My boyfriend and I dined here for the first time and were very pleased with our experience. We made a reservation since it was a Friday night and figured it might be busy with riverside dining. We were pleasantly greeted and seated right away. We had calamari to start, linguini with clam sauce, and mixed seafood stew for dinner. Portions are perfect - just enough. Finished off with peach cobbler and key lime pie for dessert. Recommend making reservations and note it is cash only. Parking next to restaurant is also metered parking. read more

We came to Riverview Restaurant after an arduous hike at Breakneck Ridge, as it was a closeby lunch option. Since the place was busy, we were seated at the bar. Our waitress was very kind and accommodating, often coming back to give helpful suggestions and refills of bread and water. The complimentary focaccia bread was phenomenal. Wholesome speckles of salt and rosemary livened up a crusty exterior to give way to a warm and glutenous interior. Unfortunately, our main dishes did not live up to the same calibur of quality. My chicken penne dish was generally flavorless. The chicken was uncharacteristically chewy and fatty, while the broccoli and pasta were plainly boiled and laid in a watery butter sauce. The steak sandwich and french fries were all right. A crispy baguette with whole, chewy steak gave way to clumsy eating. On the whole, we were regrettably unsatisfied with the food considering the price we paid. However, the staff are very nice. I hope others will experience a better meal. read more

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I recently took a dear friend who was visiting Cold Spring to our "best restaurant." Truth be told, there is a paucity of local entities that fit that description, so we like to say - the best of the worst. We aim for whatever we can tolerate or keep down. Nevertheless, tourists and out of towners jam every weekend into this overpriced mediocre establishment, and I'm non-plused to ascertain as to why. Case in point: a glass of wine each, molecular salad, and two personal pizzas clocked in at a whopping $90 tab. This latest visit we could not tolerate. We were seated to a table that greeted us with a knife encrusted with another diner's detritus, or dried foodstuff. The focaccia bread plate was the highpoint of the meal, despite the butter being frozen to new Kelvin scale lows - unusable and marginally edible. Next, we were offered an uninspiring wine list. Clearly, the term "sommelier" is an alien concept here. A note here, the staff were very nice, and did their best under the circumstances. Appetizers were lively fresh crunchy greens, with a tart vinaigrette, however, the serving was parsimonious - about as much as you'd lay next to an entree as a side - for a rabbit. We were unimpressed with the overpriced menu, which, like the wine list, lacked imagination. One of the specials offered for $19.95 was pork fried rice. Didn't know what to make of that. Neither the braised Iceberg lettuce head stump. That's right - the semi-edible stump that even McDonalds throws away. A usual safe bet here is to stick with the brick oven pizzas. The crusts were crunchy and smoky - the best part of the meal. A Basilico pizza consisted of splotches of cheese with slices of beefsteak tomatoes (in lieu of sauce), and a few leaves of basil. Our other pizza proved inedible: it was meant to be spinach, mushroom, and gruyere. Like my pie, there was no tomato sauce, but huge beefsteak slices. Toppings were a large soggy mound of spinach, and porcini mushroom clearly from a can. A query as to whether we'd like a doggie-bag for the detritus inspired dry-humor that we expected a refund. Post mortem, we were later sick to our stomachs. Finally, a partial view of the river can be gained from the outer dining room, and only from there during daylight. read more

I had the wonderful fortune of meeting a friend for dinner at the Riverview Restaurant yesterday. It seemed simple and clean from the outside and while walking through the door there was a curtain...probably keeping part of the cool winter draft from entering the bar area. We were seated by the owner, which I didn't know at that time. Her name was Lori. She gracefully asked if she could take our coats and to enjoy our evening. The waitstaff was just amazing and our server, Mindy was just so lovely and kind. I knew after she introduced herself this was going to be a special evening. We started with a glass of Prosecco and split the clam and muscles chowder...which by the way was to die for. It was a rich seafood broth not overly creamy however filled with a great abundance of clams and muscles. Just yummy! For our main we had grilled swordfish and halibut. The presentation was lovely and the food was delish! There was a nice reduction on the grilled swordfish along with rice and fresh green beans nicely steamed. The halibut was also wonderful! It came with a nice cornucopia of vegetables seasoned lightly however full of flavor. All during this time the waitstaff was clearing the table of incidental items and they went unnoticed. They were seem less in their movement. For dessert we had the chocolate moose and eggnog cream brûlée. This is how egg nog should be served. It was slightly warm the way I enjoy it and had a rich flavor with a hint of brandy. It was incredible. I ended up using the rest room...which BTW was very clean and started talking to a couple by the door. I asked them if they were the owners and they proudly said, yes. I was able to talk a little bit about my experience at their restaurant and shared with them my profession. Both Jim and Lori took the time to share and were both very interested in me as a person along with our dining experience. We shared niceties and then sat back down to finish dessert. Upon asking for the bill, Mindy shared with us that the owner would like to treat us each to a drink. It was such a kind gesture and capped off a lovely evening. This was one of the nicest and most professional dining experiences I have had in my adult life and I am looking forward to returning there and seeing the wonderful smiles and amazing staff! Thank you Jim and Lori for your kindness and thank you Mindy for the wonderful professionalism and pride you take in your work. read more

Good and service were both very good. We had an enjoyable lunch overlooking river and fantastic foliage. Butternut squash soup was a winner. read more

We always enjoy our meals. The service is on point. Great view Outside dining in the nice weather is perfect. I took away one star because it is a cash only place. It's the 21st century. Not a lot of folks carry around a pocket full of cash. That said. We shall return. read more

Service was top notch and the food was wonderful. Eggplant Parmesan to die for! The Bartender Natalie makes your cocktails EXACTLY as you ask and has a smile on her face while doing so. Can't wait to go back again! read more

Every dish was great, seafood done perfectly,service was courteous and attentive and accommodating. Nice experience. read more

Riverview Restaurant - Local tomato salad, mussels, - New American Near Me - Cold Spring, New York

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Riverview always provides a warm, welcoming experience coupled with reliably excellent cooking. Tonight was no exception- cod cooked perfectly with fresh vegetables, and the always excellent eggplant rollatini. The owners are almost always around to make sure that everyone who comes in has a wonderful time. read more

One fine Saturday we did the breakneck ridge trail and on our way back we came here. Quite a fancy place for our hike attire and exhausted bodies. Honestly, I was a little embarrassed. *the only complaint that I have is they were so stingy with their butter at first , but you can always ask for more. The second time they brought us a THICK slice* Ok so here goes- please order the sundog cider- DELICIOUS The house bread- warm and fresh and beautifully baked to perfection The cucumber gazpacho with chilo oil was refreshing and nice too. My fish and seafood stew was so yummy and felt like comfort food. Just what I needed!! It had two scallops, two jumbo shrimps, and a large fillet of fish. This was all stewed with bokchoy and lemongrass. Beautiful flavors!! Kudos to the chef really. The coffee could have been better but I'll live ;) If I ever come back to do this hike I'm definitely coming to grab a bite to this restaurant. read more

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Beautiful view, great pizza, good service. Pizza was so fresh, made to order, and light with perfect amount of cheese and sauce/toppings.

Fantastic restaurant A must go if you are in Cold Spring beautiful views excellent food simple style. Go! Chef truly knows what it means to serve good food. You can walk there from downtown Cold Spring. My pasta was cooked perfectly and the seafood was spot on amazing flavors read more

Nice discovery. Off the beaten path. Simple and there is a decent view of the mountain and water. Excellent swordfish and good pizza. Friendly servers who knew the menu. Only reason not a 5 they are cash or check only. No credit cards. Thankfully we had cash on us. Any business that operates like that makes me nervous. read more

A beautiful Easter day to sit outside. Was a little windy, but pretty happy we chose this place for an early dinner. The town of Cold Spring itself is awesome. Cute little shops to walk around and the view of the water ain't too shabby. We arrived 45 minutes before our reservation time and got comfortable at the bar for a few minutes before being told our table would be ready. We were seated outside and immediately greeted by a friendly server. Will say that I had to look over the menu for a while. There really wasn't anything that stood out to me, and I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to order. The menu could use more variety IMO. I decided on the (crazily overpriced) steak and we put in for two appetizers: calamari and blue point oysters. Because it was Easter, it was totally expected that it would be crazy busy, but it seemed to be out of control at times. People left and right were complaining and/or arguing with servers and managers. Awkward. People seemed to be disappointed that they were waiting a while for their food, but we didn't mind the wait. Great views, great company, wine. Chill out people. It's Easter. Appetizers were alright. Still wished there was more variety and options. Wasn't totally satisfied, but the oysters were delicious. Our meals came out somewhat shortly after and overall tasted good. Skipped dessert, but ordered some coffee. Overall an alright experience, but will probably pick a different view of the river next time I venture out to Cold Spring. read more

Riverview Restaurant - blue point oysters - New American Near Me - Cold Spring, New York

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Cute place , good food. We were seated with a beautiful view of the river. There was a nice breeze flowing in. The pizza was delicious. Loved the olive oil and bread. A light and floral taste. Just a heads up. Only takes cash. read more

Riverview Restaurant - Pizza Bolognese - New American Near Me - Cold Spring, New York

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Great place and great food. Been going there for many years, never disappointed. Owner operated so you know you are getting real quality

I've dined here twice. Both times were just decent, bu the views of the river and hills made it worth the time. The quality of the food is above average, but nothing to write home about. Considering the prices, was not impressed. They also don't take card, cash only (and checks, for some reason??). Taking a star off for the number of flies buzzing about us as we dined outside on their back patio. Flies were all over our table, the umbrella, and wall - spent half the time brushing them away from my body and food. We were also seated right beside the kitchen's back door, so we were bathed in a cloud of hot grease. No bueno. read more

If you're from NYC, give it some patience as there are so many customers and everything here is just at a slower pace so it takes a bit longer to have the food served, but the taste and this view will prove it's worth it. read more

Riverview Restaurant - Try to sit by the window near the gate for dinner, the view is gorgeous! - New American Near Me - Cold Spring, New York

Last night we were at the Riverview and as always the quality of food was par excellence, especially with their Fish & Seafood options and the Specials of the Day. While Hudson Valley has a growing number of restaurant options, but in my opinion this establishment is run by true restauranteurs-comfortable ambiance, welcoming service and of course the 5 star food! read more

The food was hot, fresh, and delicious. If I could speak to the chef, I'd tell him to take talents elsewhere because the front of the house is horrible and he/she can do better. The staff is not friendly, they rush you out of there and are too attentive to a rude level. I took the shrimp tail off and on to the side of my plate and before I could enjoy the bite someone was asking me to take it. Someone's elbow was constantly in someone's face because if you took a sip, they were over. To an exhaustive level. Not helpful. Our waiter was awkward, unfriendly and over-poured every bottle of our wine, so we were pouring it between our glasses after asking them to stop. THE WORST is the payment. It's cash only. Weird for this non-byob place, but there is definitely something shady going on here with money. Their ATM is a credit card swipe next to their POS (that would definitely take credit cards), where you request money(put your pin in, etc.), get a receipt and show it to the bartender for cash back, that you then use to pay your bill. WHAT?! Sniffers are up all over this place. And when I questioned it, or asked if there were any other atm machines after feeling uneasy about this setup, they were rude, curt and belittling. A simple explanation or even fake kindness would have eased my concerns but their attitude said it all. If you want good food that's rushed and unfriendly, paid by cash unnecessarily, go here. If you want to relax and enjoy a meal at a place you want to feel good about giving business to, go elsewhere. read more

Came with a friend and thought this would be a nice spot because of the location and its star rating on Yelp. What a mistake. First of all, finding the entrance was confusing and once inside, it was cramped and very dingy and dated. With no host/hostess in sight, we awkwardly stood by the bar, which a lone man was sitting at. A busboy saw us standing there and, in an unfriendly tone, told us someone would be with us soon. It took about 5 minutes for someone to finally come seat us, and they didn't at all seem happy to do so. After being seated and looking at the menu for a bit, I noticed at the very bottom of the menu a line about how the restaurant doesn't accept credit cards. The fact that a full-service restaurant is cash-only is ridiculous. All the more so given that this policy was not at all clear until AFTER BEING SEATED. Imagine if we had placed our order and then found out only after finishing the food--I wonder how many people that happened to! When I asked a member of the waitstaff about the cash-only blurb on the menu, they seemed annoyed and impatiently explained that there is a machine where I can swipe my card, have a receipt printed, and then can take that receipt to the bartender for cash. Umm WHAT?! I've NEVER in my life been to an establishment with such a backwards and inefficient setup. Very shady. So, I went to the bartender to "redeem" my receipt for cash (the "atm" charges a $2 fee, too). But there was no bartender there. Just that lone patron still drinking his drink. After waiting and waiting, a waiter noticed me and insisted that I didn't have to stand there, that I could sit down at the table and order my food first. Talk about aggressive, poor service, and just plain being awkward. At this point, I had no desire to stay and just requested my cash. Another employee took the cash from the register and just threw it on the counter. WORST customer experience I've EVER had, and I've dined at many, many establishments. The waitstaff here are truly miserable, rude, and condescending. I had the distinct impression that if you aren't a local--or if you are a minority or LGBT--that you aren't welcome here. The whole place just gave off a really bizarre, shady, and uncomfortable vibe. AVOID! read more

We love Riverview! A dedicated professional wait-staff and delicious food. The fish is especially fresh and amazing. Pizza is tasty as well. read more

Have dined 4 or 5 times in the past 12 months. Always enjoyable. Staff is friendly and accommodating from hostess to waiters to bus staff. Latest meal was fantastic. A very interesting take on eggplant parmesean and the fungi pizza. Eggplant rounds lightly breaded and fried, layered with riccotta, basil and topped with mozzarella. Sounds heavy but eats extremely light. All the pizzas are good. They may not be traditional but all are nicely prepared with first rate ingredients. My only negative is the speed at which tables are cleared. It borders on being rushed. It is a 'tourist' town, but a couple of minutes wouldn't hurt. read more

Worst place ever!! 1. Always charge you a 20% tip, no matter how bad the service and food is. 2. Do not accept credit card. JUST DONT GO! read more

Great service and food! Consist quality of experience and food. Great place to have small parties.

Everything we had was absolutely amazing. The service was very good and gave great recommendations. Just remember they are cash only but they do have an ATM on site. read more

came from the chuang yen monastery looking for some food. i was hungry after and this was the best food of my life. everything was so fresh the calamari was 10/10. the pizza was amazing and the dough was so light. the deserts were prob the best part. the coconut pannacota was so delish and the apple bread desert was amazing with the best sauce. the service was great and i would definitely come here again and recommend it. such a cute and homey atmosphere. read more

The food here was amazing. The pork chop was the highlight. It's the best I've ever had. I could've eaten dinner every day here. The waiters and waitresses were the nicest people, but this review did get two stars for a reason. The atmosphere was very uncomfortable. The staff was filling our water every thirty seconds, and that isn't an overstatement. We tried to raise the blinds to watch the sunset and the waitress frantically started asking us, "What are you doing? What are you trying to do? My boss will flip out if she sees you doing that." (Apparently the staff is so scared of the leadership in the restaurant that they are on edge constantly.) The newer waitress working the patio outside was standing next to the door talking to us waiting to fill her first table. She had only worked there 5 days and one of the guys working there grabbed her arm and shouted at her in front of us, "Why are you just standing there?! Clear their plates!" This was one of the most unprofessional and disrespectful things I've ever witnessed in food service especially when in front of a customer. We went to what was supposed to be a relaxing dinner on the river, but I felt uncomfortable almost the entire time. It looks like a negative place to work despite the amazing food. I hope the tips are worth it all. Maybe that was just my experience. Either way, I would recommend the Pork Chop. read more

We were sooo pleasantly surprised! We got takeout and found the prices to be great for the high quality of food. They have vegan options and are vegan friendly - just ask! I had the beet salad (no chz) and cirried cauliflower while my partner had the steamed mussels and salmon. We found both packed well, perfectly prepared, tasty and fresh! Very happy! Wait time was also very short. Just make sure to have cash! read more

My partner and I came here during our stay in town to get away from the COVID-19 mess that is NYC. Outdoor dining is still relatively recent in Cold Spring but it was cute and comfy. A huge rainstorm broke as we were eating but staff did everything they could to make sure it was an enjoyable experience despite the rain. Granted, we did get a little wet but I don't mind that given that we're eating out in the middle of a pandemic. Our waiter said it was his second day but he was excellent and attentive. The homemade orchiette was delicious as was the chocolate torte. We will be back next time we're in town! read more

The Riverview, one of the Hudson Valley's true gems! I have created a twenty year habit of eating their consistently exquisite food and relying on their always professional and accommodating service! The Ely family is the gift that keeps on giving to the lucky people of Cold Spring and the surrounding areas. Be it dining in, taking out or catering, they never, ever disappoint but you do want to enjoy a special evening there. The riverside setting with it's mountainous backdrop is stunningly simple and dramatic at the same time. Truly, a quintessential Hudson Valley dining experience. Sophisticated but relaxed, warm and delightful. You will be back, many times:) Maria M Interior Design read more

Great food, highly unusual great service,and very comfortable,spaced out ,and enjoyable atmosphere

We were there on Sunday for a late lunch. All of the staff seemed angry or just disinterested in the guests. No smiles or hellos. The food was OK, nothing that would make us go back there, except for the view of the Hudson. That is, I think, why this restaurant exists. read more

Loved it. Food was amazing. Views were nice. We sat outside. The wait staff was patient and we needed to taste some different wines (selected Berringer Merot). read more

Riverview Restaurant - Finished.... - New American Near Me - Cold Spring, New York

Always solidly and reliably great. Love their personal pizza's with that lovely brick oven wood burning taste but for me nothing beats the RIVERVIEW FISH AND SHELLFISH STEW with cod, scallops, shrimp bok choy, lemongrass & Thai Chilis. Light, fragrant and refreshing. Perennial favorite. Lovely view of the Hudson. Warm weather outdoor seating. read more

OMG. Simply OMG. We went hiking in Cold Springs, and all I wanted to do was go back to Manhattan and binge. Small town like Cold Springs, could there really be food as good as Manhattan? Well it was an OMG moment when we decided that we were too hungry to wait the hour and half ride to Manhattan. The experience of dining here - combined with the fact that we were starving from a day's hike - was simply beautiful. Seated outside on the patio overlooking the mountains, we enjoyed spectacular service, amazing wine, and gourmet food. The focaccia bread to start with was irresistible as my hands kept reaching for more. The seafood stew with Thai Chili peppers was perfect. With a hint of curry and a combination of sweet and savory spices, with the seafood first seared and then stewed, with the influence of Asian vegetables, the stew was as good as comfort food can get. And the pizza...another OMG moment. This is the BEST PIZZA I have ever had. We ordered the Bolognese pizza, which was almost a Philly cheesesteak pizza style. The slightly soggy middle slowly gave way to the chewy, artisan crust. I can still feel that flavor a week later. This is one of the best meals I have ever had. There was so much organic love in how the food was cooked and served. The perfect combination of ingredients. Italian seafood with a tinge of Asian fusion. Somehow, you will never get this in NYC; simple, uncommercialized, and with lots of love. read more

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I missed the Hudson Valley restaurant week but still wanted to try, so finally made it last night. I really loved the way the sirloin was cooked! (Really wish I had taken pictures but I was so hungry that I forgot) Asparagus, mashed potatoes and complimentary bread, I literally ate it all which is rare to me as I normally don't finish the side stuff. The only thing is that they don't take cards. Everything else is superb. Can't wait to come back!! read more

I think they benefit from foot traffic bc they're one of the few games in the town immediately following the end of a popular hike (breakneck). However, I thought the service was pretty terrible (very slow and we felt ignored, they also forgot one of our two diet cokes and we had to request again), and they don't make it clear that they are cash only!! There is an atm machine that looks like a credit card swiper. It charges $2- keep a copy of the receipt for yourself and give the other printout to a waitress to exchange for cash from the registers (strangely circular). The food was ok but certainly nothing to write home about. Linguine pasta I ordered was a little soggy (noodles too soft), though the portion size was generous. Also bathroom lines can be slow bc there appears to be single toilets for either genders. read more

Riverview Restaurant - Mussels and rock shrimp linguine - New American Near Me - Cold Spring, New York

FANTASTIC seafood dinner after a day of hiking! I had the clams and mussels linguine and my friend had the seafood stew. We both raved about how delicious everything was. All seafood was amazingly fresh and delicious. We also had desserts, Keylime pie was wonderful. WILL DEFINITELY BE BACK!!!! :) read more

What a lovely setting...the food not so. We began with "steamers" that ended up being hard clams. I had the Caesar salad with shrimp and my husband had the Linguine special. My salad was warm and wilted and had too much dressing. The linguine turned out to be spaghetti and smelled very fishy. Needless to say we didn't eat much but we didn't complain because it had taken so long to get it. Given the COVID situation, our waiter was really trying his best. We may return just for a drink and to take in the view. read more