Reviews River Roast (Restaurant) in Illinois

Pat Diaz

We were here while on a business trip. We were a group of 5. We were seated outside. The river view was awesome. Food is served family style,so come hungry. We had the chicken, and rack of pork,both were excellent. We also had chocolate cake and seasonal cobbler. Our waitress was great,checked on us often. They do have burgers and things also if you aren’t In a group. We were staying at the Swissotel,so the river walk there and back was very relaxing.

Kamil Jamac

Had the chicken and waffles and my girlfriend tried the omelette of the day - both were incredible. The view is second to few and price is just right. This is at the top of my recommendation list.

π

I stopped in to check out their coffee beans. They gave me a sample of donut balls that were amazing. They have custom sugar toppings. I liked the maple the best. Try their coffee, or dinner. They have rooms that can be rented for events.

Jeff Kreider

Stopped in for a Saturday brunch. My fried chicken sandwich was pretty good, but my wife got biscuits and gravy, abd unfortunately was not as good as we expected. The biscuits were good, but the gravy was runny, lacked some flavor and the eggs on top were a little overdone

Mike Seper

Went for a wedding. Good food. Good drinks. Good atmosphere. Phenomenal.

David and Kris Sommer

Loved it. Absolutely would go again. Enjoyed the table on the patio. Excellent brunch food.

Kristi Kading

Excellant food, fantastic personalized service from Sidney. Lovely sitting out doors with great warm evening on the patio, the last day of summer, enjoying our meal and berry mojitos.

Edna Diaz

Great service and food! The view is great if the weather is nice. Definetely a good option

Karl Hanson

One of the best burgers ever. And the bacon is amaaazing! Lovely view of the river and live music too!

Dan T

We really enjoyed the atmosphere and the friendly staff. Our dinner was excellent. We shared the fried chicken, the street corn, and the rack of pork. Dessert was impressive as four of us struggled to finish the pbj cheesecake and the peach and cherry cobbler. Already thinking about going back again.

Justin B Newman

One of the best meals I've had downtown in years. Exceptional service and spot-on food, coupled with some live music, made for a great experience. While they could definitely turn down the music (more than one person in our party struggled with the volume), they treated our toddler extremely well. They also made no effort to push us out the door. We'll definitely be back. The chicken sandwich was crisp, yet juicy; just right. Don't skip the cinnamon rolls.

Timothy Linville

Best and juiciest cheese burger I've ever eaten! Freshy made bbq potato chips! Quick service. Awesome views!

Matthew Parker-Jones

Food is generally good, albeit not necessarily inspired. Nice sitting outside next to the water's edge. Reasonably good spot for drinks and appetizers with colleagues.

chantel henderson

Staff is professional. Food was great. Drinks a lil on the weak side but still good.

Michael Uy

Great view of the river while enjoying the meal. The sandwiches are fantastic and we still enviously eyed our neighboring tables selections after we've finished eating. Try the burrata. Oh. My. God.

Liz Flynn

River roast is fine, but I can't say I'll seek it out again given all the other restaurants in the area. Both drinks and food menus have a handful of interesting options, but nothing to really knock your socks off. Kind of cool to have these huge slabs of meat for the table, but if you go with a small group, it can really limit your choices, unless you're in the mood to eat a $60 roast all by yourself.

Ying Luo

I went during the happy hour time and the service is very slow. After front desk led me to my table, the waiter didn’t even know I was there for like 20 mins....

Ben Zahiri

Best food, check! Perfect view, check! Nice staff, check! Count us as regulars here.

Amber Dobsovic

We had an event here tonight - it was great! Perfect location, good food and great service. Can't wait to come try it for a normal meal!

Ashwin Dhanasekar

Seems to be the to-go place for dinner events and private receptions. Food is great. The place is by the river and they have a decent bar too.

Greg Secrist

Pictured here is 1 lbs of Louisiana spare ribs. The ribs have a dry rub and is served with BBQ sauce on the side. The plate also comes with fried potatoes smothered in dill and cheese. We also ordered the street corn and mushroom sides which were very tasty. Great meal and great location on the river.

Klodian Dauti

The restaurant has a great view but not a great team. The host at the dinning area could not even hold the door for us but just let go of it. The menu is just some kind of country style, did not expect that from this place. The busboys were great but the server was not to the task. The ambience was great. The starts go to the ambience and to the busboys, one each.

Diane AcaciaPark

We were at River Roast just a few days ago. Wonderful restaurant!! The food was delicious. You can tell that this place uses good quality ingredients and the food was cooked perfectly. The waitstaff also was just great, always there for us. We were also very impressed with the Assistant General Manager. His name was Josh and he went around to customers and was very attentive to their needs. Asking us how everything was and if he could do anything for us. I highly recommend this place. You will not be disappointed!

Mrs. Berthoty

River Roast is great! We went in a group with mixed budget preferences and everyone was able to find something on the menu. The views of the river were beautiful, service was top notch, and the food was delicious. Everything was very flavorful- hot food served hot and cold drinks served cold. Our waters were constantly refilled and the atmosphere was on point. Go for lunch or dinner or apps or just to get off the street.

Cristina Terrell

A favorite evening place of mine. Certainly worth going back to. Menu is similar to a restaurant in Jacksonville I liked.

Mike Wagner

The atmosphere is great, the service is pretty good and the food has a delicious taste and fragrance. However, the pork was really dry and while the chicken was better...still dry. I'd try it again though.

E. Campbell

Menu items are pretty pricey. Service was fine. They are known for thier roasted chicken so that's what we got.. It was incredibly dry, probably some of the worst chicken we've ever had. Prices don't match the quality. Chicago has much more to offer, don't bother stopping here.

Eric Summerset

The service was amazing and the food was so good with reasonable prices. We originally had a reservation for 4, but had 3 additional family members in town who wanted to join us. The lady at the door said they could not accommodate the change, but the lady running the seating managed to find a table for us. The food was very fresh and delicious.

Chris Walker

The carrots here are amazing (and I hate carrots). Really good food and one of the best patios in Chicago, right on the river.

Corey Mercer

Great downtown eatery situated right along the river walk. Ordered the turkey club. The bacon was a little too thick for my liking but that's just my personal preference. Otherwise a great sandwich.

Christopher Fredericks

Great place right on the river for a drink and/or bite.

Mariana Schnell

We went during happy hour and had a great time. Sat outside and enjoyed the view by the river. The small plates during happy hour were very good, specially the fried chicken.

Daniël

We had an absolutely great dinner at River Roast. We lucked out and managed to get a table out on the spectacular patio/balcony directly on the river. Yummy cocktails and mocktails plus great service made it a really amazing experience.

Joel Bos

Delicious! Great service, great atmosphere

Jason Wheeler

The food was delicious and you couldn't ask for a better view of the river. The prices were surprisingly affordable for such an upscale looking venue. There would be a perfect place for a date night.

Robert Barr

The roast chicken is a must, but it's a bit salty. No free refills on soda drinks. You can sit out on their river facing terrace. Super friendly staff.

Walt Martineau

Decor and food both excellent.

Doug Smith

Nice for what it is and you can't beat the outdoor seating

John Z. Jr

Place was fantastic. Delicious roasted pork and the veggie platter was no joke. Perfect for two. Great wine selection. Nice ambiance. Would definitely go back on my next visit to Chicago.

Alex Weir

The good was delicious, but the service was terrible. We were seated for nearly 20 minutes before anyone even came over to check on us and get a drink order. I'd recommend the roast beef or fried chicken. Dessert portions are gigantic!

lexy joiner

Sunday September 1,2019. We walked in and the host that took our name was really nice. Since we had to wait we decided to go down and have a drink. We had our 15 year old son and knew he couldn’t sit at the bar. He was standing nearby as there isn’t a ton a space and the waitress told us he can’t sit by bar which, we completely understood as that’s the law. After they cleaned off a table to proceeded to sit. There was great band playing and my son wanted to capture a picture of them for his photography class. He was not sitting at the bar but to get a good angel he did stand near it and the waitress came back and yelled at him/us and stated she already told us he couldn’t sit at the bar in which I replied he wasn’t sitting at the bar. She made everyone at the table feel uncomfortable when she did that as it was extremely unprofessional and rude. Originally we were just going to order food and stay seated there, but luckily we received a text shortly after that our table was ready. I’m sure they don’t get many kids, but my son was 15 not 5 and she could have handled it extremely differently. Even if your having a bad day you still need to have a certain level of professionalism and she definitely did not. Very unfortunate.

Dimitris Protsios

Incredibly nice location with great food, service and live music. I really enjoyed the server's suggestions and the perfect river views. You just can't be there enough to absorb the vibe of the city. The food was very tasty and made.with fresh ingredients. I will definitely visit again next time i am in Chicago.

Deb Maxwell

Lovely restaurant. The food was great. A bit on the spendy side but the portions were huge. I think they are meant to be shared. They have a beautiful riverside patio for outdoor dining. The view of the city and the Chicago river is worth every penny! Celebrated a birthday here and I couldn’t have picked a better restaurant for this special occasion. The only negative was very poor service. I think our girl was having an off night. The rest of the staff seemed great and other tables were getting what seemed to be great service. Next time I’m in Chicago I’ll definitely be coming here again!

Dan McCarty

Tremendous food, excellent staff, and sitting outside next to the river makes a very enjoyable dining experience.

GREG SCHILLING

Definitely a great event to be part of. Great food, service and the best view of the river. Go there. You won't be disappointed.

David Cook

We are giving it a 3 because of the location at atmosphere as we sat outside. Took 75 minutes to get food after we ordered, with 6 people we tried a few things (except the chicken which did look good) and for the price was disappointed. Oh well- one meal.

Samuel Waggoner

I held my book launch event at River Roast and I can't event begin to express how amazing it was!! The venue sits right on the water and is in the heart of my favorite city! The service was amazing, the food was spectacular and working with the event team was a DREAM!! Fast communication, creative recommendations, and the answer was always YES. Could not recommend this beautiful place enough. Thank you River Roast!!!!

Colleen Parsons

Love this place!!!!! Everything was very tasty with a great roasted flavour! We sat at the bar and the bartender (with the moustache) was so helpful and friendly! He really made our dining experience that much more enjoyable - we asked him for his recommendations from starters to our main dishes - all of the dishes were a home run! Highly recommend this place!

Lawrence Harper

Started w/ an Old fashion which was good. Our group of 4 order 5 different meals to share. 1) Roast Chicken (2) Rack of Pork (3) Roast Beef (4) sea food Boil (5) Street Corn I have NO COMPLAINTS ! The food was Great, the service was good and the waiter was cool. The views was amazing as well as the weather, sitting outside was a Great decision.

Sundeep Fernandes

Stop by here for a magical dinner on the river after an evening out in the city!

Donna B

The food was great! The view was spectacular! Staff was wonderful! Would definitely go back if ever in Chicago again!

Jen Johnson

Ambience is beautiful! Service is good. The fried chicken is the best!

Michele Ram

Great location with a beautiful patio on the river. I came in for a solo brunch and everyone was very nice and accommodating. Food was delish and they were happy to take requests when altering menu items. Definitely recommend!

James

Quaint and lovely restaurant by the downtown riverwalk. Excellent food and service!

Walter Oles

Nice place. Interesting menu. Blues trio. Good lunch

Antonio De Leon

Good rooast, good sides, and good riverside dining. No complaints.

Andy Mo

Amazing food experience right on the waterfront. Great for sharing. Chicken was perfectly cooked, and ribs to die for. The fish was solid but underwhelming.

Tory Greiner

Got The Burger, with egg. Was very good and I'd eat here again. We had a large party, but I would've like a better view of the river but wasn't a big deal.

Sergina Sergis

Loved the atmosphere and the food was great! However we ordered drinks, that never came had to personally ask the waiter where is my drink and he had the audacity to ask what did I order? How am I suppose to remember the menu.

Andrew Kutylo

We really enjoyed ourselves here. I like their local beer list. I tried some beers from breweries I've never heard of. The waitress was very nice and really seemed to know her stuff. She seemed to give us honest answers to our questions and really solid direction. You could tell that she's tried the items on the menu. They brought out some great sourdough and a cheese spread that they really should be charging for. We ordered the big fish and the cauliflower side. We really enjoyed both the fish was buttery in texture and the skin was crispy and delicious. I wanted to order a togo bag of the veggie chicharons. We'll probably get the chicken when we come back, but we'll definitely be back.

Sinchan Mukherjee

Superb medieval times English food with proper fine dining experience. We had the roast chicken and whole fish with Mac & Cheese as a side. The food was succulent and unique. "Too much in quantity" is the general consensus according to the friendly staff and waitress. The highlight was the clove and cinnamon rich warm "mulled wine". It perfectly satisfies your taste buds and thirst at the same time. I would highly recommend a visit to anyone up for an original Game of Thrones dining experience, especially someone with a Tyrion appetite

Jay Divine

Always great food and impeccable service. A menu with the perfect battery of options regardless of your group's eating preferences. The service is always top notch and the food has never failed to be amazing.

Mae Brown

I like a lot about River Roast. The staff is welcoming and professional, the outdoor dining area is right on the river, and they have some solid food and drink options. My main dislike is the price for subpar meat. A whole fried chicken (8 pieces) is over $40 (hello gentrification of Southern food)...I’m not sure why because like the roasted chicken, it was not seasoned...bland (however the presentation was lovely). I’d go back for the atmosphere and drinks, but not for chicken.

Daniel Bartlett

Beautiful place to hold a rehearsal dinner! Great little strip where patrons can watch river traffic while sipping on drinks.

A Singh

Among the most memorable dining experiences we have experienced. Insanely beautiful views (especially at night) paired with fantastic menu options. The roast chicken was to die for. Everyone from the front host, bar tender and wait staff were on point. We were given an option for immediate seating in the dining area but decided to wait it out for patio (a must if you have patience to wait). This will be our new go to spot. Highly suggest you give it a try.

Pavlo Terpak

Amazing place with a river view view spot. Summer dinner will make your family or romantic dinner very special. Try roasted chicken there - no questions - delicious!!! Deserts? Check the picture. It's great and huuuge:) great place, worth a visit for sure!

Bob Dees

Started with oysters and meatball apps. Both were pretty good. Roasted chicken was good. Lobster burger just ok. Ambience was good and server did a great job.

Sran Manirochana

A great dining experience overall. Our table of 6 sat outside next to the river and each one of the entrees we got was spectacular. The waiter mistakenly brought out a Manhattan and a broccolini instead of what we ordered but those items the waiter let us keep and comped and later brought out what we had originally ordered. After dinner the manager comped our table with some cakes because he thought our table complained about our meal even though it was the table next to ours that had complained. Honestly the only odd thing about that night has nothing to do with the food but the fact that as we pulled up to the restaurant in our car the valet there popped open a tall boy twisted tea.

Rebekah Kennedy Stewart

So good. Everyone loved their food. Great atmosphere!! Great views as you are right on the river. Can't wait to try it again when we are back in Chicago!

Alex Garza

I had never been here before, decided to try it after kayaking on the Chicago River. My server Alaina (I probably misspelled you name and I’m sorry about that!) recommended the chicken and waffles. All I can say about them was WOW!! Absolutely immaculate. Alaina was an awesome server and I will definitely be back!

Rene Lynn

Got seated at the end of a aisle way, people constantly bumping into our table and standing right next to us. Not very romantic seating. My boyfriend had to walk through a wedding party, to get too there only mens bathroom located in there party hall. I ordered the $16 RR burger and it was basically a thin burger with burnt edges, and tasted like a Burger King whopper. With a side of no flavor barbecue chips. My boyfriend got fried chicken which tasted like it was fried to death 4 times. Would expect better food for that price. From Michigan and our dinner trip to Chicago was ruined.

Ali Arbuckle

You know... I never knew I could fit an entire prime rib in my belly. Now I know, I can indeed fit a whole delicious amazing prime rib in my stomach. I've been full ever since. The street corn is to die for. So good.

Araba d

Oh my God the restaurant excellent food. Staff very nice and helpful for your choice. The place is so clean

Mac Sochor

Quite possibly the best chicken and waffles I have ever had

mike gresk

Wedding

Bernhard Sattra

Great view across the Riverwalk, sunny balcony in the afternoon, really good food

Jonathan Carter