Great food, and unique ambience. I had breakfast there. There was some wait time, but it was well worth it

We were looking for a breakfast spot on our way home from Portland. We saw the Riv and decided to five it a try. We were surprised to find it was a renovated church in a darling neighborhood. We had the avocado toast and eggs Benedict. The bread was delicious!! It tasted a bit sweet but delicious! The benedict was good althought the eggs were a bit over cooked and the holladaise was a bit too thin. The service was friendly and competent. We liked the feel of the restaurant and were actually surprised it wasn't busier than it was. It's a cute little spot with good food. I had been hoping for a restaurant where we would be seated and order this is more of a self serve spot. read more

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Sweet breakfast/lunch spot tucked away in a local neighborhood. Ambiance of the converted church adds to the allure. You order at the counter and the food came out fast and hot. I liked my vege eggs Benedict with spinach/green onion on thick toast they said came from La Petite Provence downtown. Hubby had big order of french toast. I'd like to come back when we could sit outside in a charming looking courtyard. read more

The Riv Cafe - French Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - The Dalles, Oregon

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Really cool coffee shop in the Dalles. It's an old church converted to coffee shop and cafe. Got the breakfast sandwich and coffee. They have a special in the morning where the combo is super cheap. Really neat seating area inside. Service was great. read more

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The breakfast sandwich made with biscuit was stupendous! So delicious and generous! Staff were friendly and the atmosphere is charming. Such a unique place. read more

I know avocado toast is a common option, but holy smokes this was hands down the best avo toast I've ever had. The crust of the bread was soft enough for a fork, and the cucumber on it was sooooo tasty! I got a vanilla latte which was a perfect pair. We sat outside in the patio, and it's such a cool space. We had a table with shade and sunshine, I'll definitely be back if I'm in town again. Service was attentive, kind and checked in regularly! read more

The Riv Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - The Dalles, Oregon

What a cute unique eatery in a great neighborhood. We had a late lunch (were told we had just under an hour before they closed so be aware they close at 2pm) for four with fabulous sandwiches. You order at the desk and they bring it to your table. We took a short stroll in the surrounding tree lined neighborhood with old stately homes. It's our first trip thru town in a while. Would be happy to return here. read more

It's almost like going to church, but way better, the food was amazing and the coffee was great,

Loved it. Came here after seeing the yelp reviews and the neat building. Wow - it was excellent. First, the setting in an old church is super neat, with ambiance outside and in (for example, the bathroom has a big organ in it). We ordered an array of foods and waited at a big table with old pews. Got the chicken & waffles (YUM - really great fried batter), BLT (SO good, especially the french bread), tomato soap (DELICIOUS), egg cheese and bacon bagel (great), and veggie bagel sandwich (good). They told us that the bread comes from Petite Provence, so will need to hit that up next. My only feedback is that they should add a bakery case - we would have loved to end out the meal with a few tasty pastries. We'll definitely be back! read more

the food is so expensive and taste bland. Especially the chicken and waffles your paying for more breading then chicken. and the guy with glasses is very rude at times and will toss my table number at me. it's decent on the inside the couch is nasty and has a lot of crumbs and some tables are dirty and not wiped off fully. read more

This place was fun to be work from. They open really early and they have food after 8am. I had a latte made to order and the coffee was very smooth and perfectly brewed. I had a fried chicken and it was very tasty and filling. If you are starving this is the place to go for lunch. The gent working behind the counter was very friendly and had a great personality to work with their guests. He was very friendly, counter and very efficient even when they had a wait. The best part of the experience is the building. It is very spacious, welcoming and warm. This place for sure it is a great spot. read more

The Riv Cafe - Fried chicken - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - The Dalles, Oregon

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Just passing through, thought I would try this Yelp Top 100 place. It's 88 degrees outside right now and this church converted to restaurant has no AC (or they don't turn it on) and their is limited outside seating with shade. Currently there are approximately 8 small tables (parties of 4 or less) and they told us the wait for food will be at least 50 mins. 5 mins after ordering I got my limeade, 10 mins the smoothie, and 15 mins for the food, so they were much faster than the 50 mins they told us originally. Ordered a BLT with a bag of chips and a limeade fresca. They have gluten free bread, but I didn't see it advertised on their menu. They bread their fries so they are not gluten free. The pesto BLT was good, bacon was cooked perfectly and the veggies were fresh. It came with a store bought bag of chips, so nothing special. Key take aways, not a great spot if it is hot or your in a hurry. Food is good and service was helpful. read more

The Riv is wonderful! The atmosphere inside is so cozy and filled with natural light. The patio is inviting and fun to sit on with a group of friends. The food is always great. The balsamic dressing for the side salad is bomb! I think they have the best coffee is the in the Gorge. The Riv is for sure one of my favorite places to visit when in The Dalles. read more

Such amazing food. Love the chicken and waffles. Just tried a banana bread latte and it was fantastic. Would highly recommend The Riv!

This place is unreal. Amazing building and beautiful architecture. Food is so bomb. coffee is fire. love the Riv!!

When you walk in a this old church building you see a cute clam space with plants galore.then you go over to the counter and order your food with smiley workers who do their best to deliver quick and efficient service.the food is amazing and the smoothies are amazing! read more

The Riv Cafe - My First Love - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - The Dalles, Oregon

Great service. Wife had a waffle & Mimosa. I had dill and turkey bagel. Both were great.

made it in for supper service and had a wonderful meal. we ordered the 10th street firebird sandwich and it was so flavorful. a fair amount of heat tempered by a sweet slaw that can't be beat! my French fries were crispy and perfectly cooked. a terrific accompaniment to the sandwich. best sandwich in town! read more

Went to breakfast here with my family and it was delicious. Beautiful building and great food! You order at the counter and service was friendly. read more

The Riv Cafe - Latte, the everything dish - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - The Dalles, Oregon

I've tried a few different dishes here and everything has been so delicious! My favorite is the Harvest Bagel sandwich and make sure to add their fries because they're some of the best I've ever tried. Super fair prices and everyone working is friendly and helpful. Also lots of vegetarian and vegan options. Love that it's in an old converted church. Super cool spot to bring someone visiting from out of town to. The only thing I would hope they change is how their condiments are served: tiny amounts in single use plastic ramekins, and if you want more, you are given another plastic ramekin with a small amount (this includes ketchup and hot sauce). I can't imagine it's saving anyone money or face to offer condiments that way. Just bite the bullet and offer the glass bottles to be more sustainable. Besides that, perfect breakfast/lunch spot! I'll be coming back again! read more

The Riv is located in an old church a little bit off the beaten path, but worth the time to locate it and enjoy some yummy food. We stopped here on our way to Walla Walla, as it's close to being a mid way point. I had the avocado toast. The bread was amazing - The crust chewy and very flavorful. The only Thing that would have made it better after adding a little salt, Pepper, and hot sauce, would have been some Turkey bacon. Others in our party had various sandwiches and 1 had the chicken and waffles! It was huge and apparently really tasty as there was nothing left On the plate. If you're someone who loves grilled cheese and tomato soup, that's always featured on the menu as "the Classic". We actually stopped on the way back as well, and apparently the tomato soup was better the first time, so there may be a little inconsistency in the kitchen. It appears many of their specialties sell out, so get there early. They are Open 7 Days a week, for breakfast And lunch only. It was a little chilly inside, so we ate outside where they have abundant seating for the warm months. Definitely a family friendly place, and several people had their dogs with them as well, though they were all outside. read more

Peaceful environment, delicious food, cold, distant, dismissive, rude staff. They appear to be hanging onto their laurels and have stopped trying to be nice. I think that it's called pretentious snobbery. read more

There are no words except, Take Me To Church! I love the history of the place and how there's been a revival. Phenomenal breakfast. Exceptional coffee beverages. I could stay and pray all day. I ate every last bite of the chicken and waffles. Can I get an Amen!! read more

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food: 4.5/5 service: 4.5/5 ambiance: 5/5 the riv is located in a super cute neighborhood with an even cuter interior. this cafe seems to be a church before! i wasn't expecting much since i just wanted a place for lunch while on a road trip, so i was pleasantly surprised by the service and food and ambiance. this place seems to be the "it place" for local teenagers and locals in general. food is a bit expensive, but really good! i got the iced mocha and a BLT with a side salad. i tried their fries too and would get that instead of the salad (happiness over health). the fries are so good!! the BLT is also super good! really solid food and coffee, but the price is definitely a treat yourself kind of thing. read more

The Riv Cafe - BLT with salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - The Dalles, Oregon

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Spectacular! Thanks Yelp's top 100 of 2024 for helping us find this gem! We both had chicken and biscuits with the yummiest raspberry jam. The chicken is freshly deep fried and so tender and tasty and the biscuit is maybe the best I've ever had - had to eat it with a fork it was so flaky. Just fantastic and worth the drive. Friendly people and ensconced in an old church with a lovely patio. read more

The Riv Cafe - The Riv Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - The Dalles, Oregon

Probably the 3rd time visiting and had the french toast and Americano coffee. Always great service, hot food and reasonable prices and a nice interior vibe. The coffee roast this time seemed a little off this time, but as with most cafes, these things vary. I roast my own beans so I understand this and it's not a big deal. read more

If you want a fancy breakfast in The Dalles I highly recommend the Riv. Interesting menu, beautiful location, good service, fair prices. It's an old converted church, so the windows have stained glass and you might be sitting in a pew. Somehow they got the church Oregon. to fit inside the men's room. It really made my morning. lol read more

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We were visiting from out of town and found this cute place. Service was great, friendly and fast. Food was so good, especially the poutine! It's a different style than what we're used to (Canadian) but oh the gravy was sooo good and the fries were perfectly fine. Would definitely come back when we're in town again! read more

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9 Oct 2021 Second time stopping here on a roadtrip, this time I went 20mins out of my way so I could eat here. Great coffee, good food, nice ambiance and space. If I lived locally, this would be my daily spot. By the numbers: Food 5/5 Coffee 5/5 Service 5/5 Ambiance 5/5 Value 5/5 Espresso - Excellent. Berry fruit on the palate. Good amount of caffeine without being jittery. Open faced biscuit - Very good. Deconstructed breakfast sandwich with egg, bacon, and aioli on a fresh biscuit. I wanted a second egg, and the biscuit was a bit dry, but it hit the spot. Peanut butter chocolate chip cookie - Excellent. Perfectly baked so it was still soft and great flavor. read more

The Riv Cafe - Open face biscuit - Excellent - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - The Dalles, Oregon

Poor customer service. I didn't feel welcomed. Ordered a coffee and walked right out. read more

The Riv Cafe - Iced vanilla Latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - The Dalles, Oregon

We almost missed this because of the address but sure glad we made it back. The staff was wonderful. The food was delicious and just what we wanted in our travels thank you so much. read more

I'll give 4 stars because the food was outstanding. Only 1 star off because of a couple things: noisy, odd traffic pattern to order you have to walk through diners area, and seriously for $33 lunch can you bring water and not expect folks to get their own or clear their table?! That off my chest, I'll say the eggs Benny was the best I've had in my entire life of 60+ years! They have perfected it! Husband loved his sandwich too. Their bread is thin sourdough that doesn't overwhelm what's on or between the slices. Really tasty. Dogs are allowed at outside tables if weather permits. read more

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What a beautiful and peaceful space! Lots of delicious and nourishing options on the menu and they have vegan and gf options that looked delicious. The folks serving and cooking up your drinks/food are friendly and it feels like one of those little hidden gems. I only wish I didn't have to take my food to go and could enjoy being there. read more

I've eaten lunch here many times and it never fails to please. They make a great sandwich and I can see why they are always busy. In my opinion, this is the best restaurant in the Dalles. read more

The food and setting are really nice. So far I have not made it in early enough to try breakfast, but the salmon salad is perfecto!

This morning on a roadtrip to Western Oregon my boyfriend and I called in to The Riv for a pickup order. Neither of us have been to this establishment prior to today, though we will now be making this a regular stop on our roadtrips! Kind and quick service, fabulous breakfast sandwiches, and balanced cold brews; what more can you ask for? Thank you again & we will see you next time! read more

On a recommendation from a friend, I stopped by for brunch while spending a week in the Hood River area. Their menu had me at chicken & waffles! Since I never make fried chicken or waffles, when I see it on a menu, I can't resist! The chicken is perfectly cooked and the crispy exterior is flavorful and delicious. Often the waffle just serves as the "dish" but in this instance, the waffle is every bit as tasty as the chicken! on their menu are waffle specials, so waffles must be one of their specialties. Next time I may be tempted to go with their key lime version. With a piece of fried chicken on the side! My friend had the breakfast burrito which was huge and stuffed with eggs, sausage, cheese and potatoes. Enough for breakfast and lunch! Located in a building that served as a church for over 150 years, it has a really cool interior. It has recently been remodeled but still pays homage to its heritage like the original stained glass Windows, pews, and a church organ. The Riv has counter service; they cook the food fresh to order and bring it to your table. They serve Stumptown coffee as well as smoothies and all types of drinks. There is seating inside and outside in the courtyard. I'm looking forward to warmer weather and sitting outside. They often have music which is a great atmosphere enhancement, especially on a summer evening. Will definitely be back as I'm in this area a lot. read more

Passing through town and found this gem! Wished we lived closer to go all the time! Adorable cool building. The food was delicious! Friendly service. Just a great vibe! read more

Used to be such a great place, especially for bagels. I just ordered one and it was all cream cheese, a small piece of lox and 4 capers. The ambiance is great, they used to give my BNB guests free coffee and then stopped. I still recommended them but, no more unless they just want coffee, they still do that well. read more

A little off the beaten path in neighborhood in The Dalles. Unique dishes for breakfast or brunch. I had the meatless black bean burger with homemade tomato bisque . Very good. The only downside is the price, which is on the high side. But, better than Cousins restaurant which is just off highway 84. read more