Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant

4.3
2484 reviews

About

Tex-Mex RestaurantMexican RestaurantRestaurant
Delicious Tex Mex and Margaritas - in our completely renovated restaurant located in the heart of Old Town Fort Collins! Now open for dine-in service as well as food and margs takeout. Whether you're coming in to unwind and dine with us, bringing food home for the family or just grabbing some margs for a fun night at home, the Fort Collins Rio is a delicious escape.

Details

  • Dine-inAvailable
  • DeliveryNot available
  • TakeoutAvailable
  • Accepts reservationsAvailable

Location

Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant
143 W. Mountain Avenue, Fort Collins, CO
80524, United States

Hours

Reviews

4.3
2,484 reviews
5 stars
1,507
4 stars
570
3 stars
210
2 stars
76
1 star
121

What are people saying?

AI-generated from recent customer reviews

Food Quality

Many customers expressed disappointment with the food quality, describing it as bland, lacking authenticity, and sometimes poorly prepared.

Service Experience

Service quality was inconsistent; while some reviews praised attentive and friendly staff, others reported slow service and unresponsive servers.

Atmosphere

The restaurant has a lively atmosphere, but it can be excessively noisy, making conversation difficult for some guests.

Margaritas

The margaritas received mixed reviews; while some customers enjoyed them, others found them to be disappointing.

Value for Money

Several customers felt that the portion sizes did not justify the prices, leading to dissatisfaction regarding overall value.
  • KK
    KB
    1 day ago
    5.0
    Great Mexican spot! Fresh flavors, fast service, and everything hits the spot.
  • SS
    Sara Schraufnagel
    Nov 14, 2025
    2.0
    I was excited to try this spot. I didn’t have high expectations but I love Mexican food. The margaritas were the worst I have ever tasted. I thought about sending it back but everyone’s tasted that way. I’m all for rail tequila, but this was just… disgusting. We ordered guacamole, it was filled with… lettuce? The tacos were pretty bad, too. Not horrible like the margs and guac, but bland and not fresh.
  • AL
    Angela Lukas
    Nov 2, 2025
    2.0
    This is a “Mexican” restaurant for those who’ve never had Mexican food before. There is something to be said about the appetizer being better than the entrée. We were excited as GA Southerners to be eating at a midwestern Mexican restaurant thinking it would be closer to authentic. Sorely disappointed. The food was white-washed at best. I, unfortunately, didn’t eat half my food. My husband grumbled through his. And the fact that there was no Latin music playing was a red flag right there, although the atmosphere was upbeat and modern. We were told that the margaritas should be why we go, but that was equally disappointing. It wasn’t worth the 35 minute wait.
  • SG
    Sharon Gallagher
    Oct 31, 2025
    2.0
    I grew up in Fort Collins and have been eating at The Rio for decades. It’s nowhere as good as it used to be. The interior has had an upgrade, but the food has gone downhill, in my opinion. It tastes bland and like everything is just things that have come frozen and been reheated. I miss the days when it felt special and different. It no longer stands out. Our service was great and I don’t have any issues with our overall experience. The food quality is just not worth it anymore.
  • BJ
    Barbara Jacques
    Oct 24, 2025
    3.0
    There was a fly crawling thru our guacamole plate? I told the waitress but she never offered to replace it or anything even after I told her and handed it to her in a napkin and told her what it was!

Frequently Asked Questions About Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant

Do you offer happy hour specials?

Yes, we do! Check out our happy hour menu online which is available Monday through Friday from 3pm to 6pm!

Can you go to the Rio if you’re doing the keto diet?

The Rio has a variety of keto-friendly options available to our diners! Check out our blog post that outlines some of our favorite dishes that can be modified to be low carb.