Rio Border is the spot! Amazing food , delicious drinks, plenty of parking , big enough to hold parties , lunch specials under 10 dollars , and sooooo much more! If you stop over for lunch make sure to order the Carne con Arroz or the Pollo con Arroz! Both are equally delicious , pilled on a bed of rice, topped with 3 cheeses and roasted peppers, Hass avocado, side of salad and home made Pico de gallo , all for under 10 dollars! read more

Rio Border Cafe - Boneless grilled chicken, over a bed of rice, peppers and cheese , salad, , Pico de gallo , all for under 10 dollars! - Mexican Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

The food is ok, but the service is indifferent and actually borderline rude. They act like they are doing you a big favor by serving you. Not recommended. read more

I enjoy Rio, odd set up for a Mexican rest, pictures of celebs all over. K kinda like a hole in the wall place. I like it though has a homey feel I like the menu the food is good always consistent I especially like the fajitas, the prices are reasonable. XX Beer on tap. If you like the mariachi guy he's there too, sometimes too much, when you want a quiet dinner this is not the place to go. The vegeterian dinners are good too. (Lots of cheese in most meals). I like the fresh salsa and I go there often. read more

Rio Border Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

JUST had lunch here today. My sister and I ordered the Botana, Flautas and 2 Piña Coladas (with Liquor). The Flautas had no cheese in them and the meat was unseasoned...the Botana, which is supposed to come with 1/2 a quesadilla and 1/2 an order of nachos along with 1 chicken Flauta, arrived at our table with 4 individual tortilla chips (total) that had received beans and cheese spread out on each individual chip (these were supposed to be the "nachos"), half of what looked like a child sized quesadilla and the one Flauta with unseasoned chicken in it (and nothing else). They also used carrots as garnish on top of the mountain of sour cream in the middle of the plate AND mixed into the rice, which I wish they would have listed in the description because we're allergic. Somehow all of the above came to about $60 due to gratuity being included, which is ridiculous, because we only saw our waitress about 3 times (when we were seated, when we got the check and when we wanted to order a drink) and had to flag her down to come over and by then we were almost done eating. The place wasn't busy at the time either, there were 2 other tables with people when we walked in and they had their food. They also turned off ALL the lights while we were eating, and we were towards the back so no natural light reached us. I used to go to Rio when I was younger and remember it being much better than this. The nachos were ACTUAL nachos, the food was seasoned and the service fantastic. The only thing saving them in this review is the fact that the drink was good...it was small, but good, and to confirm another review I saw, the prices for drinks are NOT listed anywhere -- alcoholic or otherwise. I doubt we'll be back. read more

Sorry to say but just not happy with this place. Waiter was just plain rude. Never got the order right. One of my kids never got his lunch after we asked 3 time . Dirty tables and floors I didn't want to look in the kitchen. Bad margaritas. No manager on site. Will never come back again! read more

Awful. Pathetic service. We were there at 6.45 and ordered happy hour and ordered 2 per person but they denied two drinks. Said that's the law. Ok fine. We bought it. The service was gross. They kept irritating us to when we were having dinner. Later when we had the check, they refused to accept more than 4 gift cards per check read more

I am a repeat Rio goer. My sister and her boyfriend tried it a couple years ago and we've been hooked ever since. The menu is typical Mexican fare and the Pollo con Arroz melts in your mouth. The nachos are the best I've had in the area. They do multiple layers of cheese, so most chips are covered and the toppings are endless. The decor is hilarious, lots of pinatas and pictures of famous people that have nothing to do with the restaurant. The margaritas are good and the service ranges from okay to good depending on the crowd. I recently took a group of friends here on a Friday night and they were able to seat us right away. I will definitely be back to Rio. read more

Very tasty Mexican food. The drinks here are also very good. Try the 1800 Margarita. The service is good. Will comeback for sure.

I am so disappointed in this restaurant. I went there the first week living in Norwalk and loved the food. I raved about it to my family and decided to get a Grub Hub order to our door instead. Grubhub delivered and i noticed that the receipt on the bag was correct but the food in the bag was wrong. I called the restaurant and explained and the waitress started arguing with me about how she packed the bag correctly and it was grubhub's fault. I was so upset. They asked me what was sent- which meant i had to open the food- and told them. The waitress very rude and started cutting me off by putting me on hold. Finally, the manager gets on the phone and says "fine- I'll redo your order but you have to bring us the food and the receipt". Really? I just opened the food to see what it was and you need it back to prove that your employee packed the bag incorrectly or stapled the receipt on the wrong bag?!!!! Hungry and now angry, i get into my car and drive the opened food back to the restaurant. The manager then takes and checks the bag. Apparently the other person with our order called to complain that they didn't get the correct food. He then "believed" us. Ridiculous. And the scary part- he took back the food and brought it into the kitchen! Positive-grub hub was great about refunding my delivery fee and tip since i had to drive to the restaurant to get the correct order. So disappointed in the place. With the amount of Mexican restaurants here in Norwalk, i am not impressed and certainly won't be returning to Rio Border Cafe. Poor service and disrespectful staff. read more

I experienced Rio for the first time this past weekend for a birthday party. The restaurant is next to one of those dollar discount stores looks pretty nondescript from the outside. The kitschy 8x10 pictures that nearly wallpaper the walls made you feel like you had stepped into an '80s time warp south of the border- or, more aptly, to steal from another Yelper's review "like you are walking into a Quentin Tarantino movie." The wait staff clearly knew we were gringos, and came back to fill up our empty margarita glasses over and over with fresh pitchers saying "Cinco de Mayo!" (mind you it is June). The Mariachi band that played for our table added to the experience. My favorite aspect of the night was the fact that, in place of a dessert, the birthday boy got a shot of tequila (and sombrero, and free t-shirt- they take care of you here.) The menu goes on forever, and as to be expected with quite so many choices, the food was average at best, but overall it was a cute, kitschy experience and definitely a great spot to stop by to get your tequila on before the party REALLY starts. read more

My wife and I love going here, it's cheap, quick, consistent, and the margarita's are awesome! If you plan on having more than 1 each, take your time to drive home, and consider getting a "small" pitcher which is 4 margarita's for the price of 3. The food isn't the best Mexican food I've ever had, but it's good, it's always good, everything on the menu is good. It's consistent, it's fresh, and the portions are more than you'll need. We go there (admittedly) twice a month usually Monday-Wednesday when you can get entree's for buy one get one free. We've been going there for years! Sure it's cheezy with their decorations, not the cleanest place, and in a terrible plaza (with the exception of Best Buy). But when you want a low key place with good food that won't cost you an arm and a leg (since there aren't many places in Ffld County that aren't expensive), I would seriously recommend this place. Just realize you're not going to a fancy place, it is what it is, a low key (dive) Mexican Restaurant. read more

I've lived in Norwalk for 20 years. I lived in Los Angeles for 2 years. I still think the Chimichanga dinner at Rio is one of the best things I have ever eaten. I love the way they make their chimichanga; no place has ever made it the same. I honestly can't speak for anything else at Rio. Chimichanga gets me every time. I don't think I've ever had a questionable experience either eating in, or getting take-out from Rio. They always give chips, salsa & guac, which are all quite tasty. Salsa is spicy if you're into that. read more

The quality and portions got worse. We went to Rio a few years ago and it was pretty good. Now its passable Mexican food. There are better Mexican spots in Norwalk. read more

We have always liked Rio. It's kitschy and fun and the food is good. The refried beans are excellent and the entertainment is fun. I like the botanica so you get a bunch of appetizers and the enchiladas are excellent and loaded with some yummy cheese. read more

I am originally from Norwalk, but now live in OC, CA where Mexican restaurants are plentiful. I was so amazed by the food at this place! It is authentic and delicious! A real find! read more

You forget how great this place is until you try somewhere else then your are continuously reminded. You may not be impressed by the location of the restaurant but it's worth the bland scenery. The food is fantastic! Cooked the way you want Mexican to be!!!!! Everything is cheesy and yummy. They offer you bottomless salsa and chips while you are waiting. Their sangria is great! There usually is a coupon you can use online as well...which makes this place even better. Most nights they have an authentic banjo player singing some authentic tunes! Don't let the outside of this place fool you...once you step inside you won't regret it. We love Mexican food and try it almost everywhere we go..this is the best! read more

I am a skeptic when it comes to restaurants. Dined everywhere in the world and not picky about food. This is the ONLY restaurant where the food is quality and I feel good when I walk out of there. It has a feel as if you are far far away and you are in Mexico. The staff is fantastic. The Mariachis give it even more of an authentic feel. Very rare to find around here. Most people are into trendy stuff. But it is the traditional flare that we go back to. THUMBS UP!!!! Will be back again and again.....Keep up the good work..... read more

I tend to come here whenever I come home with a friend of mine as a sort of tradition, though I've been coming here since I was a kid. Their food is great and I've never had a bad meal here. I highly recommend their enchiladas suizas and their guacamole which they make table side. read more

Been coming here since I was an infant. This is my families usual go to spot whenever we go out to eat. We want to try other places but Rio is just so damn reliable and we KNOW were getting a great meal at a solid price with great service to boot. Love this place hope it never changes. read more

Horrible Service & even worse Bland food !!! Never coming back. Awful experience. After every thank you the reply was ok & upon leaving the money was left and not a word was said! Terrible don't come here read more

fairly good mexican food with yummy drinks.Great lunch specials .lots of interesting decor.worth a trip.

I personally didn't enjoy the food. It's gonna sound crazy but it was too authentic. I guess I like American Mexican food... The flavor of the tortillas ruined the whole taco, not to mention the chicken taco fell apart and I had to eat it with a fork. My boyfriend is Dominican and he thought it was gross also. I didn't like the rice or the refried beans either, they were flavorless. The reason I gave it 2 stars at all was for the atmosphere... The lighting was low and romantic. I also liked the Mexican guy dressed up playing the guitar walking around to different tables. Good atmosphere , not so good food. read more

My boyfriend and I go to rio pretty often. Delicious food...chicken ranchero is one of my favorites on the menu. Good drinks. Prices are fair. Perfect place for a rainy day. Wish the staff moved a little faster but other than that, I love going there! read more

We love rio! Started off by a warm greeting then being welcomed back. This is our favorite Mexican restaurant. The food is consistently great and the fresh chips and salsa are excellent! We go for the beef and chicken chimichangas our favorites! Highly recommend this place and keep an eye out they have coops that save great $$! read more

mmm. greasy mexican food on hot plates with melted cheese on your refried beans. Almost Southern California mexican family restaurant perfection. read more

Went for Cinco De Mayo! Food was good and prices not bad at all! They had live music and free props and giveaways for the celebration! Definitely loud and crowded....then again I think every Mexican restaurant was crowded on Cinco De Mayo! Will definitely check it out again on a less busy night! read more

I used to go here a long time ago and the food was just average, but I went recently and got steak fajitas and steak quesadillas and they were great. The steak was delicious with lots of flavor and the guacamole was equally delicious. Will go back soon. read more

This restaurant have employees that does credit card fraud. I would never recommend this restaurant They double charge people credit card you show them proof and they still argue with you but refuse to refund you. read more

Eh. Not great. Not bad. More of a Tex-Mex style (which is fine by me) than most of the other Mexican places in the area. Worth stopping in if you're in the area but not worth going out of your way for. Lunch specials on the weekends until 3pm is a ice touch. Staff are friendly. read more

Rio is our go-to Mexican place. Sure, it can be a little crowded, a tad noisy, but the margaritas are GREAT, staff is friendly and courteous, their veggie burrito is huge and has broccoli in it, which is awesome. Most importantly: their guacamole is a home run. I always order extra. Rio is affordable and everyone always seems to be having a good meal and a good time. read more

Best tacos in Fairfield county. Don't believe the bad reviews. This place is the best. HIGHLY recommended!!!

I was in town with my friends, decided to go to Rio border cafe in Norwalk. We entered the restaurant. No greeting whatsoever. Not even a simple hello. There was a waitress but she just asked us where we want to sit and she gave us our menus. The menu is a little overpriced for the food. The food isn't bad but it's also something I can get at Taco Bell for cheap. My friends and I ordered drinks. They were pretty good. We ordered the sample platter for an appetizer. When the food got to the table, the waitress didn't bother to bring us share plates. She whispered to her co worker "it's only for her" not asking if we were sharing or not. That was VERY RUDE! I'm going to add... the sample platter wasn't the best as I thought it would be. The portions for the sample platter are way too small... I know it's supposed to be an appetizer but it was for a kids size. It also seemed like they just came out of the microwave. I would've came back but the service is just horrible! it's not the only time that this has happened either. Will not be coming back. read more

The food here is actually quite good, but the service sucks. The atmosphere is kitschy and cute, but still that does not make up for the terrible service. We would go there quite a bit until one night when they refused to sit me and my friend because our entire party of 3 was not there yet. They then proceeded to seat 3 other incomplete parties who came in after us, within 5 minutes of telling us they would only seat us when our third person arrived. When they were about to seat a party of 4 that only had two people in it, I got a text from my friend saying she would be there in less than 1 minute, and when I went to tell the hostess so that we may be seated as we were waiting alot longer than the incomplete party of 4, the hostess stuck her finger in my face and SHUSHED me! We stayed and waited an additional 5 minutes after my friend arrived, because we were really hungry and the food is quite delicious, but will never go back. read more

Solid Mexican dive. Good Rita's and decent food. Exactly what you want from a Mexican place.

We had fajitas and they were delicious. The food came out impressively fast. Ambiance was nice and everyone helpful & friendly!

Solid basic Mexican food at a fair price. Good margaritas and nachos. Menu is limited to basic Mexican dishes. Food and plate are both hot. Service is friendly and attentive. read more

Rio Border Cafe - Very festive Mexican environment. - Mexican Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

Best Mexican food in town has a variety of vegetarian option as well as real good carnivore options desserts are amazing and drinks the best in Fairfield county !!! A lot of parking staff is amazing and pricing very reasonable not high at all !!! read more

What happened to this place? Have been bringing my family here for years. Last night, the food was disgusting and barely edible. We didn't complain during the meal, but when the waitress came to pick up the plates and ask us 'how was everything' we had to tell her we were disappointed. We were charged in full for everything and even after paying a full generous tip, were treated rudely and disrespectfully by the waitress who chastised us for writing a note on the receipt to alert the chef and management of the disappointing drastic change in the quality of the food. The waitress had glasses and brown style bobbed hair. We had to finally ask her to please leave us alone and stop harassing us and let us leave the restaurant in peace. We were extremely polite - a family of three and just wanted the restaurant know how poor the quality of the food had become. Everything had grease dripping off it so you couldn't eat a taco or a nacho and the sampler platter literally looked like canned dog food thrown on a plate laden with grease and cheese. There's a reason we only eat at Bodega in Darien now or Sierra Grille. I can't even think how filthy their kitchen is if the plates of food are coming to the table like this. Should be inspected by the board of health. Only thing decent was margarita, served in a much smaller glass for the same price. Overall message - stay away! read more

For Fairfield County, it's not bad Mexican, but it's also nothing that stands out to me very much. I liked it a lot the first time I went, but later visits weren't nearly as impressive, and friends I've taken from out of town give it average reviews too. I have had their steak fajitas a couple of times, as I think this is a dish that is good for judging a Mexican place -- how are the tortillas, is the meat quality, do they give you enough sides and veggies, etc. All in all, I just haven't been impressed much with their offering. Like other Mexican places in this area that get decent crowds, I think it's more a function of a helpless customer base than an indication of good food. I'd go there again, but can't say I'd be looking forward to it, if that helps explain my 3-star rating. read more

Typcial lowish end mexican food. I have a hard time trusting a restraunt that brings you a plate so hot that if you touch it you burn your hand. Usually, that means they re-heated it someone and that the food isn't fresh. Deffinatley a turn off when places do that and usually makes me worried about the quality. Besides that they are cheap, which is expected and the service is average at best. If you go there you should go there for the cheap drinks and that way when your drunk you don't have to think twice about the quality of the food. Gets two stars instead of one cause they make good mixed drinks and has a decent atstmoshpere and even though pre-heated food it isn't uneatable. Ok food. read more