Haven't been to the Rio in many years and after some wine tasting in their cellar, it was off to Buzio's seafood for some fresh fish. Place hasn't changed much but the Rio has seen better days :(. Keep the review simple as there is nothing fancy about the ambiance and or setting just your straight forward fish house.
4 Appetizers. Clams Casino were your whole clams "Mini" with a bread crumb topping on top that was to be honest hastily thrown together because they forgot this order with the rest of the appetizers and it looked like an afterthought. The quality was good but this was not the best item presented. New England Clam Chowder was a giant heaping bowl of fresh rich soup, with plentiful amounts of clams and vegetables in a rich red broth. Very Good. 1/2 dozen clams on the 1/2 shell were cherry stones that were very fresh and clean & cold. The 5 Giant Tiger Shrimp cocktail were an absolute treat. Fresh, clean, horseradish, lemon and ice cold It doesn't get any better than that. Fresh sourdough bread was excellent but came out just before the appetizers and we were sitting there for 20 minutes doing nothing and they weren't very busy.
3 Entrees: Australian lobster tail was not their best presentation for sure. Don't know if I was expected main lobster texture and taste but this simply didn't get it done and it was steamed and in my opinon slightly under cooked. Fresh Alaskan halibut was flaky, oily and very fresh and tasty, while the lobster meat pasta was chunks of lobster in a bland but not totally bad sauce. All and all the halibut was the best thing there and the appetizers were good as well. All orders came with multiple sides which were all great. Yukon golden mashed garlic potatoes, Mac & Cheese, vegetables, and down the line were fresh & plentiful.
No coffee or deserts were tried. Service was a little slow considering the level of activity in the place but all and all much better than average and still probably the best fish option in Vegas.