Ok where do I begin? This place has tons of potential though. We went here last Sunday celebrating my friend's birthday (party of 25 people or so on three booths.) and was dismayed at the service that we NEVER got. And I meant that quite literally since on our particular table of nine, only two got their food. It was quite chaotic and lacks organization. It took probably 1 1/2 hour or longer before the server showed up, Which is not his fault. They are lacking a staff or ten both in the front and the kitchen. Everyone including the entertainers (which we know are just trying to help) are just randomly bringing drinks that they think we probably order. Only one person order Bloody Mary but we got at least 7 glasses of it on our table while the mimosas came and go as they pleases. Other drink orders never came. Food!!! If you're planning on eating or hungry, this is NOT the place for you. Because you will not get it. I have never seen anything like it. By 5pm the server were just going from table to table asking "who in here actually got their food?" Making a list. Unbelievable! It's like they know they fucked up so bad. I've never actually walked out of anything before without paying but in in this case we had to walk the hell out of there. I left a bunch of tips because it's not the server's fault but the management need to get their shit together. The entertainment aspect of it though is on point. I haven't have that much fun while hungry since like forever!! read more

Went to drag brunch this morning and simply had the time of my life. The queens were absolutely amazing and the food was wildly good and they truly never let our glasses empty. If I lived in the Chicago area drag brunch at the river would be my church!! read more

Do not ever go to this place. They undercook chicken to the point that it's raw and they let severs cook the food when they are understaffed... this place should be shut down read more

Can't recommend this place. I went on a Saturday night. It was very busy and they only had one server! I really felt for her, but it was a mess. We had to physically stop her to order a drink and never ordered food. After sitting there for a full hour we just paid for our drinks and went next door for dinner read more

I actually redownloaded Yelp to write this review and I'm not even from Chicago. The food and service were TERRIBLE, which is a shame because the place itself is really cool. We waited two hours for our food with little to no communication from our waitress. One of our group members didn't even receive her order, obviously with no apology or discount. We will absolutely not be returning, under any circumstances, ever. read more

Went for a drag brunch event with a group of friends - we had a great bunch of people and lots of fun together. The venue and the service were not the reason or contributors for the fun. The organization for seating is an absolute disaster and the staff is rude and unprofessional. Somewhere along the way they think they are some security force that literally yells out commands to the customers. They even threaten customers saying "you better not enter if you don't have a table number!" The food was very poorly provided - small pieces of fruit on very small plastic plates, toast with pieces of lettuce on a plastic plate, and a plastic platter of scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, and dry donut balls. That's it! Although supposedly all you can eat and drink - the waiter never really came back around ... so that literally was it (for TEN people). The mimosas are made with a sparkling wine that does not cost more than $3-4 per bottle. Good friend - good fun - sad food, poor service and terrible venue. Oh, the drag queens worked really hard but you cannot ever really see them as the place is nothing more than a huge bar trying to get as much money from an overly crowded venue. It's like being at a fraternity party - not an actual drag show. There are much better places to go to enjoy hard working entertainers. Although I live within a half mile of the place, Will Never return and would never recommend going to this venue ever. read more

Amazing staff, food and drinks! The vibe was just awesome. We had dinner and stuck around because the music was irresistible. Will most definitely come back. Pro tip: they have awesome party packages too. My friend has already booked her birthday party with them. read more

The River Kitchen and Bar - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Only Leaving a star bc I can't leave 0. I don't leave reviews but this was so bad I'm trying to save you money and time. I have been to multiple brunches before. $60 for a family style food and mimosa pitchers. They have a set time. You're only there enjoying it for about 45 minutes. The Bouncer is rude. Food is not good. It's served family style, no refills. So if you're hungry it's not going to fill you up. The show you can't really see it. It's more of a runway show style. They just go around and get your money and aren't even concerned with giving you a show. Take it from someone's that's been to various brunches. This is not the place for a good time. Save your coins. You can go somewhere else that offers $60 AYCE BUFFET & bottomless mimosas and actually leave full and drunk. read more

If I could give this place a zero, I would. They make you stand out in the cold for 20+ minutes just to say they ran out of tables. We made the reservation several days in advance and we were told we wouldn't be seated. Very disappointing. I suggest you make your brunch plans elsewhere. read more

Went here for my bday with a party of 20. With the number, I knew it would be tough, but the staff was incredibly accommodating. Had a few mix-ups but in the end it all worked out and rating full stars because they really turned it around. Wig blown off. Love this place. read more

It's was first time here and last one, because no reason to comeback. The cocktail was horrible, it's just water and ice, not Margarita. The food was fine, but nothing special. read more

The River Kitchen and Bar - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been coming to The River for a few years now for the Philadelphia Eagles watch parties! (even when it was called Mad River) The specials are great, the philly cheesesteak is amazing and they have fun raffles during ever game. The wings are also my top 5 in the city and their buffalo chicken dip is great! read more

Best place to reopen!! Awesome service, good music, great drinks. Feels good to be back

This place is below average - no matter what you're there for. The place has several identities... a drag queen bar, a sports bar, and a restaurant; It is great at none, just below average at all. They constantly run out of food, drinks, and space in possibly the most frustrating ways possible. They claim themselves to be a Michigan/Eagles bar but will ALWAYS run out of beer, wings, and Jameson in the first quarter of any of those games. The service here has always been awesome but the management sucks - go somewhere else, anywhere else. read more

So let's just say I would have ate better at McDonald's for breakfast. Do not do this brunch. The tables are sticky. The food awful, the mimosas and drinks are weak, service mediocre at best. You could barely make out what the performers were saying the mic was so loud. They put you in the side room prior to seating you and offer warm mimosas in cheap plastic Dixie cups. I could go on...... read more

Beware! I've had reservations for their brunch for weeks, hosting a work event. They just cancelled less than 48 hours out because of a "scheduling conflict." Never. Again. read more

I booked a group of 10 a month in advance for the drag brunch and was never notified that it had been canceled. I emailed to verify why I was never notified. I called in day of to speak with the bartender it was canceled because of an eagles game BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED!!! HORRIBLE WAY TO RUN A BUSINESS I was scrambling day of for a group of 10!!!! IF I COULD I WOULD GIVE THIS PLACE 0 STARS!!! read more

Love this place! Go to Sunday drag brunch, it's fun like you've never had. Make sure you have a reservation. And if you go, ask for Dylan as your server. He is one of the best servers I've ever had. read more

I was here for drag brunch recently. The experience was beyond fun, the food was great, and the girls were even better! The atmosphere was high energy and uplifting and my party had a wonderful server named Dylan. He was sweet, super attentive, and truly wanted us to have the best time which thanks to him we did! Overall fabulous experience and I cannot wait to come back asap! read more

Unacceptable Customer Service. I went to The River Kitchen and Bar yesterday for a good friends birthday. The drag show is scheduled to begin at 2:30 I believe, so our party (of 30) arrived at 1:30 as to not be late and inconvenience the performers during their show. My friend made her reservation IN MARCH for her June birthday, had spoken with the establishment over the phone and via Instagram messages during the weeks leading up. She even called the day before to get the OK on her 18 year old niece attending, to which they said yes to. Our party of 30 stood in the reception area for over an hour as others were sat in their seats. Multiple people in our group asked to speak with a manager to which they chuckled and said they would "see if they're available". I asked another of the employees to speak with a the manager or supervisor as I wasn't getting anywhere with the first employee and he told me "my job is to sit people in their seats and you're in the way". I have worked in the service industry and in customer service my entire life and this was absolutely ridiculous. I'm not someone who complains that my food was a little cold, I don't send my steak back if it's over-done, because I know the struggles that servers and customer service reps go through. This was a DISGUSTING example of customer service and general respect. Lost the business of a part of 30 who will never return to the establishment. Props to the bar tender who was nice enough to give us a few mimosas while we stood there for over an hour just to be told our reservation never existed. Wish I could give you the name of the manager on duty but they never bothered to speak with me. Don't worry- her birthday wasn't completely ruined because we went to Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club on Halsted who managed to fit our party on the fly IN THE MIDDLE OF PRIDE FEST. Honestly, you should be ashamed of yourselves. read more

Never have I ever been so disgusted and appalled by customer service. 0 stars don't even justify the catastrophic scenario on Sunday, June 23 for the 2 pm drag show. I made a reservation for 30 people at the beginning of March for my 25th birthday. I knew how high the demand is for a table, not to mention the fact it was pride week. The manager Jon replied to my reservation. Over the next couple of months, I spoke to another employee in regards to a wrist band deal they were advertising through Instagram. I reached out because I thought it would be best for my party to just stay in one area. The night before, Saturday, June 22 I spoke with an employee over the phone. I called in regard to my niece not being 21 and made sure it would be okay with her attending, in addition to confirming my reservation. She stated since she will not be drinking it would be okay to attend and everything was good to go for Sunday. I know how crowded things can get. I told all my guests to arrive at 130 PM to avoid any issues. I myself arrived at 105pm. Where I was checked in by a Male at the front door who instructed me to stand in line and wait to be seated. People are being seated and already eating before me I was the first one there. in line, my reservation is not found. By 240 PM I was informed that my reservation is "lost". It took over half an hour for the manager Abigail to waddle to us to only chuckle and laugh in our face that nothing could be done. Even after showing her the numerous emails and messages that have been going back and forth over the last THREE MONTHS. Was told there was no solution since she had no emails on her end. Manager Jon would not even come up and face our group. Just hid. I was told I could wait until everyone is seated to then see if there are any available seats remaining. Why wasn't I told upon check in my reservation isn't on the paper? Only 2.5 hours after standing around was I told. I have never dealt with a manager with such despicable customer service and disregard for peoples time. Blatant disrespect. Utterly appalled with the lack of organization, respect, and consideration. Wait to top it off and add insult to injury. The River Instagram account was watching my Instagram stories... I tried one last time to message them in regards to my reservation. READ and no response. Get it together. Mad river didn't last... neither will "the river" with this asinine behavior. You should be ashamed of your management. Its okay the day was saved. The Kit Kat lounge was able to accommodate a table within 30 minutes IN THE MIDDLE OF PRIDE FEST. read more

Was disappointed when I learned that the restaurant is owned by billionaire brother of Elon Musk. Why is my money not being given to the local farms they claim to buy produce from? Everything about this place is a walking contradiction. I'd rather support local restaurants owned by real locals. Now enough about politics let's actually talk about the food. One word. Disappointing. Mushy fish that wasn't seared properly and undercooked Burger meat. My wallet took a dent for nothing. Overpriced for what? The location? The food? The service? All of which, very disappointed by. Even if you are a fanboy of the musk family. Don't. Eat. Here. Go spend your money somewhere else, seriously. read more

I had the best time here today! Cheryl and Eddie were so much fun - it was so upbeat and they made us feel like we were the most important people in the bar despite having a million other customers. I've been here for drag brunch on Sundays and it is INCREDIBLE. The queens are amazing and the staff makes it work seamlessly. Can't wait to come back! read more

I made reservations for my bachelorette party 2 months in advance, I emailed and talked to someone on the phone about the drag brunch and was told they only offer them on sundays I showed up for my confirmed reservation and was told they decided to change the day, I was never informed that they decided to change anything. I scheduled my whole bachelorette party around this, and they didn't even care to apologize or try to make right in the situation. WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE I HAVE EVER WITNESSED IN MY LIFE. read more

The River Kitchen and Bar - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Not sure if you've had this complaint before but I came to the restaurant this past Saturday before attending Market Days for brunch... Walked in, sat down and notice the music was really loud... extremely so... Tried to grin and bare in case I was the only one in my group having issues... The water bottle on the table kept moving toward me... My chest was vibrating from the bass...I looked at my friends and screamed..."the music is really loud?" They answered, "yes"...I tried to deal with it but it became painful and irritating...I finally looked over and said... "I'm sorry I can't take this...I have to leave..." They agreed...I got outside and my ears felt like they were water-logged from swimming... The feeling continue for most of the afternoon. Was the food bad? It was ok. Was the atmosphere nice? Yes. I've been to many clubs and concerts in my life but I've never felt so uncomfortable from music in my life. I left your place and told my friends..."any one who works there is going to damage their hearing..." I will never come back... I've never reviewed a restaurant in my life but I was so upset... And wanted to warn any future customers. Be prepared! read more

Who "loses" someone's reservation within 24 hours of confirmation? Especially when it's made 3 months in advance? Look no further The River's got you covered! I never leave bad reviews, even if restaurants truly deserve them, but The River completely blew me out of the water with this one. A group of about 30 of us had a reservation for the 2:30pm Sunday brunch. We all arrived between 1 and 1:30pm to ensure that we get seated and situated ASAP. We made sure to be respectful of the staff so everyone in the group was on time. We checked in and were told to hang tight by the uneducated hostess that should have informed us at the beginning before making us wait 2 hours that our reservation doesn't exist. Three confirmations were done before we arrived to top that off. Terrible management and organizations skills. The manager wouldn't even speak with the group and I don't blame him. I would not like to be confronted by 30 people either. Luckily the bartender was there to booze us up while dealing with all this BS. After reading all the other reviews, I'm glad Kit Kat took us in after hearing about this exhausting experience. At least the food isn't bland there! Blessing in disguise though! We got to enjoy our brunch, drinks, drag show and pride right outside the lounge as the operator of The River Instagram watched it all and proceeded to ignore us. Real PROFESHHHH read more

Saturday funday! Is bro brunch back yet? Cheryl and Eddie were a blast. Def coming back!

This place will forever be known as Mad River to me.... classic Lakeview dive bar that got revamped and is now very trendy inside. Drinks are inexpensive, staff is decent, food is yummy and seriously underrated. Their wings are delicious! Also- their buffalo dip is ADDICTING. Thank me later. They have karaoke league performances on Wednesday nights Feb-May season, which is always fun to watch. They also have brunch specials on the weekends. Not a bad deal at all! It's big and roomy inside, so you'll never feel crowded or claustrophobic. I've had lots of good times here. This place is one that shouldn't be overlooked! read more

The worst brunch I have ever been to. I arrived at 11.30 for a Saturday brunch birthday and had to wait five minutes to be seated. They had the reservation of 20 people but didn't have the seating area ready for us so we had to wait for that too. After about half an hour we were asked if we wanted to start the bottomless brunch which we said sure because we were still waiting on most of the party to arrive. We finally got a pitcher of "mimosa" which was orange juice with maybe a splash of champagne? Mind all of this happened while the place was empty. There were maybe two other tables with people and no one else. Drinks were terrible, food was beyond terrible (my burger had nothing on it except cheese and the fries were salted to hell), service was nonexistent. Don't waste your time here go to Barcocina next door or go to 711 and get their cheap behind the glass food. Anything is better than this place. read more

I went to the River with a group of friends yesterday for brunch. Our waitress Kim was outstanding: very attentive and friendly. She explained the menu well, but some of the menu options were odd for a brunch. The appetizer was chips & salsa, which was strange. I ordered the skillet, and it had little to no flavor, and the portion was small for the $40 price tag (includes chips & salsa, entree, and bottomless mimosas/bloody Mary's). The drag queen performers were quite late and started about an hour and 10 minutes after our reservation. The drag performances were impressive and entertaining. We admired the creativity, lip syncing, dancing in the street, and hanging from the window ledges! We felt bad the next round of reservations had to wait for us to leave. We warned the next guests at our table to be prepared for terrible food. My friends and I joked that we should go out to lunch afterward. They have a great concept going with the drag brunches, but they need to work on their timeliness and DEFINITELY improve their terrible food. read more

This place is a great spot to hang out with friends on a weekend. They have a VIP pass that is given to a lucky person that wins it from a raffle. Anytime someone wins, the winner gets to bring whoever they want and anyone that comes with them gets the same deal for 15$ usually this deal is unlimited beer and wells cocktails for 3 hours. The food is good, and all the bartenders are super chill and friendly. Will definitely keep coming back to this place with our large group of friends. read more

Okay. So. I have been to Drag brunches all over the US. This truly is a special experience! Not just because the QUEENS are amazing, but because the WHOLE staff gets into the show. On multiple visits now, I've had the pleasure to be helped by Dylan Decoste who has not only made it a point to make sure that my friends and I had good service, but who went above and beyond to make us feel welcome in the space. It is this type of service that differentiates the River from a multitude of other brunches and is also why it has become my venue of choice for multiple events serving upwards of 90 MBA students. I know that if we go to the River, that Dylan and the other staff will ensure that our whole party is treated to top notch service with a smile so that the party can enjoy the show and walk away with an incredible experience! Thanks to the River and to Dylan! read more

The River is THE BEST brunch in Chicago. Every time I've gone, I've had a blast. I've brought family and friends there, and none of them have ever had a single complaint about their experience. The entertainment and performances are amazing. There's so much talent there, and the staff is beyond phenomenal. Everyone is so friendly, caring, and management will do anything to make sure their guests are pleased with their experience. Dylan has been our server many times and is incredible. Definitely ask for Dylan when making your reservation and see if he's available! You won't be disappointed. I can't wait for my next River experience! read more

Bar hopping on St. Patrick's Day is loads of fun in an ironic sense. Like, it's incredible to see the type of things and the behaviors that people show once they become completely inebriated...at 2 in the afternoon. During These festivities in the city of Chicago, a couple of hotspots that young adults enjoy to frequent include the always classy Wrigleyville, and Lakeview area. We spent enough time throwing myself in the pool of cheap beer, vomit, and sweat up and down the Wrigley streets, so we then started to venture more south to expand our options. Eventually, we hit the River, formally known as Mad River (i think), which had a pretty nasty reputation apparently, for being a total college bar, filled with all sorts of debauchery and whatnot. I felt, at this point, that I've already seen all the wild entertainment I needed to see in a day, but I was losing my buzz, so the River was (unfortunately) the next move. Actually, it wasn't that unfortunate at all. As some reviewers were saying, the place has potential, for sure. They've got a great amount of space for dancing and carousing. Bar is at a great spot in the back of the building too, not in the way of anything like other clubs. Floors were incredibly sticky though, which is expected being home to hundreds of grown babies for the day. Beer option was limited, especially by the time I got there (all the good stuff was gone...had to resort to Miller's and Coors! Ick!) But the one thing I loved about River- their sound system is the bomb. The bass, when it dropped, touched my soul is was so crushing. So yeah, seems like a great way to spend a night dancing. Honestly, I'd go back on a regular night to give it a more fair review but for being here on the craziest drinking day of Chicago, it wasn't too bad. read more

Last weekend was my first time at The River for drag brunch and it was awesome I was not expecting the amount of fun I would have! We made it in at the end so only got to see two performances but we made the most of it! Am defiantly coming back for the full show! What sets this place away from the others is the staff. My friend and I were charged an extra $30 on our bill when we looked at our bank accounts the next day. I called and spoke with the GM Adam and he was so helpful and patient he explained it was a third party system mistake and he could not refund me the extra money that was taken. So he venmoed me personally the money that was taken out. I've been in the service industry for years and never heard of a manager going out of their way to fix a customer issue like this. 1000000/10 HIGHLY recommend visiting! Thank you so much Adam and I hope I get to meet you when I visit again soon! read more

I'm so glad that the River has reopened and is operating during Covid-19! The staff is doing a great job of taking care if it's customers and Taylor has been amazing bringing us everything we need all night. The general manager, Adam, was also extremely helpful and checked in on us throughout our visit. Can't wait to come back soon and support! read more

The Sunday drag show was amazing but unfortunately 3/4 of our group never got our food. We spoke to the manager John who swore at us when one person mentioned how we never got our food and we weren't paying for those meals. He was only going to comp us half off which makes no sense because 10 of 15 people didn't receive the product. We argued it and he was completely rude to us. Hopefully they learn from these experiences and get it together because it is a cool space and the entertainment is great. read more

I visited The River last Friday after being told about a Friday Taco/Drink deal for $15. I was hesitant because All You Can Eat tacos and All You Can Drink beer/simple well drinks for only $15 sounded way too good to be true. I believed it even less when I tried looking on the website and couldn't find even the slightest mention of it. Although, the website is all around awful and doesn't have much information about anything, let alone specials. (When I clicked on "Happy Hours", it brought me to the "Book an Event" page.) I decided to chance it, and was not disappointed! From 7-10, I was able to enjoy as many vodka lemonades as I could drink, and starting at 8pm, my group and I were taking advantage of the self-serve taco bar. The line for tacos was long, but manageable, and no one in my group had to wait more than a minute at the bar to grab drinks. Overall Pros: Awesome deal Delicious tacos (and from past visits - delicious food in general) Friendly/quick bartenders Clean bathroom Crowded but still ample room to move around/dance Overall Cons: Website needs updating Deals never advertised (I saw their sidewalk sign tucked away inside that didn't even have the Friday Taco special listed) Music way too loud (I couldn't speak to the person sitting next to me) read more

The drag brunch is unforgettable. The performers are all very energetic, friendly, and entertaining. Definitely one of the best drag shows I've ever seen!! Plus for $40, unlimited mimosas, some liquors, and shared table food ... what more could you want for brunch?! read more

They will kick you out of a table and say it was "reserved" when there was no marking or notice. We were sitting at a table for an hour and a half before being removed because the table suddenly became reserved. Also the pizza is sub par. read more