El Rio Verde Restaurant

First impressions aren’t great. Old rundown building with gravel parking lot. But when we pull up and there’s 25 to 30 cars outside, you know it’s gotta be good. Once you walk in you can tell it’s a quaint old diner that’s been converted into a Mexican restaurant but still has the swivel barstools at the front counter. The menu is simple, one page front and back, but as I learned, it’s very authentic. On this trip, I tried the signature wet burrito with shredded beef as it comes highly recommended and a classic Mexican taco with Al Pastor. Both are out of this world. It left me wanting more as I couldn’t get enough of this authentic Mexican food and this little restaurant. It’s off the beaten path, but definitely worth the side trip to this little quaint restaurant for out of this world Mexican.

Best authentic Mexican food around. Good price. No complaints. I’m hunting for best Mexican tacos in Tulsa. This place has the #1 spot for now…friendly people, didn’t get mugged which is always nice.

Absolutely love this place. I always stop here when I'm in town. I love their wet burrito and bring a storage container with me so I can fly back home with an extra one for lunch the next day. Excellent food and excellent service!!

Stopped here on my way driving across country for lunch and was one of the best meals of my trip! Easy access right off the highway and although its in a desolate looking neighborhood, the area seemed safe. Plenty of parking in the side lot. Lots of friendly locals coming and going and was surprised at the quality of the super authentic Mexican food from this little spot. Very retro vibe inside with counter and table service. The girl behind the counter couldn't have been nicer and they had my order ready to go in 15 minutes. I ordered the chicken enchiladas and they were some of the best I have ever eaten. The red sauce was amazing. Was spicy but not hot, just the slow burn where you need to go back for more. Corn tortillas were super fresh. If I lived close by, would be in every week. Between the atmosphere, service, good prices and quality of food, you can't do much better.

Long time ago, a friend dragged me here for the so call wet burrito. Gotta say it is a burrito alright, not only it wet BUT should say it is a gigantic wet burrito. Glad to see it has not change. The chips are fresh and crysty, add a bit of salt and it is tasty! The salsa is right, if you want a bit more spicy, just add the Valentina. Must say one of the original down to earth tasty Mexican jewel in T-town! Must try, if you think you can handle the wet gigantic burrito!

Update! Came back with my husband and he fell in love! Still not a fan of the chips and salsa but these fajita steak burritos were delicious 😋 Read reviews and had to try while visiting Tulsa.. Went with a friend (we are from Mustang, OK) and my daughter in law from California. We started with chips and salsa wasn't impressed with that at all but the dinner, atmosphere and service was phenomenal 👌

We were in town for a fews days and ate here twice! We ate here on 10/1/23 & 10/3/23. The restaurant is in a sketchy looking area but, in our experience, this is where the best food is found. The place is not very big and it was packed full of people. We were greeted promptly and told to sit where we wanted. Service is excellent and everything was delicious. I had the wet burrito both times and Buttercup had tacos one time and a torta the next. I also had ceviche one time and it did not disappoint. I wish we were in the area more. We would definitely be regulars. We highly recommend this place!!! 2weekendtravelers

We tried this through take out this evening and we were not disappointed. The wet burrito is nearly two meals and amazing. The enchiladas were good but I’d ask for cheese sauce to add. They were friendly and attentive as soon as I walked in to order.

First impressions aren't great. Old rundown building with gravel parking lot. But when we pull up and there's 25 to 30 cars outside, you know it's gotta be good. Once you walk in you can tell it's a quaint old diner that's been converted into a Mexican restaurant but still has the swivel barstools at the front counter. The menu is simple, one page front and back, but as I learned, it's very authentic. On this trip, I tried the signature wet burrito with shredded beef as it comes highly recommended and a classic Mexican taco with Al Pastor. Both are out of this world. It left me wanting more as I couldn't get enough of this authentic Mexican food and this little restaurant. It's off the beaten path, but definitely worth the side trip to this little quaint restaurant for out of this world Mexican.

Loved it, loved it, loved it! I found this out-of-the-way restaurant listed on Trip Advisor and it wasn't far from where we were going for karaoke, so I decided to give it a try. The recommendation had been for the Wet Burrito, so I ordered that, with shredded beef. You can also get it with chicken or several other options, but the shredded beef sounded good to me. To begin with, the burrito is about the width of my arm. It was huge (for a burrito, my arms aren't all that). And it had both sour cream and guacamole on top, so I could try both and decide which was better (the sour cream won). The "wet" part is the sauce that they cover it with, also delicious. The place is as authentically Mexican as you can get outside of Mexico, and the people are very nice and attentive. If you've never been here, give it a chance. You'll find good food and a good price with nice people. They have a parking lot with free parking, so that's an added bonus.

Great little Mexican restaurant off the beaten path. Sounds like a place the locals know and well worth the visit. Good food, great service, and very reasonable prices. Will definitely eat here again.

I hadn't been here in 20+ years and it seems as if nothing has changed. Still great food and reasonable prices. Still excellent service. Still a little hole in the wall joint on the questionable side of the freeway. But it's still one of the best places to go in Tulsa for authentic Mexican food. Highly recommend! I forgot to take a photo of my Mexican Burrito because I was so excited to have it again--so the only photo I have is the empty plate as evidence as to how good it was!!!

Love this hidden gem. Food is always good. The service is great. Traditional Mexican made from scratch.

Gave it another chance...been so long. Not happy. Dry Mexican taco with pastor meat, pork stale and dry maybe couple days old. Vampiro was like tostado with melted cheese and carne, pretty decent. Beans and rice. Basic no flavor. Waitress never came back for refill or asked if I needed anything after dropping my plate. The 2 waitresses older Hispanic women just dry not friendly no smiles. Charge $1.50 for stale chips and salsa with no flavor, added Valentina but still nope. Had water, yea bc no refills here. Tipped but I won't be back. I knew it when I pulled in but decided let's try again. Nope

This place is fantastic! Ive never not loved my food. I truly dont believe you can have a bad visit here. I will warn you, its not your americanized food. Its legit mexican food. The service is always great and the ambiance is a bit loud. I will go back for sure and you should go too!

Great Mexican food, made fresh! This place is always a win. I'm convinced the servers are vampires because they have all been there for 20+ years. Wet burrito is a staple...and it's huge. If you have never been, you are missing out!

Could not have enjoyed the food more than we did. Chips were golden crispy and the salsa was good. Everything after was delicious also. We will be back if we are in Tulsa again.

Drove from BA which was about 25 minutes drive didn't work a drive food was okay I will not be going back nothing personal just ain't worth it

This is not the easiest place to order vegan items from yet I've been coming here regularly since they opened. In all of that time (since ~1999?) I've only experienced 1 (one) mishap with the food that was received [the exchange for what was ordered was quick and easy]. I've recently come to understand how big of a deal this is! English is a stupid language that has -rules- that are basically meaningless, pronunciation of English words is anyone's guess and still with so many of the wait staff having English as their non-primary language, they absolutely nail it every time. Mad respect for the care the staff takes to make certain they get everything right. Our orders aren't simple either e.g., "a veggie wet burrito without rice, cheese, or sour cream" or "a torta without meat, mayo... [this is what my spouse orders so I'm unfamiliar with the exact specifics to make this vegan], add beans." The amount of wait staff for whom English is their primary language that cannot get orders right at so many other places in Tulsa- at every price point- makes this extra special. The staff care, they want to get the order right, and they always do! The salsa is tasty, the guac is a good time, they serve Coke with actual sugar. This place is ab fab. Our omni friends, our vegetarian friends, everyone like this spot. The prices are more than fair, especially when one experiences such great service from the staff. I'm always happy when we eat here and am always looking forward to the next visit.

One of the BEST Mexican food places with authentic food. The food was super delicious and filling. The wet burritos were served with lots of delicious meats. I loved how they put a piece of meat/shrimp on display in the sauce so you can know which is which. The Vampiro tacos were amazing and the sauce for them was just the right temperature! Definitely going back!!!

Date of check in 3/22/23 Over the past years, I have dined at hundreds of Mexican restaurants in northeastern Oklahoma. An area I define as within the boundaries of I-40 on the south to I-35 on the west. I was searching for a Wet Burrito that would rival the Wet Burrito that has made El Rio Verde a legend and for several years, rated as the best Mexican restaurant in Tulsa. Well, nothing comes close. It is not only the best wet burrito in Tulsa, it is the best in NE Oklahoma, Period! It is what put El Rio Verde on the map. Ok, let's get down to the beans and rice of this issue. And that is a good place to start, beans and rice. Especially now, this burdening inflation has many restaurants stuffing their burritos disproportionately with rice. A cost saver, that will cost the restaurant customers. Too may times you can't find the meat. El Rio Verde continues to provide customers with an equal balance of filling: rice, beans and meat. The meat is fabulous. My top choices are the carne asada, carnitas, shredded beef and the chicken. Carnitas and shredded beef being the top two picks. Wrap all of that up in a large soft flour tortilla. The makings of a nice well-balanced burrito. The defining attribute that sets El Rio Verde apart from the competition; it is truly a wet burrito. There is a plentiful amount of tasty sauce. The menu uses the appropriate word "drenched" in salsa, not smothered, not covered, or with. There is a difference. Look at the pictures. I have had wet burritos in other restaurants that would be more appropriately called stained burritos. Very little salsa. The ample salsa does a couple of things. It softens the fluffy flour tortilla even more and allows you to dunk and sop it up with a big fork full of beans rice and meat. Enjoyment in every mouthful. There is enough tangy tasty tomato salsa to last beyond the last bite of burrito. That's a wet burrito. That's what to eat at El Rio Verde! The best! Spike's inessential commentary and misguided, unsubstantiated opinion. Some restaurants offer burritos "smothered" in queso, that are passed off as a wet burrito. Diners with little expertise in the matter, fall for the deception. So, what's the difference between wet and smothered well, think biscuits and gravy. Have you ever had wet biscuits. Or a wet chicken fried steak? No, they are smothered in gravy. I rest my case. A burrito covered in queso is not a wet burrito. Don't be a victim of this common Mexican restaurant scam! You know what a real wet burrito is and you know where to get the best.

Wet burrito is legit. I get carne asada and love it. Really enjoy going there. Glad we have in Tulsa.

We went again. This time I had the fish taco and a street taco. Still 5 stars! I love the peppers growing on the side of the building. Very good food. You like authentic Mexican food, then this is the place for you.

Was craving for a torta ahogada and this was one of the few restaurants that offered it so decided to go torta was good salsa was hot just the bread needed it to to be the original for the tortas ahogadas

Tulsa's best kept secret. Honestly. I'm hesitant to even post a review because I love it so much and there's not a lot of room inside...the atmosphere feels like a tiny diner inside someone's home. The service is always excellent and the food is superb. My family goes every weekend for Saturday morning posole. So good! Last time I visited, I ordered the single taco plate, basically licked my plate, and walked out with a full belly and ready for a nap. Enjoy!!!

Service was great. Ambiance just a small resturant. I had shrimp enchiladas. Diablo sauce was very salty not much flavor.... shrimp was kinda soggy like it was old. Ceviche was okay but not allowed to set very long so it not the ceviche I was used to in mexico. Overall a C at best. I'll try it again but not real soon.

Can't believe I haven't yelped for El Rio Verde yet. Basically El Rio Verde is life. Chips and salsa+guacamole+shrimp fajita burrito+chicken and spinach quesadilla+shrimp taco+torta asada+are a few of my favorites lol. Posole on the weekend is a real treat. Treat yourself to a cup of black coffee and a de la Rosa for dessert.

I have eaten here several times in the past few years and liked it, but I had dinner here earlier this week with a friend and I'm still sick!! I could barely eat the food, it was so gross! Canned beans, horrible rice. I ordered 3 enchiladas...the spinach enchiladas had leaves thrown in, the beef was in big chunks that tasted like charcoal, and the cheese enchilada had NO cheese! I started feeling horrible about 30 minutes after we left. The service was very abrupt and rude. NEVER AGAIN!

From out of town and came here solely because of the reviews. I was not disappointed. This burrito is flipping awesome service is great and my unsweet iced tea is actually cold and not water down from melted ice. Everything about this place is five stars. It looks shady as hell from the outside But don't worry it's a top-notch place

So happy to return each and every time!! I unfortunately don't have pics this time guy's my apologies but on our last adventure I had the pleasure of enjoying the Mojarra in garlic butter sauce. If you're into whole fried fish and absolutely love garlic as I do you're gonna enjoy this!! Accompanied by delicious beans and rice my plate was so damn good. I'll definitely be ordering it again with a extra side of beans and rice. I love their salsa over my rice it's sooo good

It's the real deal ya'll. Authentic Mexican food. Been there for years. We love it. They start you out with great chips and salsa. My husband will often have a beer that's from Mexico. The servers are friendly. I usually get the beef taco (it is shredded beef), cheese enchilada and rice and beans. My friend got the chicken enchiladas. It was so much food she took half home. My husband and friend got the bistec encebollado-basically Mexican style steak and onions. He loved it. It's not a fancy atmosphere, but welcoming. Love the oilcloth tablecloths. They always seem to have lots of business.

I used to visit El Rio Verde a lot. Their food is reasonably priced and served in hefty portions. The other plus (or impulse-buy spot ;-p) is at the front with the sweets. Get the wet burrito. No disappointments will be had!!

I love this place, but I ordered to go and got a pepper packet in the middle of my nachos, like, beneath the meat and between nachos. It was gross and reminded me that like, those chips were likely on someone's table and got recycled into my nachos, and oof. I just can't eat here anymore, even though usually their food is great. Like, how does that happen? It was covered in melted cheese and soggy and just sad. I'm sad about this.

Fast service is the plus. But we were not a fan of the food. My mom has a passion for fish tacos but these just tasted like fish sticks stuck in a tortilla. Super disappointing. They also confirmed that the fish was grilled but it was not. There was definitely a language barrier there. I adore mom and pop shops, but this one left me unsatisfied.

The best authentic Mexican food in Tulsa. Burritos, tacos and good shrimp. Smothered burritos are good. Sometimes they have Menudo and Pozole.

Love this spot, it's me and my girlfriends go to when we want good Mexican food. Service is always good. The overall vibe is very family owned and operated. Would recommend the enchiladas, especially the cheese ones. Also the queso is GREAT!

Delicious! Huge burrito that was everything you expect. Recommend if driving thru Tulsa; definitely a usual spot if you live in the area

Great food and service. Cool old restaurant. Give it a try. Their wet burrito will put you in a food comma.

I've heard about this place for awhile and finally got to try it during lunch with friends, the food was great and the service excellent! Just wish it was bigger because it was very crowded and noisy and I felt a little cramped and not relaxed.

I think this might be the best Mexican restaurant in town. Decor is forget-able Mexican restaurant with vinyl tablecloths, but the food is fresh and tasty.

Authentic Mexican cuisine & excellent service always. Highly recommended. Go off prime time because it's not very big.

My spinach enchiladas were great and very filling, and I also liked the chips and queso. It's a cute little place, and service was good. My only minor complaint is that the cleaning solution they use is very potent and not appetizing, but you do get used to it.

First visit. A bit scrappy looking on the outside. Gravel parking lot. Had numerous local "best of" awards displayed on the walls. Daughter and wife each had "wet burrito" and both were very pleased. I had the chicken quesadilla and honestly I think it was the best I have ever had. Overall very authentic Mexican food. It was packed at lunch time and the place is not large, so consider the timing when you visit. Would definitely recommend.

Another "hole in wall" restaurant located in a "sketchy" neighborhood. Recommend tagging along with someone. But gosh the food is so good here. Highly recommend the wet burrito which has really good flavor. They put the right amount of cheese inside. Most other restaurants would top their burrito with a cheesy sauce which I find is too much for someone like me. Here they top the burrito with a salsa-like sauce making it so much easier to eat. They also sell soda drink in a tall bottle which is awesome. They only downside is they won't take my Discover card...why???

If I want Mexican food this is the place in Tulsa!! I wish the place was a little bigger but who cares the food is AWESOME

Never disappoints! Thank you for the always amazing foods hat is it about el rio that is so perfect every single time. So fresh, so crisp...so happening! Amazing service!

Just outstanding food. Torta was drowned, spicy, and delicious. Few blocks from the Oursiders Movie house/museum. Perfect 1/2 bang bang

Great food and great service in an unsuspecting location! Don't miss this gem near downtown.

This is the most authentic Mexican restaurant in Tulsa thus far. A little dive near downtown with affordable food and nice employees. Super affordable and delicious. No alcohol whatsoever.

For many years El Rio Verde has served excellent Mexican food. You get authentic food because the family serves from their own family recipes they have been making at work and at home for years. As for the style it can vary depending on what you know of Mexico. Sure you can call it Tex-Mex. But it's really more than that. Think central Mexico with a smattering of coastal flavors to with it. Hint: If you give the staff a call ahead with a special request and they can accommodate. Want savory Mole over chicken? Call ahead and bring a group. You will find the dish has been added as a special for the day for all patrons to enjoy. But even if you didn't call ahead the food on the regular menu I simply and totally excellent. Not just for value. For flavor and for the cordiality this little place brings with every meal. Food I like here. Torta with any kind of meat from the menu. Wet burritos with Cabeza (Beef Cheek meant) Carnitas Tacos. Camarones al Mojo de Ajo! Super good. Enchilada Combo plate. Another Hint: No matter what meal you order you will not walk away hungry as most every portion is big enough to send you into an early Siesta. If you came for breakfast I suggest one of my two favorites. The Fajita Omelette or the Huevos Rancheros with flour tortillas. Love this place. I hope they are around for another 20+ years.

A hole in the wall with the most authentic Mexican food in Tulsa! Cheap, great service, & glass bottled coca-cola made with actual SUGAR (impeach high fructose corn syrup 2020!!).

Definitely a hole in the wall kind of place! The outside is unassuming, but yes, there's a restaurant in there! Everyone working here is super sweet and friendly. They seem like they have a love for each other and what they are doing. It is definitely on the smaller side, with a few booths and a few regular tables. I think there may also be one or two small tables outside as well. Overall it seemed fairly clean, not necessarily "spick and span" by any means, but it didn't seem dirty either. Honestly I wasn't a big fan of the chips or the salsa. The chips were the thicker kind that aren't my favorite, and the salsa was pretty thin. It wasn't totally flavorless, but it could have been better for sure. I'd say it was a mild to medium spice level. I didn't ask if they had any spicier options just seems like they probably wouldn't but maybe I'll do that next time. Aside from that, they did also have two hot sauce options on each table: valentina brand and tapatio brand. Two of my favorites! We uncharacteristically ordered queso. I thought it was good. Nothing unique that stood out about it, just your typical super cheesy flavor and a nice consistency, with just a tad bit of some heat. I was so tempted to go for their (locally famous) wet burrito, but given that I wasn't totally in love with the salsa, I felt like it wouldn't be worth it to get something where "wet" was described as "drenched in their salsa (and queso)". So instead I got chicken fajitas. You get to choose between corn or flour tortillas. I decided to ask our waitress what she thought was best (just seems like the kind of place to take recommendations from the people there) and she said corn, so that's what a did. Plus, that's what I normally get anyway, too. I was a little sad it came on a regular plate instead of a skillet like many other places, but at the same time it was nice that doing it like that saved a bit of room on the table. The rice and beans were also on the plate, so in general it was more efficient I guess. I thought the beans could have used a bit more flavor. They tasted a little watered down to me. The rice was pretty standard. The chicken was tasty and also very tender! Not sure I've had chicken that soft before haha! Good sized chunks of meat too. The peppers and onions were fine. The only part I didn't like were that they included tomatos in the mix, just because I'm personally not a fan of warm tomatoes... though I'm sure if I was they would have been fine. Just more of a personal preference there, I guess. The portion size wasn't huge (compared to sometimes how massive fajitas can be) but the price also seemed to match the meal pretty well for what it was. Not as amazing as I was maybe expecting (based on how great and super authentic people say it is) but it's not bad either. I'd probably come back, but not a place that will be a first choice. I think for me at least, what could take it up several notches is better salsa! Just one of those make or break things for me...

if you are looking for tex mex, great chips & salsa, this is not your place. if you want authentic blue collar mexican food, this place is one of the very best. from the wet burritos to the fish taco & real sugar cane sofa drinks, it is awesome.

All time favorite! The food is exceptional, seriously that wet burrito is the best dish! Their guacamole and salsa are very good. Also wonderful Mexican rice. Just coverall consistent delicious food that is fresh made and priced so nice. It's small, the outside of the building is a bit sketchy, but totally don't be turned off by that.

The prices have rose but the food is worth it! Also, if you look up online and find this place as a cheap place to eat you might be shocked.

It's ok they definitely have changed food Quality and menu options are minimal fits on 1 page not like I remember I know of food trucks with better food and $2.99 for 1 taco that's it & no taco plate so be $9 for 3 tacos and another $6 for beans and rice not worth my money anyways update really don't recommend it the manager literally just walked right by me instead of asking me if I needed anything as I'm standing at the counter really rude never come to check on our drinks had to get up and ask for my own to go box and that's when the manager walked right by me to go fold napkins

Stopped here after a Dr appointment. The wet burrito was my choice and didn't disappoint. Husband had the enchiladas. Chips, guacamole, service were all great. Wouldn't hesitate to come back.