Rio Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Bratislava

Went there as a group. Definitely take a reservation. The service was nice, pationed and always friendly. Our server was Patrice. She made sure we have a great and short-lived time together. The dining room is cozy, expect a relaxed dinner. They even have a dj and trumpeter (went there on saturday) . If you like higher quality spirits and wine, you'll definitely find something to enjoy.

The price level is more elevated than the typical local Bratislava/ Slovak cuisine so my expectations were adjusted to that.

Now to the food. I can recommend the homemade lemonade with passion fruit as a non alocholic refresher. After placing the order we received some ciabatta bread with a garlic herb spread. A very tasty appetizer. We shared a beef tartar as a starter. For the price point I expected a bit more finesse. The meat could have been chopped a bit finer and marinated a bit longer to enhance to flavor. Although the tartar itself was quite tasty, the added bread was more like a crisp (just use the ciabatta from before, that would have been much better). Not the best but definitely not the worst tartar.

For the main course we hat the salmon, burger and the lava steak platter (I would have liked to taste the duck but that was out unfortunately). If you like a fancy presentation and a wow factor on the table, take a lava stone dish. Critisim on a high level but the burger wasn't the advertised "smash burger". Very tasty again but you won't find a typical smashed patty with alle the cragly goodness you might expect. The fries with turffle and parmesan are a hit tough (oder these if you can). Coming to the salmon dish. Very tasty but if you ask for a level of doneness stick to it. Mine was orderer medium and came cooked through (was still juice so).

In terms of presentation, the dessert was the most complex. We had a "lemonade" filled with a fruity jelly and some chocolate crumble. The "hot chocolate cake" was served flambéed. Complete "Instagram moment" as we didn't notice any of the absinthe after, neither was the cake warmed by the flames. Nevertheless the dessert was really good and I would recommend taking one.

I guess this review sounds a bit more negative than our experience at Rios really was. We had a great evening, but for the price point you can expect a bit more...

A True Culinary Gem in Bratislava: Don't Miss Rio! My Wife and I stumbled upon Rio Restaurant & Bar at the last minute after a long day of shopping, and it turned out to be the absolute highlight of our week-long trip to Bratislava. From the moment we walked in, we were blown away. The atmosphere is an incredible blend of chic elegance and total relaxation, complemented by perfectly chilled music. We were immediately seated and greeted by our brilliant server, Patricioj. Her warmth, knowledge, and fantastic personality made us feel like lifelong friends—she is a true credit to the restaurant and ensured both of our visits were seamless and wonderful. The food, however, is the ⭐️ First Night: A Flavor Explosion We started with the exquisite Wagyu Yakitori and Duck Pate. For the main course, we both had the Confit Beef Short Rib with mashed potatoes, Japanese BBQ, kimchi, and lime zest. Seriously, the depth and complexity of flavors will blow your mind. I somehow managed to fit in the "From Madagascar to Japan" dessert (vanilla ice cream, miso caramel, sesame crumble, ginger confit, and yuzu jelly). The yuzu was a shock on its own, but combined with the other elements? BOOM—a brilliant harmony! Second Night: Perfection Maintained We loved it so much we immediately re-booked for our final night. I indulged in the dry-aged Rib Eye cooked to perfection, served with homemade fries tossed in truffle oil and parmesan. My partner couldn't resist and repeated the Confit Beef Short Rib—a testament to how incredible it is! We finished with two more show-stopping desserts: the rich Chocolate Ganache with roasted green tea and whisky, and the refreshing Mango with coconut cream and lime zest. If we had found this place six nights ago, we would have been here every night. To the Rio team: You made our holiday. Thank you for your exceptional food and service. Don't change a thing; you've achieved perfection! We cannot wait to return. Highly,...

On the evening of March 28, 2025, we started with the beef tartare, which was excellent. For our main courses, I, my wife, and my son ordered the Lava Stone Steak, while my daughter had the hamburger. The hamburger was delicious, and we had no issues with it. However, the Lava Stone Fillet steak was not what I expected. While the quality of the meat was evident, and it was nicely seared on the top surface, the other sides were not. We were told it would cook on the hot lava stone at the table. My son found it difficult to eat such a thick cut of meat. The flavor from the initial searing was lost while cooking on the stone; the meat seemed more boiled than grilled.

When I spoke with a staff member, I requested if they could at least cut my son's steak in half and cook it well-done. However, the staff member's demeanor clearly indicated dissatisfaction with this request, stating that the steak is served this way. I personally did not like the smell or taste of the steak and was unable to eat the portion I paid 41,90 EUR for. My wife managed to finish hers, but she experienced nausea and diarrhea throughout the night.

Despite seeing my unfinished steak when clearing the plates, the server did not ask if there was any issue with the meal. This was not our first experience at a steak restaurant; we have dined at various steakhouses in many countries before. To be frank, I left the restaurant dissatisfied with my meal, despite having carefully reviewed the menu and made a reservation in advance, and we paid a significant bill. This was a poor...