(Kari's Rating 7.75/10) Came here on a Friday for a quick happy hour bite and was happily surprised with how everything was. They had a nine dollar sangria, which was really delicious, it didn't really taste like there was a lot of alcohol, but was refreshing and sweet. The burger was relatively average (a good sharing size) it came with this pimento cheese sauce -which I thought really put it over the top. Unfortunately, the chips that it came with didn't really taste like potato, but just pain oily. The pretzel wasn't that bad, but it also came with a side of the pimento cheese and I thought it was pretty heavy and repetitive because it was on two items. Overall, I think this is a great place and I can definitely see it being crowded over the summer when the patio is open, but I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to come here. read more

River Roast - Happy Hour Burger - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Looks are deceiving! High hopes for this one, but was let down at almost every turn. Ordered an old fashioned, and it took quite a long time. Especially for a closed patio, and maybe 70% occupancy. However I will say it was good. Food: We ordered the Burrata, which had hazelnuts. We were intrigued and then quickly disappointed. The burrata was okay by itself, but the hazelnuts added an odd sweetness to the dish, that just didn't work. We both decided to order the Steak Frites, and somehow got two different looking plates. Both cooked medium when asked for mid rare. One was smoothered in chimichurri, one barely had any. I would say the quality of the beef seemed great, but overall the dish was sloppy. Lastly, I would feel bad if I did not mention the overall cleanliness. With an open kitchen concept, you would hope what you can see is clean. It was not. The floor and counter tops matched closely to a waffle house on a friday after midnight. I understand things get busy, but if you can't keep it clean, dont show it off! read more

I was excited to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and see the river dyeing at River Roast, but the event didn't quite live up to the hype. The biggest surprise was that it actually wasn't crowded, which normally wouldn't be a bad thing, but it made the atmosphere feel a little flat. With a DJ and all the decorations, I expected a much more energetic vibe, but it just wasn't as fun or lively as anticipated. Food options were also extremely limited. The brunch stations were basically egg sandwiches and monkey bread, with no meat-free option available, which felt like a big miss for a ticketed event. The upstairs area got pretty hot, there was very little seating, and construction nearby blocked much of the river view. Since the river dyeing is the main reason people book these events, the obstructed view was disappointing. Unlimited green drinks were a nice touch, but overall the event felt underwhelming for the price. With better food variety, seating, and a clearer view of the river, this could be a much stronger St. Patrick's Day experience. read more

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Beautiful views of the river! This is such a great date night spot, or fun girls night out. We had reservations, but decided to sit at the bar. Our service was outstanding! They had a fun Valentine's Day themed menu going on (all pink everything), which made the evening feel even sweeter. Oh and, the pull apart bread they serve to the table is phenomenal. What I tried: - strawberry margarita-esque cocktail with a pop rocks rim, so tasty and fun! - ribeye vday special with crispy potatoes and arugula 8/10 - mac and cheese 8/10 - fried chicken bites 9/10 Can't wait to come back during patio season! read more

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We were meeting some friends at a bar to watch a game. My husband found River Roast and said we should eat there before waking to the bar. We got lucky and went on the last day of Restaurant Week in Chicago. We got to try the RW menu. It was amazing! They offer three courses for 60$ on RW, full portions too. My husband had the apple salad with blue cheese, I had the burrata for the first course. For the second course my husband tried the brazed beef and I tried the rainbow trout. Delicious. For dessert I tried the salted caramel cheesecake. Yummy! My husband had the chocolate cake. Absolutely amazing, all of it. They have a complimentary coat check. The server was so friendly, good vibes. The restaurant looks like an English pub, lots of wooden tables. Very nice space. You might get lucky and get a table with a window to the Chicago River. Gorgeous. read more

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The food was decent overall, but nothing mind-blowing. We got the steak frites, branzino, and roast chicken. The branzino was good but it doesn't come with a side so just know that going in. The steak needed more seasoning and the chimichurri didn't add much. Fries were just fries. The roast chicken was okay but we would have preferred a Costco rotisserie chicken. Vibes and ambiance was good. Service was good too! read more

River Roast - The steak frites - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The place is downstairs from the coffee place which took me a minute it two to figure out. It was in a large open area. A little on the"pleasantly" dark side. The server Mikey was very nice. He was friendly and attentive without being overbearing. I ordered the burger with thick cut bacon and an iced tea. The burger was delicious but don't even think about picking it up and not getting it all over yourself. It was meaty, juicy and seasoned perfectly right down to the pickles. I am going to be next door tomorrow, again and will definitely be back again. read more

The service was impeccable. The food was good, but again, the service levels was fantastic! read more

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Perfect for the summer! Once I find the images I will upload but you all everything is a 20 out of 10! I the charcuterie comes with honey comb! It's so good! Service was amazing and ambiance is very on the board walk feeling. Style and attire I recommend casual boat chic. Blues, pinks, black doesn't hurt, and oranges for sure! read more

This is the establishment that I chose for my husband's birthday dinner after reading all about it on Yelp. I saw the delicious menu offerings, ambiance, and river views, and wanted to witness for self. It was a party of 6 of us, we made a reservation and showed up on time. Upon entry, we were greeted briefly by the hostess upstairs. Once you walk in, you actually go downstairs to an open, pretty dining area to your left and water views to your right. It was very, very, very nice and scenic in there. We were greeted by our table person, Juan. He seemed very busy as everyone else di. They weren't crowded. He tried his best overall. The only main concern that I have with this place, they have a door that they keep open all day and night, and it doesn't close until the restaurant closes. It was very chilly in there, VERY chilly, we're in Chicago, and on the water! Please close the door! Juan said he would check with the manager, and we never got an update. Someone from my party asked a hostess, and she said they couldn't close the door. Nevertheless, everyone loved their food ordered. We had the following. RR Pull Apart Rolls Lemon Drop Peach Martini Golden Gobbets Roast Chicken B.L.A.T. A la Carte Salmon Grilled Asparagus Oysters on the Half Shell Ahi Tuna Tartare Chocolate Cake We genuinely enjoyed our food. It came out well plated, hot, well prepared, flavorful, and plentiful. I would highly recommend this place, just bring a coat, not a jacket, a coat! A fireplace would have done us well! I want to put that in a suggestion box! A fireplace. Huge thanks to Juan for making Hubby's birthday special by bringing out dessert, Hubby enjoyed it, and we helped him !! Lol read more

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Grabbed a weekend dinner here for our last evening in Chicago for its great location. We arrived right on time and were seated right away. The person helping us through our meal was friendly and helpful - overall good service. We got half a roasted chicken and roast beef (smaller size option) with a side of broccoli. Though the food itself was fine. Chicken tasted a touch dry and asked for medium on the beef though it definitely seemed medium rare. Casual fun vibes throughout which we enjoyed. Overall if you're looking for a place to eat by the river, it's worth a try here. read more

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We went here for a dinner and hoped to be seated near the window. Didn't happen and the table offered was in the middle of the room, so we stayed at a smaller table at the bar. Great zero proof menu drinks. Burger was overcooked but ok. Sourdough cut up the roof of my sisters mouth. Tasty app with burrata, but entrees were disappointing. Fries were meh. read more

River Roast - The Burger - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We had a dinner reservation at River Roast on the Chicago Riverwalk. We were running late, but they were accommodating to us having to push back our reservation. It was raining so we weren't able to eat outside. That was a bummer as we were looking forward to the scenic river city views, but you can't control the weather. River Roast has an open kitchen concept. It's fun to be able to watch the kitchen staff do their thing while enjoying your meal. We started with the Burrata, it came with a great spinach walnut pesto. We also ordered the Caesar Salad. They serve hand carved table side Roast Chicken. We saw them serve the Roast Chicken a few times, fun! We decided to order the Whole Branzino, which is a Mediterranean Sea Bass that's served with a Salsa Verde Tomato Herb topping. It was flaky and flavorful. We really enjoyed the herb topping with the fish. We also ordered a side of mushrooms. They were delicious, cooked in white wine with herbs. My son had the Mac & Cheese with a smoked pimento cheese sauce. It was so good! The service was good, the food was good, the atmosphere was good. River Roast is an upscale tavern that's on trend. It stopped raining toward the end of our dinner so we went outside on the patio before we left, beautiful river city views at night! Highly recommend. read more

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River roast is perfectly situated on the river to give you not only a fabulous view, but a fun environment for food and drinks with friends. My family and I went here to celebrate my dad before we were going to go kayaking! It was fun to see people on the river and think about how we would be doing that shortly. The service was quick, attentive and recommended delicious options. We ordered a few things to share: chilaquiles (absolutely incredible), the special omelette. The omelette itself was just good, but the potatoes that came on the side were worthy of all the hype. They were perfectly crisped and seasoned. Finally, we split the hash. The meat in the hash was so flavorful, but this dish was not my favorite. It was pretty hard to rival the chilaquiles, if I'm being honest. Definitely will be back to try another meal and enjoy a delicious drink near the river. read more

It's hard to get on the patio for River Roast but I was smart to make a reservation a week in advance before my trip. They always have availability inside but I wanted to sit outside. My reservation was for Saturday at 12:30pm and but upon arrival, I was told I would still need to wait for a table outside. Despite the heat, I chose to wait for a table and sat at the bar in the meantime. The bartender made me an old fashion mocktail and in less than 7 minutes, my table was ready. The restaurant is right on the water so the view is amazing. They have large umbrellas outside to shield you from the heat but, they could use some mist fans to make it more enjoyable. The brunch menu is somewhat limited so I opted for the branzino (half), which came with nothing so I had to get a side of fries. The food came out quick but they were late on my fries. Food wasn't impressive and although my waitress was nice, she wasn't attentive enough. The best part of brunch was the view. The CHI has much better brunch options than RR. read more

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Conveniently located overlooking the Chicago River just north of the Loop, the outstanding cuisine was eclipsed only by Victor, our engaging, attentive, and charming server. In fact, the entire staff, from the hostess to the management was very friendly and charming. This was one of the dining highlights of our trip to Chicago and we look forward to returning the next time that we are in town. Thanks again to Victor and the back of the house for a fabulous meal. read more

Nice place but hard to find, the coffee could have been better, nice ambiance and good service.

Brunch here is amazing! Food is so tasty and the setting is gorgeous. Looks like there are some options for private dining as well. Came with a group of 4 others and my infant daughter. Our server was great! Extremely friendly and accommodating. Some of us ordered and split the Charcuterie Board, Golden Gobbets, Steak & Eggs, and French Toast Bake. It's hard for me to pick a favorite - you can't go wrong with any of it. read more

The Construction crew enjoying a lunch hosted by the client, River Roast Chicago. The union crew who remodeled the restaurant. A client celebrating the project with the crew is a rare event for construction crews. And this wonderful Thank you note. Thank you to River Roast in Chicago for recognizing the construction crew. Check out riverroastchicago.com the food is amazing according to Nathan. #riverroast read more

River Roast - A very nice Thank You to the crew. Class act. - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Still one of my absolute favorites on the city! You can't beat the view of the river, great service and for the price... excellent value considering it's in the heart of the city! I feel in love with their chicken a decade ago and it's still my favorite thing on the menu! read more

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Very good meal. Only negatives of the night were that the restroom was a pretty far walk and that my table was tilted. Everything else was great. Warm welcoming team with consistent service and good flavors. read more

River Roast was my first restaurant I tried when I got to Chicago and I'm glad my friends chose it! It sits right on the riverfront with amazing views of the city. The food and drinks were amazing. We shared the pull apart bread that tasted great with the garlic butter on top. We also ordered the pork belly. It was seasoned well, but was kind of dry/tough. For my entree, I ordered the Branzino. It was mostly deboned but there were small bones still found when I was eating, but this didn't take away from how tender and flavorful the fish was! It was also topped with chimichurri. Wait staff were very attentive and made sure our dining experience went well. read more

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The old fashioned was delicious, probably the best the guys have ever had. The bourbon had a great taste, but no bite, and the perfect amount of citrus. The girls wanted to order the berry smash plus alcohol, but they did not have that drink anymore. They did a modification to do the berry smash without berries, sub the house hibiscus juice. It was a little herby but very good! read more

River Roast - Old Fashioned and Hibiscus Mixed Drink - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I walked into River Roast on a Friday night for dinner with a friend. Getting a table was not that difficult and as soon as we checked in, we were seated to our table. My friend and I ordered a glass of Prosecco each. We ordered the artichoke dip to share, my friend also ordered Golden goblet which is basically chicken wings. The artichoke dip was pretty good and filling, it was served with sourdough slices. I tried an Arugula salad for main course and that was quite filling, loved the butternut squash pieces in it. We wanted to try their Espresso martini however the server mentioned that they usually have a premade batch and the current one wasn't good as a lot of tables returned it back! The ambiance is pretty chilled out, love that they cover beautiful river view! I'll be back to try more things on the menu! read more

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We chose River Roast for brunch in between shopping and wedding dress appointments- I couldn't think of a better place to go! The charcuterie was great, and everyone loved their entrees. I got the chicken and waffles and it was one of the best I've ever had. The cocktails were fantastic- and it was overall a great vibe inside! Would come back for sure! read more

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10/10 would recommend -- food and service was great. Everyone was friendly. Will be back!!

Had dinner here with friends last week. There was a big event happening which impacted staffing, and we were told it might also impact the wait time for food. Based on the servers' encouragement, we put in an order for half a chicken, and then added starters, a seafood r main dish and sides. We weren't even half way through our starters and all of the other food came out. It was very poorly timed, and a s result we missed the chance to enjoy some of the food while it was still hot. The food we did enjoy was good. The carrots and broccoli were my favorite dishes. read more

River Roast is one of those fantastic summer spots where you know you'll have a fun time! It's right by the river, and I went for happy hour with a friend of mine. They had select wines and a cocktail of the day. The day we went it was a melon spritz of some kind. Lovely views of the river and La Salle bridge, and service was great too! You've got to go downstairs and outside to sit by the river but they also have indoor seating if you prefer that. read more

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Quality restaurant located right on the North side of the Riverwalk. You have a prime view of the river if you get a seat right near a window. It has all the usual American fare, burgers, salads, steaks, seafood, along with a full bar. They have nice happy hour deals as well. I got the R&River Roast happy hour special burger, with pub chips. It was pretty good, and a good deal. While not a cheap place, it is way more affordable than a lot of the steakhouses/restaurants that are located on the river, and honestly I could never afford to go to. But thankfully this place won't break the bank, but is still a good value, and has good views of the river. The inside decor was nice, and the service was good, friendly staff all around. I'd recommend for those looking for a spot on the river for food/drinks. read more

River Roast - R&River Roast Burger with pub chips, happy hour special - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had the chicken & Waffles and Mac and cheese! Both great dishes! Also the cold brew was one of the best ones I've ever had! I highly recommend this place read more

River Roast - Chicken & Waffles and Mac & cheese - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

With the name "River Roast," you'd think you could sit on the patio by the river- no, under construction. Stayed for dinner anyway. Very limited vegetarian options. I had a side of mac n cheese as my meal, which was a generous portion and satisfying. Very delicious and well prepared. My man got the burger. It comes with bbq chips and fries were a $5 upcharge, which we found absurd, especially since they were similar to McDonald's. Be warned their coke products are hot cans, served with a glass of ice. Was not pleased with this and wasn't warned before ordering. The service and ambiance was very nice. The very small menu with little vegetation options will keep us from coming back. read more

I came a couple of years ago for brunch and really liked it. Returning now for Sat dinner, I was less impressed. The place was not crowded. We sat at one of the tall tables by the bar and waited for 10mins before I was able to wave down a bartender to bring us utensils, menu, and water. The vibe outdoors by the river might be nicer as I saw the tables were full and have a 45min wait. The food portion was big especially for the fries and potatoes. We had the RR burger which was juicy. The half roast chicken was a little too dry. After we paid our bills, then someone who might be a manager dropped by to check on us and the bartender refilled our empty water glasses. read more

River Roast - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We are in town from Dallas a the staff here went above and beyond. My husband and I sat at the bar for a happy hour drink and snack. Rosé was on their happy hour selection and we ordered their Charcuterie board ($32 but so worth it). It was amazing! I wish I had taken a picture but we wiped the board clean. The staff was on point, they inquired where we were from and even bought us another round on the house. Before we were able to ask for more bread, another staff member brought us more. We are here a week and want to come try more food before we go. So phenomenal and I'll take pics next time! read more

The food was delicious as was the dessert! The patio is first come first serve you're not allowed to make a reservation for it so come early if you want a seat by the river! read more

River Roast - Cheesecake - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Once we got a sever, our experience was incredible. We love Lexi!! They have some great happy hour deals, and the the food is so good. You have to try the chicken bites from the appetizer menu, soooo good! You can't go wrong but I definitely recommend the burger and glazed carrots too. Long wait for the patio outside but the interior was nice as well. read more

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I recommend going there for happy hour. It's a pricier place and I can see it may be hard to justify to go there just for dinner and drinks on the reg, but their happy hour is great to get the experience without breaking the bank. Last time I went my bartender was so great, attentive and funny and made great suggestions. read more

I was in Chicago for Lolla and heard about this nice restaurant by the river. It has a lot of solid reviews and looks like an established, fancy restaurant. I ordered the roast chicken, beet salad with steak, and broccolini. Everything tasted great, however the steak was a little undercooked. But I didn't think much of it since it's a popular restaurant and bad food was the least of my worries. Unfortunately my party and I got the worst food poisoning ever. Not sure if the salad wasn't washed well or if it was the steak, but it lasted us 2 whole days DURING Lolla. I've never been so violently ill from an American restaurant, I was practically bed ridden. Beware of any raw foods here!!! read more

River Roast - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Was here for a wedding a few years ago. Great venue on the river with delicious food!

My family ate here on Christmas Eve and the restaurant was about a quarter full at 7:30 PM. The ambiance is on the nice side of casual, and the view is great, even at night in the wintertime. River Roast's food is good, but not great, so the service can really make or break the experience. In our case, the service this particular evening was very disappointing. Our server took about 15 minutes to greet our table and really pushed us to order alcohol until I finally had to disclose that we don't drink. Our appetizers came without issue, but after 45 minutes he finally came back to our table and told us one of our entrees was mistakenly sent to another table, so they had to refire it, which was what was causing the delay. He offered to comp something on the bill because we had been sitting there for so long. He made multiple awkward jokes about it being too bad we didn't want tequila shots throughout the evening. Once our food finally arrived some items were better than others. The vegetarian honey nut squash entree was very small, it comes with one half of a small squash. It was literally 4 bites worth of squash, so I think it should be described as a lentil dish with squash accompaniment. The other entrees and sides were good. We ordered dessert and could see it sitting on the counter at the open kitchen for a long time until we were finally able to flag our server to go get it for us. He apologetically laughed about there being so many delays for our party, including forgetting to come back with water refills after us asking multiple times. Meanwhile, throughout the evening we saw him spend a ton of time at a neighboring table, having them try different bottles of wine. It was clear we missed an opportunity at having attentive service the moment we didn't order alcoholic drinks. He did not end of comping anything on the bill, despite being the one who offered that in the first place. The whole evening was awkward and lack of service is really the only reason we won't be back. read more

What a awesome , well ran restaurant. My wife and i came for brunch twice during our chicago stay. The food was excellent. Well seasoned and super fresh. The restaurant is aesthetically pleasing for sure, would love to come for dinner. But most importantly, the service was 10/10. Each waiter was kind and helpful. The head chef Paul is personable and super cool and runs a great kitchen. Hope to come back when we visit again! read more

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