RUBIO’S
        RESTAURANTS, INC. 

      


      CONSULTING
        AGREEMENT

      


      THIS
        CONSULTING AGREEMENT
        (this
“Agreement”)
        is
        made and entered into as of September 1, 2005 (the “Effective
        Date”)
        by and
        between RUBIO’S
        RESTAURANTS, INC.,
        a
        Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
        and
TIMOTHY
        RYAN
        (“Consultant”).
        

      


      RECITAL

      


      The
        Company desires to retain Consultant as an independent contractor to perform
        consulting services for the Company, and Consultant is willing to perform
        such
        services, on the terms set forth below. 

      


      AGREEMENT

      


      NOW,
        THEREFORE,
        in
        consideration of the mutual promises set forth herein, the parties hereto
        agree
        as follows:

      


      
        	
                1.

              	
                SERVICES
                  AND COMPENSATION

              


      

      


      a. Consultant
        hereby agrees to perform the services set forth in Exhibit
        A
        attached
        hereto (the “Services”)
        under
        the terms and conditions herein provided. Consultant shall be the primary
        provider of the Services. Consultant shall coordinate with the President
        and
        Chief Executive Officer of the Company regarding the Services to be provided
        hereunder and shall report periodically to the Board of Directors of the
        Company
        as it shall direct. Consultant is aware of the internal control policies
        and
        procedures of the Company relating to the marketing function, including without
        limitation those concerning cash disbursements and contract approvals, and
        shall
        comply with and abide by all of such policies and procedures.

      


      b. In
        consideration of the Services provided, Consultant shall be entitled to receive
        $25,000 per month, payable in arrears at the end of each month, beginning
        on
        September 30, 2005.

      


      c. Upon
        the
        termination of this Agreement, the Company will evaluate the improvement,
        if
        any, in the Company’s restaurant unit volume and may, in its sole and absolute
        discretion, pay a bonus to Consultant consistent with his performance under
        this
        Agreement.

      


      d. The
        Company shall reimburse Consultant for pre-approved and reasonable expenses
        incurred in connection with the Services, such as telephone, travel and lodging
        expenses, incurred by Consultant at the Company’s request, consistent with the
        Company’s general policies for employee/consultant expenses.

      


      
        	
                2.

              	
                OWNERSHIP
                  AND ASSIGNMENT OF IDEAS

              


      

      


      a. Consultant
        shall promptly and fully disclose and assign to the Company all Ideas (as
        defined below) made by Consultant (either alone or jointly with others)
        resulting from or arising out of the Services hereunder. All such Ideas shall
        be
        the sole property of the Company. Consultant represents and warrants that
        Consultant has no obligations to any third party which prohibit or restrict
        the
        right to assign to the Company exclusive right, title and interest in and
        to any
        and all Ideas made by Consultant resulting from or arising out of the Services
        hereunder. Consultant agrees to assist the Company at the Company’s expense, and
        to execute any further documents that are necessary or appropriate, to obtain,
        maintain, or enforce patents on any Ideas in the United States and
        elsewhere.

      


      
        
           

        

        
           

          
            

          

        

        
           

        

      

      b. As
        used
        in this Agreement, the term “Ideas”
        means
        any and all inventions, discoveries, designs, formulas, technology,
        improvements, trade secrets, results of experiments, processes, techniques
        and
        know-how, whether or not patentable, which result from or arise out of services
        rendered to or on behalf of the Company and are invented, conceived, discovered,
        developed or reduced to practice by Consultant, either alone or jointly with
        others.

      


      
        	
                3.

              	
                CONFLICTING
                  OBLIGATIONS

              


      

      


      Consultant
        certifies that Consultant has no outstanding agreement or obligation that
        is in
        conflict with any of the provisions of this Agreement, or that would preclude
        Consultant from fully complying with the provisions hereof, and further
        certifies that Consultant will not enter into any such conflicting agreement
        during the term of this Agreement. During the term of this Agreement, Consultant
        will not improperly use or disclose any confidential information or trade
        secrets, if any, of any former employer or any other person to whom Consultant
        has an obligation of confidentiality, and Consultant will not bring onto
        the
        premises of the Company any unpublished documents or any property belonging
        to
        any former employer or any other person to whom Consultant has an obligation
        of
        confidentiality. Consultant will use in the performance of his duties only
        information which is generally known and used by persons with training and
        experience comparable to his own, which is common knowledge in the industry
        or
        otherwise legally in the public domain, or which is otherwise provided or
        developed by the Company.

      


      
        	
                4.

              	
                TERM
                  AND TERMINATION

              


      

      


      This
        Agreement shall be effective as of the Effective Date and shall terminate
        on
        February 28, 2006. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing
        sentence, the Company may terminate this Agreement for any reason or no reason
        upon giving three (3) days prior written notice thereof to Consultant. The
        Company may terminate this Agreement immediately and without prior notice
        if
        Consultant refuses to or is unable to perform the services hereunder or is
        in
        breach of any material provision of this Agreement. Upon such termination,
        all
        rights and duties of the parties toward each other shall cease except
        Sections
        3, 5 and 7 through 10 shall survive termination or expiration of this
        Agreement.

      


      
        	
                5.

              	
                INDEPENDENT
                  CONTRACTOR

              


      

      


      Nothing
        in this Agreement shall in any way be construed to constitute Consultant
        as an
        agent, employee or representative of the Company, but Consultant shall perform
        the Services hereunder as an independent contractor. Consultant acknowledges
        and
        agrees that Consultant is obligated to report as income all compensation
        received by Consultant pursuant to this Agreement, and Consultant acknowledges
        the obligation to pay all self-employment and other taxes thereon and that
        he
        will not be eligible for any employee benefits. Consultant further agrees
        to
        indemnify the Company and hold it harmless to the extent of any obligation
        imposed on the Company: (i) to pay withholding taxes or similar items;
        (ii) resulting from Consultant’s being determined not to be an independent
        contractor; or (iii) resulting from Consultant’s breach of his obligations under
        this Agreement and/or Consultant’s willful misconduct or gross negligence in the
        performance of the Services.

      


      
        
           

        

        
          2

          
            

          

        

        
           

        

      

      
        	
                6.

              	
                NO
                  EFFECT ON DIRECTOR STATUS; RELATED
                  MATTERS

              


      

      


      Nothing
        in this Agreement shall in any way affect Consultant’s status as a member of the
        Company’s Board of Directors or be construed to grant Consultant the right to
        continue to serve as a director of the Company. The consideration for
        Consultant’s services hereunder shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any
        compensation that may be paid to Consultant for his services as a director.
        Consultant understands that the terms of this Agreement may be required to
        be
        disclosed in, or filed as exhibits to, the Company’s annual proxy statement or
        other reports filed publicly with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
        Commission.

      


      
        	
                7.

              	
                EQUITABLE
                  RELIEF

              


      

      


      It
        is
        recognized and acknowledged by Consultant that a breach of the covenants
        contained in Sections 2 or 3 will cause irreparable damage to Company and
        its
        goodwill, the exact amount of which will be difficult or impossible to
        ascertain, and that the remedies at law for any such breach will be inadequate.
        Accordingly, Consultant agrees that in the event of a breach of any of the
        covenants contained in Sections 2 or 3, in addition to any other remedy which
        may be available at law or in equity, the Company will be entitled to specific
        performance and injunctive relief.

      


      
        	
                8.

              	
                ARBITRATION

              


      

      


      Any
        dispute or controversy arising under, out of, in connection with or in relation
        to this Agreement and Consultant’s services to the Company or termination by the
        Company shall be determined and settled by final and binding arbitration
        in San
        Diego County, California in accordance with the rules and procedures of the
        American Arbitration Association, and judgment upon the award may be entered
        in
        any court having jurisdiction thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
        in the foregoing sentence, the discovery rules in the California Code of
        Civil
        Procedure shall apply to all arbitration proceedings instituted pursuant
        to this
        Agreement.

      


      
        	
                9.

              	
                NOTICE

              


      

      


      All
        notices, requests, consents and other communications hereunder shall be in
        writing, shall be sent by confirmed facsimile or mailed by first-class
        registered or certified airmail, or nationally recognized overnight express
        courier, postage prepaid, and shall be deemed given when so sent in the case
        of
        facsimile transmission, or when so received in the case of mail or courier,
        and
        addressed as set forth on the signature page of this Agreement.

      


      
        
           

        

        
          3

          
            

          

        

        
           

        

      

      
        	
                10.

              	
                MISCELLANEOUS

              


      

      


      This
        Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes
        all
        preexisting agreements between them respecting its subject matter. Modification
        of this Agreement shall only be binding if made in writing and signed by
        both
        parties. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held illegal or
        unenforceable, the validity, legality, or enforceability of the remaining
        provisions of this Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired
        thereby. The rights and obligations of the Company under this Agreement shall
        inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon its subsidiaries, successors
        and assigns. Consultant shall not be entitled to assign any of his rights
        or
        obligations under this Agreement. In the event of any litigation concerning
        any
        controversy, claim, or dispute between the parties hereto, arising out of
        or
        relating to this Agreement, the breach hereof, or the interpretation hereof,
        the
        prevailing party shall be entitled to recover from the other party expenses,
        including reasonable attorney fees, and costs incurred therein. This Agreement
        shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State
        of
        California, without regard to the laws that might be applicable under conflicts
        of laws principles. Consultant has engaged his own legal counsel and other
        advisors in connection with this Agreement, or has had the opportunity to
        do so
        and has freely elected not to. Consultant acknowledges that the Company’s
        outside legal counsel in connection with this Agreement has represented solely
        the Company, and has not represented Consultant in connection with the
        preparation and negotiation of this Agreement.

      


      [Signature
        Page Follows]


      
        
           

        

        
          4

          
            

          

        

        
           

        

      

      


      IN
        WITNESS WHEREOF,
        the
        parties hereto have executed this CONSULTING
        AGREEMENT
        on
        September 16, 2005.

       

      
        	
                Consultant:

                 

                
                  Signature: 
                    /s/
                    Timothy
                    Ryan                         
                    

                  Name:        
                    TIMOTHY
                    RYAN

                   

                  Address: 
                    ________________________

                                   
                    ________________________

                

              	
                The Company:

                 

                RUBIO’S RESTAURANTS, INC.,
                  a
                  Delaware corporation

                 

                
                  By: 
                    /s/
                    Ralph
                    Rubio                                     

                        
                     Ralph Rubio

                          Chairman
                    of the Board of Directors

                   

                  Address:         
                    1902
                    Wright Place, Suite 300

                                            
                    Carlsbad, CA 92008

                

              


      


      
        
           

        

        
           

          
            

          

        

        
           

        

      

      


      Exhibit
        A

      


      Services

      


      
        	 	
                ·

              	
                Conduct
                  an immediate review of the Company’s marketing program, personnel and
                  outside marketing and advertising agencies.


              


      

      


      
        	 	
                ·

              	
                Evaluate
                  the abilities, potential and effectiveness of Company marketing
                  personnel
                  and outside marketing and advertising agencies given the business
                  goals of
                  the Company for the remainder of 2005 and fiscal year
                  2006.

              


      

      


      
        	 	
                ·

              	
                Prepare
                  marketing and advertising plan for the remainder of 2005 with the
                  objective of returning “same store sales” to an annual growth rate of 3%
                  to 5%, and work with management to implement such plan. If the
                  marketing
                  and advertising plan requires the amendment or termination of any
                  contractual arrangements, Consultant will coordinate with management
                  to
                  achieve such changes in accordance with the Company’s internal operating
                  procedures. 

              


      

      


      
        	 	
                ·

              	
                Unless
                  specifically authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company,
                  all
                  marketing and advertising plans are to be capable of being implemented
                  within the Company’s existing budget for such items. All actions taken to
                  carry out such plans shall conform to the Company’s internal control
                  policies and procedures.

              


      

      


      
        	 	
                ·

              	
                Deliver
                  progress reports, including recommendations requiring Board action,
                  to the
                  Board of Directors of the Company at least
                  monthly.