The service was excellent and our window table was lovely. The portions were minuscule ( puréed sweet potato the size of an m and m) and the price including tax and tips outrageous for a not very memorable meal.
Mary
Perfect. There is nothing else to say. The service was impeccable on every level. The Sommelier was awesome (Alex). I thought this would be just a special place I would come one time. I have traveled many countries and Michelin Star restaurants but this is my favorite. I will always come back when I am in NYC.
Tom
Wow! What a lovely night! We enjoyed a delicious meal! The service was impeccable. The view was spectacular. A night to remember. Thank you.
Allen
Quality had significantly declined. I used to come pretty often but I dont think I will anymore.
Miguel
It was my daughter birthday, and we are very satisfied with all the attention we received! Very caring, especially with my wife who hates she had a cast on her foot... thank very much for all your help and excellent service. Food was amazing..
Jared Miller
My wife suggested I start writing reviews so I thought this be a great place to start. One of our favorite date spots, the River Café delivers a top-tier experience. From the stunning views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline to the solid food and service. It's a bit upscale but not over the top. We started with the Lobster Bisque, which was rich and smooth with generous chunks of lobster. My wife had the Seared Scallops, cooked perfectly with a nice caramelized crust. For mains, I went with the New York Strip Steak, tender and smoky, just as you'd want. My wife’s Wild Salmon was fresh, flaky, and paired with a light citrus beurre blanc that added just the right touch. The Truffle Mashed Potatoes were just hands down undeniably delicious, and the Grilled Asparagus had a great smoky char. Dessert was a Chocolate Soufflé, rich and decadent — the perfect finish. Service was excellent. Attentive without being overbearing If you're looking for a memorable romantic night out, it’s worth it. The River Café combines great food with an unforgettable setting.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
RSVP Events
Like the previous reviewer (who I don’t know), we were not given a window table, even though I’d requested it in my reservation a month ago, and several window tables were available upon arrival. We were celebrating a birthday, which was special to us, and we weren’t given any reason why we couldn’t sit at the window other than “they’re unavailable.”
Otherwise, the service was wonderful and the food was even better than it had been the last time we dined there six years ago. But not being given a prime table even though they were empty for most of the time that we were dining was just a head scratcher.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amy Gu
My recent visit to The River Cafe was, unfortunately, a significant letdown, especially given its reputation and price point. What was meant to be a special evening for a family reunion turned into a frustrating and forgettable experience due to a combination of poor service, and an unwelcoming atmosphere. We were discriminated by not allowing seating by the window although a couple of tables were available. We were told by the restaurant manager those tables are only for the “friends” of the restaurant. The attitude of the manager was arrogant and no friendly eye contact at all when greeting us. I will never be back and not recommending to anyone.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 1
Mariel Rábago Pérez
Bernie attended us and he was super kind. Excellent service. Thank you for everything. Drinks amazing and dessert as well ✨
Karena
I used to love this restaurant and was really excited to come back after many years. Unfortunately, this visit was disappointing. We were seated at a small table in a corner even though I saw more comfortable spots open. The food, except for the appetizer, was overly salty and didn't taste freshly made — our medium beef came out almost well done.The staff were friendly and attentive, which I really appreciated, but overall the experience didn't live up to what it used to be. Hopefully things improve, as this used to be one of my favorite places in NYC.
It's a true gem of a place with million dollar views of Manhattan. It's truly a special place.l and get the caviar!
Rob
We have wanted to go to River Cafe for a long while and finally got the opportunity to visit for an anniversary celebration. The staff is outstanding and the food perfect. We had cocktails and some champagne. The chef added two extra mini courses, which were exceptional. We had the wagyu tartare and the rabbit appetizers, the dover sole and lamb chops entrees, and desserts. It's a lot of food and easily worth the fixed price. Can't wait to dine there again
Arthur
I have dined at the River Cafe several times over many years and have never been disappointed. This time I took a couple of visitors who had never been to NYC before and they were overwhelmed with the restaurant's view and ambience. I often hesitate to suggest the River Cafe to visitors because I am concerned that it may be seen as too "touristy" but I now see that such thinking is totally wrong. It is a great place for both locals and visitors!
Shawn
The most beautiful place we have ever dined. The staff made us both feel like royalty. The food was perfect. Delicious doesn't describe our experience. I felt privileged to be able to be there. My utmost gratitude to the entire staff.
Meg
We recently dined at The River Café and, unfortunately, the experience did not live up to expectations. The setting is beautiful, but the service felt inattentive and disengaged throughout the evening. For example, we repeatedly had to flag down staff for basic requests like water refills, and interactions with several servers felt rushed and impersonal. For a restaurant known for its special-occasion atmosphere, the level of care and hospitality fell short. We left feeling underwhelmed rather than delighted, which was disappointing given how much we'd been looking forward to the evening.
The service was excellent and our window table was lovely. The portions were minuscule ( puréed sweet potato the size of an m and m) and the price including tax and tips outrageous for a not very memorable meal.
Perfect. There is nothing else to say. The service was impeccable on every level. The Sommelier was awesome (Alex). I thought this would be just a special place I would come one time. I have traveled many countries and Michelin Star restaurants but this is my favorite. I will always come back when I am in NYC.
Wow! What a lovely night! We enjoyed a delicious meal! The service was impeccable. The view was spectacular. A night to remember. Thank you.
Quality had significantly declined. I used to come pretty often but I dont think I will anymore.
It was my daughter birthday, and we are very satisfied with all the attention we received! Very caring, especially with my wife who hates she had a cast on her foot... thank very much for all your help and excellent service. Food was amazing..
My wife suggested I start writing reviews so I thought this be a great place to start. One of our favorite date spots, the River Café delivers a top-tier experience. From the stunning views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline to the solid food and service. It's a bit upscale but not over the top.
We started with the Lobster Bisque, which was rich and smooth with generous chunks of lobster. My wife had the Seared Scallops, cooked perfectly with a nice caramelized crust. For mains, I went with the New York Strip Steak, tender and smoky, just as you'd want. My wife’s Wild Salmon was fresh, flaky, and paired with a light citrus beurre blanc that added just the right touch.
The Truffle Mashed Potatoes were just hands down undeniably delicious, and the Grilled Asparagus had a great smoky char. Dessert was a Chocolate Soufflé, rich and decadent — the perfect finish.
Service was excellent. Attentive without being overbearing If you're looking for a memorable romantic night out, it’s worth it. The River Café combines great food with an unforgettable setting.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Like the previous reviewer (who I don’t know), we were not given a window table, even though I’d requested it in my reservation a month ago, and several window tables were available upon arrival. We were celebrating a birthday, which was special to us, and we weren’t given any reason why we couldn’t sit at the window other than “they’re unavailable.”
Otherwise, the service was wonderful and the food was even better than it had been the last time we dined there six years ago. But not being given a prime table even though they were empty for most of the time that we were dining was just a head scratcher.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My recent visit to The River Cafe was, unfortunately, a significant letdown, especially given its reputation and price point. What was meant to be a special evening for a family reunion turned into a frustrating and forgettable experience due to a combination of poor service, and an unwelcoming atmosphere. We were discriminated by not allowing seating by the window although a couple of tables were available. We were told by the restaurant manager those tables are only for the “friends” of the restaurant. The attitude of the manager was arrogant and no friendly eye contact at all when greeting us. I will never be back and not recommending to anyone.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 1
Bernie attended us and he was super kind. Excellent service. Thank you for everything. Drinks amazing and dessert as well ✨
I used to love this restaurant and was really excited to come back after many years. Unfortunately, this visit was disappointing. We were seated at a small table in a corner even though I saw more comfortable spots open. The food, except for the appetizer, was overly salty and didn't taste freshly made — our medium beef came out almost well done.The staff were friendly and attentive, which I really appreciated, but overall the experience didn't live up to what it used to be. Hopefully things improve, as this used to be one of my favorite places in NYC.
Restaurantji Recommends
It's a true gem of a place with million dollar views of Manhattan. It's truly a special place.l and get the caviar!
We have wanted to go to River Cafe for a long while and finally got the opportunity to visit for an anniversary celebration. The staff is outstanding and the food perfect. We had cocktails and some champagne. The chef added two extra mini courses, which were exceptional. We had the wagyu tartare and the rabbit appetizers, the dover sole and lamb chops entrees, and desserts. It's a lot of food and easily worth the fixed price. Can't wait to dine there again
I have dined at the River Cafe several times over many years and have never been disappointed. This time I took a couple of visitors who had never been to NYC before and they were overwhelmed with the restaurant's view and ambience. I often hesitate to suggest the River Cafe to visitors because I am concerned that it may be seen as too "touristy" but I now see that such thinking is totally wrong. It is a great place for both locals and visitors!
The most beautiful place we have ever dined. The staff made us both feel like royalty. The food was perfect. Delicious doesn't describe our experience. I felt privileged to be able to be there. My utmost gratitude to the entire staff.
We recently dined at The River Café and, unfortunately, the experience did not live up to expectations. The setting is beautiful, but the service felt inattentive and disengaged throughout the evening. For example, we repeatedly had to flag down staff for basic requests like water refills, and interactions with several servers felt rushed and impersonal. For a restaurant known for its special-occasion atmosphere, the level of care and hospitality fell short. We left feeling underwhelmed rather than delighted, which was disappointing given how much we'd been looking forward to the evening.
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