Rio 1854 - Latin Craft Kitchen: Authentic Latin Flavors with Scenic St. Croix River Views in Stillwater, MN

Our first visit to Rio 1854 was for breakfast. We were so impressed that we came back the very next week to have dinner there. The food is incredibly authentic and packed with flavor. The portions are extremely generous and their location right on the St. Croix River is second to none. We can’t wait for spring to arrive so we can experience the waterfront patio, but in the meantime, we look forward to bringing our friends and family along to experience several more menu options. Don’t sleep on this new stillwater gem of a restaurant!

We had the most wonderful experience dining at this beautiful restaurant right on the water in Stillwater. The view of the St. Croix River was absolutely stunning and created the perfect backdrop for our brunch. The food was fresh, clean, and full of flavor — every dish felt thoughtfully prepared and beautifully presented. Our friends visiting from Los Angeles were just as impressed, especially with how vibrant and delicious everything tasted. The staff was genuinely friendly and attentive, making us feel right at home. A special thank you to the owner, Luna, whose warm welcome and hospitality truly made our visit memorable. We’ll definitely be returning soon — and bringing even more friends to share in this wonderful dining experience!

We loved it! I was never impressed with the Dock - other than the location it was nothing special. This new restaurant is special! I had The Avocado Wedge Salad and the sweet potato. It was a fabulous combination. The salad was fresh, crisp and so good. The sweet potato was baked perfectly with butter and a little goat cheese. Add a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and it was just right!

Me and Miles just went down to Rio 1854 for dinner Saturday night. I started out with a pint of Sierra Nevada pale ale. We started out with the fried calamari. The calamari is fabulous I recommend it. I ordered the North Star Tacos, the tacos were very delicious, I would recommend them. Miles ordered the Diablo Reborn which is a dish that was served at The Dock Cafe. Miles loved the Diablo Reborn dish and offered me some shrimp, I was too full and declined. Miles enjoyed his dinner with his coffee. Overall this was a great experience. I would recommend and definitely go back to this establishment.

The food was good. I ordered the Venezuela Arepa Breakfast, something I’ve never seen on a menu anywhere else, so I decided to try it—and it was a pleasant surprise. I really enjoyed it and appreciated that they offered something different. I’d definitely recommend Rio 1854 to anyone looking for a good-quality, reasonably priced meal.

A wonderful & unique menu in a fantastic setting. The night started off with Meg explaining some of the details and twists of the drink offerings. We ordered the house guacamole as an appetizer with the house made tortilla chips. Not like any guac we had before - very tasty. The Serrano tiger shrimp came with great presentation and a surprising amount of heat. The Hawaii 5-O chicken and house waffle fries was especially good, the cole slaw acceptable but somewhat bland. All in all a wonderful dinner with great service. Also great views of the newly lit Stillwater Christmas tree and lift bridge.

I always felt the previous restaurant at this location never lived up to its spectacular riverside view, unless maybe you were there only for drinks. Well newly opened Rio 1854 completely turned that around and honors this splendid location with worthwhile flavors and quality food & service. My family and I agree the brunch menu is excellent and we're looking forward to returning once they roll out their dinner menu. Reservations highly recommended, especially during cold seasons when outside seating is unavailable.

Food was very good but definitely on the spicy side. It’s Latin inspired so a little heat is to be expected. The shrimp was very fresh tasting and they definitely use quality ingredients. Not pictured was the guacamole, it was very good, but I was caught off guard with the bacon on top. Overall, we had a great experience and I’ll definitely be back.