Riverside Market

This dive is definitely a joint for the Riverside Park and Sailboat Bend denizens, along with the smattering of outsiders who've heard the raves and want to see what's it all about -- not unlike myself.  Very interesting little neighborhood.  Real diverse mix of Whites, Blacks, upwardly-mobile, down-troddened, jalopies and BMWs.  I like it -- the neighborhood -- to visit; maybe not to live.  Anyway, there's a gaggle of tatted-pierced types smokin' up a storm and drinking out front.  I immediately love it because there's tables/chairs out front where I can mosey-in our two dogs with us while we eat and enjoy the sunshine!  (However, unlike some other dog-friendly places we've been to, this one doesn't provide water bowls for thirsty canines.  Still, though, it was nice to bring the pooches along....)  We each took turns -- somebody's gotta watch the girls! -- to go inside and take a peak at what the place was all about.  Practically a full wall's length of glassed coolers with a myriad of bottled beers!!!  (My partner was a brewmeister in Alaska, so we're dying to try something un-common.)  The whole atmosphere/decor/vibe strikes me of something out of the Haight-Ashbury.  (I'm old enough, and have lived there, to know!)  Grabbed us a couple of Breckenridge Vanilla Porters, and headed back out for some vitamin D.  There's a waitress (somewhere), but she hasn't made it over our way with menus just yet....  (At the table next to us, three young punks are guzzling brewskies and puffin' away while trying to one-up each other with how many "dudes" of theirs' have been thrown in the slammer in New Orleans.  Egads!  New generation; old revolutions....)  First round of beers are done; still no waitress.  My buddy finally goes inside to see if (maybe) we're supposed to order there.  The waitress overhears the inquiry, apologizes, and says she'll be out momentarily.  (At Riverside, you have to remind yourself to go-with-the-flow as this is that kind of joint.  Enjoy the beers and neighborhood-watching....)  Waitress (good-looking) finally saunters over with menus and small-talk.  I order the fish tacos, along with a side of tortilla chips.  Second round of beers.  The minutes are ticking by.  (I'm thinking they're out back trying catching my lunch....  My buddy asks if I've seen the kitchen and its denizens.  I say no.  He tells me if I did I'd understand why it's taking so long....)  Sexy waitress walks out the front door with some plates.  Food finally arrives!  Tacos are fresh-looking and very fine tasting!  (Okay, so I suppose the wait was worth it.)  Small bowl of blue corn tortilla chips were unseasoned, but oh-so fantastic!  I know, a simple tortilla chip, you say...?  It was, by far and away, the crispiest batch of tortilla chips I think I've ever ate!  (If only it came with some hot sauce or salsa....  Still, though....)  (My buddy says his lunch was tasty, as well.)  The bottom-line:  I'm giving the brews 5 stars; the food, 4 stars; the rest, 3 stars.  I can't give it quite 4 stars (overall) just yet, as I'm yet to say "Yay!  I'm a fan."  But, suffice to say, we'll definitely come back with no expectations for some brews and try something new off their small menu.  I'll be able to give a better assessment of my feelings of Riverside Market at that time....  (By the way, there's no "check, please" here, as you simply go up to the check-out counter and tell the guy what you've had.  THAT is VERY cool, dude...!!)  ;)

It's like being at home, only with a lot of beer.

Walk in, grab a beer from a selection of well over 550+ beers (recently they have added some draft beer selections to this already extensive bottle/can selection), take a seat at a table or comfy couch, order some food and relax.

They also have a small selection of wine allowing for DIY mimosas on the weekends or to make that beer hating friend happy.

Their food never disappoints either. Everything is made fresh and it shows. Their pizzas and sandwiches are great but my favorite thing is their homemade hummus, especially the jalapeño.

The only downsides are the difficult parking situation and the single bathroom where lines form very quickly when it's busy. On the upside to these downsides I hear the parking situation should be improving in the near future.

Here's to hoping this little treasure stays for many, many more years.

Whoa, walking into this hole in the wall was like finding a mirage in the desert. I have been to places like this in cool towns like Savannah, but here in plastic SOFL? I got lost in the beer selection - 500+ - (first world problems, I know). Down home service (self service); grab what you want, order food if you desire, they come to you and collect at the end or you pay on the way out. There have high tables, sofas, chairs, whatever, it's all good.