We decided to eat outside, right alongside the river. The weather was not too hot, and bugs/flies were not a big problem, even in July. The tables are set up so that a walkway for pedestrians is in the middle. That seemed challenging for the wait staff and definitely not a private setting for patrons.

I ordered the most popular thing on the menu - a combination plate including guacamole salad, chile con queso, cheese enchilada, chile con carne, tamale, beef taco, rice, and refried beans. It was definitely more than I could finish, but my father ate all of it. There was no need to have ordered an appetizer.

The chips and salsa and warm tortillas come with every meal. The salsa was pleasantly hot. When we asked for butter to go with the tortillas, I was disappointed that they brought margarine as our only choice. That seemed less than authentic. The guacamole was nicely flavored, over a small bed of shredded iceberg lettuce. That and the chips with queso came out first. Our entrees followed almost immediately, not allowing us enough time to linger over dinner - or even finish the first course. And the waitress did not check on us enough, leaving us to wonder if we'd be getting drink refills. She also brought the check without asking if we'd like dessert.

For the entrees, the cheese in the enchilada was pretty hard. The tamale was a wonderful texture. The taco was sitting on top of other items, which made the shell a little soggy. The ground beef was flavorful.

Someone else ordered the flan for dessert and said it was some of the best she'd ever tried.

The prices are extremely reasonable. For the combination plate that I ordered, it was about $8, and that was one of the most expensive choices on the menu. For the price, it's an excellent value.

I've eaten at other Mexican restaurants in San Antonio. Casa Rio is definitely a good choice in terms of food and atmosphere.