Insider Pages Reviews for Rio Grande Cafe

2 Stars: Mediocre At Best (by Crestrider)

Crestrider — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:00:00 GMT

I keep wanting to like this place, because it is local and located in a great old building, but it has always disappointed. The food is average at best, and overpriced. My last lunch order was a Rio Grande Salad - composed of wilted greens, an unripe tomato, and dry mushrooms. I had to cut the cartilage off of the chicken in salad. The fajitas and enchiladas are equally bad. Won't be going back.

1 Stars: Among the worst ever (by Newman)

Newman — Sat, 30 May 2009 02:00:00 GMT

It started with a hostess that was unfriendly and on the verge of being rude. It continued with a waiter that didn't so much as grin much less smile. The staff as a whole made us feel we were inconveniencing them by being there. One of our party doesn't care for tomatoes or salsa and ordered a quesadilla, which on the menu was listed as chicken and cheese. When it arrived it was loaded with salsa. When we asked to exchange it for a plain chicken and cheese quesadilla the waiter argued with us and informed us that all their quesadillas are always made with salsa. In all the service was poor and unfriendly and the food was bland and lacked character. We won't be returning.

2 Stars: Mediocre Mexican (by KSgirl)

KSgirl — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT

I have been getting the samething for a while here, the Rio Grande Salad. It was wonderful, fresh greens with lots of veggies, marinated chicken,guac and salsa vinegrette to die for. I went last week and they've changed it. This time it was limp spring greens, with a very under done piece of warm chicken, some dried up mushrooms and scallions, and some semi green tomatoes. I always felt before that I got more than my money's worth, this time I got ripped off. I asked the waiter and he said that the Chef decided that the other salad was too much work. Sorry, but I won't be doing that again.

5 Stars: This is my favorite restaurant!! (by Sanora)

Sanora — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Rio Grande is my husband and I's favorite retaurant! We go there for all occasions. I love the chicken tacos and my husband gets the enchiladas. I would highly recommend this to anyone and everyone! It has a crazy atmosphere where you can put quarters in the juke box and pick your songs. Not to mention it's right by Gateway mall which makes for a fun evening out with dinner movies and shopping all within walking distance! The best part about it...its so inexpensive!

1 Stars: This place DOES NOT know what Mexican food is! (by SoCalBoyLivinginUtah)

SoCalBoyLivinginUtah — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

The Rio Grande is one more Utah eating establishment that has NO CLUE on what good, authentic Mexican food should taste like. Ate here just after Christmas with my extended family, and I was disappointed once more by the bland, tasteless food being passed off as "authentic" Mexican cuisine.

Don't waste your time or money here, folks. If you want good tasting, flavorful, Mexican food, the Red Iguana around the corner on North Temple is worth the wait. Pass on the Rio Grande. The train left the station and apparently has never returned.

1 Stars: The definition of LAME (by boscoe4life)

boscoe4life — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

The location is great in the old Rio Grande train station downtown. This would be a wonderful venue if someone else had the location other than the current group. Although well meaning the owners may be, their attempt at Mexican or Tex/Mex cuisine was not conceived well before opening. "Build it and they will come" must have been the montra before commencing on this project. They forgot any culinary talent what so ever at the door. I would suggest you go to Beto's for cheap Mexican fare or better yet Red Iguana even Blue Iguana will put this place to shame. You will be lucky if this place doesn't make you sick for days.

1 Stars: waste of time and money (by rbdslc)

rbdslc — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

They charged us .75 cents for onions to go on top of the enchilada.
Very Loud - RUDE Management - Told us if he gave free food away they would go out of business, with that kind of attitude it won't be long.

4 Stars: Love it! (by Angie L.)

Angie L. — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 09:31:00 GMT

This is such an amazing little restaurant. They are very small and very personable. It's nice to have a little restaurant that you can go to and get away from everything for a while. Food is good and they are generous with their portions. Great prices too.

4 Stars: I love this restaurant despite not being typical "authentic Mexican food" (by jerisj)

jerisj — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 02:00:00 GMT

If you only like very authentic Mexican food, like the Red Iguana , this place is probably not for you. Our friend from Mexico recommended the carnitas (I think seved only after 5), and taught us to ask for the green salsa with our chips. But I love the vegetarian burrito and the margaritas straight up, without a lot of mixer. I also love that I can get a good salad or a tostada al la carte. The chile verde is good, but not very hot. The service is a little uneven but usually adequate or better. Despite what others have written, I enjoy the decor and the great old restroom from the original train station.

2 Stars: Average Mexican Food (by dt28000)

dt28000 — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Not a big fan of this place. So many people seem to want to go there but the food is just Ok and the prices are too high for what you get. The salsa is pretty good but that's about it. Very Overated!

4 Stars: Great Mexican (by Tami B.)

Tami B. — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:16:00 GMT

This is a really fun place to eat. The food is great....you must try the Rio Grande taco, it is the best. The guacamole and salsa and soooo good. Worth the trip!

3 Stars: Not like it used to be (by Beth P.)

Beth P. — Fri, 23 May 2008 12:24:00 GMT

I ate here several times years ago and loved it - the food and atmosphere. So I took my husband back when we were in town this week. We were disappointed.

The food was okay. The atmosphere and decor have gone downhill. It's no longer a really nice restaurant, it's just a place to eat. I must say, however, that the staff was very nice, the service excellent.

1 Stars: Don't waste your time or money (by alisone4)

alisone4 — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 01:00:00 GMT

Yes, this restaurant has been around for a long time. Yes, it's in a historic, interesting building. Other than that, it's possibly the worse service you'll ever have, very low-end gringo American Mexican, and nothing redeeming to make it truly worthwhile. Unfortunately, this restaurant has gone so far downhill over the past few years that it would be surprising if it even could make a comeback. Bottom line--don't waste your time or money on this has-been dump.

5 Stars: Best Margaritas (by rxrapsdlef)

rxrapsdlef — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 02:00:00 GMT

The Rio Grande Cafe is one of the three oldest restaurants in Salt Lake and a very unique restaurant at that. There is truly nothing like it- A jukebox with old favorites, delicious barely-legal margaritas, ghost stories, and funky local art. They make all of their dishes from scratch, even their mouth watering chili rojo. If you have only one weekend to spend in SLC, you'd be a fool not to check it out!!!

2 Stars: A mediocre mexican food restaurant disguised as a mediocre diner (by jxflyer)

jxflyer — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 01:00:00 GMT

I lived in Texas for nine years. After this, I'm a little biased towards good mexican & tex/mex food. The residents of Utah, in general, need an education in truly good mexican food... The Rio Grande cafe is not what I would consider good mexican food - it's mediocre preparation of boring, run-of-the-mill, mexican dishes. We've tried a couple different entrees at the Rio Grande only to be disappointed. It's not that the food is really bad, it's just really plain.

The ambience mirrors the food as well. There's nothing mexican about the ambience. It's a large room in the old Rio Grande train station turned into a restaurant. The decor is just plain: a few small, forgettable pictures and trinkets strewn about the walls with obnoxious fluorescent lights overhead.

If this place were a diner and served really good, home-cooked, greasy-spoon type food, then the atmosphere and the food would match, but as it is, it just doesn't.

The staff was appropriate to the atmosphere - mediocre. They didn't seem all that motivated about the place, but I could hardly blame them. It's all just, well, dull.

I wouldn't recommend this place at all (not unless they hire me to go in and redecorate with a $10,000 budget and hire a new, innovative, mexican chef). If you do go and like it, I recommend buying a plane ticket to anywhere in Texas and trying nearly any tex/mex or mexican place and you'll be blown away.

5 Stars: Vegetable Enchilada Superb (by diabla666)

diabla666 — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 01:00:00 GMT

The vegetable enchilada is addicting. There is nothing else around like it. The atmosphere is cool..set in the old Union Railroad station. The service is always interesting and the salsa is delcious. They serve whole black beans which is nice. The portions are very large and if you have extra it is near a homeless shelter so you can hand off your leftovers to someone hungry. My husband and I get out of there paying $12 bucks for dinner (chips, salsa, veg enchilada combo, side of beans). They also have a bottle of wine for $11 which is just above the liquor store price (nothing fancy). I would not suggest the margaritas unless you just have to have one with your mexican food.

1 Stars: The Chips Cost Money! (by trickse)

trickse — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 01:00:00 GMT

AFter having heard rave reviews of the RGC, I was surprised to find that its ambience and food quality were average at best, and overall, pretty subpar. Let me put it this way, they make you pay for your chips! And just after the first basket...nope, even the first basket will cost you ~$2. That's ridiculous! Anyway, that aside, the restaurant is situated in the homeless shelter district, so you feel guilty for eating your fattening dinner while people starve in the streets nearby. In sum, this restaurant reminded me of the poor culinary state of things here in Utah. When a state can't even get Mexican right, you know something's wrong.

4 Stars: Fun atmosphere! (by Shaunna F.)

Shaunna F. — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 13:12:00 GMT

I thought the Rio Grande had a really fun atmosphere. Very casually, fun a nostalgic. The food was great much better than I expected for the price. The only thing I disliked was its location near pioneer park. There are a lot of scarry people around and you don't feel very safe walking from your car to the door. But once your inside its great.

PROS: Good food, fun atmosphere
CONS: Bad neighborhood!

3 Stars: go for the atmosphere, not the food (by queegan)

queegan — Tue, 04 Nov 2003 01:00:00 GMT

the food's not nearly as good as other mexican restaurants in town, but it's definitely not the worst. kind of tame, not very spicy, conventional dishes. but there's a lady in a giant taco, and that ain't bad.

4 Stars: Pleasantly Surprised (by walker1965)

walker1965 — Wed, 28 May 2003 02:00:00 GMT

The food here is delicious! The portions aren't that big, but neither are the prices. Service was a little slow, but when my meal arrived it was hot and fresh. I don't believe that the chips and salsa are free, which is one complaint I have about Rio Grande. Overall, it was a good experience. I will definately be back to try something else on their menu.

2 Stars: Cheese anyone? (by blackdove)

blackdove — Wed, 14 May 2003 02:00:00 GMT

I decided to check out the Rio Grande in place of going to my favorite Mexican place (Red Iguana). I was very dissapointed with the food. I ordered the Santa Fe Enchilada, which sounded good on the menu....it was not very good at all. My main complaint? The ENTIRE plate was covered in a THICK layer of cheese. I love cheese, but to cover EVERYTHING, and then have cheese inside the enchilada? I had a huge mound of cheese piled on my plate after I tried to salvage my meal. The chicken filling was dry, and why charge for for chips and salsa? I will never go back.

5 Stars: great place (by bradfr)

bradfr — Fri, 27 Dec 2002 01:00:00 GMT

down town, rail station, great meal, fair prices, good service. you cant go wrong. best salsa in town.

5 Stars: Best Mexican in Utah (by sundancer25)

sundancer25 — Sun, 03 Nov 2002 01:00:00 GMT

This may be my favorite place to eat in utah. Their food is excellent I have never had a better salsa and I eat a lot of salsa. The service is perfect freindly and not the fake freindliness so common in most restaurants. Nice building ample parking.

5 Stars: The Rio Grande is Grand! (by thecoz)

thecoz — Wed, 18 Sep 2002 02:00:00 GMT

We have enjoyed the Rio Grande Cafe since first discovering it years ago, before many of the other restaurants were born. It is a comfortable, eclectic environment with a homey feel. The service is always friendly and personal. The food is excellent of taste and value. They have the best pork dishes and salsa.

Should be rated in the top 3 of the top 10 Mexican Resaurants. The Coz

5 Stars: So glad they didn't shut you down. (by jodisa227)

jodisa227 — Wed, 28 Aug 2002 02:00:00 GMT

When I can't decide where to go for dinner, Rio Grande never dissapoints. My favorite place a bowl the Chili Rojo with tortillas. It's a whole meal for under $6. I've been trying to duplicate the recipe in my own kitcken for years. Margaritas to die for. The State would have been making a big mistake if they had shut down Rio Grande Cafe.