It's hard to believe that my last review of River Tavern was over 10 years ago. The interior hasn't changed. Still kind of classy casual. The service is the same professional level. The menu changes daily but a number of standards either remain or show up from time to time. While it's been over 10years since the last review, I've been back numerous times and if the food quality stays the same, I'll be back many more. The appetizer list is interesting and long and varied enough to act as a tapas menu. We ordered a guacamole for the table to start. Super! Made to order, fresh and chunky. I ordered two appetizers for lunch, the pork buns and the chicken wings. The pork buns are a perfect rendition of David Chang's pork buns at Momofuko, steamed Chinese buns wrapped around crispy pork belly, dressed with a bit of hoisin. Wow. Nice to know that I don't have to drive to NYC or DC for these. The wings were not crispy but moist and delicious especially with the blue cheese creama they were topped with. I think that I destroyed one of the cloth napkins with my deliciously coated but grubby fingers. MK had the Brussels sprouts which were seared and dressed lightly with a balsamic vinaigrette. She's still raving about them hours later. One slight glitch, one of our group ordered a burger, also an excellent choice, but the fries were cold and a bit flaccid. No problem, we mentioned it to our server who returned in a few minutes with a big bowl of fries, fresh out of the frier. He even offered to take back the originals and crisp them up...we declined. We finished things off with the date pudding. Note, this has to be ordered at the beginning of the meal and is a regular offering that is not to be missed. There is a nice but limited offering of wines by the glass,but judging from past experience, a more extensive list of wines by the bottle is available. I had a Cahors and a friend had a Vouvray, not selections one finds everywhere. River Tavern is about a 45 minute drive for me. Considering what's available at the end of the ride it's no difficult trip. I have and will return. read more

This blew my mind so first I got guacamole and muscles then I got with my dad butter pasta and my dad got scallop pasta and then for dessert we got date pudding and omg it was the best thing I had ever tasted definitely come here. read more

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Love this restaurant. I go there every time I am in CT. Don't miss. The drinks are great. The bread pudding dessert is excellent.

The entree was fine. A little pricey for what it was. Drinks were overpriced. But the service was what really irked me. Stupid comments from our waitress on multiple occasions. She seemed irritated that we weren't on her timeline. She would serve 4 of 6 drinks and then not bring the others for over 10 minutes. Same went for the apps. Never again. read more

I continue to frequent River Tavern, in large part bc I love the staff! The food is good but not fabulous, with a few exceptions: Guacamole is the best, burgers are typically delicious, many of the special fish dishes and the pork buns are also very good, as are several of the cocktails. I especially like Tricia's Pink and their Marguerita. Wines are ok, but nothing special. I would like to see more variety on the menu, bc I eat there so often! read more

My husband's College friend invited us to experience the food at River Tavern. And, an experience of wonderful flavors & aromas come to your table with each and every dish. My salad was so delicious! Mixed flavors of fresh local beets, blueberries & Liuzzi cheese with their basil pesto and balsamic glaze could take you to a heavenly place! The entire dinner & compliments were all so well done. We were seated comfortably & well spaced from other guests. The Pattaconk Brook meanders behind the restaurant and we sat looking out at lovely green trees & the brook. We were able to have private conversations. The wood paneling with accent lighting made our eating environment fresh, clean and welcoming. Wines and beverages are notable also. Thank you River Tavern for such an enjoyable evening in Chester, CT. Linda Gillen read more

River Tavern - New American Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

First time and it was incredible. Our waitress was so nice and helpful with the menu. From the drinks to dinner everything was just fantastic. Definitely will be going back. read more

River Tavern - New American Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

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Terrific food and drinks. HUGE burger. Creat chillaqueles (sp?) Good service. Lunch available .

I'm going to start by saying if Yelp allowed for 10 star ratings it still wouldn't be enough stars to give our experience at River Tavern. Following recommendations on Yelp brought us here for our empty nester date night. We were seated right away for a 5:15 reservation. For starters we tried the steamed pork buns and arancini. The pork buns were these amazing puffs of heaven generously stuffed with crispy pork belly, hoisin sauce, topped with carrots, onions and cilantro. The arancini (4) were made with mushroom risotto resting in a gentle light sauce. For dinner we ordered the Pasta with Pork/Beef Ragú and Chilaquiles. The pasta, house made, was cooked al dente and sauce the perfect blend of spices. Chilaquiles, served in a piping hot pot was layers of tender chicken, sauce, cheeses and tortillas. Topped with cheese that was the best oven browned crispness and a nice 1/4 sliced avocado. With the recommendation of our hostess, we tried the date pudding. It was served with a hot caramel sauce and generous dollop of light whipped cream. Quite possibly one of the best desserts we've ever tasted. Generous portions happily sent us out the door with leftovers for a couple meals. Definitely worth the price. Highly recommend making reservations at least week in advance. Oh if you like the buzz of a working kitchen, take trip down the hall by the bar and check it out! read more

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Very rude. Walked in with my wife to have lunch. Tried to sit at the bar. There were 4 empty bar stools. We were told very snottily that we don't serve at the bar! And that there was no available tables. Then why the hell do you have barstools at your bar??? No problem, I'll gladly go next door to the PATTACONK!!! WILL NEVER EVER EVEN CONSIDER GOING BACK!!! Far too many places in that area to go to now. read more

Well I would rate higher but they ran out of their signature guac dish... super bummed about that! I had the curry tofu meal and a glass of the rioja. Delicious!!! Definitely recommend going there again. And of course the town is super cute! read more

River Tavern - New American Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

I took my husband to the river Tavern for his birthday dinner this weekend. I haven't been since Covid started so it's been a long time. We had a reservation for 7:15 PM don't go without a reservation. They are still not doing any seating at the bar. So you can't really hang out and wait for a table. I find their menu lean strong towards Asian dishes these days. Which I don't mind because I like Asian flavors. My husband and I both started with one of those cocktails he had the dark and stormy and I had an Earl Grey gin tea drink that was very good. My husband had the oysters on the half shell and I had the steam pork belly buns for an appetizer. The buns were delicious vibrant flavors with homemade pickles and delicious pork belly. My husband enjoyed his voice to tail. We both opted for a pasta dish for dinner he had the seafood pasta I had the Ragu of pork and beef both are served over their homemade spaghetti which was delicious perfect bite to the pasta. We asked for bread to dip in the sauce they had no bread. Sarah was our server and she was lovely. They have spaced out the tables for Covid so you don't feel like you're on top of each other anymore. It was very clean and a great atmosphere to. We skipped dessert because we were full you can never go wrong with the River Tavern. read more

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Very disappointed. We went a few months ago the food was great! came back and the pasta dish I previously ordered had changed and become spicy with mint leaves mixed into the tomato sauce? Very odd flavor/combination. Also not accommodating to dietary restrictions. Will not add a protein to a salad. The chilaquiles on the menu was good. read more

Delicious lunch at River Tavern today. We were there close to the end of lunch, but were not rushed in any way. The restaurant has two seating areas, both of which have nice views of the inside as well as outside. Starters were the octopus and the crab dip. The octopus was utterly delicious. Perfectly grilled with potatoes, orange, and a mouthwatering saffron aioli. We could have licked the plate clean. The combination of octopus with the orange, potato, and aioli is not something I would have expected but it has perfect balance and taste. The blue crab dip came with plenty of toast points and was creamy and tasty. We shared the chilaquiles, which were perfect. Succulent chicken, tortilla on the bottom of the bowl which was a combination of toothsome and crispy, cheese, sour cream, and avocado. The combination of flavors and textures work beautifully. Finally, for dessert we had the posset and the date pudding (similar to a sticky toffee pudding). The date pudding was rich cake with a deep caramel taste which was complemented by the fresh whipped cream. The possett was out of this world. It was creamy with a hint of citrus, with rich cream and sugary, crunchy pistachio brittle and little bits of candied orange for just a contrasting hint of tart chewiness. It was fantastic and I can't wait to have it again. All in all a wonderful lunch. Look forward to trying their dinner menu as well as other options on their lunch menu. read more

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Place is amazing in every way. Just go and enjoy excellent food and great drinks on a quaint Street.

I had fantastic meal here. A seasonal beet salad with blueberries, tomatoes and burrata cheese. My main was a halibut with fresh herds and seasonal vegetables that was absolutely perfectly cooked and full of flavor and almond tart with the best whipped cream ever. I was very pleasantly surprised as I had heard good things before I went and all expectations were surpassed. I'll go again in a second. read more

5 stars for sure! This place is great. My aunt recommended it for lunch, and it exceeded my expectations and then some. It is in such a cute, quaint area. I parked right out front on the side of the street for free, very easy. The inside is very cozy and cute. It looked new to me, but I found out it's been around for a while. The service is attentive and friendly, without being overwhelming. The menu is great and has something for everyone on it. We shared the calamari appetizer and it was delicious! Some of my favorite calamari. It was lightly battered and the aioli it was in was so good. I had the chickpea falafel, which was creative and tasty. What a great spot! I am so happy to have learned about it and look forward to going back again. read more

Unique ambiance in a cozy and chic eatery with stellar desserts and interesting entrees! Love dining here both inside and outside.

I've been hearing so much about Chester, CT and had the opportunity to meet a friend for dinner at River Tavern. I was surprised at how small the restaurant is and wondered if it would feel too crowded once others arrived. The service was amazing and after we reviewed the menu, we asked our waitress for her recommendation. She suggested the scallops in red curry sauce. Since I generally don't eat rice, they substituted rice for wilted spinach. The scallops were so delicious and the julienne veggies were firm (yet tender) and flavorful. I believe it was one of the best meals I've ever had. Once the restaurant filled up, the environment was warm and cozy. I will definitely return!!! read more

I've been here many times in the past several years. Unfortunately, my in-laws were treated so poorly we avoided it for years. Our maiden voyage was not disappointing, though, with both attentive service and very good cuisine. Since we have come here often. We recently visited this Friday (May 26, 2023) before seeing a play in Ivorytown. We made a reservation for three for five when they open. We were there a few minutes early, but like the others around us, we were completely ignored. This is not McDonalds where you wait for them to unlock the door, so they should at least acknowledge those lining up. Instead we were made to feel like we were in the way. A few minutes after five, no one invited us in and a few people bullied their way in and sat down - not our style. My wife sought out a manager (I think she was a manger but am horrified to think so) who was impatient, admonished her for not telling us we were four and not three as originally planned. Okay, let's examine this. They seat people in multiples of four (I.e. three take up a table for four, five take up table space for six, and so on) so what's the big deal? I'll take responsibility for the snafu, but not the poor treatment! Finally we were seated and we asked if we could be seated in the back room, which was empty at the time. They told us that we needed to tell them when we made the reservation, but another review reveals this to be nonsense because that party was told they don't reserve specific tables. We are out of town guests, and though we come here often, are not recognized as one of the regulars, who are clearly favored here. My mother in law, who we visit several times a year, loves this restaurant so we often come here and have for years to please her, and she comes very often herself and brings other visitors frequently. Anyway, I've wasted enough time on this restaurant. I emailed them privately going into much more detail in an effort to help them out. I also responded to a Resy request for feedback. I have not received any acknowledgment from RIVER tavern, which tells me that they don't value constructive feedback. In Washington DC this place would get 3-3.5 on social media, yet they seem to think they are something special. As to the food, it used to be excellent and now is average to good. Our steaks, ordered medium rare, came out medium well to medium in the center, and I would have sent it back for not the worry that it would make us late to the theater. Our drinks were inconsistent (awful margarita), and my mother in law's pasta, while tasty, required a search and rescue for the seafood that was supposed to be there. So unless you're a regular, you will be treated much more favorably at Village Bistro, Grano Arso or Rustica when visiting Chester. Food was a three, ambiance a two but not their fault (three loud and drunk men-children next to us talking about their sexual exploits or fantasies thereof), and while our server Noa gets a five, everyone else gets a one to two. Incompetent management needs improvement. But likely little will change because the competition is limited. Nevertheless, check out the excellent competition. read more

Went there with six others for a birthday dinner and it was great. The swordfish was fantastic, highly recommend! The cod was very good, and the spaghetti with ragu was to die for. The only disappointment was the crispy tofu, which was not by any stretch of the imagination crispy. Since this was the only vegetarian entree I will probably not go back with a vegetarian in the group, so I may need to dump a family member from the A list for my next birthday. The service was perfect, very attentive and helpful without being intrusive. Also, the noise level really hit the sweet spot. It felt lively, but you didn't need to shout to be heard. Finally, whatever you do, ORDER THE DATE PUDDING! read more

If it's Wednesday, it must be River Tavern for half price margaritas ($6.50) and three tacos for $15. And oh what a margarita! You'll have your choice of Classic, Jalapeno or Spicy Coconut. The night I stopped by, the bartender was also mixing a slightly sweet and puckery tart Prickly Pear Margarita. For tacos, we tried chicken and wood fire grilled shrimp. That, too, tasted like a little symphony in a soft corn tortilla with pineapple and tomatillo sauce adding interest. Needing a bit more to go with our drinks, we chose the Fish Fingers, decidedly not the fish sticks you remember from Friday lunch in elementary school. Think monkfish marinated in coconut milk, delicately fried and served with Thai chili lime dressing. Check the website for other specials during the week, like half-price wines by the bottle on Monday nights. www.rivertavernrestaurant.com by Alix Boyle read more

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After hearing so many rave reviews about this place, my husband and I decided to have our anniversary dinner here. I made 8:30 reservations, thinking that it was a little silly making them for such a late hour. But it's a good thing that I did because the place was jam packed when we arrived! Our table wasn't ready yet, so we had to wait at the bar for about 10-15 minutes. My husband finally got to order a drink after watching the staff talk amongst themselves, but it was worth the wait because the drink was awesome. We also got to use that time to peruse the menu and get some food recommendations from the bartender. Once were seated at a table, we were promptly served a carafe of water and bread. A while later, a different server came by to take our orders. My husband ordered a few small plates: the bacon wrapped figs with blue cheese, the shishito peppers and one featuring Melinda Mae cheese, carrots and delicata squash. I ordered the sea bass entree and flourless chocolate soufflé for dessert. The food was delicious and the various flavors on the plates paired very well. That is, except for the shishito peppers. For me, the combination of the peppers, squid ink aioli and anchovies just didn't work. But the fresh veggies with the sea bass and the squash, carrot and cheese combo were excellent! The flourless chocolate soufflé was warm and delightful. It had to be the best that I've ever had and worth every single calorie. Finally, I'm sad to say that the service that we received was not the best. We had multiple servers and none of them seemed particularly focused or attentive. As an example, we had to ask 2 different people for a refill of our water carafe before we actually got one. All in all, the food was good and it's a small but nice space. It wasn't a bad experience and I would cut someone for that flourless chocolate soufflé if I had to, but I am not in a rush to return for dinner. read more

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My meal was inedible! It literally tasted and smelled like manure. As soon as it was placed on the table my daughter (sitting across from me) commented on the smell. I somehow managed to take a bite and had to spit the second one out. The waitress was accommodating and took the meal away. My second choice meal was brought to me and I wasn't charged for dinner. Initially I though this was handled well until I later learned that I wasn't the first one to report this meal to be inedible. I can't imagine that the kitchen or server didn't smell the odor emanating from this meal. This meal should never have ended up in front of me. I should have received an apology from the chef and/or a manger. Maybe they were fearful of accepting ownership for having knowingly served me a meal that had the potential to make me ill. read more

The River Tavern is located on Main Street in Chester, which is a lovely area. The restaurant has a nice ambiance. The food is average. My wife and I split a salad, and we asked that the chef split it for us on two separate plates. The staff wouldn't accommodate our request. I ordered a spaghetti dish. It was fine but the portion size was small, and I was still hungry after my meal. read more

Seems like a business that might have already lived it's life, this is the third time I've been there... a friend of mine offered to take me out for my birthday, entrées were $34 seafood stew came out with a couple of farm raised shrimp and some Seabass and a couple mussels, broth was fair at best. For an appetizer we ordered the Crab dip which came with some bread also made from the owners local pizza restaurant sadly when we ran out of bread they brought us tortilla chips because apparently that's what they do? In any event I think the restaurants too full of itself would not recommend it. Too many great restaurants in the area, would definitely bypass this place. read more

Seriously overrated. Rapp has lost his way. Wright's failed, Otto was empty when I walked past. Last night was the last straw after perhaps 7 or 8 visits to River Tavern. Had reservations, got the worst table in the restaurant. Our waiter had too many tables to serve. 10 minutes before he took our drink order, another 15 before they arrived, 20+ for the appetizer. Ordered another round that never arrived and canceled our entrees after an hour and ten minutes because we had an event to attend. We were told they were 'pacing' the courses. I allowed an hour and a half for dinner and honestly we would not have gotten out of there in under two and a half at the rate we were going. The quality of the food? Who freaking cares?? A place for pretentious people who want to be seen dining al fresco on the sidewalk. Take your business to a place that has its priorities straight. read more

For dinner, the food and the service were both excellent. The only negatives were the high prices. But I guess that should be expected with its location in the beautiful town of Chester. Speaking of the town of Chester, that guy from Brooklyn calls Chester "shi-shi". I suppose that's a good description because it doesn't have any graffiti or violent crime like Brooklyn. But it's really no different than many other Connecticut towns. Hence the reason us nutmeggers live here and not Brooklyn. And thankfully we can afford a little bit more than just dessert. Having a name like the River Tavern I was expecting some old rickedy shack or barn. But the interior is actually very contemporary/modern looking. They have large prints by local artists on display and for sale along the walls. It's not a huge restaurant. It's small. There's a bar in the front section. I got the feeling this is the type of restaurant where Hartford big wigs go to eat when they come down to the valley to play. It's just a hunch I have because the other patrons didn't look like locals. It looks like a place to see and be seen. The crowd appeared to be an older "money" crowd. No kids anywhere. The dress was "to impress". In fact the fellow sitting next to me was wearing a blazer jacket. Before my visit I was kind of expecting a bad experience because I had read some reviews regarding the restaurant's poor service. However I found the food and service to be top notch. As mentioned earlier, my only complaint was the high prices. And really that wasn't much of an issue because my guests picked up the tab with their gift certificate. Yay for gift certificates. read more

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I totally don't get all the glowing reviews. I have given this place a number of chances (mostly because of friends wanting a convenient place to go) and was let down everytime. My biggest peeve is that you have to LOVE ground black pepper because every friggin' dish has a couple tablespoons of black pepper in it. I am fine with some but spices should enhance the meal, not overpower it. I want to taste my food. Even the artichoke dip was inedible because of the overwhelming amount of black pepper. Other friends have commented on the exorbitant amount of herbs and spices as well. (The first time I went here my companion spit out her food because it was so bad). Secondly, I have yet to have friendly customer service. The host is frequent snobby and rude. One one occasion we made a reservation for 6 people and after an hour (we were still eating) we were informed that we would have to leave soon as there were other people with reservations who would be arriving shortly. REALLY? I am not talking about being here for several hours; we were literally kicked out before we could order dessert. I will NEVER eat here EVER again after that. I tell anyone who asks about local restaurants to avoid this place like the plague. read more

This place was so cute. Sitting in the backroom, it was really peaceful to face the bamboo with the floor to ceiling windows. The restaurant reminded me of MOMA. It did not disappoint - the food was really really good. Mussels to start, prepared to perfection. The tagliatelle was great, the meat was so soft and pulled apart so easily. My bf got the steak and the Caesar salad. I tried both, they were also great. I really liked the ambiance of this restaurant and the fact that all the food was farm fresh. They actually had a farmers market on Sunday and it looked awesome. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area. read more

Excellent food and service. They accommodated my wife's aversion to spice even after receiving her food and I ate possibly the best NY strip of my life. Reasonable prices in a quaint, artsy setting. Server was great. Highly recommend! read more

River Tavern - New American Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

Don't waste your time here. My mother and I went here before a long ride home, hoping to get some good food. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by a snobby hostess. No where outside the restaurant OR online does it say that reservations are recommended and as soon as we walked, the hostess almost scolded us for not having a reservation and informed us that we have less time to eat now because they're "so busy" even though nobody was in the restaurant besides a small group of three! No way they has reservations booked because we came about two hours before closing time. Not to mention we had to wait at LEAST 20 minutes before a girl came and asked us what we wanted to drink besides water. We also waited OVER 40 MINUTES FOR OUR FOOD! What happened to the amount of time you have to eat?! The appetizers were WAY overpriced for the portions and the food wasn't even good! read more

Excellent menu, cooking, ambiance, service - their flourless chocolate torte is out of this world and I'm not a desert person. By in large Connecticut has fantastic hospitality. The service as River Tavern exemplifies just that - efficient, kind and gracious service - outstanding farm to table cooking in one of the most charming towns in all of Connecticut. read more

Sheri and I stopped in to have a little "nosh" while taking the back roads through this area of the state. We did not have a reservation, so no table for us, which worked since we were planning on eating at the bar anyway. The bar is small (no hooks underneath for my purse, boo) but the bartender was courteous and attentive. The restaurant has a very modern design look to it and the bright red metal stools at the bar matched this look. We ordered drinks--wine for me, mojito for Sheri. For food, I had the caesar salad, which was a few whole romaine leaves, artfully arranged with grana padano and a ton of black pepper sprinkled atop of it with a few croutons--the salad was nice and light, just what I was going for, but maybe a touch too much pepper. Sheri had the mussels sauteed with shallots, chili, thyme, white wine and lemon--this mix created a lovely broth in the bottom of the bowl complementing the mussels nicely--and she got one helluva portion! We were also brought some rustic style bread that may have been slightly overbaked, but was good nonetheless. I appreciate the farm-to-table effort that this restaurant puts forward, especially in the use of seasonally available ingredients. Overall, we had a nice light bite at the bar. Would definitely suggest a reservation if you are looking to check this place out for dinner! read more

Quality has been steadily heading south over the last year or two. Keep giving it a shot but just keeps disappointing us and (almost) everyone we talk to. Please come back to where you were! On the positive side, the staff isn't as demeaning anymore. read more

My husband and I have dined at the River Tavern several times over the summer. We've enjoyed the food. The presentation is attractive and many of the ingredients are locally sourced. Even for weeknight dinners, I would call for a reservation. Entrees do not come out quickly. You can expect to be there for a while. Table turn around is not fast. What keeps me from awarding a fifth star is the seating. Two visits (with reservations) had us crammed into small tables in the back one of which with an air conditioning vent directly underneath. Food was great but we were just uncomfortable which detracted from the whole experience. read more

The food is incredible, the drinks are great and the service is just phenomenal. Beautiful atmosphere. Love the fig pudding . And ramen . Wish they had better parking options but that's no fault of there own that's just Chester center for you . read more

I totally enjoyed my experience here. I visit Chester often, but this was my first trip to River Tavern. I went on a Monday, if you plan to go on a weekend, you will need a reservation as the restaurant is small. During the summer there are three dining options. You can sit outside, in the bar area or in the back which is a small dining room with maybe 6 tables. We sat in the back and I am glad we did. You can see into the kitchen, which I really like. The service was great. I can see where people could be frustrated due to the time it takes to get your order, but I was prepared based on other reviews and I like to relax and not feel rushed. The food was amazing. The flavors were perfect. I will be back again. read more

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We had such a great Sunday lunch to celebrate depositing our son at a nearby camp! Cocktails were refreshing and generous, and the seafood was so fresh and delicious that I feel the need to write about it more than a day later. The mussels were plump and perfectly sweet and briny. I wish I'd asked where they were from. My husband enjoyed the local oysters and had a fantastic-looking seafood stew with chunks of crustaceous delicacies and some artichokes too (to be honest, both of our dishes looked like they were simmered in the same broth, but that broth was outstanding!). We fought over the crispy Belgian-style fries to soak up the sauce (these dishes should have come with bread -- hint--- hint --- a nice crusty baguette would have been perfect for sopping). If you're on the road, looking for a quick bite, this is not your place. It is way more lovely and elegant than any tavern I know. But it is not to be missed. Shout out, too, to all of the lovely women who waited on us, really great service! I enjoyed our time at River Tavern immensely! read more

Wonderful experience for our first time at this restaurant. We decided to go there because they use fresh produce from local farms. We both got their only vegetarian offering, tofu with vegetables, and found it extraordinary. Cooked to perfection and very flavorful. The only thing that would have enhanced the dish is if it was served over a grain, such as brown rice or quinoa. The grilled sardines appetizer was also very creative and good. The service was great and wait staff very attentive. The River Tavern is about an hour's drive from home but worth traveling to. read more