We had a really great experience at River Twice - our servers were so nice and we were there for a celebration so we wanted something fancy and River Twice delivered. The menu was very seafood heavy for us and we got some bread to offset the seafood dishes but everything was so good, from the scallops to the soft shell caviar crab to the tuna, everything was beautiful and creative. We got gifted madelines at the end of our meal and we were honestly pretty full. This was definitely a treat, I felt so inspired at the end of the meal! read more

River Twice - White fish - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Many of the dishes were too acidic for me. For instance, they had a deconstructed Clam Chowder that was acidic. Not my cup of tea. However, the protein execution was outstanding. The scallops and the halibut in particular were exceptional. The fish collar was good however I find it odd they don't specify the type of fish you're eating on the menu. Overall, the quality of the ingredients was high, but the plate composition I found lackluster. So the $200 price tag for one made sense from an ingredient standpoint at least. The service was friendly, but kind of kitcshy and unrefined for the price and the dishes they are presenting. I liked the space. The decor and kitchen and clean and pleasant. read more

River Twice - Amalia Oysters with Smoked Trout Roe Add-On - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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My meal experience at River Twice was decent. It's a cute little restaurant with nice minimalist decor. Most of the staff have a weird kind of vibe or feeling to them, which made the experience slightly uncomfortable. The servers interrupted at awkward times a couple of times to either take away items or put additional items down which was disruptive. The main 4 courses of the tasting menu were good for sure, but nothing really stood out to me. The halibut dish could've used some crispy texture mixed in there to contrast all of the soft/creamy textures that were in that dish. I'm pretty sure I saw them use a metal spoon to scoop out the osetra caviar. Overall, it was a good meal, but definitely a one and done for me. read more

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Gorgeous table with chopstick setting and hidden compartment silverware :) Enjoyable spot that was empty and allowed taking our time with the course menu. My favorite of the dishes might be the octopus but I'm just a cephalopod guy. Other people preferred the tuna tartare. The biggest surprise for the table was the dessert which changed skepticism to delight. Personally all the dishes were decent but overall not much food. We had the set course meal for $85 and also two additional items. read more

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So sad to leave a 1 star review but boy did River Twice miss the mark. We understood the menu would be a 4 course pre-fixe but didn't expect to have to order 2 additional items (with pressure from our server) only to still leave hungry and have to order a pizza on the way home. Server was not super helpful and didn't care when we told him how poor the softshell crab entree was (did nothing to rectify the issue). The buns were the only dish we enjoyed. For $325 for 2 people, I expected a really enjoyable and memorable experience. A total fail beginning to end. read more

River Twice, went in with no expectations and was so pleasantly blown away! We came here to celebrate my birthday and the staff gave us such special treatment, it was wonderful. They were very courteous and made sure we enjoyed the meal. The food items we ordered we all shared family style which was great because we got to try small bites of a variety of food. Everything was absolutely delicious! THE UNI TOAST!! Oysters surprisingly were just okay, didn't impress me as much as the other food items. The hidden compartment with utensils was such a cute feature. Every presentation of every dish, you could tell a lot of thought and work went into it. Extremely pricey so be ready to spend but totally worth it if you're celebrating something fun! They treat you so well. They also surprised me with a birthday card signed by the chefs which was such a sweet cherry on top of our experience. read more

This, for some strange reason, is kind of a hard place for me to rate. The staff were all friendly and the setting upscale and casual, but for a start, maybe it's difficult because the menu itself is on the unusual side for more than 1 reason. It's confusing because there is a set 4 course Tasting menu at $75 per person plus "Additions" that run from $16 to $62. It appeared to us, but I won't swear to it, that some patrons that were sitting at the bar just had Additions but when we questioned our server, it was our understanding that he said, no, you order the Tasting menu and can pick some Additions if you care to. In addition, as a customer, you must be an adventurous patron - which is not a bad thing, but many items required a quick check on Google to see what they were. These included dishes with items such as: Myoga & last year's magnolia blossoms; Jimmy Red Corn Grits with Koji; Scallops with Salsify and Sea Beans; and a dessert of Manderinquat, Parsnips and Sorrel. The Chef surprised us with a delicious and free Mother Rucker cheese burger from the Additions menu prior to our dessert. We enjoyed the tasting menu but thought that most of the dishes needed an extra kick of "something". An enjoyable evening, yes. Would we rush back, not necessarily. read more

River Twice - Scallops with Salsify - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This amazing restaurant/ experience never disappoints. The service goes beyond themselves to make me feel welcomed every time I come here. The food courses are intentional, filling, and creative to the point that I was brought to tears at how soul warming it was. I love this restaurant with every fiber of my being. read more

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River Twice is one of the best restaurants I've ever been to! The ambiance, attention to detail, service and food is incredible. Every dish is exquisite and thoughtfully prepared. We had their November tasting menu and it was so lovely. We started off with delicious sweet amalia oysters, sour corn bread with black truffle & Maine uni. All of them were so delicious. Absolutely perfect! The sourdough was paired with buttermilk ricotta, and a marmalade topped with caviar. Literally could've eaten this for my entire meal. It was everything! Every course was amazing and Chef Jeff does a fabulous job making everything taste delicious & look gorgeous. Can't wait to come back to try more of their fabulous creations. Do yourself a favor and check out River Twice! read more

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A welcoming cozy spot near the singing fountain with ample room inside for small groups or bar seating. The staff here are friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. The pacing of the courses was perfection. Allowed us to appreciate each course more and not rushed at all. Tasting menu had a nice variety of flavors, skill, and presentation with each dish. Hiramasa tartare was excellent, creamy, savory, and some zesty flavors mixed perfectly with each spoonful. An excellent way to start. Crispy octopus and sunchokes were toasted nicely with strong flavor, but the shellfish emulsion underneath wasn't quite matched. Swordfish plate with squash was soft and tenderly cooked. This course was more subtle than the others with the corn adding sweetness. The sweet corn semifreddo was a wonderful surprise at the end, both the mousse and foam catching the essence and sweet flavor of corn. Both of our additions were quite nice - sourdough with ricotta/nduja and sour cornbread with black truffle and uni. Very strong sourdough bread. The cornbread was warm, sweet, soft, and perfectly crumbly. The truffle and uni enhanced the savory side though the cornbread definitely stood by itself. I can understand some other reviewers qualms, but my experience was pleasant from my first step through the door to my last bite of a deliciously and skillfully put together meal. Thanks read more

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I would consider this to be a dining experience. The menu is prefixed consisting of four courses. They use local ingredients to highlight the resources in the area. Our server was knowledgeable about every item on the menu, including its origins. Each dish was craftffullly created with care and detail. The flavors unexpectedly worked well together for each course. The freshness and imagination was evident throughout. Everyone in our party had different tastes but everyone enjoyed all of the food. That in and of itself was unexpected. The hiramasa was so delicate and tender. It was simply exquisite with the flavor of the sauce underneath. The stuffed squid with sushi rice and ham was also tender, which can be difficult with squid. The swordfish was cooked to the right temp and melted in your mouth. We also ordered the soft shell crab as a side and it didn't disappoint. Just when you were thinking, wow this so good, the desserts course had is wishing for more. It was corn mouse with a corn icecream. Simply fabulous. The only drawback may be the price at $85 a person and extra for any sides. But overall, a really wonderful dining experience. read more

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River Twice is reflective of what exquisite and affordable fine dining looks like. From start to finish, their execution was pure perfection; each course was nicely paced with careful attention to ensure that we were finished and had some time to recenter as we approach the following course. Randy and Evan both made sure that my pregnant wife was well taken care of, where they not only modified the course to ensure that it was safe for her due to her pregnancy, but even went above and beyond to help her celebrate her amazing milestone as a mother. The meticulous care and consideration that they put into ensuring we had the most memorable experience we can ever ask for was reflective of what exemplary service looks like. Not only were each dish created with such precision and passion, they each provided such a playful melodic mixture between texture, flavor, aroma, and aesthetics; a beautiful feast for all culinary senses! It was also amazing to watch all the chefs work so cohesively and eloquently in the open kitchen, for you can witness first hand just how passionate they all are as they execute all the different dishes they had to offer. Word of caution, don't be silly like me and underestimate how full you can become from four courses, for it was plentiful and the richness from some of the selections can be quite satiating. Overall, we loved every aspect of our dining experience at River Twice, for it was simply perfection from beginning to end. We want to express a sincere gratitude to both Randy and Evan for making this dining experience one that we will never forget; we will forever be loyal fans of River Twice and we can't wait to travel back to see what amazing new selections River Twice has to offer during our future adventures! Thank you, Randy and Evan, for taking care of my wife and our little baby-to-be. Thank you for reading and please give River Twice a try, I promise they'll bring you on a culinary journey that you won't ever forget! (: read more

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Came here for my birthday and it was a great experience! It's a small restaurant with limited seating and bar. The waiter led us through the tasting menu and explained each dish and gave us instructions on how best to enjoy them. I will say the tasting was pricey but it was unique and unlike anything I've had. It was interesting to experience dishes in their own unique ways, expecting certain textures or flavors but getting the full experience from just a small tasting. I honestly can't remember each dish's components but I will say that River Twice used seasonal ingredients and really made them shine! It was fun and eye opening as to how food can be so prepared so uniquely to enrich your dining experience. read more

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We sat at the counter for the "prep show". Weird ambiance & so silly, plating with tweezers, really? Trying to be pretentious & just came across as awkward & odd. Food was hit or miss. Only thing good was the blueberry dessert. read more

Loved this place! I love little details and from the cups to the serving bowls to the chopstick stands, I appreciate the attention to details. Now for the food, everything was amazing except I got the add on bread special with caviar and it wasn't worth the price. You don't need it. We did the chefs tasting and everything was phenomenal. My favorite was this crab and grits dish. I could eat it everyday read more

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This place is very interesting and pretty tiny. It was highly recommended since a James Beard nominated chef is associated with this restaurant. The service at this place was outstanding and I could tell the chefs were passionate about their dishes. The place has an open kitchen layout. The tasting course was 4 items for 80 dollars. The first dish was my favorite of all of the dishes. The bluefin tuna was finely cut and the ponzu was pretty good. The raw tuna mixed well with the sauce. The new jersey sushi rice was interesting. It had Louisiana crawfish (seasoned with a Southern American flair) and sushi rice in the bottom. The next dish on the list was wild halibut. It was ok in my opinion. I am not a big fan of halibut (so maybe it is a bias opinion) but the shellfish emulsion did add to this fish. The dessert was so, so good. The dessert was roasted Japanese sweet potato. The brown butter ice cream with sweet potato really complemented each other. My cocktail for the evening was the Olivia Street. I really liked the use of dark rum in this drink and how good it tasted. read more

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Left hungry and with diarrhea during restaurant week. Small plates and underwhelming. Would not recommend.

i absolutely loved little water so naturally i had to check out river twice. the food here was good. each bite on the tasting menu was delightful and beautiful, the a la carte items were amazing as well. the saltwater taffy oysters were plump and sweet, and the burger was phenomenal. my partner deemed it the best burger in philly, though i'm not sure i agree. however, i'm also not a raw onion fan. the drinks here are strong. my partner had the white truffle eggnog and i had the changing leaves. they were both liquor heavy and not pleasant tasting in my opinion, but a single drink each had both of us tipsy. we had a good experience overall until the very end. honestly i would give the food at least 4 stars without this interaction. it was a quite concerning that our waitress was practically demanding an additional tip on top of the automatic 20%. my family has always been minimum 20% tippers, but this definitely took us by surprise and was quite off putting. the meal wasn't a cheap one by any means... does the restaurant not pay their employees a living wage? simply ruined the vibes for us, not a pleasant way to end the night. read more

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My husband and I decided to come to River Twice as a date night back in 2021. Back when we did the tasting menu, it was 7 courses for $85 but I noticed that the tasting menu currently offered has changed a little, now 4 courses for $75. We sat outside for our meal, which was pleasant for the nice weather that day, but I think next time we'll have to grab a table inside. The few glimpses of the interior I saw on the way to the restroom were really lovely; the dining room felt very welcoming and I was in love with the brown and gray-toned aesthetic. I thought that the tasting menu overall was very good. I liked all of the courses outside of their meat courses, which was a little dry and could have been better seasoned. But generally speaking, I liked their choice of ingredients and how the flavors went together. The plateware that the courses were served in were as beautiful as the presentation and, as we went through our meal, I would take note of the brands that manufactured the dishware for future reference haha. We decided to add on a cheese course but the flavor of the cheese wasn't really to our liking. Because I don't like chocolate, the original chocolate dessert course was swapped out for grilled figs with honey. That course was truly a highlight for me because they were the freshest figs I ever had and the honey was a bit crystalized similar to that of the top layer of creme brulee, which is my favorite part. Would I go back? : I would go back. Overall, I enjoyed my meal. Because River Twice is regularly changing up their menu, I think it's hard to predict if you'll consistently have a positive experience every time. I did notice that the reviews I've seen on Yelp recently have been more positive compared to when I went so maybe the changes made to the tasting menu improved the quality of the experience since. read more

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Went with Yelptern Emily F to try this highly recognized spot for prix fixe on Passyunk. There's so much to love: - Gorgeous special touches like silverware at your table, a beautiful space, gorgeous flatware, open kitchen concept, and the flare of the meal itself. The overall ambiance is great for a date or special occasions. - The menu changes but pretty much every dish I tried was a total delight and FRESH. Fresh tomatoes, gorgeous creamy cheese, cognizant use of every single ingredient and how it contributes to the greater good of the dish, and truly beautiful preparation and care for the fish dishes. The halibut was extraordinary. If this review was based on food alone it would be 5 stars all the way. A few notes of things that were incongruent with what I expected from the experience: - I may get some warranted flack for this, but the beverage program needs some reconsideration. It seems like an afterthought transparently meant to squeeze the consumer for every penny they have while the restaurant keeps their costs as low as possible. A robust (and expensive) bottle list with one or two choices for glasses just didn't sit well with me. Perhaps doing completely away with the two unimaginative cocktails and broadening that glass menu would be the move? Either way, I wish the beverage list more accurately matched the care and consideration that went into the food menu. - Our server was great and explained everything well, but I think I counted 12 or 13 check-ins over the course of our ~60 minute meal. It was way too much for two people trying to chat, and by the 10th or so check in started to feel a little disingenuous. No, I haven't taken a bite yet so I can't tell you how it's all tasting. Would opt for the counter seat as a result. - While I understand the financial impulse to force diners into the tasting menu and then upsell "additions" - it's the reason I won't return and I would bet money is the reason others don't return after one visit as well. The price point just to walk through the door is a little out of control WITHOUT the additions. I don't know how restos without repeat visitors can really survive and I think rethinking this approach would be a win as well. I would LOVE to try the famous burger but to do so would cost me $125 minimum :) - If you're still reading to this point (LOL) I would highly recommend listening to a recent episode of the Daily podcast about tipping culture and where we're at now and how we got to this point. There's a 20% service charge on your tab added automatically, but it was not-so-subtly implied that I should be adding beyond that. I am a minimum 20% tipper 100% of the time, but going beyond that, especially when I already felt inappropriately nickled and dimed throughout the meal, is a bit shameful on the part of the restaurant. Finding a way to pay your servers and BOH staff a living wage without putting so much of the onus so obviously on the diner should be a critical calculation for management / operations as the restaurant continues it's evolution. I don't know how to wrap this up HAHA but I totally see why this spot has made "best of" lists and I totally can see why someone would give this spot a 1, 2, or 3 star review. My dining experience here sparked a lot of interesting thoughts about Philadelphia, what we value, what our standards are, and primarily how LUCKY we are to live in a city where the food is this good. read more

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River Twice is always a great meal. That being said, like any other more upscale tasting menu, you need to be slightly adventurous. Expect unique ingredients and/or flavor combinations The base tasting menu is solid but if you can, definitely get at least 1 of the supplements or the drink pairing The service is consistently wonderful and the wine list is well curated Also if it's on the menu when you're there, get the Mother Rucker burger - one of the best in the city read more

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We've been to River Twice a number of times, but it had been almost a year and a half between our most recent visits. Our latest dinner reminded us of just how wonderful Chef Rucker's food is, and how much we really enjoy the total experience of his cozy restaurant in Passyunk Square. The staff are always really friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about the food and wines/drinks available. We've sat at the chef's counter a few times and tables a few times, and the experiences have always been positive. Chef's counter is always our favorite, though. One plus side of not making the *long* trip down to Passyunk Square more often has been the completely different menus that we've enjoyed with each visit. River Twice is serving up dishes that are always a bit familiar, but also out-of-the-box in their approach. Maybe it's something small like a sauce or pickled component, or maybe it's a crazy-delicious butter made with sorghum molasses vinegar. Maybe it's the way they've dry-aged their steak. Whatever it is, you can enjoy dishes on a surface level or keep digging deeper to find the more adventurous subtleties that define what we enjoy about Chef Rucker's approach. If there's one thing that might scare folks away, it's the sticker shock when the bill comes--if, like us, you can't help but order lots of the curiosity-inducing & palate-pleasing add-ons--but really, it's totally fair...and absolutely worth it. We always feel like you get what you pay for in terms of quality ingredients in the adventurous dishes and concepts you won't likely get anywhere else, paired with wines that aren't as predictable, and with wonderful service that we've always experienced. "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river, and he's not the same man." Chef Rucker couldn't have chosen a more appropriate influential quote for the name and concept. It's accurate, and I'm just always happy that every time I've stepped into River Twice, it's hasn't been the same, yet the experience has never disappointed! Looking forward to the next visit... Enjoy! read more

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Oh boy, sorry kids The food was good, even great But everything else...* *the martinis were batch cocktails. The ambiance was cold and weird. The burger was not on the menu which was pretty disappointing. If you go, get a bottle of wine. We dropped too much money on terrible drinks. I will not be returning. read more

Wonderful. Finally got to try this place and it didn't disappoint. Got to try some interesting drinks too during this season when they are trying to roll out some new drinks, e.g. first time had sparkling sake which is very interesting. read more

I hemmed and hawed about what to rate River Twice, a place that had been on my list for ages and one I had heard such accolades about. I ended with 3-stars, and here's why: - Food: it was good, don't get me wrong. But it wasn't anything extra or special. It was good, but exactly what you would expect. - Service: everyone was lovely. Just nothing special or extra but everyone was very kind and helpful. - Wine pairing: everyone has their own thoughts and preferences. However, I will say the pairing was a total miss. They didn't work with the food (or there was a much better option that should have been selected) and they weren't really special. The staff seemed to need more of an education on the wines as well when asking for more detail. - Cost: this was a big one. Our meal was not worth the $350 price tag. Honestly I was shocked and really bummed. I expected so much from the meal, and it just didn't hit the mark for that cost. TBD if we'll be back, but perhaps. We'll see. read more

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River Twice was a fun -- albeit inconsistent -- experience showcasing subtle creativity and a great range of ingredients. I can understand the 3.5 star average on Yelp, because not everything here was great. Some dishes are excellent and others are a little bland or uninspired. I'm opting for four because the wine pairing -- at only $65/pp -- was fantastic and well worth the price (the pours are fairly generous). I'm not sure it would be my first recommendation for a special night out but if you're looking for an affordable tasting menu in the Passyunk area, it's a solid option. Came here as a party of five on a Saturday night at 8pm. As others have remarked, the space itself is small and minimalist. A tiny open kitchen sits fairly central in the restaurant, which is a touch I always enjoy. But overall, the operation is very bare bones. There's no bar setup and no cocktails. They do offer a small list of whiskeys, but they're all very standard and you can see them crowded together on a shelf in the back if you happen to use the bathroom. Really, the alcohol to rave about here are the wines, beers and ciders. My parents had already been here, so they knew that the wine pours here are generous. So, because many of us did not want to get drunk and some of us wanted to try drinks other than wine, my sister, my husband and I all split a wine pairing so we could explore other things to start off with. To start, my sister and I tried both of the ciders, which were local to Philly and super delicious (I got the POGA - passionfruit, orange, guava, apple, and my sister got the strawberry/lemon one). My husband tried a beer (also local) that he said was fantastic. The wine pairing was really fun and only had one wrong note the entire evening. The wines were varied, unusual and delicious. My mom also tried a red that was served by the glass that she ended up getting two glasses of because it was so good. One of the reasons I enjoy getting a pairing on a special occasion is the chance to try a dessert wine -- something I virtually never order by the glass. But oddly, the dessert wine served here was Lustau's oloroso sherry, which is about as boring and basic and grocery store-level you can get. It's fine, but after all of that interesting, nuanced wine, we get that as a finished? Oh well. Food-wise, I'd say the menu is eclectic New American with some Asian influences. Chopsticks are set on the table and you'll need to open a nifty little drawer on the side of the table if you want mainstream silverware. Our menu is different than the one currently on River Twice's website, so I'll just note what I can. -the welcoming broth: with savory miso, we all could've drank 10 cups of these. welcoming indeed. -the matcha pizzelle & kabocha squash: fell flat, gimmicky and inviting but the ratios were off and it was pretty meh -raw wagyu w/ shiro miso, horseradish oil, sunchoke furikake: the flavors were nearly there but it still came off a little bland to me -chawanmushi toast w/ preserved maine mussels, trout roe, gamtae: this was definitely one of the highlights of the night for me. really creative and flavorful. -mushroom and bean dish was solid. really satisfying, earthy, and savory. -halibut was just okay, felt a little uninspired. -the ice cream/cheese flurry dessert situation was delicious. creative but still approachable. dairy on dairy? don't mind if i do. read more

Go - with an open mind! This restaurant is sensational! I ate there a few weeks ago, which was a second visit. And, I am still thinking about it. The food is clever and sophisticated - proteins (mostly fish and shellfish) dressed in an accompaniment of incredible sauces, along with simple single ingredients elevated with skill of flavors and technique. If you are unfamiliar with ingredients - just ask. The staff gave me a lot of incredible information, about sources and choices. There is an innovate incorporation of Japanese flavors (i.e. koji, shiso) and luxurious additions (caviar) that really make the dishes sing. I sat at the counter and found everyone enjoyable and kind. They pay great attention to details and make sure the food is as beautiful as it can be because they really respect where it's all coming from. Overall, this was a knockout and I can't think of a better presentation and preparation of seafood in the region! read more

Wonderful tasting food from a unique tasting menu. Service is fast and friendly. Awesome ambiance at the chef's counter

This place has very good food. Don't get me wrong here. It's just obscenely expensive for such a small amount of food. We left hungry, which is never a good sign, even after getting the add on might bread course (which is totally worth it btw). The service was impeccable, and the wine selection was nice (they have a sommelier on staff which is amusing in such a small restaurant). We also loved how the tables have drawers for silverware in them - super cute and space-saving. We have had some really awesome fancy American food in Philly, some less expensive but others more than this price point (eek), and I feel like River Twice was just average for a big sticker price. Will I go back when someone else is paying? Sure! But I don't think I'll be footing the bill myself, despite its proximity to my house. read more

Service was friendly and good. A for service. We did the tasting menu and we were not impressed. Overall it was a 'just okay' experience. My party was not satisfied with the 7 item tasting menu...we just thought it was okay. We all agreed that the best item was probably the soft shell crab with cavier (this is offered in the Al fresco items) There was some items (2 items) that were good and the rest were bland or gamey (quail). It was lacking in flavor, food was fresh but overall we were very disappointed. Indoor dining is for tasting menu only which is probably why they had so much seating available indoors. Staff were friendly which makes paying $$$$ a little less painful but still isn't something I would recommend or rave about. Ratings/Reviews I read were pretty on point. Very mixed reviews about the tasting menu. Not much reviews re: Al fresco menu so wasn't even aware of it. Maybe the Al fresco options are better but not sure I would go back to check it out. 2.5 stars out of 5, rounding to 3 since half stars are not an option and service and decor was on the better side. read more

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We go past River Twice all the time, and despite it consistently being on the best restaurant lists, we never had it high on our radar. But, in April, we decided to have a date night there! Reservations were relatively easy to come by compared to other restaurants - we easily snagged a spot for 2 at the counter on a Friday night. River Twice is very conveniently located right on Passyunk, so we walked over from South Philly. Parking probably isn't *too* terrible, but walking or transit is a better bet. The restaurant itself is no frills - very modern looking with lots of white and grey and not a ton of decorations, but it felt right. Not overly sterile as some spots can be with all white themes but still welcoming. We were seated at the counter by the kind hostess who easily struck up conversation with us. I would highly recommend the counter if you can swing it - it was awesome to watch the chefs in the kitchen and feel more immersed in the experience. River Twice is a prefixed menu with strong emphasis on seafood with an Asian spin. You can add on various plates or additions to your meal, as well. We didn't want to overdo it, so we just stuck to the tasting menu at first, but we were shocked and pleasantly surprised when we were gifted a soft shell crab from the kitchen (after the fact, I realized that it was the main chef who wound up serving us this dish - a nice touch that he's still in the action and has great hospitality). I had never had soft shell crab before, so I appreciated the heads up that the entire dish was edible; the flavors and texture were impeccable, and I loved the caviar and butter topping. A memorable addition to our meal and was a great way to showcase River Twice's hospitality. For the actual prefixe menu, we were led through a number of small courses. My highlights were the halibut with sunchoke (so fresh and hearty) and the roasted Japanese sweet potato with brown butter ice cream (never thought of sweet potato for dessert but it simply worked). Each dish was nicely crafted and delicious, but not the most memorable now that we are a few months out. We split a bottle of wine during our dinner, and we finished our meal feeling pleasantly full but not overly stuffed. The price point ($80 for the prefixed + additional cost for wine) wasn't too terrible comparatively for other spots in Philly, and given how open reservations were, this is an excellent more last-minute date night spot with solid food. We really enjoyed our meal at River Twice, and I would recommend it for anyone looking for a fresh, Asian-inspired take on seafood and great hospitality in a relatively casual yet still upscale environment. Thanks for a great date night, River Twice! read more

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I had dinner here with my sister. The menu included bigeye tuna with preserved mushrooms, red shallots, and gamtae; charred king mackeral with emmer berries, crosnes, fresh yuzu, and black garlic vinegar; swordfish with shiitake, crispy brassica leaves, and dry scallop butter; wild vanilla bean panna cotta with black locust flower honey and pommeau de normandie. We ordered an additional order of maine scallop ceviche with tomato and hakurei turnips. All of the fish was fresh and had great quality/taste. Each dish had ingredients and garnishes that complemented and gave more depth to the seafood, whether it was adding a more savory or sour flavor. The vanilla bean panna cotta dessert was sweet but not too sweet. I would come back here again, but the price for the tasting course is a bit expensive for the amount of food you get ($75 each for 4 dishes but $88 each since we ordered the scallop ceviche). It's a nice place to go to for a dinner, special occasion, or date because of the ambiance, delicious food, and friendly service. read more

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Amazing ambience and service, went with a group of 4 on a monday for the four course. Delicious, beautifully curated menu and space. I highly rec the sourdough and butter to order in addition. So nice for a special dinner read more

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Enjoyed sitting at the chef's counter for my birthday with friends from NYC. The menu had great seasonal options, the wine list matched the sophistication of the food, the service was excellent, and I personally loved watching the food prepared throughout the course of our meal. The food itself was wonderful, inventive, creative, and each dish had memorable and smart elements which I found delightful. I hope to return again soon to enjoy! It's not surprising the chef has been recognized by James Beard and I hope this spot gets more recognition. read more

Excellent food. Very seafood focused. Great service. Kitchen seating was awesome. Will come back again. read more

River Twice - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The food was absolutely delicious. Presentation was amazing. Service was excellent. It's a four course tasting menu read more

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I will happily step in this river twice! It's hard to find classy and sophisticated dining, with a casual atmosphere. River Twice nails it on the head. The atmosphere is chill, the music is fun, and the food is creative & delicious. Chef Randy is always changing up the menu keeping things fresh and interesting. RT is way underrated... give this place a try. read more

River Twice - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Shocked to see 3.5 stars, so I feel compelled to leave a review. I did see some people dropped ratings due to the wine pairing and since I do not drink alcohol, this aspect was not factored into my review. I usually do not frequent Philadelphia but just so happened to be in the area with my wife and therefore I wanted to try something new for dinner. When I was searching for restaurants I came across River Twice, which was described as a seafood tasting menu utilizing French and Japanese techniques, I was sold! I did have trouble finding a reservation, however I luckily found a same-day 9:30 slot open on a Saturday night so I quickly grabbed it. As we entered I noticed the restaurant was a small intimate space, which has a counter over seeing the kitchen. As someone who likes to cook myself, I was pleasantly surprised to see that they had two seats available at the counter. Once we settled in I took a look at the menu and immediately decided to get a few items to add onto their tasting menu. We opted for the bread course and the ultra-decadent bluefin tuna topped with Uni on Chawanmushi toast. The bread course which came first was a solid hit. They get high quality sourdough bread from a local bakery, which was impeccably paired with Strachiatella cheese and an amazing Tomato Olive tapenade. Our next course was a refreshing bay scallop crudo paired with watercress puree. If I do have a critique on this course I would possible suggest a little more herbal flavoring, as the dill sprigs which came with the course were muted. Then came our optional course of Bluefin tuna toast. As expected you can't really go wrong when using such amazing ingredients, and while it cost $32, it was not exorbitant considering the quality of ingredients being used. The next course, sushi rice, was the highlight of the night for me. A bed of sushi rice, flavored with black vinegar and slightly crisped in a cast iron skillet is topped with a rich potato hollandaise, a piece of cured and smoky eel and then the chef topped it with Perigord Truffle. This dish was amazingly balanced as it had richness from the hollandaise, earthiness from the truffle, a salty component from the eel and the vinegar in the rice helped cut through everything. This was a Michelin star quality dish. We finished the savory courses with Halibut, on top of carrots and celeriac, in a sauce made with clam broth. This was a good course which was highlighted by the flavorful vegetables. The dessert course was a play on a creamsicle which has very nice textures and citrus flavors. They definitely captured the nostalgia of eating a creamsicle. All in all it was a pleasant experience and I would recommend River Twice to anyone who enjoys seafood. While I do realize that $75 a person is not cheap and one might require a few extra courses, this is reasonable considering the high costs of good quality ultra-fresh seafood. read more

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Excellent, friendly service, great vibe. Grab a counter seat if available and enjoy the show! Be erase list awesome and special events are not to be missed! Look for the Hidden in Plain Sight events for a special treat. Ask the chef some questions and he was so passionate about his answers. One of the current stars of the Philly scene read more

River Twice - Fried Chicken and Champagne - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We took the subway and then walked to get here and were not disappointed. Wonderful food including the best scallops I've had in...maybe EVER. read more