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Rio Grande Cafe
- Mexican
- Salt Lake City, UT
About this business
This charming Mexican restaurant, located in the old Rio Grande Train Depot close to the center of Salt Lake City, boasts an impressive variety of delicious homemade salsas. The chile verde is definitely the best, tasty on all of the burritos, enchiladas, and tacos offered. The salads and homemade carnitas (available only during dinner hours) are also recommended. Come in for the food and stay for the legends surrounding the train station.
Location details
270 S Rio Grande St, Salt Lake City, UT, 84101, United States
Get directions| Weekday | Schedule | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | |
| Tue | 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | |
| Wed | 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | |
| Thu | 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | |
| Fri | 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | |
| Sat | Closed | |
| Sun | Closed |
Don't waste your time or money – 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.
Best Margaritas – 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!!!
A mediocre mexican food restaurant disguised as a mediocre diner – 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 pl... read more
Vegetable Enchilada Superb – 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... read more
The Chips Cost Money! – 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 restau... read more
Kids love the decorations, grown-ups love the margaritas--a great combination for family dining. – The Scene Crazy mobiles hang throughout the restaurant, including the notorious taco lady. The restaurant, based in the old Rio Grande train station, has maintained much of the original architecture. The casual atmosphere and inexpensive menu make this a great place to bring kids while Mom and Dad unwind with a frosty margarita. Bringing the adults? Get a pitcher. The Food It's mainstream Tex-Mex fare with good, basic flavors. ... read more
go for the atmosphere, not the food – 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.
Pleasantly Surprised – 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.
Cheese anyone? – 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 c... read more
Frequently asked questions about Rio Grande Cafe
How is Rio Grande Cafe rated?
Rio Grande Cafe has a 4.3 star rating with 1,592 reviews.
When is Rio Grande Cafe open?
Rio Grande Cafe is closed now. It will open tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.
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