Latest visit: Oct 2025 (Briargate near Chapel Hills mall)
First visit: May 2011 (Glendale, CO)
HQ: Salt Lake City, UT (Founded: 1997 in St. George, UT)
It's been 14 years since I first went to a Cafe Rio, and have subsequently forgot about the original experience. I've been wanting to get over here for well over a year, since they first opened here in the Springs. It's not too far from where we live, but I'm just never in this area during lunchtime. Today I made it a priority.
Cafe Rio is in every way similar to another Utah chain that we've covered extensively here in the RJG: Costa Vida. Get in line, and your counter server will pull out an aluminum round tray. I ordered the Rio Burrito, so first comes the big floppy flour tortilla. Filled rice, and choice of pinto or black beans. Then a protein, and I went with the Fire Roasted Chicken. Essentially grilled and spiced chicken, cut into cubes. Then they add a salsa. Followed by your choice of smother. The red is the hotter so I went with that. Not sure if I could have done a Christmas and also had the green. I'll try for that next time. They then wrap up the burrito and throw cheese on top. Into the conveyor belt oven your tray goes, and on the other side you have a hot melted cheese burrito. They then will add lettuce, guac and sour cream (the latter two not for me). Paid up at the register, grabbed a water, and $14 later I was munching down my burrito.
I must say this is much better than my last experiences at Costa Vida. I found the sauces spicier, the chicken more inspired, and the rice perfectly cooked. Excellent really. I'll have to go back to Costa Vida, it's been a couple of years. In listening to the employees speak, it sounds like Cafe Rio recently upgraded their offerings.
The restaurant seems well managed, and I'm pretty sure the manager was onsite. Clean and comfortable. The crowd was light at just after 11:00, but steady.
Easy RJG Rotation addition.
Locations: 170 stores in 11 states (UT, CO, WY, CA, AZ, ID, MT, NV, WA, VA, MD)
5/21/11; 10/31/25 (review / new entry)
Glendale; Colorado Springs
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