LoDo Denver

Midway between the Pepsi Center and Coors Field, The Rio is the perfect place to kick off your evening in LoDo, Denver's number one neighborhood for fun! Click here for driving directions: LoDo Rio Map

The Rio will be closed on Monday, September 6 in honor of Labor Day. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday!

Scroll down for information on our menu, banquet space, happy hour, parking, ongoing events, upcoming celebrations, and more!

Whether you stop by for lunch during work, meet friends for happy hour, or delight in our fresh and healthy TexMex for dinner, The Rio is sure to please. We have 7 TV's - including a big screen - in our upstairs bar. Relax with an icy cold draft XX Lager and some Chile con Queso while cheering on your favorite team.

If you're going to a show at the Pepsi Center or cheering on the Rockies from Coors Field, stop by the Rio to enjoy one of our famous margs and burritos before the game ...or celebrate a win afterward!

If you'd like to...
receive our e-newsletter with coupons and specials?
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order a gift card via email?
Order a Gift Card

order a gift card over the phone?
Call 303.623.5432 & ask to speak with a manager.

download our monthly Calendar of Events?

Download September Calendar of Events

Party Space

Celebrate your next special occasion with friends at The Rio! Let us host your next gathering upstairs in our private banquet room - we can accommodate groups from 30 to 200. Enjoy our festive ambiance, delicious Tex-Mex food, and famous margaritas. We can create a fabulous party with lasting memories and none of the stress.

Our banquet room is currently available for groups of 30 or more, Sunday through Thursday evenings and every day at lunch.

Contact Sara Rogozinski at 303.525-6133or email her at sara@riograndemexican.com to begin planning your special event.

View our banquet room in action here!

Click to see our wide variety of menu options:

Download Banquet Brochure

NEW HAPPY HOUR AND WEEKLY SPECIALS

We listened to YOU, our loyal customer! As a token of our APPRECIATION for your many years of support, we have decided to add some WEEKLY SPECIALS for your pleasure! Starting Monday, August 30th- the fun begins!

HAPPY HOUR - MONDAY - FRIDAY 3-6PM
$1 off Rio Margs and Big Tex cocktails
$2 Tacos
$3 Drafts
$5 Appetizers (Chile con Queso, Guacamole Ensalada and Queso Deluxe)

WEEKLY SPECIALS:
MONDAY: RIO TRIO
three course dinner for Two for $21.95
Appetizer: Soup or Salad
Entree: Fajita Combo
Dessert: Sopapilla or Flan

TUESDAY: TACOS AND TEQUILA
$2 Tacos and Tequila Flight Specials

WEDNESDAY: MARG MADNESS (8-10PM)
$5 Rio Margs and $6 Big Tex

Seriously good Mexican food, fun, and Rio Margs. Remember, good things come in threes!

Geeks Who Drink - Bar Trivia

Looking for a way to spend your Monday nights now that football season is over? Want to impress your friends with your knowledge of little known facts? Enjoy relaxing with some tasty margaritas while having a chance to win prizes?

Come down to the Rio on MONDAY nights at 7:30 for all this and more! That's when we host Geeks Who Drink, the premier providers of bar quizzes sweeping the nation! It's free, fun, and a great way to spend some time with friends. Prizes for top teams too!

Check out the following link to see it in action
Geeks Who Drink

Click to download our flyer which you can bring in for a discount on your first mini-marg!

Download Bar Quiz Flyer

Denver Rio Reservations and Call-Ahead Seating

Large Party Reservations
We are able to take a limited number of reservations for groups of 6 to 30. Lunch and Sunday through Thursday evenings have the most availability. On Friday and Saturday evenings, we are able to offer some reservations prior to 6:30 pm. Call the Rio at 303.623.5432 and speak with a manager to discuss your reservation needs. Please call up to two months in advance, as slots tend to fill up rapidly. If your weekend plans at the Rio are going to kick-off later in the evening, read on to find out about call-ahead seating.

Call-Ahead Seating
Our call-ahead seating program allows you to call the restaurant on the day you wish to come in, from as early as 9:00 am. We place names on the wait list for that evening in the order we receive calls. Call the restaurant at 303.623.5432 and speak with our host staff to add your name to the wait list.

Once your group arrives, if the restaurant is already full, you will already have your spot at or near the top of the wait list. The majority of your party needs to have arrived before we will begin reserving space for your group. You will then be waiting for tables to clear which we can use to accommodate your party, versus waiting for a large number of groups on the list in front of you to be seated first. This is a way to keep your wait shorter than walk-in guests, but there will still be a wait for a table. Unfortunately we are not able to quote wait times for call-ahead seating until you have arrived, since it is difficult to predict how quickly tables will depart.

Capacity Restrictions
On some weekend evenings, we reach our maximum capacity in the building. We then must follow the "one out, one in" rule in order to conform to fire code. The line out front tends to move rapidly, typically taking no more than 10 minutes even when it extends quite far down the block. Even if you are on the call-ahead or reservation list, we still are only able to allow one new person in for each person that leaves. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and hope you understand the need for us to follow the Fire Marshal's instructions for everyone's safety. We often bring chips and salsa out to those who are waiting to help pass the time - and again, the line moves fairly quickly. We greatly appreciate your patience with this sometimes difficult situation.

Parking and Transportation

On-Street Parking Information
Rates at on-street parking meters in Downtown Denver are $1.00 per hour, Monday through Saturday, 8 am to 10 pm, with a 2 hour maximum. There is no parking on Downtown streets between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. On-street parking is free on Sundays and city holidays. Meters accept nickels, dimes, quarters or Cash Keys. Need a list of city holidays? Free Parking Days

Off-Street Parking Options
There are a number of pay lots along Blake Street both North and South of the Rio, with rates varying according to date and time. Click the link, select Restaurants & Bars then Mexican, and scroll down to the Rio Grande for a map with locations and rates: Downtown Parking.

The closest below-ground lot is located in the Sugar Cube building directly to the North of the Rio on Blake Street. As you are driving South on Blake (one-way), you would take a right into the garage before you reached the Rio. Rates after 5 pm are $6, with all-day Sunday parking for $4. Click to reach their site for more information: Sugar Cube Parking

Alternate Transportation
The Rio is located across the street from the RTD Market Street station, a stop on numerous bus routes. Click here to visit RTD's website: RTD Schedules

The Market Street station is also a stop for the free 16th Street Mall shuttle, which travels the length of the pedestrian mall from Civic Center Station to Union Station. Light Rail riders on the D-, F-, or H-Lines can get off at the 16th Street stop and hop on the free shuttle that will be running on the North side of 16th. Click to get more details on the 16th Street shuttle: MallRide Information

Gluten Free Options

About Our Menu

When you eat at the Rio Grande, you can rest assured that your meal is both delicious and healthy. Our rice and beans are low-fat, vegetarian, and cooked fresh every day. We fry only in pure, heart-healthy canola oil. Our chips are made the old-fashioned way, from stone-ground tortillas. We go to great lengths to make sure everything we offer is fresh and of superior quality.

We also understand that our guests have a variety of dietary needs. We offer a wide range of vegetarian items, have a lengthy gluten-free menu, and our kitchen is peanut-free. Please consult your server or the manager on duty with any questions about our menu.

Download Gluten-Free Menu

Our Mission

The Rio has had a clear mission since its inception in 1986: We provide sanctuary from the problems of the world while serving the best dang margaritas and Mexican food this side of the Rio Grande.

We keep the following practices in mind to help us achieve our mission...
- Appreciating that Our People = Our Secret
Ingredient.
- Making sure we have Enthusiastically Satisfied
Customers.
- Delivering Wholesome Food & a Wholesome
Workplace.
- Realizing that Profit Creates Opportunity.
- Practicing Earth Friendly.
- Loving Thy Community.

Let us know how we're doing!
Email the Denver Rio

Download Our Dinner and Lunch Menu