It's hard not to feel nostalgic about a place where you had so many great memories (giant Jenga and Burgerama, to name a few).
I was pleasantly surprised to see upgraded furniture (ie: sturdy) and even updated bathrooms from what it looked like during my most recent visit, my first in about a year.
I love The Riv more when it's not so crowded (which I've always found hit or miss. Why so empty at 11 p.m. on a Saturday?), and you can control the jukebox, play darts and get great, attentive service.
This bar is horrifying. It may be appealing if you are a broke college student but the sticky floors and scummy employees with their bad service are what turns you on to a good night out then by all means, go here. The drink specials are decent but contain no alcohol.
There are much better bars in East Lansing. Do not waste your time here.
I have even had an employee take my credit card and charge her own tip a few days after my tabs went through.
The Riv was the bar I decided to go to on my 21st birthday! Usually packed on the weekends, and an overall awesome place. Â Great Thursday specials, "Burgerama," they have $2.50 pitchers of Labatt and cheap burgers and fries.
The crowd is the normal college-town crowd, but less of a dude-bro/sorostitute hangout than some of the other bars in E.L. Â Usually not super packed, (other than Burgerama Thursdays, be prepared for a wait, especially before 9pm). Â Even then, I've never had a problem getting drunk. ;)
The bathrooms are disgusting, but it's a college bar, what do you really expect?
Drinks around $3-$4 bucks a piece for middle of the road beers and drinks. Â Pool tables, dart boards, Foosball, top 40 and college classics(think Journey, "Sweet Caroline" and Snoop Dog) when it comes to music. Â Staff is friendly, and so are the clientele.
The mixed drinks here are bad, but this place is worth visiting once so you know you won't need to go back again. People come to "The Riviera" to get messed up, so it's easy to see how this "cafe" gets away with selling poor quality food. Unfortunately, there are worse bars in East Lansing.
Review Source:Went here last night with @nicklucido and @katyhomanick.
It's a great place to watch the football games and play the Bags video game. Â It's close to Menna's Joint and Georgio's. Â Burgerama on Thursdays is always a great deal and a good time.
I frequent the Riv when I'm in town but this time I found out something awesome last night. Â They allow you to play quarters here.
BEWARE. Â To the guys who need to know this: Â Their stalls don't have doors and their toilets don't have toilet seats. Â Avoid at all costs unless it's dire.
I've only been here once for the infamous Burgerama starting at 3PM on Thursdays. Burgers are $1.50 and pitchers are $3. Unless you don't want to wait in line, get here early because when I arrived a little after 5, I was in line for almost an hour. The crowd is pretty wild and there is a DJ is spinning music. Some people play card games at tables, some people watch ESPN on TV, some people dance, some people just get too drunk to leave a booth. I can't say I remember much, except they make burgers constantly and they pile up and get cold, so make sure you ask for a fresh burger when you go up to make that $1.50 purchase. My buddy dropped his burger on the ground, still ate it, and said it was one of the most delicious burgers in his life. Then again, after two pitchers, what isn't delicious, even if it's been dragged across a dirty bar floor?
Review Source:A decent sized dive bar. Sticky, grimey, dark, filled with smoke, the works. However, they have awesome drink specials and I love seeing a overhead menu at a bar with the specific specials for the days of the week.
For a guy, it's a good place to just chill with the dudes if you want a low key night. Maybe a place to pregame.
Riv is such a chill place. Â Me and my old roomates used to go to there always. Â Its very close to all the bars and the beer is just CHEAP! Â 2 dollars for beer... cant beat that at all! Â After paying $14 for a beer around in LA, I miss Riv greatly. Â Of course the bathroom stinks, but well... what can you do. Â The waitress were overall good looking and great time to stop by for casual environment
Review Source:This is an average college bar. No one is going to slip roofies in your drink but your girlfriend my get "accidentally" felt up by some loser.
Pros: live music, large bar for you and everyone's friends
Cons: pain in the ass to get a drink, or a seat.
Advice: Go early to avoid the cover charge, leave early to avoid the crowd
The Riv is a great time. Â It's has an unpretentious crowd with great deals and everyday good prices on everything else.
It's not the cleanest bar, but what does that matter? Â Once you have a few Labatt Blues you will forget all about how bad the bathroom stinks.
I just hope they throw away the pitchers people leave in the toilet that everyone (myself included) fills up with piss.
Also, I reccomend staying away from the mini-tacos. Â They sound like a good idea, but you will might poop your pants. Â Anyone who has been in this situation knows your night is over. Â There is no pooping at the Riv, you simply say goodbye to your friends, go home, dump and call it a night.
Smokey? Â Check. Sticky? Yup. Douchey? Â Here and there. A good place to get rip roarin' drunk? Â You bet.
As far as college dive bars go, The Riv is pretty standard. But I was impressed with the specials, and the music was at least tolerable, which I didn't expect at all. They also have the game Bags, which is always worth a whole star for me, as I can completely occupy my time spinning that little track ball if need be.
I don't anticipate doing heavy binge drinking again in East Lansing any time soon, but when that day does come (and you know it will) I'd be up for making the Riv a stop in my night of debauchery.
There are no words for how much I miss Burgerrama (Thursdays 3pm - cheap pitchers/food). I never missed it, even if it meant coming from class or not going altogether. The guys didn't even have to look at my ID eventually, sad but true. The people at this bar are the best. Wait in line, it's worth it.
The Riv will always be full of endless memories from college. Come as you are and leave feeling good.
Another dirty a$$ college bar that I have outgrown.
Even in the prime of my college years, I never got this place. Â This place always seems to be crowded, smoky, and sticky. Â I understand they have specials every day of the week ranging from 2 for $2 tacos on Sunday, to burgerama Wed (or Thurs, I forget), but here's what I really don't like:
-dance floor- their dance floor is about the size of a small lavatory leaving little to no room to "get down." Â
-DJs- for some unknown reason the Riv uses "Jamming DJs" to do their music. Â If I could find them on yelp, I would give them a 0, they are AWFUL. Â I reiterate- creating a playlist on a computer does not make you a dj. Â These are the same people that used to kick off our high school dances with track 1 from Jock Jams, they suck HARD.
-tvs- I get that they are not a sports bar, but they should consider upgrading their tvs, especially since they have Tigers Tuesdays. Â It seems that there are 2 places you can sit and have a decent view otherwise you are SOL.
Outside of the cheap food and the people watching, this place is completely forgettable. Â College students- go get your grind on. Â People out of college 2 plus years- run away, as fast as yo ucan.
the riv! a true college dive bar - dirty as hell, sticky as hell and fun as hell! yeehaw, get me to burgerama at 3 on Thursday and i'm set! $1 burgs, $1 beers... you'll be drunk after spending $7 - that's 1 burger and 6 beers, what more does a college student need?
actually the best part about the riv on burgerama days is that everyone is a celebrity. when your burger is up, they announce your name on the loud speaker...and if you know someone who works there...you might be able to pull something like this...
"andrea sbrocca, your 4th double cheeseburger with extra pickles is up!"
I had a major love/hate relationship with the Riv when I was in school. Love because of Burgerama. Hate because it takes 2 hours to get your burger, fries and pitcher for $5.
I hope they still have the frog tank. For the uninitiated, it is a pitcher filled with assorted hard liquor and some form of artificial coloring. Basically, it's everything a growing boy needs.
It's a good place to go and tie one on after tailgate.
oh jack.
the established locale of ladies night for my friends, this place wets our palates to perfection.
typically a sausage-fest on any day of the week, sundays and mondays are my fave days to go.
sundays there is 2 dollar domestic mugs and mondays there's 2 dollar labatt and $2.50 bass, guiness, and new castle mugs.
the servers are always really nice although sometimes on busy nights it may take awhile to get served.
the pool tables are almost always occupied, but people are down for playing doubles or with strangers.
food-wise I recommend the pretzel bites. yup, the same ones you can get in the frozen food section at the grocery store at your fingertips.
Everyone likes a dirty smelly bar every now and again right?
well as a lady I really don't mind one. Â The Riviera Cafe has become a staple in my friends nights life. Â As regulars at the Peanut Barrel we feel right at home here.
A perfect place on a Monday to go with friends to have drinks, with a live cover band playing. Â And as one who doesn't really enjoy cover bands I can honestly say this one isn't half bad.
If pool is your thing they've got it, how about darts? got it too.
Really they have everything. Big long tables, comfortable booths.
I believe they seem to have something for everyone.
Oh the Riv.....
The Riv tends to be a staple in a student's life at MSU...just not mine. Â I've only been to the Riv twice, and I prefer to keep it that way. Â Frat-boy central, the river has cheap beers, top-40 music, a teeny tiny dance floor, and horrible horrible service. Â The last time I went, I just stopped in after work for dinner with a few friends. Â It was early for bar hours - Â like 9pm. Â There was no one in the bar really and it still took the server about 45 minutes to get two orders of tacos and a cheeseburger. Â Ridiculous. Â
The only reason I give the Riv an extra star is for Burgerama - the weekly burger bar event where you can get burgers for a buck-fifty and a pitcher for $3.