Riviera Tapas Bar — Restaurant in Riverdale Park

My wife and I came to eat dinner at Riviera Tapas Bar with 3 friends. One couple had already been here twice already. Since they came, Riviera Tapas Bar now serves beer and wine!

Since we had a good number of people in our party, we decided to order a variety of dishes, only a few of which where duplicated. Here's the complete list grouped instead of ranked:

Amazing: Mejillones Salvajes (mussels)  - very very good. I'd get these again for sure. They are great for sharing, but I wish they gave us a shell plate. Patatas Bravas - crispy potatoes and great sauces. Pimientos de Patron (blistered shishito peppers) - the blistering on these is perfect. I hope you win pepper roulette (wherein one in every 10 or so is super spicy). Vieiras a la Plancha (scallops) - Cooked perfectly with a nice cajun-ish rub on it. Spinach with Garbanzo - an odd combination, but it works.

Good: Calamari Fritos (calimari) - standard calamari Crab Cakes Over Cheese Grits - These crab cakes were (I think $11)? You get two, and they are decently sized. I've had better crab cakes, but the grits were great. Datiles (dates) - sweet and salty and bacon. Empanadas - well made and crispy. Use the dipping sauce to cut the dryness. Grilled Salmon Lemon Butter - the brussels were decent. The salmon was nothing special. Jamon Iberico -100 % Acorn Fed , Iberico Black Leg - This is actually one of my favorite things in the world, but it was not as magical as it usually is, but we're not in Spain...

I don't remember trying the Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp).

There was a white sangria, two beer and I think a red wine also ordered.

I want to add that it appears that they use a good deal of butter for many of these dishes. Butter being one of the three Bs of cooking, the other two are bacon and beer. The white sauce on top of many of the seafood dishes is also pretty similar (maybe the same?).

The service was pretty spot on, we got water when we were low, drinks were refilled as well. I'm glad this spot is open in our neighborhood, and look forward to returning again and again.

As for the layout of the restaurant, it's pretty close to the old S&J if you remember. Looks much cleaner though. It's also quite...

My time at Riviera Tapas Bar tonight was a singularly enjoyable experience in the 1.5 years I’ve lived in the Hyattsville area. Patricia was attentive, informative, kind, professional, engaging, and a breath of fresh air. She spoke with me in detail about the philosophy she and her husband use in running Riviera, crafting the menu (food and beverage), embracing clientele, and motivating and training staff. It was unlike any conversation I’ve had with proprietors around the world over the last two decades.

And then there was the food and drink - the stars of the show. I enjoyed a light yet filling, clean yet flavorful meal. The octopus and chorizo with fingerling potatoes was perfect. The flavors, textures, and presentation simply hit! And the crab cakes (all meat) with quinoa and brussels sprouts weren’t something I knew I needed, but I indeed needed all of it. Although tapas, the portions were significant, yet the meals were light enough that I could fully enjoy the two. The array of drinks was varied, creative, and inspiring. The pomegranate martini, the BSB with a churro to boot, and the house margarita were individual adventures of flavor and creativity. Each delivered.

And then there is the pricing. No complaints there. Reasonable and a steal of a deal. This is my new go-to restaurant, and that’s before I’ve tried their unbelievable happy hour! Looking forward to returning and trying new...

Obnoxiously loud with allowing kids to play their devices at FULL VOLUME. You can’t expect other guests to relax after work if you allow that level of volume to consume the room. It has degraded the atmosphere into a low class establishment. Food is good but service and ambiance is deteriorating. Been dining there for years but notice a considerable decline in how the establishment is managed. When I asked the waiter to kindly ask them to lower the volume, he just grinned and scoffed at my request and said there was NOTHING they could do about it.

And, YES, you can set expectations for guests to behave in your place of business. Otherwise you send the message that professionals who patronize their establishment that practice common decency are not given the same consideration as children with rude behavior. Guests should not even HAVE TO ASK for a decent atmosphere when they dine out. Management always sets the TONE and atmosphere of their businesses. It felt like an out of control daycare in there tonight.

I gave them 5 stars when they first opened and we’ve supported them regularly since. Too bad they are willing to allow their atmosphere to degrade providing a good dining experience for...