As of October, the Rivers Inn restaurant is no longer ran by the people that trashed the place. The new marina owners are dedicated to quality and will be providing top notch service and fine dining. When it re-opens I would encourage all of you to give it another try. After speaking with the new managers, I'm sure it will return to its former glory.
Review Source:Probably my most disappointing experience I can remember. The she crab soup came out cold; we sent it back for hot soup. It came back out exactly the same - still cold.
We ordered the crab cake sandwich - poor flavor and they didn't add the remoulade. We had to ask two times and then were given a little cup of tarter sauce.
During the crab cake disaster, the tuna we ordered had to sent back because we ordered rare and were given well-done. After some wait another tuna dish appeared. This tuna was rare; but too rare. There is now way it was cooked to the required temperature. However, I was quite hungry and decided to eat it anyways.
The wait staff were inexperienced -forgetting requests multiple times, touching inside dishes and tops of glasses, and general inattentiveness.
I do not have high expectations, but this was far below even poor Pizza Hut service.
Other fun facts: The other tuna dish ordered tasted like cardboard. The tuna was clearly low-mediocre quality frozen fish. The potatoes that were sent back were cut and fried, but came back with smashed. Enjoy my first review; it was just that bad.
Uggh, I am so sad to give this place a bad review. Â I had heard from friends and family that this place used to be good but had gone downhill since a change in management/chef. Â Having never been there before, though, I didn't have anything to compare it to, and thought that at least the atmosphere would be nice.
Well, the atmosphere is all that is good about this place. Â I have gone there twice to give it the ol' college try, and the food is bland, bland, bland. Â Both times I have gone with a party of 4, and both times all 4 of us haven't cared a thing for the food--not the fried fish, french fries, shrimp, burger, chicken salad, etc. Â Nothing has any flavor or tastes even as good as anything I could cook at home. Â (And why eat out if I can cook better food at home?) Â A lot of the food seems like it is frozen, not fresh, and I don't think they even use any salt on their meat at all. Â (Rule #1 of cooking: always salt your meat.) Â My hubby had a shrimp po'boy and his review: "I don't think that it was fake shrimp, but it sure didn't taste like real shrimp. Â It was weird."
Unfortunately, it seems that people in the community are getting the word about the place. Â We went there at prime eating time on a Friday night and, whereas my family tells me you used to have to wait for a table, there were very few tables actually being used. Â I am sad to say it, but I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. Â Such a sad state of affairs for a restaurant with a charming view of the water.
One star for the beautiful waterside view. She crab soup was all cream, no flavor, no crab. My boyfriend and I ordered two of the specials, with high hopes. They were out of the two best sides, no problem. An hour later, we finally got our meals. My fish was the size of a baby's fist. The manager comped our meal, and we left at 9pm with a 730 reservation, with out being fed. Pretty sure our poor waitress is quitting after tonight.
Review Source:My mom and I went here for thanksgiving dinner. Although a little pricier than most of the area restaurants for dinner on thanksgiving, it was worth it. The she crab soup was delicious! We ordered the combination dinner which had ham and turkey with dressing, mashed potatoes and the vegetable medley. The service and the view were amazing.
Review Source:I concur with Nancy, the She Crab soup was excellent. I was very pleased with it. For my main meal, I chose the Seafood Pot. This dish was full of crab legs (Norwegian), clams, and shrimp. Â It looked really good but---the shrimp and clams were not fully cooked. I had the server take the shrimp back to get replacements or re-cook. Â The ones that came back were really good---full of Old Bay. Â Pros: nice view of the marina, good & fast service, excellent She Crab soup. Â Cons: Problems with cooking. Â Definitely go back.
Review Source:I went to the Rivers Inn today and the experience definitely was Meh? Â The service, impeccable and I tipped well. Â I had a glass of house wine which was not very good. Â The she-crab soup was excellent, I wish I had a great big bowl of that and stopped there. Â The view excellent.
I ordered the baked stuffed shrimp and several hours later, still taste them. Â The taste was not very good going down and I should have stopped and sent them back but I was very hungry and thought maybe its me? Â Note that the sides were perfect, a mixed vegetable and wonderful potatoes au gratin. Â Also note that the shrimp were cooked perfectly, so if everything else was perfect and the shrimp tasted horrible, why did the chef serve them. Â Â
If you come here, stick to the fried food (which I avoid), I fear this is an upper-crust fast-food restaurant with a great view.
My husband and I went last night for dinner (8/3/12).
Positives: our waitress, Railee, was very nice and attentive. The crab cake app was delicious, as well as the ceaser salad. The overall decor of the place was also pleasant, but not much of a water view, more of a boat view. We sat inside because outside was packed.
Negatives... Where do I begin. I ordered the ahi tuna. It was so dry and very salty. It came as just a slab of tuna, no sauce or anything. Poorest presentation of a meal I think I have ever been served. The portion of broccoli was pitiful.
My husband got the sword fish, a special, and said the only reason it was good was because they doused it with sauce. Father in law did not seemed impressed with his stuffed trout. Mother in law liked her fried shrimp, but how can anyone screw that up.
I thought the wine was expensive. We ordered two desserts. The death by chocolate cake and the cream pie. The cake as dry and mother in law did not like the crust of the pie.
Will definitely not go back...
This place was totally worth the forty minute drive from Mathews. There is a small bar on the left where we had a beer to wait for our table, and listen to the live music. We were fortunate to get an outside table right next to the water overlooking the marina and the gorgeous boats. The waitress was so accommodating and timed our meal according to our special requests. She said that usually Saturday nights are incredibly busy, so the quiet night and short wait weren't typical. We both ordered fried oysters which were delicious, but the amount they gave was lacking. Make sure that you take a walk around the docks to fantasize about having one of your own boats. Overall, River's Inn is great on atmosphere and casual dining.
Review Source:We ate outside and it was great. We both had the She Crab soup and I had never seen so much crab in soup before (and I order She Crab whenever it is on a menu at a restaurant). My husband had the fried green tomatoes (I had a taste). They were nicely fried in a lightly sweet but tangy sauce. I had the smaller dinner with one crab cake. Lots of crab again. The smaller portion menu items were great. When you want to enjoy appetizers and dessert a smaller entree is great but the larger version is good when you just want the entree. My husband had the fried seafood dinner which he also enjoyed. Desserts were huge and we brought leftovers home. David had the chocolate mousse and I had the death by chocolate. More than we usually spend when we eat out but the food, service and atmosphere were fantastic.
Review Source:The review written on 3/1/12 by Linda D, is my Mom's review. I second everything that she said and have to add:
The view was awesome! The toddlers loved looking out at the water and big "boats".
My husband, daughter and I are vegetarians and we had a nice selection to choose from. My husband had the Vegetable Napoleon Stack and he loved it! My 2 year old daughter wanted pizza..of course, so I split that with her - it was good. Dessert was DELICIOUS!! The chocolate mousse was the absolute best I have ever had!
Portion sizes were perfect.
SO glad we picked here to celebrate my sister's wedding!
4 1/2
Thanksgiving dinner
we had the broiled fish dinner; the Cajun crab cake; and one turkey dinner
everything was excellent; service very good too
best was the fried green tomatoes ( that came with the crab cake - so good that i left over one crab cake = took home for snack that night)
place was more than half empty, probably due to the higher (but fair) prices ; Â I can see that the atmosphere is more suited for the summer crab dinners and crab cakes; Â
but don't let that keep you away the rest of the year - food is too good
Difficult to find. Â I recommend going here during daylight hours for your first trip.
Had great service from the bartender.
The food here is really good. Â Had the crabcakes and tuna steak sandwich.... Â On point.
Nice atmosphere to sit on the outside deck also (as long as its not too hot).
I worked here and ate here.... and it was love! Fun yet professional people, great food, amazing view of the water. What could be better?
The Crab Deck is open in the summer and always a good choice after going to the beach, fishing, or just for a date.
I loved working there. Made many friends and met a lot of interesting locals.
Last weekend we went to the Rivers Inn while visiting Williamsburg. Â I went with my family (wife, kids aged 6 and 9) at the recommendation of a critic whose opinion I respect very much: my dad. Â
In general, I judge a restaurant by the following factors, which pretty much cover the whole experience:
1. Â "Door impact" (first impression on walking in the door/area)
2. Â Initial Service (Host/Hostess, friendliness, information given)
3. Â Subsequent Service (taking orders, delivery of food and drink)
4. Â Food appearance and quantity
5. Food taste
6. Â Overall Value
1. Â "Door Impact": Â I loved pulling in and seeing the boats on the dock (well, technically tied to the dock). Â I wish it was light enough to see the river. Â There's what looks like a great outdoor seating area, but given that it is December, that was not an option. Â The inside of the restaurant is very nicely decorated, well spaced, and very clean (including the bathrooms).
2. Â The initial service was as one would want: very friendly hostess and waiter. Â We were seated immediately and the timing of the meal was spot on. Â
3. Â The seasonal menu was rich, and the biggest problem was not finding something on it, but rather which combination we wanted. Â No problem, we were able to get the side dish of one entree as an appetizer. Â The kitchen was accommodating in other areas too, allowing flexibility for our dietary restrictions (no pork, shellfish, or mixing meat with dairy--these often cause problems). Â Most restaurants will allow base substitutions if we push, but our waiter went above and beyond in helping us find solutions!
4. Â Food appearance can be touchy, I have been to some very nice (and expensive) restaurants where, when I see my plate, I see a beautiful and tiny piece of art. Â Here the food looked beautiful and the portions were certainly generous. Â I was happy to see that it was more of a classic style (no "foams" or bacon ice cream as is becoming so popular), but that's a matter of style as I prefer an elegant meal that tastes good. Â It's also nice to see a chef who believes in veggies; they were plentiful and well integrated. Â
5. Â And the food tasted soooo good. Â I chose peanut soup and braised short ribs. Â The peanut soup was wonderfully silky and rich, and had celery for crunch (I loved that because it was lighter in taste but gave a firmer crunch than peanut pieces would have--a brilliant surprise). Â The short ribs were cooked perfectly, braised long enough to be tender but not squishy or chewy. Â My wife chose a rack of lamb, of which only the bones were left. Â My kids raved about the flounder and cesar salads they ate. Â
6. Â Pricewise, I was pleasantly surprised at the value, considering that the chef is the former executive chef of the Williamsburg Inn which is much pricier. Â There's always a premium for good fresh food, but given the quality of what we ate, this is a better value than I have had in a long time and far better than much of what is available in my restaurant filled home of North NJ.
The bottom line: I (100%) will be back when I come next to Williamsburg, and I recommend the reader try this restaurant. Â I don't know that this is the best place for kids who only eat hot dogs and chicken nuggets, though after our experience I think they would do their best to help even finicky eaters enjoy their dinner.
Amazing place. I lived in Gloucester Point for 2 years and this is the best food going. Lunch is awesome, and a great time to sample the food for less money. Â I would always take my parents here when they were visiting. Â Dinner can get downright spendy, so I only recommend doing that for a special occasion or for a hot date, but this is Gloucester so I'll stick to special occasion.
The crab deck is a lot of fun in the summer. The beer flows and the crab meat flies. Awesome place.
The River's Inn has a restaurant and a Crab Deck that is open from from Memorial Day through Labor Day each year. Â I haven't been to the restaurant, but have had dinner on the Crab Deck. Â The Crab Deck is an outdoor deck with a bar that serves steamed crabs (naturally), shrimp, clams and oysters. Â The Crab Deck is family friendly and is very casual. Â The restaurant is dressier and has a more expensive (and stuffier) menu. Both the Crab Deck and the restaurant overlook the harbor at Sarah Creek.
Review Source:
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