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    The River Social

    3.3 (135 reviews)

    The River Social Photos

    THE RIVER SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
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    Shrimp over polenta~ Outstanding
    Elizabeth S.

    I'm still dreaming about the shrimp dish over polenta. Wow was it azaaazzzzing!!!! The establishment itself is very visually appealing and even more so if you get the opportunity to snag a table outside to enjoy Waterfire. My friends and I shared a few plates but here's 4 pics. Everything was so tasty and unique. I wasn't crazy about having to pay to park in a nearby lot but that's not the restaurants fault. I probably could've taken more time to find a spot to park for free. Otherwise, it's a wonderful restaurant and I can't wait to return.

    Brunch with the girls!
    X R.

    We had reservations and had to wait a bit... Totally worth it though, Service was great!! Food came in decent time, martinis were delicious and food was good.

    Gardener's Benedict
    Katie M.

    Bottomless mimosas at a more upscale environment. Thr food was delicious as were the drinks and the river view made it a great date spot or brunch with friends spot. Next time we spend a weekend in RI we will definitely be back for brunch.

    Mediterranean Mediterranean
    Theresa A.

    Went here for brunch on a nice Sunday morning and was able to sit outside. Great view if you can sit outside. We got there when it opened so we did not have to wait. Our server arrived quickly to grad our drink order. They give you the option for ice or hot coffee which I liked. We both ordered omelets, I ordered the Mediterranean my husband ordered the meat lovers. We were both very happy with our meals. They played club music fairly loud outside which was kind of surprising for brunch. Prices were average, we would definitely go back!

    Exterior
    Victoria K.

    I had a very enjoyable brunch here recently with a colleague! The scenery is quite nice with a view of the river, the menu is very appealing and the service is good overall. We both tried the crab cake benedict which was the perfect portion size, not too big and not too small. I really enjoyed the home fries which are spiced with za'atar seasoning. It was a delightful surprise, and an unexpected flavor profile but it went well with some of the other Mediterranean style dishes on the menu. I am glad I discovered this spot and will definitely keep it in mind for future meals in the area! It's a bit out of sight, but if you are looking for it you will find it :)

    Steak Benedict
    Alexandria C.

    My friend and I loved the brunch here! I'm actually surprised at their ratings because I believe it's worth a try and would go back. I had the seafood Benedict which was delicious with a side of fruit and a Bloody Mary. My friend had the steak Benedict with potatoes. We both enjoyed our meals, and I'm already hoping to go back soon to have the seafood Benedict again! My friend also said the potatoes were very fresh and tasty. It is a small restaurant so I recommend making reservations. Our waiter was kind and attentive.

    Braised short rib empanadas, truffle fries. And seafood stuffed mushrooms.
    Mikaela B.

    I really wanted to like this place but it was just very average. I was shocked because the location was so pretty, right by the water and the inside was put together so nicely. My friend and I ordered multiple appetizers and both didn't "love" anything besides the shrimp. But even those I thought were over cooked. The empanadas barely had any meat and I found a short black hair in the mushrooms. I could not stomach much after that. Our waitress was very attentive the entire time we were there. We had multiple drinks and they were all good. I would say this place is more for drinking, not so much a dinner/food spot.

    Katya K.

    Food was excellent! Waitress very nice and accommodating. I loved the quiet ambiance. You can hear your company without music being too loud like most places. Valet tried to hustle us for parking. Told me $40 while told my friend $20. I would be back again and try to find street parking. Will be white a walk though.

    Irene M.

    Bottomless mimosas drew me here for brunch. I wish their portion sizes were bigger, I left still hungry. The staff was friendly and the waitress came back to refill our drinks to get the most out of our mimosa timeframe. The restaurant itself is very small, there is the option for outdoor seating but indoor there are limited tables so having a reservation is recommended. The food was good but again, the portion sizes are small.

    Vanessa O.

    This was a nicely situated dining spot right on the waterplace. Service was great and responsive. They do offer complimentary valet services; just don't forget your validation from server. We ordered the risotto at first but it wasn't fully cooked to us. The rice and beans were too crunchy. We asked to substitute for the pasta, with lobster included and glad we did. The lobster was more delicious on the pasta dish.

    Restaurant Week Menu - Winter 2020
    Shawn A.

    Stopped it for the first time during Restaurant Week after having this in my Providence Collection since they opened a year ago. All of their offerings looked great so I was glad I went with a group so I could try a number of the dishes. The location is great sitting right on the river and they have done a great job with the decor. The nigh we were there there was only one person serving, both the tables and the bar. She did a great job managing both and was attentive to us as guests. For apps we selected the Shrimp and Polenta and the Crispy Cheese Triangles. The shrimp was tasty and the polenta came out in a small fried disk shape that the shrimp were presented on. It was a nice combo. The Cheese Triangles were a big upgrade to fried cheese sticks. For our entrees we tried three of them, we missed the Risotto (which looked fantastic, but I wanted a couple of Scallops to fall on it so it wasn't a vegetarian dish). I got the Rosemary Lamb Rack over Polenta (I guess it was a polenta themed night for me). The lamb as excellent. It had a great Dijon coating. My wife got the Pulled Pork Shank, great flavor! I also got a bite of the Duck which was a winner as well. For dessert we went with the Bombolini, pastry willed with Nutella (great) and the Baklava Sandwich (who doesn't like Ice Cream stuffed Baklava). Great meal, great place.

    "Crispy" Chicken and Waffles
    James F.

    Very disappointing experience. The hostess sat us in the blazing sun outside for brunch... when requested one of the four fully shaded tables, she stated they were reserved. 3 of 4 remained empty when we left 45 minutes later. Picture attached shows a "Crispy" Chicken and Waffles... the chicken was a freezer chicken disc you could buy at Walmart. Bloody Mary menu online from 2021 listed 8 different adder options for your bloody Mary... current menu we scanned had 2. We did ask for the manager and he refund our frozen chicken waffles... this was appreciated and resulted in the second star. Hostess never even thought to re-seat us when all the shade table reservations "cancelled last minute". Pls save your money and socialize on the river somewhere else.

    I didn't contemplate taking a picture until the end... again, edible, but $47 worth?
    Stacey S.

    So my fiancé and I were trying to kill some time in Providence and made a 4:15pm reservation at this restaurant. I've got to say - never been this genuinely disappointed by a meal. We walk in and there's one other party in the corner but otherwise the place is deserted. There's about four employees at the bar chatting. We order two spicy margaritas and split the kafta. Honestly at this point things are going pretty well. Spicy marg was absolutely delicious and the kafta was great! I really loved it, and it was a great app to split between two people. I went to the bathroom at this point and was kind of shocked. The whole restaurant is kind of instagrammy, with the neon signs and greenery on the wall but the bathroom was super icky in comparison. The majority of the floor was wet, and there was cleaning products scattered under the sink in such a way that I couldn't even properly stand in front of the sink to wash my hands easily. Pretty frustrating considering the restaurant was still empty and everyone was standing around when we got there... seems like no one thought about cleaning the one bathroom they have during all the down time. Then we go back and my fiancé and I have ordered the filet medallions to share. Okay, this is a $45 meal, and it's 4:20pm at this point so we aren't very hungry, we figured that a meal that is called "Filet Medallions" and costs $45 would be a good one to share, right? The meal comes out in two plates - which is great because we said we wanted to split it. Each plate has a filet and a half of steak, fries, and a salad. First and foremost- the steak had nothing on it. No sauce, no juus, no gravy. Just a steak with fake looking grill marks instead of a proper sear. Furthermore, the filet was not a good cut of steak - had that stringy and tough quality that chuck steak tends to have. The fries were marketed as fries with feta - all my fries had two chunks of feta and that was it. Feels like if you're going to market it as feta fries then maybe put a bit more thought into it? Didn't have a lot of flavor at all. The salad was fine. Not a lot happening there, but pretty hard to mess up salad. Overall, the meal was comparable to a "steak" dinner at a Chilis or Applebees. I'm honestly leaving this as a two star because I mean, it was edible. Just a massive fucking disappointment and a waste of money. All in all, two margaritas, two glasses of wine, the kafta and the "filet" was $145 after tip. I am perfectly happy paying that much for a decent meal, but this one was definitely not worth half this much. They also charged us $2 extra for our filet, maybe because we split it? I feel like ordering an app and the most expensive item on the menu and four drinks at ~4:35pm should have prevented us from getting a "split fee" but whatever. As an aside, our server didn't have a very good attitude, but trying not to hold it against her because well, it's the pandemic and sometimes life just sucks, so be it.

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    Ask the Community - The River Social

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    So if you have lived on the west side of Providence for a while, you surely are aware of the legend…read morethat was the E & O . So, I was understandably hesitant about a new bar moving into what was considered by many to be hallowed ground. Since I walk by it on my way home from work, I decided to stop in soon after it first opened to see what it was like. And now I am a regular and it's one of my favorite watering holes in the city. Super cool atmosphere, with tons of horror movie memorabilia on the walls. A couple of pinball machines ( including a brand new Evil Dead one which is really sweet), and neat liitle outback area for nicer days. They also occasionally have music and drag shows inside, and in the summer months cool shows outside in the parking lot next door. You can also grab a grilled cheese or a hot dog from Puggles Grilled Cheese most days of the week if you're feeling peckish. And my favorite thing... PICKLEBACKS.... !!!! All the drinks are cheap and they have a good selection of beers and ciders. Maybe most importantly, the owners Jeff and Courtney are absolutely lovely people who really understood keeping the locals vibe of the E & O era but also being it's own thing. Definitely support this great establishment.

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    Creepy Ronald and the pinball machines
    Get in, loser, we're going drinking.
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    Loma

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    We were in Providence for just one night and wanted a great craft-cocktail experience. A quick…read moresearch pulled up Loma with a straight five-star rating, and they def deserve every star. From our arrival, the hospitality was top tier. Warm, welcoming, unrushed. The space itself is cozy and intimate, with this beautifully curated burnt-orange vibe that feels a like a 1930s-40s Cuban lounge. Even the staff subtly matched the aesthetic and color scheme. You can tell a ton of thought went into every detail of this place. Every cocktail we tried was creative, balanced, and thoughtfully composed. Presentation was beautiful without being gimmicky. One of the hosts/servers took the time to explain each drink. We also tried the flan. It was silky, perfectly set, just sweet enough: 10/10. Once there, we learned that Loma's Latino-owned, and that heritage is subtly celebrated throughout--from their curated Salsa playlist on the high def sound system to their inclusion of Latin American flavors and ingredients in their menu. Oh and one of the details we loved most: there's no big wall of liquor bottles on display like you see in most places. They keep only a few featured spirits visible and tuck everything else away, which gives the whole space a more intimate, upscale, almost homey feel. In short: impeccable vibes, genuinely warm hospitality, gorgeous space, incredible drinks, and thoughtful details everywhere. Loma is exactly the kind of bar you hope to stumble upon when traveling--and the kind that makes you wish you lived closer. A must-visit. We'd come back in a heartbeat.

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    On a mission to find my favorite spritz in PVD. We went to Clementine for girls night and had to…read moreget my usual - Aperol Spritz. Service was great - the bartenders kept us entertained and engaged with us throughout the entire evening. I can't wait to go back!

    On Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at 6:00PM, I attended Clementine's September Chef Night. Clementine…read morepartnered with Little Friend, a pop-up by chefs Andrew McQuesten and Stephen Sternkopf, both former chefs of Downtown's now-closed north. I was lucky to have tried North when it was open so when I saw the former chefs were preparing the meal for Chef Night, I knew I had to sign up and was so glad I did. The meal was stupendous! The first course was shrimp and corn fritters. The fritters were filled with shrimp and corn and you can visually see the shrimp and corn. It wasn't overly doughy and the sauce was delicious! Chef Andrew described the dish and he told us that the shrimp was locally sourced from Dune Brothers. The second course was noodles with tomato and pepper dashi and grilled fish. The noodles were fresh, but it started to get a little clumpy. The dashi was really flavorful. The third course was miso tres leches cake with sakura whipped cream. This course I was the most excited about and it totally blew my expectations. Chef Andrew told us that they hand picked sakura petals and made their own whipped cream. The tres leches cake was moist, dense, and airy. The dessert was definitely the star of the show. Bravo to chefs Andrew McQuesten and Stephen Sternkopf for a wonderful locally sourced meal. Jean-Marc and the other bartender were also very friendly and accommodating. They checked on all the customers throughout the night and made yummy drinks. I had the Toasted Venture. This is one of the signature cocktails and has Toasted Pumpkin Seed-Infused Misguided Spirits Red Sky Silver Rum/Cynar/St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur/Rosemary Elixir/Mole Bitters. It was very good. A time at Clementine's is always wonderful.

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    Inside
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    The Royal Bobcat

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    CATFISH DINNER with cajun fries, remoulade, tartar, and slaw.
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    Last word and Sazerac

    The River Social - mediterranean - Updated July 2026

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