Rivington Bar and Grill

I’ll level with you, Unilocalers… I want to give Rivington Grill a 3.5, and waffled on rounding up or down. Is that enough of a teaser? Here, lemme share the details that I’m considering!
So, it’s a beautiful spot. Some reviews describe it as «stark» or «minimalist», but I don’t get that sense. Lighting good, furniture good, aesthetics good. I might not have the most exacting standards on this front, but: I was happy to sit in my chair for a few hours, and was happy with the people around me also doing so. Done and done.
So, scene 1: bar at Rivington. YES. DO THIS, DRINK EXACTLY HERE. Their cocktail menu is impressive, and they’ll also happily stir up some classics that they’ve missed in print to make you a happy camper. As a negroni-​lover (nope, they have not yet jumped the shark, I refuse to accept it), there were about 9 on the menu, including the «perfect negroni» (pretty dang close) netting out at 9-​ish pounds and the «boulevardier», featuring the addition of bourbon. Yep. THIS IS LIQUID GOLD. The bar itself is beautiful, you have a good vantage point for people watching and… thumbs up, all ’round.
Scene 2: full dinner at Rivington, sitting at a fairly awkward middle-​of-​the-​floor two-​seater. I prefer the mafia approach to seating (back to the wall, Alex!) so maybe I was just generally uncomfortable. The placement of the table was weird, the surface area was not enough to accommodate all glasses and plates, and generally there was a lot of bumping around with coats, umbrellas, and neighbouring chairs. Full points to the server who offered to take coats off our hands.
For the meal we had made a reservation using the Open Table deal for January: 35% off the food bill! I ate a burger, and upgraded it with a «rarebit» topping which was a delicious melty tangy cheesy option that I highly recommend. The weakest part of the burger was the bun, and the lukewarm chips. The best part was the patty — cooked medium as requested, and heavily spiced (this might not be your thing, but I enjoyed it) — and aforementioned rarebit atop. The dessert of toffee ice-​cream with a toffee-​coffee sauce (this was the true star) was also a treat, and large enough to split between us.
Otherwise, for the meal, there were a few «ughs»! Really attentive service at the beginning (bordering on the rushed), and then swinging to the other end of the spectrum, complete inattentiveness, by the end of the meal. Needing to ask for condiments or drinks and, in the case of the former, only getting a wee teeny tiny baby-​sized ramekin for both of us to split? It was annoying and ensured that my chips were straight up cold by the time I could glob condiments all over them. When the bill came there was some light drama about the 35% off deal, despite confirming it at the time of reservation. Just little things that weren’t as slick as they could be, and took away from the meal otherwise.
Summary point: great crowd, nice space, absolutely an enthusiastic repeat customer for bar snacks and negronis… but might take a little pause before revisiting Rivington for a full meal.
Unilocal note: weird (limited) number of bathrooms and a super-​treacherous step coming out of the ladies’ (double warning if you’ve had a drink and/​or wearing heels).

Friendly staff and fantastic burgers. I keep meaning to try other things on the menu, but the burger is so good that I’m always in the mood for it. I usually go for the luxury, which is a large beef patty, cooked on the right side of medium, bacon, proper cheddar cheese and a good quality egg with as orange a yolk you’ll ever see. It’s served with tangy ketchup, salad and good quality chips. This place is perfect for lunch meetings.

Rivington Bar and Grill had been recommended to me by my hairdressers. Went there with a date and we were both really impressed. We sat in the leather sofas by the bar and people-​watched. The staff were friendly, informal and attentive.
It’s got a very relaxed atmosphere, low-​key tasteful décor… with the exception of the cheesy neon sign but I’ve forgiven them for that.
So, first there’s the alcohol, an excellent range at reasonable prices. Respectable selection of rums (I had a Diplomatico) and gins. Thanks to my companion I now know what a good gin is like and am less averse to drinking it. I had the Oxley.
Then we got hungry. We shared a scallops starter, then he had Calamari and I had the Lamb. The scallops were heavenly and so fresh! and I have to admit I got food envy for his main, it was definitely better than mine. Don’t get me wrong, the lamb was good but the seafood was better, very light, fresh and delicious!
Second time I visited was for brunch… after getting my hair cut! It was amazing! I had the Full Veggie. This is not your typical fry up. Oh, no, no, no! You’ll feel quite virtuous having this as not only is it delicious but it’s healthy! Portobello mushroom, grill tomatoes, bubble and squeak with a twist, spinach and avocado. Oh, I was restored!

Well… Thought this place was going to be up there but service is a little abrupt, ambience so-​so, food. Erm. Had the lamb shank ,
Flavour was ok… was a bit dry though and the veges were pretty meh. For the prices they charge you would expect a little more. Don’t think I’ll be back anytime soon. Pretty disappointed.

Got sat at the bar on a busy Friday but menu the same. Service was good — food was good. Very nice flat iron steak and they served wine by the carafe which was helpful. Good to enjoy American style bar dining in London.

We came for dinner and had some lovely cocktails. The bar has a phenomenal gin selection and a decent wine list. The food wasn’t bad but when the standout is the bread and butter you’re not in great shape! I had the luxury burger, which for me was more like the just okay burger…

Now living in Shoreditch, I’ve passed the Rivington Grill many times though never felt compelled to go in and make a reservation/​inquire about a table. I recently received an email from Open Table about 30% off food, so decided we may as well given its good reviews and that it’s a short walk from home.
One downfall of moving our reservation to 9:00PM is that by the time we got there, a number of the dishes (including the scallops!) were already done for the night. Luckily our server (Alex — who I just wrote the restaurant about because he was so great!!), walked us through all of the other dishes, giving us suggestions based on our mood and tastes.
The Service: So great. I mean, as I’ve mentioned in our reviews, I’ve come to expect that service in London is just not that great. But for a moment I actually forgot where we were as Alex was so attentive (without being too much), informative, and friendly. When I asked which gin I should try from their currently monthly gin and tonic special, he asked a couple questions and then said he would surprise me (and if I didn’t like it, it would be on the house). He came over a few minutes later to have me smell the gin I would be trying and with the gin and tonic itself — which was refreshing and floral.
Food: As the scallops I was hoping for was unfortunately gone, I decided on the Portobello mushroom sausages, spinach, wild mushroom sauce. I thought maybe the sauce would be too rich, but it ended up being absolutely great — The croquettes (called sausages here) themselves weren’t the star of the dish, but rather the sauce. This would definitely be a dish for mushroom lovers, though, so be warned if you’re not. We also ordered a side of the Isle of Wight tomatoes and basil — HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, especially if you are a tomato fan. They were among one of the best tomato side dishes I’ve ever had.
My partner ordered the Luxury burger, which we found out has been rated one of the top 10 in London.
The food was more than enough to fill us up — though I wish I had saved some room for dessert — next time!
Wine — The wine list appeared to be pretty extensive, though less so for by-​the-​glass. I decided on the Rioja rose (another recommendation from Alex as I was between this and the Beaujolais. As a drier pick, it was a great accompaniment to my mushroom dish.
Will be definitely going again before we move out of the area!

Got to go for the luxury burger. Cooked to perfection with proper bacon and an egg yolk perfect for dipping a few chips in. The bun is a bit of a bust though. We’ve been in once before for cocktails and desserts too, and would recommend a Hammer of God cocktail and the Cider Brandy Truffles.

3.5 stars, why don’t you exist?
We came in on a Saturday afternoon. The restaurant was empty and we sat at the bar.
The Cornish crab starter with toast was good. Freshly shelled crab (both brown and white!) with a squeeze of lemon was good but slightly on the bland side.
I had the breaded pork with brown butter and capers. The crispy breaded coating covered a nice thin slice of pork. It was tasty and could have done with a bit more of the brown butter. It came topped with a slightly overcooked egg. I ordered a side of sprouting broccoli as well.
My partner had the fish pie. What can I say, it was a fish pie. Tasty but slightly heavy handed on the dill.
We had a very nice bottle of pinot noir though. Very smooth.
Overall, it was a good meal but not necessarily over the top amazing. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere without being pretentious which I really appreciated. A good place for a lazy meal!

We were lucky to get a table without a reservation, as most of Shoreditch seemed to be packed to the rafters for dinner. We waited about 15 mins at the bar which was not a problem as the gin cocktail selection was fantastic. There was a great buzz in the room, even though it was a Thursday evening.
I opted for the Minute steak and chips which was ok for value. I was momentarily disappointed as the steak was presented on a wooden board with literally a few greens. Thankfully the chips arrived on the side shortly. For under £15, it was an average price to pay for what you expect for the size of the steak and the area. My colleague had the Shepherd’s Pie which came on it’s own in a little white enamel dish. Cute but I thought could have done with a few greens on the side.
The service was friendly and not overbearing. I’d recommend this place if you want a standard meal with good atmosphere. None of the food went out on a limb but had enough choice to please everyone in a group.

Very much the lower end of 4 stars for me though perhaps I should have opted for the meat given that it’s named rivington grill.
The place itself is really nice; it had a good buzz on a Wednesday evening when we went. I’m normally not hot on tablecloths these days but here the white cloths fit in perfectly. It retains a fairly casual welcoming vibe with a dash of class.
Food wise I had a chicory salad to start, a cod for my main and a ‘molten chocolate pudding for desert. Tbh it started off strong and got weaker. The salad was great, the cod would have been good if the salt didn’t overwhelm every other flavour and the molten chocolate cake was most definitely not even remotely molten.
That being said, perhaps I had high expectations given that the other reviews are so good. It was on balance a good meal (though the wine probably contributed to that) but based on my one experience, I don’t get the glowing reviews.

Upgrade! Throw another star on the fire, my friends.
We’ve now been back to Rivington Grill twice — «on our way home» during past weekends. Each evening we are greeted warmly, seated at the bar, poured lovely drinks and treated like happy regulars.
Also, each time we have been blessed with significantly interesting entertainment. The first evening, the head chef had just arrived back from hunting and I saw a freshly killed pheasant. Ok, not your typical bar fare… but it was unique. Last night we saw a strange trifecta of two men and one woman… all very drunk… making out. In different combinations. Again, not par for the course… but such as it is. Fun.
They have a lovely cocktail menu, and at roughly 8.50 (only 7.50 for their special — this month the gin fizz) it’s a decent deal. I’ve been fond of their red wine list… indulging in the St. Mark’s Burgundy as a snowy night cap, delicious.
I’d almost say the bar is the best bet here… lighter food options, but also a bit more fun and relaxed.
*hot tip: if you book on TopTable in the month of January you get FIFTY PERCENT off your bill. How’s that? Yep… no reason for you not to try it, then Unilocal it. Go forth friends. You might just see me there, it’s our new «local.» Did I say that right? ;)

This is a really nice looking place, great cocktails — try the Rivington Smash. But when we rocked up on a Saturday night, we were to be disappointed. We waited an hour for a table, which is no bad thing if you haven’t booked. I’m a fly by the seat of my pants gal.
The disappointment came with the food, it isn’t that cheap here. Two of us ordered the mixed grill and the third a flatiron steam — which came out cold. They urge you to order sides to share. But for 4 quid each — you better get your fork in first. We got a handful of green beans in one and a few spoonfuls of cabbage in another. Err. Most of my mixed grill was liver, which I am not that fond of, and a bit cold.
I guess if I wasn’t that picky, it would be fine. But the whole experience was a bit meh and when I am paying above average prices in Shoreditch for something I expect it to be tasty.
Final words: go for the cocktails, eat your fancy dinner elsewhere.

A wonderful restaurant with great service. Solid food and great for business lunches, but not a place I’d find myself in with friends if I had to pick.
Spring vegetable tart was tasty but a bit bland. The veggies were cooked perfectly and the puff pastry was nice and fluffy. The others seemed to really enjoy the cod and the half chicken. The presentation was lovely. The bread they bring out is ordinary. Nothing special. The bubble and squeak was pretty average. Coffee was great!

I am not sure what to make of this bar/​restaurant. On the one hand the tables are bedecked in crisp linen of the sort found in London’s best restaurants. On the other, it has a great reputation for its burger and service was more hipster chic than fine dining precision.
Although we had booked a table, we opted out of the restaurant and grabbed a seat at the square bar which sits in the middle of the room. This seemed to be popular as the bar was almost full when we arrived while the remainder of the room was empty (although it did fill up as the evening progressed). You can order from the full restaurant menu at the bar, choosing from a place mat menu featuring a range of dishes in the £15+ bracket with an emphasis on steaks and other meat focussed mains. However, sitting at the bar I saw a scribbled bar menu written on a blackboard seemed more appropriate. I chose the good value option of the burger and a pint deal (£10, available between 5pm and 7pm weekdays). The burger was a perfect medium rare and was wonderfully juicy. The chips were a slight let down because, while still tasty, they were on the soggy side.
So, not sure what to conclude from all that. I would be happy to return to grab another burger/​pint but I am not sure that the full restaurant menu is for me. However, special mention should go to the toilets which somewhat bizarrely feature a spoken voice soundtrack of what seemed to be some kind of sexed up radio 4 show.

For the month of January 2012, all food (minus crab and steak) is half price. But you need to book ahead via their website to get the discount.
GO NOW.
Really nice Sunday lunch and of course the burger. My friend REALLY loved his apple pie dessert because of the delicious and interesting crust. A perfect balance of not-​quite-​cake, not-​quite-​pastry. I had eggs florintine, which were really solid, with a nice, light and tangy hollandaise. The way hollendaise is supposed to be. I also had a bowl of soup, which was a surprisingly huge portion of soup (I think it was pumpkin soup maybe?). I barely had room for my eggs afterwards.
Hmm, I need to go back before this amazing deal is over…

This place had everything going for it, until it opened its mouth — or more literally I did — and filled it with some its food food. The placemat-​menu (most amazingly) had no burger on it! Surprising, since we heard this place had great burgers. To find them, you had to read the descriptions off of the poorly written chalkboard in the dimly lit restaurant. (Yes, just complained about both penmanship and poor lighting… I’m almost 30, so give me some slack).
Despite my geriatric hankering, the food was not special at all. The burgers were thin and pretty flavorless patties on doughy untoasted rolls, the fries/​chips were on the soggy side, and the rabbit pie could easily have been a chicken pot pie from any Nicholson’s pub: miscellaneous meat and veg in a square baking dish with a pie crust just thrown over the top. Booooooring!
Most frustratingly, after being told I should order a side from our server because the rabbit pie would not be enough, the £3.50 bubble & squeak side I ordered turned out to be a two-​tablespoon browned lump of potato and stuff. It was literally the smallest side of spud I’ve ever seen! The tablespoon that it was served with was half the entire portion! (Note to restaurant: if you’re going to skimp on side’s portion size, don’t continue to serve with giant serving spoon).
1 star for ambiance, 1 star for wines by the glass. If you’re invited here, just order alcohol and eat the bread.

I went to Rivington Shoreditch tonight for dinner. For some reason I was considering getting a burger, and because I did not want a crappy burger, I did some research and read about Rivington on
. So, I finally decided to take the Northern line down to Old Street. From there’ it’s only a short walk to Rivington Shoreditch.
I liked the atmosphere and the kind of modern and simple style. I went through the menu, and finally asked if they also have burgers, because on the regular menu you won’t find any burgers. The waitress kindly explained me what burgers they have to offer.
I then started off with a El Viento Sauvignon Blanc 2009 from Chile, which is a truly delicious white wine!
The burger, however, even topped the wine. I ordered one with cheese and bacon, and got a burger, that was the best burger I ever had. Because I don’t like medium grilled meat on a burger I ordered it well done. I was a bit afraid, that the meat might be a bit dry, but it was so well done, the meat was very tasty, somewhat spicy, and not dry at all. It was simply perfect!
For dessert I ordered a chocolate mousse, that tasted actually quite good, but could have been a bit more fluffy. Anyway, the taste was right.
After all, this was the best burger I ever had, thus I can recommend Rivington to everyone who likes really good burgers. And if you like white wine, you might want to try the El Viento Sauvignon Blanc 2009. Definitely a restaurant I will visit again.

The Rivington Luxury burger is probably the best burger in town, with ground Aberdeen Angus steak, fried egg, bacon and cheese, but then why would you go to such a great place for that? I would of course. and if I had a pound for every time the friend I just took there said how great the burger he had was, I would have been able to order up 2 of them for myself.
Personally I plumped for the Rabbit and Cray Fish pie and it was exquisite. A seemingly odd combination but exceedingly tasty and the perfect antidote to a dark rainy night in London town.
Today the service was a little on the slow side, despite the restaurant only being half full, but then again who cares, when you can savour the flavours and the atmosphere all the more as a result, without being rushed from starters, to main, to dessert, to coffee …
The Rivington is the best of British from morning till night time and can hold its head up high as the bastion of great cuisine in the middle of Shoreditch where there is little choice but for the Diner and a bunch of Oriental restaurants!

Coffee and beer and couches. Exactly what every Sunday afternoon calls for, if I do say so myself.
We had a cosy flatmate reunion in Shoreditch on Sunday, and our crawl led us into the warm and welcoming doors of Rivington. Rather than do the proper thing and wait for a table or pull up a stool at the bar, we commandeered the couches just inside the doors, and spent the next hour sprawled out across two enormous couches, acting as if we had never left our very own living room. It was quite àpropos, really.
Although I can’t comment of the delicious smelling food, the coffee was superb and the atmosphere couldn’t have been better. The open space and white walls were complimented nicely with the wooden floors and black and white accents. (Read: Laura’s interior design dream)
Definitely a spot I’d happily pop back by on any day of the week for some proper British grub. And I’ll never turn down a good coffee on a cosy couch!