River Room

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  I came here with a party of 14 for our "lab dinner" after presenting at the WPA conference in Reno. We had called a couple of hours ahead of time requesting a reservation for 14, and they said it wasn't a problem. They actually ended up giving us our own private room (which is usually reserved), which made for a more intimate dining experience. The room was beautiful. It had artwork of the Reno skyline that looked as though it was a photograph.
  
  Our waiter was amazing! We didn't feel rushed at all, he made excellent food and drink recommendations, and it really felt as though he was enjoying that we were there as opposed to how being in a huge group is typically a burden.
  
  I split the jerk chicken with a friend because neither of us were entirely hungry, but the chicken was amazing. It wasn't as spicy as jerk chicken normally us, but it was extremely flavorful. The fried plantains were an excellent touch. The mashed potatoes were hands down the best I've ever had.
  
  To drink, I had a raspberry lemon drop, and it was great. It wasn't too sweet or too sour. It was the perfect balance.
  
  If I ever come back to Reno, I will be back here.

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  Posted on 05.07.13 Kristina O.

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  This is a very nice, classy looking extension of Wild River Grille.  I actually prefer this to Wild River Grille bc of the view of Virginia St and the river and it's more spacious with high ceilings.  They have this whiskey flight where you pay $15 for three 1 ounce pours of bourbon, Canadian whisky, or rye whiskey.  It's an awesome deal and allows you to sample a variety of whiskey.  It's all day any day, the best flight deal for liquor in Reno, actually the only one.  They also have more whiskey than any other bar in Reno including, you'd never think, Whiskey Bar.  Great service and eclectic food menu.  They also have live music certain Sundays.  Wish more people knew about this place.  Reno seriously needs a 30-something yuppie crowd, bc they'd love this place.  If this was a SF bar and restaurant it would be packed all the time.

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  Posted on 03.06.13 Louis D.

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  I had my wedding reception at the River Room in August 2012, I was so pleased! The food and the cocktails were incredible! I am still getting calls for guests about how that is the best food they have ever had at a wedding! So thank you River Room it was an unforgettable night :)
  
  This was our spread, all were prepared perfectly and were delicious:
  
  Appetizers-
  
  Pear and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
  
  Salmon Crab Cakes
  
  Dinner (we decided to do it buffet style)-
  
  Beet chip salad (Love!)
  
  Plum Chipotle Salmon (A HUGE HIT!!!!)
  
  Braised Short Ribs (Very tender!)
  
  Vegetable Lasagna
  
  I would definitely recommend River Room for group events or just for a regular dinner out with friends or spouse. The entire staff was awesome. Chuck was great in planning and preparing everything to run smoothly and it was exactly as we envisioned it!
  
  My only recommendation- if you decide to have a group event or reception at this location and you want dancing to your own music, I would recommend hiring a DJ. They have satellite radio which was great during cocktail hour and dinner, but we had a playlist for dancing and it wasn't working consistently with their sound system, so it would have worked out better with a DJ. It didn't really effect too much, but we ended up not staying as late as we thought since I really wanted to dance :)
  
  Overall, I loved my reception at the River Room and so did all of my guests! The most important thing for me was for the food to be incredible and it was!

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  Posted on 12.19.12 Kendra W.

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  I hadn't been here since it used to be Dreamer's Cafe, and I was pleasantly surprised with it!  What a cool space on the river.  I used to pretend that I lived in the Riverside Artist lofts, and that I was just running down from my loft for a spot o' tea... Oh the good ol' days.
  
  River Room could be really great.  I had a hot toddie and the calamari.  The toddie was without honey and the calamari was *swimming* in oil.  The pieces were tiny, which would have been fine if they weren't soggy with frying grease.  I guess it's partially my fault for ordering the fattiest thing on the menu (...or was it the mac n cheese? If it were up to me, I'd have ordered that anyway...), but man. Def could drain those little guys a bit better.
  
  The bartender was super nice and happy to bring me a side of honey.  He seemed like he had a lot of back-and-forthing to do, as he was constantly dashing off toward the connected Wild River Grille.  
  
  I like the ambiance and the semi-circle bar, and it is always nice to be by the river on a Reno night.  Prices were not ideal for my little budget, but hey, not many prices are.  I had a good time, and I'll probably be back!

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  Posted on 01.04.12 Allison M.

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  Happy hour is great, Kerry the bartender is phenomenal! Gonna give new years a try.

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  Posted on 12.29.11 John G.

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  A friend on mine and I decided to stop in there for a cocktail before going to a show, so this review is only for the River Room, bar seating.
  
  The ambiance is great and the decor is very nice and the staff was better than most.
  
  The bar did give us a little sticker shock of just over $21 for two well, vodka martini's +tip (versus $14 at many other bar/restaurants of similar caliber in the area.)
  
  I plan to go back for dinner, but may keep my drink to iced tea.

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  Posted on 12.12.11 Jeff B.

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  The River Room is a Great Place for Group Meetings & Banquets

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  Posted on 11.22.11 Chris M.

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  I went to the River Room for a girls night out, and while the food was very good, the prices were a bit much for the portion size. The waiter was excellent though, wish I had his name to give him credit!

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  Posted on 08.16.11 Trish B.

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  I can't give a full review yet, because we didn't actually eat during our lone visit to the River Room (formerly Dreamer's Coffee).  The decor and setting are great, and the staff were pretty friendly during our visit to watch The Novelists (local band).  I decided to try one of the house's signature drinks, "The Governor", which was an interesting, though not amazing, concoction of quality bourbon, muddled mint & citrus, bitters, and some peach liquor I've forgotten the name of.  It was more or less what I expected in a $9 restaurant cocktail.  I switched to Black Butte Porter for the rest of the evening, which brings me to mention two negatives that should really be addressed if the River Room intends to host further live music events.
  
  First, it's ridiculous to have the bartender leave his station to fetch draft beer from the sister business next door  (Wild River Grille).  If nothing else, (s)he should be able to request that a server bring such orders over during busy periods, so the mixologist can stay focused on the thirsty cocktail customers in front of them.  There were over 50 people in the room with at least half waiting on drinks at any given time, and part of the reason was due to bartenders having to leave their station and go to a completely different restaurant to fetch a drink order.  I'm sure the bartenders don't love this set-up any more than I did.
  
  Second, never put a novice bartender in charge of anything other than drawing the afore-mentioned beers, wine, etc.  The specialty cocktail I ordered was (thankfully) made by the experienced-yet-heavily overworked bartender in charge that night.  I then watched in horror as "the new guy" tried to make the same beverage, while going back and forth asking his trainer what to do, rendering both men's efforts inefficient and confused.  It was a trainwreck, to say the least.  
  
  Sure, everyone has to start somewhere, and learning by doing is the way most of us learn to mix drinks, but this was really a poor decision for a busy night.  I watched the seasoned bartender exit more than once to fetch draft beer, leaving his protege to actually READ THE MENU to discover the ingredients for each house cocktail, then GUESSING on the quantities involved.  Ouch.  Now you know why I switched to beer for the rest of the evening.
  
  I'm sure when the room is just serving dinner, and the bar staff are less harried, things are perfectly fine.  But they should really re-examine their training choices if they plan on hosting further evenings as busy as the one I attended.

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  Posted on 03.13.11 Todd S.

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  The Governor $9
  1  1/2 oz Bulliet Bourbon
  1/2 oz  Leopold Brothers Georgia Peach Whiskey
  2 Dash Bitters
  Fresh Mint & Orange Slices
  Soda Water
  
  Mixologist Meagan O'Farrell creates a winning cocktail across the board!  Inspired by the the vintage-contemporary styling of the venue, she's modernized the Mint Julep. The addition of oranges and the hint of peach to this classic takes your palate on a ride of sensory delights . Wafting an aroma of spiced orange, it first presents the warming flavors and feel of whiskey, then subtly fades into a mellow fruity middle that finishes light, quenching, and refreshing.  
  
  To pair with The Governor, Chef Michael Woodall prepared the Australian Lamb Chops with dark cherry demi-glace and polenta cake.  The dry and bland polenta cake made no contribution to the drink or the dish, but the rest of the plate was exceptional.  The spices rubbed on the lamb chops sweetened the beverage by enhancing its fruit flavors while  dark cherry with its soupçon of fennel in the silky demi-glace harmonized the bourbon and herbs into perfect balance.
  
  Desiree Sarchet
  Reno Tahoe Tonight Magazine-December 2010

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  Posted on 12.08.10 Desiree S.

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  The River Room played host to my first event booking at this location.  I programmed a make-up show to fulfill my contractual obligations to the artist Chris Pureka, whom I'd booked at the now defunct Siena Spa Hotel & Casino.
  
  Owner Chuck Shapiro and his staff were very accommodating to my ideas to make the locale concert ready for the critically acclaimed New England based Pureka, who'd been the recent recipient of rave reviews from Billboard magazine and The NY Times for her new album How I learned to See in the Dark. I brought in lighting by Rick Patton and staging by Mac's Stage Rentals with a sound system provided by Duke Goff.
  
  The undercard (Athena McIntyre, Mel Wade and Lacey Mattison) performed superb opener sets in support of the headliner Pureka. What was impressive was the vibe in the room and the excellent service by servers Kayla, Shaunessy, bartender Meagan and the manager Rich.
  
  Chris Pureka did an amazing 70-minute set that thrilled and captivated the assembled 75+ guests.  The sound reinforcement Shapiro had installed weeks back to control ambient conversational chatter, really helped the room's sonic warmth. The audience could hear every lyric from the high-mountain Americana the artist shared with her rapt attendees.
  
  Food came out fast, even though the place was jam packed beyond capacity. The plating of the dozen or so dishes I watched people enjoy was artful and immaculate. I ordered the spicy prawns over long penne pasta, and it just might have been the best dish I've had in Reno. The mushrooms, marinated red peppers and prawns were succulent and absolutely delicious. The aroma of the dish brought a gaggle of friends over to my area to investigate my delight. The portion was just right, as I hate to be hungry after an entree.
  
  If you're looking for comfortable and posh, with a scenic view of the lovely Truckee River in winter, an exceptional dining experience awaits at The River Room.

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  Posted on 11.24.10 Oliver X.

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  Lovely.  
  
   My fiance and I had the pleasure of dinner at the River Room to celebrate our engagement last week.  The location is spot-on for Reno, directly on the Truckee riverfront in a beautiful historic hotel.  We were seated at a cozy table near the stage which would later boast a romantic string quartet, I couldn't have asked for better ambiance.  Now for the good stuff: we started our meal with a macaroni and cheese appetizer containing prosciutto and apple compote which was dynamite.  For our salads he had ceasar and I enjoyed a beet chip salad with champagne dressing, both were well-portioned and beautifully plated.  Our main course choices were filet mignon and chipotle plum salmon.  We literally ate until it hurt.  The bar provided excellent white russians and whiskey sours to accompany our meal but the restaurant also had an impressive wine list.  Being new to Reno I was looking for an intimate yet chic place to enjoy a special occasion dinner and the River Room definitely delivered.

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  Posted on 10.14.10 Heather P.

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  First time heading in here was tonight with my fiance and our 2 friends.
  We made reservations but since we dined early they weren't necessary. We were seated at 6 and there was only 1 other table with customers.
  
  We ordered the following between the 4 of us:
  Apps:
  Crab and Salmon cakes - 3 cakes. Salmon and crab in the same cake wasn't too my liking. Salmon overpowered the crab. Good but not something I would order again.
  Roasted Pear Bruschetta - excellent. Pear, goat cheese and onion combo was delicious. 5 portions per order.
  
  Entrees:
  Mine - Grilled Duck Breast - Ordered it med. rare. Perfectly cooked. Orange reduction was delicious and made a sweet glaze for the potatoes. Still unsure of the 'new potatoes' title on the entree but they were excellent red potatoes. Fried asparagus was in springs across the duck w/ a nice flavor and crunch.
  Fiance - Braised Short Ribs - Ribs were tender and melted in her mouth. Excellent flavor. Mashed potatoes and sauce were a fantastic compliment to the meat.
  Dining companions:
  Chicken Noodle Soup and side salad - 'down home' taste to the soup. Salad was standard side salad taste and size.
  Special - pasta w/ salmon, shrimp, scallops and something else covered in cheese and baked - I can't remember what the server called it, but my friend loved it. He said the seafood was all cooked really well and having the pasta and cheese added in was an excellent flavor.
  
  Dessert:
  Pumpkin mousse - True to pumpkin pie flavor. Candied pecans were odd. Ginger snaps were true to form - hard and crunchy but great flavor.
  Chocolate torte - Excellent. Great flavor and texture. Very rich and even shared couldn't finish the whole thing. Has the makings of excellent left overs!
  
  Cocktails:
  Caipirinha - a friend had several and said they were perfect and took him right back to Brazil. He was impressed they had the alcohol to make it since it's hard to find.
  
  Overall - excellent food. Downfall - service. Not busy but we constantly had to ask for refills on water and cocktails.
  
  I can't wait to go back.

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  Posted on 10.07.10 Sabrina B.

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