Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant (Greeley)

Downtown Greeley's Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant — known to regulars simply as The Rio — is a lively Tex-Mex gathering place built around two things it does very well: seriously good Mexican food and, in its own words, legendary margaritas. The brand dates to 1986, and the Greeley location carries that identity into the heart of downtown, with a big outdoor patio guests consistently recommend. Start, as most tables do, with chips and house-made salsa: the Rio makes its salsas fresh every morning, and a sampler lets you try three at once — Classic Green, Smoky Morita, and fiery Atómica. Guests praise the generous steak and chicken fajitas, skirt steak fajitas and burritos, enchiladas, fish tacos, chile rellenos made from scratch, and queso fundido, with churros and salted caramel flan for dessert. The margarita list is where The Rio earns its reputation: the Classic Rio Margarita is the house signature, available with mango, strawberry, or manberry additions, alongside a Mini Margarita, a Signature Margarita Flight, and the Big Tex Margarita. Groups are welcome, with private events for up to 80 guests and a Family Meal Deal, Sunday through Thursday, that feeds four.