Cafe Rio Mexican Grill

We arrived around 8:40 PM and found the place quite busy. The woman behind the counter taking orders was incredibly friendly and greeted each customer warmly. Despite the bustling atmosphere, her kindness and attentiveness made the wait feel worthwhile.

This restaurant has always been my go-to place, especially for their nachos. However, during my visit today, I had a disappointing experience due to some new staff. The two younger guys at the front were quite rude and unprofessional. When I asked for medium green salsa, one of them informed me that there would be an extra charge but ended up giving me the wrong salsa anyway. When I pointed out the error, he dismissively remarked that it didn’t matter since they were basically the same. I also requested extra meat on my nachos but only received one scoop, despite paying extra for it. It’s frustrating not to receive what I ordered, and I felt disrespected when I tried to address my concerns. This is the first time I've had a negative experience here after so many visits.

The Barbacoa definitely deserves a strong 5-star rating, but it's crucial to pay close attention when ordering your food. My nachos only had cheese on the top 25% of the chips, leaving the rest plain. I should have requested them to layer the generous portion of chips with cheese. If you're not familiar with the ordering process—as I wasn’t on my first visit—it can be a bit surprising. Typically, nachos come loaded with toppings, but I realized halfway through that I hadn't asked for beans, which they don’t automatically include. Additionally, guacamole costs extra, and honestly, it’s not worth it. That experience was one of the less enjoyable ones I've had. Sour cream is also an extra charge, served in a tiny container. On the positive side, the pico de gallo was remarkably fresh, and the chips themselves were good. The service was warm and friendly, but it's essential to know what to ask for. It’s not the staff's job to add ingredients you didn’t specify. In the end, I spent $20, and I would definitely opt for nachos from any authentic Mexican restaurant over this experience.

I ordered the specialty chicken barbacoa, but it was excessively sweet—almost like it had been candied. There was very little depth of flavor. I primarily went for the guacamole, but it wasn't fresh at all; most of it was brown. I won't be coming back.

What frustrated me even more was when the customer in front of me ordered the same two flour tortillas along with his taco, and the staff member wrapped his tortillas in foil, even though it was a dine-in order. If you truly appreciate Mexican cuisine, you should know that tortillas need to be kept warm by wrapping them in foil for takeout orders, rather than leaving them exposed in open pans where they cool down quickly by the time I pay! Please take the time to do your jobs correctly—it shouldn’t be that hard!