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    Rio Alto

    4.6 (34 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Open 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM

    Rio Alto Photos

    RIO ALTO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Rio Alto

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    Best lime margarita I've had in Canada!
    Sophia H.

    My husband and I travel almost across Alberta a few times a year to see family. Sometimes we get lazy with the journey and stop somewhere quick or on the hwy, but today we weren't in any hurry and wanted to try someplace new and we lucked out big time! We stopped at Rio Alto after reading some great reviews on Yelp. All the reviews spoke of authentic Mexican cuisine and they are spot on! The food is all made in house from scratch with so much love you can actually taste it. The owner is so friendly and loves sharing stories about his home and his food! He even humored us with practicing some Spanish - were terrible but he gave some good pointers too! The food service was quite fast but a bit slower to have our dishes cleared/ order dessert but all well worth any wait time! They also seemed a bit shorter on staff- we blamed Covid. There were also quite a few pick up orders that came and went while we were there too! We will definitely be back and highly reccomend checking this place out!

    Mexican
    Kathy R.

    This was a great place to go with friends for dinner. I don't get out to High River much but I will venture out for dinner here. Although service was a little slow due to not enough staff the place was packed and all that worked there did their absolute best. The food was really good and authentic and I can't wait to try more of the items.

    Emily K.

    Absolutely love this place! My mom and I stopped for the night in High River on our way to Banff. We drove around looking for something other than McDonalds or pizza and found Rio Alto. We walked in as the kitchen was closing, but they were very accommodating. Since the kitchen was closing, they said they would bring us a small variety. We had the chips and salsa, chorizo queso, chicken soft tacos, pork soft tacos, and hard tacos. Everything was phenomenal!! Not super heavy like the typical authentic Mexican food we are used to in the States. The owner even came over and talked to us about his recipes and ingredients. Very cool! The staff were incredibly helpful in recommending places to see in and around Calgary and Banff. We have a full and exciting itinerary thanks to them! The location is new, clean, and modern. We are re-routing our drive back to the States to stop in for lunch because we were so impressed!

    Brandi E.

    This is real deal Mexican food, in High River of all places! Today I had the Alhambra special, which came with a side salad. It was absolutely delicious and was a large portion. The chips here are also incredible the definitely homemade. I've eaten here a few times now and it's worth the drive from Calgary.

    Enchiladas to go...
    Steven H.

    Just wonderful and right accross the road! I've had a couple late nights developing my new space, so I have been ordering take out a few times... It is like being back in Puerto Vallarta, right in the heart of High River. Can't get enough, always looking forward to ordering there again!

    Authentic and natural. Even the bread is made onsite. Think authentic Mexican with fresh organic ingredients.
    Bradley M.

    A real find in High River. Open only 8 months the formula works. Be warm and inviting, make everything fresh and price it so it is accessible. Every salsa is worth a taste so don't be shy to try. Don't forget to try the Chorros for dessert even the ice cream is fresh and who doesn't love Dulce con Leche.

    Azteca lasagna - excellent
    Gary O.

    We were driving home from Lethbridge to St. Albert and wanted a good meal instead of highway fast food, so we yelped and saw Rio Alto. It was a very short detour off Highway 2 into High River, and was it ever worth it. I'm not a Mexican food expert, but the ingredients were fresh-tasting -- nothing processed here -- and very tasty. We tried the mango juice with sparkling water for a reasonable $3 instead of a typical pop/soda, and it was great (I was driving or I would've had one of their amazing looking margaritas or Mexican beers). For dinner, the girls had tacos -- they had pork and Hector noticed that it was ordered by my daughters, so he put two different types of salsa in for them to try -- and in case they didn't like one or the other. (He came to the table to explain in his broken English. Great guy.) Pineapple in one and salsa verde in the other. They enjoyed both, but preferred the pineapple. My son had the Azeteca Lasagna -- and he loved it. He's not the most adventurous, but he couldn't get enough. A good amount of feta and smoked gouda but not overwhelming...caramelized onions, roasted corn, and a wonderful mascarpone creme sauce. See my photo -- couldn't snap it before we tried it. I had enchiladas with beef brisket and it was very flavourful and filling. For dessert, we tried their daily tart (creme cheese with fresh berries in a great, light crust) and I watched Hector plate and decorate it very carefully in the kitchen. This fellow is meticulous. It evaporated because they brought out a few forks. We also had a few Choncas (Mexican sweet bread) that Hector had baked that morning. We noticed his friend had ordered them at the next table and had to try. When I asked about them, Hector again came to the table and explained that Mexicans eat them every night before bed. We now want to start the tradition. The interior is great - stone fireplace, tiled floors, great wood counter around the prep area. Some easy chairs near the fireplace in addition to dining tables all around. Some high top tables too. Check out their own website for good pictures. Last, I spoke with Hector's wife Veronica when paying, and she said that she was a dental hygienist who wanted a change, and since Hector had always loved baking, they decided to take a risk. Luckily for us, they did, because the great, fresh ingredients,authentic recipes mixed with interesting twists, and careful attention to preparation makes for an excellent night out. Meal for four with no alcohol but with shared dessert came to just over $80 including tip and tax. That's excellent value, in my view.

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    2 years ago

    I love Rio Alto's! Wonderful food, friendly staff, good service, and great atmosphere. Their cactus, bean, and beef soft tacos are amazing.

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    9 years ago

    Worth the drive out from Calgary. Authentic Mexican, $2.50 tacos on Mondays. Newly opened, nice renovations, right in Downtown High River!

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    El Padrino Restaurant - Sopa de tortillas has chicken

    El Padrino Restaurant

    5.0(4 reviews)
    51.3 km

    This might just be the best Mexican and El Salvadorian food I've had in Canada. Wow. This might be…read morethe epitome of a hidden gem. Tucked away behind a small restaurant plaza, El Padrino is not shiny or flashy, but boy do they make their food dazzle. We tried the fried plantain, bean and cheese pupusa, and the chicken pozole verde. The pupusas were amazing, filled with gooey and hearty goodness, and the curtido was crunchy and refreshing. The pozole... perfect for warming up on a cold winter's day. The flavors were spot on as well. Other pozoles I've tried have been too watery or too acidic without much hominy, but this one was generous with the hominy while carrying the perfect amount of spice. The homemade tortilla chips also made a splendid accompaniment. The guy running the place was friendly and clearly cared about our food experience. When we ordered the plantain, he brought us out the plantains to check if we were okay with the ripeness. One thing to note is that sometimes they're out of specific items. I wanted to try the horchata, but they were out the day we went. The tamarind agua fresca was a solid replacement, however. Prices are also quite reasonable; I think the bill came out to about $40 for two people who left feeling absolutely stuffed. I cannot wait to go back to try their horchata and chilaquiles (and to get pictures instead of eating everything immediately)!

    A delicious hidden gem located in the International Ave area. This place is slightly tucked away…read moreand not exactly on 17th Ave. When you turn on 50th it's right there. It's a small restaurant serving different Salvadorian and other Latin cuisines. They do have alot of options to choose from. I ordered combo 14 which had a bit of everything for you to try. A taco, pupusa, Taquito and 1 more item. There are different variations in their tacos and pupusa. They even have a special stew that is served only on Sunday that we need to try someday. BTW, there are tons of places in Calgary that make pupusa but I think this restaurant is the best. Great service and very welcoming. The only complaint I would have is this place does not have air condition. So can be very hot especially in the summer. Overall, delicious food and reasonably prices. Will come back and order other things next time.

    Photos
    El Padrino Restaurant - Tamales Salvadorian

    Tamales Salvadorian

    El Padrino Restaurant - Chicharrón tacos

    Chicharrón tacos

    El Padrino Restaurant

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    Rio Alto - mexican - Updated May 2026

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