I actually have overwhelmingly enjoyed River Cafe going back to the previous owner when it was The Loon. Yes I am older but still feel comfortable here. I'm an infrequent visitor these days but continue to enjoy food, drink and company here whenever I can. The owner once heard that I had requested a new glass of wine because it tasted stale. He apologized immediately then before throwing that bottle of wine out he took a swig and grimaced saying "that's awful'. We had a good laugh and he insisted on giving me a very generous pour replacement on the house. Very cool guy in my book. Bottom line, ignore my one star rating because the food and drink are all fantastic. I was just disappointed this past Friday night as I stopped only for a nightcap after working my part time job. Two glasses of wine and a $3 tip later, just before closing, the young lady with black hair returned my credit card by throwing it on the floor while I was texting on my phone. I saw what happened and was baffled but I figured my tip was not too appreciated (if so I apologize) but I did not say anything, I just left. I'm sure the owner would not have approved of her actions and I hope she hasn't offended other irregular regulars. Still love the place, I'll just avoid her on Friday nights.

Enjoyed my visit here. The food was very lovely to look at as well as eat. I sat at the bar and had excellent service plus a little conversation. I would come back in a heartbeat!

It was very crowded for Thursday night I guess because of the covid and that the most of the business are closed for dine in . So finding this place open was a gem. However I'd appreciate if the waiter would wear a mask as many people at the table noticed that and didn't feel comfortable. Food Is average and okay. Nothing special.

Arancinis were great! But unfortunately I got an arugula + prosciutto pizza it was overall blah, the Prosciutto was a tinted brown as if it was old or sitting out in the heat.& I am obsessed with an arugula pizza everywhere I go and this has been the worst I’ve tried. Crust was super good! , wayyyyy to little arugula and of course the gross prosciutto. Service was great , nicolette was absolutely the sweetest! She was definitely busy & the other girls helped her out being the only server on the floor. But definitely wouldn’t be my first go to , rather go to circle tavern

Great old school food Sicilian Pizza absolutely spectacular 5 stars doesn't do this joint justice can't wait to come back

I've known since before Loon. Your food is just remarkably outstanding. I'm Elmwood Parker since September 1951. I know good Italian food. And you are!

Extremely over priced bar food! $8.00 for fries, $11 for a few pretzel nugs with no salt $17 for penne with marinara, $26 for chicken with potatoes!?! Insane

This was for a 65 yr. high school reunion. Although we didn't have enough people to have a private room, they set us up in such a way that it felt like we were in a private room. They made sure there was always fresh pizza and salad.

Such a great place, they have it all. Great dinner options, good drinks, slots & amazing staff!! What more could you ask for

Excellent place! Awesome food in bar bites style (note that everything they serve there is meant for sharing).

I have gotten food from here twice now and I can’t say I don’t love every bit of it. From the Cheese Curds to the Chicken Alfredo I have had nothing but positive words to say. Whether it’s a late night snack or the place you want to take that one girl on a first date River Cafe is the way to go. I can’t stress enough how great this place is. There is one server Izabella who is divine. Amazing service and treats you as family. Overall 11/10 will recommend to anyone in the area!!

Walking in, it seems like a old neighborhood restaurant that doesn't seem would be all that interesting. Where the decor is lacks a cohesive personality, the staff and food absolutely make up for it. We walked in and were told we could sit anywhere, it was a slow night in the dining room. Our server Bella brought water and answered a few questions. She was very pleasant and was always available, but gave us space. Tony while delivering food to another table, saw us eyeing what he had and came back to give us some info on it. When we got the food we were totally sold. I'm not a huge fried Mac and Cheese ball fan, but they actually tasted like my homemade Mac and Cheese lightly fried, and was amazingly fresh and delicious. One kid loved the angel hair with vodka sauce (which I tasted and agreed), the other had a burger that she thought was great. Wife had chicken marsala, and was pleased, and I had a panzerotti which I forced myself to eat only half of, so that I could enjoy the impending dessert. A skillet cookie. It did not disappoint, but definitely disappeared. I can imagine this becoming one of our old neighborhood favorites for years to come.

Food was great, service was wonderful. I had the gnocchi in vodka sauce with sausage crumble and some fresh bread it was delicious.

Nice atmosphere, and great food. Try the Sicilian pizza it’s excellent!! my only complaint and the reason for the two stars is, it’s extremely expensive… 9$ for a cocktail that has a splash of liquor in it is ridiculous in River Grove!!! For two people we had two drinks each and one main dish each, the bill was over 120$ that’s not including tip. This place makes it impossible for you to like it enough to go to. I think the owner needs to realize that he’s in River Grove and not downtown Chicago.

Quite simply one of the best salads around. The chopped salad with blackened chicken. Try it, you won't regret it. As for the rest of the menu, the pizza is above average and the sandwiches are up to par. Service is always friendly. I've only been for lunch, small crowd, quick service.

Rivers has some of the best food around! I highly recommend the Calamari as it’s the best I’ve ever had among the Chicagoland area.

$60 for a subpar medium pizza and the worst bruschetta I’ve ever had. The ranch was thick as mayonnaise. The bread for the bruschetta was so hard I had to break it with my knife. Overpriced and not good. The server was nice and had a beautiful smile. She was the only thing good about this place. Might be a good place for drinks but that may be overpriced too. We had soft drinks. Save your money and go somewhere else.