Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant

My boyfriend and I enjoyed this place. It also seems like a nice place to bring a family-type group as well. Reasonable number of food options, I enjoyed the mini margarita drink. Even got a few little chunks of mango while sipping! Burrito was a good size. Salsa dish is a little shallow but staff will bring refills so that was fine. It was fun playing a bit of corn hole in front before leaving.

Pleasantly surprised! We've had this restaurant on our list for years and finally tried it on a Friday night! We were seated immediately. Every item on my plate was delicious. I had the shrimp fajitas. I paired it with a frozen man berry margarita and wow it hit the spot! Tyler was so attentive and friendly and the atmosphere here is lovely. I thought we would hear the music from the Karaoke bar next door but we didn't. Draft beer is also very good. If you have had this restaurant on your list as well, you should give it a try!

Finally got to come here and I was not disappointed. Greeted very friendly and nice, our server was very nice and attentive. The menu is small and the food is good. Overall, it was a good diner. I would come here again if I was in the neighborhood. I probably would not go out of my way to come here. I ordered jalapeños caps. I really liked out they were lightly breaded. We ordered the fajitas, and the steak was good. Kids eat free after 4pm on sundays.

I came to this restaurant looking for authentic Mexican food, but unfortunately, what I found was far from it. This place feels more like an Americanized version of a Mexican restaurant—clearly adapted for a different market and not reflective of true Mexican cuisine. I ordered tacos, carne asada, a fish taco, and carnitas, just to be sure it wasn’t a one-dish mistake—but sadly, none of them tasted authentic. The salsas lacked real flavor and heat; in fact, some were oddly sweet. The food was a huge letdown and nowhere near the standards of genuine Mexican cooking. What frustrated me the most is that they label this as "Mexican food." That’s misleading. It would be more honest to call it “American food inspired by Mexican flavors,” served by non-Latino staff. As someone who deeply values my culture, this felt like a culinary insult. The only positive note: the blond gringo waiter was kind and attentive—not his fault the food didn’t live up to expectations.

I’ve been coming here for YEARS. I previously left a good review and had to delete that after today’s experience. I received a DIRTY GLASS WITH LIP MARKS, absolutely disgusting and inexcusable. Not only that, house marg isn’t what it use to be, gross and watered down. We ordered a Corona Rita.. awful. Thank God for the bar guy who was friendly and accommodating when I told him it wasn’t good. He said the house mix just sits in a large jug. Gross. This use to be our go to for a strong marg, not anymore.

We had our rehearsal dinner there last weekend in the private, upstairs balcony room. It was an amazing experience and a super casual, fun atmosphere in which to catch up with all of our friends and family flew in from out of town for our wedding! It was an awesome choice of location as well, because our room block was at the Element hotel, so our guests did not have to worry about drinking and driving. It was a simple, three minute walk from the front door of the restaurant to their hotel. Everybody loved the margaritas and the taco bar and the service was awesome! (We had a little under 60 guests, of which about 12 were under 18, so it was super fun for kids as well! Planning this event was made extraordinarily easy due to the awesome communication and customer service from Juan Mendoza, and Julio Vazquez, who absolutely contributed to lowering my wedding planning stress!:) We highly recommend this for an event like that, but we also love going to this restaurant as a family for family dinners!

Had a 5 star before, but tonight was different. Food was mediocre this time followed by our non-existent waitress. Came to the table a total of 4 times. Never checked on us after we got our food, we were going to order dessert but the check was hastily dropped off before we could even ask. Seemed she didnt care to be there tonight. Lost some hope for return to the Rio from now on.

The atmosphere and staff were amazing! It felt right like home. The food though was definitely 4 stars. The green chili = five stars! Overall, a great dining experience.

They were just like I remembered from when they were downtown! With two exceptoons.. the margaritas were famous downtown, they were just ok here and pricy. The queso was just ok also. The 4 meals were great. the chicken tostada, Baja tacos. Steak burrito and steak enchilidas were on point.

The place seems very clean, there service was nice and food smelled amazing not sure about the flavor but it looks good

Happy Hour is $8 margaritas containing Three (3) shots tequila. Not bad. Free chips and salsa. Atmosphere is comfortable, but music, if any, was forgettable. Service was great! Perfectly attentive, quickly reloading glasses for hours, unobtrusively attending to guests that wanted to chat.

Let's start with the salsa. Excellent taste and has lots of tomato rather than watery chili pepper. They have great Bloody Mary's. I ordered mine without the bacon strip. Bacon in a Bloody Mary? The huevos rancheros also were very good. I altered the order with black beans, no potatoes, and soft corn tortillas. Service was good and interior was modern and clean. I'm coming back. Wait, I have come back several times.

We went last night for a work dinner and I think it was just okay. We got there in time for happy hour and we enjoyed the queso. We ordered the jalapeño caps and they were cooked with the seeds in which made them SPICY! - I definitely thought they would be more jalapeño popper type but nope it was literally fried jalapeños. I had the strawberry marg mocktail which was delicious. It was just like the real version except without alcohol. I enjoyed their selection of mocktails. I had the shrimp and crab enchiladas. There was a generous portion of cheese that felt like too much. It definitely had shrimp but I did not notice any crab. My co worker had the relleno and said it was delicious. Our server was quiet and awkward and we basically could not hear him. He was too soft spoken to be a server

Man this place has changed so much since I worked here back in 2004. I mean to see the restaurant cut in half and the kitchen moved was definitely odd, it's like the couldn't afford the other half of the building haha. So much character to this place though, service wasn't bad but I mean we came at lunch during the week. Chips an salsa never disappoints here. Don't get me wrong it's a decent place to eat but it was better back in the day.

The service was good and the outdoor patio is nice. Their strong suit is their margaritas, they do not skimp on tequila. But the food is average at best. The Fajitas had literally 2 slices of peppers and the shrimp was a little dry. The rice however was surprisingly good. Their salsa is good too. So not bad overall, I'd come back for drinks and a snack on the patio. Also, they have many gluten free options that are clearly marked on the menu

Dropped in for a late lunch with a friend. Ordered Tortilla Soup. Disappointed. The presentation was great ... bowl (actually a bit small) with tortilla strips, chicken, avocados, etc., then from a separate carafe the soup base was poured into the bowl. The soup was just okay. The tortilla soup at Guadalajara in Castle Rock is way better.

Came in for lunch with my husband and daughter. The restaurant seemed short staffed. The waiter was pleasant. He was doing his best to wait tables and bar tend. A few guys came from the back to help out. We appreciated the effort. Food was great. Staff is great. We always enjoy stopping in.

The best strawberry margarita in town! I got both the regular and the strawberry and the strawberry by heart is the best. I got the nachos, completely delicious. And I appreciated the way they laid out the chips flat, so that all of the toppings could be divided amongst the chips.

I don't live in Denver anymore but every time I come home to visit, Rio is a MUST! Sebastian is a phenomenal server! He goes above and beyond, anticipating needs, and makes sure to provide the best possible experience! The drinks and food are wonderful! If you haven't been here, you have to try it! Highly recommend!

Place is really nice and clean on the inside! The lunch special seemed like a really good deal until the tacos came out and they were tiny with almost no filling. Food was mediocre. Salsa, however was YUMMY and the chips came out warm! Would be back if someone invites me but won't be going out of my way

Overall, I had a great experience at this place. They served chips & mild salsa once I'm seated in. I requested them to bring a hot salsa. Their hot salsa was too good. I decided to try one of their Lunch specials. (Taco combo) Pan seared Mahi Mahi, Beer braised Carnitas and Grilled salsa shrimp. All three were decent. I liked their tortilla too. Once you go inside the restaurant, you'll know how much bigger it is.

12 bucks for a little shallow bowl of velvita they called queso. They're scamming here. Go here if you got money to blow on some bs with mid ingredients. 16 bones for 3 "street" tacos is crazy. You can make 20 street tacos for the same price, it would taste better, and take the same amount of time.

Everything needs approving here. We used to go to this place every Friday. But today the service is lazy and slow. The food under seasoned and light on any protein that you order. The Guacamole needs seasoning, spice and lime. So bland. Too bad this one won't last much longer. The people in LT are too smart.

Okay, the food is NOT great. The happy hour quesadilla was tiny, barely stuffed, and toasted rather than griddled. The jalapeño coins had a little bite, but the cornmeal breading was meh. The nachos were sad. My margarita was mostly ice. Literally about 4-5 sips of the drink, I think. Very disappointing. Not a fan of ice loaded over the top of the glass. BUT...the service is great, very friendly, and the atmosphere is fun. I've eaten here before. It's not GOOD Mexican food, but it's not "Old Casa Bonita" BAD, either. It's mostly meh. I do have a friend who eats brunch here EVERY Sunday. I have a standing invitation to join him. Maybe I should. It's possible that the brunch food is better than the happy hour food.

This restaurant is much larger inside than it looks from the outside. My family ended up here because the two other places we usually go in the area had closed. Overall the food wasn't bad, but wasn't good. The enchiladas were lacking seasoning and the chile rellenos barely had any cheese in them (or seasoning). My kids got nachos which was a small plate of chips with some cheese melted on it.

Disappointed dinner here. Food has no flavor. The salsa taste like it came from a jar. The service is inattentive. The ambiance is nice.

Used to go to the one Downtown, but I can't stand going into Denver anymore, so we tried the one in Lone Tree. The salsa was excellent, we had the beef/chicken fajitas for 2, and should have went with just beef because it was so tender and good. Service was great, we went on a Saturday around noon, so it was not very crowded. Will definitely go again.

Tried again to see if it was just me. Service is still terrible even with a different waiter. Margs are good. Food is 7/10. Would much prefer other Mexican restaurants but their wait is over an hour. Next time I think I'll wait the hour just to avoid this place.

Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant is a TexMex staple in Colorado. I have been going here since I was a little girl and have loved this restaurant since; the difference is now I get to imbibe in their famous margaritas! We dined here for a double date at the Rio location in Lone Tree & had the best time. We arrived at Rio and were seated in a booth by the bar. The restaurant was lively as patrons enjoyed generous plates of classic Mexican fare & margaritas. The restaurant staff were awesome. Tequila Ambassador Jeff, General Manager Michelle, and server Tyler took great care of us. Jeff has been with Rio for 20+ years which speaks volumes to Rio caring for their employees & treating them like family. The restaurant clearly invests in their staff which translates into amazing service. I started off our meal with The Classic Rio Marg made with a legendary mixture of tequila, salt and lime on the rocks. Nothing beats a Classic Rio Marg (this got me buzzing). Each sip was fresh and crisp with the tequila balancing out the acidity of lime juice perfectly. The Rio carries over 80 different tequilas; all hand-selected and tested by Jeff & Rio's leadership team. We were able to try the Clase Azul Mezcal made in Durango Mexico. This Mezcal was one of the best I've ever had; it was extremely smooth and had an all encompassing earthy & smoky aftertaste that sexily lingered on the tongue. Brooke had the Agave Martini made with Don Julio reposado, grand marnier, orange liqueur, fresh citrus, and green olive. This cocktail had a sweet start followed by citrus notes. For Appetizers we had the Chile Con Queso and the Diabla Shrimp Empanadas. The Chile Con Queso was made with a cheese blend and pico de gallo. This is my favorite queso in town. The TexMex dip was silky smooth with perfect cheesy taste. The Diabla Shrimp Empanadas were made with sautéed shrimp, chile de árbol sauce, and jack cheese. The shrimp had firecracker spice and chew in that texture paired well with the crisp fried exterior of the empanada. We got to try one of the new special menu items - the Mexican City Chicken Tacos. The spicy, crispy fried chicken topped a bed of bright slaw and was drizzled with hot honey. Brooke had the grilled Steak Fajitas served with rice, black beans, grilled veggies, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, and flour tortillas. The steak was covered in rich marinade prior to grilling making it flavorful. The meat was tender and juicy and paired beautifully with the bright medley of grilled veggies. Ross had the Rio Classic Chile Rellenos made with in-house roasted green chiles stuffed w/ cheese & sautéed veggies, and lightly fried. The roasted poblano pepper had a crisp, fried exterior that gave way to the soft vegetable stuffed with melty cheese. I had the Crab & Shrimp Enchiladas made with Atlantic red crab, shrimp, jack, and tomatillo sauce. The corn tortillas were generously filled with sweet shrimp and crab and coated in savory sauce. Marcus had the Tacos A La Carte and had 1 Baja Fish taco, 1 Steak taco and 1 Cilantro-Lime Grilled Chicken Taco. The Baja Fish taco was made with Haddock, tortilla, cabbage, and a Mexican-style crema, Valentina™ hot sauce. For dessert we had the Crispy Sopapilla made with tortilla dough, cinnamon, and sugar. The homemade sopapillas were thoroughly coated in cinnamon sugar making for sweet bites. The fried, puffed dough was flakey and soft and stood out with a drizzle of honey.

Wanted a taco salad w fajita meat. Was told that the steak tostada was similar (it wasn't). Asked for dressing and was charged $2.50 for a capful! Food was okay at best.

Expensive for what we received. We ordered the surf and turf fajitas ($45) for 2 after being reassured it would be enough for 2 people. We received a cold plate with four strips of steak, 4 overcooked shrimp and cold soggy veggies. Margs were okay but tasted like margarita mix. We will not go back and will not recommend to others.

I frequent the rio, so obviously I have a lot of good things to say! The service here is always good. Hostesses are polite, and servers are always attentive. I change up my food order frequently, but consistently get the strawberry margaritas. Their margaritas are delicious and strong! I can't say I've had any disappointing food or experience here. The restaurant is spacious and has an upstairs portion as well, which I love. I definitely recommend stopping here if you haven't!

Had the chicken and steak fajitas for two and they came out luke warm. I've never had a fajita plate that didn't arrive at the table sizzling but we were a party of ten so we went ahead and ate them. The rice and beans were also cold. Portions were small and overall, it was awful. We pretty much got the same feedback throughout the table but I'm only reviewing our meal. Margaritas were good, service was ok.

Head the Big Tex margarita, yummy ! I also had the chicken burrito smothered with the spicy green chili ! Nice large portion ( I couldn't finish it) but man oh man it was delish ! Great food all around . Oh and we loved the regular house salsa ...spicy !!!

I attended a 50th Birthday party here this evening. After 3 drinks (3 only, total), the bartender told me I was drunk and abruptly gave me my bill. Nothing lead up to this. No argument. No loud behavior. No cussing. Nothing. I asked to speak with the manager. While he plainly stated that there was nothing about my appearance that would suggest intoxication or actions deemed out of bounds, he firmly stated that despite all common sense, he was going to stand behind his bartender. He also then became tremendously condescending and rude. Again, no yelling, no cussing, no loud behavior, no rudeness, nothing. I was in a large group who were all astonished that I had been cut off. Absolutely zero provocation. I am still in awe.

It was nearly $150 for an appetizer of queso, 2 fajita orders, and 4 drinks. Additionally, I didn't appreciate seeing a 5% service surcharge on top of 20% gratuity. I really dislike eating in this post-COVID world. Service was decent but it's not really a good business practice. Restaurants should just adjust the price of their food accordingly. Overall the food didn't have much flavor and drinks were just ok too. Nothing wowed me about any of the items.

Have not been here in many years. Was a little disappointed the hostess was not friendly at all felt like we were inconveniencing her. We sat in the bar, great spot with a fun biz of other diners, clean and comfy. Our waiter was amazing! We had drinks, fish tacos, hubs, they were just ok. We had the tortilla soup great flavor BUT SOOOO salty. We shared a guac now that needed salt. If you don't know they have other salsas beside the plain red they bring out, we love the atomic a but spicy but yum. I had the the steak tostada, the steak was cooked perfect, delicious. Big so you need to use a fork kinda like a black bean salad with steak and guac on top of a tostada.

Service was great, price was reasonable, food was very good. The reason for the 4 stars and not 5 is because; if I may suggest to the chef, always, throw the corn/flour tortilla on the grill for 30 seconds. Grilling it makes it taste better and most importantly, it will hold up better in a taco. The Tacos were wrapped with a corn tortilla straight out of the bag, cold and flimsy. By the time I got to my third taco, I picked it up and the tortilla was soggy and could not hold the taco together. It's a simple extra process, but it's so much better.

Sat at the bar on a Tuesday afternoon which I could smell sewer gas for starters. There were only 3 others seated but took 10 minutes to be acknowledged. I ordered a beer and asked for a menu. Waiter served the beer but waited another 10 minutes for a menu. When waiter took my order I pointed specifically at the HH area of the menu and requested the chicken quesadillas. I only ordered those because I was shocked by how limited and expensive all the other options were. They were meh at best for what I thought was going to be the HH price only to be surprised I was charged full price. When I asked my waiter about this he said it was past HH. Why he did not tell me that when he knew I had ordered from the HH area of the menu is beyond me. Also I had to ask for a napkin and was never provided silverware either. Save your money, this place is a dump and the food prices and quality reminded me of Casa Bonita before it was remodeled.

Had the best service experience tonight. Showed up with four of us at 6:15 on a Friday night and seated immediately. Our server was rock solid. Very attentive and asked us if we wanted recommendations and more chips and refills. Even the bus boys were super attentive and asked if we needed anything. The food was average (as always) and drinks were on point (as always). Great night because of the service!

We've been coming to this location for years. It's our go-to spot anytime in Denver. My wife and I visited the Rio this Cinco de Mayo to enjoy some of their housemade margaritas, only to be disappointed that they were watered down. All 4 just tasted like the mix they use. As mentioned above, we have been coming here for years, so we have had the margaritas a few times. I hope this wasn't planned due to the holiday and to save money.

Try this place ! Food is the BEST AUTHENTIC FRESH MEXICAN Cuisine that I enjoyed compared to other local Mexican restaurants. Very flavorful and fresh ! Service was amazing- attentive , friendly, but not obtrusive This place will be our go to!

Thursday, reservation for 8, at 6:00pm. Arrived a little early and grabbed a HH strawberry margarita at the bar. Good choice. On time seating, complimentary chips and salsa, and another margarita. Several waiters seamed to tag team our table and it worked well. All were friendly and efficient. Orders were taken and filled promptly. The kids had the chicken fingers and fruit. The chicken fingers were consumed completely so they must have been good. Chicken fajitas were good, but nothing special. Tortilla soup, shrimp tacos with pineapple, chicken nachos, and a breakfast burrito were all considered to be okay. The green chilI was the only item that scored high praise. If you're looking for decent mexican food this place fills the bill. Yes, we would go again.

Amazing food. Great margaritas. Everything was fresh. Great service. Ivan at the bar is the best.

When this restaurant first opened it was great however, it's has gone down hill the past several years. The food is mediocre and over priced for what you get. I would say it's over rated and has ran its course for popularity.

My boyfriend and I wanted fajitas and margs this evening.. we had two options, Hacienda or Rio Grande. We always LOVE Hacienda's chips and salsa, margaritas, and fajitas but we had never been to Rio Grande so we decided to go there for a change. We were VERY disappointed from the get go. First, the place just felt dingy and dirty. Then the chips came in a tiny bowl and looked like someone sat on them. The deal breaker was the "steak" fajitas or should we say "dry pot roast" fajitas? The so called steak was stringy and dry and needed to be cut into tiny pieces in order to eat it. Also the vegetables (peppers and onions) came out practically whole and had to be cut. VERY DISAPPOINTING!! We wished we went to Hacienda. The positives: Manager comped our fajitas, was very apologetic, and tried to remedy the situation. Margaritas were good.

Love this place they have a vegan and gluten friendly menu. I usually get their veggie quesadillas they come with poblano peppers and mushrooms they are super yummy!! They also have a killer desert menu! Def a must as well is the mango margaritas they are super good and if u put strawberries in it it has real strawberry purée not from concentrate

We come here all the time and order fajitas. I always have left overs. Price is usually 24.95 for chicken or around 29.95 for combo. Always plenty of food. Ordered the combo fajitas tonight and there was only half the meat. When we asked about it, they said oh it's to make the price is cheaper and now they have a fajitas for one24.95 person or fajitas for two people 40. The fajitas for two have twice the meat or essentially the same amount of meat as they used to have when you just ordered a combo fajita. Another example of just corporate trying to gaslight you into thinking you were getting a deal. So just order the skirt steak and a side of chicken to get essentially the same pricing as before. This has been a public service announcement.

I like places that are consistent and Rio Grande is very much that. Their margaritas are always yummy (I don't know if they're the best in town as they claim, but they're great, I also love that they have a mini! What a great idea! When you just want the taste but not a full on buzz! We stopped in for happy hour so we just shared the nachos, yum! A big tray of heart anchors with big chunks of chicken, beans and cheese and they toppings are equally distributed- not a big pile of bake chips hiding under one layer that has tons of toppings. Oh, and the jalapeños! Watch out, they are actually spicy. Delicious, I need to come here more often!

I've been going to Rio Grande for years! The Lone Tree location and the Denver location, and every time the food is amazing, service is amazing just always consistent. It's one of my favorite Mexican restaurants ever! The jalapeños caps are amazing! The guacamole, the Chile con queso, the tacos and of course their margaritas!! I usually get the pork burrito with green chili, or the steak quesadillas! I just can't say enough great things about this place! Delicious!

This was always a great go to place for appetizers and margaritas. I'm sad that this has changed, all for the worse. We wondered why it was so easy to get in at dinner time on Mother's Day. Wonder no longer. Our Marg's arrived with a very weak color. The taste was worse. Watered down and nothing like we've always loved. We spoke to our server, Jeffrey, who took them back & replaced with 2 new ones. Deeper in color...better. We split the Steak Nachos. They used to be piled high on a platter. These were served on a small tray with meager offerings. Very little cheese. The steak was cooked well, but the pieces were a little large for finger food. With the exception of Jeffrey, who was delightful, we were very disappointed In our dining experience at Rio. Doubt that we'll be returning anytime soon.

The food at "The Rio" is always great. Even with their pandemic pared down menu, there is still way too much to choose from. I have never had anything there that I didn't absolutely love. Their margaritas - frozen or on the rocks - are the best anywhere in Colorado. And I really appreciate the fact that they still have their "igloos" outside for people like me who can't bring themselves to be anywhere near other people yet. The staff were all wearing masks and the bartender actually waited on us in our igloo. The menu is accessed by the QR code on the table. The service was friendly and efficient, if not as fast as it would have been inside. I felt very safe from a health standpoint. There were even strings of lights and a space heater inside the igloo to keep people comfortable. I appreciate the way the Rio staff showed concern for their customers - as well as the great food and margaritas.

this experience at Rio was quite frustrating as we took our dog and intended to eat on the patio. Our dog did not even enter the restaurant, immediately upon the hostess coming outside on the patio and seeing our dog, she said that we cannot have it on the patio per her manager, and said that we had to tether our dog on the outside of the patio. I mentioned my dog is an esa and the hostess didn't blink an eye. We brought our dog, as with past visits we have seen several other dogs on the patio right next to their owners and under the tables. This is absurd as we live in Colorado and lead to a negative experience as Colorado is a very dog friendly population. We intended to get margaritas as well as food and due to our dog not being allowed on the patio, we only got minimal food and left quickly. quite frustrating as we live within walking distance and tend to be weekly guests, we want to be able to bring our dog. our dog is trained to not in tercer with the wait staff.

This location was once a great place to go, but it seems worn out, and although the staff are nice enough, they seem to be a bit slack and sloppy for the kind of place it should be (they seem to wear whatever). The food was a big disappointment vs. what I've remembered at this and other locations. Almost no kick to the green chili sauce, and the chicken burrito meal is almost flavorless (and way too low on salt). My wife's fajita meal was similarly unremarkable, and this time we didn't order tacos, although they looked good, but overpriced. Without any hyperbole, two chicken burritos at Taco Bell would have been tastier, and at home I could have added some green chili on top. That said, the service was at least friendly when available, and at least the music was pleasant (thankfully no hip-hop or RnB--thank you). This place could be turned around with some tweaks addressing the above. Needs to happen, given the high pricing.

I'm not sure why this place only has three stars. I'm from Texas and can appreciate call any Mexican food. This isn't your typical Tex-Mex it definitely has a mid western flair but everything is fresh and made to order. We were greeted immediately upon arrival. Sat within one minute And server by Taylor. The guacamole was a Great as the service! Food came to the table quickly! Skinny margaritas were refreshing and we had two... Orders were prepared as ordered. Portions were good for the value. I recommend this restaurant Ask for Tyler!!! (You won't be disappointed)

The WORST "Mexican" food I have had in my life! We tried it out since it was near our home and we were going to catch a movie after. We ordered what I thought was guacamole and chili con queso as appetizers. We received avocado mush and melted Velveeta cheese. Each appetizer was over $10. For Velveeta cheese? That is an absolute rip off! The "Guacamole" had sprinkled parsley and iceberg lettuce under it instead of cilantro. Who puts parsley in guacamole? I'm sorry but this place is gross. If you want authentic Mexican food this is not the place to go. If you want to stumble into this restaurant after having a few at the bar across the way and want strong drinks and don't really care what the food taste like, then this is the place for you.

I was hoping that Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant would remind me of the Mexican found in New Mexico...unfortunately Rio Grande was very underwhelming. My friend and I came in just in time for happy hour, but the prices seemed like that we were paying full price. On top of that, the quality of the food was very poor, too. B.A.P. Nachos: I understand that this big *** plate of nachos is supposed to be big enough for maybe 4 people, but the appearance was underwhelming. It was on a flat sheet with a single layer of chips which I am assuming is to get enough cheese, beans, meat, and whatnot on each chip. This is just personal preference, but I would much rather have a heaping pile of everything on a bed of chips which allows me to make my own chip with toppings. However, it seemed the plate may have been sitting out for a while. It was not hot, the cheese was pretty much not melted anymore. Also, the meat and beans were dried up. 3 dollar tacos: My friend and got 4 different kinds tacos and there was a huge difference between all of their flavors. The tacos were a measly maybe 6 inch diameter tortilla with general contents of small amounts of meat and some vegetables. I guess we get what we pay for... Listed from worst to best: Shrimp: there was absolutely no flavor. I literally could not taste anything, almost as if there was no seasoning or sauce in it. Fish: the fish was fried and smother in a spicy sauce that pretty much overwhelmed the entire flavor of the taco. At least it had flavor. Chicken: Pretty much the general taco description with chicken meat. Steak: Surprisingly the meat had the perfect amount of seasoning was the best one of the four. Chile con queso: This was actually the best part of the meal and my friend and I even found ourselves dipping the nachos in this cheese because we liked it (I hope this an idea of how much we disliked the nachos). The green chile actually had a kick to it which is how chile con queso is supposed to be and how many other restaurants fail to achieve. Props to the Rio Grande for getting this right. Finally, the service was not great. Coming from the restaurant service, I would expect our server to check up on us often, especially in a restaurant where they serve chile and customers often desire water. We saw our server four times: once to discover that someone else got our order, a second time to ask how our meal was, third to drop off the check, fourth to pick up the check. I will probably not come here again, especially with other restaurants nearby.