Casa Rio– San Antonio, TX

No stroll on San Antonio’s Riverwalk is complete without eating Tex- Mex in the picturesque setting by the river, watching gondola like boats stroll by. We had heard that Casa Rio was the first restaurant on this touristy river walk (http://www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/) and decided it would be good one to introduce authentic Tex Mex cuisine  to our friends from the east coast.

There are a bevy of choices on River walk, about 30 plus restaurants (http://www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/OurMembers/Food_Drink/index.asp ), some did not even have a wait, but in spite of having had a long day at Sea World, San Antonio and impatient kids, we chose Casa Rio despite some waiting time, hoping to enjoy  good Mexican food. Casa Rio covers a pretty large space on the river walk with lots of tables lining the banks of the river besides the large amount of indoor seating.

We compromised on the seating to avoid a long wait. Yes, we could sit on the banks of the river, but the tables outside could not be joined together, so we missed out on the dining experience one shares with food and friends.  After a few minutes we were greeted by our friendly waitress dressed in the Mexican flowery blouse and skirt who made us feel very comfortable with her talk and understanding of our hot and spicy south Asian taste buds and preference for less ice or none in our drinks etc.

The food arrived pretty quickly while we were munching on the hot salsa and chips. I guess based on the volume of this restaurant, they must have their processes well laid out.  Between our friends and our kids and theirs, we got to try and order large variety of food.

The FAJITA NACHOS   could be ordered with   Grilled Beef or Chicken Fajita Meat, and we took the beef option. It also came with Beans, Cheese, Guacamole,   Sour Cream, and Pico de Gallo.  (Served w/Jalapenos). These were crunchy and appetizing.  The ENCHILADA PLATTER  with 3  Enchiladas – a Beef, a Cheese, and a Green Chicken Enchilada topped  with  our different sauces and cheeses,  served with Guacamole  Salad,  Mexican  Rice,  and  Refried  Beans was decent .  BEEF ENCHILADA plate with   3 Beef Enchiladas, Mexican Rice, and Refried Beans was not the same since there is a big difference between steak beef and ground. The ground beef option was not as tasty.

But the best among the menu we ordered were the QUESADILLA’s.  The Beef quesadillas were filled with chunks of beef Fajita Meat, Cheese, Onions, and Green Chiles.  Served with Pico de Gallo, Guacamole and Sour Cream this was pretty good. The vegetable Quesadillas ordered by our vegetarian friend was well liked too. Surprisingly the chili releno, a popular vegetarian option could not be made vegetarian here. Luckily this place apparently made refried beans without any pork or animal fat which made us retain that in our menu.The kid’s meals were ok, but a little bland for our kids who enjoy good spicy food.

But lastly one has to say, the   prices were not very expensive considering this is a prime location on River walk. I guess that is one of the reasons why people are willing to wait longer here! It was good value for the money. Overall, a positive experience, as long as you have your expectations set correctly. This is not an exclusive restaurant but caters well to large volumes of hungry touristy crowds who pour into San Antonio on a regular basis.

Cuisine:  Tex Mex
Price Range:  Not Expensive
Dress: Tourist casual
Rating: ***

Dishes reviewed:

• FAJITA NACHOS   with grilled beef
• ENCHILADA PLATTER with 3 Enchiladas – a Beef, a Cheese, and a Green   Chicken
• BEEF ENCHILADA
• BEEF QUESADILLA’s
• VEGETARIAN QUESADILLA’s
• Kids-SOFT CHICKEN TACO
• Kids-CHEESE ENCHILADA