Kael Nisson

Review of the Rio Cafe

I hate to leave reviews like this, but felt strong...

I hate to leave reviews like this, but felt strongly that I needed to share about my last few experiences at the St George cafe rio location. I called in my order and came to pick it up. I was first in line but was not helped for at least 10 minutes. As I was waiting in line to be greeted an helped, a lady next to me had been able to get flag down the manager on staff and complained about all the liquid in her salad (which was absolutely unappetizing.) The manager saw all the liquid in her salad and apologized to her , but did not offer any sort of reconciliation. He then asked if I had been helped. I replied "no." He then said to me, "well you just need to speak up," pointing at the cashier who was helping customers going through the other line. That remark rubbed me the wrong way, as I did not feel that it was my responsibility to initiate engagement from the staff when waiting to be helped, especially when the staff was helping others in a completely different line. Long story short.. I was finally helped and got my food, but they did not have all the food I ordered. I ordered a dessert, and they claimed they were out (this has happened more times than not to me the last several times.)
On the most recent visit, I decided to walk through the line to get my food. When I got up to the counter to order, there was only one staff working the line. I ordered a salad and the staff only put a tiny bit of lettuce on it, but then put a ton of cilantro. It was weird to say the least. The ratio of lettuce to cilantro was almost 1:1. She then only filled the house dressing container up part way. I felt bad because she was the only staff on the line, so I did not say anything to her. Then I ordered a tres leches and left with my food . When I got home I discovered that the tres leches we as almost completely dry (almost as if whoever made it forgot to soak it in the liquid mixture) and the strawberries still had some leaves on them and were cut in big chunks and not thin slices.
Normally, I can let a few mistakes here and there go, but these last few experiences completely turned me off to cafe rio. I usually love to eat there because the food is so good. It has been one of my favorite restaurants, and I've put up with the decline in the quality of the service for the last few years, as it has truly gone down hill, but these last few times have just done me in! I really hope they can get things turned around there and hire some quality staff, for everyone's sake. I will definitely not be going there nearly as often and will instead eat at durrangos or somewhere else. Its hard to compete with cafe Rio's food, but at least Durrangos has consistently amazing service.. Cafe rio could definitely learn a thing or two from them.