We made a reservation for a party of 11 for my sister's bachelorette, and our table was ready right on time. While we didn't get seated on their nice lakefront outdoor deck as requested, we still enjoyed a great view of the lake from inside. Our server was absolutely amazing. SO kind and attentive! They started us off with complimentary breadsticks and sun-dried tomato hummus, which was a great touch. For mains, I had the halibut (delicious!), and though the overall consensus on the food was "decent, not amazing," the drinks were a massive hit. Everyone in the group loved their "Woody's" (I was the DD, but I can confirm the rest of the party thoroughly enjoyed them!). Parking Tip: You can use their valet service or opt for the pay-to-park lot (first 30 minutes are free, then $2/hour). Overall, the fantastic service, fun atmosphere, and great drinks made it a lovely spot for our celebration! read more

Wanted to make a reservation for a large party of 12 here and there was a special form to fill out, do not as easy as calling or just on opentable and figured it would be even more of a pain to move it. We were seated at a long table inside next to two other large party tables. Our table was ready promptly at our reservation time. They have a nice outdoor deck right on the lake. I wish we were seated outside, but we still had a view (obstructed) of the lake. Valet parking is the option if you are driving, which was nice. Service: Our server was good. It felt like it took a while to get our food, but not terribly long. She also replaced one of the kid's smoothies when they spilled the entire thing. Food: They serve complimentary breadsticks with sundried tomato hummus to start. I ordered the Caesar salad and added chicken, which I felt had way too much dressing mixed in, but came with lots of chicken (three skewers) and was a good portion size. My husband orders the tenderloin salad and seemed to enjoy it. Kids enjoyed the kids personal pizza and smoothies. Some others got the Halibut and said it was bland. read more

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We are locals, we always come for a great experience and have a great time. However, tonight (July 20th) was the most terrible service I've ever experienced. My family and I all work in the food service industry, we didn't deserve the experience we got tonight. Honestly very disappointing and to the point where you guys can go elsewhere and have a better time anywhere else. We had a reservation at 8pm, we ordered the Ribeye and we noticed our meal didn't come with asparagus and our server KAMILE P didn't say anything about it either. Ribeye* 18 oz. char grilled / sautéed mushrooms / asparagus / pancetta & red potato hash / rum peppercorn demi $58 Both our plates were missing it and for $58 each. We didn't say anything hoping the server would say or do something about it. She never stopped by to see if we needed refills or need anything else. The only time she came by was at the very end to rush us out and to pay. When we asked about dessert she seemed annoyed. Never said thank you or anything. And, if I'm being honest her service was HORRIBLE! So if you decide to give Riva a chance, ask for another server or go to the bar. Giving it two stars because the food was still good. read more

I had my bridal shower here in 2008. This place has many happy memories. When we were in town for the evening I wanted to go back and enjoy the beautiful views of the lake. Our hotel was directly in front of the restaurant so it was a short walk over. The place is just stunning at dusk. Directly on the water with beautiful outside deck views. We were seated immediately. Our waiter was attentive and got us our cocktails quickly. I had a wet woody (their signature drink) which was delicious and strong. We had a few appetizers including the lobster deviled eggs and coconut shrimp. No notes. I had the filet for my main and it was perfectly cooked and well-seasoned. I was delighted to find that the Riva Grill was just as I had remembered it. I hope to go back again soon. read more

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Disappointing, the food, not the service or the atmosphere (which is fantastic) but the food was terrible this visit. Arrived 12:30 on the TH of the golf tourney, had a very easy time using the (free - so leave them a good tip) valet. Promptly seated and great service and ice cold beer. But the French dip was terrible. Fries were great but the dip was fatty, chunky, and I didnot want to eat any more of it. One of my companions had the fish and chips and didn't like that at all. Not so sure on the tacos our third had...really disappointed in the kitchen. read more

Riva Grill - Lunch for 3 - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - South Lake Tahoe, California

Came here for 4th of July weekend dinner and the lakeside view is hard to beat. The atmosphere and overall vibe made for a great evening. The filet mignon was delicious, the grilled halibut was a bit dry, but the crumble pie was absolutely amazing and the perfect way to end the meal. It's definitely on the pricier side, but you're really paying for the incredible ambience and location. Overall, a great spot for a special dinner by the lake. Server was personable and funny! read more

Riva Grill - Grilled halibut - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - South Lake Tahoe, California

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Great food, views, and service. Filet mignon was amazing. Would recommend! View from the beach at the restaurant was incredible. Sit outside if you can. read more

Riva Grill - View from restaurant - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - South Lake Tahoe, California

What a beautiful, spacious restaurant! The large upstairs doors were open, creating an indoor-outdoor atmosphere that made it feel like we were dining outside while enjoying the comfort of being indoors. Our server, Nick, was amazing--friendly, energetic, attentive, and truly hustled to make sure everything was perfect. We had one of the best meals we've ever had. We started with the crab cakes, which were absolutely delicious, followed by the filet and lobster, both cooked perfectly. We finished with their cobbler dessert, which was the perfect ending to an incredible meal. Everything was outstanding, including the breathtaking sunset. A truly memorable dining experience, and we can't wait to return! read more

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There was a multitude of issues with our dinner. Buyer beware, your steak will not be cooked the way you'd like. 3/5 of the steaks that were ordered by our party were messed up which made them uneatable for the respective person. For $60 a steak, the chef really needs to know how to cook these, unacceptable. My food was fine but thats besides the point. This is supposed to be a fine dining restaurant and it missed the point greatly. Also, they charge $6 a soda which is INSANE. Had ai knew that prior I would have stuck with water. Our party had reservations as well and still had to wait additional time because...not sure. As for the ambience, it was so so. They had TVs in with different sports showing. It was a happening spot by the lake so there was music blaring from outside and loud inside, eh. Honestly it was agreed by all party members that the price was not worth the dining experience. Do yourself a favor and spend your money at one of the other local establishments read more

Riva Grill - Spicy Chicken Sandwich - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - South Lake Tahoe, California

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hello first time here complimentary valet lots of shops in the plaza beach view and beaches along the restaurants water activities, boar rentals, kayak, etc. ordered the scallops, clams, and prime rib all were delicious with a view scallops were seared to perfection and was tasty clams were flavorful with bread and extra tomatoes, the butter sauce was to die for the prime rib was a bit cooked more than medium rare, but was thick and delicious customer service was great hosts made it happen on a busy holiday with no reservations for a party of two, awesome! thank you for a wonderful experience! read more

Riva Grill - 4th of July Freedom Woody - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - South Lake Tahoe, California

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We are from SoCal and decided to come out here to Lake Tahoe to enjoy the weekend with the family. The restaurant itself is a VIBE. Live music and beautiful view by the lake ! The entire location is very clean and beautiful. Our server Michael, was amazing. He was on top of our order, always making sure we were good and not waiting too long. If you guys ever come here, ask for Michael, you will have an even better experience. 10/10 experience. Nevertheless , the food was also very tasty! You can never go wrong with steak and end the night with a delicious apple pecan bread pudding. read more

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Make sure to get a Woody here! No seriously, all jokes aside, the Woody here is big and hard. Okay that's enough, I've had my fun. They are known for their boozy, fun specialty drink called the Woody that comes in many flavors. Food and drinks here are top notch in a nicer, business casual to formal setting. Deck seating is available overlooking the marina, with heaters for those with thin skin. Prices were very high to the point of surprising, even for Tahoe, but I suppose you pay for a combination of the view and flavorful, filling entrees and appetizers. read more

What a great stop while in SLT! We chose to sit outside and enjoy the view and perfect weather- Had a FANTASTIC server (unfortunately I have forgotten her name). She highly recommended the Mexican pizza and we took her advice. What an amazing dish! Swift, kind service and great food-what else could we ask for? read more

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Delicious food and the best Wet Woodie on this side of the lake. Love the food we got - we shared the fries app and the margarita pizza. Both were delicious. Love that they do Wet Woodies to go - great to sit on the beach with while the kids were on the jet ski! read more

Riva Grill - Wet woodie - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - South Lake Tahoe, California

HUGE FAN! Those wet woodys are some of the best cocktails I've ever had - picture a frozen rum punch. So good! The espresso martini is also a sleeper hit. Food was decent, we really enjoyed the chicken and waffles (the chicken is coated in rice crispy cereal, such a cool addition). I will be back for those drinks any time I'm in Tahoe. No notes! read more

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Service 5 * Food 2* Ambiance 3-4* Given it was a day prior to incoming storm, the place was relatively empty. Our server Robinson was great/friendly and on it. However, the food was lacking and my fish and chips ( mostly the chips) were cold. Fish looked excellent but only mild warm with a weird tartar sauce so I would pass on that. Husband enjoyed his salad and spicy chicken but all leafy Cobb didn't appeal much to him. The view and seating " could" be excellent on the right day. Prices fair. read more

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This is such a cool spot to hang out for lunch! There are a few different restaurants right in this area along the harbor, but we chose Riva Grill for lunch on the third day of our Tahoe trip and it was a fantastic choice. We sat outside to take advantage of the outdoor dining, and the views were just unbeatable, you get a great look at the lake and the harbor, with the beautiful snow-capped mountains sitting in the background on a sunny day. Even though we were right by the water, they had the outdoor heaters going, which made the whole setup super cozy and comfortable. As for the food, we ordered the steamed clams (which came with great garlic bread) and a pizza. Both were super tasty and hit the spot. To top it all off, the service was absolutely impeccable. If you want great food paired with some of the best views in South Lake Tahoe, definitely check this place out! read more

The immediate ambiance when you walk in is very nice, but relaxed in a good way. The outdoor area is beautiful. The staff were friendly and interactive, and service was very quick. The food was all super delicious with a lot of flavor! read more

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If you are coming to South Lake Tahoe - you can't skip this place! Incredible spot on the water, live music vibes, incredible cocktails and even BETTER food! The Halibut melted in your mouth! And the service was top notch - so friendly! They also have valet parking for dining guests. Highly recommend! read more

Riva Grill - View from our table - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - South Lake Tahoe, California

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Service was excellent. Food was ok, their mocha crunch dessert is amazing. Ambiance was lovely.

On July 22, 2026, my wife and I enjoyed celebrating our 59th Wedding Anniversary with a marvelous lunch at Riva Bar and Grill. Fabulous in every way! View, food, service! Wow! We've been celebrating our anniversary there for several years. An amazing experience every time! We highly recommend going to Riva! It is the best! Bill Knox read more

Riva Grill - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - South Lake Tahoe, California

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I confirm that they have the same impossible burger here probably very similar to Garwood's in North Lake Tahoe (Carnellian Bay). I copied the txt Rudolph menu in May 2026 so, let's get this right: Happy Hours Under The Sky Mon. Fri. 4:30 to 6:30pm Season November-April Available in the bar only. $8 Well Drinks $16 Draft Beers, $12House Wine by the glass, Wet Woodys Thunderbird Margaritas, $20 Rombauer Chardonnay Service at the bar is fast and friendly just like at Garwood's. Naturally if you get a seat out on the patio you've got a view to the water so I think we can agree that the ambience is awesome. I think it's a unique and fun place here in what's sometimes known as the last affordable ski town read more

We recently dined here for a special occasion. The location is prime, beautiful, but busy, near the water. This makes it very noisy during peak hours. We didn't mind the noise a whole lot, for the location. Our server was very attentive and service was 5 star on her part, however, the kitchen was slow in preparation & we and other diners were waiting quite a while. We did appreciate the lobster bisque soup while we waited. The food was just good, but lacking. Instead of bread with butter, we got bread sticks with hummus dip. For appetizer we ordered the lobster deviled eggs (because there's no calamari on the menu), which were delicious, but had very tiny pieces of lobster on top of each egg, not quite enough lobster. For dinner, we each ordered the filet and scampi. The scampi was good, but the filet had a sweet sauce & bitter truffle butter on top, which I didn't care for. In my opinion, a good steak doesn't need a lot of other flavors to embellish or compete, just good salt & fresh pepper. The complimentary dessert was an unexpected plus and very delicious, peach and blueberry cobbler with ice cream on top. We hope our experience is better next time. read more

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I am in the middle on this . Slow on the service. Made a mistake on our check which caused a delay for our plans. Food was presented well and Delicious. Will I be back ? Maybe. read more

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Don't get me wrong, this place is very pricey. But, the service was amazing!!! The food was amazing!!! The views of Lake Tahoe are SUPER AMAZING!!! If you can afford it I would recommend. read more

Not only was the food amazing but the atmosphere and ambience will keep me coming back! All our food was fresh and delicious. I highly recommend requesting patio seating My family ordered the fish tacos which were a 9/10, fried chicken sandwich which was a 10/10 the chicken was freshly fried and they were not stingy at all. There was enough to even eat on the side of the sandwich lol! And ahi poke bowl was 10/10 fresh fish is always a green flag in my book! Cant wait to visit again and eat here read more

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I really wanted to like Riva Grill given its location and reputation, but unfortunately our experience was disappointing from start to finish. The food simply wasn't good, especially for the price. The ribeye was extremely chewy and difficult to eat, the ahi appetizer didn't taste fresh, and the kids' mac and cheese looked and tasted like boxed mac and cheese. The service also lacked attention to detail throughout the meal. Since we were sharing the ribeye, I asked for an extra plate and was handed a plate that was still wet, as if it had come straight from the dishwasher without even being dried. When I ordered the ribeye with the red wine demi, our server, Cami, told me they didn't have a red wine demi. She then brought the menu to the table, and I had to point to the menu where it was clearly listed. We were also brought the wrong number of utensils twice, the steak knives were dull and made cutting the ribeye even more difficult, and our dirty dishes weren't cleared before the check was dropped or even after we paid. We spent about $200 including tip, and the experience didn't come close to justifying the cost. As someone who works in fine dining, I understand that mistakes happen, but this felt like a consistent lack of food quality and attention to detail throughout the meal. Unfortunately, I wouldn't return or recommend it. read more

The wife and I went to Tahoe for our 17th anniversary. We went to Riva Grill for dinner the first night in Tahoe. I made reservations on open table and our wait was short. Once seated our waiter was attentive and had a good sense of humor. I ordered the shrimp and filet, the wife got the prime rib. The filet was ehh to say the least had some weird flavor and the shrimp was not that great either. The wife said the prime rib was good. The old fashioned was ehh due to the fact there was no craft ice cube which waters it down :( the breadsticks they bring are strange to say the least. We got desert to go which was complimentary for our anniversary which was nice.. we did have a wonderful view of South Lake Tahoe. read more

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We came here for a birthday dinner on the water. The views were great and the ambiance was nice. The food was decent but overpriced in my opinion. The signature drink names and merchandise were tacky and offensive. The steamed claws and coconut prawns were great. Great flavor and cooked to perfection. However, the french onion soup was a bit too cheesy and i wished it didn't just become a giant ball of cheese. The waiter gave me the pork salad and not the pork dinner I ordered. I didn't send it back but it also seemed like something he should have clarified when ordering. I said id take the pork tenderloin and he just said great and moved on. Im not sure why I would order 2 salads for dinner... just seemed like a rookie move and I wish they had more seasoned and experienced staff. read more

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Great food, excellent service, and a lovely atmosphere. Everything was fresh and delicious. I'll definitely be back! read more

Riva Grill - Cobb salad with salmon! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - South Lake Tahoe, California

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Yelp was spot on with the overall 3 star rating. Complimentary breadsticks with hummus and sun dried tomato dip didn't really taste like much. The Trader Vic's Mai Tai was filled more with crushed ice than drink, but was well made and a decent price at $15.50. We started off with the lobster deviled eggs ($20) which were very mustard heavy. I wouldn't know there was truffle oil in it if it wasn't listed in the description. The lobster atop was scant and really didn't add anything to the starter. My mom said her crab sandwich ($30) was a 3/5 and my dad concurred his chipotle BBQ burger ($30) was also a 3/5. I ordered the saffron butter halibut ($56) and it was dry and also flavorless even after squirting lemon and scraping up the sauce on the plate. Better flavor wise but still dry after I dipped it in my fiancés leftover tomato cream sauce from his seafood tagliarini ($49) which was the winner of the night. The seafood and pasta were cooked perfectly and the tomato cream sauce was so good. The high prices aren't justified by the food quality. Service was good though. Semi-view of the sunset if you're seated outside on the patio, inside from certain tables. They also had live music on a Saturday night. Complimentary valet parking or you can park in the lot next door for $2/hr. read more

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First of all this place was amazing inside and the views were awesome. We had a view of the back dock and the lake with mountains as seen in the pictures. They had extensive bar with an extensive list of woody drinks. I ordered the beef tenderloin salad which was amazing and some garlic bread. My buddy also ordered the same salad only wished the beef was warm it was served cold as stated in the menu. My other buddy ordered the chimchurri salmon and omg it looked amazing. He had an old fashion and enjoyed it. The service was good the initial hard breadsticks served with sun-dried tomato humus was interesting. They should have rather served it with pita chips or the pita bread that was served with my salad. All in all food service ambiance was great. Highly recommend read more

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Great location to the water lake and food is tasty !! We had a party of 10 and enjoyed the near appetizer coconut shrimp and we were happy with our entrees read more

Took about an hour to get food once we ordered. When we got the food, it was luke warm, scallops tasted like they were sitting for a while. It's our 2nd time here, wanted to give them another try and was disappointed again. read more

Very nice restaurant & atmosphere. Waiter was very nice, and the food was cooked to perfection. Definitely would return.

The views, amazing We were there at the marina during sunset and it was beautiful! The service was good . They gave us a complimentary dessert because of our wedding anniversary However, do not go here if you are expecting great food! The food is just average ,5/10 Even their french fries were not good ! read more

Riva Grill is cute, it's very cute for the area and really gives you a beachy vibe with their tiki inspired drinks. The patio seating is charming, it's romantic l, roomy and comfortable. The menu is ok, I ended up just getting a few appetizers and a few drinks with my partner. I wasn't obsessed with the place but it was nice to check out. Service was phenomenal! I enjoyed our server, he was very patient and educated on the menu. He also gave us a good recommendation on apps and drinks. I'd come back here again. I'd for sure make a reservation during peak season though! read more

Riva Grill - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - South Lake Tahoe, California

This was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. We spent almost two hours at this restaurant, only for three people to leave without eating their meals. My boyfriend and our friend both ordered ribeyes, and both steaks had what appeared to be blood clots or coagulated blood in the meat. It was absolutely disgusting and completely killed everyone's appetite. I ordered the filet mignon cooked medium, but it came out closer to medium-rare and basically raw in the center. I understand that steak can be pink, but this was nowhere near medium. To their credit, they removed the steaks from our bill. However, that doesn't make up for the fact that we wasted two hours of our night and still ended up paying $170 for a couple of drinks and a salmon dish while three people left hungry. What really sealed the deal was the manager's attitude. Instead of apologizing or showing any concern, he was dismissive and rude. His response was essentially, "We took it off the bill, didn't we?" with a sarcastic attitude, as if removing the charge excused the entire experience. Mistakes happen, but how a restaurant handles them says everything. Between the undercooked food, the ribeyes that were completely unappetizing, the wasted time, and the manager's disrespectful response, we will never be back. I wouldn't recommend anyone spend their time or money here. read more

I have been here twice within the last year and both times it was the service that left me with a bad taste, not the food. For both visits my group and I sat outside which is nice because the interior of the restaurant can get very loud when it is packed. The servers both times seemed almost bothered by people being there and they had kind of an attitude over simple requests for extra napkins, sugar for our tea, or moving tables due to the setting sun shining directly on the table. The prices for food are very high. I am pretty sure customers are paying for the view/location. As of June 2025, valet is complimentary which is a plus. Twice is enough for Riva, I will look for other options next time I am in the area. read more

This is a tough one. On one hand, the location is perfect and the service was outstanding. On the other hand, the interior is somewhat dated and we were sat away from the main views despite reservations set up several days before. Drinks were good; food was good. Prices weren't really worth what we paid but that's the cost of South Lake Tahoe. read more