Riva

Me and my family (group of 5) went to Riva for fathers day brunch. My husband and I were planning to surprise my parents and his mom with the news that they would soon be new grandparents during brunch. We contacted the restaurant in advance b/​c we wanted to bring in a bakery cake with the sonogram on the cake and have it presented as desert at the end of the meal. From the first conversation Riva went above and beyond to make sure that this surprise went off seamlessly. For Brunch all of our food was outstanding and the views from our window seat overlooking navy pier were perfect… the manager, the wait staff, and the hostess were all amazing in helping us to make a memory that we will never forget. I highly recommend this restaurant not ONLY b/​c of their attention to detail and superior staff but b/​c the food that we had the quality and price point for lunch was really good. I wanted to thank them so much for all that they did to make our «reveal» Fathers day special.

Riva was great. $ 15 valet parking was a good value for a few hours at Navy Pier. The main dining room has beautiful views of the water and downtown. We were there for my grandmothers birthday and we were seated by the windows. I had the lobster bisque and crabcakes, both were good. I also had the Tito and lemon aide cocktail which was delightful. They presented my grandmother with a huge slice of chocolate cake and ice cream and it was delicious. I will be back for the dinner menu maybe on a fireworks night

Wonderful dinner. The service was great. We never had an empty drink. The main courses were wonderful. The lobster bisque could definitely use some more lobster though. We had the special of the day which consisted of a whole lobster, 6 shrimp and lots of crab legs ($ 102 dollars for two people). But it was incredibly tasty and we could barely move after eating it all. Would highly recommend this restaurant.

Came here for a late lunch with a group of 8 to get drinks and food. The biggest issue we had was that our waiter was incredibly rude to our group. We got our drinks and food relatively quickly, ordered the crab cake sandwich which was average to just above average. Good view of the water.

This is a review of RIVA’S CAFE downstairs. I’ve been eating there a zillion times before but last Sunday, May 29, was the first time since Navy Pier has been renovated. It is quite lovely and usually I prefer the food upstairs in the more formal restaurant but the Blackened Grouper Sandwich I ordered was to die for and the service was delightful and the ambiance just fantastic — people watching at its best and a great view of Lake Michigan and the boat traffic.

When we walked in we said we only wanted drinks, and were pretty much ignored after that.
The menu came to us about 5 minutes after we were seated & probably another 5 minutes we ordered, after 3 servers walking past us.
We could see our drinks on the bar yet we still had to wait until we could get a servers attention for them to be brought over.
We are two couples, metal heads. We don’t look derelict but they sure have made me feel like we don’t belong.
A table of three women have been seated next to us and have had three servers visit them in the past 5 minutes!
Not cool.

My girlfriend and I had 7:00pm reservations and showed up right at 7:00 and got seated almost immediately. First thing we noticed is it was not as much of a romantic ambiance as we thought it would be. The main dining room had more of a Joe’s crab shack type of feel to it. Luckily we got seated in the back were it was much quieter and slightly more romantic. We got seated right next to the window which was great because it had a very nice view of the lake and skyline.
Our waiter was very nice and attentive. We ordered a bottle of wine that we never had to touch because he was always there in time to refill our glasses.
For food, my girlfriend got snow crab legs which she enjoyed and I got a dish that had two whole lobsters with some pasta in a spicy tomato sauce which was also very good. The food is quite pricey considering its not that upscale of a restaurant.
My only complaint would be the noise. Due to them having a kids menu, there were a lot of families with children. When we made reservations for this place it was for our anniversary and we were under the assumption that this was a more upscale, romantic, grownup type of place. So seeing all the noisy kids there was a surprise to us.

Excellent wait staff. Pricey but worth it. Had gumbo, almost as good as mine. Crab cake clam chowder and salad excellent.

This is our 2^nd time here and we enjoy the atmosphere, with the view of the Great Lake and part City!
Our first visit we tried the Grouper Sandwich and it was to die for. Every time we go to Florida we always always have to get a Grouper that’s just the way it is, well I am glad we now know where to find one tasty Sandwich!
On today’s visit we sat out on the patio and the weather was just very cooperative with us. We decided to try something new, so we went for their fish and chips and a side of their Brussel Sprouts (which to my surprise were super addicting) the batter was really nice not heavy and the fish was Haddock (which does not have a fishy taste) the French fries were made to perfection, the fish and chips platter came with their delicious home made coke slaw, two types of dipping sauces and their tarter sauce had some capers which that is pretty tasty. The cocktail sauce has a unique flavor with a hint of horseradish.
I love Brussel Sprouts and today I found out how delicious Riva can make them. Yummy yummy in my tummy deliciousness! They are flaky on the top, accompanied by crispy just right pancetta and it was adorned with orange zest! Which is you ask me it was perfection.
The music was just at the right volume, they were playing a little of Whitney Houston with a few other throw back songs. Will surely come back. The prices are a bit higher than other restaurants on Navy Pier, but it is worth every penny.
Hostess is very sweet nice and professional, and the wait staff is very attentive and nice.

It is a great restaurant, the seafood here is very fresh and delicious. And the service is wonderful. I really enjoyed my dinner here

Horrible experience.
I came to the Chicago Flower and Garden show with some friends, so we decided to pop in at Riva for lunch.
We were seated right away, and were promptly ignored for about 20 minutes. Finally, the waiter came to our table, and I noticed he was the same guy that was standing against the wall for the last 20 minutes. Did the wall need support?
We placed our orders for drinks and food. I ordered the crab cake sandwich, and when it came out, it was ice cold. I was going to send it back, but the waiter dude was nowhere to be found. He gave up on the wall and disappeared all together. Our drinks were dry, and he never checked on us after the food arrived. Finally, after we’ve finished (I didn’t even eat mine), he came back with the check. He said nothing to us. Just plopped the check on the table. He refilled no drinks. He didn’t ask me why I never ate my food. Nothing. Just dumped the check off. So we look, and he gave us the wrong check for WAY more than we ordered. Yet again, the dude was nowhere to be found, so we flagged down a waitress from one of the other tables. She was able to help us, and got us the proper check.
I would never, ever come back here. Crappy food married to the worst service in Chicago. Avoid this place.

Went here for lunch recently and it was really disappointing. We all ordered drinks and they all came full of ice. The drinks were weak and we couldn’t we couldn’t even taste a diffence between Tito’s vodka & Lemonade and the Russian standard apart from their color difference. The clam chowder we had was so salty and the shrimp fettuccine lacked any flavor. The fried calamari appetizer was about the only good thing on the menu. The server was nice and attentive and the view from our table was great, but the food is not worth a repeat visit.

We decided to come eat here since we were starving after a long walk around Navy Pier. It was pretty quiet and empty inside, but most of the customers looked like businessmen. We were seated next to the window with a serene view of the lake. I was a little bummed by the bird poop on the window though.
We started off with a glass of moscato in a wine chiller with cheese crackers and bread. We had clam chowder and mussels for main. They were all fresh and delicious! None of the food failed to impress me. Great service. Recommended if you’re on a date at the Navy Pier.

We have dined here as a family and as a couple several times over the course of a few years. This is, in my opinion, the only NICE restaurant on the Pier. We dine here prior to our visits to Chicago Shakespeare Theater. I’m confused by some of the reviews posted here. The prices are very much in line with the food served (seafood is expensive), and the white tablecloth experience. I challenge diners to find a comparable experience in this part of the city priced significantly less. The location is perfect for anyone at the Pier. The Pier has parking, and once you drop off your car, you can enjoy anything there is to do here: museums, shopping, movies, special events, theater. And, without leaving, have a nice dining experience. The atmosphere is most influenced by the large windows facing south, with a panoramic view of the city and the lake. The restaurant is on the second floor, which gives you a chance to look down on the dinner cruise vessels moored at the Pier. The décor is dark wood, white tiled floors, and white tablecloths. The space can get a bit live, due to those hard floors. But its not usually a hushed place. The service we’ve had has always been competent and professional. On my last visit, the waiter expertly boned my whole Sole. The food we have had has always been tasty. The raw oysters are a highlight, we often get the whole list for the day and try all 6 varieties. The portions are generous, and the side dishes are certainly not an afterthought for this chef. The desserts are large and powerful. The wine list is comprehensive, and the suggestions for pairings are well thought out. According to my husband, the bar makes a good cocktail. This place has never had a problem dealing with my need to eat Gluten Free. (One of the chains downstairs, which also offers seafood, has about three items to chose from. Sigh.) If you come here with realistic expectations, and an understanding of what you are paying for, then you will have a good time. This is not Chicago’s finest restaurant. But it is the best place at Navy Pier by a large margin. (I’ve tried them all, and this continues to be our go-​to place on theater nights.)

I had dinner last night as part of the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre evening. First: The ambience was superb, offering the lights of the city as a back drop. Second: The server was excellent. She had a full knowledge of the menu and offering dining suggestions along with attentive promptness. Third: my guest had North Atlantic Salmon which she found to meet expectations. And now the bad part, Fourth: I ordered Cioppino. Whoever prepared my meal, doesn’t know how to offer this otherwise fabulous dish. The only thing it offered me was heartburn an hour later. I had this dish all over the west coast and was elated to see it on the menu. If you really want to offer it, drive to JC Pub in McCook. Try their version and talk to the chef.

This is a review for Riva’s New Year Celebration deal that they promoted this year.
We went to Riva to celebrate for their New Year’s Eve celebration. Our group of 7 was looking for a place to watch the CHItown rising fireworks on Navy Pier. I had read online that they would be charging $ 15 at the door for their New Year’s eve celebration. The $ 15 celebration would include some appetizers, a champagne toast, and a DJ. I called the restaurant earlier to confirm and the host advised me to get there before 10pm to ensure that we got in. We arrived around 10:15pm. When we arrived, the bottom floor was pretty empty. We were almost reluctant to pay the $ 15 as there were so few people there, but decided to wait it out as our other option was to wait outside for the fireworks. I’m docking a half a star because of the host’s warning that they would be at capacity before 10pm and the fact that they were not even close to capacity when we arrived.
As promised, there was a DJ and appetizers which included some jalapeño poppers, pizza, and mozzarella sticks. Most of the appetizers looked like they had been out for more than a hour or so at the buffet. They weren’t appetizing at all — it’s almost if they had prepared it as drunk food to be honest. Drinks were separate and average price, with the exception of shots. Docking a 1.5 star for the food because I would expect better from a restaurant that prices at $$$. I know it was only $ 15 a person, but at least make the food a little bit fresher.
Right around 11:50pm, the hosts brought out new year’s props for everyone along with a champagne toast. Major kudos to their hosts for being awesome. We all drank the champagne toast as quickly before heading out to Riva’s lower floor patio at 11:59 to watch the fireworks. I do have to say that Riva is a FANTASTIC place to watch the new year’s eve fireworks. There was hardly anyone at Riva or outside (maybe because it was 19 degrees). You get a clear view of the city and the fireworks on the water and against the city outline. It was gorgeous. I would recommend Riva’s new year eve celebration if your goal is to enjoy the new year’s eve fireworks from somewhere that’s warm and has drinks.

We only went for a snack and not a big meal, so we ordered the Clam Chowder soup and the Chicken Potstickers. The Clam chowder was very good. It was creamy, very well seasoned and had lots of seafood chunks. The potstickers were really good as well. The bed of coleslaw salad they put underneath the potstickers was very good to. Overall for a small meal it was worth it.

I came to Riva as part of a team dinner. It is located at Navy Pier and the view would be great on a sunny day since it is on the water. We went on a rainy night so we did not see much. Our food was a pre-​set menu with a salad or bisque soup, filet mignon and tiramisu for dessert. Every course was satisfactory yet nothing spectacular. The tiramisu was actually my least favorite and it tasted more like a cake and not the lady fingers dipped in mascarpone like it should be. The servers took good care of us and the hostess was helpful in getting us a taxi. All in all, it was average but nothing about the experience wowed me.

Stopped in for a meeting lunch.
We went upstairs.
Ordered a seafood salad. It was fresh and tasty. My friend had a steak sandwich. She enjoyed her Moscow Mule which she enjoyed, even though the cup wasn’t all copper.
The view on a cloudy day was delightful. The cleanliness of the restaurant and the white tablecloth left a classy feel. Our server was polite and extremely professional. She gave us space and time to talk and was courteous and patient.
We walked around to check out the entire restaurant which had wood paneling in one room and an upscale bar.
Our simple lunch wasn’t a wow, but the atmosphere is outstanding.

Came by here for a group dinner with about 20 – 25 people. The service was very good and attentive, but the food was pretty mediocre. I had the Salmon, a salad, and some chocolate dessert. All of the food was eadible, but nothing special.

This place is a decent find on the lake, however it is quite a bit of a tourist trap. We came here for the Fourth of July and it was just an awful time to visit. The restaurant was extremely crowded and we got the worst table in the house smushed against a wall. But, what else can you expect on a such a busy day.
Food was decent — I ordered the Cioppino and it was a decent stew. Yes, it was quite expensive. Competitive for Navy peer? Yes. But I probably would say it was a bit overpriced for the quality. I guess you would expect that from a typically touristy spot, huh?
The servers were pleasant and did a great job recommending dishes to us. I would normally give another restaurant like this four stars. However, I felt that the crowdedness and the price knocked off one of their stars. Solid spot and I do feel that my experience was marred by the busy weekend I came. I guess i just have to give it another try on a normal weekend.

Stopped in for some afternoon bloodies and a jack and diet. Friendly staff. Accommodating and pretty chill with a nice view. prices are a bit up there but that’s to be expected at navy pier

It was all so perfect. What better day on the Navy Pier could I have asked for? Temperature in the 70s, sun beaming, view of the pier and lake. Riva’s greeter seated me in seconds on arrival, water and beer shortly thereafter. I had the grilled chicken sandwich for lunch and it was tender and juicy and slowly cooked, but it’s not like a long wait. When in Chicago visit the Navy Pier and visit Riva for a pleasant experience.

Tonight my fiancé and I decided to come here for dinner. We were slightly hesitant due to some of the reviews. However, we were surprisingly more than impressed. We were quickly seated at 9:30, which is when our reservation was made for.
Our server, Roman, was super nice! He delivered such amazing service. He was able to point out some really good ideas for appetizers and entrees. He was friendly and personable, which can be hard to find. Another woman was also working with him, and she made sure to take care of us as well.
For an appetizer we ordered the shrimp gumbo, which was good. However, the only negative would be that it didn’t come out piping hot. It was still good though. We then split the Caprese salad, which was excellent! It definitely was different than most. It used small colorful tomatoes versus the large slices. However, it was still flavorful and the cheese was so soft. We both ordered the scallops fettuccine and shared the side of Au gratin potatoes. It was such a healthy portion for the fettuccine. We definitely should have split it considering we had other food prior to this. The scallops were very large. I was only slightly disappointed in the fact that they weren’t as tender as they could have been. However, the flavor was amazing!
We were seated along the windows, which gave us a great view. I would highly recommend trying to get a window seat, especially at night. It’s a beautiful scene. The restaurant itself is pretty eclectic with all the nautical décor. It’s very unique, but classy.
I would definitely say check it out!

Good service excellent food!
Everyone that served us were prompt and courteous.
The food was great and the lobster bisque soup was excellent !

5 star service. 5 star food. Had the lobster bisque which is very good I would prefer a little more lobster chunks. They should have an up charge for it. I had the halibut with the green beans and fingerling potatoes and it was probably the best fish dish I’ve ever had!

Great meal and service.
Steve was my server and he was very attentive and sweet.
I had the steak sandwich and the $ 1 oysters.
Oysters were super fresh and the steak sandwich was cooked perfect!!! Normally when I ask for my steak to be cooked rare it is always over done.
Not here it was just perfect!
My only word of advice the drinks are kinda weak. Go for a double.

Disappointed. The food was just good.
I ate at the bar — just the seafood said for lunch and the bartender was not busy but slow. And he never removed the rag from the bar area right next to me. Looked gross too.

I took my parents here for lunch today, and while the view of the lake is wonderful from here — that’s about the only compliment I can give for Riva.
We ordered the calamari, steak sandwich, shrimp and chips, and fish and chips and every single item was overly salted. I thought the fish was unedible — it had this tough texture that I found to be pretty gross. The shrimp was fairly decent. I feel like I definitely exceeded my recommended sodium intake for the day with that meal. Yikes.
Our server was attentive at first but then kind of dropped off as the meal went on. Also, once the main items came out, she never came around to ask us how everything was tasting.
The bill was about $ 90 (not including tip). My dad made a comment to me that we could have gotten tastier food at McDonald’s. So, he obviously wasn’t too pleased…
Pretty disappointed… but at least we had a great view.

Best restaurant on beautiful Navy Pier!
For Fathers’ Day we took my dad to Navy Pier for some fun, dinner and a movie. He said it was the best Fathers’ Day he ever had. Dinner at Riva was great! The restaurant is beautiful with fantastic views of the lake. We had a table at the window and service from beginning to end was perfect.
Food is excellent. The lobster bisque was possibly the best we’ve ever had and we love lobster bisque. Everything came out perfect.
It’s not cheap here but in our opinion it is worth it. We’ll be back.

The beef is as good as the seafood; not sure what that says about a seafood restaurant.
Dined on business off of a prix fixe menu which offered the options of salmon vs braised short rib. Understanding that despite being a Crab Shack, Riva was nevertheless in Chicago; not a positive predictor of seafood quality. Further, interrogation of the waiter revealed that the salmon was indeed of the farmed Atlantic variety (read as «food service bland»).
Got the short rib instead. Which was outstanding! Maybe not tops-​in-​Chicago good, but this dish would hold it’s own in Boston and most of California. Just-​chewy-​enough texture combined with a complex rich flavor (with generous portions) definitely took the cake.
Late diners get a nice view of lakeside fireworks twice a week.
Should have been 3.5 stars, but fudge down for style points.

Can’t beat the view at this long-​running fish house.
The menu makes clear that this operation is part of a decently sized group of restaurants with decently good food.
The restaurant has a nice discount (20%) with the Shakespeare theater, also at Navy Pier.
We arrived a couple hours ahead of our scheduled play. The server adroitly noticed our tickets and made sure that everything stayed on schedule.
Our order was an appetizer of jumbo shrimp, a seasonal salad with apples and cheese, seared tuna, the halibut special (seafood risotto with lemon), and a flourless chocolate cake.
The dishes were uneven: great shrimp (very great as a matter of fact), so-​so salad (the dressing washed over and flooded the lettuce), a well received tuna with a delightful accompaniment, an almost good halibut special (seared, slightly dry with a good idea for the risotto) and good flourless chocolate cake with rich, unwelcomed icy, chocolate ice cream.
Service was brusque, busboys clattering dishes and whisking away dishes.

A little pricy, but a little more fancy.
We stopped in here on the way out of the Cider Summit at Navy Pier, for a drink (like we needed more of that). The place is warm (the temperature was pretty high, but the atmosphere was warm too), almost entirely wood, giving that steakhouse/​fish vibe.
I ordered a vodka soda with grenadine, which was $ 6, which I didn’t think was bad for a tourist location. I was surprised the place was so empty, when other sites in Navy Pier were totally packed.
The bartender was very nice and efficient. Based on the food reviews and my one drink experience, I would definitely come back to try food in the future.