One my favorite spots of 2026! I wish yelp would allow fractions of stars as i would rate this 4.75. Beautiful dining space tucked behind a street front bar entrance. Contemporary wood paneled room with a window wall overlooking the river below. Expertly made martinis followed by watermelon beet and feta salad; and wild mushrooms with Parmesan bread crumbs, mint, fried rosemary and whipped ricotta. Both were very tasty expressions of the season. Our table raved over the tagliarini with a local beef, pork and veg ragu and a shellfish version with a spicy puttanesca. The menu changes regularly to highlight the best of the season and local producers. Sometimes it's nice to eat delicious food with no blasting music, at reasonable prices (app/salads: $12-16, most entrees high 20's to $36) just hanging with happy well fed adults enjoying conversation. It would have been 5 stars but for the forgetting of complimentary bread service until we asked for it during the entrees. The bread was mediocre and chewy. Our primary waitperson sort of disappeared for a bit. An evening special of soba noodles with julienne vegetables was really just a bowl of noodles with little evidence of any veggies. Regardless, I've recommended to about 10 people already today and I'll keep doing so!! read more

A while ago, my wife and I had a positive experience at River Tavern. That experience has endured in our minds through a number of less positive experiences. After a recent disappointing experience at RT with my son and father, I have to accept that the the initial positive experience may be the exception and not the rule. RT is located in Chester Center, which is a top CT town. Top tier location. The restaurant is cute, but cramped. After we were seated, a while passed before we saw our server. We were ready to order for 10 minutes and she still hadn't checked in with us. I told another employee that we wanted to see our server. She shook her head and we waited another 5 minutes. We finally were able to order. Then people who arrived after us, and ordered after us, received food first. Multiple tables. Through multiple service issues, there was no recognition from the employees about the issues. Our primary server asked how things were going when she first checked in with us. I told her the truth. And she didn't seem like she cared. She was apparently hoping that I would just say "good". The food was mixed. My son and I split a burger and an order of chilaquiles. The chilaquiles was good. The burger was medium rare rather than the medium we asked for. The burger was underseasoned. It may not have been seasoned at all. The bottom part of the bun was cut at a weird angle. As the juices flowed from the burger, it soaked the short side of the burger bun so that it was unusable. My Dad said his salad featuring peaches and nuts, barely had any peaches or nuts. I'm unlikely to eat at River Tavern again anytime soon. 2.5 Stars read more

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Parking: street only and very crowded so give extra time Decor: clean and modern though the seats felt flimsy for a big guy Staff: very friendly and knowledgeable Food: menu changes daily and very tasty. Many dishes had a kick to them with a spice Overall a nice place for date night though a little pricey with dinner for two being over 140 with one person not drinking and having a burger read more

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Disappointing. Service was a wee bit slow, but ok. However, two things really stood out. My grandson ordered the pancakes and almost burnt to a crisp would be an apt description. But the route to the bathroom was tragic. You walk past the kitchen to get there. Filthy, filthy. Makes me wish I went there before ordering. read more

River Tavern delivers thoughtful, seasonal farm-to-table cooking in a charming setting--great if you value fresh, local ingredients and don't mind smaller portions or the need to reserve ahead. It's not a casual pub-grub spot but more of an elevated neighborhood restaurant. If you're in the area (or planning a trip to Chester's shops/theater), it's worth trying, especially for brunch or a creative dinner. Check the website (rivertavernrestaurant.com) for current daily menus and hours, as they shift seasonally. The spicy Thai beef was extremely well prepared. Chef Patrick is always on point. read more

River Tavern - Spicy Thai Beef - New American Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

Great service and cozy vibe. Food was good. I prefer traditional pho but it was still good. Dark and stormy was off but the meatloaf was yummy! read more

River Tavern - Beef Pho - New American Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

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I was expecting more for the price of the dishes. The bill was $120 for 2 apps and 2 entrees, with no alcoholic drinks. Overall, there was a lack of flavor. The portion sizes were on the smaller side. The appetizer was the best out of the three dishes we had. The pears were a nice touch and brought the most flavor out of all the dishes we ordered. The cuttlefish ink pasta was lacking the brininess and the texture that I expect from squid ink pasta. The shrimp and calamari were bland. The swordfish was clearly frozen from the pack and flavorless as well. The beans were a weird choice to pair with fish. I didn't want to be rude and give them 1 star, but I was expecting a lot more for the amount we spent. There was a reason why the other businesses were busy while this one was empty when we had dinner. read more

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I had the garlic mashed potatoes The service was very nice. I will highly recommend this place. read more

The food and ambience here are great but the sticky toffee pudding dessert is literally the best thing I have ever tasted in my entire life. It lives in my head rent free. read more

River Tavern is the place for a LIVELY fine dining experience. Really lively. Did I mention the vibe is Lively? The place is packed on weekends. Packed. No table is empty for more than a few seconds (the spirited staff are efficient!) Because the total experience at River Tavern is what you dream for in a restaurant. Arrive On-Time (or earlier) for your reservation; when you do what you do as well as River Tavern does, they simply cannot do it for everyone. The server caring for us (there being two of us) absolutely glowed with welcome, an aura of expertise, and desire to ensure our experience would be legendary. A professional running down the checklist of her métiér. Food lives up to River Tavern's well-known and rarefied reputation. Made-to-order guacamole and fresh-fried chips were perfect down to the molecular level. Perfect portion size for two, perfectly fresh, perfectly presented. Main dishes, ditto. (Oh! How I SAVOURED my handmade tagliarini with tomato, pork, beef, and fresh herbs ragú -- not to mention the blizzard of parmesan). The chefs, cooks, and waitstaff make it look easy, working in perfect harmony as dishes arriving testify. Don't skip dessert! Our intrepid (and glamorous) server was delighted to bring two spoons so we could share the classic affogato; which, like all else River Tavern, was PERFECT: all at once sweet, bitter, hot, and cold. We'll be back with friends. read more

Lunch with five friends on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend. So while the restaurant was relatively busy, the service was fine. Had the mozzarella with prosciutto and rhubarb compote, the brunch pancakes with bacon and strawberries, and the quiche with salad. All were excellent. Nice atmosphere. read more

The most delicious lunch with ladies. We sat outside and watched the people as we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch. I had the shakshuka which was a fabulous baked egg casserole with a variety of spices. My friends each had the Thai salad with beef and an assortment of vegies in a chili lime dressing. They enjoyed their meal as much as I did. The menu has a variety of interesting choices. I would come back here in a heartbeat . read more

"If I had wings and I could fly, I know where I would go. But right now I'll just sit here so contentedly And watch the river flow" (Bob Dylan) If you've never been to Chester, CT but are reasonably close to visit, you really need to fire up your GPS and make a trip to this charming little town. You'll find a vibrant Main Street with clothing and jewelry shops, a brewery, and restaurants. A whole lot of restaurants. The town has a very chill Bohemian vibe that is overflowing with hustle and bustle during the warm weather months. Four of us had lunch reservations yesterday. It was my first visit to River Tavern and I really loved it a lot. All of the lunch menu entrees are under $24, and quite a few are under $20. To start things off, a former co-worker and I split an $18 order of half a dozen Mystic Oysters with lemon and cocktail sauce. They were very good! Our table went in four different directions for lunch - a $22 Fish Sandwich, a $20 Burger, a $24 Eggplant Parmigiana, and a $24 Fish Soup. The Fish Soup was mine and it was one of the best dishes I had all year. It was a heaping bowl with chunks of monkfish and halibut, with a few big scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels, fennel, peppers, onion, saffron, lemon, and fresh herbs. It was excellent. Our server Tara, and the young guy that also pitched in at our table, were both friendly, coureous, efficient and professional. The restaurant is beautiful. There is a bar and dining room up front and a second dining room in the back that has an open space where you can peer into the kitchen. PRO TIP You'll get a full access view of the kitchen if you need to visit the restroom because the circuitous path to the restroom will take you right through the kitchen! Yes, you read that correctly. Our meal for four included the oysters, a wine, a beer, two gin and tonics, and four entrees, and that ran $152 after tax and before tip. read more

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Food, service, ambiance all just as we like it. This has been our "go to" place for many years.! Never disappointed.

Warm service and a delicious, inventive menu. We particularly loved the beet salad, grilled asparagus appetizer, Thai beef salad and warm date pudding. Lovely atmosphere. We look forward to visiting on our next day trip to Chester. Conveniently located next to Honeycomb Ice cream and some adorable shops for browsing while you wait. read more

High prices for mediocre quality, exceptionally poor , inexperienced , disengaged servers. Meal was prepared incorrectly, I had to walk it back to the kitchen as no one checked. It took a long time for the first and the replacement meal to show up, which arrived without any acknowledgment or apology. Not worth it, make a different choice. It used to be so much better. read more

Generally we only have good things to say about River Tavern but not tonight The food was OK but the service was just plain bad. We waited and waited and waited for our dinner which was a pasta dish and a burger. I do not like giving bad reviews but tonight they deserve it. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in the charming town of Chester. Menu changes multiple times a year to keep seasonal ingredients. The service is always on par, friendly and attentive. The shrimp and pasta dishes are typically my favorite. When they have the guacamole, I usually get it because it's always wonderful. My favorite drink here is their spicy margarita with salt. Superb. Tiny little place... but cozy. This place is no secret-so you might want to make a reservation ahead of time. read more

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River Tavern is a small restaurant with an interesting menu. They had a lot of different Asian inspired menu options. I ended up getting the bao buns. They were delicious but I do wish the bao bun itself was warm. They were kind enough to offer coffee on the house which was very sweet. The staff were delightful, kind and attentive. I would go back again to try more of their menu options which was said to change frequently. read more

Excellent food and service, the atmosphere was perfect. Perfect for a date night or larger group. Highly recommend

Consistently good, whether it be for lunch or dinner. The speciality cocktails are great and the seasonal menu is unique and well thought out. read more

River Tavern serves up some of the best food in Chester. Despite having so many good options for dinner in Chester, River Tavern always has something new and exciting to try on their menu, making them the perfect option. The cocktails are spot on. We tried an autumnal drink special that had apple cider and was perfection in a glass! We also got the jungle bird cocktail with rum and their cosmopolitan which was perfection. For apps we started with the burrata special and the chickpea fried shrimp- both were lovely and fresh. For my main I had the fried chicken with delicious barbecue sauce and coleslaw and fries. Overall, the service was lovely and inside is cozy and warm. Perfect for a date night or just a fun night out! read more

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River Tavern is a gem. When we were at Yankee Cider Co., we met some awesome locals and they said this was definitely the place to have dinner. We can't thank them enough. We walked in at 4 PM, without a reservation, and somehow managed to get an awesome table by the front window. Amazing. We started with Chinese Style Pork Buns- grilled pork belly, hoisin sauce, pickles, sesame seeds and cilantro. Wow. Just wow. Loved it. Also tried the Confit and Grilled Octopus- saffron aioli, fingerling potatoes, tomatoes, olives and charred peppers. Another flavorful knockout. I love octopus! We both also had the Starburst to drink. It was a refreshing mix of crop lemon vodka, fresh lime juice and elderflower liqueur. Tart and delicious. Dinner time arrived and we order the Pan Roasted Sea Bass and the Grilled NY Strip. The Sea Bass had a Thai red curry sauce, roasted radish and a salad of shaved crispy vegetables. peanuts and a chili lime sauce. Such a nice zip. My friend had the Strip with sauteed fingerling potatoes, shishito peppers, onions tomatoes, grilled radicchio and gorgonzola crema. Cooked to perfection. I scored a bite or two. Yay! This town is so cute. The food, drinks and scenery...all worth a visit. We even saw a double rainbow in the sky during our meal. Does it get any better? Can't wait to return. read more

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Wasn't bad but not great. We usually love eating here for the food, the atmosphere and the wait staff. Today we did not fully enjoy the food and the staff. High point was the swordfish. Not the biggest portion but delicious and served with great black beans and other niceties. The crispy tofu curry wasn't much of either...not bad to eat but the menu was promoted it as crispy and the waiter promised that the flavors would be bold with some heat, not. Nice potential but it needed the full attention of someone in the kitchen instead of just phoning in another tofu with nice veggies bowl. As an aside, it didn't come with bread or a grain so it wasn't a complete protein and when the waiter was asked for some bread she said they used to have it but not anymore. Also, for a nice restaurant that serves lunch and dinner it is hard to understand the lack of a non-alcohol beer option these days - not very apologetic either..."so you'll just have water then?". This stuff is easy to fix but we will ask a few questions when making the next reservation.. read more

Not that you can go wrong by choosing to spend an evening on a sidewalk table at *any* restaurant in Chester, but I am confident we made the right choice at River Tavern on Friday night. We had a 6pm reservation and walked in a few minutes early to a mostly-empty restaurant. We were quickly attended to by Sara (Sarah?) who, it turns out, goes to the same pediatrician as my best friend and dinner date! Small towns are the best. We started with drinks (I went with the Gold Rush) and cheers-ed to getting out of the house. We decided to split the figs, which came on a bed of lettuce so it felt somewhat healthy even if they were wrapped in meat. My *only* complaint - and this doesn't even really rate on the scale - is that the salad came with 3 figs and we got 3 pieces of bread, when there were 2 of us. 2 or 4. Not 3. You can't split it easily. Obviously this didn't really have any impact on our night out, but it's just a general pet peeve of mine. Then came the burger. We knew we'd want dessert and we knew we had a few more Chester spots to hit, so we split the burger. Color me surprised when they came out with the burger pre-split and plated separately for us. This tiny touch made a big splash for sure. It's so easy for a restaurant to do this rather than bringing out an empty plate and making the patrons split the food, but this is one of the first times in memory that it's been done ahead of time. So easy to do with a big result -- an easy, thoughtful move. Anyway. The burger was juicy and delicious and totally hit the spot. On a menu with more sophisticated items, hidden at the bottom of the list, it was only $16 and was done perfectly. For our second round of drinks, we both decided the Gold Rush was a winner. Along with our drinks, we had pre-ordered the Date Pudding to split. We mostly at the whipped cream and nibbled at the edges since my friend said I had to bring it home and eat it for breakfast. Sara(h?) gave us a few more leftover tips for the pudding, too. There were, happily, more patrons outside and in when we were getting ready to leave. With all of that -- two drinks each, an appetizer, entree, and dessert -- we only paid about $50 each plus tip. I feel like the food and experience was worth much more. I'm hoping to come back here during my next visit to Connecticut so I can try a seafood choice, too. read more

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River Tavern is my go to lunch place - I say lunch because I have not had dinner there, but given the lack of quality lunch places that are not just sandwich places (not that there is anything wrong with that!) River Tavern is an Oasis of Culinary Deliciousness Here is just a sampling of a few lunches that where out of this world. Starters warm olives and spicy thai shrimp salad - mango, peanut sause, scallions and mango-chili-lime dressing. These two dishes warmed up a gloomy rainy day. 3-4 different olives (yes I have had olive apps that were bad!) served with warm oil with thinly sliced garlic just perfect. Spicy Shrimp salad was garden fresh, nice kick, a variety of subtle flavors and perfectly cooked shrimp. Main attraction was one of the best beef burgers i have had - smoked bacon, bel paese (cheese) spicy aioli - i kid you not the first two bite produced "juice pops" only a burger cooked to perfection can do. The second dish was expertly charred octopus with saffron aioli, potatoes, olives, tomato, fennel and parsley. Light, subtle flavors and the aioli tied the dish together. OK my first dessert at the River Tavern was the Lemon Posset - truth!? the fresh (and I mean homeade fresh) whipped cream so was good I thought it was the dessert! The lemon was unlike anything I have had before - just amazing - and clocks in as top 10 desert in my life. To keep the next lunch short, just look at the pictures - classic caeser tasted freshly tableside perpared (make sure to mix the salad up) and the asian salad w/green apple, cashews, scallions and miso-ginger dressing, both fanastic. The mains were a homemade pasta special with crisp but soft garlic, pancetta, mushrooms and parmesan in a white sauce. The last was just an expert explosive combination of flavors in the Chinese fried rice, shrimp, pork, egg, vegs, chili, cashews, ginger and sesame, filling (takehome) and perfect. Desert was the Blueberry Buckle with homade Whipped Cream. Here is a desert NOT overloaded with surgar! It is moist dense and naturally subtle blurberry flavors. Mixed drinks were on point and balanced. read more

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The food and the service was great! I didn't take picture of what we had for dinner but I wish i did. I had a great fish dish, it was fresh, tasteful and filling. The pork belly tacos were mouth watering and the drinks were delish. I will definitely be back! read more

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The food was wonderful. The server was very attentive and the setting (on the river) was truly lovely. From what I could see, everyone else there was saying similar things. I will note this as a favorite for the next wedding at which I officiate! (Would also be a great setting for a wedding, with the tent by the river) read more

Went back, enjoyed a great brunch and, of course, the date bread pudding. It is still on my favorite list for special occasions. read more

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Always good. A go to place for sure fire dinner and drinks. Their classic margaritas are just that and the food is consistently good

It's a Chester classic, lucky if you're local but also worth a drive. The ambiance is beautiful (yes, those are original works by Sol LeWitt!) In a handful of visits over a few years (solo/with a date/with friends) I've liked everything ordered. Nice place just for a glass of wine or cocktail, too. I'd describe the service as friendly with a dash of aloofness. Last time I dined there, we were bounced between a couple servers, with wait times suffering and a few things lost in translation. read more

This restaurant was recommended by a local antique dealer in Ivoryton, so we drove over for lunch on Sunday during Labor Day weekend. The place was crowded, and we did not have a reservation, so we elected to skip the wait and dine outside. Their lunch menu is fairly small, but eclectic and interesting. Service was friendly and the kitchen was pretty fast, even with the crowd. What I liked best was their attention to small details, like fresh, ripe garden-grown tomatoes and clipped herbs on my fried fish sandwich. The chickpea batter was fluffy and crispy. The bread was good too. The fries were perfectly cooked and seasoned. You could tell that the kitchen knows what they're doing here. It's on my list for a return visit. read more

Start with dessert- the date pudding is worth both the calories and the wait! Dinner was swordfish and the house made spaghetti with pork ragu- both dishes were so good we polished them off pretty quickly. The drink selection was very nice, a well-made cosmo and a jalapeño margarita started us off, followed by another of each...then we lost track. When you go to River Tavern begin with the end in mind- the date pudding! read more

River Tavern - Swordfish - New American Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

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Great Food. Lovely small downtown. Very good service. Our waitress answered many questions and checked on us frequently. The only small issue was the trip to bathroom was down a small hallway through the kitchen area. We went for lunch. I had the Fish Soup which was Phenomenal! It was less of a soup and more of a celebration of the fresh seafood with the most flavorful herb infused broth at the bottom. It was a 10. Nice wine selection. My wife enjoyed a fresh lime aid drink had the Fish Sandwich which she enjoyed. While we loved our meals, we both noticed the kitchen was sending out a lot of Burgers , which looked to be amazing. Next time we will definitely try a burger. Really looking forward to visiting Chester and this nice place again. read more

Nice place, very loud, had a hard time having a conversation because of it, food was good. Service could have been better. Over all, place just for more of the drinks and bar. read more

Put the River Tavern on your list as a must try. The location is wonderful, the service was fantastic and the food was creative and delicious! The menu changes slightly making it hard not to want to go often. The town of Chester is very nice so if you go, make a reservation for 5ish and get their around 3pm and wander the shops in Chester before dinner. read more

Slow service yesterday for lunch combined with a burnt bun (seriously burnt) and dry fried fish sandwich made for a disappointing lunch. The mushroom soup was delicious and the almond cake good too. But those two items did not carry the meal. I would think there is someone in the kitchen checking quality -- and should have never let the burnt sandwich out of the kitchen. Apparently not. Gotta up your lunch game River Tavern, before I come back. read more

Great tasting food. Very attentive but not hovering service. And the drink menu is top notch. Had the "House of the Dragon" and it was awesome. read more

River Tavern is my #1 go-to for awesome food and cocktails for any occasion in Chester. They do as much farm to table as they possibly can and food is cooked perfectly. The bar staff is creative & seasoned. Service is friendly as can be. Shout out to Miller, Noah, and the rest who are also the best. read more

We had dinner at River Tavern tonight, the food was amazing, the service was impeccable, ambience was very nice. The guacamole was creamy and delicious as an app. I had the New York strip and it was so good, perfectly cooked. Our cocktails pre dinner were so tasty. Sarah our server was attentive and spot on. read more