Dos Rios Cantina is a pretty nice place located in the Downtown Binghamton area, right next to The Colonial on Court Street. I would definitely recommend going there for a day out with friends or other casual dining events.

The inner decor is similar to that of a pub-style restaurant, added along to a colorful outdoor seating area. There’s even a bar if you’re interested in getting delicious drinks with your food. When you walk into the building, first you see a wall with a huge colorful mural that brings the Day of the Dead vibes. The lights resemble sombreros and the seats were quite comfy.

Chips and salsa.

The food, for the most part, wasn’t bad. For restaurant week, Dos Rios Cantina is offering a three-course dinner for the price of $20. The first course of three was the appetizer, for which I went with the chips and salsa. The salsa had just the right amount of heat to it and the chips had just the right amount of crisp to them. Our photographer, Miya, opted for the avocado fries. While I did not have the chance to try them, I can confirm that they looked very appetizing. Who would’ve thought that deep-frying avocado could come out so well?

The second course I opted for was the carne asada steak and rice. I ordered the steak medium-well as I usually would and when it came out, I wasn’t blown away by it. This could have been due to me ordering the medium-well as the meat was quite tough, so I recommend getting the red meat more on the rare side. Nonetheless, I had a good time and enjoyed my food. The serving sizes were plentiful and it was actually too much for me to finish in one sitting. If I had to go again, I’d probably opt for some chicken tacos instead — that’s what Miya had and she gives them her best recommendation.

The third and final course of the meal was an orange cinnamon churro served with chocolate sauce. This dessert was a great finish to my meal as the churro had just the right amount of sweetness to it, and a nice drizzle to go with. Miya went for the tres leches cake with strawberries and cream. Unlike me, who could hardly finish the churro, she completely cleaned her plate. The cake was fluffy on the inside yet, crisp on the outside providing for a nice difference in texture for every bite.

Through the duration of my stay at Dos Rios Cantina, the service was great. We were kindly greeted by the hostess who quickly seated us outside. After that, within five minutes a waiter came over and took care of us while we were there. She came over frequently to make sure we were doing all right. All in all, the customer service was great.

Overall, for the price you pay, you get a good amount of food and the taste is pretty alright. Dos Rios Cantina is a nice place to go with some of your friends and just have a good time.