Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant

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1525 Blake St. Denver, CO 80202

303-623-5432

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35 User reviews Write A Review

Westword
Recommended

Cuisine(s): Mexican, Southwestern

Hours: Sun-Wed 11am-10pm, Thu-Sat 11am-10:30pm

Price: $, $$
Payment Types: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, cash, check

Features: Banquet Facilities, Kid Friendly, Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Private Party, Smoking, Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible

Serving: Dinner, Lunch
Alcohol: Full bar

Reservations: Accepted, Not Accepted, Call-Ahead Seating Available

Parking: Street

Description

The Rio Grande got its start in 1986 in Fort Collins, where college students came to rely on the incredibly strong margaritas -- limit three per customer, and no revealing the secret recipe -- and big plates of gringo Mexican fare. Today, inspired by owner Pat McGaughran’s early trips to the Yucatan peninsula, the menu offerings at all of the locations in this growing Colorado chain have become more sophisticated, with the kitchen making everything from scratch. But those big, big margs remain the big, big draw.

Rio Grande puts the spotlight on its kitchen

By Laura Shunk | Thu, March 15, 2012

Although I certainly appreciate craft cocktails, there's a special place in my heart for white-trash margaritas that come in a multitude of colors and fill birdbath-sized glasses. Is that nuclear juice made in a blender with flavored syrup and alc... More »
Photos: Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, the subject of this week's review

By Laura Shunk | Wed, March 14, 2012

Is it possible to change your food reputation after 25 years? The Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant is certainly trying to. For decades, the Colorado-based chain was known for its boozy margaritas, but by... More »
After 25 years of pouring powerful margaritas, Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant re-examines its brand

By Laura Shunk | Tue, March 13, 2012

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?Wrong. At least, wrong if you're an owner of Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, a Colorado chain that has grown to include six locations since the first one opened i... More »
Rio Grande celebrates its 25th birthday with $2.50 margs

By Patricia Calhoun | Wed, June 15, 2011

It was 25 years ago today that Pat McGaughran and twin brothers Andre and Stephen Mouton opened their first Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant in Fort Collins. Since then, the chain has grown to six stores... More »
Drown your sorrows in a Rio Grande margarita

By Jason Sheehan | Thu, April 09, 2009

At the Rio Grande last week, I watched a lawyer getting fired. There was no screaming, no tears, and it was all handled with reasonable decorum, a fairly civil proceeding between two bosses and the woman being canned, with another onlooker there a... More »
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the pirate signal | Denver, CO | 13 Reviews

| Fri, July 17, 2009

all the ladies I love love the rio. Those margaritas are hard to the core, and tasty!
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MTHDS | Denver, CO | 11 Reviews

| Tue, August 25, 2009

professional babes here.
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djdannymarin | Denver, CO | 29 Reviews

| Thu, August 27, 2009

This is where me and my friends start the night off. Margiritta's anyone :0)
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People Who Like Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant

JamesB7
Broomfield, CO
dandies
Denver, CO
lexienwhite
Thornton, CO
bigdoggbj
Denver, CO
amanda.lindelow
Denver, CO
Meghan
Denver, CO
Scott657
Denver, CO
jonelanc
Evergreen, CO

Main Menu

Appetizers

Dinner $10.50
Lunch $10.50

Shrimp Diabla
wild-caught gulf shrimp, chile de árbol sauce, flour tortillas

Dinner $6.95
Lunch $6.95
W/black Beans & Guac $7.50
Steamboat Springs $8.50

Chile Con Queso
cheese blend, fresh pico de gallo make it hot! w/salsa atomica make it deluxe

Dinner $6.95
Lunch $6.95

Flautitas
sautéed chicken wrapped in corn tortillas, fried crispy, avocado crema, five pepper crema.

Dinner Small $4.00
Dinner Large $7.50
Lunch Small $4.00
Lunch Large $7.50

Guacamole
fresh avocado, pico de gallo, cilantro, queso fresco

Dinner $8.95
Lunch $8.95
W/ Crab & Shrimp $10.95
Steamboat Springs $11.75

Queso Verduras
sautéed green bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, jack, tortillas. make it del mar

Soups

Dinner $4.25
Dinner $6.75
Lunch $3.95
Lunch $6.50

Green Chile
green chiles, sautéed chicken, homemade broth. make it braised-pork green chile

Dinner $3.95
Dinner $6.50
Lunch $3.95
Lunch $6.50
Add Sautéed Chicken $0.50

Tortilla
cilantro, avocado, queso fresco, tortilla strips

Salads

Dinner $9.95
Lunch $8.95
Add Pan-seared Mahi $3.50
Add Sauteed Shrimp $3.50
Add Grilled Chicken $2.00
Add Grilled Portobello $2.00

Rio Salad
mixed greens, tomatoes, carrots, pepitas, pickled onions, avocado, tortilla crisps.

Toasted Quesadillas
Handmade Tortillas Stuffed And Toasted, Pico De Gallo, Avocado Crema, Five Pepper Crema Dinner Price Reflects Whole Quesadilla, Lunch Price Reflects Half Quesadilla

Dinner $10.50
Lunch $8.50

Grilled Chicken
green chiles, jack

Dinner $11.50
Lunch $9.50

Grilled Steak
green chiles, cheddar

Dinner $9.50
Lunch $6.95

Grilled Veggie
red & green bell peppers, onions, salsa negra, jack, cheddar

Custom Nachos
Black Beans, Jalapeños, Lettuce, Tomatoes

Dinner $8.50
Lunch $8.50

Bean & Cheese
jack, cheddar, guac

Dinner $9.50
Lunch $9.50

Grilled Chicken
jack, sour cream

Dinner $10.50
Lunch $10.50

Grilled Steak
cheddar, guac

Smothered Burritos
Rio Sauce Choices: Green Chile, Spicy Green Chile, Veggie Green Chile, Ranchero, Tomatillo Add Fajita Veggies $1.50.

Dinner $7.50
Lunch $6.95

Bean & Cheese
black beans, jack, cheddar, choice of sauce.

Dinner $8.95
Lunch $7.95

Braised Pork
jack, choice of sauce

Dinner $9.95
Lunch $8.95

Breakfast
scrambled eggs, cheddar, grilled steak, choice of sauce

Dinner $9.95
Lunch $8.95

Grilled Steak
cheddar, choice of sauce

Dinner $8.95
Lunch $7.95

Sauteed Chicken
jack, choice of sauce

Texas-Style Enchiladas
W/ Rice and Black Beans

Dinner $9.95
Lunch $7.95

Cheese & Onion
cheese blend, diced onions, classic enchilada sauce

Dinner $13.95
Lunch $11.95

Crab & Shrimp
alaskan snow crab, diced shrimp, jack, classic enchilada sauce

Dinner $12.50
Lunch $9.50

Grilled Steak
cheddar, classic enchilada sauce

Dinner $10.95
Lunch $8.95
Make It Verde $11.50
Lunch W/ Tomatillo Sauce $8.95

Sauteed Chicken
jack, red-chile tortillas, classic enchilada sauce

Dinner $11.95
Lunch $8.95

Spinach
sautéed spinach, squash, red onions, cheese, tomatillo sauce, blue-corn tortillas

Crispy Tostadas

Dinner $7.95
Lunch $7.95

Grilled Steak
black beans, cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, guac

Dinner $6.95
Lunch $6.95

Guacamole
black beans, jack, cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes.

Dinner $7.95
Lunch $7.95

Sauteed Chicken
black beans, jack, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream.

Open-Faced Tacos

Dinner $10.95
Lunch $8.95

Adobo Chicken
flour tortillas, rio slaw, grilled pineapple, rice, black beans

Dinner $10.95
Lunch $8.95

Braised Pork
flour tortillas, tampico salsa, rio slaw, grilled pineapple, rice, black beans

Dinner $11.95
Lunch $9.95

Grilled Steak
flour tortillas, ancho pepper sauce, corn salsa, lettuce, queso fresco, rice, black beans

Dinner $13.50
Lunch $11.95

Pan-seared Mahi
corn tortillas, rio slaw, mango salsa, five-pepper crema, rice, steamed veggies.

Dinner $10.95
Lunch $8.95

Smoked Chicken
flour tortillas, chipotle-lime sauce, pico, queso fresco, rice, black beans

Dinner $13.50
Lunch $11.95

Tequila Shrimp
flour tortillas, rio slaw, avocado crema, rice, steamed veggies

Signature Fajitas
Grilled Veggies, Rice, Black Beans, Cheddar, Jack, Guac, Sour Cream, Pico De Gallo, Flour Tortillas

Dinner $15.95
Lunch $11.95

Grilled Chicken

Dinner $16.95
Lunch $13.50

Grilled Shrimp
make it hot! diabla style w/ chile de arbol sauce

Dinner $15.95
Lunch $11.95

Grilled Steak

Dinner $13.95
Lunch $9.95

Grilled Veggie
red & green bell peppers, onion, yellow squash, tomato, portobello mushroom

Main Dish Platos

Dinner $11.95
Lunch $9.95

Chile Rellenos
in-house roasted green chiles stuffed w/ cheese & sauteed veggies, lightly fried, choice of sauce, rice, black beans. dinner price reflects two, lunch price reflects one. make it baked instead of lightly fried

Dinner $10.50
Lunch $10.50

Flautas De Pollo
sautéed chicken wrapped in corn tortillas, fried crispy, avocado crema, five-pepper crema, rice, black beans

Dinner $7.95
Lunch $7.95

Huevos Rancheros
corn tortillas, two eggs smothered w/ ranchero sauce, jack, rice, black beans, side of flour tortillas

Sides

Dinner $1.95
Lunch $1.95

Black Beans

Dinner $2.95
Lunch $2.95

Chile Con Queso

Dinner $1.50
Lunch $1.50

Guacamole

Dinner $1.95
Lunch $1.95

Rice

Dinner $4.95
Lunch $4.95

Side Salad

Dinner $0.95
Lunch $0.95

Sour Cream

Looking for another city?

Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant

1525 Blake St. Denver, CO 80202

303-623-5432

Description

By Laura Shunk | Thu, March 15, 2012

By Laura Shunk | Wed, March 14, 2012

By Laura Shunk | Tue, March 13, 2012

By Patricia Calhoun | Wed, June 15, 2011

By Jason Sheehan | Thu, April 09, 2009

the pirate signal | Denver, CO | 13 Reviews

MTHDS | Denver, CO | 11 Reviews

djdannymarin | Denver, CO | 29 Reviews

People Who Like Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant