Rio Bravo - Westbrook — Restaurant in Westbrook

TL;DR: Authentic and fresh food with exceptional service in a fun yet comfortable environment!

I knew I was in for a good meal before I even got to order it because we were brought warm chips and obviously fresh salsa. You could just taste that it was fresh. I have never noticed that anywhere else with complementary salsa.

Our waiter, Misael, double checked with me about my order because the dietary restriction I have really removes a lot of the charm of the particular meal I chose (taco salad without the flour tortilla bowl--I know, it sounds silly) but I told him I was content to have it with some of the chips we had left to get as close to the experience of one of my old favorite dishes as possible, especially since my mother was also getting the taco salad since she had never had it before in her life and I told her she should change that.

I can't say enough about our waiter! Misael was absolutely delightful! Not only was he diligent at his job in general, but he went out of his way to ensure that me and my mom both had a great experience despite the restrictions I had on my meal and differences we preferred for our shared item.

He asked if I wanted jalapenos on the side, since we couldn't add any to the guacamole or my mother would not be able to handle the spiciness. I have never thought to ask for this and I've never been asked this before! Immediately yes, please, that sounds amazing!

And the young woman who made that guacamole up fresh for us at our table was very sweet. I do not remember her name, as I am unfortunately terrible with names--they somehow leave my brain immediately even when I am entirely focusing on trying to remember them--and hers wasn't listed on our check like Misael's.

We had such a wonderful experience that we had told a family friend all about it and he was eager to give it a try, so we ended up getting lunch at Rio Bravo the next day, too!

Thank you for such wonderful dining...

The food was excellent and the ambiance was pretty good. I gave the establishment three stars because there was a situation that really defined my experience at the establishment. After ordering a mango margarita, the manager came back to our table asking everyone around me "if I take any medication and if I do, he cannot serve me alcohol". I should note that I am a person with a visible disability where I cannot smile or move my eyes side to side. In my 35 years of existence, I have never been asked a question like this (and I am from Chicago). As a person with a disability, I have a Masters degree, I was a white house intern and I have been employed in State government for over three years. That question was inappropriate, hurtful and totally out of the ordinary. I will say that the waitor did apologize and we discussed this for at least a few minutes. I honestly understand his point of view too because there are people who might take medications that interfere with their daily functioning, but I would encourage the owner to be more mindful of person centric language especially when you are interacting with people who have disabilities. The manager was very sincere in his apology and the food was good which is why I gave them three stars. There is a learning curve for everything. I would encourage Rio Bravo to connect with the Maine Protection and Advocacy group (Disability Rights Maine) to learn more about how they can best serve persons with disabilities. The manager may have violated federal law by asking a customer "if they take any medication" and can be subjected to a lawsuit. This is why it is important to understand how to interact with people who...

Our 1st trip was tonight. From the moment you get close to the door! You are greeted with a welcoming smile! Made to feel like you are home! The decor is perfect and beautiful! We were promptly seated, again very friendly service. Pedro was our waiter and he is awesome! Sense of humor and very personable. Very attentive!. Then the food came out!!! Wow!! Wow Wow!! I had Pollo Boraccho. I don't remember the last time I had something with so much amazing flavor! Just incredible! I also had my husband's guacamole!. Perfect! Even the salsa they give you is VERY tasty! Drinks were great, could have used another splash of tequila but still very good. I can't wait to go back and try something else. The explosion of flavor left you wanting more. Oh and I believe maybe it was the owner, whoncame over to our table and wanted to make sure everything was good and that we were happy. It wasn't the usual tacky " how is everything " like it was a genuine "how is everything " Did I mention I can't wait to go back! Oh! And the Churros! Fantastic way to end a SCRUMPTIOUS meal!! Mmmm mmmmm mmmm . I probably shouldn't be raving about how fantastic it was as now y'all be going there and we won't be able to get in. But at the same time, I want this place to succeed so it stays open! Thank you for bringing an authentic Mexican restaurant to the area that is a locally owned...