Great place Great food awesome atmosphere and fair prices good staff the food is great

This place seems like a tourist trap, and yet... it's located in North Tonawanda (i.e. there are no tourists). Somehow, the place is full. Mostly families and older 50-60 somethings out for a drink. Lots of kitschy decorations. A live band where the female lead singer is desperately hoping that someone with a time machine and a hookup at American Idol who can get her an audition. There isn't much seating. There is a margarita machine, but it is empty and turned off. Beer was a little pricey. Parking is a pain so you end up walking quite a ways down a one-lane road with traffic trying to go in both directions. Didn't try the food, but judging from the other reviews... I didn't miss anything. Skip it. read more

Food was amazing. Service was horrible. Servers name was Mikayla. She was rude, inattentive, and just overall horrible.

I went to this restaurant and i got the buffalo chicken sandwich.when i asked what was on the sandwich i was unaware of the blue cheese that came out and when they told me what was only on the side. and the service was not that good and we didn't not get checked on as much and we had a big table and didn't even come down to the other side and made us yell crossed the table to tell her what we wanted. I think this was very bad service and i downloaded yelp just for this :) read more

I have been here several times and had good service and great food. We went for lunch today and it took 45 minutes for a bowl of soup. 30 minutes after we finished the soup our sandwiches weren't served. They Kept seating customers and taking orders while people who where seated an hour before us hadnt received their food. I would not recommend this place for lunch. read more

Went there for the first time tonight for a birthday dinner with my mom and sisters and sister-in-law. Service was great and the staff was friendly and the food was delicious. They let us stay and talk a while and we didn't feel rushed. Casual outdoor atmosphere which is exactly what we were looking for. Would recommend this restaurant and I'll take my husband next time. read more

Great atmosphere, excellent food, crabcakes were delicious they were suggested by our Waitress. Looking forward to having another wonderful dinner. read more

Check 'em out! Small local restaurant with an outdoor patio on the water. Who doesn't love that right there?! I've never had the pleasure of eating here yet but stopped here for a quick drink while on a bike ride. The staff was friendly and welcoming! read more

River Grill - Outdoor patio right on the water. - Seafood Near Me - Tonawanda, New York

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Should have known it was going to be a bad experience when it took the hostess forever to grab menus and silverware. Got seated at a table and the women sitting at the table next to us was definitely not 6 feet away from us. It was super hot this day and we asked the server for water and she forgot about that for a while. The clams casino app was probably the only good part of the meal. The mahi mahi was dry and chewy and the catfish was flavorless and mushy. The Mac salad and fries on the side were pretty good. To top it off, the live music that wasn't supposed to start until 7 started nearly 2 hours early. Not everyone wants to have loud music blared when they're trying to enjoy a meal and we specifically went when we did under the assumption we'd get out before it started. read more

River Grill is a hidden gem in WNY! I went a few days ago with colleagues after our last day of school. They were very accommodating to our larger group. One of my colleagues has tried most things on the menu and loves this place. They are known for their seafood. I went with the fish tacos. You get three HUGE fish tacos with a side of coleslaw and fries (or a substitution). I couldn't finish my meal, and that's after working a hectic last day and I can eat. There was so much food. The fries were so good too. The atmosphere was fun. It has that tiki bar vibe and is right on the water. Being on the water is like bonus points for me. It has a huge tent outdoors with lots of seating. River Grill will definitely be a place I go back to! read more

This place is HORRIBLE. From the cocktails, to the waitress, to the food, we had a really bad experience here. The mojitos tasted like seltzer water with a piece of lime. The cosmopolitans tasted like plain cranberry juice. The service was very slow, we were here for 3 hours. The waitress failed to mention they were out of scallops even though a dish someone ordered was supposed to include scallops. No money off the bill even though they were out. The waitress also forgot to put in an appetizer & two entrees. Two people in our party ordered Delmonico steaks medium, and they were so overcooked it tasted like shoe leather & made my jaw hurt. The plates were hot to the touch, and they put macaroni salad & coleslaw right on the plate. Who wants to eat hot salads like that? For $300, this was the worst meal I've ever had in my life. Never again. read more

We've been coming to this place year after year. Great place to hang out, live music. Great people. It's very casual. The food is good. It's not high end but for the price location and taste is good. The owner is always there and so as his wife, so any problems you can talk to them and they'll take care of it. read more

This place is fantastic! My dad took me out to lunch. It was a hot summer day, so sitting in the shade next to the water was just what I needed. There is live music everyday. Really feels like I'm in Florida-they just need to cover the floor with sand. The staff was ultra friendly and upbeat. I had a Po Boy (crab cake). So so good. Fries are hand cut and amazing. I think they're a seasonal joint so maybe don't try going in the dead of winter. I'm hoping to make it back before the season ends. read more

They would need to improve to be considered bad. The food is terrible. The chicken breast was so over cooked it was inedible. The breading on the fish was like cardboard. Lots of locals who after enough beers might think it was decent food. Overpriced, poorly prepared food. Eat anywhere else. read more

Took a group of ten here for a birthday celebration. We were seated quickly. The food was delicious, the staff was very friendly. Our server Dawn was outstanding. She took everything in stride, not a single mistake. We liked her so much we asked her to join us for a piece of cake after. The manager gave each of us a t-shirt and wished us safe travels. The live music was great and sitting on the river was the best. I will certainly be back with friends again. read more

We came for dinner and to see the band. Service was sub par at best, our salad had to be sent back four times beacuse they just couldn't make it correctly. When we discussed with the female manager on staff that day, she was unappologetic, made excuses for the mistakes and looked past me during the conversation. She actually said " we write it down correctly but the kitchen just doesn't listen and the main chef was not here today". Really that's my problem. She made no effort to correct. I will never go back again. read more

Took out of town guests for clams & beer the other nite. The clams & mussels were outstanding. The beer & seltzer selection is somewhat limited & could use some improvements, I do think space limitations is the reason why. Our daughters boyfriend had the Mahi & absolutely loved it, my wife & I shared the grilled fish tacos to which were very good & filling. Our guest had coconut shrimp which were very good. Ella Our waitress was very attentive & never missed an opportunity to stop by the table to see how everything was going. I would definitely recommend & revisit the River Grill again!!! read more

Fish fry is delicious and the Eddie Brady steak sandwich is outstanding. Love this place.

The food was amazing. I had fried pickles ( which were bomb) and shrimp tacos. The shrimp tacos were perfect we also got clams but I'm not a clam guy. read more

River Grill - Shrimp tacos - Seafood Near Me - Tonawanda, New York

River Grill is a great place to go on a beautiful, summer day. It has a very "Florida-dockside" feeling about it. The seafood is above average for Buffalo. I really enjoyed the crab legs. They have a great dinner & cocktail menu. I try to visit at least once each summer. I do love the food, but the sunny atmosphere is the real charm of this restaurant. It is also a very enjoyable place to visit in the evening. The light up palm trees look nice on the water. read more

River Grill - Seafood Near Me - Tonawanda, New York

Usually we love to visit river grill.. tonight was very different, our waitress never brought our drinks, we had to go to the bar and get our own, we ordered a pasta dish, we asked our waitress if it came with bread, she said no, and recommended we order one of their specialty breads.. (the dish showed up with bread, the Pasta dish had absolutely no flavor.. we also ordered a grouper dish. This also had absolutely no flavor, finally we ordered a chicken sandwich. Which was served dry, the only dish we complained about was the pasta.. our waitress was so rude. Each dish was a 26.00-28.00 dish.. very very poor service tonight.. very disappointed. read more

Two Stars, one for ambiance. Great summer waterfront location with that rickety dockside feel. One star for batting 50% on food. Party of 8, half had a decent meal of seafood type tacos. The remaining had traditional seafood entrees. Personally, Cajun catfish that I ordered fried, was served broiled but at room temperature. Was unable to have the baked potato offered on the menu because they "always run out" at 6PM. It was 6:30 any maybe you adjust how many you pre make and warm later? For $35 I'd like something other that fries with my tepid broiled fish or crab topped flounder. No heat lamps in food station to keep meals warm when placed up for servers to run....hence the cold fish. Never offered a second drink. Had to ask for water three times and got the side eye for asking for three waters for a table of 8 when presented the check. Would have gladly taken a second drink if it was offered at any point. The rating overlap tells me people come here, dock the boat, get drunk, and then eat on an empty stomach. Kind of a ripoff for the high prices. read more

I can't write about the food having never eaten here but the music is fantastic. They have such a variety of music every day, twice on weekends. There are always people dancing. The stage and dance floor are tiny but it works. The inside is brightly painted with a nautical/beachy theme...very casual. They have outside patios for sun worshippers & covered decks...it's open-air for sure. That atmosphere makes you feel like you're on vacation. It is right on the Niagara River although it isn't easy to see the river from anywhere in the restaurant. It's right on the bike path so you can stop in without trying to find parking. That is the worst thing about the River Grill...very little parking. But cars line up down the street or people walk from the park at the other end. The Electra's, a great blues band plays every Thursday at 7:30pm,another good blues band is Flyin' Blind, they're there on Mondays at 7pm. Usually you can hear rock groups on the weekends. If you go when a band is playing and the weather's nice plan to relax and spend some time waiting but it'll be worth it. read more

Always a decent meal at decent prices. Have a good selection of sea food also. Would recomend for a casual meal anytime.

Food was awesome...Server Kim Marie couldn't have cared about serving us less.... Apps came out seconds before our meal...so we were kind of rushed. Ordered Ice tea...it came with flooties so I sent it back...still charged for it... read more

We haven't been here in a few years so we thought we'd give it another try. Wish we didn't bother. I know restaurants have had a hard time and they're trying but everything about it was disappointing. I had a grouper sandwich that was all dried up and burnt. My partner had a chicken sandwich that was a small little chicken breast dry with no taste. They put the coleslaw on a hot plate for some reason and it was runny and warm. The waitress seemed to be trying her best to keep up. But it took a long time to get another drink and to get our bill. I think it'll be another few years before we try this place again. read more

Great view of the river front. Food is fresh and tasty, prices are market value. The only reason I gave it 3 stars instead of 4 is because it's not the cleanest place. Our table was sticky and my seat had ketchup on it that I had to clean off before I sat down. Little things that should have been cleaned before they sat us. But the raw clams were fresh and cold, the chowder had full shrimp and full chunks or scallops. The corn on the cob did not taste farm fresh and tastes frozen then heated. The French fries were so good and I really liked the fish fry. I would rate the food a 3.8 out of 5 but the cleanliness a 3.2 out of 5. Can get very loud sitting near the live bands they have so don't go when they have live bands if you are trying to sit and casually chat. But you can absolutely plan on a nice music filled evening with some good food and lots of variety of beers and frozen drinks by the water if that's what you like. I would recommend this place for seafood lovers but parking can get difficult and wait times can quickly grow to 45+ minutes. Bikers seem to be a majority of the business as well but they all seem pretty nice and easy going. read more

Nice venue and nice vibe but food was way too salty. Like very very salty. Seafood is also overpriced. $100 portion way too skimpy. Prices overall aren't amazing don't think it's worth it read more

Mainly steaks and seafood. Always a long wait to get seated. Seems they give away the dinner seats to those that want to stay and drink after they're done eating. Plenty to amuse you though while you're waiting watching 65+ yr old crowd showing off and strutting about as if they're in their 20s. read more

Took an hour and a half to sit and took 40 minutes for appetizers with music so loud you cant hear yourself think this olace is ass

The River Grill has been killing it so far this summer!! I've been there several times and was delighted . The fish tacos are such Bang for your buck . You get 3 , I recommend them breaded, and 3 sides. They were delicious. The peel and eat shrimp appetizer was great, flavorful and gone in under 60 seconds . Three cheese garlic bread was a meal in itself, so cheap and wow . My companion ordered the ribs, and he said they were just right: fall off the bone , saucy and spot on flavor . I went with a friend and she got the Cajun rub snapper I believe and it was super spicy , the sides were a welcome cool off - yummy greens and Mac salad. I can't wait to go back . Also can not beat the summer atmosphere here ; bands , water and people dancing are my favorite:) fun place all around. The parking lot is always full, but don't let that scare you, you are typically seated right away ! read more

River Grill - I CRAVE this spin dip. Idk what it is . Hard to share . - Seafood Near Me - Tonawanda, New York

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The horror happened at dinner on 5/25/19.... two men from our table of 5 were lost in the battle, the enemy... food poisoning! I had ordered bbq pulled pork sandwich and the other victim ordered a Cajun fish, both plates contained French fries but otherwise there was no common food between our plates. I'll spare the brutal details, but an hour or two after eating is when the stomach pain started and food came out from both ends, lasted through the night and the following day. Please don't ever go to this restaurant. Do not risk it!!! read more

Ater all I heard about this place I was so excited to try it. What a huge disappointment it was. When I called ahead the girl who ans the phone was rude, told me "thats the way the cookie crumbles" and hung up on me. I called the next day, and we were set up with a table inside for a group of 15. The menu is extensive, but the food was horrible. My roast beef was dry and overcooked, the cole slaw was spoiled. My companions seemed happy with their seafood dishes. Judging on my food, I have to rate it one star. The ambiance isn't great...you have a view of metal buildings and parking lots. The bathroom stunk. The music was way too loud for such a small room. I was not impressed at all. read more

Great food & service! Fall on the patio is the best! Clams,steamed and casino, ribs, beer! We'll be back on our next trip to WNY read more

River Grill - Beer & seafood on the patio! Fall in the air! Love this place - Seafood Near Me - Tonawanda, New York

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They don't take reservations. We had a party of 6 and ordered drinks first. Wine is the worst! Looked at a vacant table for 6 for 45 minutes. Politely asked why we could not be seated there. We're told they were holding it for a party of 6. GO FIGURE! Would not return! read more

What a fun little spot! We took a ride down knowing it would probably be one of the last nice days that we could sit outside and enjoy a meal. We ended up going on a random Wednesday afternoon not expecting much. There ended up being live music and great food! We got the black and bleu burger and the Eddie Brady. Both were very tasty and decently priced. I only wish you could see the water while you eat rather than looking at the side of a boat shed, but I'll take what I can get. You can choose between sitting in an enclosed area, a covered patio or an open area. I like the options and freedom. I'll be back next summer for sure! read more

What a disapointment! Ive passed the place on the 190 for several years and have always been curious. Plus it's on the water front which seemed really nice too. So we finally get to check it out and take a patio seat, there are buildings behind it making your view of the river pretty slim from what you expected. The setting is SUPER casual, the seats outside are plastic lawn chairs and the napkins are paper towel rolls, however the prices you think you were eating somewhere MUCH fancier. I ordered barbeque chicken and ribs and both were pretty tough, the chicken was not really barbeque, it was prepared and then just sauce tossed on it. My friend's dish was some sort of pasta, pepper, sausage combination was was so gross! There were barely any peppers and all the other vegetables appeared to come from a can. The service was mediocre. There are much nicer places in the area with a less expensive price range for food of better quality (even on the waterfront). I wouldn't waste my time again with River Grill. read more

Our food was okay. Steak sandwich with stuffed hot peppers was stale bread and less than fresh stuffed peppers. The other steak sandwich more of the same. Frys were really good but steer clear of the slaw almost spoiled tasting. read more

3.5/5 Hubs and I decided to stop for late lunch/early dinner around 3 something ish after our long bike ride. Decor/ambiance: This place is trying really hard to be a trendy beach bar from the late 80s early 90s. So think neon. This is definitely a super casual place, wear jeans, bathing suit, wet suit, whatever. Can't see the lake so don't go here for that. Food: We ordered the portobello mushrooms which came with crumbled blue cheese and red peppers. Very good! My husband had the beef on wek which he said was very good. It came with chips, cole slaw and a pickle. I had the swordfish sandwich special which came with fries, cole slaw and a pickle. HOLY COW IT WAS SOOOOO GOOD! The fish was a large fillet that was cut in half and stacked on the bun. It wasn't too cooked or too raw just perfect! Fries were good, a little crispier than I like but still very good. Service: Was a little slow at the get go. Had to flag her down a bit but I think its the problem that people seat themselves and the waitresses are assigned tables alternating between the two. So it seemed like she had to run between all different areas. Drinks: $4 dollars for a short can of beer, seriously?????? Overall: Food; very good and cheap!, drinks are way too expensive. We probably won't go here again. read more

I read the mixed reviews and was a little leery of going for lunch. I went with a friend on a beautiful sunny day and am I glad I did. We both had the Blackened Grilled fish tacos. They came with a scoop of cole slaw and a bag of chips. Hand cut fries can be substituted for $1.00 extra. I was tempted but I'm glad I didn't because I was very full with just the tacos. The blackened seasoning was not overwhelming and the tacos were delicious. Our server, Sebastian, was very helpful and friendly. I guess I could deduct a star because of the small bit of water view but it was still a nice day to eat outside. I wouldn't hesitate to go back. read more

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