This was our first visit to Chimney Rock since Hurricane Helene, and it couldn't have been a better experience. We sat outside by the river, and our server, Ian, was outstanding. He was incredibly attentive, answered all of our questions, and shared his personal experiences of the community before and after the hurricane, which made our visit even more meaningful. The burgers were absolutely delicious--some of the best we've had! When it started raining, Ian and the management team went above and beyond, checking on us several times to make sure we were comfortable and didn't mind staying outside. Their genuine concern and exceptional hospitality did not go unnoticed. We had a wonderful meal and an even better experience. We'll definitely be back, and we highly recommend stopping by if you're visiting Chimney Rock! read more

If burgers are your jam, be sure to stop in. The menu had every kind of burger I could possible think of. We got in right before the lunch crowd. Because by the time we were leaving, it got busy! But totally worth the wait. We got the regular cheeseburger and a salad. Fresh ingredients and freshly made. We will be back! read more

After hiking at Chimney Rock Park, we came here for lunch. I had read the night before about the damage they sustained during Hurricane Helene. It's really amazing that they were able to reopen after 10 months. We were seated as soon as we walked in and were promptly brought drinks, which was so appreciated because it was HOT that day walking to the restaurant from the $5 parking lot a few blocks over. My husband and I both got the guacamole burger with fries and our daughter got the kids Mac and cheese with fruit. I loved my burger. They did not go light on the guac, which was very much appreciated. It was soooooo good. The fries were hot and crispy. Definitely recommend after a morning of hiking. They had a nice bar and an outdoor seating area by the river too. I would love to come back in the fall and eat out there. Employees were all very friendly and bathroom was clean. read more

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The place is cool. They have seating inside, on the lower deck (awesome view) and an upstairs deck. The menu has a lot to offer and roughly 30 plus burger options to choose from. We like it so much we've been twice in one week! We've had the Big Bang Boom burger, Cheeseburger Melt, Pimento Cheese sandwich, BLT, Ranch Burger, and Mac&Cheese burger. Onion rings, Fried pickle, fries, salad, & Loaded potato salad. Everything was excellent and above expectations. Services was stellar. 1st visit was Ian and 2nd was Jeff. They each gave their favorites and other recommendations. Both rocked it. I recommend asking for either of these guys if you're looking for excellent service. One of the owners checked on us several times and cleared the table as needed on our first visit. The view was amazing on the back deck. It's something to see pictures from 2024 and how it looks now. They've come a long way. Good for them. Go show your support and eat some good food. read more

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Destiney was the BEST bartender I've had in a while. go see her soon! she made sure we were great and never had a empty drink

Pretty good place to stop by while you're in the mountains. This area was hit hard by the hurricane. They've come a long way. We stopped by for some drinks. Nice atmosphere. Live music also. Highly recommend. read more

Great burgers here! Lovely porch/deck! Destiney (our server) was awesome! Shared some local pics and awesome burger rec! (Gouda Bacon Jam! HELLO)!!! Gotta stop here when in Chimney Rock! Nice cold beers too! Cheers! read more

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Absolutely a top three best hamburger I've ever had from any restaurant I've eaten at! A Diamond in an unfortunate rough for the people of Chimney Rock and surrounding area. Our waitress was outstanding, live music, great atmosphere! You can't go wrong with this place! read more

Excellent service and food. Make sure to ask for Nick. He is a great waiter. (He is very funny). I recommend the fried pickles and the portabella chicken and Rueben sandwich. I am glad we were able to support the small business during their recovery effort. read more

This is a great restaurant on the river. It is open now after the Helene flooding. It's a great place to grab a very well-made burger. One of the best I've tasted. The salads and sweet potato fries were awesome as well. Megan, our host was delightful. The food was scrumptious, and I loved driving to chimney rock to help do my part to help the rebuild by supporting a local business. In the middle of destruction, this is a place of beauty. read more

Riverwatch Bar & Grill - Burgers on the river. I love coming back to chimney rock and seeing that it's beginning to rebuild. - Bars Near Me - Chimney Rock, North Carolina

Great food and great service! Love the atmosphere! Cheeseburger melt is amazing, perfectly cooked and the sweet potato fries are nice and crispy! read more

So happy they are back open!! So so many birger options! Their burger master cooks every single burger perfectly. The buns are fresh amd compress nicely. Crispy lettuce, fresh sliced tomatoes and onions. The fries are lightly battered and perfect. Love the homemade ranch on literally anything! The appetizer fresh fried mushrooms are a MUST. Help bring the businesses back and help the town. Many businesses opening daily. Nice quaint town you can walk down the street. Indoor, outdoor and upper covered patio so plenty of seating. Beautiful and clean place with a sanitation score of 100!!!! Friendly staff and amazing service. Definitely where I want to spend my money- read more

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My wife and I had lunch here the other day and it was outstanding ! We had the Rueben, Cole slaw and dill pickle chips and everything was amazing. The service was great and the places looks fantastic since they reopened. It was so warm and inviting, they have done a great job. We can't wait to go back again !! read more

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Our Friendship Force Club, 18 people, came for lunch today. We were seated and served promptly. Our server was knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. Most of us ordered one of the burgers, but not all of us. Whatever we ordered, we all agreed the food was very tasty with ample portions. We enjoyed the atmosphere. We highly recommend Riverwatch Grill !! read more

Sophie and Nick were great. AMAZING restaurant. Burgers were incredible and the service was amazing

We sat at the bar and had great service from Destiney! Overall great food and drink. We had the hillbilly fries and they were delicious

This fabulous riverfront tavern in the Village of Chimney Rock serves up one of the best burgers I've ever tasted, along with a great selection of craft beers. My Smokehouse Burger was not only massive, but also dripping with BBQ flavor, with the crisp onion rings adding a delicious texture to the perfectly cooked patty. My wife enjoyed the restaurant's signature Riverwatch Burger -- a more traditional choice that was just as large and almost as delicious. Riverwatch says it serves the best burgers in North Carolina, and it's hard to argue with that claim. There are nearly two dozen different burgers on the menu, and they all look amazing. If burgers aren't your thing, the restaurant also serves salads, sandwiches, hot dogs and other fare. But they're famous for their burgers, so find one that fits your taste and dive in. The beer selection here is also terrific, with a number of local and regional NC crafts on tap and in bottles. And the service on our recent visit was outstanding. Seating is available outside or on the spacious deck overlooking the Broad River, which is a great place to enjoy a good meal and a fantastic view of the Hickory Nut Gorge and the distinctive Chimney Rock, towering high above the valley. Like much of this area, Riverwatch endured traumatic damage during Hurricane Helene, but reopened in September 2025. Well worth the drive from anywhere in North or South Carolina! read more

We waited over 40 minutes for our food with minimal server interaction, just for our food to take like cheap microwave meals. I would not recommend this place again. The food was mediocre, service was terrible minus the directions we got from one of the workers. read more

Great burgers! Perfectly cooked with good buns. Liked the mushroom and Gouda option. Onion rings were very good with a nice crunch. Friendly service in a cozy place with an option to sit outside. read more

Great place , friendly , staff, food was on point and the views are outstanding, we will be back read more

Riverwatch Bar & Grill - Bars Near Me - Chimney Rock, North Carolina

I grew up coming to this area often, but hadn't been in years. Went on a Monday evening after hiking at Chimney Rock, as we wanted to support after Helene. The food was fantastic - I had the fried mushrooms and the Fried Pickle burger (pro tip: replace the pepper jack cheese with pimento cheese for that extra Southern touch). The service was attentive and friendly - we never felt rushed, even though they were closing and it had been a long day. Would absolutely go back, and recommend to anyone in the area. read more

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Best hamburger in town. The entire staff is great. You get greeted a number of times by all the people who work there. The back deck is a great place to sit, eat and enjoy the flowing of the stream. The bar area is very clean. You can enjoy watching sports on t.v.. read more

Before Hurricane Helene, Riverwatch was always our go-to spot whenever we camped at Hickory Nut Falls. We're so grateful to see them back open, and the food hasn't missed a beat--it's still awesome. Hands down, they serve the best burgers around. My favorite is the Grilled Cheese Burger--it's always cooked to perfection. Add in the friendly staff and the welcoming vibe, and this place is exactly why we keep coming back read more

Riverwatch Bar & Grill - Grilled Cheese Burger - Bars Near Me - Chimney Rock, North Carolina

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Ian did a great job today! Very attentive and did a great job! I'll b back! You guys need to come here you'll love it!

Love this place! Food is good and friendly staff:) willl be our local hangout! Fried pickles delicious!

Destiny was great...bubbly and very friendly. She was very considerate: do we need anything else..refills. Mike and Nancy from Wake Forest, NC read more

We had a large group and were seated on the outside porch. Megan was our server and she made sure the heaters were on cuz it was a little chilly that night. The drinks came quickly and she got the food out fast for the 12 of us. All orders were accurate and very delicious. The menu has about 3 pages of burgers among other choices. We went back and celebrated St. Patrick's Day there with 19 people. Green beer and lots of great corned beef sandwiches. Different waitress, but didn't catch her name. She kept 5 booth's satisfied with drinks and good service. I highly recommend Riverwatch!! read more

The food was excellent ! the Hillbilly burger was delicious and the watermelon margarita was perfect!! Shelly was a delight - tell g us about the history Worth a lunch or dinner there !! read more

The food and drinks were fabulous & so was the servers Destiney & Patrick!! The Riverwatch exceeded my expectations!!! Destiney & Patrick = amazing!!! read more

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The food is very good and I like the atmosphere . We enjoyed live music and their french fries were delicious and there is great service.

Elisha was wonderful and very friendly. Provided superior service and we will definitely be back again. Great location. read more

Came here with our daughter and her girlfriend and had a blast. Really inspired by how the area has started to bounce back after the storms a few years ago. This place had the best burgers and the onion rings were amazing! so many options on the menu, it was hard to make a decision. Finally we all picked something different, and just passed plates around. Service was very friendly and the atmosphere was cozy without being crowded. Will come back again next time we are in the area. read more

Another great experience at Riverwatch Bar & Grill. As always, the atmosphere and food are top notch. Destiney was our Bartender and waitress. We enjoyed having wonderful conversation and excellent service with her. She went out of her way to provide outstanding customer service as does the entire staff and owners. As this being a family owned restaurant and experienced the damage from Helene, I hope everyone will support the staff and family and help ensure they prosper and come back. We continue to make this our get away place for good food, relaxing conversation and beautiful views. Thanks again! read more

Came to the restaurant for lunch on a Saturday and they were very busy. Our wait was estimated at 20 minutes but we were called back in 10. We chose to sit on the back deck, which was nicely repaired and offered a great view of the river. Be mindful that the view still contains aftermath of what this town endured a year ago but it made for an even cooler experience. Joey was nice and attentive and took our order once we were ready. The fried pickles are insanely good and the best I've ever eaten. I had the Hottie Burger with onion rings. Burger was cooked nicely and had lots of flavor. I highly recommend if you like spicy food. Onions rings and the sauce were amazing. My wife had the Southern Dog and onion rings, which she enjoyed. We're planning to come back and eating here again will definitely happen. read more

The food was so delicious. The service was so good. It was so quiet. I would eat here again. I would recommend it to everyone.

Destiny was our server and she went above and beyond for our group! Very personable and pleasant, attentive and professional. The food was good and all orders were correct in our group of 9. A great experience all around. read more

2/21/26 Saturday mid-afternoon: My wife and I stopped in for a late lunch. This past Saturday was our first time. Food was very good, if not just outstanding. Our server, Elisha, was incredible, attentive, assuring and genuinely professional. Her eight year tenure at River Watch was evident. Look forward to coming back soon. Jim & Cheryl read more

So good! Sophie was great, the food was excellent, and I'm so glad it's open for business after the storm! Don't hesitate to come here!

Wonderful restaurant with the best food I've had in a long long time. The atmosphere was incredible and our server whose name is Nick what's the best waiter I think I have ever had his personality and his competence and his kindness and being fun was outstanding. read more

Great service from Cleighton! Great food and atmosphere! Glad to have river watch back!