The Riverside Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Lillington

A Local Treasure – Riverside Tavern Delivers on Every Level!

If you’re anywhere near Lillington, do yourself a favor and make a stop at The Riverside Tavern—you’ll be so glad you did. This place is an absolute gem that combines top-notch service, mouthwatering food, and a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere that makes you feel right at home the moment you walk through the door.

The first thing that stood out to us was the incredible staff. Every person we interacted with was genuinely kind, helpful, and full of personality. You can tell they truly care about the experience each guest has—from warm welcomes to thoughtful check-ins throughout your meal. What really impressed us was their attention to detail. From perfectly timed drink refills to customized menu suggestions, the staff consistently went above and beyond to make our visit comfortable and memorable.

And the food? Absolutely delicious. You can taste the quality and care in every bite. The menu has a great balance of comfort classics and creative options, and everything we tried was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Whether you're in the mood for a hearty entrée or just want to snack on some shareables, Riverside Tavern hits the mark every time.

The overall atmosphere is another huge win. It’s the kind of place where you feel equally comfortable bringing your kids or catching up with friends over a drink. There’s a real community vibe here—laid back but lively, cozy but never cramped. The setting near the river adds a scenic charm that makes dining here feel like a little escape, even if you’re just grabbing a quick bite.

Whether you’re a local or just passing through, Riverside Tavern is one of those places you’ll want to come back to again and again. It’s a shining example of what a hometown favorite should be: great food, kind people, and an atmosphere that brings everyone together.

Highly recommended, 5 stars...

This is a real restaurant with a big indoor area plus a cool sun room you can eat in and the best patio in Raleigh. As a local living in Fuquay for over 5 years my wife and I have tried so many local restaurants looking for a good patio with great sandwiches and good ranch/salads that have left us disappointed. We are from Ohio we had lots of those there and this place is not only amazing it beats what we were looking for. The patio scene is amazing! Food is amazing! My wife said her drink was awesome and strong but didn’t taste strong. The staff was so cool. The food was perfect and the ranch was home made and bomb!!! Kid friendly even though we didn’t have our kids with us we would definitely bring them. My only request add a cold club sandwich for hot days. But dang 10 out of 10 and we are hard to please. I don’t give a review like that out often. It’s our new favorite restaurant in all of Raleigh. Ps the Fries were awesome just try them. And also thanks for having cut tomatoes on the salad and omg the salad was so fresh I hate Cherri tomatoes the salad...

We arrived around 7:00 p.m. on a Saturday night. The hostess was very kind and helped me get my mom into the restaurant since she was in a wheelchair. We did not have to wait to be seated. Our waitress was quite lovely. She is a local and knew a lot about floating down the Cape fear River that the restaurant looked out onto.

We ordered the smash burgers and the mozzarella sticks for appetizers. The appetizers came out quickly and very hot. They were awesome! For the price the smash burgers were overpriced. $14 is a hefty price for a skinny burger. Actually, I think I would prefer my burger not to have been smashed. It was quite greasy. The onion ring that came on the burger was a little cold.

They need a bug zapper for their mosquitoes and flies or at least some mosquito deterrent candles sitting on the outdoor tables. But overall we are glad we made the trip. We may bring our own candles for the mosquitoes on our return trip. Next time I want to try the wings. If you live in Raleigh this is a great little trip to take for an...