Riviera Bistro | Berawa — Restaurant in Bali

My wife made a booking at 6 pm, we arrived to an empty restaurant, only a table of 6 at the veranda.

I believe our "main waiter" was a tall guy (the staff do not wear nametags and i can't be bothered to ask their name)

We were seated at a small table by the door, right across the open kitchen which is ok. The food menu is there on the table waiting for us. A lady came by shortly with the drink menu, and just plainly put it on the table (without saying anything about what she had put on the table) which is a little odd for me but okay let's not be sensitive.

We made our orders: Starters Sourdough + seaweed butter Prawn Catalana Crispy Zucchini flowers

Main Risotto "Caccio E pepe" Char King Prawns

Side Nonna's Mash

Drink Clearoni Soda water

My wife is very well pregnant and we clearly mentioned at the start that RAW FOOD is strictly off limits and the tall waiter very well understood the assignment and even notified us dishes that contains wine.

Drinks came shortly and my clearoni was probably the only highlight of the meal. Tasted smooth and very drinkable yet very much potent.

Starters came - 2/3 was a let down. sourdough is mehhhh, tasted like white bread with no crust whatsoever. (maybe try using b*ro next time) seaweed butter is unsalted and lacks of any flavour. Tasted neither like butter nor seaweed. Prawn catalana is basically blanched prawn ceviche. Really nothing special about it. Zucchini flowers was enjoyable and the tomato reduction sauce that came with it was spot on.

The kitchen staff was way too loud, busy chatting and giggling away. The other wait staff, let's call him Waiter B, is busy pacing about for nothing, while dragging his feet like my 9 year old nephew.

After we finished our starters, Waiter B came along asking if we would like some dessert. I paused for a good 10 seconds. There was only 1 table at the veranda, and another table of 4. There was about 4-5 servers, so clearly staffing is not the issue here. I was shocked why is Waiter B so clueless. All i could say was "please check with that guy"

Walking into a bistro that charges 6% service, and 160k for small blanched prawn ceviche that tasted mediocre, the only salvation is attentive service. But there goes that salvation. Dragging of feet, cluelessness, loud giggling kitchens staff.

After a good 10 min pause, came our rissoto, AND THE BLOODY RAW TUNA THAT WE AGREED TO BE PLACED ON THE SIDE IS STARING AT US. SENT IT BACK AT ONCE AND ASKED FOR A NEW ONE.

While they were making a new rissoto, the char grilled prawn and mash came. It was just okay, nothing mindblowing other than the prices.290k for mediocre prawn, both in terms of size and taste.

Tall guy came along and apologised, and admitted that he forgot to put a note on the tuna for the rissoto. Thumbs up for your honesty, but for goodness sake please speak up. Tall guy, Waiter B, and another guy are all very soft spoken that i had to ask them to repeat on all occassions.

Rissoto came, it was gritty AF. Tasted like raw rice, just brittle and powdery. Couldn't be bothered to even complain at this point. Dragging feet, loud giggling staff, clueless staff, major miscommunication issue. And waiter B came along at this point, and asked if we wanted to order some water. What? we are so deep into our meal we still have drinks on the table (soda water for my wife, and 3/4 glass of beer for me)

And tall guy comes within the next minute to take our water glass away. Why would you do that, we are so close to finishing our meal. Asking if we wanted water was the moment we just sat right?

Paid 1.2mil for that mess 🤣

Additional Info: I was away to the gents when my wife asked about the tiramisu. She asked Waiter B if it has RAW EGGS. Waiter B said NO, then my wife poked "ARE YOU SURE?' Waiter B then asked the kitchen staff which is across us, and clearly nodded to his queries. Waiter B came back (while dragging his feet) that the tiramisu indeed...

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5 Stars) – A Remarkable Turnaround, and Deserving of Praise

Returning to Riviera Bistro Canggu after a previous underwhelming visit, I’m pleased to report a dramatic improvement across the board. It’s refreshing to see a venue take feedback seriously and respond with such meaningful changes — this feels like a restaurant that’s actively evolving, and it’s worth applauding.

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🏖️ Venue & Atmosphere

The space still carries a rustic charm, but this time it felt far more welcoming. One of the most notable changes was the noise level — the music was dialed back significantly, allowing for actual conversation and a more relaxed, refined dining experience. It no longer felt like a hybrid nightclub.

The venue could still benefit from a facelift to reach its full potential, but the atmosphere has definitely shifted in a positive direction.

The restroom situation (still just one toilet) remains a bottleneck — hopefully this is addressed in time as the venue continues to grow.

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👩‍🍳 Staff & Service

The service was excellent — warm, attentive, and proactive. Staff seemed more confident and better coordinated this time around. Communication was much smoother, and while there are still some language gaps, the team’s genuine hospitality and effort shone through.

It’s clear they’re working hard, and it’s paying off.

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🍝 Food & Beverage

The food this time was exceptional. Every dish came out hot, well-seasoned, and full of character. From starters to mains, there was consistency in both flavour and presentation. It felt curated, not rushed.

A standout highlight was the house ginger beer — still as vibrant and memorable as before, with its tangy kick and refreshing finish.

They’ve also addressed a key oversight: non-dairy milk options were now available for coffee. A small but significant upgrade that reflects attention to modern dietary needs.

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⚖️ Final Thoughts

Riviera Bistro has made a commendable leap forward — from a confused, noisy space to a far more composed and enjoyable restaurant. It’s not perfect, but it no longer feels like it’s trying to be everything at once. The venue now feels more focused, more polished, and far more deserving of a second (or third) visit.

There’s room for refinement still, but the trajectory is clear: Riviera is growing into its identity, and that’s...

⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5 stars) – Points for Effort, but That’s All

Riviera Bistro Canggu left me with mixed feelings — there’s clearly effort behind the scenes, but the execution falls short in key areas that matter.

🏚️ Venue & Atmosphere

The venue feels aged, and there’s a strong sense of a missed opportunity — with the right vision, this place could be something truly special and exquisite. Instead, it presents as worn and unrefined.

Unfortunately, the music was far too loud, creating a nightclub-like atmosphere in what’s meant to be a dining setting. Combined with the excessive crowd noise, it completely erased any chance of relaxed ambience or conversation.

There was also only one toilet available, which is inadequate for a space of this scale — a logistical misstep that impacts the guest experience.

👨‍🍳 Service & Staff

The staff were friendly and clearly doing their best, but communication was difficult — it was hard to hear them over the noise, and English proficiency was limited at times. More concerningly, the venue appeared understaffed, which led to longer wait times and made the service feel stretched thin.

🍽️ Food & Drinks

The food was great — but not excellent. The flavors were enjoyable, but not standout enough to redeem the other issues.

A notable letdown: coffee was not an option for non-dairy drinkers, as they offered no milk alternatives — an oversight that’s hard to ignore in 2025.

The house Ginger beer was a delight, rich in flavour with a notable tang and pleasant aftertaste,

⚖️ Final Thoughts

This venue is putting in effort, and that deserves recognition. But effort alone isn’t enough. The place is in desperate need of stronger leadership and clearer direction. Above all, it must decide what it wants to be — a restaurant or a pub — because right now, it’s stuck in an identity crisis.

There’s potential here, but a long way to go before...