This is one of my favorite places to go out on the weekends, and they have a fantastic beer and drink selection. I have never tried the food, so I can't speak for that, but the others I went with have tried it and they liked it. The service is very quick, especially considering how crowded it can be, and they have tap to pay, which is nice. I really like the nautical maps around the restaurant, which are super fun to look at. The game section is also very fun and it's a great place to come and chill with friends. The only reason I am not giving it five stars is that I have had some friends who had a negative experience being denied at the door, despite being of age. read more

My first drink was $8.35 before tip and my second (the same order) was $14.45 before tip.

1 star. I'm 22 and was denied at the door, which is one thing, but the way the bouncer handled it was completely out of line. She bent my ID in half and left a visible crease, damaging it, and then kicked my entire group out as well. The whole interaction felt hostile, excessive, and deeply unprofessional. There's a big difference between doing your job and treating people aggressively. I won't be coming back. read more

I typically like rivermill a lot but last night, my friend was going through relationship problems while sitting at the bar. she was very obviously crying in our friends arms when a bartender came out of nowhere and yelled at her "head up or get out" i guess implying that she was too drunk? idk it was hard to watch because she had MAYBE two beers and was visibly in distress. not sure who that bartender was but she definitely made my friends night that much harder read more

Cheap drinks Decent service It's a college bar don't have great expectations and I find it a hit average and not overly customer friendly read more

i am slowly turning this into the gay bar of blacksburg. Good special on rum and cokes.

I liked rivermill. I've been going to Virginia tech for 6 years and I've been here many many times. The food is good. Especially the broccoli tots. However, recently, the bouncer has been bending my ID completely. All the way in half. Saying "it won't break if it's real". It is real. I'm a 23 year old graduate student who continues to have her ID bent in half numerous times at rivermill. Last night, the bouncer bent it again (for probably the 20th time) and it finally cracked. Virginia IDs are not easy to fake. Mine is real. When you bend a piece of plastic continuously over a long period of time, it will break. EVEN IF ITS A REAL VIRGINIA ID. I now have an ID that is cracked in half. It wasn't supposed to expire until 2023. It's 2019. It is only broken because of being bent so many times at Rivermill. I have been a bartender and I know it's important to check the validity of IDs, but this isn't the way to do it. I I'll now have to order a new ID hoping it will arrive before Thursday when I have a flight (which I need my ID to check in for). Thanks a bunch, rivermill. I called and tried to leave a complaint, but was told to send my complaint via email (which I'm sure would never be read). So I figured I'd post it here. read more

Seems like a typical college bar, but it is in a college town so can't ask for more. Have to go to the bar to order, but they do bring the food to you if you let them know where you're seated. The tots were fresh and so yummy. This is a half order!! Much more than I expected, especially when I saw my friends half order of fries. read more

River Mill Bar & Grill - Rivermill tots - Bars Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

The bouncers do not know how to do their job. i am 21 years of age and got denied showing them my license. i showed them multiple cards with my name on it including my hokie p that has a photo of me on it and they would not accept any of it. read more

Rivermill is a blacksburg classic. Be warned that on any weekend night this place will be swamped and be difficult to get around - but that is absolutely part of the fun. Their tots and car bombs are classics! read more

An extremely rude staff. At 1:50 am they started practically shouting at us as if we were kids (everyone was in their thirties) that we had to finish our beer within a minute or they will take the cups from our hands. They didn't proceed that with any gentle reminders. Just immediate aggressiveness. They were doing that to everyone in the bar unprovoked. They didn't even let my friends go to the bathroom. They didn't even let people wait on the bar for 5 minutes till the Uber arrives even though it was freezing outside. They have no basic concept of customer service. read more

Overall: 3.5 stars Average to above average food for a great price with fair portions. Great spot to meet up and grab a beer, and definitely seems like a place to visit during the nights/weekends. I would recommend this place, more so for happy hour specials/deals on food and drinks. Food Quality: 3 stars I ordered the River Mill Tots and El Paso Burger, and was impressed with the River Mill Tots. Although it was a bit overdone, it tasted great, with the jalapenos and melted cheese on top, and ranch dipping sauce on the side. The El Paso Burger, was average at best, as the burger was overcooked, dry, and didn't have much flavor. I wouldn't order the El Paso Burger again, but definitely would reorder the River Mill Tots, especially when it was half-off! Service/Experience: 4 stars No problems/complaints with the service/experience at The Rivermill. I came here for an early dinner around 5:30 PM, just in time for the daily deal, half-off appetizers between 3-6 PM. It was self-seating and orders were placed at the bar. Plenty of seating inside to dine, relax, and/or drink, and billiards/pool in the back of the restaurant. Good spot to grab a beer, watch sports, etc. Parallel parking is available alongside the restaurant, as additional parking can be found at the Squires Student Parking lot, one block down, as it's free after 5 PM. read more

River Mill Bar & Grill - River Mill Tots - Bars Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

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I enjoy this bar. For the Blacksburg area, it has a different atmosphere with a variety of beers on tap. Double rum and coke is always 4 bucks. It's a good bar where you can play pool, darts and grab a table and actually hear your friends. The rivermill tots are great: cheese, bacon, jalepenos, side of ranch. How can you go wrong?! Only downside is it's 9 bucks which i believe is overpriced for an app of tots. read more

River Mill Bar & Grill - The tots! - Bars Near Me - Blacksburg, Virginia

I came to Rivermill many times throughout my college years and it's one of my favorites. Great cheap beer on tap and they're fast even when they're busy. If you're looking to get drunk, the car bombs are a great way to do it. They fill them up quite high. The food is decent for bar food (especially the tots!) and comes out fast enough. I always find time to stop by here when I'm in town. read more

Rivermill is the best "chill" bar in Blacksburg. It never really gets unbearably crowded (like Sharkies and TOTS) unless there happens to be a bar crawl going on. By far the best beer on-tap selection that you will find in Blacksburg and a great bottle/can selection as well. I've also eaten here a few times too and the tater tots/burgers are pretty good, but nothing special - just good, classic bar food. They have three pool tables in the back and then two dart boards off to the side of the bar. A great place to hang out and unwind with friends. read more

Good casual, low-key place to grab a drink. Love the car bombs! It's always one of the bars we go to when going downtown. The food is also good for bar food. read more

This place is a bar with great food for a bar. The laid back atmosphere and inviting setting makes Rivermill worthy of a latenight visit for dinner or drinks. In an area overrun with load, greasy the late night bars this is the altervative. It's a great place for a good of friends to come to avoid rowdy crowds and has enough TVs to enjoy games while drinking and eating. I ordered the bbq tacos and chips ans salsa and was shocked at how good they were. I expected the same quality as at the Hokie House. This place was far superior (and makes homemade chips). The jalapeño burger my friend had wasnt dry and came with quality meat. read more

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Every single time I've gone here and tried to give this place a second chance they have mischarged me. I got charged almost $30 for a single drink the one time which to give the place credit did get corrected but as a broke college student having a place charge my bank a significant amount more than the cost of the drink to be refunded latter is unacceptable. read more

Really tasty food (get the black bean burger) but the 5 star rating is specifically for our server Andrew. He was so sweet and made us feel welcome in Blacksburg- a town we've never been to. Thanks to Andrew for making our trip one we won't forget! read more

Has really gone downhill since I was in school at VT. Even on a Thursday night, basically dead.

The service was extremely slow. Bouncers and waiters were unfriendly. We are trying to create business and abide closely by Covid guidelines. Will not be returning. read more

I have literally never been treated so poorly in a bar. The bartenders are all lazy and don't want to serve you, and the table clearer will try to take your beer away when it's half done - and when you ask him for it back he will flip you off and call you a "bitch" There are way better places in Blacksburg - you don't need this bullshit. They also don't know their beer at all. read more

NEVER GO HERE. I waIted in line for half an hour to get a table (which was fine & expected). Once I got a table, they told me to walk up to the bar when I was ready. I waited patiently in line while they served 4 people that were behind me. Some people even admitted that they cut the line & did not get carded. Others were not wearing masks. Even so, all of these people were served before me even though I was standing in the front of the line at the bar & trying to wave down a bar tender. The three bar tenders: tall man with long hair, man with glasses & long hair, woman with colorful hair. They all saw me waiting & chose to serve the people in line behind me. Eventually I chose to leave without being served. read more

Pros: good beer selection, good lunch food, free pool tables. Cons: 1. They're missing over half their darts 2. The nacho appetizer was the most pathetic plate I've ever seen, I thought it was a joke. Took someone 10 seconds and a microwave, no real toppings either 3. It was so packed we could hardly move 4. Staff was extremely rude. One bartender was fine but two others I dealt with were complete a-holes. One bartender yelled at my girlfriend when she reported broken glass on the floor, blaming her, when in reality she was innocent and wanted to make sure patrons were safe. Overall I can't believe how shitty the staff were to the patrons, I thought it was a classy place but it seems more like a snobbier and slightly cleaner version of tots. read more

TOTS = the man. We should all try to fight the man and their $2 cover. Come to Rivermill instead and play some pool! They have the most delicious Irish Car Bombs. I think their secret is a hint of Kahlua that they put in the shot. Along with the 30+ beers they have on tap, you can never go wrong here. ALSO, is it just me or does the bar tender look like Zach Galifianakis? This place rocks! read more

During my senior year at Tech, this is what my credit card statement looked like most months: The Rivermill: $12 The Rivermill: $12 Sharkey's: $6 Cellar: $15 The Rivermill: $12 The Rivermill: $12 Yup...I was there most every night of the week and would just take advantage of their $3 jack & cokes. Sure, I would be on my ass three drinks in but I had a freaking great time along the way. Rivermill is my favorite bar in Blacksburg--- great crowd, good music, and just an overall great place to hang out with your friends and shoot the shit. I know how crowds can vary in Blacksburg bars semester by semester; I really hope that Rivermill can stay true to it's roots and not start serving the douche-bag crowd (if you go to VT, you know exactly what I'm talking about). Rock on, Rivermill. read more

Rivermill Tots: Tots Cheese Bacon Chives Onions Served with a side of ranch Can you possibly create a more delicious combination? I dare you to try. In the mean time, Rivermill Tots rule. read more

The mill has been my main bar in Blacksburg since 2003. It is my Cheers. Beer selection is good and the food is good for U.S. style bar food. The bartenders are great at mixing drinks. My favorites from the menu: loaded tots, ham and cheese on sourdough, and the Rivermelt. I prefer going on non-standard nights unless I'm DJing there with the rest of the Boogieburg crew. I definitely stay away during home football games. read more

How do I love thee, Rivermill? Let me count the ways: 1) FAR AND AWAY the best draft beer selection in Blacksburg. And great deals on these beers can be found on Pint Nights (7-9pm Monday through Wednesday), when ALL pints are $3 and under. 2) Best bar food in Blacksburg. This includes, for mysterious reasons, some of the best tacos in the entire area. The spicy vegetarian and BBQ chicken tacos are especially outstanding. 3) Best and most diverse environment in Blacksburg. It's still a college bar, but lower-key than most downtown Blacksburg establishments. 4) .......did I mention the beer selection? Because it's pretty great. Like most places, it can get pretty crowded with slow service on Friday and Saturday nights. But for the great food and widest tap selection in Blacksburg, I can wait. read more

I'm very happy to see that Rivermill is receiving a lot of good reviews here. This is for good reason. I've been going to Rivermill for a few years occasionally but recently started to heavily frequent this bar. Rivermill has one of the best beer selections in town with over 20 beers on tap with some great happy hour deals. Bartenders themselves are incredibly friendly. The crowd varies quite a bit depending on the night. For the first time tonight I had their food. I can't speak much to it since it was my first time and all I got was a grilled cheese with chips but I will say the food quality was really good and that the menu has a lot of potential and the pricing is perfect. I will definitely be exploring more of the menu in future visits. Overall, great beer, good food, good atmosphere. Must go. read more

This is the only bar I've been to twice where they've been openly and aggressively rude to both me and my girlfriend. I assure you there will not be a third time. Both bar tenders have acted as if serving us was the most ridiculous request they've received all night. I'm not sure what their problem is, but both times I've tipped over 20% (regrettably, they sure didn't earn it), but maybe they just assume us dumb college kids are going to stiff them on a tip (I should've). Drink prices are ok. Food is fairly good which makes it a shame that the service is so bad. This is the only bar in Blacksburg that I insist we never go to. Complete waste of my money. read more

Dear Rivermill, I want your babies because... - Your atmosphere is the best - The people that go are the best - Your alternatively hot bartender is the best - The beers you have on tap are the best - Your bouncer high fives me when I walk in - Your bouncer high fives me when I leave - I always have a good time here - I don't feel like I will randomly be pelvic thrusted by a sketchball here ...and for that I am completely in love with you. read more

Well, I've been here a lot. T'was my local for many years. Lots of lunches, afternoon brew & bull sessions, meetings, you name it. When I first came here in 2000 they had Pilsner Urquell on tap. Awesome! Now they have a lot of taps but they are not rotated so often. The food is USFoodservice bar food so it's OK, not much better although I've had the vegie tacos more than 30 times and still like them. Like any bar in a college town, it gets annoying when packed at night. Rerate: I don't know why but I'm liking this place more than ever. Hoppy lager by Sierra on tap is sweet. read more

Best 'people watching' bar in town, hands down. Usually a really good mix of college kids and locals. Beer selection is great. Food is good, but it seems to be important that you know what to order. BBQ sandwich and tots is always good though I've been with others who have had less consistent meals. New felt on the pool tables has made the back room a 'hidden gem' in town. No better place to order a pitcher and shoot pool without being consistently run over by drunken frat guys. read more

I finally checked out this place after couple friends recommended it to me. Wow. You must try their burgers. They're all relatively cheap and they taste UHmazing. The patty is juicy and hot, and the way they construct the burger is delicious and well executed. I haven't had a chance to try their other items but I'm looking forward to it. The atmosphere is pretty chill-- you walk up to the bar and order. The staff are all pretty nice (there's usually like. one person serving food.) The only thing that might be annoying is the smoking, but personally, I don't really mind. It adds to the laid back ambiance of the place. read more

Great bar! I was visiting Blacksburg for a wedding and stopped in with a group for some drinks. The bartenders were fabulous and friendly. The bouncer was also very friendly which was a pleasant surprise because bouncers are usually not super nice (lol). The crowd was young and energetic and the playlist was youthful and fun. We had a great time and I will definitely stop by again if I'm ever in town! My one suggestion would be to utilize other doors for exits because it got a bit crowded trying to leave as people were coming in. Otherwise, great bar! read more

Good place to play pool on weeknights or during the afternoon / early evening hours on weekends. Usually not too crowded then. They also have darts which is fun. They have awesome bean dip and bean tacos! I order it every time I go. The bar can be a little slow to get a drink once it starts getting crowded. Only over 21 crowd allowed in the evenings. And this is more of an "alternative" crowd so you usually don't have to worry about "frat packs" here. I enjoy this place. read more

I like the Rivermill. It has many qualities that I like to associate with a comfortable dive bar with good bar food. There are also a few things that I don't like. Lets begin there. There are no waiters. The first time Mary and I ate at the Rivermill we had no Idea that you had to order at the bar, so we just sat until we saw others going up to the bar and receiving service They are routinely slow. After ordering, you might want to order a couple of beers because as soon as you finish the second beer, 20 to 30 minutes later, your food will arrive. There is a DJ on Thursday nights. I associate this bar with a place to grab a good beer and chit chat with friends during happy, listening to 90's throwback and classic rock music. But, around time the conversation is just getting good and many friends have gathered at several tables, they decide that a DJ is necessary. Why? I ask. The Rivermill does not scream night club to me. As I promised, the good stuff. They have some amazing food. No really, the Veggie Guacamole Burger is really good and the tots are perfectly crispy. Of course, they don't serve gourmet food but, I don't expect them to. My regular meal is the BBQ tacos and if someone will let me, I will sneak a few cheese fries. They have a great craft beer selection on tap. I regularly get a Fat Tire or Left hand Milk Stout on draft and several times a year they do a tap take over; I especially liked the Bell's Tap Takeover. Because this place is so casual, they don't mind if you rearrange the furniture and move in. Its not uncommon for us to put 4 or 5 tables together to accommodate our group. Rivermill = A OK in my book and I will continue to patron this establishment so long as I am in Blacksburg. read more

I've only been here for lunch, but the bison burger is amazing! When I really want a delicious burger this is where I go. The only problem I have is deciding between fries or tots. The best option is to go with a friend and split an order of each. read more

3.5 really. The Rivermill is one of my favorite bars in Blacksburg. Attracts a slightly more "alternative" crowd than many other bars around and has one of the best beer selections. As a (mostly) vegetarian, I was surprised by the number of meatless food options. The veggie burgers and tacos are awesome. One can never go wrong with a bucket of their crispy tots. I have to dock some points for the state of the men's room, which is definitely the worst in Blacksburg. I'd estimate the last time it was cleaned was during Reagan's second term. read more