El Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant
7205 Houston Rd, Florence, KY, 41042
El Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant Menu
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Burritos
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Its Fajita Time! Fajita Favorites
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Enchilada Choices
Healthy Meal suggestions for El Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant
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Burritos
-
Its Fajita Time! Fajita Favorites
-
Enchilada Choices
Visit below restaurant in Florence for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Florence for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
7205 Houston Rd
Florence, KY, 41042 - Phone (859) 525-8222
- Website https://www.riograndeky.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Michael B.
Went back to El Rio Grande last night and ordered the carnitas. All I can say is that it was amazing! The best carnitas I've ever had anywhere. The portion was insane. A family of five could have eaten off of this huge hunk of pork. As usual, this location's chips and salsa was sub-par though. The Newport location's chips are always warm and fresh, unlike this Florence location. There is a new location opening soon on Mt. Zion Road in Florence and I hope they bring in the kitchen staff from the Newport location to train the staff at this new location.
(4)Stan M.
Great food! The Texas margarita is one of the best I've ever had and I've had a lot! Good service, atmosphere, and location.
(5)Lori H.
The best Carna Asada in Florence, KY. Need I say more. It is a big serving excellently prepared. Awesome with a margarita! Never a long wait.
(5)Krystyna C.
Horrible horrible horrible!!! I recently went there for lunch last week with a few friends and all I can say is that I could have found a better use for my $9. I ordered the lunch sized portion of the chicken quesadilla and it was absolutely NASTY! Shredded canned chicken with a small sprinkle of white cheese on a tortilla. I received no toppings (sour cream, salsa, lettuce, etc.) and even after covering a piece with sour cream and salsa, I was only able to choke down about 7 bites before asking the waiter for my check. Save your money and appetite for one of the best Mexican restaurants in Northern Kentucky: El Mariachi in Hebron. Avoid this horrible excuse for a restaurant at all costs! Oh and, P.S., I loved the handwritten sign taped on the inside of the door that states "No Reservation on Saturdays." Great customer service.
(1)Mike K.
This place is exactly everything you want from a Mexican restaurant. However, its nothing more. Just exactly what its suppose to be. The weird thing is, its a million times better than nearby Chuy's or Chili's. There is never a wait at this place, while the chain restaurants with their thinner tortilla chips & watered-down drinks always have a wait. I don't know why
(4)Sarah F.
I can't say this place is "authentic", but man, is it delicious! The portion sizes are huge--one order of fajitas can feed at least two if not an entire family and the dinner serving of enchiladas comes with four. So come hungry, plan to share, or order something that will make good leftovers. On my most recent visit, the seating/buzzer system didn't really seem to be the most efficient, but we eventually got a table after checking with the hostess a couple of times. Table service is quick and friendly, but our orders did all come out at slightly staggered times. The queso dip that everyone raves about is certainly good (and I ate my fair share), but was much thinner than I expected so a little drippy/messy. Chips and salsa are above average. I got the Enchiladas Suizas which comes with 4 enchiladas, but no sides. A creamy, cheesy, sour cream sauce was liberally applied over the top--absolutely nothing low calorie about this dish, but it is super tasty and decadent. The green tomatillo sauce has just a mild kick and the chicken inside was a generous portion of white-meat, tender chicken. You pay up front at the hostess stand after they bring the bill to the table. All in all, one of the better Mexican experiences I've had in the area.
(4)Sean M.
Pretty good place food was good a served in generous quantities. The place could be a little cleaner. Overall the service was about average.
(3)Diana S.
Service was good but the food not! The salsa was very mild. I ordered Carnitas and the portions were huge but the pork was very fatty and not much flavor at all. Good carnitas will usually be crispy on the outside and very tender inside. I was very disappointed and when back in the area will seek another mexican restaurant.
(2)Jay S.
Place was so dirty. Walked into the bathroom toilets clogged, no paper towels and a giant penis was spray painted on the wall of the bathroom. It looked like it had been there for a while with no attempt of removal. Food was bland and the service wasn't much better.
(1)Amy C.
As a big fan of authentic Mexican food, El Rio Grande is my favorite in NKY. The Choriqueso appetizer is spot on! Menu has many options and the service is fast.
(4)Tara N.
Great place to hang out with a group! We ordered a pitcher of the sangria margarita and really enjoyed it. Wish they had put salt on the rim instead of sugar. That was a bit too sweet for my liking. Food is really good and tastes fresh. Everyone in out group enjoyed their meal. The portion size is large and most probably you'll have some left overs to take home with you. The decor is very colourful and I love the chairs!!! Each with a unique design and loads of colour. Staff is friendly but we felt the service was a tad slow. Overall I enjoyed it and would go back next time I'm in town.
(3)C S.
We ordered a tick go order I was told 1015 minutes I was there at 15 minutes had to wait another 10 minutes for it to come out. Had ordered guacamole the medium container which is probably a good one pound container and a 1 pound of queso container. They gave us one bag of chips and I asked for more chips she was going to charge me three dollars she went behind the counter I said you don't give chips with your guacamole and queso and she said no !!!! This is the same person who told me 1015 minutes and it was almost 35 minutes!!!!! what am I supposed to eat our dips with pay six dollars for chips. Ridiculous. And no utensils!!!! Quess can't eat at park. So frustrating
(1)Leslie J.
Waitress got our order wrong several times. She didn't even apologize. Ridiculous! ! Looks like the green peppers have been reused as they have a light green color. They use tomatoes instead of red peppers too. Never going there again. Eww!
(1)Laura A.
The food was good and the service was fast but the descriptions on the menu do not match what was served. I ordered an item because it made no mention of peppers or onions by when it came out it had both.
(3)Mike M.
It was solidly ok. Meh. They got our order wrong...but that was not a big deal because they still brought us a big portion...but sadly, it all tasted average at best. The tamale I was looking forward to enjoying was crap. Awful. The server was sweet but didn't speak English well enough to allow us to complain about our food so we just gave up...finished our waters...and left, knowing we would never return.
(2)Jon P.
I've lived in El Paso, Las Vegas, and all over Southern California. I've dined in DIstrito Federal (Mexico City) and I can say that this place was a good surprise. The salsa was mild but you can ask for hot...yum. You have to have fajitas here. The drinks are good too and prices are fair. Workers are friendly and all is pura mexicana.
(4)K D.
Good but be careful with your credit card! I was almost charged $200 for a $20 meal. They rung up the meal wrong and were slightly confrontational about fixing it.
(4)gary n.
This is just a place serving standard mexican-american fare. Bland, uncreative and easily found in many other locations all over this region and the country for that matter. I have been coerced into eating here a few times by others and it has never failed to disappoint. I have also found the service to be spotty at best. There are so many other places to get authentic Mexican (see La Mexicana or El Oasis) so why waste your time on this? I suppose if you really like this sort of tex-mex stuff then just go further down the road a ways on rte-18 and hit Real Fiesta.... same sort of menu but the food has a bit more depth of flavor and the specials are sometimes interesting but seriously just try one of the more authentic places, try something other than a burrito or chimichanga or the rest of the standard stuff and see what good mexican food can actually taste like.....
(2)Holly R.
This place isn't as good as the hype. They have bland tex-mex meals that are pricey. The atmosphere is a headache because it gets crowded and loud (do these people not know a better place to go?). The portion sizes might be okay for some, but I know other restaurants that have better tasting food, bigger portions, and cost less. Service was pretty drab and for a place that stays so crowded, not being fluent enough in English to understand you need a take-out box is unacceptable to me.
(2)Tom S.
Bland and uninspiring. Nothing was bad. Nothing was good. Nothing memorable. In a city full of bland Mexican food, this is another one.
(2)Eric C.
Wow, all I can say to you folks that rated this more than 2-stars is that you need a taste bud transplant. Waitress was fast and eager to please. Unfortunately she had no help from the kitchen. The salsa is barely more than tomato purée. Tasteless and bland. The chips were stale, the taco was soggy, the stuffed pepper was empty as far as I could tell. The tamale was a giant ball of cornmeal with no flavor, the enchilada was filled with CHEESE SAUCE! Not one person in our party had anything better than "meh" to say about their dish. The water tasted like sewage, and to my surprise, the waitress agreed! Avoid like plague.
(1)Jonni L.
The worst. It was never what I would term "authentic" but when they were located on Mall Road, it was a least edible. I went with my mother to the "new" location before Christmas because we were over near Houston Road. It was busy, but I can honestly ask the question, "why?" Is it because people in Florence have no tastebuds? Is it because people in Florence have no concept of what good quality food actually tastes like? I always feel like you can rarely fail at a burrito. Turns out, you can. The burrito was oversized, and stuffed with tasteless ground beef. Then there was an equally tasteless red sauce poured over the top of the burrito to make it especially soggy. Add some anemic lettuce and tomatoes as a "salad", a really unattractive "plop" of beans that resembled mud, which were also bland, and you've got Rio Grande in a nutshell. Basically, the owners of this restaurant could care less whether their food is quality--and, to note that now, in the Florence/Burlington/Union/Hebron/Mt. Zion area there are about 20 different Mexican restaurants to choose from, I think they might want to step it up. Competition is just about everywhere you turn!
(1)Tim M.
This is one of my all time favorite Mexican restaurants! The atmosphere is very warm and inviting. And the service is very good. My favorite is the nacho fajitas.
(5)Ryan B.
Me gusta mucho. Friendly service, good quality Americanized Mexican food, and a fun atmosphere. Cool points for Florence! The carnitas are great. Also, try the chorizo on your chicken dishes. They have standard beer selections for a Mexican restaurant and great margaritas.
(4)Joe B.
Great FOOD very tasty nice atmosphere
(4)Jeff I.
Been eating here for years. It "is what it is"... decent americanized mexican at a decent price. Margaritas are good and they have drink specials Monday - Thursday. Lots of options on the new menu. Chips and salsa are tasty. On cool evenings the outside dining area is nice. On Saturday nights they have karaoke with a DJ (kinda weird if you ask me... chips, salsa and Ice Ice Baby blaring out of DJ speakers doesn't seem to go together to me) Would much rather hear a mariachi band playing or something that goes with the atmosphere.
(4)Rob K.
It is what it is. Close to my Florence, Kentucky, office so that makes it really easy for me. Endless chips and salsa and TV after TV are a plus. And then the waiter gave me a remote control to the TV closest to me. I'm not sure if fast food Mexican should ever rate five stars but the service here gets it to four.
(4)Karina M.
Within seconds of glancing at the menu, I felt a sense of deja vu. How could this place seem so spookily familiar, yet I'd never stepped foot through the door before today? That's because the same people who run my favorite Newport Mexican restaurant also operate this Florence eatery. Rio Grande's salsa and queso dip are among the best I've ever tried. Fresh and thick (but not chunky), their variety of salsa has just enough heat without being over-powering. Luckily I made it in time for happy hour, when their delicious margaritas are only $2.99. I ordered from the ala carte menu a chicken taco, a chicken enchilada, and a beef tamale. The shredded white meat chicken on the taco and enchilada was perfectly marinated, while the finely shredded beef in the tamale was spicy but not hot. I left feeling stuffed, but my total before tip was only $8.10! I'll definitely be back soon (though my waist line might suffer).
(4)Daniel H.
One of THE WORST Mexican restaurants I have ever been to. The service was negative 1 stars and the food would have been better at Taco Bell. Took 25 minutes before the first waitress came by to take orders. Water glasses stayed empty the entire time, and had to ask for almost everything. I ended up taking my water glass up to the bar so the bartender could fill it back up. I'll never go back
(1)xander c.
El rip grande I give up. I have been coming to you for soo many years bc I have always thought the food was good. I have came to your new location and had bad customer service on too many occasions. Usually it's the hostess that lacks and personality but tonight it was my server that has me writing this bad review. I met some family there tonight that I haven't seen in a while so of course I had some catching up to do. We had dinner and sat for a bit. Our guy server was a total jerk. Kept walking by and eyeing our bill to see if we had put a card in it after we were done. Also never refilled out drinks. Then got upset and rude when we asked for him to separate the bill (which should have already been done) if this were a actual chain I would hae asked to speak with a manager over this rude jack wagon but I figure they are all close and it wouldn't do any good. At one point I seen the server talking bad about us and pointing at us with his co workers. He was speaking in Spanish of course so I don't know what he was saying but he was looking me right in the eyes like he wanted to kill me. As we were leaving he walked right by us and didn't even look us in the eye. We said thank you and he didn't reply. We still tipped 15 percent but it would have been way more bc we know we took up some time sitting there. Even though we never got refills. Save your time and money and go to the one down the road from this one near tractor supply. At least they will appreciate your business. I am officially done with this place.
(1)Jordan Y.
I always stop by here to grab a beer or two and get great service, but the food is just OK... the only thing I really like and consider exceptional is the burrito Carne asada which is very delicious!
(4)Evelyn c.
we went on a Friday night the service was terrible, the food was cold, my dinner came latte after my husband and they did not have any more rice, a Mexican restaurant no more rice. I will never go back to any Rio Grande Restaurant.
(1)Mike G.
The first time I went there I waited for about 5-10 minutes just waiting for someone to take my name. It seems they were too busy trying to resolve a complaint on someone's bill to seat anyone. I went back a week or so later on a week night and was seated right away. Typical Mexican food with no fanfare..you get the standard chips and salsa, and ordinary Mexican entrees. Nothing special but the big beers are good. I really don't have to go back though...
(2)