Urban Rio Cantina & Grill

Urban Rio in downtown Plano is a fantastic spot! We had the chicken and shrimp fajitas, and they came out sizzling and packed with flavor—perfectly grilled with fresh veggies, black beans, and rice on the side. The stuffed avocado was equally delicious, with layers of chicken tinga, beans, queso, pico and onion cloud. To top it all off, it was Beer-Rita happy hour! A margarita with a mini Corona was fun and refreshing—definitely a must-try! Everything was beautifully plated and full of flavor. Great atmosphere, friendly service, and food that hits the spot. We’ll definitely be back!

Great lunch, brunch or dinner spot for Tex-Mex in historic downtown Plano. Downstairs has a good-sized waiting area adjacent to a bar. The dining area has table and booth seating. Upstairs has a larger bar plus indoor/outdoor tables (space was heated and enclosed for the winter weather). Both levels have plenty of mounted TVs. Service was great. Chips and salsa were tasty. I had the brisket tacos, (3 good-sized, delicious tacos) and a side of rice. My date ordered nachos. Portions were very generous.

We took my mom for an early Sunday dinner. The place was mostly empty, as expected. Urban Rio is an artfully decorated restaurant famous for its second story balcony overlooking the DART train tracks. It was cool and windy so we sat inside. Our table ordered the House-Smoked Brisket Tacos, Chicken Tortilla Soup, and the Tamale of the Month. The latter included two house made tamales filled with spinach, mushroom, and goat cheese topped with a rather large portion of chicken tinga and crema. The tacos and tamales came with a side of black beans and red and green rice. I also ordered a frozen margarita. The menu said it was $7 but I was charged only $4. A nice surprise. Everything was delicious. Chips come with a spicy salsa and a mild black bean dip. I would like to return for the Weekend Brunch served Saturday and Sunday from 11 - 3. The brunch menu includes chicken & waffles, a crab Benedict, and steak and eggs. Highly recommend!

My aunt told me about this place she been a couple of times.. In I live right in the area never been must say what I had was really good especially the beef skewers.. and the margarita our server Brianna love her personality! I will be back

We ate in the restaurant, not upstairs with live entertainment. Beautiful set up and wonderful atmosphere. Chips served with salsa and black refried beans flavored with something that reminded us of cinnamon... not a fan of that, but the salsa had a decent kick. Loved the flavors in the stuffed avocado, and carnitas were deliciously crispy. Service was disjointed, slow and inattentive - maybe due to training but they just couldn't get it together...

I'm not one to easily spill the beans, but I must acknowledge when something deserves credit. Wednesdays are the prime time for a $3 happy hour deal “crown and down“ or vodka 😜at the rooftop bar. While I've tried sitting downstairs, which is very nice, there's just something about the upstairs atmosphere that draws me in. It’s nothing special, but being on top with garage windows when the weather is perfect is what it is! The food is tasty! The beef skewers are a staple for me. The stuffed avocado was tasty, just needed more crunch factor. But we have no issue calling some people, relaxing with a drink in hand with the staff that are cool, down-to-earth people. Cheers!🥂

This is a great spot. They have happy hour all day everyday. The staff were warm, friendly, and efficient. The roof top bar is spacious, and has a great view. I’m in love with my experience and will be back again.

Our first visit. We chose upstairs to see what the hype was about. It was a mid Saturday afternoon and the staff was having fun, serving guests quickly, interacting and still getting the job done. We had drinks, tacos, quesadillas and dessert. From start to finish, ZERO complaints! What a fun place upstairs and a great meal! We will be back to dine downstairs or on the patio. Thank you Saturday staff for a job well done!

Amazing Nachos and Even Better Service My recent visit to Urban Rio Cantina was nothing short of fantastic. From the moment we walked in, it was clear that this place is a cut above the rest when it comes to Tex-Mex dining. Let's start with the nachos--they were absolutely amazing! Perfectly crispy tortilla chips piled high with all the right toppings, each bite was a delightful mix of flavors and textures. The cheese was perfectly melted, and the fresh toppings added a delicious contrast. If you're a nacho lover, you must try them here. But what truly set Urban Rio Cantina apart was the incredible service. After heading upstairs, we were pleasantly surprised by the vibrant and inviting atmosphere. The rooftop area offered a great view and a lively yet relaxed vibe that made our visit even more enjoyable. The highlight of our experience was undoubtedly the bartender. She was exceptional, providing impeccable service throughout our visit. It felt like she knew what we wanted before we even had to ask! Her drink recommendations were spot-on, and she made us feel welcome and well taken care of, despite how busy the place was. Overall, Urban Rio Cantina offers a wonderful combination of delicious food and outstanding service. Whether you're going for the amazing nachos or just want to enjoy a drink in a fantastic atmosphere, this place is a must-visit. I highly recommend it and will definitely be returning soon!

Appetizer of chips and bean dip is so delicious. I love their Beer-ritas, especially on Saturdays when they are cheaper. The tamale pie is one of my favorite dishes ever. It's a very nice going out spot especially on a weekend night with friends, super chill and a nice hangout spot in the area

This was the location of a co-workers retirement lunch. It was a great location with fabulous food to celebrate her. We were in the back in a private room so we had the right ambiance for the conversation with our group of around 15. I had the stuffed avocado at the recommendation of our server and it didn't disappoint. The flavor of the chicken was a great complement to the avocado and other elements of the dish. I'm glad I had the chance to check the place out and look forward to checking it out for dinner and drinks with my husband.

The food is still good but most items have gotten more expensive. On top of the higher prices, you'll gain experience in being nickel-and-dimed. $1.00 for 2 pats of butter in parchment paper $1.00 for a sliced jalapeño $1.25 for sour cream (less 2 oz) $1.50 for a few tortillas

I am the BIGGEST Urban Rio fan! From the abundant seating options, to the cheap happy hours, and you cannot forget that bean dip *chefs kiss*. The food and service always comes quick and the prices you honestly cannot beat. I'm in love with this place and you should be too!

The service was amazing. The food was even better. I've been here before for drinks but came for dinner this time. Definitely was not disappointed at all. My only complaint is the chair seats are all falling apart and need to be replaced or refinished.

Parking: It's located in downtown Plano, where there are plenty of free parking areas available. Interior: Clean. Fairly modern. Bar and restaurant downstairs. Bar upstairs. Service: Sat at the bar - amazing service by the bartender! Food: The beef skewers and cilantro fries are a must-try! The beef skewers were juicy and flavorful. The cilantro on the fries seem to be air-fried and has a nice crunch to it. The brisket tacos were delicious as well, with the meat being tender and moist. Drinks: $6 beer rita on Saturday! The old fashioned was solid. Takeaway: Can't wait to come back! Two thumbs up! :)

So I've been 4 times in the last 3 months. Service and food was great the first time. However since the first time it has never been the same. Sad to see the quality drop so low. Salsa is pretty good though!

Urban Rio is the perfect spot for brunch, lunch or dinner. I've been here at least 10 times and the service, food and drinks never disappoint. They have various happy hour specials every day of the week (see the attached photo). Urban Rio has a large seating area and bar downstairs, and the upstairs bar seats approximately 15-20. They also have an enclosed patio area upstairs. If you're looking for a good brunch spot, you have to give this place a try, I'm attaching copies of all the menus for easy reference.

Stopped by for Friday night dinner! Place has very good ambiance. We were promptly seated. Ordered Nacho Libre, Chicken Tinga Enchiladas $ side rio rice. Nachos were plenty for two people and had plenty of cheese and toppings. Tasted good as well! Chicken Tinga Enchilada's were good too! Only disappointment was the rio rice that came with enchiladas and side order. Rice was rough bits and tasted sub par! Waitress was nice enough to remove rio rice from our check

Recently dined here and overall not a good experience. Our waitress was not very friendly, brisket quesadillas were extremely oily, the soda machine was not working and it took 3 tries for me to get a "normal" soda. Only positive was the queso, it was really good! I have been here a few times over the years and this visit will likely be the last.

First visit and so far so good! I ordered the stuffed avocado, and it did NOT disappoint. I enjoyed every single bite for sure. I'll be back to try more things in the near future.

Stopped in for a margarita after dinner a a sister restaurant and was pleasantly pleased at the size of the restaurant and bar. My wife and I enjoyed a swirl margarita that had a bit too much sangria for our liking but we managed our way through it. They had a band about to come on as we were leaving so they got that going for them. We will return and have dinner in the weeks to come.

A nice touch with the chips and salsa is the refried black bean dip that is served when you are seated. The black bean dip, seems to have a touch of cinnamon, which makes it unique. The pork carnitas were very good. The carnitas are shredded with a touch of crisp to them. Served with your choice of corn or flour tortillas and selected the flour tortillas. Three tortillas come with the order, which were perfect amount for the meal. If you want a sampler of items, get a soup and an appetizer. The tortilla soup was flavorful with chicken, bits of carrots, potatoes, and topped with avocado. The could have been a little warmer as it cooled off rather quickly. The picadillo beef empanadas are a perfect combination of ground beef, potatoes, carrots and cheese (and spices). The staff were friendly and the service was good.

Was my second time here, gave it another chance and now I know not to go back! Waitress was chill and all but the food just came out extremely sub par at best. The vibes are somewhat good, but everytime my stomach just wishes I never went! On top of that I wasn't satisfied with my experience the food was if able to describe "mushy" and everything blended together in a not so good manner.

Came here for a date night/birthday celebration. The place is clean and the balcony seating was perfect (good weather day). Plenty of TV's around the room so you can catch a game or fight night! Service was a bit slow, but it was a very busy night with the World Series on. I was half way through my meal before I got the side of verde salsa I asked for. Had to ask twice. Overall food was delicious! Started off with chips and salsa, and a bean dip. Salsa is a mild spice level. Husband ordered the fajita combo (shrimp & steak). Good size too, can feed 2 people if you're not a big eater. Only came with 3 tortillas though for 1 order. I had the brisket enchiladas with queso blanco on top. GET THE QUESO! I will next time to dip with the chips! It was delicious! The Pineapple Pick Me Up was really good too. Definitely coming back to Urban Rio!

I came out with friends to celebrate Cinco de Mayo! The atmosphere is very nice. The music playing was great, a very good variety. Our server took our orders but never came back to check on us once we received our entrees. A party of 7 people only seen her once when one of the people in our party order the Tres Leche cake. The Brisket Enchiladas we good but I never had a chance to see if there was any BBQ sauce that could have accompanied the enchiladas, other wise it was just smoke brisket in a tortilla. What I did find interesting was the black bean dip had a hint of cinnamon in which was actually good. Everyone seems to enjoy their entrees. Some said it could have used a little more seasoning. I would come back and try something different. Service gets a 3 star review. It could have been better.

One of the better local spots! I'm surprised it's not more popular. We have always been impressed whenever we go here!

Fajitas with chimichuri chicken and steak! Steak was tender which makes it a 10 in my fajita book! Tortillas were super fluffy and soft. Yum!

Going downhill. Beef in nachos tasted off. Could not eat. Rest of dinner was not up to par. Blea

Urban Rio was a hit in my book. Came here with the family during the holidays and we all wanted to try a restaurant we had never been to and settled in here. When you first walk in you're taking it back by the simple yet elegant decor. Once you realize the food and service match the outstanding decor you realize you're in for a great experience! I ordered the shrimp fajitas and they were absolutely delicious. Also a popular dish at our table for the brisket enchiladas. I did not try them but three or four members of the family had them and thought they were delicious.

The food here is so hearty and satisfying! We really liked the shrimp enchiladas with a poblano cream sauce (specials) and the stuffed avocado (esp of you like avocado a lot). They serve a zingy salsa with some warm beans and crispy nachos to start the meal which is a nice touch. The guava habanero cocktail was on point. The decor is comforting and the service is good. The inly thing we did not like was the chocolate cake dessert - felt like overcooked premix chocolate-lava cake. Wish we had tried the churros instead.

First experience was great! Has a both downstairs seating and upstairs with a rooftop bar! The food was fantastic and came out right away. Great Mexican food...I'm a seafood girl and got the crab enchiladas put I highly recommend this place if you're feeling Mexican food and request Aiden has a server!!

I'm always driving through old downtown Plano because of where I live but never actually stop. This restaurant is definitely worth the stop!! My personal criteria for judging the food at a new (to me) Mexican spot are the chips and salsa, beef fajitas, and frozen margaritas. All of those here were EXCELLENT. The restaurant was nice inside and the service was fast and friendly and attentive. We got the s'mores for dessert, which is a cute idea but honestly not worth getting again. They're fine. They're just s'mores. The only thing I'm knocking a star off for is being charged for the extra crema and guacamole. Some comes with the fajitas, but you can see in the pic that you get MAYBE a tablespoon of crema and two tablespoons of guac.....for an entire serving of beef fajitas. I had to pay $3 extra to get more, which was a little ridiculous.

Had an amazing experience at Urban Rio Cantina & Grill yesterday. We came around 6pm and was seated promptly! The interior design of the restaurant is absolutely amazing. We sat in the booth and their huge for open and private conversation. I ordered the tamale pie and OMG!! It came out popping out and you get a huge portion to share with the table. The crust was flaky and just literally perfect. Can't remember all we ordered but I know everything came out fresh and was ooh so good. The server Mario was tentative and on top of his game with making sure we stayed hydrated with cold adult beverages. With so many different Mexican restaurants around in Dallas this by far is my favorite.

This is a nice Cantina and Grill, lower level is mostly tables and booths for family eating and much less noisy than the upper level where the bar is. Service was very good and food was what I expected with the exception of Carne Asada (the meat was super chewy). Other than that everything was great and will go there again.

The food here is great! They have some good options from regular Tex mex to something new to try. And don't forget to get the smores for desert the experience and the flavor are awesome. Did I say homemade marshmallows...

I used to love coming here. I never had an issue until I had plastic in my food. The waitress was awesome. She went to advise her manager who then came over to the table and thought it was funny that there was plastic in my food. He brought me out another dish and advised he would remove the first order from the bill (like he was doing me a favor). The second order comes out and there is hair in my food. The waitress gets the manager and he says there is no one in the kitchen with that color of hair. I asked to take that meal back and do not bring me anything else from his kitchen. If doesn't care about his customer, or the establishment,maybe he needs to find a different job!!!

Urban Rio is a hidden gem tucked away in downtown Plano. We were impressed with service and quickly ordered our food. We started with their chicken flautas and got the house-smoked brisket tacos for dinner. My favorite was their tres leches cake drizzled with strawberry sauce and topped with fresh strawberries. Highly recommend stopping by.

Great food and ambience. We will definitely go back again. Check for their specials!

I only like to leave good reviews and this one is mostly that! The food and atmosphere was fantastic! We ate outdoors on second floor balcony " On the Rocks". We got there for an early dinner and told our waiter we were in no hurry. He took that as an opportunity to ignore us. We had to flag him down to order and to get our check. My husband got no water refills. Pretty basic stuff

The brisket quesadilla club is outstanding. We love the chips, and especially the black bean dip. Add great atmosphere and service, and it's 5 stars all the way.

My girlfriends tacos were okay but my crab and corn enchiladas were amazing along with our waitress was spot onnnn

I really enjoyed this restaurant! They have 2 floors and play live music during the weekday and possible weekends. The second floor is a nice little bar area. The food is your standard texmex which was great. I got the chimichurri chicken quesadillas which was delicious. They do serve chips with bean dip when you get seated which was delicious. The service was great but the servers kept asking us if everything was okay which was odd but I appreciated that they cared enough to check on us. Overall this is a decent restaurant!

If you're looking for Tex-Mex with a modern twist, Urban Rio is a great option. The menu offers a wide range of options, from classic tacos and enchiladas to more creative dishes like the tamale pot pie. We had the tamale pie and carne asada. Both were excellent. The margaritas come in a variety of flavors and I believe they make the purée in house, so they aren't overly sweet. The mango marg is a must try. The only thing that's a little off about Urban Rio is the layout. You have to walk through the server area to access the stairs to the rooftop. Additionally, we saw someone gets locked in a stall in the women's restroom. Apparently it's happened more than once. It's also really dark in the stalls, so be prepared. They seem to have really great drink specials every day of the week, so it's overall a good place to try anytime.

We were here for a social event! We really enjoyed the space. They have several areas capable of hosting a fairly small event to a really large event. The waitress kept up with this large crowd, which was impressive!! Fun bar tender and a lot of service people making sure we were happy. We ordered two dinners and a few beers. I'd call the ambiance and food unique. Delicious styles. Out of the box! It was a nice change up from traditional mexican food. See my pics.

Live music on Saturdays! Always a fan of the Fuego Fajitas!!!! Yum! Grilled shrimp and Caesar salad! Awesome!

Food, atmosphere and drinks were great. Went for a friend's birthday lunch. We were able to hear each other, our waitress was attentive. I look forward to returning and trying other foods.

We received a gift card to this restaurant and somewhat reluctantly tried it because we hadn't had very good experiences with TexMex so far. But Urban Rio changed our mind! Husband got one of their signature dishes- avocado bowl with chicken- he ate it up and enjoyed it. My steak fajita was such a pleasant surprise. The meat was tender, smoky and flavorful. Might have been marinated for a while. For sides there are two kinds of rice which is very nice. The portions are generous and will be enough for two meals if you are a girl with an average or small appetite. Complimentary bean and salsa dips with the chips are delicious too. Service was pretty attentive- our server got busy with some large tables but we got our check and drinks somewhat quickly. Would definitely recommend this place if you haven't tried!

First time, last time and shall notify the owner of this place. They tried scamming by adding an extra charge to my bill. I actually paid this charge until i took a harder look at the bill and realized the waitress had added an extra food item. When i asked she told to talk to the manager and he shall fix it. The manager returned claiming the extra charge for a food item was actually the waitresses employee dinner and it " flipped over and accidentally" landed on my bill. They then proceeded to void the bill and provide me with the correct check. My question is how did the employee dinner end up on a customer's bill? I believe the manager and staff are in this scam where their employee dinner bills end up on a customer's check. I believe this is not the first time these clowns have done this. They didn't comp the meal or nothing, just pretended it was an accident.

Came in recently at 9pm on a Saturday night. This place runs to their own beat and doesn't seemed concerned with good customer service. It took the waitress 10 minutes to come over but our table was passed many times by other employees which never greeted us. We ordered drinks and queso. It took 15 minutes to get the it and it had been sitting because there was a layer of film on top. We ordered quesadillas and flautas. Flautas were good but quesadillas had a weird flavor. We ordered the smores afterwards. The fire would not get hot enough to even warm the marshmallows. A manager came over and proudly said he would take half off the cost of the almost $16 dessert. Paying $8 for hersheys, graham crackers and marshmallows we couldn't heat didn't sit right. Our server had long hair which was down. As a person who doesn't like hair in their food, this was worrisome and not professional.

Service great!.....enchiladas not so good... Ate only half the food... Staff great....enchiladas bad!

Food, drinks, dessert, vibe, and customer service is always great here! My husband and I come here just about every friday, Terra always greets us and provides the best customer service. I've been a customer here since 2015, I've introduced so many friends and coworkers to this spot and everyone always loves it. Always a good time

Rating this one was a tough call, honestly. It did have good points but enough to give it a 3, I'm not sure. Good points: Super cute place, loved the atmosphere. Nice comfy booths and tables too. My friend got a mango margarita & she said it was wonderful! The complimentary chips and salsa and bean dip were delish! We ordered some queso as well and it was so good! I was in the mood for a refreshing salad, so I got the 14th Street Chop Salad with fajita chicken. I asked for dressing on the side because I wasn't sure I'd like it. Our server offered to bring me the jalapeño ranch & another dressing on the side, so I could try them. Well, the salad came out with the dressing on it and way too much of it. I usually only like a little dressing. The person who delivered our order was not our server, so I didn't say anything, and our server never came by to see if everything was okay. While she was nice, she stood against the wall across the room the entire time (we were her only table, other than one other table that came halfway thru our meal). In fact, I think she came a total of 4 times the entire meal, and that includes taking our order, bringing our drinks, & bringing the check! I'm not one to complain, and I happily ate my salad, which I did enjoy, even though I would have preferred my dressing on the side. The fajita chicken, avocado, & veggies were good. My friend got the 3 ground beef tacos, which she barely ate. So greasy! This place is not terrible, and definitely had its redeeming qualities. They have a cute patio for when the weather isn't so hot! But I have to be honest in my review. The service was disappointing, to say the least, and some of the food was too. And those are the two main things, in my opinion.

Upscale Mexican restaurant that has creative dishes and great service. Both food and drinks are good!

I am just beyond pleased with this brunch outing. The chicken and waffles portion was huge for the price and had a unique flavor due to the jalapeño-crusted chicken. I got a side of jalapeño ranch which was delicious. The fruits on the side complemented the dish well, and the best part... $1 MIMOSAS! The first floor has indoor seating with an elevated yet casual atmosphere, and the second floor is an open-air festive atmosphere. There is plenty of room and options to enjoy! I look forward to coming back and trying more of their dishes. O

The barbecue queso was absolutely amazing. Might be the best I have ever had. The taco salad with brisket was delicious. The ground beef tacos average. I would recommend staying away from them. The service was on their game.

The brunch menu is a perfect Tex Mex blend with classic brunch staples like their 5 Chicken & Waffles. The service was quick, even during a busy period and it's a great space to enjoy with family or on a nice day out.

You must go here!!! The service is always great but the food is even better. The fuego sauce is good with EVERYTHING but honorable menu mentions are the fuego fajitas, the tamale pot pie and brisket quesadillas. The table side s'mores are also delicious and worth it!

Nice spot. Great setting. Love the open /2nd floor patio. Had the chicken nachos. Yummy.