Ambiance was dead on a Friday evening, that should have been the first clue to walk away. Food was disgusting. The carne asada was freezing cold and tasted exactly like what I can only imagine wet dog food tastes like. Atrocious. They poured bad bottled bbq sauce over sweet potatoes and old steak (frozen when served) and called it a $30 carne asada. Hands down the worst food I've ever had in por.... Wait, anywhere! They need to change their chef and kitchen immediately, it won't last long otherwise
Jeff B.
We had a reservation and were told that we could not sit outside, that was for walkins only. That sat us in a pretty bad location and saw that we were annoyed and move us to another inside spot. Then they moved us again to the downstairs patio. The manager was initally pretty rude about seating us outdoors. The food was pretty average but the spicy margarita was good.
Bryan McAuliffe
We went with a very large group. Most of the adults enjoyed their meals. Two people ordered the same thing and didn't seem to enjoy it. Multiple people had the street tacos and loved them. I had the pork belly ones and devoured them. The kids ordered grilled cheeses. No one cared for them, but the server replaced them with Mac and cheese with no extra charge.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nachos, Haddock Tacos, Fish Tacos
Patricia Wilcox
Service was slow but the servers were very friendly and helpful. The nachos was spicy for me. The Street Tacos
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Shrimp Tacos
Kylie M.
Food was bad. Kids meals were so bad. went with a group of 12 girls and 6 adults. Grilled cheese was barely eaten by the 4 girls that got that, 1 girl refused to touch the hot dog because it was bright red. Mac n cheese was KRAFT and clearly old/microwaved. The waiters refused to add chicken to the quesadillas and the chicken tacos came out with pulled pork instead of chicken? like what? Not only that it was a small tortilla with a slab of what looked like american cheese and some bbq pulled pork. upon further request for some veggies and sour cream they refused but brought out salsa which wasn't even salsa. The service was slow, the waiters were not helpful and incredibly forgetful. For some reason they weren't allowed to give certain requests. Overall with 16 hungry people after a day of driving we were NOT impressed.
Alan4B
Have no idea about the food here, but the drinks, we’ll one drink is a must have. They make a coconut margarita that was so good we went back on day two to have it again. Best it was part of the happy hour menu at half off. Never even heard of coconut infused tequila before, but I’m a big fan now!!
Michael R.
We stopped in for a quick bite at Rio, one of the newer deck restaurants in Portsmouth. We had a very friendly waitress and found that our food and drink was served promptly. This is a very casual spot.I started with one of their classic margaritas. While the drink was good, I had asked for it to be served without salt, I just don't like salty margaritas! Unfortunately, it came salted and I pointed this out to the waitress and she offered to "pour it into another glass", at which point I declined, It was already salty. As mentioned, this is a casual spot, bar food type of spot, so I just rolled with it.The nacho platters looked huge, and so we passed on that and went with the queso dip and chips. It's always a struggle to get the ratio of chips to dip right, and this was another place with a big bowl of queso and a handful of chips. Why oh why? Should you eat the rest of the dip with a spoon? Queso was passable, a bit salty for my taste. Chips were the very hard type and lacking flavor. Tacos are a relative bargain at $5 each, and they have a variety of options. The few we tried were better than we expected, given the prior dish/drink.Again, really heavy hand with the salt.All in all, not sure we would rush back here, maybe for a drink and a taco. Location is great, views are great, but there is much much better Mexican food in the greater Portsmouth area.
Ellie T.
Pretty view. Shrimp and pork tacos were excellent, margaritas decent. Server was very prompt and kind. Great spot!
joanne Mcnair
I think I just had the best shrimp tacos I have ever had. A menu that has the perfect combination of food and alcohol and a waiter that was knowledgeable and helpful.Thank you Jacob.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dustin Ludwig
Good spot near the water. Chicken enchilada was excellent and the mango margarita tasted great. Kate was a good server.
I think I just had the BEST lime shrimp tacos with a cream aoli that was amazing at this restaurant Rio In Portsmouth NH. I will have to visit more often.Our server Jocob was prompt checking in at just the right times. I LOVE it when a restaurant blows me away. Rio Tequila Cantina did just that. The absolute best ever.
Ashley Solares
Jacob was amazing!!! We had a large party and he got every single order right and was the friendliest ever. It was beyond impressive how well he handled our large party. Food was mediocre but the drinks, music and Jacob were
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Churros
Beachfan999
I have been coming here once or twice a summer for at least 7 years. This visit was the least impressive. I’m not sure if it changed ownership since last year? The location is great. I came mid week at 5:30 with a friend and had no trouble getting a table, however, of all the open tables, the hostess tried to seat us in this cramped spot next to the waitress station, and a speaker with music that was too loud. Both my friend and I looked at each other and we asked to move to another table. I said the reason for the move request was that it was too loud with the speaker, so the hostess says, “I can put you over there (pointing to a further table) but just to let you know, we have a band playing a little later. We took the new table, not realizing that “a little while” meant 20 min. Then, 10 min after we were seated, these giant glass doors (which we thought were windows) opened and the hostess but us DIRECTLY in front of the band. My head was 4 feet at most from the speaker attached to the mic. She put us in literally the loudest spot after we said the music was too loud near a speaker. She also never told us when the music was starting or that the band would be directly 2 feet behind our table. There were plenty of open tables further away and closer to the pretty view of the tugboats. We decided to leave right after we finished our food, because we kept having to yell to talk to each other and say “what?” so the other person could try to repeat, I was literally staring at her mouth to try to lip read. Regarding the food and drinks: the menu is smaller now and a favorite of mine is gone (avocado fries). We ordered happy hour margaritas. They were only 7 dollars each but the sour mix was too lemony and acidic- heartburn city. Both of us got fish tacos, which were fish sticks on a tortilla with barely any slaw, with a drizzle of a yummy sauce. When I bit into the fish, it brought me back to my mom serving me frozen fish sticks as a child. Not what I was looking for in a fish taco. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. With all of the good food and drink options in Portsmouth, sadly, I think my days of coming here are over.
Luis T.
Rio Tequila Cantina in Portsmouth is a hidden gem that offers an authentic and vibrant Mexican dining experience. The ambiance is lively and inviting, with colorful decor that sets the stage for a festive meal. The menu boasts a variety of traditional Mexican dishes, from sizzling tacos to mouthwatering enchiladas. The flavors are rich and satisfying, and the portion sizes are generous, making it an excellent value for the price. What truly sets Rio Tequila Cantina apart is the exceptional service provided by Josie. Her warm and friendly demeanor creates a welcoming atmosphere that enhances the overall dining experience. She goes above and beyond to ensure that guests are comfortable and well taken care of, making each visit feel like a special occasion. Her attentiveness and genuine care for customers make dining at Rio Tequila Cantina an unforgettable experience.
Shane L.
So this is a quick review for a quick stop in to this newer establishment on the waterfront of Portsmouth.We wanted to stop in for nothing too heavy and we were not disappointed as we ordered an order of the chips (that they make in house) and salsa that had a more smoky feel than I tend to like but it was still very good. We also ordered two street tacos each as my wife is a vegan and ordered the grilled corn tacos and I ordered two of the pork tacos that had some pickled onions and some fresh crema.The views were great and the server was great as well.
Ambiance was dead on a Friday evening, that should have been the first clue to walk away. Food was disgusting. The carne asada was freezing cold and tasted exactly like what I can only imagine wet dog food tastes like. Atrocious. They poured bad bottled bbq sauce over sweet potatoes and old steak (frozen when served) and called it a $30 carne asada. Hands down the worst food I've ever had in por.... Wait, anywhere! They need to change their chef and kitchen immediately, it won't last long otherwise
We had a reservation and were told that we could not sit outside, that was for walkins only. That sat us in a pretty bad location and saw that we were annoyed and move us to another inside spot. Then they moved us again to the downstairs patio. The manager was initally pretty rude about seating us outdoors. The food was pretty average but the spicy margarita was good.
We went with a very large group. Most of the adults enjoyed their meals. Two people ordered the same thing and didn't seem to enjoy it. Multiple people had the street tacos and loved them. I had the pork belly ones and devoured them. The kids ordered grilled cheeses. No one cared for them, but the server replaced them with Mac and cheese with no extra charge.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nachos, Haddock Tacos, Fish Tacos
Service was slow but the servers were very friendly and helpful. The nachos was spicy for me. The Street Tacos
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Shrimp Tacos
Food was bad. Kids meals were so bad. went with a group of 12 girls and 6 adults. Grilled cheese was barely eaten by the 4 girls that got that, 1 girl refused to touch the hot dog because it was bright red. Mac n cheese was KRAFT and clearly old/microwaved. The waiters refused to add chicken to the quesadillas and the chicken tacos came out with pulled pork instead of chicken? like what? Not only that it was a small tortilla with a slab of what looked like american cheese and some bbq pulled pork. upon further request for some veggies and sour cream they refused but brought out salsa which wasn't even salsa. The service was slow, the waiters were not helpful and incredibly forgetful. For some reason they weren't allowed to give certain requests. Overall with 16 hungry people after a day of driving we were NOT impressed.
Have no idea about the food here, but the drinks, we’ll one drink is a must have. They make a coconut margarita that was so good we went back on day two to have it again. Best it was part of the happy hour menu at half off. Never even heard of coconut infused tequila before, but I’m a big fan now!!
We stopped in for a quick bite at Rio, one of the newer deck restaurants in Portsmouth. We had a very friendly waitress and found that our food and drink was served promptly. This is a very casual spot.I started with one of their classic margaritas. While the drink was good, I had asked for it to be served without salt, I just don't like salty margaritas! Unfortunately, it came salted and I pointed this out to the waitress and she offered to "pour it into another glass", at which point I declined, It was already salty. As mentioned, this is a casual spot, bar food type of spot, so I just rolled with it.The nacho platters looked huge, and so we passed on that and went with the queso dip and chips. It's always a struggle to get the ratio of chips to dip right, and this was another place with a big bowl of queso and a handful of chips. Why oh why? Should you eat the rest of the dip with a spoon? Queso was passable, a bit salty for my taste. Chips were the very hard type and lacking flavor. Tacos are a relative bargain at $5 each, and they have a variety of options. The few we tried were better than we expected, given the prior dish/drink.Again, really heavy hand with the salt.All in all, not sure we would rush back here, maybe for a drink and a taco. Location is great, views are great, but there is much much better Mexican food in the greater Portsmouth area.
Pretty view. Shrimp and pork tacos were excellent, margaritas decent. Server was very prompt and kind. Great spot!
I think I just had the best shrimp tacos I have ever had. A menu that has the perfect combination of food and alcohol and a waiter that was knowledgeable and helpful.Thank you Jacob.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good spot near the water. Chicken enchilada was excellent and the mango margarita tasted great. Kate was a good server.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Enchiladas
Restaurantji Recommends
I think I just had the BEST lime shrimp tacos with a cream aoli that was amazing at this restaurant Rio In Portsmouth NH. I will have to visit more often.Our server Jocob was prompt checking in at just the right times. I LOVE it when a restaurant blows me away. Rio Tequila Cantina did just that. The absolute best ever.
Jacob was amazing!!! We had a large party and he got every single order right and was the friendliest ever. It was beyond impressive how well he handled our large party. Food was mediocre but the drinks, music and Jacob were
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Churros
I have been coming here once or twice a summer for at least 7 years. This visit was the least impressive. I’m not sure if it changed ownership since last year? The location is great. I came mid week at 5:30 with a friend and had no trouble getting a table, however, of all the open tables, the hostess tried to seat us in this cramped spot next to the waitress station, and a speaker with music that was too loud. Both my friend and I looked at each other and we asked to move to another table. I said the reason for the move request was that it was too loud with the speaker, so the hostess says, “I can put you over there (pointing to a further table) but just to let you know, we have a band playing a little later. We took the new table, not realizing that “a little while” meant 20 min. Then, 10 min after we were seated, these giant glass doors (which we thought were windows) opened and the hostess but us DIRECTLY in front of the band. My head was 4 feet at most from the speaker attached to the mic. She put us in literally the loudest spot after we said the music was too loud near a speaker. She also never told us when the music was starting or that the band would be directly 2 feet behind our table. There were plenty of open tables further away and closer to the pretty view of the tugboats. We decided to leave right after we finished our food, because we kept having to yell to talk to each other and say “what?” so the other person could try to repeat, I was literally staring at her mouth to try to lip read. Regarding the food and drinks: the menu is smaller now and a favorite of mine is gone (avocado fries). We ordered happy hour margaritas. They were only 7 dollars each but the sour mix was too lemony and acidic- heartburn city. Both of us got fish tacos, which were fish sticks on a tortilla with barely any slaw, with a drizzle of a yummy sauce. When I bit into the fish, it brought me back to my mom serving me frozen fish sticks as a child. Not what I was looking for in a fish taco. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. With all of the good food and drink options in Portsmouth, sadly, I think my days of coming here are over.
Rio Tequila Cantina in Portsmouth is a hidden gem that offers an authentic and vibrant Mexican dining experience. The ambiance is lively and inviting, with colorful decor that sets the stage for a festive meal. The menu boasts a variety of traditional Mexican dishes, from sizzling tacos to mouthwatering enchiladas. The flavors are rich and satisfying, and the portion sizes are generous, making it an excellent value for the price. What truly sets Rio Tequila Cantina apart is the exceptional service provided by Josie. Her warm and friendly demeanor creates a welcoming atmosphere that enhances the overall dining experience. She goes above and beyond to ensure that guests are comfortable and well taken care of, making each visit feel like a special occasion. Her attentiveness and genuine care for customers make dining at Rio Tequila Cantina an unforgettable experience.
So this is a quick review for a quick stop in to this newer establishment on the waterfront of Portsmouth.We wanted to stop in for nothing too heavy and we were not disappointed as we ordered an order of the chips (that they make in house) and salsa that had a more smoky feel than I tend to like but it was still very good. We also ordered two street tacos each as my wife is a vegan and ordered the grilled corn tacos and I ordered two of the pork tacos that had some pickled onions and some fresh crema.The views were great and the server was great as well.