Had a celebration in the atrium for my mom's 90th birthday. First thought when I arrived to finalize plans, was this may not work. The restaurant/bar was to the left and a huge banquet hall upstairs. But, it turned out great!! The only noise was my family and our music. Our hostess, Stacey, was so amazing!! She was available to us and the bar area. Always had a smile and asking what we needed. Jason was also so helpful! I would definitely reserve this place for our next family function!! read more

See all

We had a gift certificate for River City and chose to stop in before going to a show nearby. On a Thursday evening around 630, the place was pretty empty. We chose a high top by the bar and were told there was no table service, but the bartender ended up coming over to wait on us anyway. The inside of the restaurant is pretty, spacious, and has a lot of natural light due to the floor to ceiling windows. The food was honestly just ok. The baked artichoke dip with pita bread was good (7/10). It was creamy, cheesy, and the pita was warm with a nice chew to it. The gnocchi left something to be desired, in my opinion. The sauce was a little bland and the dish could've used some cheese or something to boost the flavor. The side salad was as expected. The burger was our favorite. It was juicy, the bacon was crisp, and the BBQ sauce wasn't too sweet. The tots were crispy and lightly salted. Parking is on the street out front. We found a spot about a block or two down and didn't have an issue with the short walk. read more

See all

We stopped into this establishment on the 27th. We were celebrating my 26th birthday and on our way to Oglebay to see the lights, coming from northeast Ohio. We stopped into this spot for a quick lunch. Boy did it disappoint. The place was a ghost town, and admittedly that should have been our first redflag. Now let's start with the questionable service at best... My husband went to order their baked potato soup and the waitress immediately urged him not to order it, she said it wasn't fresh and wouldn't be good. The wait staff openly admitted to this piece of information... okay! We ordered three starters, on my one of them being decent. The artichoke dip was over powering with garlic, and that was the only flavor. The pirogies... definitely from a freeze box and not even attempted to doctor it up. A packet of sour cream that tasted... interesting. Soggy over cooked onions and peppers paired with it. 3-4 small pirogies overpriced for the taste and amount you got. The wings were the only good thing that came out of it. They were good. Then we move onto the Entrees.. My husband ordered a salad and their French onion soup.. Salad was old lettuce, picking out brown pieces. The French onion soup was okay, but tasted pretty greasy. I ordered their burrito bowl, pictured.. I would like to set the record straight: I have never been so disappointed in a meal that I either had to send it back because it was inedible/write a review. There's a first time for everything! I got my meal, and it smelled awful. It was also 16.99 FOR THIS! Very small portions, and disgusting. It smelled so bad. The rice was marketed as cilantro lime... there was no cilantro or lime found on the rice or even this plate.. The rice was hard as if it came out of a minute made bag. Lettuce was gross.. beans fresh from the can and smelled awful, test wasn't any better. I took one singular bite and had to send it back for something different. Unseasoned and disgusting. The waitress's attitude wasn't great about sending it back. I ordered a side Caesar and fries. The fries were fresh cut, which was good. Some fries however did taste old/were over cooked. The Caesar was subpar at best. At the end of this horrible experience, we requested for the bowl to be taken off our bill. The waitress gave us grief about it, and said she'd have to call her boss to take it off. I took one bite... Overall terrible experience, don't recommend. read more

River City Banquets - Burrito Bowl - American Near Me - Wheeling, West Virginia

We just sat at the bar and had a couple beers but overall our experience was really good. They had Labatt on draft which was awesome to see. The bartender was nice and talked with us for a while and the building itself was really clean. I'd come here again read more

I'm at a loss when trying to figure how this place remains in business. Evening about River City is sub-par. The food is atrocious, the service is laughable, and the staff is overall apathetic. Even when functioning solely as a late night bar the atmosphere is horrible and the bartenders just don't care about making sure customers have a good time. Do yourself a favor and stay away. read more

They recently raised their prices (which were already high for Wheeling) and apparently no one told them that prices are supposed to reflect quality. With an average menu item price of about $16, getting a "burrito bowl" with minute rice, pre-grated cheese, dry chicken, and beans/corn out of the can is WILD. Highly disappointing. read more

Great lunch specials! I used to work around the corner from this place so I'd come here for lunch, sometimes I'd dine in and sometimes I'd take it to go. We had a couple of different items from the menu there. The artichoke dip was really good, really creamy. The fried foods were good, can't complain. My friends didn't have any complaints on the food at that place. The service was pretty good, friendly staffs. If you're looking for a good but inexpensive lunch in Wheeling area, come here. read more

All the way around awful. Service and food were very bad and the staff was not friendly. They had our party set up our own tables and chairs. Shut down lights and music an hour early of the time we booked. read more

I really loved the old building. This place is seriously cool. The problem is the food. El crapo. My steak was tougher than I would ever expect to eat in a restaurant. The side dishes seemed like reheated prepared food. I'd go get my drink on here but I'd pass on dinner. read more

Customer service sub par. Food sub par. Not welcoming and accommodating. Poor event planning. I would only go there if desperate.

We didn't want to eat in a chain restaurant, so we checked this place out based on the Yelp reviews. It's a really cool old building that was renovated in 1996. When we got there at 5:30, we were the only customers in the restaurant. Service was pretty slow, and our waitress disappeared for nearly half an hour after we were done eating. There was a big event going on upstairs, though, so maybe that had something to do with it. The food was decent, and the beer selection was pretty good. It was nothing to rave about, but better than if we had gone to Perkins. read more

Food was good, but I was beyond disappointment when we were there for a family members birthday dinnerJuly 17th. Waitress told us they no longer offer all you can eat crab legs, which is what the birthday fella was very excited and looking forward to The special menu board advertised it and the menu had it printed in it... Well I tried the get waitress to get someone in management to HONOR what they have advertised for AND LEAST THE BIRTHDAY GUEST... Well that didn't happen . He never complained but yes Aunt Carmen was pissed off. I would not recommend this place to anyone. They are just lucky I didn't take pictures of their bathroom that night that had all toilets filled to the rimand wet floor.... but I did inform staff of conditions in there read more

River City Banquets - Bar Area.... - American Near Me - Wheeling, West Virginia

Jason and his crew were very helpful and accommodating. We got hold of him many times during the process. My wife kept thinking of more questions, and he didn't seem to mind. He handled the food and drink at my daughter's wedding a few days ago, and it was a huge success. I HIGHLY recommend him for any and all of your catering needs. Very easy to work with! read more

Well, where to begin... a little bit of history to start. Used to be wholesale grocery store a few decades ago. Then became an electric company for many years. Very cool building and atmosphere. Downstairs is the restaurant and bar (one of the largest bar counters in wheeling) Second floor is office space and museum showcasing WVa. Third floor is a spacious event center for weddings and gatherings. Now- the food. Food is good. Other reviews mention it being overpriced and it is a little more pricy than other restaurants in the area. Menu has a variety of items that goes past just "bar food." Artichoke dip is great. Fish and chips is also high on my list! The bar. Like I said it is a large bar counter. They have well over 15 beers on tap. A large selection of liquor and the staff is very knowledgeable. The bar manager will gladly serve you with a smile and has no issue carrying on a conversation. All in all- I recommend stopping in Downtown for a bite to eat and a beer (or two). Perfect place especially if you are already across the street at the arena! read more

I have lived in Wheeling my entire life, and Wheeling benefits from a large tourist trade, so it pains me to dis a local business, but this place just does not get it. I have eaten here many times over the years since it opened in the early 90s and consistently have endured mediocre food at greatly inflated prices. My most recent visit, this past Saturday (Feb. 2, 2013) was after the OVAC cheering competition at the Wesbanco arena. This is a major event drawing thousands of participants and attendees therefore the restaurant knew it was to be a busy day. I ordered coffee, was promptly served, and drank it in about 5 minutes, prior to my food order was taken, nevertheless throughout the entire stay (about an hour and a half) my cup was not refilled, nor was I once asked. I, as well as two others in my party of 14 ordered the Buffalo Chicken wrap, and my side was steamed broccoli. When the orders arrived there were two Buffalo Chicken wraps, and on Grilled Chicken Wrap with a side of broccoli. These two dishes are totally different as to the content. I pointed out the mistake and the waiter kindly returned the plate and returned about 90 seconds later with the same sandwich now covered with copious amounts of Texas Pete sauce. I did not feel like sending the food back a second time, so I consumed the grilled chicken wrap drowning in hot sauce, which by the way was cold. I smiled and left a tip on the 9.95 cold sandwich which I did not order. This is a typical River City experience. Wheeling has many, many great restaurants. Ye Olde Alpha is a one of a kind experience. The Casino and the Metropolitan offer fine dining choices. Oglebay and Stratford Springs are great choice with phenomenal views. The Highlands has everything from chain restaurants to Japanese Steak House. Undo's has some of the best family style Italian you can find. Go to these places. Don't waste your money here. read more

OK lunch with decent service in a carefully refurbished airy atmosphere. Food quality is probably their weak point. Stopping on interstate travel (I-70 is blocks away) we had fish and chips and a burrito bowl. Food came quickly and neatly but was not prepared with much flavor. The "Artisan Center", as the building is called, is nice looking though. read more

Maybe at two star rating is a bit harsh but when you call your restaurant an "Ale Works" and you don't make your own beer or serve anything local or special on tap you're setting your guests up for disappointment. The food was alright. I'd order the fried pickles again. The came out crispy, not soggy. The entree's we ordered ended up being good. The seared tuna appetizer as a dinner meal was great. The steak we ordered came out well done even though it was ordered medium at the most. The second time the steak was a much better cut of meat and cooked to order. I can't say anything about this place is that exciting. I would probably seek out a different venue with better beer on tap. read more

I've gotta say, River City's a great place for Wheeling. The food was good, and the beer selection was the best I've found in the area. They used to brew their own beer, but stopped many years ago after the place was flooded. They should start brewing again. This town needs locally brewed beer! The place was clean and well-lit. An entertaining fella by the name of "Smokedaddy" was playing some covers in the bar area when we got there, and he apparently plays every Friday night. After his set, a heavier band went on behind the bar. They weren't really my style, but it was nice to continue having live music. Overall, I really enjoyed River City and would recommend it to others. read more

River City Ale Works is a very pretty venue for weddings and events in the Wheeling area. With exposed bricks and I beams, twinkle lights and tulle, it is a great backdrop for events. The food for the catered events is ok and there are limited vegetarian options that are pedestrian but available (read, pasta with vegetables). The second floor of the building houses a museum exhibit with local history artifacts and information. The restaurant and bar are located on the first floor. The space is large and airy and their menu is extensive. The bar space is large and hosts dancing on most weekends as well. read more

We went there for dinner prior to a Nailers game since it was close to the arena. Sat it the bar area since there was a large table. Right off the bat, and even though they weren't busy, the table hadn't been wiped off after it had been cleared. We ordered appetizers, the zucchini was over fried, greasy and it was apparent the fryer oil was old and not fresh. The spinach artichoke dip was overpowered with garlic and seemed void of spinach. My hamburger was mediocre served on a bun that was not fresh. Onion rings were like the zucchini above overcooked and tasted horrible. The other entrees were average at best. My advice to management is tho call John Taffer. This place needs rescued! read more

I liked this place. I'm not from this area, but I thought the location was pretty cute. It was a weeknight so not very crowded at all. We sat at a table near a window and a waitress was right over for our orders. We had some appetizer which I can't remember. Wings maybe? The star of the show for me were the long islands. They were good and they were strong. They are probably why I can't remember which app we ordered. Anyway, then I had the fish & chips which was surprisingly good because for some reason I have found fish & chips to be hit or miss at places. I'm usually nervous about ordering it but it was definitely good. Will be back the next time I'm in town. read more

Bad, bad beer here tonight. Sick and Sicker; had to leave the blues fest after One porter here. DO Not Drink Here...ask whether the beer was bad this past week... Beware. read more

It's a nice place for wheeling. Ive had a few functions there and it's always been nice. The food isn't bad either. nice atmostphere read more

River City Banquets - the front of the building - American Near Me - Wheeling, West Virginia

Very very very average food for the price plenty of other good options in town. I had Carribean chicken rice&brocolli. It was plain no taste no season came with a salsa mango pineapple that had taste but thats that. Rice plain as well as brocolli chicken also plain just no seasoning. Kid had cheese burger pickle and a fry he didnt like as well and was bummed pickles was spears not slices for burger, I did have a couple fry they tasted good maybe alittle over seasoned. Not worth the $40 at all. read more

First time here in years and now I know why. Ordered an appetizer, salad and entree received all three at the same time - 25 minutes after ordering. By the time I got to the entree it was cold. The waitress came back 10 minutes later to see how things were. Talked to her about My entree she said they'd have it remade, but brought back the same item which must of been heated in the microwave. She was very apologetic and it was not her fault but it was upsetting when you have somewhere you need to be. Another lady said they took off my drink... I had water. She asked if I'd give them another chance I said more than likely not. Other tables received their food as they should but we did not. read more

Where do I start? This is my second time eating here, and the first time was an absolute nightmare in itself that involved a server rolling her eyes at us so hard that I thought they'd fall out and getting defensive when we said our food was cold (and that was the least infuriating part), but today I thought I'd give them one more chance. I sat at the bar to get takeout, and I ordered one simple thing. I got the vegetable burrito bowl with no cheese or sour cream since I'm avoiding dairy. The person behind the bar put the order in and even asked me if I'd like anything extra, and I said "Sure, maybe an extra salsa since I nixed the sour cream." Great. I sat and waited. I took my bag, walked back to my office, and opened the box to find a container of rice, a few black beans, some corn that looked like it was dumped out of a can, some tomato chunks, and some lettuce that looked like that lettuce you get in pre-made salad bags at Kroger. The menu said that this came with avocado, which was the main reason I ordered it. No avocado was to be found on this day. Oh, and instead of salsa (remember, I clear said that I didn't want sour cream) they gave me two containers of sour cream. How do you mess something up (a 14.00 dish, mind you) that is so simple so badly? I'll never know, because I'll never step foot in the place again. And I'm going to let anyone I know that this place is horrible and they don't seem to care about their product any time it comes up in conversation. If you want good food that isn't overpriced and is made with care, go to Vagabond Kitchen (I have no affiliation with them at all.. I'm just angry that I didn't go there today). read more

Nice atmosphere, pretty building. Should have known something was off when there were no other folks dining at 7 pm on a Friday evening. Waitress was polite & efficient. Food was awful. Wings tasted old, almost 'musty'and were dried out. Salad mostly limp lettuce. Fish & fries were greasy and soggy. Prices high for quantity /quality of food. First time here, and our last. read more

Beer selection was fine. Service was good. Food was almost inedible. First the salads were drowning in cheese. Not vegetables. Just cheese. Second the "spinach artichoke dip". I use quotations here as neither spinach or artichokes could be found. The dip wasn't even green so it isn't like it was blended in. The dip was actually a over powering garlic cheese soup with crusty crusty bread. Next up were perogies. They were pretty bland and swimming in what looked like fryer oil. Another member in my party actually wiped off the oil with a napkin. Finally the calamari. Again bathing in the mysterious and unwelcome fry oil. They weren't even crispy because they were so so oily and smothered in banana peppers. My stomach felt so unhappy after eating here. It is really a shame.as it is.a nice location and atmosphere. read more

Poor service, lousy food. Wait staff had no idea about menu items. There isn't much choice in downtown Wheeling, but River City Ale Works doesn't help the situation. read more

My boyfriend took me to this great place for my birthday dinner...wonderful! So much food! Crab dip was so good,we ate every bite and were kinda full for our dinner...but our waitress was more then happy to pack-up our leftovers to enjoy the next day!I would recommend this place,and can't wait to visit again...drive past the Wheeling Island dinner spots, and experince fresh cooked food and great atmosphre! read more

This is by no means a good restaurant. My boyfriends ribs were cold. The fish and chips were decent. The beer selection was decent. The service was horrible. The male barkeep straight lied when I asked if they had a cocktails menu. How do I know he lied? Cause the menu was on the wall behind him and his female counterpart was able to produce one. He was just lazy. The guy next to me had to ask for a menu and had to ask to have his order placed and had to ask for them to take his drink order. Lazy and distracted service. read more

I tend to agree with the person who wrote, good for Wheeling. This is not a vegetarian friendly restaurant. All I could get besides a lettuce salad was spaghetti with marinara sauce. If I want Italian I'll go to one of Wheeling's many Italian restaurants. read more

Stopped here after being treated like a peasant at Metropolotan. Will never go back there. River City was completely opposite. Pleasant staff, very welcoming. The atmosphere is nice and the tables are far enough apart to where you have privacy. Onto the food, i ordered tge Crabcakes. Delicious! I want to give 5 stars and they deserve it for the great service and excellent food. The only reason i am giving 4 stars is the portions are small especially for the price. That said, will i return? You betcha. read more

Food is average, prices are ridiculously high for Wheeling. Service is inconsistent.

Went there for dinner last night. The server brought my margarita out and it had at least 5 bugs floating in it! The "14 oz" steak my husband ordered was paper thin. Less than 3/8 of an inch thick. The crab legs were cold and had to be reordered. Very bad experience read more

Huge spot right in the middle of town. Clean and kind. 20 different beers on tap. There was a wedding reception on the top floor, and since the place is very open, we had to listen to "Brick House" and the like. There's a huge center atrium where a band was playing. Pool tables and good times. read more

Really good service! Been here twice and both of the bartenders we met were absolute dolls. The sautéed pierogies were very good but I had the Oriental Chicken Salad, chicken was very dry and the lettuce looked old and the tomato tasted like a walk-in cooler... Also the salad dressing was really gross but the sauce they had on the chicken was yummy. Boyfriend had the Philly chicken sandwich and he didn't care for it. read more

Nice place-- and it was open! Score. Not much still open in Wheeling, especially 4th of July. Waitress / service was bright and friendly. Oriental salad was heavy and not typical but fresh and enjoyable. My friend enjoyed his beef ribs. Raspberry tea was perfect. Downtown area must have been beautiful at one time, the architecture is artful. I hope it is revived. read more

We came here before a hockey game and nothing but disappointment. Service was slow , food was less that appetizing and the bill was high. Server tried to argue that a grilled crab cake dinner was indeed a 19 dollar sandwich. I was proven correct and there was no offer of any comp. won't come here again. Only plus side was the beer. read more

Stopped in for a Friday night and the venue itself seems pretty nice. The food was average and service is hit an miss depending on your server or bartenders. It does seem a bit pricey for the area and drink pours are weak. It was nice to have live music and room to dance. Did seem like a good place to watch sports. read more