I would love to have been able to leave a review, however, here is my experience with the reservation process. My wife and I decided to book a Christmas Eve dinner reservation as a change from our usual haunts, especially after hearing rave reviews from friends who went for Thanksgiving. I called at the end of November, was told that the Christmas Eve menu was not set as yet, but I could leave my name and phone number, which I did, and that I would get a call back in a week or so. Weeks went by, no call came. Things got busy and I called to follow up on 12/20. I spoke to a lovely woman named Caroline about a reservation and told her I was supposed to have gotten a call back regarding my earlier reservation inquiry. When she checked the call-back list, my name and number was not on it. Caroline then told me she had a party to seat, took my name and number, and said she would call me back in 5 minutes. That was three hours ago and I have yet to receive a call from Caroline. So we have booked elsewhere instead. I fail to comprehend this turn of events.and lack of courtesy. When I called, both times, I was courteous as I believe that when I am making a reservation it calls for me to make a good impression, from the start, as a customer. I can only opine to being surprised and disappointed. Happy Holidays .
Service: 1
Irene Rueda
Absolutely wonderful! Have not had such an amazing culinary experience in a long time. The food was delectable, from the appetizer to desert. The service first rate. Our maître d’ was very welcoming and accommodating. Looking out at the Saugatuck river surrounding the restaurant just made the experience more memorable. Highly recommend! You will not be disappointed.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Peter Diefenbach
Great service excellent location and very tasty food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michael
The French woman was extremely welcoming! The table was wonderful, and our waiter was amazing. The appetizers were delicious—smoked salmon and baked brie were a delight. The bouillabaisse was incredible, and the desserts (profiterole and feuilleté) were sumptuous. However, the branzino was extremely disappointing—the fish was clearly undercooked, which unfortunately led to an unpleasant experience for my girlfriend and a disappointing night overall.
Louise W
Rive Bistro must be the best French restaurant in Fairfield County! Our dinner last night was equal to many French restaurants we've visited in the U.S. and Europe. But there were no pretentions, just good French food. My partner's Onion Soup was perfect, no lumpy cheese and an excellent broth. My frisee salad was authentically French. And naturally we shared both. I chose the special, Arctic Char nestled on top of a mixture of spinach, baby carrots, sauced in a cauliflower puree while he savored trout amandine with a similar vegetable side dish. We skipped dessert but will try the lemon tart next time. My French Kiss before dinner was a pomegranate delight and he said his Sauvignon Blanc was exceptional and well-priced.
Bill
Over the years the food had been pretty consistently good but the service is consistently poor.
Piotr
Rive Bistro is a wonderful spot in Westport — great French food, warm service, and beautiful river views. Every dish is consistently delicious, and the cozy atmosphere makes it perfect for any occasion. Highly recommend!
Sherry
Delicious, beautifully presented French cuisine. Exemplary service. Will return frequently.
Donald
Excellent food and service the Cavatelli with lamb outstanding the pate super. It's a little pricey but that's how it goes today. Go & enjoy the experience
Mary
I go to this resturant frequently. It's right on the Saugatuck River in Westport. The food is always delicious, and the service is excellent. You can't go wrong choosing to eat here. In the summer, you can eat outside on the lovely terrace under the trees and watch the river life.
One time, I went for brunch, sat outside. Incredible brunch, beautiful seating. I had a poached egg on toast or something similar. A duck was following one of the waiters around. 5/5.
The second time, I came for dinner. Sat inside. Had a pasta dish, incredibly oversalted. Everyone else ordered things that were also oversalted. It was kind of underwhelming compared to how good the brunch offering was in my memory. No duck this time, 2/5.
Service was fine both times if I recall. Definitely recommend sitting outside if you can, it's very pretty by the river. Ask them to salt the meals less when you order here and it'll be delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Daniel
Amazing experience from start to finish. The cocktail selection was excellent and the staff made us feel truly special throughout the evening. Appetizers, entrées, dessert, and after-dinner drinks were all delicious. We'll definitely be back soon!
Melissa
Great service, great food, nice atmosphere! And it is even more lovely in the spring and summer months
Eleanor
We (five ladies)enjoyed a birthday lunch on a stunning fall day overlooking the Saugatuck River. The cocktails, food and service were all excellent. The desserts were beyond expectations. Highly recommend.
I would love to have been able to leave a review, however, here is my experience with the reservation process. My wife and I decided to book a Christmas Eve dinner reservation as a change from our usual haunts, especially after hearing rave reviews from friends who went for Thanksgiving. I called at the end of November, was told that the Christmas Eve menu was not set as yet, but I could leave my name and phone number, which I did, and that I would get a call back in a week or so. Weeks went by, no call came. Things got busy and I called to follow up on 12/20. I spoke to a lovely woman named Caroline about a reservation and told her I was supposed to have gotten a call back regarding my earlier reservation inquiry. When she checked the call-back list, my name and number was not on it. Caroline then told me she had a party to seat, took my name and number, and said she would call me back in 5 minutes. That was three hours ago and I have yet to receive a call from Caroline. So we have booked elsewhere instead. I fail to comprehend this turn of events.and lack of courtesy. When I called, both times, I was courteous as I believe that when I am making a reservation it calls for me to make a good impression, from the start, as a customer. I can only opine to being surprised and disappointed. Happy Holidays
.
Service: 1
Absolutely wonderful! Have not had such an amazing culinary experience in a long time. The food was delectable, from the appetizer to desert. The service first rate. Our maître d’ was very welcoming and accommodating. Looking out at the Saugatuck river surrounding the restaurant just made the experience more memorable. Highly recommend! You will not be disappointed.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great service excellent location and very tasty food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The French woman was extremely welcoming! The table was wonderful, and our waiter was amazing. The appetizers were delicious—smoked salmon and baked brie were a delight. The bouillabaisse was incredible, and the desserts (profiterole and feuilleté) were sumptuous. However, the branzino was extremely disappointing—the fish was clearly undercooked, which unfortunately led to an unpleasant experience for my girlfriend and a disappointing night overall.
Rive Bistro must be the best French restaurant in Fairfield County! Our dinner last night was equal to many French restaurants we've visited in the U.S. and Europe. But there were no pretentions, just good French food. My partner's Onion Soup was perfect, no lumpy cheese and an excellent broth. My frisee salad was authentically French. And naturally we shared both. I chose the special, Arctic Char nestled on top of a mixture of spinach, baby carrots, sauced in a cauliflower puree while he savored trout amandine with a similar vegetable side dish. We skipped dessert but will try the lemon tart next time. My French Kiss before dinner was a pomegranate delight and he said his Sauvignon Blanc was exceptional and well-priced.
Over the years the food had been pretty consistently good but the service is consistently poor.
Rive Bistro is a wonderful spot in Westport — great French food, warm service, and beautiful river views. Every dish is consistently delicious, and the cozy atmosphere makes it perfect for any occasion. Highly recommend!
Delicious, beautifully presented French cuisine. Exemplary service. Will return frequently.
Excellent food and service the Cavatelli with lamb outstanding the pate super. It's a little pricey but that's how it goes today. Go & enjoy the experience
I go to this resturant frequently. It's right on the Saugatuck River in Westport. The food is always delicious, and the service is excellent. You can't go wrong choosing to eat here. In the summer, you can eat outside on the lovely terrace under the trees and watch the river life.
Restaurantji Recommends
Great place. We had lunch
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I've been here exactly twice.
One time, I went for brunch, sat outside. Incredible brunch, beautiful seating. I had a poached egg on toast or something similar. A duck was following one of the waiters around. 5/5.
The second time, I came for dinner. Sat inside. Had a pasta dish, incredibly oversalted. Everyone else ordered things that were also oversalted. It was kind of underwhelming compared to how good the brunch offering was in my memory. No duck this time, 2/5.
Service was fine both times if I recall. Definitely recommend sitting outside if you can, it's very pretty by the river. Ask them to salt the meals less when you order here and it'll be delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Amazing experience from start to finish. The cocktail selection was excellent and the staff made us feel truly special throughout the evening. Appetizers, entrées, dessert, and after-dinner drinks were all delicious. We'll definitely be back soon!
Great service, great food, nice atmosphere! And it is even more lovely in the spring and summer months
We (five ladies)enjoyed a birthday lunch on a stunning fall day overlooking the Saugatuck River. The cocktails, food and service were all excellent. The desserts were beyond expectations. Highly recommend.
Loading...