Celebrating Mexican Heritage And Pride One Last Time
Rio Grande Cantina, a Mexican restaurant located at 3227 Roswell Road in Buckhead, will celebrate its last Cinco de Mayo today.
Located in Buckhead Village next to Piece of Cake, Rio Grande Cantina originally opened in 2001 after Percy’s Fish House closed in 2000, making this year its tenth in business.
Rumored to have lost their liquor license, Rio Grande management suggested that their ten-year lease is up and that is the only explanation for their closure.
Our presence had management walking on taco shells and their unwillingness to interview has us second-guessing this passive excuse. Moving forward, there are plans for relocating to a new undisclosed location; three pieces of real estate are in consideration.
Meredith Cullen, a pastry chef at Piece of Cake, said when she arrived to work yesterday morning, Rio Grande employees were moving equipment outdoors.
“I heard that they lost their liquor license. That’s the rumor going around,” Cullen said.
Gearing up for their 25th anniversary promotion (10 dollars off any cake every first Wednesday of every month through October), Cullen says she was initially relieved in knowing that Cinco de Mayo at Rio Grande Cantina would not interrupt their celebration.
“We share a parking lot with them,” Cullen said. “It gets extremely congested.”
Luckily for Cullen, she has the day off. As for patrons planning on celebrating Cinco de Mayo at Rio Grande Cantina, they are open for business and officially close tonight.
“It’s going to be pretty crazy. I’m glad I’m not here for that. The parking lot is going to be insane.”
Rio Grande Cantina
3227 Roswell Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
10 Responses
Truth of the matter is that Rio-Grande has been operating without a liquor license since the beginning of the year. After being busted by the DOR “about 2 weeks ago” they’ve been taking the liquor down off the shelves during the day and bringing them back out after the DOR closes.
Further – The current owner of Rio-Grande inherited the business from his father after passing nearly a year and a half ago. Since then he has managed to run the popular Buckhead gathering spot into the ground. The complaints range from employees going sometimes months without being paid, poor restaurant maintenance, unpaid taxes, and excessive spending. The restaurant will close today but it’s going out with a bang…or at least a Mexican yell as they in true Rio-Grande fashion don’t even have the city permit to throw they’re celebration.
about time…..their liquor license is the only thing keeping them in business…..the food is comparable to taco bell and those nachos that you get at the movie theater. I could definitely see a lot police cars showing up at this “celebration”…and I use that word very lightly. I wouldn’t hinge your night on this place.
Ultimately not that surprising, really. Service was atrocious and the food was definitely sub-par. Patio (and the fact it was walking distance) were the *only* reasons to go.
However, “going out with a bang”? Just drove by and there is a fence up and a cop out front – looks like they got busted before they could go out with a bang?
Well guess what? Party started at 12p and by 4:20p, the cops came to the celebration. Not to join in, but to close it down. Feel sorry for those flair bartender dudes that were brought in to work the party. They were probably under the assumption that everything was fine. Heard they managed to pull together a good gathering at that Italian place across the street. Good for them – sucks the Rio owner even wasted their time, and probably money.
liz youre a dumbass the people who own rio own the italian place too
you people really took the time to analyze a restuarant online. im jealous of the exciting lives you guys seem to live. and yeah liz you stupid bit*h they own that place too. “heard they managed to get a good gathering across the street”
and james you seem super educated on the situation because im sure you are an insider who knows all. fu*$ing loser.
alas eric…. you are looking for what to do in Buckhead/Atlanta on the internet. enough said.
4:20pm really?
$1 Bud Light Bottles and much better food a hundred yards away at Shane’s!
Looks like it will be reopening soon. The sign out front says “Buckhead Saloon … see you soon” Saw a truck moving some furniture into the building this afternoon, including a giant moose head.
Ihu should probably swallow a knife, considering you took the time to not only read, but respond to each individual post..on the internet, no less. Congratulations. You fail at life.