsa in town: their green tomatillo. It's fantastic. Sweet, a little spicy, little bit of crunchy texture.

Personally, I don't find the chips particularly greasy. Certainly far less greasy than Guad, although you do wind up with some semi-transparent spots on the paper bag they come in. —TomGarberson

2011-09-01 19:54:18   Back when I was freshman, it used to be quite decent.

Four years later and ate there yesterday, immediately regretted it after tasting the salsa, it tasted sweet?! no spice no sour. The burrito is flavor-less, beans was tasteless, rice was disgusting. It was just really bad. Whoever like to put sour cream in the burrito should go to jail for it.

Pick up some hot source and damn, the hot source was Louisiana hot source, it just taste wrong, its like putting soy source on hotdog. Will never come back again. —manyip

2011-10-16 10:54:51   I was chatting with the bicycle police officer downtown at the park yesterday (2011-10-15), and he stepped away to listen in on a report of an armed robbery at Dos Coyotes. I didn't find out which Dos, nor any other details, and can't find any info online (e.g. Google News). Anyone know anything? —BillKendrick

2011-12-31 14:28:55   I'm rarely in Davis but I'm at Dos Coyotes right now, enjoying the Navajo nachos. They alone are worth the trip! —MikeIvanov

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