Great food!! Great service!! Great music!! Went for the 4th and celebrated!! Crowd were dressed in their finest American wear. Got to get there more often!! Seafood is FANTASTIC!!! read more

River Grill - Seafood Near Me - Tonawanda, New York

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Great service. Delicious fresh seafood in broths like Bouillabaisse and Manhattan clam chowder and turf meats) and pasta (clam sauce) available also. A favorite destination for wife's birthday. Dinging best outside on good weather days. read more

"Visited on July 8 19:00.Upon arrival, no one acknowledged us for several minutes despite staff being present. When we finally got assistance, the hostess was dismissive and unfriendly. We were told it would be an hour wait with no apology or alternative offered. We chose to leave. For a restaurant at this price point, basic hospitality shouldn't be too much to ask. I hope management addresses their front-of-house training." we called in advance to make a reservation for a party of five and was told that they only except reservations for parties over six. However two parties with less than less than 4 had reservations and were seated immediately read more

Several of us were there to hear the music on a Sunday evening. Disappointed that the band was inside, not outside on such a lovely evening. We were seated inside, so the music was really too loud, although the band was wonderful as always (Boys of Summer). Most of us had the berry salad which was larger than expected, loaded with berries, and delicious! the french onion soup was very good, too. service was friendly, upbeat, solicitous without being overbearing. looking forward to returning. read more

River Grill - berry salad - Seafood Near Me - Tonawanda, New York

Met a few friends here for lunch. It was the perfect day to be sitting out on the patio. All in our party ended up ordering some sort of seafood. I ordered the crab cake po boy. It was served with cole slaw and fries. The slaw was OK but a bit watery. The fries were nice and crispy. My sandwich was definitely the star. The crab cake large and full of nice chunks of crab and loaded with flavor. I didn't expect the 2 slices of bacon on the bottom. I must have missed that on the menu. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their food. Service was friendly but I thought a bit slow. We waited quite a while for our food and then again for our checks. Thankfully we had plenty of catching up to do so didn't mind. 2025-54 read more

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We went today to enjoy the live music which was very good. Service was friendly but slow. Took awhile to get drinks. We ordered crab cakes and coconut shrimp;pretty good, the prime rib sandwich was excellent however the mahi tacos were dry and lukewarm. The worst part of the experience was a guy who was over served and being obnoxious and vulgar. Management did nothing about it.. by the time we left, the drunk was shoeless and had lost his phone. read more

Great place for lunch or dinner. Went with friends on a beautiful day and we all ordered the chicken sandwich. It was wonderful and we will be back. Conveniently located too read more

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This is a great restaurant for live music and summer days. It's also good for seafood. But definitely not a good choice for vegetarians. I'm a really easy going vegetarian and I can always find something to eat everywhere at every restaurant I go to. I found spinach bread at the River Grill and corn on the cob. We also shared fried pickles. Ordinarily I would be perfectly happy with that. Except I can't in good conscience recommend that spinach bread. It had lumps of defrosted spinach covered with cheese and it was very oily. The corn was good. They were big cobs of fresh corn cooked well. The server was very nice. And it was a beautiful summer day with live music and lots of happy people eating and enjoying the day. read more

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First time here. Enjoyed the food so much that I forgot to take food pics! I beg for forgiveness on the waterlogged menu pics, too. They're still legible! The lake was choppy on Sunday with all the wind, but the patio was protected, and we could enjoy a bit of live music as we talked & ate. I enjoyed a Leinenkugel Summer Shandy, 3 shrimp tacos, and shared the fried pickle chips appetizer. Tyler was a pleasant server & because he brought the specials menu, my mom enjoyed a shrimp & roasted corn chowder for her meal. She was thrilled! read more

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Very chill, happy tropical vibe. Feels like you're on vacation in Florida! Live music, most days, check out their website. if you enjoy seafood, you came to the right place. I ordered seafood paella. It was really delicious. I was impressed. Loaded with shellfish. My girlfriend who is vegetarian Enjoyed the spinach bread, corn on the cob broccoli with cheese. There are salads on the menu as well. Our waitress Kathleen was very sweet and funny. She had us laughing! I don't know what took me so long to come back to the River Grill. Now that I'm reacquainted with an old friend, I'll be back for sure! read more

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I wanted to treat my uncle to seafood and an afternoon of dining outdoors. I called for reservations but was told they don't take them. Not a problem. We arrived at about 3:45 pm. It was the last day of the season for the River Grill and our dining would be timed. It was going to become very busy, so we would not be able to stay too long. We were a bit surprised, because even the best restaurants have never said that to us. We should have left then but unfortunately, we didn't. Our server CLAUDIA...an older woman who should know better, rushed us through drinks and food. She clearly did this in anticipation of the "high-paying" crowd. She kept pushing us for an order, didn't let us enjoy beverages or what little we ate, and never asked if we wanted anything additional. She brought the check well before we were finished, in hopes of getting rid of us. It was even said that our table was reserved for another party. But weren't we told they don't take reservations? At this point, we were not only upset by the bad experience, we were still hungry. So, we decided a tip was not deserving. It didn't end there though...CLAUDIA followed us to the rest rooms to start an argument. Did we really "use her table for hours and leave no tip"?? Here's a tip CLAUDIA...courtesy and service get rewarded. You didn't give us either. I even mentioned earlier that my 97 y/o uncle, a Korean War Veteran, was so looking forward to dining at the River Grill. That got us less respect as she said the owner was on site and would make us leave if need be. Wow...way to go River Grill. You should be ashamed. We drove down the road to Mississippi Mudd's...where we had good service, better tasting food, and enjoyed their patio. read more

Great place for great food and entertainment. Really great staff who help guide you through the menu.

This place must be a local favorite because the food was excellent and the prices extremely reasonable. We enjoyed the Ultimate Steamers Platter with a multitude of fresh seafood as we overlooked the waterfront. The outdoor patio with cold cocktails on a warm summer afternoon made it an incredible experience. read more

Seated around 1245... No waitress came even to take drink orders until we asked for one 15 mins later. Danielle switched our table to her in the system so she could take care of us, which was very nice. Yucatán Shrimp Tacos (3) 8/10 They also come with some type of sauce on them (not listed on the menu), I couldn't tell what exactly it was though. It was not spicy. I think they needed more flavor, they were kinda plain and bland. I do like that the shrimp was shopped up into smaller pieces though. Coleslaw 9/10 Sweet, I like it. Mom didn't. French fries 8/10 Little soggy, and mine were in a big clump, but overall decent fries. Steamed Little Neck Clams in a garlic butter broth 8/10 Definitely needed some seasoning, or salt in general. Wasn't expecting the broth to be just plain butter either. Not bad, but not what we were expecting. Wish the bread was garlic bread or even just a little toasted rather than just plain. read more

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Let's start with atmosphere,very nice on the water ,live music inside .Now the food is mediocure shrimp over cooked could barely get the shells off and they had a prime rib special that was totally over cooked . Now the older lady that waited on us was all over the map kept calling us hunny and kids and we're in our 60s,we waited forever for her to take our order it took forever to get our food which besides the prime rib we had seafood which doesn't take long to cook at all. We saw people who came in way after us getting the their food first .so our quick dinner took over 2 1/2 hrs. needless to say our experience was not very good and probably won't go back.so very disappointed read more

Really love the Riverside atmosphere. Service was excellent. My only disappointment was the soup. 12 dollars for manhattan seafood chowder which had one scalloped and two shrimp. Very water soup. That being said my hubby had shrimp gumbo which was fantastic and both of our dinners the grouper and the surf and turf were delicious and I thought the prices were very reasonable for the amount of food we ate. Would definitely want to come bag and try the BIG DADDY! read more

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If I could rate this zero stars I certainly would.. Last Friday I was waiting to be seated and everything was going fine. Until the gentleman next to me, was told by the hostess that his *dog* (well mannered service dog lying on the floor) could not remain on premises. During this disagreement, a waitress attempted to pet the service animal... the dog was startled and pulled away from the waitress trying to avoid contact.. A manager, reiterated that the service dog could not stay and accused him of trying to attack the waitress... This was then reiterated by the owner of River Garbage... The gentleman, his service dog, and the wife rightfully became appalled at this..and left. I will never step another foot in this chum bucket again! The establishment actions were uncalled for. read more

Disappointed and Done with River Grill Today was supposed to be our one day off to enjoy the beautiful Buffalo weather, instead, it turned into a situation that left us feeling disrespected and very unwelcome. Upon arrival at River Grill, we were told we had to sit outside. Not under the awning outside where the band is but outside where people sit. We explained this is a service dog and the host stated she understood the laws and has a Service Dog at home herself. She called over one of the managers who agreed with us and said it was OK that we sat wherever because it is a service animal and she was very respectful . Then another waitress attempted to pet him and he jumped back Then the gentlemen who we believe is the owner, came over, commenting that our dog needed to be on a leash and going so far as to say it was "horrible" he was even there. One of the staff members later remarked that she thought the manager was upset because the dog "jumped at her." That is 100% false. Witnesses saw that when she reached to pet him, he actually moved away from her. We've been going to River Grill for many years, bringing friends, family, sponsors, and supporters, spending both our time and our money there. But today, we were made to feel so uncomfortable that we chose to leave. Maybe they'll feel like they "won" because we walked out. That's fine, they won't be getting another dime from us. I don't normally call out businesses publicly, as this isnt the first time a situation like this has happened. The difference is: today was supposed to be our day to relax, and River Grill made sure it wasn't. For those of you who know Teddy, know he is better company then most humans and my human makes sure Teddy is educated and respectful, unlike the individuals we encountered today We will never step foot in that establishment again. Rivergrill in Tonawanda #dobetter #GetEducated read more

River Grill is close to work. I met up with a friend after work, we were there close to 5pm and there were already a lot of people. After we finished a little passed 6 pm, there were a lot of people and we were told we need to vacate the table. It's Friday night, business is good, we understand. We had the steam clams for appetizer. Tasted fine, but clams were big shells with small meat. The dinner, we both ordered the baked grouper with blue cheese with sweet potato, the sides were mac salad and cole slaw. Very tasty. When we ordered, we were asked if we were going to share one dinner, so we weren't sure how big the dish was. It is normal size. If we shared, I don't think it would be enough. It is a nice summer night place by the water. There were live guitar singer playing. read more

River Grill - Seafood Near Me - Tonawanda, New York

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Went by to celebrate yet another wedding anniversary and taste their swordfish which I eat on a regular basis in Spain but never in the States. It was abt a half-inch thick which is typical, but being grilled here, did not have that great taste when cooked in Andalucia since no olive oil nor garlic was used. It still was edible though, and my lovely wife enjoyed her fish fry. The sweet potato came wrapped in aluminumfoil and was very tender and sweet. Though the place was crowded, we amazingly got in and seated quickly! Thwre was a single guitarist providing live music, then quickly replaced by a complete band that really got everyone dancing and clapping. read more

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Everything very good!! Friendly atmosphere. When I was there someone had a service dog with them and there were no problems! Great summer dining read more

I was very impressed with the menu, which our party of six discussed, Everyone had something different because of the large number of selections. I"m a bivalve fanatic and had the "River Bucket" wife enjoyed the Grouper. To my right was the crab cakes and the other side was Paella. I know steamed snow crabs were in there. Darned good place which could knock out other perennial favorites we always visit. read more

Was looking for somewhere to go over the weekend and decided to head here. wanted to eat outside somewhere because of the nice weather, and somewhere on the water. Staff very unfriendly, no one bothers to acknowledge the fact that you're standing there waiting for a table. The owner (Male) nasty little guy. Hearing the way he speaks to staff, can understand why they are all nasty. We will never go back as it is clearly not worth the money nor the aggravation and disrespect. read more

Any establishment that would not allow a service dog in this day and age will NEVER get a dime of mine. The president and vice president of WNY Heroes are two of the best people around. Their service dogs are top notch and the fact you made them feel anything less than welcome is a sin. read more

Went for an early dinner. The patio reminds me of places in Florida. Nice live music happening. What could be better.... Oh man the food! The steamed clams are some of the best around, buttery and garlicky. My lobster roll was fantastic. My dining mate ordered the prime rib sandwich. It was so tender with a great beefy flavor, I had to seriously question my choice. Kudos chef. Service was outstanding.... read more

Besides absolutely amazing fresh and delicious food, our server Cathleen was fantastically attentive. Definitely recommend! read more

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Horrible. They to not serve little neck clams as the menu states. The server wanted to argue with me over the size of the clams that they are serving. The fish that came on the Captains Platter smelled bad. I do believe that it was old. The cocktail sauce was no longer red in color due to its age. I do suggest the dead moths and bugs that were trapped in the outdoor light fixture that was next to our table as an appetizer. Delish! If you have elsewhere to dine instead of this place I would suggest going there. Do not waste your time or money. Awful. read more

River Grill - Seafood Near Me - Tonawanda, New York

After visiting this restaurant a few times every summer, I have always been willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. The place is crowded, especially on the weekends, and often times it seems there are way more patrons and tables waiting for food than the staff can take care of. The bonuses of this place, and there are some, is that there's live music every day, there's a lot of friendly people, it's a fun atmosphere, and it's a destination in the summer. The downside the food has never been great but it is ok. The last time, however, was a real disappointment. One that has me saying, "yeah I probably won't return". My daughter and I stopped in on a Sunday afternoon at approximately 3 o'clock, looking to grab a burger and a cool refreshment. Yes we knew it was busy, we knew we'd have to wait but we were good with that. No problem. After about 20 minutes we were seated at our table. We were greeted by our waitress who took our very simple orders, two burgers. After about 30 minutes we were told that it was coming, sorry for the delay. Another 15 minutes goes by and it's, "I'm really sorry but the kitchen didn't see your order". Our waitress offered us an appetizer on the house, and we graciously accepted and appreciated the gesture. A few minutes later we were told the kitchen was just starting our order and it would be a few more minutes. Another 10 minutes goes by and another waitress came by to apologize for our wait and offered our meal for 50% off. Again, I appreciated the offer. Stated it wasn't necessary, but that it's been over an hour and we just really want to eat. After a few minutes, we were told by our server that our burgers were up and they were plating them. After 10 more minutes, my daughters burger arrived. About 3 to 4 minutes later, mine came out. I noticed my burger had a slightly crusty appearance with an orange tinge. It was almost the color of the crabcakes. Scraped a little bit off as I was figuring it was burger seasoning, put my condiments on and took a bite. The burger was so salty I could not eat it. When the waitress came to ask us how everything was I told her that while I appreciated her service I was not able to eat my food. I told her how salty the burger was. And quite frankly when she offered me anything else on the menu I had totally lost my appetite. Waiting almost an hour and a half for two burgers is totally unnecessary, but hey, I understand things happen. But the fact that when they were arrived they were not good, well, no excuses for that. My daughter' was overcooked and mine was so salty I couldn't eat it. Our waitress told us that we were all set that there would be no charge for the food. And while we left her a tip, we did not feel bad because the food was a very poor quality and the wait was ridiculous. So if you want to stop in and have a cocktail, listen to some music, it's a great spot on a summer day. I would say skip the food. read more

Very disappointing. The hostess seemed like she didn't know what she was doing. Our waitress was very nice. I got a salad and it was good. My friend got the prime rib sandwich and the meat was so raw that it couldn't even be chewed. When questioned we were told that is how they do it they cook it by color not temperature. Won't be back read more

Really enjoyed our lunch here! A great patio with a beautiful view. The Blue Grouper was amazing! We started with some oysters and clams that were tasty too! The mahi mahi tacos were also yummy! The crab cake "po boy" was more of a sandwich The shrimp appetizer was delicious! I can't wait to go back! read more

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We waited 30 minutes before we got up and left. No one ever came to acknowledge that we were even seated. No drinks. Nothing!! The sand flies there make it unbearable to eat even if we did get to order. Bathroom was disgusting. Hate to see where the food comes from!! read more

I tried River Grill for my first time and pleasantly pleased. We ordered calamari for an app it and it was delicious. It was lightly breaded and wasn't chewy. We also ordered the fish. The batter seemed a bit over done - it reminded me of corn meal crust. However the fish was fresh and tasted great. It was also a decent size but a half portion is also available. The sides were good as well although the Mac salad was a bit peppery but I liked it. The service was a little slow. Our server forgot our second ground of drinks but another helped her out and got us what we needed. read more

River Grill - Fish fry - Seafood Near Me - Tonawanda, New York

Nice to have music every single day of summer, but the place is filthy and needs cleaned up and updated. The bathroom is the very last place you will ever want to go. Food is ok depending on what it is. Server's are cute read more

Food was on point. The little neck clams were so fresh. Their snow crab cluster was also fresh. I was informed that they're not frozen. I was really impressed with the calamari too. I love when they come out not looking or tasting greasy. The marinara that came with it was perfect as well, a little bit of tang and right amount of sweetness. I'm surprised that River Grill has only three stars. It seems that the low rating is mostly due to the timeliness of the food coming out. However, if you're coming out to enjoy the view, then there should be no rush. Our food did come out in a timely manner. We were very pleased considering that our expectations were not set very high due to the reviews. Highly recommend the food, venue, and service. read more

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Funky tikki vibe in an otherwise industrial area. Right on the water, with limited views of the river. Waitresses experienced, and knowledgeable about the menu. The seafood was fresh, seasoned well and served hot. Great selection of cocktails and beers . There wasn't a band this time when we went, but they have a great lineup almost every night of the week in the summer. read more

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We showed up with a party of 5. The host was accommodating and pushed together 2 tables to provide more space for us! Ella our waitress was great! She even recommended some local beaches and breakfast spots to try during our stay! Everyone cleaned their plates. The Capatain broil was a hit at our table. Two of my guest shared that broil and then shared with the table! My son loved the calamari rings and everyone loved the mussels! Local band played classic hits and the patio was perfect for a summer night on the water! Thank you for the wonderful experience! Keep up the great work! read more

Very nice place. Great atmosphere. Amazing food. It's definitely a place to go for great seafood. read more

River Grill - CAaptain Jim's seafood tray. Sooo good. So much food. - Seafood Near Me - Tonawanda, New York

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I really like the setup: The menu, the atmosphere, the ambiance. I've been here a couple of times, dining in and carrying out and I have been pleased with the food. The service isn't always great. It all depends on the mood of your server, so butter her up as soon as you can. The food is fresh and the portions are pretty good. Even though I consider them overpriced, it aligns with comparable restaurants in the area. They have lots of options and you're bound to find something you like! read more

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Horrible. They claim they are serving little neck clams. Nope. Definitely not. The sides are better than they main course. The fish on the First Mate and Captains Platter had an unpleasant odor as though it went bad. The cocktail sauce served with anything was not even red in color. Probably cause it was old as well. If you wanted something different as an appetizer, I would suggest the dead moths that were in the outside light fixtures that were next to our table. Delish! Service was ok. Friendly but the server wanted to debate with me on the labelling of the sizes of the clams they were claiming to be little neck in size. Please eat elsewhere if you are considering this place.... read more

Come on, guys, it's time to introduce a decent vegan option to the menu. And reduce the amount of plastic used. It's a beautiful location. I hope it will become friendly towards all kinds of people. read more

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