River Roast

Good music, good view, bad service. Only reason I came here was because the wait at Bridge House Tavern was too long. Next time I’ll wait-​because I’ve been waiting here for my 2^nd drink anyway. 3 stars because the blues band was good.

We went here as a group of colleagues for dinner. The food was different and delicious and playful. It was quite expensive but we all enjoyed the dinner. I would def visit here again and try out some of their other items. I do have to say though that the fried chicken appetizer was a big hit at our table and we ordered it about 3 times. The scallops app was excellent also so was the crab toast. For dinner we had the whole fish and the chicken. Fish was amazing, that alone will make me come back, chicken could have been a bit more flavorful.

Great view if you manage a seat on the patio, forgettable food.
Everything was reasonably well-​executed, but no dish was particularly inventive or exciting or delicious. The Mexican street corn was more like creamed corn, I remember being disappointed about that.
The potatoes, on the other hand, were amazing, I’ll give them credit for that! Crispy and vinegary.

Great for a group, have been here multiple times and it’s great for client meetings as well as HH. If you’re having a meal, highly recommend: roast chicken, carrots, extra roasted potatoes. Have had the peas, steak, and asparagus but those first dishes take the cake!
Have always had great service and great drinks as well!

Attended a work dinner here on Tuesday this week. We had a group of 20 or so and a reservation for 7:00. We ordered a number of appetizers to start, vegetarian and meaty entrees, a few sides, and desserts. The food was delicious and generously portioned. I particularly enjoyed the roast (beef) and balsamic carrots with goat cheese. The Mexican corn was also scrumptious and easy to share. The service was a bit slow, but overall I’d recommend River Roast for a party large or small.

We came here before the Chris Stapleton concert at Northerly Island. Their outdoor area is pretty cool and it was a nice day, however we were seated inside because the waitress said the wait for the outside was about an hour even though we were able to see a couple of empty tables out there. Anyways, we both ordered their sangria and chicken gobbets to start out the meal. The honey for the gobbets was a nice touch and they were super crispy and not greasy at all. After this, we decided to split an order of the cauliflower and beef roast. The roast was super juicy and the waiter cut it at the table. Overall, I would definitely come back. It was a little bit pricey but good meat tends to be and I also enjoyed the restaurant décor.

River Roast took over the riverfront location that used to be home to Fulton’s on the River. This is also a big important spot for me and my wife since we had our reception at the then Fulton’s, and we come back every year for our anniversary.
Right off the bat, let’s just say that the atmosphere is really unique. I felt like I was walking into a cool and secret roast house off the beaten path. It was moderately busy for a Saturday night, and I think that in their private rooms there might have been a wedding reception going on. There’s a nice bar on the lower level as well as the open-​kitchen feel right next to it. The riverside patio was also open. I was excited.
The server greeted us immediately. We told him our tradition there and he seemed genuinely happy for us. He then went on to tell us the concept of the restaurant, which continued to excite us. It was a little hard to hear our server since the noise level was very casual and slightly loud. Anyways, we looked at the offerings and was overwhelmed by all the yummy-​looking choices. I was immediately drawn to the roast beef, since I’m a beef kinda guy, and my wife was drawn to the chicken since all her friends had raved about it. Our first issue was with the fact that the chicken comes in a 2-​person portion. I wanted beef, she wanted chicken. What were we to do? The waiter continued to sell us on the chicken, explaining that the technique with cooking it was super unique and that we’ll never find a comparable chicken in all of Chicago. This chicken better be something, since it was about $ 40. The beef was also about $ 30 for 8oz. In my opinion that was a little small for the money I was paying. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind dropping good money for good food, so I was expecting the beef to to knock me off my socks. We also started with scallops and had a side of Mexican street corn (elote).
The food came, and it was kind of disappointing. The presentation was definitely present, but the taste and creativity was not. I would say that the chicken that was supposed to be the best in the world was just a step up from what I would be able to buy at any grocery rotisserie. To add insult to injury, we obviously didn’t finish all the food, and so needed to take the chicken to go… in a plastic rotisserie chicken container. The roast beef was not any better. The portion was small and average. The waiter said crème fresh this and crème fresh that… but again it was nothing to blow my mind. The Mexican street corn was soupy and did not have all the cheese I expected from a Mexican street corn. The scallops were alright.
Maybe my expectations were too high. The location is great, I just wish they had great food to go with it. The menu is not very creative and just average in taste. I feel that I could have just done better going to a diner. It’s expensive for what you get. If this place is not so special to my wife and I, I would have to pass on a second visit.
Last note, this is not a place to take a date. I know other Unilocalers are saying that this is a perfect date place. No. Unless you and your date are the same person with the exact same tastes, go take your date somewhere else. Almost everything comes in portions and prices made for two.

I really want to give a shout out to the crew here for being awesome in accommodating a large group of 12 of us. We went here to throw my mom a surprise retirement party and it went perfectly in every way.
The service was above and beyond for taking care of so many orders (including a few of us who had food sensitivities, which I know can be annoying) and getting all the orders right.
And the food! Wow! Everyone raves about their dishes and went home stuffed. Personally, I had the roasted chicken which was moist and tender along with great flavor. My mom’s fish was so good that she left none on her plate (and she almost always takes home leftovers).
Despite being a large restaurant, the feeling was still a bit intimate for our group size and everyone had a blast from the oyster appetizers to the cake we’d brought and they graciously stored for us.
I’ll definitely be back and would recommend River Roast for any large group outing you may be planning.

This place is great! Stopped in here for dinner on a Saturday night in the summer. We were seated immediately on the outside patio. Great views of the river and downtown.
We were a table of 4 and we shared the roasted vegetables, chicken, and the meatballs. I loved all of it. Everything was so flavorful.
The menu is simple and it centers around the roasts. Definitely get one of those if you’re stopping in.

$$$ not $$. To have a 1 drink and share a meal the bill came out to around $ 60. The serving size suggested for 2, but it was more for 1. The food was amazing and the location was very nice but the servings sizes and prices should be adjusted; I ended up leaving hungry and paying more than Unilocal reviews suggested…

Looking for a lunch spot near the Merchandise Mart I found River Roast and promptly decided to head that way with a group of co-​workers. There were 4 of us and they asked if we had reservations upon entering, which made me nervous. Turns out reservations weren’t necessary and they were able to seat us right away.
Someone at my table did order the whole chicken and it was quite an event. I was also able to try it and it was tender, with great flavors. Also, the potatoes it was served with were top notch. As for my own order I went with the fried chicken sandwich complete with siracha pickle and spicy remoulade and it was delightful. The perfect portion for my lunchtime needs.
Our service was friendly and fairly fast, but this definitely isn’t a quick in-​and-​out lunch spot. Plan to give yourself at least an hour, but an hour and a half might be best.

Loved it! We had the roasted chicken and it was amazing. So juicy and tender. The waitress was great-​explained how to eat it and she was very nice.
My parents had the sea bass and loved it. No complaints. They weren’t crazy about the side «chips» (large pork rinds) that came with the fish. It just didn’t seem to «go» with it.
Finally our son had the seafood sandwich and he thought it was good before finishing our whole chicken! Teenage metabolism; gotta love it,
Very reasonably priced with a view of the water and live music for our Sunday brunch. Awesome.
Oh and the Bloody Mary was delicious too!

Do I start with the food? or the fact that RIVER ROAST is ON THE RIVER? hmm, lets just get that part out of the way. I was here 3 times over the winter, but can’t wait to sit outside my next visit. The interior is delightful. Its cozy. Its cute. I love the décor and all the little nooks.
Now onto the food. The house pickles were the perfect starter. Light and refreshing. Oysters… alright alright, I’ll take 50. The ‘mains’ I have had are the whole chicken. It really takes a lot for me to say that chicken is good at a restaurant or even more to recommend someone order it because lets face it chicken is pretty boring and we can all cook it at home. That being said I ordered this all three times. It comes out still whole and they carve it up at your table. Its served on top of crispy potatoes. The roast beef, excellent. It was super tender and juicy. 5 stars.
Sides…brussel sprouts, every single time and the whipped celery root.
Service is always good. I think this is a cute date spot, or if your parents are in town (like mine were), or with a group of girlfriends…
Enjoy.

Our very first night in Chicago and we were looking for a place to eat. We found the river roast on Unilocal and it had good reviews so we took a little walk and gave it a shot. It’s a gastro pub that sits right along side the Chicago river. This place is known for their roast that feeds two to three people and is served family style. We took a look at the menu and went in a different direction. We ordered off the bites and boards section of the menu to try a little bit of everything.
Country Fried Rabbit — Rabbit cooked to perfection with a nice batter that gave it a delicious crunch. Very tender and delicious with a side of braised greens drizzled with some light honey.
Slow Ravioli — spinach pasta, snails, garlic, herbs and tomato confit. It was the first time I have ever had snails and they weren’t have bad. Pasta was a little to al dente but it was a good experience to try snails for the first time.
Shrimp & Crab toast — shrimp and crab mixed together with some avocado. Very taste and enjoyable. Just the perfect bite leaving you wanting more.
Chicago Style Sashimi — seared wagyu, dried tomato, roasted onions and peppers, pickle and poppyseed crisp. This was very flavorful and different. Never had anything like this before. Meat was very tender and flavorful. The peppers and meat on top of the poppyseed crisp was an incredible mix of flavors. Different but enjoyable.
RR Chopped — how can you go wrong with a chopped salad. Romaine lettuce, feta cheese, roasted pepper onion relish, Olive, Tomato, with a red wine vinaigrette. Great flavors all rolled up in one bite.
Pork Meatballs — a great tasting meat ball with tomato sauce and Ricotta Gnocchi.
Great location and amazing food. Stop by and give it a try. Small bites was a good idea but one of the roast may be a good idea for you stop on by and make your choice as you look out in to the Chicago river.

We were at River Roast for a wedding this past weekend, and it was one of the best wedding guest experiences of my life. First off, the service was way beyond anything that I have ever witnessed before. The bartenders remembered many people’s drinks throughout the night, and were quick as hell, making lines nonexistent. The servers may have been ninjas, as we didn’t even notice them… that’s a great thing! Basically from the second we walked in the door, the the moment we left, we were impressed as f*%k!!!
Only downside was the filet they served, which was over cooked. I breezed past that because most people don’t like medium, or dare I say… rare steaks, and it’s easier to please the masses, than a few dudes. The rest of the food was great, from the salad to the cake.
Oh yeah, if you don’t like awesome location along the river, you may want to go to 1 of 100 Boston Markets in the strip malls in Naperville.

Went for brunch with a total group size of 4 people. Tried the bloody and it was well spiced, the skewer has enough stuff to be a solo appetizer. We ordered the roast pork, and roast vegetable. It was a good amount for 4 people. They bring the dish to the table and carve it in front of you. Excellent presentation. The pork is cooked to a medium so if you’re afraid of pink pork then let them know. The spot on the river is nice, and they have outside seating. If you are willing to wait it seems worth it.

Food is delish! I had the meatball sandwich which was a perfect lunch time meal. The turnip au gratin wasn’t bad either but a bit too much for one person. This place closes at 3:00 during the week but the kitchen closes at 2:30. We got there at 2:40 and the hostess kindly talked to the kitchen and allowed us to order a meal!
Atmosphere is calm, cool, and collective. If you can sit outside on the patio I would do so. Lovely view of the river and the sun hits those tables nicely. Would not recommend patio seating for men who sweat easily. It looked like this one guy who was sitting next to us had a business meeting and was sweating profusely. As a female, I felt like I was back home in California soaking up the sun.
Noise level was fine, but not sure how it would be if you sit inside.
Service was good. Wait and table staff seemed attentive to our needs while not coming by too often.

We went for brunch. The food was pretty good but didn’t really get me going like I had hoped. I had a compote french toast and a side of bacon. The bacon was nice but pretty soggy. The french toast was also nice. Nice is not usually how I describe French Toast though (my go to brunch item). I usually use many more superlatives They have a good mix of sweet and savory options and a great brunch drinks list (AKA they have more than just mimosas and bloody marys).

Came here with my cousins and sisters one Sunday afternoon. Décor on the inside is cute! We sat outside but the table/​area we sat in, two (me being one of them) of the six girls were in the sun. I know, nothing anyone could do. I had to sit pretty much in the aisle where servers and customers were walking just so I wouldn’t get the sun beaming on me. Moving on, the menu was limited. I’m guessing it was because it was lunch? Linner? Small bites? Well… What we did order was very delicious! I got the shrimp and crab toast, very good! The sangria we ordered was very good as well. I think I’ll have to come again during a different time of day and try something else.

Amazing!!!
First time here! It was lovely! Drinks, fabulous and tasty, food grand! We ate the fried rabbit for appetizer and had the roasted sea bass for dinner with carrots and asparagus! We ordered two drinks each total bill ran about $ 150 with tip for 2’ppl. Defiantly worth it! We will back!

We were a party of 11 — with a reservation at 9pm. Were 15 minutes to early but were seated right away. The restaurant is somehow country style with a really nice patio right besides the river front — but we were not seated on the patio which was full. Service was really nice and fast. We had also pre-​ordered dinner with sharable plates. Starting with a variety of salads and as a main meat (pork, beef, chicken), a really nice branzino and different vegetables. We paid about $ 70 per person with drinks and tips — what was ok for Chicago. For a dinner like that I would go again.

Went here on a Saturday night during a quick weekend visit to Chicago. We arrived around 6:30 without a reservation, and managed to get seated right away at a table with an excellent view of the river! Our server, Juan, was great! He waited on us right away, and was friendly and attentive the entire time. They have a great beer selection, and their complimentary toasted bread and butter spread was super good. We ordered a half dozen oysters, which they happily steamed for us! They were delicious. For dinner we ordered the whole roasted chicken, which was carved table side. It came with crispy potatoes which were toasted with the chicken! Everything was cooked to perfection. This is a great, unique restaurant with a wonderful atmosphere! The downtown location and view of the river can’t be beat! I would definitely come back in my next visit to Chicago!

Good show, River Roast, good show!
Everytime (I went back twice!) our table ordered a whole roasted chicken and it was wheeled out — it reminded me of this scene:
But damn these chickens are good. And they better be for FORTY DOLLARS each, amIright?! Yes. I am right. But they are good and they are hand carved at the table and they are served with some mega-​monumental potatoes, so I think its a good value proposition. It’s a good chicken.
I’ll start with what needs some improvement: The host staff.
On both occasions the host staff was abysmal at best. In contrast to the actual servers, who both times were beyond excellent. I don’t know what you gotta do River Roast, but your first point of contact with guests has to be good, and these hosts — are not.
1. I made a lunch reservation for 4 at 12pm midweek. We arrived on time, and then were passed off from host to host as if no one knew what to do with us. I finally just asked a server downstairs where we were supposed to sit. Three hosts, zero clues. Fail.
2. We returned for drinks and snacks after work a few days later — and even though it was about 49 degrees we wanted to enjoy the last bit of sunshine on the river, if possible. Quickly a host retorted to me «no sitting on the outside river unless you order mains.» Literally, it was dropping to the low 40’s by the minute, NO ONE was sitting out there. Finally someone with better sense interjected and said it was fine — but like, what? Think people, think. For a moment. We ended up spending close to $ 500 on drinks and snacks and eventually ordering mains, but maybe we would’ve just walked right out with that lame attitude and inflexible response. Also, we were the ONLY people out there the entire evening. Fail again.
Ok but that was it – otherwise (and really, you need to hire new hosts or train them better RR) everything was ON POINT. Great service, great food, great drinks, great location, excellent interior. I can find no fault, I really dug this place for a downtown joint and think their take on roasts is a nice departure from the typical fare in this area. Well done!
:chicken dance:

I’ve had this restaurants bookmarked for some time and was excited to find myself in the area with available reservations on OpenTable! The location is superb and right on the river. There were mostly larger groups and people going after work while we were there, but it still made for a good date night.
Maybe it was because I’ve been wanting to try this place out for a while, but I was definitely underwhelmed with the food. We started off with the Trio of Toasts, which has a toast with avocado, one with bacon foie gras and another one (can’t remember now)! I’ve never had foie gras that I didn’t like, but my favorite was the avocado and I still wasn’t overly impressed.
Next, we had Curried Cauliflower and the Whole Chicken Roast for our entrees. The cauliflower was definitely interesting with a very charred curry taste to it. We ordered the chicken since we were told by our server that this is their signature dish and the idea behind the whole restaurant. For chicken, it was definitely really good! Flavorful, moist and very filling! However, it is just chicken. We ordered it because it is their «famous» dish, but I do wish I had ordered a different entrée, because I just kept thinking. This is just chicken.
All in all, it’s an awesome location especially for summer coming up, but I’m not rushing back for any of our dishes anytime soon.

Talk about a let down! Decided to grab lunch here on our way out of town. Has a lot of reviews and a killer patio, how bad could it be?
Our server seemed like he was on another planet and wasn’t with it at all! Most of us had to keep asking for refills, drinks were incorrect, had to ask for straws because only half of the drinks came with straws… Just starting off, it seemed like you had to really work for what you wanted here.
After placing our order we waited close to an hour with no explanation from the server– I finally grabbed him and asked him what the hold up was. He just said «I’m sorry, it’ll only be 5 more minutes». The waiting game continues…
25 minutes later our food comes out! Yes! We’re very excited for our chicken (by now we’ve been waiting for almost 1.5 hours and have had to ask every time for our drinks to be refilled). He started slicing the chicken and I could immediately see that it was completely raw on inside… Oh man, that was enough for me so I got up and grabbed the manager. I politely informed him of what was going on, his response was «are you serious, I’m going to kill them» and took off for the kitchen. We continued to wait for another 25 minutes to get another chicken (At this point I’m thinking, are we being punk’d?!)
I told the server to scratch the chicken and that we were full enough from the sides and the first chicken we got. We really just didn’t want to wait anymore. The manager grabbed me on the way out and apologized and said to please come back but it didn’t seem like he cared at all.
2.5 hours and 33 $ off the check later, we finally left. We frequent the city but we definitely won’t be back to River Roast

So first off, nothing about this place was wrong. loved it. Dang it… I’m trying to stop eating out so much… and my gurl picks this spot. first of all, the ambiance off the water is exceptional. Can’t wait to come back when it’s warmer. Service was spot on. similar to first class. Now the food…
First they bring this wonderful appetizer of bread and if I remember shrimp topping. Another was mussels with a wonderful breading… oh. my
Next go for the for two meals we had another couple and the two dishes we ordered was more than enough… lamb rack and some chicken dish that was similar to beer can chicken. Trust me when I say it was worth it. They bring it out to you and cut it up. Check the pics I included. Oh yes, boat load of vegetables.
Get em.

This place hasn’t been around for terribly long, it was established in 2014. I heard about it because my brother decided we should check it out.
I had no idea what to expect when first coming here. I didn’t even know it was right on the river believe it or not.
The plates are meant to be shared which works perfectly because almost all of the portions are quite large.
For a drink I ordered the Chenin Blanc from South Africa (obviously because I’m partial to South African wines.) It was so good I got a second glass.
For appetizers (which were actually larger versions of regular appetizers), we ordered the shrimp & crab toast and mussels.
For our main course we got the whole chicken, the rack of pork and the boatload of veggies. All of it was extremely delicious. They even carved the meat right in front of us.
If you’re into BBQ style food then this place is definitely for you. Even if you’re more into salads and charcuterie however, they’ve got that as well.
Being on the river isn’t too shabby either ;).