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    Rio Salado

    4.3 (309 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Open 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated a few days ago

    Rio Salado Photos

    RIO SALADO ATMOSPHERE

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    Touristy
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    Romantic
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - Rio Salado

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    The view!
    Alexandra C.

    Wow. Rio Salado absolutely blew me away. From the moment we walked in the warm welcome from the host set the tone for an incredible experience. The ambiance? Gorgeous. The food? Even better. Let's talk salsa because I genuinely can't stop thinking about it. Salsa is either a hit or a miss, and there's no middle ground. But this salsa? This was the best salsa I have ever tasted. I'm talking dream worthy. I would literally swim in it if I could. A bathtub full of this stuff wouldn't be enough. It's that good. For my entrée, I had the Pork Cochinita Pibil, and even though I don't usually go for pork at restaurants, I'm so glad I did. Four out of five stars, easily. Tender, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned. I would go back just for that dish alone. My drink of choice was a Modelo Negro, which paired seamlessly with the meal. I didn't try a specialty cocktail, so I cannot comment on the bar, but the beer was cold and rich. We finished off the amazing meal with the churros, and wow (so many wows). Perfectly crisp on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside, paired with creamy dulce de leche ice cream. I'm still dreaming about it. It is a different dream than the salsa... But the food wasn't the only star, the views are also breathtaking. Perched up on a hill, at Rio Salado you get sweeping forest views of the surrounding area, and I can only imagine how stunning it will be when the leaves start to change. Definitely a spot for all you leaf peepers out there! The service was spot on. Our server was attentive and genuinely friendly. She even understood the importance of that second quesadilla for the little ones questions asked. Our water glasses stayed full, and our refill of chips came out fresh and hot. Final Verdict: If you're in Mystic craving authentic Mexican food, you have to stop by Rio Salado. It's more than just a meal, it's an experience. From the food to the views, everything is a solid 10 out of 10. And that salsa...oh my gosh, that salsa. I'm already planning my next visit.

    Bar
    Cindy H.

    So beautiful, so delicious, everything about this restaurant is pleasing. Great service, excellent food and a pleasant atmosphere what more could you want. I encourage everyone in the area to give it a try.

    Rice and beans
    Jamie A.

    Very busy night! I was told good things about this place by our driver. It has a rustic/modern look, dim with plenty of warm lights. Outside and inside seating. My party of 6 arrived 10minutes early and were asked to wait for our table, which I understand. We did have a reservation. We were offered the bar area to wait and grab a drink, but it was awkward. The bar counter table seats were all taken and as a group of 6, we just stood there, in the middle of server traffic~ to be offered the bar area with no seats and in the way of others was a bit silly. There seems to a seating area to wait, but it only had two lone chairs. The outside entrance area is where most people were waiting at, but it was too chilly to stand there so we had the small space in front of the door. Our waiter was kind, and I completely understood it was very busy so Our food took time to arrive and it felt understaff. I ordered the cast iron chicken tinga ~ it was delicious! Very flavorful and juicy with good flavor. It was a good medium small portion and the corn tortillas do fill you up~ the tortilla was super soft and do break apart with the juicy meat. I tried the fajita steak just for taste. It was missing spices! It was warm but just was missing something. Overall enjoyable, but do prepare for the wait time in sitting and food delivery to your table. Our waiter Luis was very kind and funny! Helped our party vibe~

    Disha S.

    I visited twice during my brief trip to Mystic. The vegetarian nachos were incredible, and the waitress was very kind, accommodating our vegetarian requests with menu modifications. Plenty of outdoor and indoor seating. Everything--the food, hot sauce, and drinks--was delicious. Very large portion sizes, especially the burrito

    Quesadilla
    Mas P.

    A group of colleagues went to this restaurant after a conference. The restaurant was very accommodating as there were over 15 of us. They brought out guacamole, salsa and fresh, warm chips for appetizers. All were delicious. The drink I ordered, a passionfruit margarita, was very strong and tasty. I would have enjoyed more passionfruit flavor. I ordered the bbq chicken quesadilla from the appetizer menu. It was a very nice size and very good. I also ordered the corn. It had a little too much sauce on it for my liking. Everyone at the table seemed to enjoy their meal.

    Happy Hour menu
    Lori D.

    Ample seating. Don't have to be in the bar area to enjoy Happy Hour. Ambiance is warm, relaxed and chic with art deco.

    Baja Style Lobster

    We came across this find of the Northeast while staying in Mystic, CT. From the moment you enter, you realize that this is no ordinary Mexican restaurant. The ambiance of establishment was very welcoming along with the staff. Our evening got started with a cucumber salad appetizer followed up with their Holy Mole nachos plater which was exceptional. We both ordered the Baja Style Lobster as our main dish which was to die for, absolutely incredible on many levels. Although we were now on the full side, we tempted ourselves to dessert and were glad we did with their Tres Leches. Absolutely beyond words how good this was. Our waitress was beyond outstanding and we'll definitely be returning again to this outstanding restaurant in Mystic, CT.

    El Jefe burrito
    Rajeev L.

    Loved the eclectic vibe and cool staff. Taco salad reminded us of our favorite college cantina. El Jefe burrito lived up to the hype. Chicken enchiladas were mild and plates were cleaned. Fish tacos were a hit. Best surprise was the Nicaraguan cigar box of worry dolls . Jayson was great!

    Chicken Fajita & Pomegranate Margarita
    Michelle I.

    Service was great, and the food came out quick. The margaritas were to die for and the food was so delicious. Such a great place and family friendly as well. 10/10 would recommend

    Caramel stuffed churros and caramel salted ice cream - Yum!

    I just love this restaurant. My first visit was maybe 2 years ago... and it's just as good as I remember. There's a relaxed yet classy vibe. The wait staff are attentive, yet not overbearing and everyone was kind. The food is fresh and flavorful. Portions are good and desserts are delish! I've had their nachos, street corn, tuna ceviche, chicken fajitas, and caramel stuffed churros. I would recommend all of them! But maybe not in the same meal. I get the churros every time I stop by and they never disappoint.

    Inside seating
    Gajtana S.

    This modern Mexican restaurant was next to the hotel I was staying in. 10% off if you show your room key. There is indoor and outdoor seating and it's old Mexico meets new in the spacious indoor seating area. Service was excellent as was the meal, which was also reasonably priced. We were served salty and spicy cucumbers on the house which were tasty. "Bottomless" tortilla chips and salsa are $6 but we passed on those fried, homemade wonders. My spicy margarita was different than any margarita I've ever had and strong (and very good). The rice was perfectly Al dente with a dash of flavor and the black bean mash was salty but otherwise good. My chicken Suiza was excellent and the tres leches was milky, sweet, and delicious. Overall you can tell the chef makes an effort and adds flair (and flavor) to typical Mexican dishes. There is parking available. The place filled up quickly on a Thursday night. Happy Hour is M-Th 3-5 PM and offers drink and bite specials.

    Vegan cauliflower tacos - yum

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    16 days ago

    This place was incredible! The decor and ambiance were top notch and the food left us scraping our plates.

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    5 months ago

    Unique Mexican place. Best tres leches cake I've ever had. Had lobster enchiladas for the first time ever. Check this place out!

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    7 months ago

    The food was amazing! And their gluten free/celiac friendly food options were fabulous!!

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    Rio Salado Reviews in Other Languages

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    Milagro Café - Chicken taco

    Milagro Café

    (236 reviews)

    $$

    This tiny restaurant in the borough is my favorite little hideaway in the area. The food is always…read morespot on! This is much more than your local taco joint; the flavors are delightfully complex and preparation is on point. The service is always impeccable and attentive. There's some pretty great restaurants in the area, but I think honesty, this is currently my favorite location.

    We were so excited to happen upon a Mexican resteraunt, because it is always our 1st choice, but…read morethe food was Meh. As a resteraunt, the downstairs was very small with 3 tables & a bar; the upstairs was more spacious. The food was edible, but it wasnt anything special; nothing a novice cook at home couldnt produce taste-wise, & you would have never known you were in a Mexican resteraunt by the food, the ambiance, or the drinks (which is hard to do because margaritas are made of tequila) Granted what we ordered wasn't Mexican, but isn't that strange in itself? I ordered one of the specials: ($27) boneless beef short ribs w/ a mescal mushroom sauce, on a bed of mashed potatoes & spinach w/ pickled onions, & a ginger margarita ($14). My friend chose the special ($26) coconut crusted cod w/ rice, mixed vegetables, pineapple salsa & a house silver margarita (16). Mine was edible & the meat was a good texture, but the flavor profile was nothing to write home about. Actually, it would have have been better without the sauce, because it overpowered the dish. The pickled onion on top was the best part of my meal. The drink also fell flat, but was drinkable. My friend reported that her fish was bland & flavorless, but could have been improved with a little lime. However the waitress never came back after taking the order, except to drop the check. It was delivered by a runner. She commented that everything else on the plate had flavor & as long as she ate bites of everything together, it was decent. I gave it a try, & agreed, but I have to say the pineapple salsa was a stand out star on her plate. Her drink was also passable, but not good enough to order a second & she had to add sweetner, because it was mutually bitter & tart. She said the sweetner improved it. The wait staff was not unpleasant, they were just mot attentive. Needless to say I won't be returning.

    Manana Cafe - Phenomenal baked flounder

    Manana Cafe

    (160 reviews)

    $$

    Do you not let the outside of this place fool you. Inside is a wonderful gem of a restaurant! We…read moredecided to try this place based on other yelp reviews and we were very happy that we did. It wasn't too crowded when we arrived and we were seated fairly quickly. The menus on the table are paper and specials are on the board. My husband and I both decided to try fajitas which were on the Tex-Mex menu. I ordered the steak fajitas and he ordered the chicken fajitas. These were some of the best fajitas I have had in my life! I don't know what they use for marinade, but I would love to have bottles of it in my cupboard! The green sauce they give you with the fajitas is amazing! The black beans are some of the best black beans I have had out anywhere! If I had any complaints it would be that you need just one more tortilla. Three is just one short of enough. I really wish this place was close to home, but it's probably good that it's not. The next time I come I definitely want to try some of the real Mexican dishes on the menu. We were told that we cook was from Mexico City, so we were not surprised that the food was so good. I definitely would recommend trying this place out as soon as you can! Great food here. The drinks looked really good to. We ordered the chips and salsa also. The chips were a little on the thick side but definitely fresh and still hot and the salsa was good too. For dessert we shared some flan. It was a little under done in the center but it was still very good. Can't wait to come back!

    Don't let the sign fool you, this place is much bigger than it looks on the outside…read more We ordered chips and chunky guacamole - this was delicious. Their fresh chips were cooked perfectly and seasoned just right. Mexican pizza with chorizo and jalapeños - it was good but I couldn't get my brother to try it. His wife didn't care much for it. This was a better choice than the carne asada tacos I ordered for the meal and was substantially more food. Carne asada tacos - I really wished these were better, but the asada was lacking much needed flavor. On top of it being disappointingly bland, it was also extremely dry with the 2 tortillas per taco. My brother had some delicious sauce with his burrito that spruced up the dryness and flavor. I would not recommend this. The margaritas - my bro had the mango margarita - it was very sweet. His wife and I both had a taramind marg and it was pretty good. She also tried the cinnamon marg but it was way too sweet - as I anticipated - and we left it mostly untouched. The cool thing about their margs is that they serve it in individualized shakers to fill up the glass when it gets low.

    Sayulita - Crispy Sweet Chili Shrimp Taco

    Sayulita

    (641 reviews)

    $$

    A solid 5 star experience. I'd wanted to go to Sayulita for a while, however, since it opened,…read morethere was always a long wait. So a Sunday at an off time (3:45) might get us in? Still a 20 minute wait. They take your phone number & call when table is ready. And the wait was fine. Cotton Hollow perserve is across the street, so a short walk over there and back worked out a perfect way to pass the time. We were seated in the bar area - at a regular table. It was decorated in a fun way - fish artwork, a tv, natural wood. We didn't quite understand the surf board that hung over the bar though? My daughter & I started with a drink - I had mango pina colada, she had a drink with gin, cranberries. Both good. Food - exceeded my expectations. I had the enchilada duo. Chicken & beef. I usually like beef better, however I think the chicken was in a mole sauce - so delicious. Husband had 2 brisket tacos that he loved. Daughter had the rice bowl (with chicken). Decided to split the churros for dessert. Came with: ice cream, Carmel & chocolate sauce. Yes - we will be back. I saw a patio outside. Warmer weather is coming

    Location was easy to find. The staff was friendly upon walking in. There was a wait time,…read moreunfortunately they do not take reservations so we waited in the car. They did have outdoor seating and I believe they had heaters outside so there was no wait for that. You can get a drink at the bar while you wait which is nice. Restaurant itself is very cozy, perfect for a date night. The menu had a lot of options and prices were reasonable for the most part. Tacos pictured come à la carte and it's about $7-$9 per taco which is where they got me. Flavor was on point tho. I'd say for every dish I'd give 8/10. Wait time for food was very reasonable as well. My highlight was definitely the pumpkin flan. I have never had one and it was the best thing I've ever tasted. Sadly I assume this is probably a seasonal dish so I'd try to go during this time if you can! Overall I highly recommend the place just be aware of not being able to place reservations!

    Rio Salado - mexican - Updated May 2026

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