I came here with my husband for dinner while visiting family. It was recommended by my sister and her husband. I was very pleased with my food and my husbands was very tasty also. I ordered the shrimp with penne pasta and my husband ordered the duck meal, I would recommend this place to family and friends. Thanks, Anna Guerrero read more

Sarah Sarah Sarah S! We choose to go to a nice dinner once a week and today we chose the rio. It was early and we sat at the bar. After two perfectly made Craft cocktails. We had a wonderful dinner I had the burger my girl had the house smoked half chicken which was wonderful. Thank you for a wonderful and unforgettable experience full of laughs scrumptious foods and delicious cocktails. read more

Last Sunday My 91 year old mom's favorite place to eat was booked, so we tried the Rio Grill. Called and the hostess, Alexis, was able to get us right in. When we arrived, a smiling Alexis greeted us at the door and seated us at a quiet table so Mom could hear me better. Our waitress was Camille and she was very accommodating to my special dietary needs. She was super sweet to my mom too. Our food was good though I expected a heartier French fry from such a nice place. I'd also suggest a few more vegetarian/vegan options. Lentil soup would have been a great choice if it didn't have bacon it. Mom said it was delicious though. I thought the Cole slaw was great too. Oh, almost forgot...The bread was to die for. Service was tremendous. Food was good. read more

Was referred here by Debra from Taste Morgan while taking a couple days break in the Carmel area. (Debra and Aaron from Morgan are awesome!!). We had lunch at Rio Grill. Our server, Randy was excellent. The food and wine were too. Even the artwork was engaging. I will definitely return. read more

A little bit close and noise but the food is great !! And good drinks !!! I heard happy hour is Gio so going try it out!

This is one of the best places I've been in Carmel for the money !! The service was a little slow .... but no complaints in any other way !! The food was amazing!! Loved it ! Definitely coming back !! read more

Very disappointed. Walked in at 4:30, before the evening rush, specifically asked for a quiet table for one so I could finish office work. Hostess sat me next to the bar/servers station, which is the worse seat at any establishment. Just before my Rib eye steak arrived the hostess informed me the guitar player would be setting up right next to me. The restaurant only had 4 other customers! My server was excellent and received a 20+% tip. The rib eye was nothing special at + $50. Had better at nearby restaurant for 1/2 the price. Should I have been more assertive with the hostess; upon seating and then the guitar player? I did tip the guitar player, who was at no fault. read more

This place is great we came here with friends and our kids and they were super accommodating and kid friendly. Everybody from the hostess to the manager were kind. I had the skirt steak and it was great we also got the Shishito peppers and rosemary potatoes which were okay. Overall great staff, ambiance and good good. You won't be disappointed. read more

Rio servers concentrated effort on ensuring we knew they wanted to provide us with thoughtful service. The warm towels given after eating our artichoke for starter anticipated our needs. I was disappointed with the temperature of the artichoke, the outside was hot but the inside was cold which makes me wonder if it was cooked earlier and re-heated. However the balsamic dressing was good. Better water service would have been nice. Apart from that, there fair was the traditional new American, good as expected, yet my mind was not blown which is appropriate given pricing. read more

Rio Grill - They asked for our feedback via survey - American Near Me - Carmel-by-the-sea, California

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Food is delicious here and love the Pork shank ! Always stop here when In town . Been going for about 8 years ! Bartender makes chocolate martini! read more

I was in the mood for a good hamburger and found this restaurant on Yelp. I ordered The Works burger and it was wonderful! Piled high with sautéed mushrooms and onions. Seating was all outdoors due to COVID, but the plants around the tables made it a little more private and it didn't totally feel like you were in a shopping center. The staff was warm and welcoming. I would visit again. read more

Fabulous food perfect with Covid times sitting outside on the patio. Perfect location after golfing. Great service great prices. They had live music playing very nice afternoon. I highly recommend this Restaurant. read more

Outstanding food. My friend and I are admitted foodies and were counting our blessings that we stumbled upon Rio Grill after a spa day in Carmel Valley. She ordered the mushroom ravioli which was out of this world, a must try! I happily ate every bite of my Mahi Mahi on polenta which was delicately prepared and layered in flavors that would surely impress any palate. The portions were good sized, the restaurant super clean, all staff very friendly and we even happened to arrive when there was live music. Lucky us! read more

We have the best experience when we visit Rio Grill. Alana, Miguel and Spartacus are the best! Our food was fabulous, the food was fantastic and the service amazing. We sat outside, had an overhead awning and our own heating lamp. We highly recommend! read more

Great food and excellent service. We were there with a group of 30 people traveling south from Napa Valley. We had 3 choices for lunch. I had the beef brisket sandwich. Yummy! read more

The best! The place has it going on. The artichoke is the best in the world. Happy hour is great. Staff and management are skilled and nice. Sunday, Happy Hour all evening. Worth the visit. read more

In general good food, portions run smaller. I ordered a special of the day, a brazing fish, that the taste was delicious but the size of the fish fillet was smaller than my fist, and very thin. I have much better fish in other places. But my wife got also a special, corned beef with cabbage, and that was ok. The desert we ordered was a gluten free cake. And as gluten free cakes go that was good. read more

I love this place! They have the best Prawn penne pasta I have ever had. Actually that's all I ever eat when I come because I love it so much! read more

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This restaurant has always been a favorite of ours. Although service is not always the best, we always enjoy the food. Some of the waitresses have major attitudes and are not always the nicest. I'm giving it 2 stars today after learning that they did away with one of their best things on the menu. Their amazing crab cakes with cucumber salad is GONE, honestly one of the best things they had on the menu and something we always looked forward to. Last night were very disappointed with not only our waitress who was not very welcoming, but the fact that our favorite item is no longer served and only got "what you see is what you get" we were a little thrown by the comment. Instead a response like "I'm sorry, but our calamari is also a great choice" would have helped. I think we finally just had it with the service. This place was a regular for us but we probably won't be back unless we're really hungry and nothing else is open, OR they bring back the crab cakes! read more

Great spot! We were greeted with a very friendly hostess who sat us at our table. The restaurant is very clean and well put together. One of the small things that we really enjoed was the butcher paper on the tables which doubles as a giant coloring book for our toddler. Our server was really good. She offered great insight into the dishes on the menu and did a great job of making us feel welcome. Food was awesome! - Bacon Clam Chowder....Amazing!....order this! - Blue Cheese Wedge Salad was very good. Bread crumbs in place of croutons was a change of pace that worked well. - Pork Chop was cooked perfect and well paired with the Palenta and green beans. - Burger was really good. Ciabata bun was soft and fresh and the patty tasted as if it was made from scratch. I would definitely recommend coming here over a nearby competitor who only does burgers which rhymes with "RG Burger" - Kid's Chicken Strips were made from scratch and not the run of the mill freezer food. This has become one of our new favorite go-to spots. read more

Had never heard of this place before but I met a friend for lunch and she said she'd been going for years so I gave it a try and loved it! With so many trendy restaurants in this area, it was fun to find an assuming well loved local spot with great customer service and a wide ranging menu with delicious food. Even though it was a bustling lunch crowd Chef Eduardo stop by to introduce himself and when my friend complimented him on the authentic tasting plate she had ordered they got into a conversion about tamale recipes. Her mother's vs. his mother's. He said he still used his mother's recipe at the restaurant today. Within a few minutes of Eduardo leaving our table, tamales showed up at the table! My friend said they tasted just like her mother's!! No wonder the Rio Grill has a strong fan base! Thanks Chef Eduardo for making a great meal even better! read more

5-stars and we can't say enough about the spectacular food, service and drinks! We visited for our 30th anniversary and had a wonderful experience. Our server Kat was attentive and communicative in providing instruction on the COVID policies while still making us feel comfortable. She also inquired about our timing preferences and answered questions about the menu. We started with the Empanadas and asked about Lilikoi Martinis. Kat checked with the Bartender, Taylor and he came out personally to let us know they did not have Lilikoi and to see if there was something else he could make for us. After asking some questions about our particular tastes & preferences he brought us an apricot liqueur martini w/ a splash of lemon. It was very refreshing and not overly sweet...which was just what we were looking for. For dinner we asked Taylor to make something with Franjellico and chocolate as a martini base. He brought out a tasty treat that also had a hint of Bailey's and was very smooth. For our entrees we ordered the 16 oz Prime bone-in ribeye with the twice baked potato and petite carrots. It was amazing. My husband said it was the best potato he had ever had! We also ordered the butter lettuce salad with steak & avocado added in. The quinoa and blood orange mimosa vinaigrette were delicious. During our meal the gracious manager, Spartacus checked in and we enjoyed a very nice conversation. The friendly service and genuine interactions with the staff here exceeded our expectations! We will definitely return as this has become an immediate favorite restaurant. At the end of the night we asked Taylor to recommend a dessert and pair it with a drink for us. I don't usually eat desserts but we thoroughly enjoyed the olallieberry cobbler and a Tasty Nuts & Berries cocktail. Thank you Rio staff for making our special night so delightful! read more

Omg Rio Grill is amazing! We had our rehearsal dinner there in the barrel room- a private room- and it was everything we hoped it would be! The food was phenomenal, the wine was great, and our server was Hannah- so sweet! Attentive, nice, did an amazing job! We don't live in the area, but when we come back, we'll definitely request her every time! Thank you guys for a great night!!! read more

Delicious meals (Poblano Pepper, Burger, fish Tacos) at well-distanced tables (heaters or a nice breeze) and our waitperson (Kat) was fabulous. Efficient, informed, funny...wonderful. RIO Grill is not to be missed. read more

We changed our mind when we got to the table and had to apologize and leave. The hostess did not seem pleased and gave a tad bit of an attitude which I felt was unprofessional and rude. However, our group changed our minds again and went back. She kindly sat us back down then. It's got a nice ambiance. The food was just alright. Our server was fabulous abd very helpful. This was my second time coming here. My fiance remembered the food being pretty delicious the first time so we brought the family here. I was kind of disappointed with the food this time. We got the fish if the day which was the New Zealand sea bass. This was pretty tasty that had a truffles flavored sauce. One of the better dishes of the night. We had quesedillas with guac.. This was good too. But it's just regular traditional quesedilla. Nothing particularly special. Arugala salad. Regular salad. Short ribs, i felt was a bit dry. Skirt steak had a very good marinate and was acrually really tasty. Plate was well rounded with green beans and sweet potatoes gratin (though I personally didn't think the gratin was that great, my family liked it). My mixed grilled sampler had 7 different items. I feel the presentation was pretty poor. The sausage was the best then the skirt steak and the roasted garlic worked well with the meats on the plate. I felt those 3 were the most noteworthy thing on my plate. Shrimps were cooked well but it was nothing special. I thought the tomatoes was terrible.. too much wine wine vinegar, when I ate it I thought I was eating vodka infused tomatoes (my mother in law however thought it was the best thing and ate it all). Overall, I may be a little hard to judge. Nothing just particularly wowed me that much this time around. I think the last time I may have had the duck and that was pretty delicious. read more

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Always enjoy rio grill. Staff is friendly and accommodating. Food just right. Hard to pass up the ribs. My husband loves skirt steak. 95 year old dad eats small portions and is brought his favorite Caesar salad with extra anchovies. You probably know who we are. Thanks for being consistent and fun. read more

Noisy place. Had not been there in about 10 years. Three people came to the table in 5 minutes to take drink orders. The tomatoes in the caprese salad were too hard to cut. The waiter said he had told the chef about it. They were taken off my bill. I ordered a hamburger rare without the buns but with everything else. It came medium rare. Nothing on the side as I had asked for. A raw onion and another impossible tomato. Really. The manager lurked over. Yes, lurked and started whispering. Not a memorable evening. I won't return! read more

Paella, paella, paella absolutely delicious. An explosion of flavor in your mouth. Seafood and a little chorizo make this dish a true southwest Spanish delight. Excellent little place in an unassuming shopping strip mall. Would receive a 5 except they ran out of paper towels in the bathroom. No big deal but little things count too. Enjoyed the art work too and the wall of Stars by bar who they say come here regularly. read more

Tonight I went to Rio Grill's 33 1/2 year! Wonderful event!!- 100% proceeds goes to AG- Against Hunger. They organize volunteers to glean Fields in Monterey County. Then then distribute the produce to food banks locally. They have such a bountiful crop they have fulfilled food banks as far as Ohio. read more

This place is one of our favorites and never disappoints. The service is always great and the food always hits the spot. I can especially recommend their brick chicken and specialty cocktails. read more

Service was excellent and the food was pretty good but the portions are very weak. That is why I am leaving a 3 Star review. We live in Carmel Highlands and visit Rio Grill every once in awhile because it's close and the food is good. The only reason we don't come more often is because of the painfully weak portions. They either need to lower their prices or expand their portions because I leave hungry with a hole in my wallet every time. Definitely not the best bang for your buck in town. read more

So good!!Amazing. We have been coming here 25 years. So good !! Favorites are smoked chicken, burger . penne pasta with shrimp, ice cream sundae, crab cakes when they have them. Very best! House made bread very good too wine list outstanding!!' Love love love this place read more

OMMMMGGGGG This place is SO DELICIOUS! Make a reservation!! The restaurant is pretty big, but they do attract a crowd. We were able to call a few hours ahead of time and get a reservation at 7pm on a busy Saturday night. We were seated promptly. Server was very nice and attentive. Do yourself and get the Jolly Rancheros...or 2 orders!! OMG, it was my favorite dish! read more

I stopped in for a beer while waiting for my wife. $10 for a beer? Perhaps I'm out of the loop, but that seems ridiculous. And, the waitress wasn't particularly friendly. In fact, she was kind of a grump. Convenient location, but if you're not otherwise limited by circumstances, I'd look around for another joint. Anyway, that's my first impression. read more

Just finished their 5 person Thanksgiving feast. The creative flavors combined tradition with a new twist that was astounding. Just right for our hungry threesome with a bit leftover. read more

Thank you to the staff and management for the wonderful food and customer service! We belong to Morgan winery and often bring a nice bottle of wine to pair with your great menu! Thank you for honoring the no corkage fee for Morgan wines! Much appreciated! read more

I had a coupon given to me by a winery. My friend and I were in the vicinity and stopped by for a late lunch. We ordered calamari as the free appetizer. We were definitely not disappointed. The accompanied sauce was exceptional. The main entree's which were sandwiches were also great. The manager and staff were exceptional, providing friendly service. Hardly anyone outside for outdoor seating. And great ambience with outdoor heating lamps. Stop by. You will not be disappointed! read more

My wife and I had a lunch and dinner here on a three day trip to Carmel from our home in the SF Bay Area. On both occasions the food and service were above average. We had lunch as the restaurant opened on a Wednesday and there were few patrons during our meal. On this occasion the restaurant was quiet and there was no delay in ordering or receiving our meal. The next evening we arrived at the restaurant without reservations and had to wait for approximately 10 minutes for a table which we found very resonable. The restaurant was quite busy but the wait staff was attentive and cordial. The only complaint was the level of noise during the dinner. There were two tables near us that had large groups dinning that were very noisy making it difficult for my wife and I to carry on a discussion during our meal. read more

I went to the restaurant for lunch a week ago. Nice staff.... My friends had the burgers and the portions looked ok, but small side portion of fries. I had the turkey sand which which was alright. Small side of cole slaw and small basket of chips and salsa. We came in right as they opened and you could tell they didn't have heat on since it felt like the temp was around 60 in the restaurant . I thought the staff would have looked a little more professional with matching uniforms, but they didn't. I too noticed that regular customers sitting by themselves we're served before us even though we arrived much earlier.... The prices for portion size was too high...The food was good. Lastly, the bathroom stank and you can tell their was no heat in their either. Sadly I wouldn't return if I wanted too. Uncomfortable chairs and pricey... The place is tired and need a shot in the arm Sorry!!!! read more

Meh. We ended up there on a busy summer weekend because other places were full. The place was busy but we got reservations which I thought boded well. Unfortunately there isn't much good to say. The Corpse Reviver is a good cocktails when made right. This one was overpowered by mango purée and was tiny for the price. The beet salad didn't have many beets and has huge pasty wads of blue cheese in it. My dinner specials of seafood stew was the best thing I had. The lemon torte was odd. Like a round lemon bar with a hard dry crust. Most of the menu items seemed to have one to many ingredients. Nothing abysmal just not suburb. The staff were friendly and efficient. The noise level was loud. read more