Folsom restaurant reopens as 'Hacienda Real'

A beloved Folsom restaurant reopened March 21. The former Hacienda del Rio was renamed Hacienda Real Mexican Grill and Cantina, or Hacienda Real for short. It is located at 702 Sutter Street. Hacienda del Rio closed in December 2022 while ownership changed after previous owner Chris Corda sold the restaurant in December 2021. "We would like to thank our customers for all their support throughout the years," Corda said in a statement in December 2022. "Thank you for over 35 years, The Hacienda has brought great Mexican food and a fun atmosphere to Sutter Street in historic Folsom." Corda was honored by the Folsom City Council on Feb. 14 for serving Folsom. Hacienda del Rio was a staple in the Folsom Historic District and has always felt "like home" to Corda, according to a presentation at the meeting. Corda passed the torch to Michael Sanson, who also owns Plank Craft Kitchen and Bar at 608 Sutter Street and previously owned Rock-N-Fire in Folsom before it closed in October 2022. Hacienda Real has a brand new menu to offer with beers and margaritas, fresh mex options and traditional favorites. Their new menu can be found on their Facebook page. "The secret to Mexican cuisine is simple," said Hacienda Real's website. "We use the best quality ingredients, beautiful course presentation and respectful attitude both to the product and to those who prepare it." Hacienda Real's reopening has been met with mixed reviews, according to Yelp. The majority of unsatisfied customers have said the long wait times have negatively affected their experiences. Sanson directly responded to the reviews, addressing the wait time. To one review, he responded, "On just our 5th day being open and a super busy Saturday, I should have cut my restaurant in half as our kitchen just was not ready for the amount of guests that filled the restaurant up. We are doing a lot of great things, but today it was all my fault for not knowing exactly where the kitchen was. I hope you'll give us another shot." From 4- to 5-star reviews, the majority of customers stated the food and drinks were delicious and the service was "on point," as Yelp reviewer Sarah W. said.