If you are in the city and looking for good food and an even better view don't hesitate to stop by River Roast! It's a beautiful restaurant and event space with breathtaking views of the Chicago River. My last experience here was outstanding! I sat at the bar and Tyler was the bartender who served me. He was so personable and attentive. His drink and food suggestions were on point. I had the green beans for the first time and boy were they good! I also tried an espresso martini and it was top notch and blended to perfection. They actually use cold brew instead of espresso, which tastes better in my opinion. I literally can't wait to go back to the city and have another espresso martini at River Roast! read more

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Who dont want to eat in a cozy place near the river? Its stunning! My favorite is their burger and steak. Their chocolate and pineapple cake. For the drinks I love berry mash. For starters I love the crispy chicken bites with honey. Its 10/10 for me. The service is so fast and the staff are very accommodating. Ill surely keep coming back read more

We had a wonderful time at River Roast! We met some family members that we don't get so see very often. We're not from Chicago, so they made the recommendation of River Roast. We dined outside and the views are spectacular. Sitting right on the riverfront, there are various boats that pass by including one that had a symphony playing. It pulled up and just played a couple of songs. It made the evening so special and added a somewhat surreal feeling to our experience. The food was over-the-top good. We had shrimp toast and charred octopus for appetizer. Our entree was roasted chicken, which arrives whole at the table and our server carved it for us. I honestly think it may have been the best chicken I ever had. We all had a great time that evening and I'll dine there again on my next trip back to Chicago. read more

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Updating my review because I GOT MARRIED AT RIVER ROAST! I want to shout out the amazing event team and event space, that only made my love for the restaurant stronger. 7 years ago when I moved to Chicago, I was nowhere close to getting married, but I saw River Roast's event space from a boat tour and said "now THAT would be a dream wedding venue." I'm still blown away that I actually made this dream come true! We booked River Roast in Dec 2022 for our April 2024 wedding after touring about 20 venues. We chose based on River Roast's location, amazing food, close to all-inclusive packaging, and dynamic pricing for the off-season. And OBVIOUSLY for the gorgeous patio space!! We had a great initial tour with a staff member who is no longer there, and our account was transferred to Jessica after we booked who was then our main contact. Jessica was so great!! She checked in often in the downtime before we really needed to start planning, and then was totally on top of things as we got closer. She knew all the details that other couples cared about or forgot and always made sure nothing was overlooked. When some floor plan things needed changing after our rehearsal, she got everything fixed right away so it was ready to go when we arrived on the wedding day. Jessica also went above and beyond, letting us store some things at her desk to minimize stress on the wedding day. The food on our wedding day was PERFECT and even better than our tasting. We had a guest with extremely severe allergies, and Jessica personally worked with him to make sure he could eat. And it wasn't just a bland plate - they brought him every side dish and even late night snacks tailored to his needs. We loved the menu options, and how we could have unique options like tuna tartar on wonton chips, but could still offer a classic steak and potatoes for the grandparents with less adventurous tastes. Several guests said the chicken was the best wedding chicken they've ever had. We could not have asked for a better venue. We were lucky to have a perfect April weather day and the patio was gorgeous. We had lots of out of town guests who loved being downtown on the river. Our photos are amazing. The River Roast team and event space truly made our dream wedding come true, and I'll be talking about it forever. read more

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Everything about this place was 5 star. I wanted to have dinner on the river walk and just found this place online. When we asked for a table it was reservations only but was given the option to sit at the bar which we did. We headed downstairs to the restaurant which was rustic but very nice. We were greeted by Joe at the bar who took care of us. He not only gave us great suggestions for food but he just over all was great to talk to. The golden gobbets were fire. I don't know if I was just hungry or what but I couldn't stop eating them. Joe told us everything was pretty much like family style so we could get things to share. The roasted chicken was a hit. And to top it off while talking my husband mentioned we were in town celebrating my birthday so at the end of our meal we got a delicious slice of carrot cake. Next time I'm in Chicago I'm going back read more

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This is my second time visiting River Roast and it's still good. The location right on the river is tough to beat. The host and waiter were very friendly. The waiter did an excellent job and was really attentive but not annoyingly so. The burrata was delicious and had excellent flavor. Always a solid option at most spots that offer burrata. The golden goblets were a fun and casual starter with a cute little honey pot to drizzle! -nothing super special about this. Just good. The ribs were decent but not great. They didn't seem very flavorful or exceptionally tender. Definitely edible though! The sauce they provided was a nice touch and made them more enjoyable! The street corn was amazing. This dish doesn't always stand out at other places but I felt this was some of the best street corn I've had. Great flavor and creamy. The Pot roast was tender. Great flavor. I'd get that again in a heart beat. Carrot cake- this felt obligatory to get. Looked incredible! It was good but not great. I was slightly underwhelmed. The cake is dense and rich which I love! I just wish some of the flavor came through better. The cinnamon sugar dehydrated carrot were such a fun touch! They're delicious too. Good! Just can't say it was exceptional. Yet, overall a very solid spot and would visit again! Definitely enjoyed. read more

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Very rude workers, they talk to you like you're stupid and give you the ugliest faces. I expected better

Brunch spot next to the river! The outdoor seating is first come first serve, we went there when they just open the restaurant so we have no wait and were able to get the outdoor table. The river view is amazing! Service are quick and amazing. We were celebrating our friend birthday and got a free champagne and the cheese dip appetizer. Food are in good portion, price are reasonable. You have to pay the bill online. We were having issue using the split bill function, and calculate the cost incorrectly. However, our server has help us review and resolve the cost issue immediately! read more

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Very nice place and present atmosphere. Excellent view if settled by the window or on the patio. Service left a pleasant feeling of being needed while there. Excellent valet service right on the entrance is even more helpful to simplify your parking life. Happy hour prices were hard to believe that are even possible. A $3 beer! Nice. The menu is always changes - sometimes for a good, sometimes for a bad depending what you're looking for. Overall very pleasant experience and hoping to be back for more roasted goodies. read more

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They've still got it! Great food, good service, awesome views. Enjoyed the branzino, mushrooms, and beet salad this time. Love it! read more

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I always have a good time at River Roast, especially if I can secure outdoor seating on the river. They don't take reservations for the outside tables, but if it's a nice day, outside seating is worth the wait. The outdoor ambiance is great. The food is amazing. I recommend starting with the grilled octopus. It practically melts in your mouth. For an entree, we always order the chicken. Two people can easily share a whole chicken which is usually our go-to. The chicken comes with crispy cubed potatoes which are great. The skin is cooked to a light crisp and very flavorful. All the meat is carved table side which adds a nice touch to the overall experience. The service is always exceptional and staff are friendly. read more

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Went to lunch at river roast and it exceeded my expectations. Decided to sit inside because it was so hot out. Drinks arrived very quickly. I got the berry smash (spirit free) which was sweet and refreshing. For appetizers, we had the shrimp and crab toast and the beet salad to start. Both were delicious! We shared the mains: roasted chicken with potatoes and side salad, sandwich of the day (blackened salmon), and broccolini. Chicken was so crispy and juicy and flavorful. Enough for 4 people to share! The salmon sandwich was fresh and perfectly seasoned, and paired nicely with pickled onions on top. Broccolini had a nice spicy kick. We were all too full for dessert. Views were spectacular and service was superb. Highly recommend! read more

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

We went for Easter brunch and has to be some of the best ham and bacon I've had in years! The fruit salad was fresh. The roasted potatoes seasoning made these spectacular. I don't normally go out to eat for ham, but will have to travel to get Easter brunch next year too! ALS the service was wonderful. read more

River Roast - Ham, chicken Easter buffet - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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By far the best food we've had this whole trip. Everything was packed with flavor especially the broccolini and pazole. RR burger was super juicy and tender and the mac n cheese had the perfect about of crunch and cheesiness that i loved. That pazole could cure any hangover or be the best comfort meal. Our server was super sweet and took care of everything we needed right away. We went when it was super slow so i really appreciated the calm and quiet after such a hectic week. read more

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I had the chicken and waffles. The chicken was the blandest I've ever had (no exaggeration). There were like chicken bites on top of a waffle. My friend had the eggs Benedict. We were both underwhelmed. Requested outdoor seating and was told there was none and had to wait an hour and half (only to notice several tables outside). We arrived around 11:45 or so. Inside decor is cute and simple. Definitely would not go back even if outside was available because the food was not good. Pomegranate mimosa was good though. Hard to understand wait staff (very soft spoken). read more

River Roast - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Had a great meal at River Roast in River North. The food came out fresh and full of flavor the kind of dishes that feel simple but really well executed. Service was friendly and checked in without being pushy read more

I typically only leave 5 star reviews, but had such a terrible experience at this restaurant that I had to leave this one star. I was planning a family vacation, and our last night was in Chicago. I knew my kids would love the location -- right along the Chicago River and I made a reservation nearly 3 months in advance asking for a riverside table. I know it's not guaranteed but I put in the date as early as possible knowing it would be such an amazing way to wrap our trip. My spouse arrived first with our kids as I looked for parking nearby. I ended up just doing valet since street parking is nearly impossible in this part of the city. Unfortunately, there wasn't a riverside table available when we arrived. We totally understood, but asked if we could get a table along the water if something opened up. The host checked with the manager, Ernesto, who said he'd be happy to seat us as soon as a table was available. My partner took a seat with our kids away from the water and I joined as soon as I parked. But that's when things went in a bad direction. Ernesto walked by our table and saw we were gay dads with 2 kids. It clearly made him very uncomfortable. A table opened up right by the water after being seated about 10 minutes later. We just got the menus and didn't order anything. The host came back and said that the manager declined our request. His reason? There were reservations that night. Wait, didn't we also have reservations? Why the change of heart? It made no sense. Ernesto ran to the table to clear it and said we absolutely couldn't take this table since there were others that claimed it. The table was a group of high school kids (seriously). We held strong and pointed out the fact that he agreed, only to change his mind once he saw us. He immediately folded and reluctantly gave us the table. We moved to the riverside table and our kids absolutely loved it. They waved at every boat that passed by. It was so cute and even our neighboring table took our family picture since they could tell we were having so much fun. We knew exactly what we wanted to order, but a server didn't show up for over 20 minutes. When I tracked down Ernesto to ask who our sever was, he immediately put the blame on us, saying that we confused everyone. He honestly went as far as saying that it was our fault since we changed tables and that confused everyone. I found it truly shocking he was blaming us for the service, rather than apologizing and just sending someone over to take our order. This is a sign of terrible management and needs a change. Overall, the food was delicious (the roasted chicken was out of this world), our server was warm and welcoming (once we could track him down), and we enjoyed the wine and the ambiance along the river. But it was absolutely terrible how they treated our family. At one point, I needed to use the restroom and started walking inside to find it. There was a straight woman also lost, and Ernesto went out of his way to show her. But when he saw me, he put his head down and walked in the opposite direction. I find it so strange in a city like Chicago to experience such discrimination. We honestly have never been treated so terribly in all our years of travels. We started our trip in Kentucky, where we were welcomed with open arms and such love. It was terrible to have this happen to us. If you're gay, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, we recommend not supporting this business as long as this management is in place. It's terrible and they should be ashamed of how they treat their customers. I will say that the host, and servers were so warm and welcoming. They seemed to be stuck by this terrible manager. Ernesto should be fired. And yes, I welcome this business to contact me directly and I'm happy to provide more details to this experience. read more

Cozy interior and spacious, did not feel on top of one another. Service was great and attentive. Food was good but not as 'special' as was expected for the price. Nice drinks as well. read more

River Roast - Steak, Mac & Cheese, and brussel sprouts and RR Potatoes - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We had the RR burger with fries!! Nicely cooked and the server was very attentive. We sat and enjoyed the river walk for lunch read more

River Roast - RR burger - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This restaurant is very appealing to the eye, I personally liked the interior design. Our waiter was polite and the staff was also helpful. The food itself was okay. I felt like it was just simple, but their potato chip seasoning was great. I would definitely come back to try their chicken next time for a dinner. I love that this place is located by the river walk too! read more

River Roast - Steak Sandwich - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great location with a view of the river. Been there several times and have always enjoyed our selections. Good menu including vegan and vegetarian options. Friendly and prompt service make this a reliable place to enjoy an excellent lunch or dinner in Chicago. read more

I was in town for business and took myself out for a solo date on Saturday night. Ate at the bar and had the pork belly and charcuterie board. Beautiful inside and the employees were chatty and nice. Would go back for sure! read more

River Roast - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Good location, decent food, service was not great. We sat inside and it was nice. Pretty chill place. The patio looked nice as well with a good view. We visited for brunch and for food we had the chicken and waffles, the Chilaquiles, and the burrata. The burrata was very good. Definitely recommend. The other two were just okay. Not bad but nothing special. The service was definitely lacking. We were waiting for over 30min for our waiter to come to the table. Had to flag someone down to get someone to take our order. Waited another 20min and still did not have our drinks. The manager did stop by without us asking and was very nice. He apologized profusely, comped our drinks, and brought us an appetizer. We really appreciated that and truly believe our experience waiting for service was not the norm. In general, decent food, but you would probably find better brunch somewhere else for the same price. read more

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

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I've only ever been here for large events, but it's always a blast. It's a great location on the river with a fantastic view. There are outdoor seating and viewing areas as well. The hosts and staff are always friendly and personable. Tip: they offer valet parking, but there's also spot hero parking lot a block down! read more

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Stopped here after getting off the Amtrak on the way to our hotel. Nice view of the river. Soccer game on tv. Good service. The Brussels sprouts were out of this world. My friend ordered them and after a couple bites I had to order my own. I also ordered the chicken pot pie after walking past a table where two gentleman were eating them. The chicken salad was nice also. Didn't care much for the apple cobbler. They used many different types of apples. Some were cooked properly, but others tasted like baby food. Left most of the dessert untouched. I would come back if I was in the area. read more

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I liked the place. It has good seating area indoor and outdoor. View is great from outside. We ordered appetizers and main dish as salad. We were very full to order whole chicken and fish but it should be great as well, look for pictures online before order because main course is large quantity. Service was good. I loved the cocktails. Had a great evening, we clicked pictures as view was amazing ! read more

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River Roast is usually a solid option. Their holiday prix fixe menus are priced well with lots of food. read more

River Roast - Half Roast Chicken - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Walked-in for lunch - thankfully they did not require a resy like a few of the other popular eateries on the river. Staff were super friendly and attentive and the food came out quickly. Would definitely come back to c try their dinner service. read more

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We ate here with a friend while visiting Chicago for a few days and it was delicious! Everything in the menu sounded good and no one could decide what to get so we all decided to just try a variety of appetizers. We ordered the Mac and Cheese, pork belly bites, Golden Gobbets, and a squash tart. I also got a bowl of the soup of the day (I don't recall what it was but it was good!) I REALLY enjoyed the squash tart as well, I had never had anything like it before from a restaurant! I truly enjoyed the ambiance of this restaurant as well, nicely decorated, a view of the river, and great service to top it off. I would definitely want to eat here again when I come back to Chi town read more

River Roast - Soup of the day (it was delicious), Mac and Cheese, pork belly bites, Golden Gobbets, and a Squash tart - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went with a group. The staff were excellent and our server was spot on with recommendations. We had several of the appetizers so we all tried some. The artichoke dip was excellent. Myself I felt the bread was a little over toasted but others enjoyed it. I enjoyed the lamb meatballs along with the pork bellies. Fries had a good seasoning on them but we didn't eat the fast enough and I don't like cold fries lol. We had ordered the golden goblets (chicken tenders) we barely touched them as they seemed more breading than chicken. The waitress asked what was wrong and we told her what we thought. Without even asking or telling us she removed them from the tab. Would I recommend yes I would. It was busy but kept up with the rush. Great job read more

Food was great. That's about it though. The service was horrendous. Took 20 minutes to get our first drinks ordered, appetizers came out about 20 minutes after that and main dishes literally took 45 minutes. We did get a $13 carrot cake for the troubles... that's why they get a 3 star and not 2. Again the food was great. Plan on 2+ hours minimum - this was on a Wednesday at 7pm. read more

River Roast - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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

Sam was our server and she was incredible. Service was amazing for our entire visit. We got the whole roast chicken, mac and cheese and the brussels sprouts. The food was so tasty and reasonably priced! Such a beautiful restaurant. They have outdoor seating by the river but that typically is a wait even if you have reservations. read more

River Roast - Chocolate Cake - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very delicious. We visited in the winter but would love to come back and sit along the river. The portions are great but, as everywhere in downtown Chicago, they are expensive. it was our waiter's first day, and he asked my cousin if he wanted another bloody mary, saying he would have one two. Did not appreciate being swindled but we were suckers and my cousin got another one. read more

The food is interesting and very tasty. The drinks are good as well. Great location on the river.

Located right on the Chicago River, River Roast is a nice sit-down restaurant serving modern American fare, with a focus on roasted chicken, beef, and fish, as well as unique appetizers. We originally wanted to grab a spot out on the patio, but that probably requires reservation further in advance. Thankfully though, we didn't have to wait too long to be seated for dinner. We ordered the crab toast and tomato salad to start. The toast was a little greasy, but fried to a nice crispy texture to contrast the creamy crab topping. The tomato salad was a fresh contrast, with crushed pistachios and a unique minty sauce. For our entree, we ordered the whole roasted chicken, which had a delicate, crispy skin, but was a little drier around the breasts. However, the chicken was seasoned well and the best part was that the drippings, herbs, and lemon were used to cook the potatoes at the bottom. Overall, a solid spot and worth coming back to try other appetizers and entrees on the menu. read more

River Roast - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Perhaps an atypical review as none of us got the roast, but we came for brunch after a rather... excessive night. Our server gave excellent selections and I was so happy with his suggestion of the mushroom toast with an egg on top. I also got the carrots because I have no self control. The toast was absolutely delicious, the mushrooms delightfully squeaky and the egg perfectly runny. The carrots had a nice char but the topping didn't really add a lot. My table mates thoroughly enjoyed the burger, the sprouts, the Mac and cheese, and the apple French toast. For dessert we split an ENORMOUS slice of carrot cake which was a good but a little dry. Plus when I get cream cheese frosting I want it CREAM CHEESY... but that's personal preference. All of this washed down with a lovely river view was an excellent way to forget the regrets of the night before. :). Can't wait to come back for a roast! read more

River Roast - Mushroom Toast and Grilled Carrots - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Amazing service, I don't remember the bartenders name but he was tall. He was so nice and very on top of it. Quick service with out being pushy and very nice. His Barack was very attentive and helpful too Manager was also good, and greeted when I walked in also came by to check on how it was going. read more

Today was a business lunch welcoming our two new hires. We were seated at the window so we had a nice view of the river, still died green from St. Patrick's Day. We ordered the cheese tray to share and our waitress was kind enough to bring us extra bread. (Toasted sourdough, yum) There were 5 of us and after drinks, we ordered: Chicken bites x 2 Parmesan fries x 2 Potato leek soup x 2 Shrimp and crab toast x 2 Chicken pot pie Everything was good except the soup was bland and had no flavor. It didn't even taste like potato soup. Our waitress offered us something else but between all the cheese and the shrimp and crab toast the two us ordered, we were full. She took the soups off our bill which we greatly appreciated. Our server, Amra, was upbeat and very kind and attentive. Good lunch. read more

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