Had dinner Sunday night here. Â This place is a solid 3.5 in my book. Â You're at Navy Pier, so you're gonna pay a lot of money for food. Â Having said that, I felt like it was definitely a better dinner than anything you can get at the front of Navy Pier (like Bubba Gump or Capi's) - though I haven't tried Harry Caray's Tavern yet.
Lobster bisque - 4 stars. Â Creamy, flavorful. Â It's a bit on the salty side, but I like that.
Jumbo crab cakes - 3 stars. Â Super expensive. Â Lot's of crab in those two cakes. Â The crab cakes themselves were kinda dry, so it definitely needed that sauce (which I had to get more of). Â 5 stars for that mini-salad/slaw on one side of the plate. Â The freshness and the cilantro in there paired perfectly with the crab and heavy sauce.
Service - 3.5 stars. Â It was good when there weren't that many people. Â As soon as the place fills up, service is noticeably slower.
Scallop Fettucine - 4 stars. Â My (three) scallops were cooked perfectly and tasted awesome with the pasta. Â I just wished there were a fourth scallop to be better proportioned with the amount of pasta.
I'm the type that usually only writes a review on a place if it's really good or really bad.  And  RIVA was really neither. I have to be inspired in either a good or bad way to waste my time to actually sit down and put some words together about a place, so what would make a lazy procrastinator like myself  waste my time on such a mediocre prentitous place?
Because I am pretentious too and I want every one to know that I was here. Â LOL
But seriously the place is way to over priced for the quality of food that you get. Â Plus I am just getting too old to be dealing with the hassle of finding parking and then walking forever to get to your destination and in this case a pretty mediocre one. Especially in the cold of winter, no thank you. Parking that you have to pay for of course too, let's not forget that. Â
We had the Filet Mignon Skewers....OMG! Â Disgusting!! Â I don't eat that much meat but the day I did..... I wasted it on this garbage. Â Way too salty and the meat was like chewing on rubber gum. Â We were here 2 days ago, and I sware I'm still chewing on the same piece of meat. Â We then had the grilled white shrimp.....Disturbing!! Â I think the only spice that the Chef has in his kitchen here is salt because that is all you can taste in this entree... had some sort of red garnish and sauce that came with it that was just pure salt. Â The Filet Mignon was tooooo salty too. Â We also had the Florida stone crab claws, ok this was a little better but then I almost chocked to death on the tiny fragile shell that seemed to be present in every bite of actual crab meat that I would take.
We also had the coconut shrimp which wasn't bad, however, they totally lost me with the sauce that they brought out with it. Â It just didn't match. The Coconut shrimp and sauce at Red Lobster is better. Â Â And lastly we had the Crab Cake which was actually pretty good.
They mislead you with their online advertisements that you need reservations and that there is a dress code. Give me a break. Â That is just said to trick you into believing that you are going some where nicer than what it actually is. Â There were plenty of open tables and several people dressed in jeans and not even nice jeans.So if there is a dress code it isn't a very strict one. Â Wish I would had known ahead of time because the walk from the car to the resturant would had been easier in flats than heels.
You get a somewhat nice view of the city, but let's face it, This is Chicago, there are places with better views. Â Other than just going for the sake of saying that you were here, I really don't see any reason for going. Too expensive and the entrees are just too hit or miss. Â May be the place for you however if you like meat gum. Â I wish there were half stars because this place is 2 and a half stars and not 3,
Above and Beyond! Â Thank you Riva Navy Pier! Â We have been to this restaurant a number of times through the years and have always loved the food, the atmosphere, the view, and the excellent service. Â On Monday evening, February 19th, Frank the manager at Riva, responded to a special request we had for a group of 11 to dine there before going to a formal dance at the Navy Pier Ballroom. Â We were very last minute in making our request, and Frank offered a number of fantastic options to make it work for our group. Â He provided personal service and made sure that the staff was informed of what he had worked out with the chef for the evening. Â Our group arrived, was seated at a beautiful table by the window, was offered great service, delicious food, and respected the time constraint we had to make it to the Ballroom on time. Â Truly the night was magical and it began at Riva! Â We now live in the Washington, DC area and have the opportunity to enjoy many fantastic restaurants. Â We will continue recommending Riva, singing its praises, and will return each time we are in the Chicago area! Â Again, thank you Frank and the rest of the staff at Riva!
Review Source:Restaurant Week 2013. Made a stop at Riva with my 14 y/o daughter and a couple of frineds and...I was pleased. I had Oysters on the half shell along with chicken breast, baby potatoes, and brussel sprouts. The breast was suprisingly moist and I had a healthy portion. I was most impressed with the staf as they were curteous and catered to our whims.
I will return to this restaurant in the future, even when the menu is not prix fixed :-)
Why would Phil Stefani associate his name with such a mediocre, overpriced restaurant? Out of curiosity, I looked at the website for his company and it said the following about the original Stefani's restaurant: "Stefani's was created around family values of hard work, being fair and honest..." If my experience was anything to go by, then this is utter rubbish.
I have no idea who Phil Stefani is, but I can't understand why anyone in his right-mind would want to have his name associated with a rip-off.
I'll be the first to admit that I am not the biggest seafood fan, nevertheless...
I ordered the Crispy Spring Rolls, which consisted of two tiny spring rolls (essentially one normal sized spring roll sawed into two) topped with a small daikon salad. The salad was definitely the highlight. The spring roll, in addition to being tiny, had no little to no taste and tasted as if it came out of a freezer (and for all I know, it probably did). Total ripoff for a $12 appetizer.
I also ordered the Caesar Salad. Both visually and in terms of taste it was very underwhelming. Visually, it consists of a giant piece of lettuce that hasn't been cut (hard to describe it in words) with a little dollop of dressing on top, bits of cheese, and a few measly croutons that looked (and tasted) as though they were purchased at Jewel Osco (Pepperidge Farm perhaps?). The reason I am complaining about the appearance of the salad is because I think that due to the way in which it's presented, it's likely that the leaves are not washed well (i.e., dirty). THOUGH I didn't taste dirt in my salad NOR did my salad look unwashed. In terms of taste, it was OK (2 out of 5) but definitely forgettable.
My partner ordered the chicken entree, which I didn't taste, but it basically consisted of a chicken breast (which looked tasty), sauce, and a few tiny vegetables. Didn't look like it was worth $26 to me, but I can't judge.
The complimentary bread was nice, though the cheese crisp was pretty awful.
The view from the restaurant is somewhat overrated in my opinion too, though it depends on which part of the restaurant you dine in.
All in all, if value and quality mean anything to you when selecting a restaurant, then you should avoid this place.
This is not necessarily a "go to " place for locals, BUT, that being said, my friend hosted a party here and it was really a nice event, made fantastic by the beautiful view in the private party room. Â The food was really very good,which I was surprised for a navy Pier Restaurant. Â I am really glad I had the chance to go here, if I have to recommend a place to host a shower or other smaller size party , I will for sure, recommend this place. Â There was also valet parking which was only $12 and the service was excellent in the restaurant. Â I def think that this is one of the best places on Navy Pier to eat and actually really a very good restaurant.
Review Source:I'm a sucka for seafood and scenic restaurants there not so many great one in the dc area where i'm from. The navy pier area is pretty nice a night and riva has a great ambiance . The reservation was for 20 ppl...i know we roll deep ;) they were very accomodating and the service was great. The food was really good and the wine list was awesome too. I would recommend this place if u are in this area.
Review Source:Came here with my family, and my brother who graduated from boot camp and was on liberty for that weekend. The food was amazing, I had the trout which came with some veggies on the side that was perfectly seasoned. We also had the raw oysters which were delicious as well. The stuff is kind of pricey, and the drinks are not that amazing (I got the mojito, and it was too minty). But this place is conveniently at the Navy Pier, and is one of the finer dining places available. My brother got this soft shell crab sandwich and it was pretty good and unique. My mom had shrimp skewers which was on top of a salad that she loved. My dad was not so fond of his meal, and said it tasted very bland. It was a crab salad on a roll and it looked very tasteless as well. Overall, it's pretty good if you're looking for a good sit down restaurant.
*They do military discounts
Friday evening, around 5:30pm. Â We started our walk on a gorgeous summer eve from the Gold Coast and ended up meandering into Navy Pier for a drink. Â Also was a bit peckish so we saw there were some outside tables to enjoy the view and down we sat.
Artichoke spinach dip was good.
Shrimp cocktail was tasty.
Service was great. Â Our waiter was a crack up.
Drinks seemed pricey but okay. Â All in all, we had a nice time.
I went on a Friday night, so maybe that's why the service was very slow and it took about 20min till we got our glasses of water.. Ouch...
However, the food was very good.. One of our guests were hoping for more choices in pasta dishes..although the only one they had which was the Lobster Diavolo, was very good and they were generous with the lobster meat..just a heads up though that the Lobster Diavolo does originally come Spicy, but if you request it they can use a marinara sauce instead..
The California Roll appetizer was tasty..and all the seafood they used did taste fresh.. Nothing was tough or had that "fishy" smell...The Australian Lobster tail dish was big n juicy! I got full off of the 1 tail which also includes 1 side dish...n it was perfect from the looks, taste, and smell...
Finally, sitting by the glass windows is always a plus to dining here..or if u prefer u can go downstairs to the cafe and sit outside..and upstairs they also have a bar section that has high stools and tables near the glass where u can still order from the full menu
We enjoyed our visit to Riva despite the slow service...
I guess if you begin your foray into a place like this with low expectations, you'll be pleasantly surprised. I was in Chicago for work, and a big group of us ended up at Navy Pier late, really hungry and a little drunk.
All the other places to eat that we tried had ridiculous waits for a table. This place seated us right away outside so we could watch the fireworks. It was a bit pricey for what kind of food and the amount that you get, but hey, that's just how it is on Navy Pier.
I ordered a steak sandwich, which was above average. The server asked me how I wanted it done--which I didn't expect, but was glad that she did. Also, it came with provolone or something on it, and I noticed they had another menu item with blue cheese, so I asked if they could substitute the blue cheese for the provolone, which she accommodated. The sandwich was actually really good!
It came with fries, which were better than average. Other folks at the table all thought the food was pretty good. They had the crab cake, a couple of burgers, and a fish and chips. I asked the person who got the fish and chips if it was too greasy, and she said no, it was just right. In my opinion, fish and chips is something that a lot restaurants mess up with it being too greasy and soggy.
Our bill ended up being around $180 for 8 people, but not everyone was drinking. I didn't think that was unreasonable. Although, with so many other great places to eat in Chicago, I probably wouldn't go back. If you are looking for somewhere on Navy Pier to get decent food, great ambience, and nice servers, without having to wait 2 hours for a table, this would be it.
I've previously eaten at the 1st floor cafe in the summer, enjoying the casual bar food and summer drinks; and this past Monday was my first meal in the upstairs dining room. Â We had early, after work reservations and scored one of the window seats with a grea tview of the lake and city.
It was a hot day and the waitress suggested some refreshing Mojitos that hit the spot. Â My dinner companions started off with iceberg wedges with blue cheese dressing and bacon while I had the gazpacho with shredded crab (from the daily special menu). Â My soup was wonderfully refreshing, full of flavor and the wedge salads got thumbs up, also.
For the main course, one of our group had the double cut pork chop with a berry salsa rather than the usual apple-of-some-sort accompaniment, roasted potatoes and grilled asparagas. Â He was quite impressed with the pork chop as it had more flavor than any chop he had in a long time. Â My boyfriend had the plank grilled Atlantic salmon served with a reduced balsemic, creamy mashed potatoes and grilled asparagas. He loves salmon and thought it was wonderful. Â I had a lemon sold crusted with blue crab served with fingerling potatoes and grilled asparagas -- it was cooked to perfection and very tasty. Â We shared a bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from a good, but not overly extensive, wine list. Â There were also quite a few wines available by the glass to choose from.
We all had the assorted gelatos for dessert -- so creamy and full of flavor -- a nice finish to a wonderful dinner.
I noticed from other reviews that some people thought it pricey, but it is a white tablecloth, upscale restaurant with impeccable service so I didn't think the prices were outrageous for the service and food.
Had lunch here while visiting Chicago. This is a two part restaurant, downstairs is much more causal with traditional greasy bar food. Upstairs is a causal, slightly classier sea food joint.
My group and I ate upstairs overlooking the pier, the view is really amazing! We had the crab and spinach dip to start (REALLY yummy). I had the blackened grouper sandwich, and the other members of my group had the Mediterranean chicken salad and the steak sandwich. No one had any complaints about the food. The service was fine. However, considering the other options on Navy Pier, it is WAY over priced.
Coming from St. Louis Missouri.. every labor day weekend we come here. This place is were I proposed to my wife 4 years ago. Its a nice atmosphere and she really loves it. The staff is very nice and food is very good. Just be prepared to pay. Also make reservation cause this place is always jammed pack. We love Chicago. So we will be back!
Review Source:For our third day in Chicago, my friend and I decided to check out the famous Navy Pier. We were tired and recovering from a hangover and all we really wanted to do was sit. Not to mention it was super hot and humid. Enter Riva...
Covered patio seating... Check!
Area to people watch... Check!
Place to snack on something because we really didn't want to walk around anymore... Check!
We split an order of the Buffalo Shrimp and I was a fan! I love buffalo sauce and I love fried shrimp so this was the perfect combination. We even ordered extra celery because for some reason it was so refreshing (probably because we weren't feeling so good) and the server gladly brought out some more. All in all, a great casual spot on Navy Pier if you sit on the patio. Try their buffalo shrimp if you want something with a spicy kick!
Riva Navy Pier is an incredible restaurant on Navy Pier.
At Riva, Â you have an option of seating in the formal dining room which is on the second level. Â The views are incredible of Lake Michigan. Â The food and service is impeccable. Â Plan to spend some money but will worth it.
On the first level, is a much more relaxed atmosphere. Â During the warmer months, you also have the option to seat on the patio which I did during my recent visit plus is was such a great day. Â Great people watching.
I was greeted promptly by the host/ hostess and seated at a great table with plenty of sun. Â Please note... there are plenty of large umbrellas to cover the tables if you want less sun. Â The server, Cristian, was very pleasant when taking my drink and food order. Â That day, I choose the Fish and Chips. Â
The order came out quicker than I thought it would. So no complaints here. Â The kitchen most be like a well oil machine. Â The food runner was very nice.
I had received two large and thick pieces of Haddock fish, fully cooked all of the way through. Â The fries, on the other hand were ok. Â Some of the were soft and got cold quickly. Â Cold fries are not good. Â
Overall.... go enjoy the view and the food.
My husband and I dined at Riva (upstairs) for our anniversary. Â This was our first visit to Chicago and I made the reservation through OpenTable. Â I had done some research before our trip and wanted something with a nice view. Â Riva looked very nice and we love seafood, so I thought it was a good fit. Â We loved it.
We were seated immediately and while not right at the windows, we did have a decent view. Â Our waiter, Timothy, was attentive and personable. Â He even put candles in our desserts. Â
The food was fantastic. Â I had the crab cakes which were much more crab than filler...as they should be. Â They came with mashed potatoes and some kind of slaw. Â I don't really like mashed potatoes, but I ate every last bite of these. Â The slaw was crunchy, refreshing and delicious. Â My husband got the White Gulf Shrimp over sweet potatoes, mushrooms and other veggies. Â He LOVED it. Â He's not even a fan of sweet potatoes but he really enjoyed these...and he finished off my crab cake too after I had to convince him to try a bite. Â We were both very happy with our entrees.
We also ordered dessert. Â I had the white chocolate creme brulee...creamy and delicious. Â And my husband had the tahitian vanilla cheesecake. Â I assume he really enjoyed it since he polished off the entire thing even though he had said he was too full for dessert at first.
I will definitely recommend the Riva dining room to anyone!
I feel the need to clarify that this review is also of the fine dining room with a view on the second level of Riva.
The boyfriend (who abhors seafood) planned to take me (who loves seafood) here for my birthday. After packing a toothbrush and toothpaste for me, just in case, I met him down at Navy Pier for a lovely evening.
We had reservations at 7, and wanted to wander the pier for an hour before dinner. The coat room at Riva offered my man a place to stash his work bag, whole we strolled.
Upon our return, we were pleasantly greeted and immediately seated near the window...Yes! We started with water and bread was brought to the table, but I didn't want to fill up on carbs--I needed room for the fishies! I ordered the Lobster and Corn Bisque to start, which was heavenly. A large piece of lobster garnished this delightfully creamy soup and the flavor was the perfect combination of lobster with a hint of corn.
I ordered Halibut with Lobster Risotto off of the special menu. Wow. A decently sized piece of halibut cut in half and towering over a bed of lobster risotto with asparagus and tomatoes and topped with a beautiful garnish. Foodie happiness.
B ordered a trio of small plates: steak kabobs, artichoke beignets, and duck confit picadillo. All of these small plates were decently sized, and seafood-free for my fish-hatin' man.
After dinner, we ordered, not one, but both of my fave desserts (tiramisu and white chocolate creme brulee) and some delicious coffee (for me). Unfortunately, the coffee arrived near the completion of these decadent desserts. Yes, we ate them all. *drool*
Service was as expected for a restaurant of its caliber, (Hello, candles in my tiramisu! and our server sang Happy Birthday to me on his own!).
Then it was onto the Tall Ship Windy!
This is a review of the upstairs dining room. Â We were seated immediately upon arrival. Â Our waiter noted that we had theatre tix (they are right next door to the Shakespeare Company) and checked the curtain time with us. Â
We cooperated by only ordering an entree. Â They got us out in time and well fed. Â A bit pricy, but whatev.
Just be aware that once you get to the Navy Pier, it will take you a while to wade through the crowd to get to this restaurant.
So after sightseeing around Navy Pier and going on my boat tour, I decided to have dinner. Â Since I've been to Bubba Gump's before in other cities, I wanted to try something else so I figured I would go here since I didn't recognize the name from anywhere else.
I entered from the inside and stood by the host's area for several minutes while people walked right by me and ignored me. Â The bar had bartenders who ignored me as well and there were maybe 2 people sitting at the bar. Â Not a way to run business for me if you ignore potential customers. Â So I ordered the oyster platter, getting essentially one of each oyster (there were 5) and I doubled on one of them because the minimum order was 6. Â Good choice, nice and tasty. Â I read previous reviews on Yelp to try the Lobster Bisque. Â Mostly corn, very little lobster. Â Broth was flavorful, but I got little of anything else really. Â Order was slow as I was given the oysters, then bread but they took it away from me to give to the adjacent table because she ordered soup and I ordered soup and oysters and my oysters came first. Â Uh, okay...
My main course was the Double Cut Pork Chop with Okinawa sweet potatoes, leeks, charred tomatillos, apple gastrique. Â The potatoes were delicious as were the tomatillos. Â The pork chop I asked for medium and was kind of dry, especially if it was a double cut. Â I had it with a Beringer Merlot which hit the spot. Â Since it was a Thursday evening, it was pretty quiet. Â There was an adjacent table with 8 people or so but they cleared out and then the patio was pretty quiet. Â That's fine, but what annoyed me was that they were literally clearing and stacking the empty tables around me as I was still eating. Â I just didn't feel welcomed that I scarfed the rest of my meal. Â By the time the waitress noticed I was done, she asked if I wanted dessert. Â Really? You're working hard to stack all the empty furniture around me. Â It looked like they were closing (it was 7:45 in the evening). Â I had no desire to stay if they were in such a rush to clear out the area. Â I just felt service was lacking. Â I wasn't greeted promptly and then I felt like a criminal as they were trying to usher me out yet they asked if I wanted dessert. Â Wine was good, oysters were good and sides to my entree were good. Â Pork chop was a little dry and the Lobster Corn Bisque left a bit to be desired for me. Â Decent meal, but expensive to be treated like I did with the service.
Boooooooring!
My family was in town and we had done a boat tour off Navy Pier--I usually avoid Navy Pier at all costs, but we were there, got hungry and needed to eat.
The seafood options sounded good, so we said, why not!? Let's try Riva.
It was a Tuesday afternoon (post-lunch, pre-dinner), so it was pretty empty, and we sat outside. I didn't find our waitress to be very friendly, but I guess if I had deal with tourists all day, I would probably be pretty jaded, too.
I ended up ordering fish and chips--one of my favorite meals in the world, and it was just okay. The fish was decent, but wasn't anything special. And for an 18 dollar entree, it only came with two wedges of fish, which wasn't what I was expecting. However, I must say that the french fries were fantastic, probably the highlight of the meal.
My parents' meals seemed all right; they both seemed to enjoy them, so as long as they were happy that's good, I guess.
I was also *really* bothered by the fact that the restaurant didn't have real cups; they served everything in plastic cups; which might have been to facilitate walking around the pier with your beer, but I thought it was pretty tastelss. If we are sitting down for our meal, I would like an actual glass cup; this isn't a frat house.
I guess I understand that this place's prices are a little odd; it's on Navy Pier so it's made for tourists, but the food is circa 18 - 20 per person; which is a lot to me. I just don't think it's worth that price.
Overall, food was just okay, and the environment is fine (Navy Pier has nice views, so the pier is a great place to take Mom and Dad) but I don't think I would ever come here as a local. Though, even for a touristy place, it just ended up feeling boring. I guess I should try a different tourist restaurant next time the folks are in town!
Wow. To be in a high tourist location, I was blown away with how great this place was. Not that I have anything against toursity areas but I have always found that they tend to shortchange you in tastiness and up the corniness and rudeness seeing that they have a revolving door of hungry peeps that don't know any better and get suckered into their crap.
Phew. Rivas is not one of those places.
We were seated upstairs in front of a window and it gave us a fantastic view of the Navy Pier. It was St Patty's Day and it was fun to see everyone in their party gear.
We ordered:
Oysters...
Cocknoe mild, kiwi aftertaste... This was my hands down favorite!
Blue point from Conneticut- fruity, mild, clean aftertaste
Saint Simon from Canada creamy and sweet...
Fish and chips-fresh and tasty. I'm a huge fish and chips fan and this definitely got my seal of approval.
Crab cake sandwich-light, full of flavor. The only thing that would've made it outstanding was to get more texture into the dish. With the crab cake and the soft bread, it became a soggy mess towards the end of the meal.
Do yourself a favor and don't fill up too quickly on the bread, you definitely want to have an appetite for all the goodies they are serving up!
A few glasses of pinot noir and we were set. The view is incredible and the service was warm and friendly.
Well, Riva is conveniently right by the CST on Navy Pier where we were seeing a play later that night. Â So, it's got that going for it, which is good.
I wanted to do some seafood and Riva seemed like the perfect place for it. Â They do have an impressive menu that features a lot of items that you don't see elsewhere. Â Pretty much exactly what I wanted. Â
We started with a trio of apps, lump crabmeat, Texas sweet prawns and stone crab claw. Â All good, the shrimp were the best. Â
For our mains we got:
Riva Lobster Diavolo | 1-1/4lb. whole maine lobster with linguine in spicy tomato sauce
Ahi Tuna Filet | baby bok choy, king oyster mushroom, thai demi
My pasta had an entire lobster atop it, split down the middle. Â I enjoyed it, though it was sadly mildly spicy at best and getting to the lobster meat was a lot of work. Â Kris liked her tuna, but that needed a blackened sear or some kind of spice as well. Â While we were in the mood for dessert, the choices seemed basic and uninspired an we passed. Â Call the food portion a generous 4.
The service side of Riva was odd and pretty much irked us from the start. Â They just didn't have their act together. Â We check in with the host and confirm our reservation, only to be pressed by the seater that arrives with menus bluntly asking us for our reservation. Â Um, do you want to check with that coworker standing next to you that's not a paying customer? Â I don't think we ever really figured out who our server was as it seemed different people kept dropping in helping with our table. Â When the bottle of wine my wife had ordered arrives, I about hit the roof when the guy called out to my wife to try the wine. Â Not like "Would the lady like to try the wine?", but rather rudely "Lady, you wanna try the wine?" Â Depends, will you be pouring it in a plastic cup? Â That could be the snob in me. Â Seriously though, if Riva is going to charge these kind of prices, they need to step it up on the service end of operations. Â I felt like I was at a wedding reception or dinner event rather than a romantic dinner with a view. Â Service was therefore a 2. Â
Eh, Navy Pier. Â At least I've got great seats for Shakespeare.
My family and I came here last Friday for lunch to celebrate my mom's 30th anniversary at her company (30 years?? at one company? yeah unheard of these days). None of us had ever been there before and probably won't be back any time soon. It's one of those places you would take out-of-town guests because it's right on the pier and it has lovely scenery. However, the food doesn't match the restaurant.
Let's start with the food. We each ordered a soup, either the New England clam chowder or the lobster bisque. I had the clam chowder which was chock full of clams, potatoes, celery, etc. However it was way too salty. My stepdad said the lobster bisque was way too salty. We also ordered the crab and artichoke dip and crab cake appetizer. I can't eat shellfish so I didn't have any but I asked my sister how the dip was and she said it was only ok.
For our entrees, I ordered the lunch special sirloin with Brussels sprouts, fingerling potatoes, and a demi-glace sauce. I always order my steak medium rare. It came out medium well in the middle and well done everywhere else. The outside was charred black and tough. I didn't finish it but ate all the sprouts. My grandma had better luck with her medium rare steak and it's good that she did since she has dentures and wouldn't have been able to chew my steak. My stepdad had the jumbo crab cake entree, my mom had the colossal shrimp, and my sister had the Salad Louis(?) which was crab salad over a bed of lettuce. My mom said her shrimp was salty and my stepdad said the shrimp was way overcooked since it was very tough to chew. My sister liked her salad.
After all this we actually ordered dessert (my mom's company was paying, so why not?). We ordered tiramisu and it came out looking like a work of art. Not bad.
Service was good and very attentive. Water was filled and plates were cleared on a timely basis.
Go light on the salt, please.
Understaffed for the rush for Shakespeare pretheater dining.
Did not offer advertised 3 course prix fixe.
Took 20 minutes to receive second beer (despite ordering while only half way into my first, knowing I was thirsty).
Small plates dining - as encouraged by a section on the menu - and supplimented by appetizers, Â was unsatisfying. Beef skewers were grossly undercooked. Calamari was good, mainly on the strength of high quality octopus. Sushi was at best average. The waitress went out of her way to describe a non-listed dipping sauce for the sushi, which never arrived despite our asking the staff who initially delivered our food.
Very frustrating meal, overall. I wish I would have had a billygoat cheeseburger next door instead. More realistically, I should have eaten a snack and talked with my wife at the excellent bar in the Shakespeare theater next door.
Okay, pretty mediocre. The only time I'd go here, and have gone here, is if I was at an event at Navy Pier. Hello, SOFA.
A couple of creative chicks wanted wine after looking at art all day at SOFA. That's what you do, ART, then wine! So, we popped in here for a quick glass of red. The wine was perfectly okay, it just wasn't fabulous.
Calami, breaded. Perfectly okay, if a little oily. Perfectly okay, just a bit meh. Wouldn't go out of my way for this place.
All my Chicago friends think I'm crazy for frequenting this place.
Here's why I go:
(+) Â Sit outside near the lake
(+) Â People watch. Â Navy Pier has some of the best people watching I've ever experienced.
(+) Â Eat oysters (blue points) while enjoying a cocktail.
One thing to note about Riva is you can have two completely different dining experiences there:
1) Â Riva Cafe is the main floor and outside patio area of Riva. Â If you read a review about poor service, it's probably for this portion of the restaurant on the outside patio. Â If the patio isn't a huge must for you, go inside and sit at the bar. Â The bartenders will give you great service.
2) Â Riva Crab House which is upstairs on the 2nd floor. Â Upstairs you'll find white liens on the table as well as a completely different menu from what's offered outside at Riva Cafe. Â I have yet to dine at Riva Crab House, but looking at the menu I've got to imagine in wonderful.
Since hearing about Riva from a coworker, and having a love for crab cakes, I had to try this place out. We decided to take my mother-in-law into the city for a nice dinner and a show. I must say that Riva was the highlight of my evening!
1st - The service was exceptional!! Our waitress was friendly, knowledgeable, and super prompt. She even listened well enough to know that we were celebrating a birthday (without telling her directly)!
The food:
Lobster Bisque - If you go - you must have a bowl of the Lobster Bisque. It is very good, however, comes second in comparison to Shaw's (Joe's being third).
Crab cakes - THIS IS WHERE IT'S AT PEOPLE! I can say that (in my opinion) Riva's crab cakes are the best in the city, even above Shaw's and Joe's!!
My husband had the scallop fettuchini - which was very tasty. The scallops melted in your mouth.
We also had some tuna sushi, which came with a special soy sauce they make in house. Yum!
All in all, an amazing place to enjoy some seafood and enjoy the skyline! MUST GO AGAIN SOON!
My parents and sister and I ate for dinner here on a Sunday evening, the day of the air/boat show. Â The weather was perfect for outside seating and since we didn't order their popular seafood choices, we didn't get the full Rivas experience.
The burger and steak choices were still a delight sided by frites, and chilled white wine. The view was the lovely view of love birds and the party yachts. Â Meanwhile our service was kind and prompt. Â Our dessert was gelato and bread pudding that finished off our sweet tooth with glee.
The selection of tea was a special drink over ice with passion fruit.
Nice view and service is pretty good. We ordered mussels and zupa something, which is basically seafoods with red italian sauce. The seafood meal is amazing, so much stuff in it for the price.
Food is great, but I love their bread most.. Be sure to ask your server to be seated upstairs, which is nicer version of Riva downstairs ( i think they have different menus too)
Navy Pier. Just saying it sends visions into my head of tourists, tourists and more tourists. After all- the only time any Chicagoan goes to the place, is when out of town guests arrive and that is the first thing they want to see. So going there specifically to eat at a restaurant really didn't occur to me until a friend told me he had a Groupon for Riva.
I was actually pleasantly surprised.
The Pier, on this cool May night, was not too crowded, unlike the throngs of people who hang out there on the balmy Summer nights. Â
There were girls in their prom dresses walking the promenade, tourists taking the obligatory pictures and asking for directions, and just the right amount of people to make it seem active but not overwhelming.
If you drive- you can park in any of the many garages or know that Riva has valet parking ($12) with the entrance located on the north side of the pier about half way back.
It's important to know that Riva has two levels. The first level is a casual bar level with the finer dining restaurant upstairs. We went upstairs and since our reservation for a table by the window was not ready- we sat at the spacious bar to gab a martini and some oysters before dinner.
Service was slow. We had to flag the bartender down for everything (more water, to order food, another drink). Too bad as the oysters were quite good and the martini perfectly shaken.
When the host came to get us to tell us our table was ready- we were seated at the perfect table, nestled in the corner with a beautiful view of the lake. Here again- the food was quite good- our caprese salad was delicious and fresh and my Grouper and friend's lobster were perfectly executed.
The problem? The service. Really slow. And when I ordered a new drink, it took forever to come and when it did- it was improperly prepared. Too bad as this should have been a 4 star review. But the service took it down a level. . . .surprising for a Phil Stefani restaurant.
Our bill for two for a shared salad and a couple of entrees and drinks was reasonable, about $100. Our evening? Still delightful even with the slow service as we were celebrating and nothing was going to get in the way of that!
I'm giving this place 3-stars because I liked everything I ordered. This is really where the good things about this place end.
You might ask, it's a restaurant and you liked the food... what more do you want? Well, first off. I'd like to make a reservation and have them actually honor it. Or, they can just tell me nothing is available.. I don't mind sitting at the bar, but being left with no option and given an "it's not our fault if you don't have a res" attitude is messed up. If you ask for my name and number then you can at least actually place the reservation, instead of typing in on your invisible typewriter.
On to the meal: The prices are sky-high. I don't necessarily have a problem with this, as long as the value matches the price tag. In this case it did not. Everything was tasty, but it didn't wow me. Too many options in Chicago that are awesome to waste top dollar on just above-average food.
The view is a saving grace for this place. I guess that's what you pay for? Although, it is also ridiculously out of the way. Short of catching dinner after an I-Max movie or a tourist visiting Navy Pier, I can't think of a reason to specifically venture to this location.
I tend to think this joint excels at serving decent food, knowing that tourists are easily seduced by location and sweeping views.
To be fair, I came here with a group and took advantage of their catering services. We had our own private room, our own private bar, and our own pre fixed menu. Â I did not pay for anything, and if I had to use my own wallet, I probably would have opted for something more quaint, more authentic to Chicago.
Nonetheless, the views of Lake Michigan are amazing. It's kinda like the joints you find on pier 39 in San Francisco. Riva is known for it 's seafood, and I didn't get to sample any. Â It looked delicious. I saw oysters and lobsters...and OH MY. Â
Riva is great for parties, large groups, and corporate functions.  Look, it's simple, If your company is bringing people out of state and would like to "introduce" them to Chicago, this may be  a good choice.  If the food doesn't sell you, the liquor and views will.
I came here with my sister a little over a month ago for a late lunch/early dinner. Â
Appetizers:
We split the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and the Seared Chicken Potstickers -- both were very good.
She had:
Riva Lobster Diavolo (whole maine lobster with spaghetti in spicy tomato sauce) - it was AMAZING (so she said --- of course it was, I was paying)
I had:
Steamed Black Mussles (white wine garlic sauce or aromatic tomato broth) -- it was very good!
Nevermind that I got some weird looks for being absolutely soaked from the rain and in sweats -- I'm nothing but class all the way baby. Â
I'd go back -- actually my sister keeps asking to go back -- she really must have loved that lobster spaghetti! :)
Rawr.
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