The Allmusic review by Victor W. Valdivia awarded the album 4 stars stating "With Rey Azucar, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs made their most high-profile album to date... Earlier Cadillacs albums were rooted almost exclusively in ska, reggae, and salsa, but on this record the band developed a harder sound, interspersing thrash and punk into the mix... Another significant change is that the album, apart from some light touches, seems to reflect a darker lyrical tone. Several tracks make references to depression and suicide. It's clearly an attempt to expand their musical and lyrical range, and on the whole, the album succeeds. The songwriting isn't as fully developed as it would be later on, but it's a superb place to start".[2]