Aquariva

We came for brunch last weekend and sat on the patio while we dined. The view and atmosphere out there is definitely 4 star. The staff was extremely nice, but I wasn’t very impressed by the menu or the flavors of the dishes. They only have street parking or provide free valet parking for diners. We didn’t know this when we pulled up, but called to get more information. Once we knew what we were doing, it was an easy process. I will have to try this place again for lunch or dinner — as I would like to love this place!

I had a very unpleasant experience with the restaurant. When I showed up, I asked the greeter if my party had arrived. She ignored what I was saying and asked me was if I was there for the kitchen job. I am sure that she did not ask this randomly of any other patrons. I was clearly asked if I was there to apply for a job in the kitchen because I am not white. I find this type of racism to be offensive and unacceptable and will not be going there ever again.

Worst service ever! Got there at 10:30 left at 12:30. Not even an «I’m sorry». Brought food never came back to check on us and never brought the requested water. Salmon Benedict excellent but the Mexican egg dish was dry. Seriously 2 hours?

Went there recently for their great happy hour but they changed the menu! It is not very good now — odd selection and nothing healthy. Prior they had really nice salads, a great mc’n cheese, veggie fritters. Now it is some odd cauliflower dish, a not-​very-​good nicoise, and others that we had no interest in.
I thought the prior menu was wonderful, and I think others did too, too bad they had to change it. Will take this restaurant off my list of favorites.

I went there yesterday for their great Mac and cheese but they changed the menu last week and deleted this item and some others. There is no longer any comfort food it’s mostly all foo foo food now. This might work for the hotel guests but maybe not the neighborhood folks. I will still stop for a glass of wine now and again but not to eat. The view is awesome tho. Good luck

It has been a couple years since my last visit which was not acceptable at all. The visit today was a vast improvement over my previous encounter.
The service was very enjoyable!
The house made Lux plate was excellent.
I am very confident in recommending a Sunday brunch with a great view, great service, and exceptional food.

Aqua Riva should really be considered the hotel restaurant of the River’s Edge Hotel. In that context, it’s definitely a 4 star restaurant. Firstly, the setting is perfect. There is a whole section inside the restaurant which looks out onto the Willamette river. If the weather’s nice, there’s also a pretty big patio seating area which overlooks the water and is tomato-​throwing distance from the bicycle trail.
As for the food, I enjoyed the warm lentil salad, which is like a Portlander’s mujadra. The cheese plate is not gourmet, but it does the trick. The loaded fries are a pass. The happy hour menu is pretty extensive, too, and the beer selection is as deep as most comparable places in town. You should finish off with a slice of carrot cake.
Service was extraordinary, and prices are rather reasonable.

Very great food and a great atmosphere. I had the Steak Frites and it was cooked just right. However, there was a very long wait and I was left sitting at my table hungry for a long time. Also, the restaurant wasn’t that crowded, so I don’t see why the wait was so long. But, the food was still very exceptional so the wait was somewhat worth it. I suggest eating a light snack before going, otherwise you will be waiting at your table hungry for a while.

Our family enjoyed a lovely Easter brunch at Aquariva today. The food was beautifully prepared and displayed on the buffet and there were many healthy salad options in addition to the usual heavy brunch fare. There was a mellow keyboard player and singer — just loud enough to enjoy in the background without overpowering our conversation.
I think this is a hidden gem that more people need to discover!

I dropped by right before end of dinner time. I was staying at the hotel and was exhausted. The bartender recommend a local stout, which was delicious. Then he recommended a warm lentil salad, which was to die for. The oysters were fresh. I also ordered the chili grilled prawns. It was well flavored in a lovely sauce. The restaurant is right by the river, and across the wonderful hotel and spa. The view is absolutely amazing.

View is 4 stars, food is 2 stars, the valet is not worth stars!
To be honest I wasn’t as impressed as I had hoped. We tried the Resturaunt as part of Portland’s dinning month but they were unable to accommodate my allergies. There were a total of 3 tables full but it still took over 2 hours to get 2 courses. The service was mediocre, although the recommended port was delicious. It’s very much a hotel Resturaunt. Only plus side is that happy hour is longer on Mondays… but the only difference between the dinning room and bar is a couple stairs.
What upset me the most in the end was the Valet. The service was prompt on our way in but on our way out they didn’t notice and once they did they floored it backing up to where we waited. That reason alone, since it’s valet only, I will not be back.

We were there around 2.30pm so we got to sit at the bar area. The view was so pretty. The food was great and also service. We will definitely come back here again.

We came here because it’s right near Rivers Edge but it was only decent. They had just changed the menu so they didn’t have Cobb salad and the kale ceasar salad was okay at best not to mention adding chicken was $ 6! The short ribs were the best part but there was only a bit of meat on them and the bit we had were really short ribs, maybe a 2″-3″ bone.
I love that hotel and they get room service of the stuff so I may come back for convenience but not because I want to.

View is 4 stars, food is 2 stars, so I’m settling for 3. The menu, prices, and setting all set the tone for a high quality dining experience, but the food products don’t match. Go here for the view outside on a nice day/​evening, take a drink, maybe some appetizers, and leave totally happy. But skip out on the meal.
FOOD
The whole place feels like a good olé boys’ club and the food appears to match. Meat n’ potatoes, bread n’ butter type, with neither interesting spice nor interesting preparations. The menu looks VERY nice at first glance — deliciously simple options for all, on a single sheet with lovely font. Same for dessert menu. But for the poor preparations and high price, it just doesn’t meet the level of quality that the menu sets out to be.
In all honesty though, we came here purely for the BURGERS (after seeing the photos on Unilocal). Ours looked like the pics, but perhaps images are deceiving.
Bun = grainy and fell apart. I liked that it tasted homemade, but it didn’t fit well for a burger.
Meat = just your regular ground beef (but it is local, which is great!) Requested medium rare but came well done & super dry.
Overall = tasteless & super dry. Came with mayo only. Meager portions of ketchup and mustard if you so request. Seems strange that a slice of tomato is another $ 1. Same for avocado and same for bacon. The bacon, though, is thick-​cut and divine! Go for it if you’re here.
I’m not excited to return to try anything else on the menu, because I’m pretty sure my experience this night would speak to the rest.
DRINK
Full bar. Very nice & simple wine list, mostly local and regional selection.
I liked that they offer multiple (local) crater lake vodka options for bloody marys.
Decent draft beer options, though there’s no menu for beers, just what’s listed at the bar.
SERVICE
They messed up our very simple order in 3 distinct, very obvious ways that were not at all ambiguous when we ordered, but our server didn’t even notice. We didn’t mind, but we let him know just as an FYI what had happened. Server didn’t seem too bothered about it; lackluster response and no apology or offer to compensate or anything. He shrugged and said the grill person was overwhelmed at the time. Which would be totally okay, except here we were 2 of maybe 10 people in the entire (huge) restaurant, including at the bar, so it seemed like a strange and unlikely response. And we ordered exactly how the burger comes by default, but we got all these extras and exchanges that we didn’t ask for, but that you would have had to ask for if you had wanted them. It just didn’t make sense.
AMBIANCE
Exceptional! Outside view is superb — gorgeous patio dining along the Willamette River. Inside, it feels like a good olé boys’ club style (classy but of a much older type, and carpeted), complete with old school jazz softly playing in the background. Loved that there were plenty of booth options. And liked that we had the place to ourselves on a random Wednesday night (around 8pm).
PARKING
Valet only. Which again, makes it seem like you’re going into class! But it’s just a lack of parking options. And this restaurant clearly serves the adjacent hotel.
If I return, it will be when I just feel like a drink with good company and a nice view on the deck on a sunny afternoon.
*If you’re staying at the hotel next door, I’d recommend doing the same (drink and view), and then heading down the waterfront to downtown to explore more of the better represented portland options for your meal.

Great food and ambiance arise out of this Willamette riverfront restaurant off the beaten path.
Aquariva is located along the Willamette Greenway Trail and next to the River’s Edge Hotel & Spa. This restaurant gets quite a bit of business from the Hotel & Spa guests. It never seems to be super busy which is nice.
There is valet parking or you can park around the corner in the office building parking garage.
They have inside and outdoor seating so in the good weather months it is so nice to sit on the deck and watch the sailboats go by while enjoying some good eats.
Aquariva delivers a farm-​to-​table experience utilizing Oregon’s local farmers, artisans, ranchers and fishermen.
Every Sunday, Aquariva has a wonderful brunch. Sunday Brunch is available from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Their happy hour from 3:30 to 6:30 rocks and is full size portions at a lower price and drink specials.
My favorite appetizers have been the chicken cobb salad, tempura green beans, wedge salad, smoked pork ribs. Fav entrée is the Brick Chicken which is cooked between hot bricks and is extremely flavorful. It come with buttermilk mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. Don’t miss brunch cause it is Yum as well.
Of course there is a loaded menu of appetizers, salads, soups, seafood, steaks and wonderful desserts to finish it off.
2015 — 126

I really don’t know what this place is going after. The food was pretty terrible and they Wagyu beef was abused. My wife’s chicken pot pie was a crust over a can of Creamy Chicken Chowder ala Chunky Soup.
The staff seemed nice, but our server stunk like cigarette and MJ after she returned from her break. Kind of gross when you are eating and you’re not getting baked in someone’s living room.
We cancelled dessert and beat a hasty retreat.
The location is unique so I hope the get the food straightened out.

Sit on the patio during warm weather – it’s pretty and it’s interesting with river traffic. Four stars for location. The interior is modern, interesting, and spacious. We sat outside, so I can’t vouch for the comfort, but the noise level was subdued – people who struggle with loud restaurants would enjoy this setting.
The service was friendly and professional. But we struggled with the menu. It had the look of a menu that held promise – type writer font, rustic, single page, interesting paper. I’m a sucker for that style of menu. But as we studied it, we both wondered if we should just enjoy our drinks, have an appetizer and move on. The prices are high-​ish.
We decided to stay because it was getting late, and we wanted to get home for an evening kayak session – the best view of a river. My wedge salad with added chicken was competent but not great. The chicken was dried out and bland. The lettuce was crisp and the smoky cheese crumbles were delicious. The house wine – a pino gris – was just the right pairing. $ 16 for the salad; $ 8 for the wine. Not crazy pricing, but more than the quality warranted.
My husband’s more expensive sirloin steak came with a mound of perfectly done fries. I didn’t taste his cut up steak, but it looked perfectly «medium» prepared – it was just sparse.
We may or may not be back. It depends on who I’m with. We had a pleasant experience, but food quality and flavor matter a lot in Portland. Compared to what we’ve sampled around town, Aquariva is a solid three stars. If you haven’t tried it, I’d recommend it at least once. Just know that in my experience, the food is pedestrian, forgettable. The setting and the service, great.

A truism: great views usually equate to sub-​par food.
The green beans in tempura were very good though, while the Iceberg Lettuce wedge was more than good and an ample portion. Conversely, the Pork Tacos were weak.
The crowd is Lake O overflow. I wasn’t a fan of mandatory valet parking.

Came here for dinner and were sat right away. Service was awesome and friendly. We sat outside with a fab view of the river. Food was very good. It sits in the south Waterfront District, an was the perfect setting for scenic riverside dining experience. The food is seasonally inspired and presented very well. Highly recommend.

If I could parse out the stars I would give 3 stars for food and 1 star for pricing. Mother’s Day buffet brunch was $ 38/​person. For that price I assumed ice tea and orange juice would be included — it wasn’t. Not only not included but no refills on ice tea — $ 2 per. Bill came to $ 258. Mandatory 18% tip of $ 46 on top of that. $ 46 tip for a buffet brunch? I paid $ 46 to have our table bussed.
Food itself was ok. Decent layout but not worth $ 38. Definitely paying for view.
On a side note, I noticed the desserts starting to get thin so I asked one of the buffet attendants if I should get some now. He assured me that they would have plenty. When I came back after for dessert they were completely out of all chocolate desserts — major faux pas!
On the positive side, my son and nephew enjoyed playing by the river which gave adults nice time to chat and relax.

Delicious breakfast. Hazelnut Brioche french toast. So yummy. Thick bacon cooked perfectly. Shrimp omelet is packed with flavor. Love the homemade peach jam. Super delicious on the warm toast .
View of the Willamette river. Beautiful. Nice relaxing atmosphere Try it you can’t go wrong.