Solid, big city type bistro in a small town atmosphere in the town of Riverside. I've tried a few dishes, but if i had to recommend, it would be the pastas in the menu or in the specials. read more

The Chew Chew is one of the top restaurants in IL, hands down. Even if you travel, it's worth the trek... Scott, the owner greets people himself. He's friendly, engaging a true operator, and a rarity. G-Man, our server was fun, informative engaging, and on-it! The food came quickly for the number of people there and it was fabulous. We had a dozen oysters (Amazingly fresh), A slightly dirty martini (Nice size and made perfectly) a glass of Malbec (I believe and great quality) and the Sacchetti Vodka sauce was to die for! Great atmosphere, outdoor patio, right downtown Riverside. I am so glad they made it through covid and we will continue to support them. If you have not been to The Chew Chew, make the time it will be worth it. read more

We have an indoor mask order in Illinois In December 2021. Half the employees in this restaurant were not wearing masks. What other health code rules are they deciding to ignore? With the Omicron variant we were not comfortable staying. We left and had an incredible dinner at another restaurant down the block where everyone was following the health code rules. Now is not the time to mess around. read more

Amazing food! Definitely would not go there if trying to eat cheap. But so worth the price!

Disappointed! Chew Chew x has always been our favorite lets take a drive dining destination. Have always enjoyed the crab cakes but not lately. Both cakes were almost pure bread like round patties of stuffing. They were supposed to be crab and shrimp. I think I saw small bits of shrimp but no crab was apparent. French fries were great. On a trip along the entire gulf coast of florida I had crab cakes 8 out of 11 days. All were better than chew chew. They do have a nice happy hour before six. If we do go back it will be for wine and appetizers. read more

We went here for the first time tonight. We are always looking for outdoor seating and their patio is one of the best I've seen. There is ten tables that can seat four people. The space had fans, speakers, nice decor, and great food. We ordered the salmon and mussels, both were delicious. They had 8 solid beers on tap. We went with Kinslagher and Metropolitan beers. I'm glad to have a great restaurant so close by. We will definitely be back again soon! read more

The Chew Chew - New patio - American Near Me - Riverside, Illinois

Used a Groupon and went the other day. Inviting atmosphere, kind staff, and great service! They have a variety of food from steaks, seafood dishes, to pasta. Got the calamari (comes with 3 sauces - tartar, marinara and spicy), scallop risotto and jambalaya. Everything was delicious. ESPECIALLY THE SCALLOP RISOTTO! The scallops were generous size and the risotto with portobello is amazing. Definitely worth the price with or without Groupon. Will definitely be back! read more

The Chew Chew - American Near Me - Riverside, Illinois

See all

Really great food! Loved the variety. So many menu items sounded amazing. Cozy atmosphere. The Burrata was tasty but the roasted garlic spread + greek salad really elevated the plate. Definitely a great way to start out the meal. We loved the edamame too! Never had them drenched in lemon and they substituted a light salad perfectly. Split the Sunday Gravy for our meal.. it can easily feed two. Love that it's bucatini! The sauce is good but doesn't compare to upscale Italian restaurants in the city. Still very tasty. My only wish was that there were neck bones instead of ribs. I'll definitely be back to try more items on the menu! read more

See all

Food is fantastic and our waiter was so great! One of the best waiters we've ever met. The restaurant is very nice and clean.

Great food and service!! The specials are always especially good. The kitchen staff are amazing!

Love Thursday night $10 oysters! The sauces that come with them are incredible. Wine is good. And entrees too. We usually get the same server each time too and he's excellent! So professional and friendly. Great place overall! read more

This place has very nice warm ambiance . The servers are dress for October feast thought that was really cute. Sat down and immediately we were severed fresh bread . Such awesome service. Server was knowledgeable and attentive . Definitely come back again . read more

While I live in La Grange, for years I've read the great reviews and wanted to try Chew chew. Having carried out dinner this evening I now realize I am done myself a great disservice not coming here years before. In short, this has immediately vaulted to one of my restaurants and will be a go-to spot going forward. I believe the sign of a GREAT restaurant is diversity but honestly I would order just about everything on this amazing menu. Highlights of the meal tonight : dates wrapped in thick bacon; best French onion soup ever; killer home baked bread; excellent wedge salad ; penne with chicken and smoked Gouda was creamy, delicious and not too heavy. Ice Cream Boulder was decadently delicious. Nice variety of interesting cocktails and wines by the glass The hat trick of highest quality ingredients, great flavor combinations, very generous portions and reasonable price points will bring us back many times going forward. Looking forward to trying the classic favorites and new items added to upcoming new Spring menu. Given the abundance of excellent reviews and loyal following, they certainly don't need another positive review from me but I it was such a delightful experience I couldn't help myself. Just go there for a great dining experience. read more

We simply happened upon it, but the atmosphere was sophisticated and the quality of the food for the price was a bargain. We will be back the next time we are in town, I would highly recommend it. read more

Delicious food and drinks! Our party of 4 ordered a variety of things including salad, steak, scallops, pasta and dessert. Jessica was an excellent server too. Will definitely be back! read more

I have been trying to get here for months. I wanted to visit before the Check Please episode airs. They are no longer open for lunch, so that delicious looking sandwich that appears in the photos, no longer is offered. Allow me to set the scene. You enter into the bar area which also has long bench seating against the wall and chair seating that backs the bar. The next area has 5 tables and 5 booths. Except for the red lantern hanging over the reception desk, this booth area is the only place the train theme is recognizable. Over each booth there is a fake window with a poster scene that might be seen from a train window. There are curtains to each side and a small luggage rack over each window with old fashion luggage stacked on it. Then there is the upper loft area. Fortunately, we were seated on the lower level because when we went upstairs to satisfy our yelper curiosity, the smell was nasty. Don't know if that is a constant, but on this particular evening, it was offensive. There are a few tables in this space and, again, against the back wall a combo of bench and chair seating. Okay, you sit down and there is a small glass at each setting. They bring a bottle of chilled water. I would assume these bottles get reused, but exactly how are they cleaned? By the time your entree arrives, the water has warmed to room temperature. I wish someone had warned me to ask for a glass of ice so that I could enjoy cold water for the length of my meal. Everything is a la carte. Portions are on the small side. The cookies and cream gelato I had was no different from ice cream. So, if it's ice cream, just tell me. It is pricey, and the burger is the only thing on the menu kids might eat, so I would not consider this kid friendly. This is, obviously, the place to be seen in Riverside, an abundance of locals. read more

I waited until I had been twice because I thought maybe my father has been slipping our servers a C-Note when we go out to eat because we *never* have a bad dining experience with him. :) My boyfriend and I came recently to celebrate an anniversary. We had reservations on a Tuesday evening but they were definitely not needed at 6:30 P. We began our dining with a hot appetizer of fried calamari. They had a very light breading and came with two sauces - a warm marinara and a cool ranch/tzatziki type of sauce. The boyfriend really enjoyed the tzatziki type of sauce. It is not something we typically receive with calamari and he said it was fantastic. BF had the filet mignon with a mushroom gravy. It had nice full sized mushrooms in the gravy but he said it did not have a mushroomy taste. (Important only because he detests mushrooms and was handing them over to me) He said it was one of the best filets he had in a long time. I went with the stuffed meatball and a glass of the wine special Malbec. It was an open faced meatball covered in, I believe provolone cheese, over a bed of broccolini and pasta in a light marinara sauce. The meatball itself was fantastic. I am not a fan of broccoli so this being mixed in with the pasta rather than on the side did not bode well with me but there wasn't a lot so it wasn't an issue. I should note that the menu changes seasonally. I had looked at their Spring menu as published on their facebook page and it did not include either of our selections. I had actually planned on ordering the Amish Chicken with mushroom risotto until I saw the stuffed meatball and could not decide. The menu is so incredibly diverse that it is almost impossible for you to not find something to eat. We ended the evening with Creme Brulee. This was a first for me but it definitely will not be a last. It was an incredible taste experience. The vanilla bean custard was so light and flavourful. This will definitely be our go-to spot for intimate occasions. It was a very nice meal in a very lovely environment. read more

I cannot say enough about the consistently wonderful meals and service we have enjoyed over the years at the Chew Chew in Riverside. I woke up thinking about my absolutely delicious Miso Salmon dinner, to say nothing of the spectacular German Chocolate Cake and Apple Strudel. We dined comfortably outside under their patio heaters last night in a wind protected, yet well ventilated area. It is such a pleasure and comfort to know we can count on the Chew Chew to take great care of us during these tricky times. Thank you, Scott!! read more

Fitting that my 100th review would be a 5-star one. A friend of mine who moved far north was passing through my area to get to Midway one Sunday, and suggested we get lunch. I decided we should try the new and redesigned location of this Riverside favorite. Upon walking in I was amazed. There are two dining levels, beautifully finished with the latest in striking interior architecutre. The lower level dining booths have small "windows" on the wall that look like a vintage Pullman car's windows, complete with curtains, fake luggage on a shelf above them, and historic views of national sights in the "window." Our waitress was very helpful and cheerful. The brunch menu is fantastic with lots of gourmet creations as well as Sunday brunch standards. The regular menu is great too. Try the grilled chicken sandwich with provelone, prosciutto and hollandaise. Delicious. The Chew Chew, despite it's funny name, backs directly up to the Riverside Metra platform and is an easy walk to or from the Brookfield Zoo. It's a new anchor to the small shops and cafes clustered around the Metra stop, which is only a 15 min. ride from the Loop. The Chew Chew also has a full bar and an amazing wine selection, at prices much cheaper than your standard Lincoln Park wine bar. This place is definitely worth a try, just to see it's amazing architecture. read more

The Chew Chew - Interior of Chew Chew Cafe - American Near Me - Riverside, Illinois

See all

I'd gotten a few recommendations to try this place, and many friends flipping out "OMG, I'm SO jealous!!!" when I told them I was coming to Chew Chew, so I was ready for a good experience. We were seated promptly by the window, with water and our waitress appearing seconds after that. It took us a few minutes to get our act together to select drinks, but the waitress was polite and patient with us the whole time. I ordered the Moon Over Riverside- a Quincy Street Distillery whiskey drink with cherries/lots of other yummy goodness. It was $8, but with the strength of two drinks, so it didn't seem like quite the bad deal. It took the whole meal to consume- pacing was definitely needed. The complimentary bread that came out was hot and fresh, served with a garlic butter. For food, we first ordered fried pickles- I'm a sucker for these, especially if they are pickle chips (as opposed to stackers or spears). The amount was plentiful, with the outside being extra crispy. Some pickles were not quite coated enough, though, leading to a few that got overly fried and were withered. But 90% were great, served with a ranch-y sauce. For my meal (and I felt VERY adult about this choice, as I usually go for burgers or a sandwich), I ordered the scottish salmon, served on a bed of spinach with onions and pancetta, and chickpeas. I LOVE chickpeas, and had never seen a dish quite like this before. I thought it was fantastic. It had a topping on the fish though that was a little too sour for my liking, but it was easily scraped off. My date had the fish and chips, but substituted mashed potatoes. We each took home leftovers. Mine were fantastic the next day too. The restaurant itself is large but cozy, has an upstairs level, even. I liked the train theme throughout and thought it was more on the tasteful than cheesy side. Bathrooms were nice and clean with two stalls. Everything was great with this experience. I wouldn't hesitate to come back! read more

The Chew Chew - Scottish salmon and the moon over riverside (drink) - American Near Me - Riverside, Illinois

As a resident of Riverside, I have dined at The Chew Chew several times and in both locations. I'm a big fan of the decor and the ambiance on both levels (and especially the huge wine collection adorned on the wall). In all of my experiences dining at the Chew Chew, the staff has always been attentive. My water glass was always promptly re-filled before it was empty. The staff was very accommodating when my party was in a hurry to make it to a concert downtown; we were in and out in 45 minutes. I give this restaurant four stars only because the vegetarian options are not "as good as it gets." I enjoy trying a variety of food every time when I dine at a restaurant more than once, but I have had to get the spinach and tomato flatbread several times, which was good, but not incredible. I am also dissatisfied that the restaurant is not open for lunch and that I find the prices to be a little steep compared to other comparable places I have dined. Overall, The Chew Chew is a gem of Riverside and I will certainly dine there again! read more

The Chew Chew - Lasagna. - American Near Me - Riverside, Illinois

See all

Walked in and was seated in a matter of minutes. Waitress was very nice and enthusiastic when serving my grandma and I. I got the meatloaf and loved it, but I do not recommend drinking the water here. It didn't taste that good, other than that, I say give this place a shot. read more

The Chew Chew - American Near Me - Riverside, Illinois

The funny thing about this place is that we discovered it because my husband somehow acquired a book of matches from this place but had no idea how he got it. At first, we figured it was some kids place that served food on trains, just by the name. He looked it up online on yelp and since he has such a freaky love of fish tacos and he had read the reviews talking about them, he was set on going. We went for Saturday night dinner. I made reservations on opentable.com but for some reason they don't offer points. We were greeted immediately and asked where we prefered to sit. Since we had never been, he offered us a "tour". We settled on the room adjacent to the bar rather than upstairs because he said it would be very quiet up there. The place is nice but it's broken up a bit too much in terms of space. So the area we sat in was close to the kitchen and the restroom. So we could see the dishes coming out, which was a plus. But it certainly wasn't as bustling as we thought it would be. We ordered the fish tacos, of course. We also ordered the Penne Pasta (with Smoked Gouda Cream,Chicken Breast, Applewood Bacon, Fresh Tomato, Green Onion) and the spinach salad (with Gorgonzola, Green Apple, Candied Pecans, Tomato Wedges, Red Onion, Applewood Bacon, WarmHoney Mustard.) The fish tacos were made of grilled fish, which is fine, when it's not overcooked. And this was not. The Penne was awesome. Our kids loved the leftovers the next day. And the spinach salad was really nice. Not overwhelming. I recommend this place to families, date night, etc. I'm not fond of the layout, but the food is great. And it's a nice place in the burbs. read more

Ate here the other day. Nice selection on the menu for food and drinks. Inside is decorated nice, booths are like being in a train car from Harry Potter. Very cool. read more

Went for drinks and apps on a recent Saturday. They had a band we were interested in checking out. Righteous Cowboys. Love the name so we had to go check them out. Warmly greeted at the door by Scott, the owner. Grabbed our seat at the bar and he offered to hang our coats in the coat room. Nice touch. Love the upscale ambiance of the place. Not snooty, but very comfortable. Menu is very diverse with some great offerings. We ordered the Kobe Beef Sliders. Really well prepared. Nice portion size. I think a small side of Birds Nest Onion Rings would have been a great addition to this app. Nice wine selection and the bar staff was knowledgeable. We were concerned about the volume level when the band started. We were pleasantly surprised that they kept it at a level that we could still carry on a conversation without yelling. We were sitting about 20 feet from them. Really hate it when a band starts and the conversation has to end. All in all a great evening at a very well run restaurant. Keep up the good work. If you are ever in the Riverside area you need to give the Chew Chew a try. read more

Location - quaint little village of Riverside, right off the BNSF line. At first I was sad they had to move from the Arcade building a frw years ago, but their new location is so nice that I got over that real fast. Service - fantastic, our waitress was enthusiastic, friendly and helpful Food - delicious. I ordered the Avocado salad and a side of fries. I could have done with out the fries because the salad was so large! The dressing they used on it was so delicious and refreshing, great for a summer's meal. Did I mention their sangria? delicious and potent. read more

The Chew Chew - Yummy fries - American Near Me - Riverside, Illinois

See all

Everything was amazing! We decided to give Chew Chew a try based on the Yelp reviews, and we really got super lucky! We waited 20 minutes for a table, but we felt welcomed since we stepped in. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was great. Can't wait to be back! read more

The Chew Chew - American Near Me - Riverside, Illinois

The husband and I came here since we bought a Groupon and it was expiring soon. I had never heard of this place but all the reviews made it sound really good and it was close to home. We arrived a few minutes early and they said we'd have to wait about 10 minutes. But we ended up waiting almost 25 minutes making our 7pm reservation 15 minutes late with no explanation. They also sat a larger party who came in after us before us. Finally we were taken by a nice empty table by the window to a table upstairs in a little loft area. There was a huge party up there full of mostly high school aged people who were very loud for our entire dinner. Luckily things went up from here because the first impressions were not positive. My husband and I split the avocado salad - it was so delicious. I could've eaten it for my entree. For the entrees I had the salmon and my husband had the Ahi Tuna. Both were perfectly cooked and good portions. Service was great - our water glasses were always full and food was a little slow but considering the big parties in the restaurant it was understandable. The prices are a little steep considering everything is ala carte. Food and decor 5 stars. Prices 3 stars. Service 3 stars. I may return for that avocado salad. read more

The Chew Chew - American Near Me - Riverside, Illinois

See all

As good as it gets. Chef inspired unique dishes done very well. Always excellent service. A personal favorite.

We were in Riverside for the Arts festival and stumbled upon The Chew Chew. Saw it was a neighborhood fav on open table Yah! Very nice place, reasonably priced and a nice selection of craft beers on tap. I had the turkey with smoked applewood bacon with pickled zucchinis on the side. Very nice sammy :) My boyfriend had the fish tacos. Very fresh and tasty! Overall a wonderful place to visit in Riverside. read more

See all

Thanks to Sabrina, our specials were explained meticulously ~ She was very accommodating with her wine selections as well. We ordered the Lobster Nachos and Scallop Scampi~ we paired these dishes with the 2013 Silver Ridge Chardonnay from California. The lobster Nachos were made to perfection. The chips stayed crunchy throughout. Topped with large pieces of knuckle & claw meat, queso blanco, black beans, hominy, chipotle sour cream, guacamole and cilantro - incredibly light on the palate and the flavors all delicioso! The Scallop Scampi were prepared with the finest of bay scallops covered with bacon-bread crumb crumble and danced in a garlic wine and rock samphire sauce. Kudos to the chef. The ambiance made you feel like you were somewhere traveling abroad. Just charming - We thank one and all for making our dinning experience at Chew Chew one we will definitely coming back for. read more

Chew Chew has a great menu, creative and varied with many fun taste combinations. We've been many times and never been disappointed. The bar is well-stocked and the wine selection is also great. The bartender's have created some fun twists on our favorite cocktails, as well. read more

Perhaps we dined on a bad night, but I thought Chew Chew was average. Made reservations at their advice when we called. Delayed 20 minutes when we arrived. Had a drink in the bar while waiting. Prices were good for the pour. The chopped salad lacked flavor, hardly any gorgonzola cheese and alot of dressing. The scallops and mushroom risotto.....all four scallops were burned, the cook tried to disguise this buy placing the burnt side down on the risotto. The harissa sauce was the only flavor to the dish. Men's bathroom was a mess....hand towels and water on the floor. Staff should be cleaning more frequently. The Groupon was unexpected when researching the restaurant, which helped reduce the cost. But not a differentiating factor to make me come back. read more

This place always has great food. The staff is friendly. It's a nice clean chill environment. Their menu changes from time to time but no matter what's on it, it's good. I love their soups too. The bread is to die for, I'd go just for that honestly. I recommend making a reservation if they take them, place is packed on the weekends. read more

My friend and I sat at the bar and ate April 14th at 5pm and Sabrina was our server. From start to finish everything was delicious! Who can complain about fantastic service and Wine Wednesday! If I could leave 10 stars I would. This place is the place to be! See you soon. read more

Beautiful place and excellent, personal service. Food was great, I went off my usual map and ordered cheese ravioli with vodka sauce. Not something I would usually order but I loved it. My wife had salmon that was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Apps were excellent. Will be back early summer and will do this one over again. read more

This is by far my families favorite restaurant in our area. We've been coming here for about seven years. My kids are now 10 and 12 and if I ask them where they wanna go to dinner they usually say Chew Chew. The kids meals are tasty and inexpensive and the menu has something for for most adults. Affordable good wines and great bartenders! Tthe specials are always good, the fish is always fresh and the oysters are delicious. The food is consistentlly great!! Wine is affordable and decent for the price. Great bartenders and host! read more

If you are looking for a great place to take the family or for a date night with your significant other, this is the place to go to. The Chew Chew! The food is amazing, the service is fantastic (Thank you to our server G!), and the price is reasonable! You can have anything here from seafood to burgers to steaks, to an amazing grilled Pork Chop, and a kids menu! Their menu changes with the season, so it is never boring, plus Thursday nights it is $1 Oyster night! They have a great wine and drink menu as well. You cannot go wrong with the Chew Chew! read more

This was our first visit to Chew Chew but we had been to the previous location a few times and always enjoyed it immensely. We dined with friends and I appreciated the fact that I could book our reservation on Open Table. The layout and decor are interesting but I felt it had a lack of personality and warmth. The menu has a variety of meats, fish, chicken and pasta in addition to a well-rounded wine and cocktail menu. In my opinion, the cocktail was the highlight of the evening. Our server was in another world - friendly enough but seemed hurried and flustered the entire time, even though the place didn't seem all that busy for a weekend night. We had to request things multiple times and the pacing of our order was unacceptable...some food came out while others waited much too long for their entree. That may have been the kitchens fault so I would say it was a concert of mediocrity with regard to service at The Chew Chew. The food was also hit or miss. Two people at the table enjoyed their selections - the others, not so much. I had the skirt steak and while it was flavorful - it wasn't tender at all. Desserts were also "meh" but the cappuccino was almost like it came out of a package...so horrible we sent it back. I was extremely disappointed given the stellar reviews on Yelp - I doubt we'll be back to The Chew Chew. read more

I love The Chew Chew more than most things in my life. Having grown up in Riverside, it has always been a staple. As I've grown, it has become an even more important part of my repertoire. I always order enough so I have leftovers and have never gone wrong with ordering food or drink. HIGHLY recommend. read more