Rio Restruant And Lounge

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  This place is the BEST venue for a party. Especially if you're on a budget. To the naked eye its clean, has ample seating, a nice dance floor AND THATS IT!!!! American cuisine??? Really??? What bar doesnt serve burgers? Theres a bunch of stuff I cant even pronounce on the menu. Who eats Fu-fu in a bar?? This place was a GEM when Brandon owned it. Russ Parr day parties......fight parties, comedy shows. The place was packed. They had great bar tenders that served good drinks. Now its a dump!!!!! You better order a rum & coke because they dont know jack about mixed drinks!!! I was going there to watch fights & football games on the big screen , order some fries and sneak my own mini's in. Oh......my boyfriend said they had a huge OPEN tub in the mens room with the ice in it.........Oh well. Thats what I get for sneaking in my mini's.

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  Posted on 05.02.13 Yvette T.

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  I wanted to write a review on this location because I want to thank them for at least trying to promote fight nights, comedy shows, and sporting parties. Not always is it most convenient to go into DC esp. with all those traffic cameras and the high cost and limited parking. I am happy to have Rio's nearby. It might not be all decked out and high siddity, but down home and a neighborhood venue. The community is really hard on the up and coming places. I will say that their sound system is in need of desperate repair, the food is ok , but all is good when the drinks are cheap whoa! I went on a wed to a comedy show and it was well worth just getting out on a wed night. The event was hosted by COMEDIAN-MICHAEL-NATHAN who is not in the business only for notoriety, but for the love of comedy, which sometimes I wonder is a dying art. A clever witty comedian can make many of your worries go away ya dig. One down side all though there are a ton of flyers for the comedy shows passed out in the community  the information is rarely posted online facebook, twitter, etc. which it makes it extremely hard to broadcast it to friends.

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  Posted on 10.02.12 Tawny E.

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  I set up an account just to write this review!!!  This company lacks tact and a good marketer.  It kind of irritates me when I come out of another establishment and find their stupid promotions on my car, but when I came out of my house this morning and there was a flyer on my car (in a community with no solicitation rules) that drew the line.  If you knew how to market to your particular interest group you probably would not have wasted money and placed your flyers on cars at people's houses where it will irritate more than cause them to stop by.  All I can say is they are tactless.
  
  In regards to actually being at the restaurant, when I have been there it is overpriced and so far back in a secluded dark area that it really is not inviting.

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  Posted on 06.09.12 Miss K.

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  A big NY GAINTS spot so rigth now the place is packed ,otherwise the place is cool

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  Posted on 01.22.12 Lenard A.

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  Let me tell you about Rio's in Laurel, MD.  My brother and I happened to come across this little nugget.  It was Halloween Eve.  We were at the Fridays in College Park.  Fridays was dead and stinkin.  My brother motioned our waiter...
  
  "We're not feeling this.  What's going on nearby?"
  "You should try RIO's!  That's where I go when I'm off work. It's like an upscale Lounge/sports bar."
  "Say What?  This I gotta see..."
  
  Ten minutes later we were pulling into the Rio's parking lot.  Parking was convenient.  Parking is a HUGE factor for any venue I'd frequent. I detest spot hunting.  I quickly noticed the huge wrap around deck.  Note to self: warm days on that deck = Stuntin.  Star!  Make that two stars, yeah, parking ease and a cool deck earns at least a full star in my book.
  
  Once in the door, I'm greeted by the door men.  No athletic gear he says to my brother. Sneakers are cool but no skull caps?  I don't get that.  I mean, it's getting cold out and this is a sports bar.  Fedoras = okay.  Kangols = okay.  Skull caps = bad? I deduct half a star for not having a dress code I can endorse. A hat is a hat as long as it's not a ski mask, in which case, it's a mask.
  
  Lets' talk décor; First off, its cleaner than any non-chain sports bar I've been to.  We like clean.  The interior is spacious.  Non- cluttered.  A few pool tables line the back.  TVs galore. There are so many TV screens I had to ask a waitress how many they had.  25-30?  Props!  What is this?  Leather chairs and couches?  Really?  Yes. Really.  This is the upscale Lounge piece my friend was talking about.  Nice table setups.  No rickety chairs.  Cool dimmed lighting.  A a real DJ.  RIO's earns another star.  That's 3!
  
  Drink time. I'd sub tract 1.5 stars  for bad drinks at a lounge/sports bar!  I've seen other reviewers give good marks to a lounge with wack drinks?  Whatever!  I'm merciless about wack drinks.  Luckily, the bartenders here get it in.  My brother ordered a Manhattan.  The bar had no vermouth, and the bartender advised against substituting something else.  He said substituting anything for Vermouth would really take away from the original taste of the drink. My brother said, no worries, just make me something strong, this cold is killing me.  Was it good?  Let's put it this way, my brothers drink was so good his exact words were:  "I wanna go back to Fridays, smack the bartender and get my $20 back!  Truth.
  
  The food was typical bar food, but unlike some spots I've tried, both the wings and the mozzarella sticks were edible.  Good enough food to soak up the alcohol, and no nausea.  
  
  I revisited RIOs for Sunday football.  I needed proof the sports bar /lounge could actually call itself a sports bar.  Done!  The atmosphere was rowdy at times, but it was the good type of rowdy.  Nothing too crazy, just excited fans rooting for their squad.  Felt.
  
  Rating 4.5 stars, but since Yelp won't allow a .5 star, I'll go 5 stars! What can I tell you?  I'm a sucker for good service.  
  
  My brother had a bad cold.  We needed to hit the 24 hour CVS down the road and comeback.  "No Ins and outs".  We were told to talk manager.  He's wearing the Banana suit.  It was Halloween eve, remember?  The owner understood.  He made an exception. To top off my brother mislaid his cell phone. Our server found it and secured it until we came back.  Yeah, I like  these people and this place. They earned my business, let them earn yours.  Nothing in the area even comes close.  Highly recommended!

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  Posted on 11.03.10 Timothy C.

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  I visited this place last Saturday night for the Manny P. vs. Clottety fight and I order some a couple drinks which were fine.  I also ordered Chicken Nachos which is where the problem began.  Their was hardly any cheese on them and even worse the chicken was not fresh unfortunately I didn't recognize it until a couple of days later when I am diagnosed with viral tonsilitis.  I would not suggest anyone visit this place and order any food at all.  
  
  It is Friday night and I am still taking prescribed steriods and antibiotics just to have the strength to function to be able to go to work.
  
  NO RIO NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!

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  Posted on 03.19.10 Shepherd B.

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