Eclectic East Side Bar Rio Rita Is Closed for Now

Central East Austin cafe and bar Rio Rita has been closed since at least August. A paper sign taped to the door explains Rio Rita is closed for “some repairs and remodeling,” but promises that it will reopen, though no date is given.

Currently, Rio Rita, owned by husband-and-wife team Randall and Donya Stockton, is listed as closed on Yelp and Foursquare. At one point, Randall Stockton a portfolio of nine bars in Austin, though the only one currently open is the Aristocrat Lounge on Burnet Road. Randall now works for a company that provides educational mezcal tours in Mexico, and per the website, resides in Oaxaca.

Rio Rita originally opened on East Sixth Street (in the current home of Latchkey) in 2007, and it quickly became known for killer bloody marys. The bar moved into the larger space at its current location at Chicon Street in 2016, with a somewhat contentious takeover of live music venue Badlands, which never reopened.

Eater Austin has reached out to Rio Rita. This article will be updated accordingly.

Erin Russell/EATX

(h/t: Eater tipster and Reddit)

• All Coverage of Rio Rita [EATX]