Our server Paula was fantastic. Planned only on having appetizers, but they were so good we ordered an entree too. Steak and lobster had a different takeaway than were used to, but was delicious. read more

The food was delicious! Beautiful venue, and our fantastic, friendly server, Sophia, made our lunch extra special.

6 of us went and had great time, we had cebiches which were fantastic! The entrees, walleye Halibut and Ahi tuna were great. The chef Tony did a great job and came out to speak with us while dinner was being served. It was quiet, beautiful setting and great outdoor sitting if desired. Out of the 6 of us rated it as a an absolute come back place!!! read more

Come for the patio and river views! Rio has one of the best locations in Stillwater, with a beautiful patio right along the river. It's the perfect spot to sit, enjoy the scenery, and take in the activity on the water. The food was good, although definitely on the spendy side. I ordered the ceviche with shrimp, avocado, cucumber, and a delicious lime sauce, and it was excellent. My sister had the steak and rice, which she really enjoyed, and my mom loved her Caesar salad. The plantain chips were also really good. The inside of the restaurant was nice, although it did have a noticeable fishy smell during our visit. Our server was friendly. Parking is conveniently available nearby for about $1 an hour, and I'd recommend making an afternoon or evening of it. After dinner, stroll through beautiful downtown Stillwater, walk along the river, or cross the historic lift bridge. Overall: Come for the patio and river views! The location alone makes Rio worth ch read more

On a week-long trip back to Minnesota, we decided to head out to Stillwater and revisit the scene. I've eaten my way up and down Main Street for years, and with places like LoLo and Brick & Bourbon around, the bar isn't exactly low. I wasn't even really looking for Río 1854. It ended up being the meal we talked about for the rest of the trip--and the one we'll remember from this trip to Minnesota. I'm not convinced you can go particularly wrong here. Our fellow diners at the table went with the Blue Masa Walleye and Seafood Tagliatelle, and watching the reactions--some drooling and a few incomplete sentences--suggested they had made equally good decisions. But I landed on the Seafood Charcuterie Board. Lobster. Salmon. Octopus. Walleye. Shrimp. Stupidly creative and delicious. It's the kind of dish that makes you stop halfway through and reconsider everything else you thought you were going to eat that evening. Different preparations, textures and flavors all coming together on one board, and somehow it never felt like creativity for creativity's sake. It worked. There's clearly some serious talent coming out of this kitchen, and my recommendation for navigating the menu is actually pretty simple: Follow the stars. They denote the chef's signature dishes. Trust them. My only regret is that I didn't know beforehand how good this meal was going to be. Had I known, I would've saved considerably more room in both my stomach and wallet and gone after the Grand Río Showcase and the Five Elements Peruvian Cebiche too. Next time, I guess. Stillwater has plenty of restaurants that benefit from the river, historic buildings and one of Minnesota's best Main Streets. Río could probably get away with simply being another attractive place to eat near the St. Croix. Instead, the kitchen is swinging. It's time to acknowledge the new entrant. Río 1854 is my formal submission for best eat on--or about--Main Street. I'll be back. Next time, considerably hungrier. read more

Rio 1854 - Seafood Charcuterie - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

It's a hit! Rio 1854 exceeded my expectations. New to Stillwater! We got the shared meal , it was a hit read more

Rio 1854 - 2 person shared special and a side salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

Service started out a little rocky at first, but honestly, the atmosphere and the food made up for it! What a great place! We come to Stillwater quite a bit if we just need a quick day trip to relax and we discussed making this place our new go-to spot! Delicious! read more

Rio 1854 - Chicken sandwich and passionfruit mimosa - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

Met some friends over in Stillwater and stumbled upon this restaurant as we were exploring the St. Croix river front. We entered from the back as it was right along the river. There were seating outside and it faced the river - just absolutely perfect! As we sat down, our server came up to us right away to greet us and offered us a menu. We had some drinks and appetizers while enjoying the beautiful weather and view of the boats along the river. It was so relaxing and amazing. Our server suggested the guacamole and chips, so we gave that a try. Wow! Most flavorful and delicious guac we've had! The portion was super generous and we had plenty to share. Their sangria was amazing! So refreshing on a summer day! We'll definitely be back to try more on the menu the next time we are up in the Stillwater area! Highly recommended! read more

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Met a friend for a quick lunch. Service was great, but did take about 10 minutes to give us an in depth walkthrough of the menu and nearly every item which felt a little overboard. We shared the ponzu tiradito and each ordered the birria bowl for our meal. The tiradito was incredible, but super small portion for $28. The birria bowl had a way too much rice and it was decent, but nothing really stood out as amazing to me in it. I loved the healthy portion of guacamole on top, but everything else was good, not spectacular. I absolutely love this location and we agreed that it'd be a good date night spot so we'll be back to try more items and hope we can find those items with good portions for the price! read more

Rio 1854 - Birria Bowl - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

Back again to Rio 1854. This time we made a stop on Valentines day for their valintines day tasting menu. We entered the location and were greeted by the friendly staff and we were seated right away. Playing in the background was a violinist performing a mix of random songs setting the mood. Our server Louie was amazing and provided amazing service. He went over each dish as they came out. The first thing that arrived was a giant seafood tower. It had lobster, shrimp, tuna tartare, as well as watermelon with ceviche. We were surprised by the size. Next was a nice refreshing slap that had a blend of pecans and cheese in the baby arugula. The flavors were well-balanced. Then came the picanha. Omg this was perfectly cooked and fell apart. The softness of the meat was beyond words. It also had some jumbo shrimp on the side with potatoes and mole. What a dish!. For desert were had flan and a layered cake with chocolate. To wash it down we had lots of bubbles. There is nothing better than good food to make a memorable evening. Our server Louie was amazing he provided light conversation and told us more about the location as well as other good things on the menu. With our two trips here we have not found anything we did not like. They have a small parking lot available for free outside that makes it easy and convenient. Service 6/5 Food 6/5 read more

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We went to Rio1854 for our anniversary. The service was top-notch. Rachel was very attentive, and offered suggestions and descriptions on the menu. We were seated right away, and had a perfect view of the River. We had the home-made guacamole, and chips and also tried the plantains. It was all very good. We shared the Birria bowl, which was also very good; meat was tender, flavors were nice; maybe as previously stated, a little too much rice. A nice touch with complimentary churros for dessert. Rachel was lovely and gifted us with a flan for our anniversary. Overall a great experience. All restaurants seem to have increased prices, and Rio does seem a little high. It looked like they had a good Happy Hour though, which we will go back to check out another time. Nikki and Jerry read more

First time trying this new restaurant tonight. Met some friends and we sat at the bar for cocktails before our reservation. Our bartender (later our server) Nick was attentive, funny and helpful. We each ordered a recommended dish off of the specials menu. That included the paella, the Diablo, the heritage chicken and the poblano pasta. Everyone was very satisfied with their choices. The poblano pasta was a dish I would go back to the restaurant to re-order. The paella had a generous portion of shrimp but was a little shy on the meat. The Diablo got great reviews as did the heritage chicken. We ordered the opera cake for dessert. It looked better than it tasted, (a bit dry) but it was still very good. Definitely a shareable size. Highly recommended! read more

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I was charged $20 for a Mexican Coke with a shot of Bacardi Silver and then had the manager explain how that was the correct price. It was more than every specialty cocktail on the menu including the ones with rum and Mexican Coke in them. read more

Best food best service, they have a very unique seafood/fish chef here that brings flavors from all over the world, very unique liquor assortment from Mexico and south of the border very fun place and the greatest view in Stillwater definitely will come back. read more

Always searching for new places to try especially for breakfast. Brought my family here and was pleasantly surprised. They recently opened and still have some bugs to work out, but pretty decent place with a lovely view of the river. Service was pretty good, but at times we had to chase her down for some refills. No biggie- she was helpful although wasn't totally sure of the menu. Food ordered: Lumberjack omelet (soufflé) was huge stuffed with all kinds of goodies and a side of cilantro rice which was delicious. Waffle with really nice size sausages Simple breakfast Meat lovers breakfast Club sandwich Food was very good, but it's a bummer when it doesn't come out together and what's hot should be hit, not cold. Great menu options with plenty of variety. Would go back to try their dinner menu. New spin on the old Dock Cafe? Worth a try!! read more

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What a great addition to local downtown Stillwater unique Hispanic food with a high-end twist, great views, and the best seating on the river. read more

watch out! they overcharged both me and my friend!!! river view and service are nice but watch out! read more

I wonder if they have a policy on how long a server has to greet their patrons at a table? We sat for 15 minutes without a "hi- I'll be right with you". So we moved to the bar. Again, 5 minutes was long enough for me to not be asked what we wanted. We walked down the road to the Freight House and were greeted, had our drinks and a meal in front of us within 20 minutes! read more

A bit overpriced, but the view might make it worth it! We were there opening week and the dinner menu hasn't even been created yet. However, the breakfast menu was unique and had items that we weren't familiar with. If you're adventurous like us, you'll enjoy it! read more

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Was really excited to try Rio. Showed up an hour before our reservation and sat at the bar. The bartender was a complete dick and more or less ignored us for 15 minutes. We decided to go walk Stillwater and came back at our reservation time. The hostess said they didn't have our reservation. We showed her the confirmation text and she said, "Yeah our software has been doing that today." Waited a bit and left. I understand things happen with software, but the bartender was so off-putting I won't be back. read more

We have a long history with this site, a different restaurant, and were excited for a new restaurant to take its place and to be successful. We had a great server named Paula the first two times we were there. Other than that, we are a little disappointed. On one occasion,, we were sitting outside and were asked to pay our bill before we were done eating. I said we wanted to order another drink, but were told that we had to pay the bill in full anyway. Went again for a drink and had to sit inside at the bar because the outside bar was not open. The service was extremely slow, and the bartender was very unfriendly. The staff at the desk were also unfriendly and uninterested in helping us. They make a great margarita, but need to upgrade their service. read more

Waited over 15 minutes after being seated. The server never showed up. The placed smelled like dead fish and was too cold. We left and will never go back. read more

My partner and I popped in for some food to celebrate our anniversary. Since it was happy hour, we got some tasty items and drinks. Everything was delicious, the portions were generous, and the prices were fair. We enjoyed our meal on the patio, and the view was absolutely amazing. To celebrate, we got free dessert. The only thing I wished they had was a non-alcoholic champagne. read more

New menu is exceptional. Chef Tony creates amazing fresh dishes. The passion in the food is evident. If you're a seafood lover it's a must try read more

We loved coming to this restaurant location as The Dock Cafe and it's just as fabulous as this new Rio 1854. The seafood was amazing. All the food was beautiful and fresh. Have been back three times now. The menu changes are great. read more

Love their Latin-inspired cruise: Chorizo Eggs Benedict! And for the not so spicy: Classic Eggs Benedict. Nice sides for breakfast (fruit and pancake enjoyed today). Great morning view of the rio (river) however it was a little chilly sitting next to the big windows-which was no problem for us hearty Minnesotans but our food cooled alarming fast on our plates. read more

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Breakfast was amazing along with the views. Definitely a gem in Stillwater if you want something you can't get anywhere else. read more

Rio 1854 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

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Great food. It's obvious that this people really appreciate quality food. There was a dish i liked from the old owners, shrimp d iablo, that the new owners offer out of respect, and they improved it immensely. The service was slow because they are so busy, but we talked to the bartender and he took care of us. They are big plastic bubbles outside called igloos that a lot of people will be excited about, but it's a beautiful view in any case. read more

The food was very good, servers were great. I do recommend. The prices are a little high though.

Don't even hesitate, just go! Superb dining. Thanks Chef Tony! George was a great waiter and the mixologist was fantastic! We will return. Beautiful dining experience. Atmosphere and all. read more

Rio 1854 - CHorizo omelet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

Food, service, and ambiance great. Prices too high but if you want river side, perfect.

While the view of the St.Croix is nice, the overall vibe is dated. The brunch items were primarily American (eggs and hash browns) and just a small portion Latin dishes. As a vegetarian I did not have much to choose from. The service lacked in providing the condiments asked for (butter, jelly, ketchup) or refilling water even though the restaurant was minimally busy. My veggie bowl was fine. Maybe the lunch/dinner menu would be more intriguing and flavorful? Possibly will come again because others have had a good experience. read more

The food was amazing, service by Maddy was superb. The outdoor igloo that was heated was a perfect ambiance. The issue was with deceptive business practices. I should have read the small print better as the $300 dollar minimum for 2 people didn't make sense as it would for 4-6 people as mentioned and surely not for brunch on an off day. The offering said the $50 dollar deposit would be taken from the bill which was added as a "service fee" not gratuity as listed. Maddy explained "most people" if they don't hit the $300 minimum would take food home or desert home. Not sure how 2 people are supposed to eat and or drink $300 dollars. Consider maybe cutting that in half for 2 people. Brunch for two ended up over $400 dollars and my wife looking at me like I'm an idiot for trying to take her somewhere nice as a surprise. Won't be going back there or any of the family owned restaurants/establishments. read more

Rio 1854 - Wife and I in the heated igloo with the river in the background. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Stillwater, Minnesota

Food is out-of-this-world amazingly good. However, the man at the front door, not sure if he's a host/manager/owner, older guy, was an absolute d**k to both customers and his staff. Is the food worth being treated so poorly in a city full of amazing restaurants? Probably not. read more

This is the third time I have been to Rio. It was for their Easter Brunch Buffet. The quality and options were great. Presentation was spot on. The servers are very friendly and politely attentive. Went with my parents who are in their Nineties and they really enjoyed themselves. I highly recommend trying Rio. read more

Bartender was very good. Menu wasn't as expected for dinner. It was a lot of seafood and steaks which I didn't realize before going. I ended up with a Cobb Salad and it was very good! Best view in Stillwater! read more

Go for lunch, dinner menu is a joke, $100 later and we went elsewhere for a full meal afterwards

We have been here for dinner and breakfast. The breakfast is fantastic. We ordered the chorizo omelette and the chicken poblano eggs Benedict. We also ordered bloody Mary's which are house made and out of this world good! For dinner we ordered the grilled group tray of food. It was fun and so good. The salsas and guacamole were fantastic! And beef tallow fries that are worth trying! read more

This new Latin restaurant is in the old Dock restaurant location with fantastic views of the river. Our visit there was just ok. The staff were nice and the food was decent, but not great. Very limited speciality cocktail menu. We will go back and try it for breakfast. They are newly opened, so my hope is that our "meh" experience was because they are just getting their feet wet as a new restaurant. read more

We had an exceptional brunch experience with friends last Sunday. The food was fantastic (huevos rancheros and omelettes were delicious), our server was great, and the corner table view was incredible. We can't wait to come back this spring to enjoy the patio. We'll be back often. read more