Cafe Rio Fresh Modern Mexican

I never know what I'm going to get here. Typically the food is decent, but if you alter it in any way from the normal they get confused and often make the food not worth the money.

For example, I always get a salad with no tortilla, no rice, no beans, and no chips with shredded roast beef and some cheese. Ever since the price hikes the amount of meat they give you decreased quite a bit. However no two servers do it the same, so sometimes I get an okay amount for having hardly anything on the salad and other times I have to ask for extra meat, which is not worth $2, as it's just a pinch more. This means I'm already getting half of what they put on a salad but still paying more. Also, if they are busy enough the next person who handles it doesn't know what I ordered so they make assumptions and think I'm getting a tostada. Assumptions happen at check out as well and I have to be careful to catch them. I even had them once not only charge me for the extra meat but charge me for a steak salad instead. That particular time was not good.

Either way most of the time I end up getting a salad with enough meat to barely over fill my hand and a scoop of lettuce that costs me anywhere from $13 to $15 IF they ring me up correctly. Thirteen bucks is barely worth it and anything more just ticks me off. If the servers there got the same salad I get, they would not want to pay that much for it.

Obviously I alter the salad and I honestly don't expect that much, but a little consideration in making the salad worth my money would be nice and go a long way in getting me to go back there more often.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 5

We’ve gone to this location 3 times.
Today, our order was missing 10 items and two of the meals were so burnt we had to throw them away and make a frozen pizza for dinner instead.
Each time we’ve walked in, the employees have ignored us for 5-10 minutes.
The quality of the food at this location honestly has me worried about food poisoning. The guacamole was definitely rotten. The rice is very undercooked and could break a tooth.
The “salad” has maybe 5 pieces of lettuce.
Cafe Rio used to be my favorite restaurant but I will no longer go here.
I have done the surveys and asked to be contacted and then never received any responses.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

The staff is awesome. So helpful and friendly. I have the Sweet Pork Barbacoa Salad and it's amazing.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Sweet Pork Barbacoa

As for the service, we had to repeat our orders a couple times. It was as if he was not listening after he asked us what we would like. As for the food, it was cold even after they ran it through the warmer once. I took my burrito back and had them run it 2 more times through the warmer and it was just barely warm in the middle. We both had upset stomachs within 1 to 3 hours.
Possible food poisoning from the food sitting out cold after it was cooked.

One sure thing came out of this, we will never go back or recommend this place to anyone. Paid $24.00 to end up with Diarrhea

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 1

Dirty. Dirty tables. Dirty benches. Trash can covered with food.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 3

Good fresh food. Everyone should try it.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

Very good tacos

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I could drink the sauces, highly recommend

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Burrito

Cafe Rio makes it so easy to do business with. I order catering a lot in different cities and it’s always easy, accurate and ready to go when I need it. Mariah was super friendly and double checked everything to make it correct. Definitely recommend.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Update July 21st, 2025:
After avoiding this restaurant for a year, I decided to give it another chance. This time, my salad not only had guacamole, but the tortilla strips and grilled vegetables were missing. Additionally, about a third of three meat I received was solid fat that I spat out in disgust. This used to be my favorite restaurant, but it has really gone downhill the past few years. I'd steer clear of this place - spend your dollars elsewhere. 🤮

This is the second time in row this restaurant has gotten my order wrong. Half the ingredients of my salad that I selected were missing this time, and both times guacamole was added when I specifically did not choose it. I don't think they look at the order details at all!

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 2

This has been my go-to location for months now, but my past few visits have been beyond disappointing. A week or so ago I came in and ordered the taco meal, but when I asked the worker for my lettuce and pico de gallo to-go he gave me the biggest attitude! He scoffed loudly and proceeded to very aggressively put my lettuce and pico in to-go containers, all while scowling as if I had ruined his day by asking him to do his job. Whatever, I assumed he was just having a bad day and moved on. Well I went in today and was helped by the same worker and he had just as much of a bad attitude as last time! He also forgot the cheese on my tacos after I asked for cheese multiple times(I thought the tacos automatically came with cheese?). I was not happy with my food or my service at all. Usually my visits to this location are always satisfying, but this employee's behavior reflects very poorly on the location as a whole.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 1

First time at a Café Rio in Boise. But compared to our experience at Utah locations it was quite disappointing.

Even the kids commented on things all tasting different, rice being hard, and the chips being over cooked and burnt tasting.

I had a steak burrito with the hotter sauce and it was good. But I agree with my kids assessment of the rice and other foods.

I might have complained about the chips to get new ones, but the place was empty aside from one other lady.... And I feared making them cook up more would cause more loss of inventory and I didn't think they needed that.

The staff were polite and quick considering it was just the two of them up front.

In hindsight I feel we should have taken the emptiness of the location as a sign.

Food: 3

Service: 5

Best franchise in my opinion. This location is also the very best.

My only suggestion is that they put a little sign by the front door saying that’s where pickups should stand, because it doesn’t make sense to order and pay online, then go all the way through the line with people. This place gets very busy and it would be nice to just pickup and go.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

I love cafe Rio so much but my experience here was not to the standard I’m used to. Porto a were small, the sweet pork was not as good as usual and the dressing was extremely spicy this time.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 3

This is my favorite place to eat in Boise. The flavor and quality of the food is superior.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5