When I travel i love to find a mid scale bar and restaurant with very good food and great people. This is quickly becoming that place in Monticello. The fried banana peppers are super tasty. I had fried bluegills as the entree (yeah I know. It it was one of those nights) and the gills were huge and delicious. For sides I had an enormous bowl of very fresh really nice slaw and a solid baked potato. I ate at the bar and the staff and the other patrons weee fantastic. See you again soon! 5 stars because they are who they are with no pretensions and they do their thing with pride and very well! read more

Good food and service. We sat outside along the river on a beautiful day in June. We had the prime rib and sides along with a couple beers. All were good and reasonably priced. The menu had a lot to choose from, so we will be back to try more another day. read more

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Food was phenomenal as usual! Delicious, hot and quick! Always a fun atmosphere! Our service and waitresses are always great, but our waitress this time lacked friendliness, a desire to be at work and seemed rather annoyed that she had customers. Our tip reflected the less than stellar service we usually receive and have become accustomed to. Alas, as will return and will once again enjoy the food and hope to enjoy the service more like previous visits. This place still deserves a 5 star review! read more

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Service was very slow - thinking that maybe out order did not get put in for a while...and most of our dinners were over cooked. The scenery, however, was beautiful for dining inside or outside. read more

Went for Valentine's specials, everything was great. Food was absolutely delicious. Service was above expected... kitchen even made a specialized hot chocolate drink (not pictured) that was not currently on the menu, but had been in the past. It was nicely decorated & band was great to listen to. This place has 5 stars. Only thing that is questionable is something my husband said about the men's bathroom decor... something about male genitalia (not sure if he meant decor or graffiti). ‍ read more

The Riverside - Diners Near Me - Monticello, Indiana

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The service was tremendous; Brittany went out of her way. The stuffed mushrooms were great and the bison burger and boneless tenders with BBQ (for kids) were also great. We went on a Sunday and they were out of many items, including the marinated Ribeye and "all vegetables" ran out of coleslaw and potatoes while we were eating. The regular ribeye was very low quality, thin, tough, and flavorless. Sizzler quality or lower. A major disappointment. The scenery and service didn't make up for the steak. read more

Garbage the first time I've ever had to return every appetizer all three entrées and I was so disgusted. I just asked for a free drink and some extra bread. read more

Love the place. Favorite spot in Monticello. Not had anything on the menu or specials that I didn't like.

We love the Riverside. Beautiful location. Strong drinks. Great food. One of the hugest breaded tenderloins around. Often a musician on the deck outside on summer weekend nights which can get quite loud. read more

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While I was expecting an expanded bar and grill-style menu, I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot more. There's a lot of great choices in addition to the usual bar staples. A Cajun chicken with peppers and onions was a cheese lover's delight as it was covered in it. A clam strip special was a great appetizer for something different. Oysters (Friday and Saturdays only, I think) were big and tasty, and are served with some great cocktail sauce and horseradish. French Onion Soup (Fridays and Saturdays only) was very good. Filet with lobster tail (Friday and Saturdays only) was a great value, especially with two sides included. The filet was perfect and the lobster pretty good. The catfish was also pretty good. This is an out-of-the-way place in a semi-residential area, on a scenic piece of property on the river, not far from Lake Shafer. The inside has a bar and dining room with a comfortable rustic feel. Outside, there's a large covered porch, and a few steps down is an open-air area with lounge-type seating. We were visitors to the area and had such a good experience the first night, that we came back the next night with a larger group. We ate outside the first night and inside the second, and after dinner the second night, we had drinks in the backyard area, while enjoying the view of the river and an acoustic performer on the covered porch. On both nights, service was friendly, efficient and not rushed. Separate checks weren't a problem. They offer a number of beers including some local options. read more

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Great food and even better service! The atmosphere of the restaurant is amazing and very inviting as well!

I can't believe nobody has talked about their smoked pork chop. Talk about good food. We tried some fried smelt as an appetizer. Small fish butterflied breaded and deep fried. Served with cocktail sauce and tarter sauce. They were really good and you get a large basked for a good price. The absolute highlight was the smoked pork chop. It came out heavily grilled and packed with flavor!! It reminded me of a thick juicy cut of smoked ham. The fries were crispy and delicious. The included side salad was good but just a plain side salad. This place was recommended by a coworker. He was right, good food and friendly atmosphere. read more

The Riverside - Fried smelt. Very good - Diners Near Me - Monticello, Indiana

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Another good experience today. We were seated promptly and the staff was very friendly. I ordered the tenderloin, as I usually do. In the past, there has been a distinct seasoning on the breading. This time, I did not notice the breading. The size of the sandwich was good and the fries were hot. It was still good. It is the breading that used to make the sandwich great! read more

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So we were visiting friends on Shaffer Lake bear Indiana Beach. We decided to grab an bite to eat. The scenery from the large windows overlooking the river was beautiful. They had several daily specials including Filet Tips, bacon wrapped Shrimp and asparagus soup and everything was very good. My husband ordered the fried shrimp and it was very good as well. Service was great and prices were reasonable. It is worth a visit read more

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We've been here a few times and got disappointed once but not today. My wife got the chop sandwich special with horseradish apple jam and mashed potatoes and gravy and she was loving it. I got the bluegill special with ribeye stew soup and it was awesome as well. We sat at the bar and got great service! Will be back. read more

I consider this place a "Hidden Gem". We were traveling through the area and had no idea where we were when we saw that this place. It had good reviews on Yelp so we decided to stop in for lunch. We were greeted at the door by our server, Alyssa who showed us to a nice table at the window overlooking the river. It was a beautiful view of the river. She took our drink order and returned shortly. We asked her for some suggestions since we had never been there before. She suggested the Catfish which she said was very fresh. She also said there was an all you can eat wings special with one side. She also said that the chef had just received a supply of fresh Bluegill and he would fix a nice dinner of filets with two sides. My wife ordered the Catfish Sandwich with a salad. I ordered the Bluegill with a salad and a special soup of the day, BLT. The Catfish was fresh and very good. The salad was fresh and crisp. The soup was most unusual, a very flavorful creamy base, with lettuce and lots of bacon. My order of Bluegill was a very generous serving of fresh thick filets and had a very delicious flavor. I would order again if we ever get back this way and we can find this place. read more

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Great food great service. Very rustic and has a Nice view of the river. Daily Specials are the way to go

Doesn't look like much when you walk in, a bar, kind of dark, a hollow floor feeling. Take a turn to the dining room and you see the window's to the river. There's a board on the wall with specials, the Waite staff is very friendly and attentive. They provide great service!! The food is usually very good. They have gotten very pricey for Monticello on some menu items. The place across the street is just as good with the same excellent service, but has more reasonably priced menu items and drinks. read more

Food was bland and basic. Sat inside and tables were not super clean. Staff was nice and friendly.

We had an incredible dinner here with our family. Kids are only allowed on Sundays, so we lucked out. Livia was fantastic and the food and drinks were incredible. The owner's sister was checking in with tables and did a wonderful job with our very chatty children. They did a great job for not typically being a family restaurant. And we'd love to go back without the kids another time. read more

If you like bar food, this place is for you. Friendly & attentive service, clean restrooms, variety of appetizers and bar food. Sadly, there are zero vegetarian options. Their soups and rice are made with chx broth, not surprising but disappointing. One can only hope that vegetarian options will be in their future. read more

One of my all time favorites over the last decades for great consistent food, relaxing atmosphere and cold brews. Best place for smelt. Love their appetizer. Bar quaint but you can have a conversation. read more

My husband and I came in on a Thursday because we heard about these tasty ribs. They were out of ribs by the time we got there but we wound up having the most perfectly delicious hickory smoked chop I've ever had!! It was juicy and flavorful and tender!! Yumm!! The service was spot on. Good job! read more

Of the four meals, three were over cooked and should have been sent back. After the little too long wait, we just were ready to leave.

I like salmon salad that was great. We went to restaurant on the Labor Day. It's great view restaurant. We got the unimpressed service. After we got the seat , nobody care us at least 10 -15 mins. Servers kept cleaning tables instead of serve some water or let's us know who is our server. I recommend shouldn't go in prime time because servers don't know how to handle the busy time. read more

The Riverside - Outside - Diners Near Me - Monticello, Indiana

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Kinda of a hidden gem. Other establishment overpowers the area but so glad we made it our destination. Very accommodating to our small party. Beautiful view for most anywhere in the dining room! Service was prompt and courteous. Food was quick and hot. We had a little of everything and everyone loved their meal. We'll be back for sure! read more

Great, classic adult dining with a cool bar, I've always been intrigued by the atmosphere here. Kind of hip in a rural way, quite enjoyable establishment for dinner or a drink. I've been here many times over the years, Riverside has been very consistent. Stopped in recently for a birthday celebration with a dozen or so sitting at that wonderful long table. Really a great experience, we also spent some time outside on the patio which is a great gathering place. Better view of the river from here. As usual I ordered the Deep Fried Bluegill, a special "off the menu" item that seems to always be on the chalkboard when I'm here (usually a Saturday night). Just let me say they really do Blue Gill up real nice and always include plenty of tartar sauce. Onion Rings is another standard for me, large rings fried to perfection, the combination which includes a minor upcharge makes for quite a meal. I generally steer away from steak and other meat dishes here, have felt they could be better but must admit I always order the Blue Gill or a seafood dish anyway. I would rate the Bar four and a half stars, great place for a drink, good old fashioned and they have VO. Restaurant could be a little better but they have some items I really enjoy which will keep me coming back. Monticello could use more joints like this, love this place and the locals do too. UPDATE, on a recent visit I was very impressed with the Old Fashioned cocktail, one of the best I've ever had, well actually managed to sneak in two on this visit. The Bluegill is still the same which is very good, but I loved the Old Fashioned, love this place. Almost forgot, we ordered some sort of breaded peppers as an appetizer, these are very good, sort of unique, nice heat, little greasy but I got over this pretty quickly, I liked these. One more note, The Riverside is 18 and over only, no kids. read more

The Riverside - Fried Bluegill w/ Onion Rings! - Diners Near Me - Monticello, Indiana

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This is a hidden gem in the middle of nowhere. You get what you expect for the price which is great. A good try. Very enjoyable experience. Bathrooms are something else. read more

Stopped on our way driving through to another place. Scenic little spot with a lot of character and freshly made food. We'd go back if in the area. Kids can eat in the restaurant on Sundays. read more

A perfect late summer evening to eat a delicious meal on the outside deck at the Riverside. And a perfect meal it was. I had Filet Mignon, baked potato, side salad and my husband and I shared a piece of carrot cake. He had the rib eye, baked potato and slaw. I swear to you, my steak was so tender I didn't need a knife, and I ordered it medium well. (I know) The flavor was sumptuious, the texture divine and it had perfect grill marks. My husband said the same about his steak. They were absolutely delicious. The baked potatoes were baked to perfection and were fluffy and flavorful with just butter and sour cream. Again, salad was ok. Something must be up with the lettuces lately, because the salads have been kind of limp and ho hum everywhere. The cake was delicious, but we wish it had been slightly bigger as we shared it. The view of the river was so peaceful, no crazy boats on it tonight. (I love going boating, but the change was nice). The Riverside has a nice area on the lawn with very comfy looking furniture so that you can lounge with an after dinner drink. All in all, perfction. read more

What a fun place to eat! I haven't had anything there I haven't liked. From the Bloody Marys to the dessert drink the Woody your entire experience at the Riverside will be a great one. Their Hoosier chop is s must. read more

Best food in Monticello. Had a great meal last night celebrating a friends birthday. Service was great. Sat by the fire place in the bar area. Well worth it. The only thing is that you have to be 18. So no kids. Which is good or bad depending on your point of view. read more

Went on a vacation to Monticello with the gf, and the Riverside was, based on everything I researched, the only date worthy restaurant in town. It's on the river (obviously) and the view is very pretty. There was an angry swan. Most people don't know that swans are angry animals but they are. Anyway, the King Crab was good and so was the steak. Portions big enough to share. Oh, and there were ducks there too. Ducks. read more

This is my second time eating at The Riverside in the three years I've lived here, but I heard from the owners of The Cottage Shops that The Riverside had changed owners, and that the owner was wealthy, knew what good food should taste like and had brought this experience to The Riverside. Upon walking into the restaurant, I noticed nothing had changed in the interior. It was still tired tables and chairs. The decor was still fishing whimsy. The staff though was much friendlier and more attentive. We got to chose our own table which made a huge difference since our food didn't even fit on the table they seated us at the last time. The menu did not look like it had changed at all, but I noticed they had some specials that actually and surprisingly looked impressive, like a varied and plentiful variety of surf and turf, for higher than average prices for a diner in Monticello but good for seafood and what you would expect for a fancy restaurant. I don't think The Riverside is a fancy restaurant and not even close to being on par with The Sportsman, but it might be a smidge above Harvest Time, USA and Anglers. It's the only real seafood restaurant in town. I got the fried shrimp and rib-eye steak with rice pilaf. I loved the fried shrimp, but the rib-eye was still sub par. I think it has more to do with the cut of meat (too thin) than the chef though. It's hard to cook something that thin medium rare. Other than being able to look out at the running river (that portion of Lake Freeman), I wouldn't consider this a romantic date place. Also, everyone in here is 55 years old and up and/or having dinner with their adult children. Still not my idea of a regular place. read more

This is a rustic small town joint. The food has been reliably good for years - especially the smelt and the lightly breaded fried banana peppers. The bar has that 'good ol' boy' ambiance with a couple of basic big national brewer taps and a few bottles brands. Nothing exotic. Same goes for the wine list - nothing on it that would rate above an 85 by the experts. That means they're good but not 'very good', 'excellent' or 'exceptional' (and nobody drinks anything below an 80). Always friendly and prompt service. It's one of the best in town. read more

We went back last week(son had a gig at Indiana Beach)and still the best in the area. We'll be back in Monticello again in August and I'm sure Riverside will be on our short list for our dining places. See ya next month! read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE the appetizer : Hungarian Banana Peppers (must have) Nive atmosphere for a good evening meal with drinks. Love to sit by the large windows and watch the ducks swim by. read more

Consistently good food, good specials, good service and reasonable prices have kept me and my family coming here at least once during our summer vacation for the last decade. Awesome outdoor seating area and a very...eclectic indoor seating area, both with a great view of the river add to the appeal of this place. I can be a bit loud inside, but that doesn't take away from anything and if you're looking for a good place to grab a nice dinner and not break the bank, this is the place. read more

Great food and friendly servers. Makes for an overall nice experience. One of the hidden gems Lake Shafer offers!

Riverside is a rustic, waterfront restaurant and bar known for their surf and turf dishes. Their large portions and great pricing make this a must try. If you're in the mood for seafood, try their smelt, scallops, or other freshwater fish entrees. If you're craving meat, their smoked chops are phenomenal. And for a few dollars more you can get double the portion so you can enjoy a full second meal. I'd be impressed if someone could eat both of those thick-cut chops in one sitting. But not matter what entrée you choose, make sure to pick their traditional fries as one of your side dishes. They've recently changed the batter recipe and now their fries could be a contender for best fries in central Indiana. read more