The Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant serves good food along with its famous margari

The Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant just can't seem to shake its numerous and devoted clientele: for twenty years they've followed "The Rio" across Boulder, from its first incarnation as a hole-in-the wall on Pearl St. to a much larger space a block away to its present location on 11th and Walnut.  During the 1970's, another very popular Mexican restaurant called Ticos made its home in the same old, sandstone-jacketed building there, which seems destined to draw people looking for plates piled with tostadas and enchiladas.

You'll get plenty of consistently good food here.  The free chips and salsa keep on coming.  A basic beef burrito goes for $9.95, and a grilled chicken quesadilla can be had for the same price.  The Nachos Rio Grande, for $9.95, are really pretty grande, with corn tortilla chips layered with black beans, melted cheddar, fresh guacamole and charbroiled steak. 

If you want to spend a little more, you could splurge on the $16.95 Shrimp Fajitas, which will arrive at your table sizzling hot.  Or you could economize with the big black bean burrito, for $7.95, which comes with a blend of cheeses and is a good deal for vegetarians.

As reliable and reasonably priced as the food is, the Rio's patrons find other reasons to keep packing its noisy, attractive rooms night after night.  It's a family-friendly environment where the wait staff won't bat an eye if your rambunctious five-year-old happens to scatter beans and rice across the tiled floor.  They'll refill your cokes for free, and if you want to dine out on the nice rooftop patio overlooking the mountains above downtown Boulder, they'll literally run up the stairs from the kitchen below, passing off plates in relay to other waiters to make sure your food arrives hot.

Then there are the famous margaritas.  Made with Cuervo Gold tequila, they're killers — in terms of taste, size and potency.  The Rio will only let you have three, and that's probably one more than you'll be able to drink and still walk without weaving afterwards.  For a lot of people, this classic cocktail defines the Rio experience: delicious, fulfilling and a lot of fun.

Mexican