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“Great Dinner with amazing views”
Review of The River Cafe

The River Cafe
Ranked #16 of 7,499 Restaurants in Brooklyn
Certificate of Excellence
Price range: ₱9,891 - ₱13,091
Cuisines: American, Seafood, International, Fusion
More restaurant details
Restaurant details
Good for: Business meetings, Special occasions, Romantic
Dining options: Breakfast, Late Night, Lunch, Dinner, Delivery, Reservations
Dining style: Fine Dining
Neighborhood: DUMBO
Cross street: Old Fulton St.
Transit: A or C train to High Street/Brooklyn Bridge; 2 or 3 train to Clark Street; F train to York St.; Bus #41 to Old Fulton St./Cadman Plaza West
Description: The River Café is a fine dining restaurant. It has been celebrated with numerous accolades including: a Michelin Star, The Restaurant Hall of Fame Award, The “Ivy Award of Distinction” from Restaurant and Institutions Magazine, Distinguished Restaurants of North America Award (DiRoNA), The New York Parks Council Award, The Municipal Arts Society Award, The “Wine Spectator Award of Distinction” from Restaurants and Institutions Magazine, The Wine Spectator Award, selected by the French culinary guide, “Gault Millau,” as one of the five best restaurants in New York. The River Café will be open on March 17, 2021. Tables will be available for reservations Wednesday through Sunday from 5:30pm to 11:30 pm. All guests will be required to wear the required face covering (except when seated), have their temperature checked and observe proper social distancing. Starting August 17, 2021, New York City will require all restaurants to confirm that guests and staff are vaccinated for Covid-19.
Reviewed January 3, 2025

Upon arrival the hosts are very welcoming and accommodating. However I turned up in a very smart shirt, jumper, coat and shoes however due to coming from abroad hadn’t packed a suit jacket. They insisted I wear one and had one I could borrow for the night. Whilst I appreciate they stick to their dress code and I am all for that, my wife and I were surprised to see they do not uphold this with all genders. There were women dressed in loungewear and clearly not at the same level of formal wear that the gentleman had to uphold - this very much needs reviewing.

All of the above aside, the food was fantastic, service was great with all servers very friendly and accommodating. (20% service is automatically added). They made a special note for our anniversary which was a nice touch, sadly we couldn’t sit near the window for some reason, unsure what you have to do to get there.

Overall I would recommend and will definitely return when I am back in NYC as the food and service is great.

Date of visit: January 2025
    • Value
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Thank Kgb1989
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviews (4,218)
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1 - 5 of 4,221 reviews

Reviewed December 27, 2024

My visit to The River Café was a mixed bag, leaving me more frustrated than satisfied. While the food was tasty and well-prepared, it fell short of the Michelin-starred level that its reputation might suggest. The flavors were enjoyable, but nothing particularly stood out to warrant the high price point.

The experience took a disappointing turn upon arrival. Despite dressing formally, I was required to wear a borrowed jacket to walk through the restaurant. This felt unnecessary and out of touch, especially as I was already appropriately attired. While I removed the jacket at the table, the whole situation was embarrassing and added undue stress, making the atmosphere feel overly pretentious.

The restaurant itself was overcrowded, and the dated decor did little to enhance the ambiance. While the views were pleasant, they weren’t unique enough to compensate for the overall experience, especially when there are plenty of other establishments offering similar vistas at more reasonable prices.

The final blow came with the mandatory 20% tip, which brought the bill to $700 a figure that simply wasn’t justified by the service or the quality of the meal.

Overall, The River Café prioritizes an air of exclusivity over genuine hospitality, and it ultimately detracted from the evening. I wouldn’t recommend it, nor do I plan to return.

Date of visit: December 2024
    • Value
    • Atmosphere
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Thank m m
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed December 21, 2024 via mobile

This place is a fav, amazing service and great views. Just love the welcome you get, brilliant atmosphere that is relaxing.

Date of visit: December 2024
Thank Gilbert_Chesterton
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed December 16, 2024 via mobile

All of our expectations were exceeded at River Cafe. It was our anniversary and they really took care to celebrate us. We had a beautiful table right in front of the window- the food was tremendous, and the service peerless. This was such a special experience that we will cherish forever. Absolutely worth the price! Very romantic- I felt like I was in a movie.

Date of visit: December 2024
Thank Escape07475778117
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed December 2, 2024

what a special place. From the moment you drive into the entrance lane you just know this would be a special place. Welcomed out of our taxi we were greeted warmly and coats taken. The dining room had lovely live piano playing with breathtaking views of Manhattan and Brooklyn bridge. The service was out of this world and the food was just amazing. I would return here every time I come back to New York. It was my wife's birthday and they had a wonderful table for us. a must visit place for anyone coming to New York. Elegant dress only for this establishment.

Date of visit: November 2024
    • Value
    • Atmosphere
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    • Food
Thank workmanos10
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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