The State — Restaurant in Riverside

We tried several dishes at The State in Riverside, and overall, it was a pretty good experience with just a few misses.

The mac and cheese with shrimp was delicious—rich and flavorful. It’s definitely a dish meant to be shared. On its own, it can get overpowering and salty after a few bites, but as a shared side, it worked well.

The shrimp tacos were tasty and worked better as an appetizer. If you're hungry, three small tacos won’t be filling enough for a full meal.

The bourbon barbecue burger was a highlight. I ordered it medium rare, and it was cooked perfectly—juicy and flavorful. It came with a salad and a crispy, not greasy onion ring that was absolute perfection.

The roasted chicken with vegetables was surprisingly good. I’m not usually a fan of chicken, but this was tender, moist, and paired with a light, flavorful sauce that really complemented the dish.

Now for the miss: the French fries with shredded meat and cheese were not it. It felt like a pile of ingredients thrown together. The texture and taste didn’t work for me at all—I wouldn’t order that again.

For dessert, the crème brûlée came in a cute reddish pottery dish and was fantastic. The top was torched perfectly—crisp without tasting burnt, and the custard underneath was creamy and sweet.

Parking was easy—we parked at the Wells Fargo building nearby where the first 90 minutes are free. It was just a five-minute walk to the restaurant.

Our server was excellent—friendly, attentive, kept our drinks filled, and offered great meal suggestions.

Overall, the ambience was nice and most of the food was delicious. I’d definitely go back—but skip...

I usually give a place a couple tries before I write them a review but I really think I was able to see what they have after one visit. We went last night and they were fully booked. We were able to find 2 seats at the bar. We were so excited to see that our favotite bartender from a previous restaurant was there. It was awesome to get to see her. It was so busy that she couldn't spend too much extra time hanging out and chatting and that is exciting for her. She was sure to make us feel important but her number one priority was all of her customers. Kat is our favorite because she is so professional. The food was also great. We each had a burger with the salad it comes with. I love that the default side is the healthier option. Usually I have to pay extra for a salad instead of french fries. The salad was delicious. Our only complaint wouldn't be a complaint to most people. The onion rings were like 2 huge donuts on my husband's burger. There was a thick slice of onion but so much batter it was like his burger had 2 buns. I was excited to be able to order a burbon flight. I have been a burbon drinker for quite a while but having the opportunity to taste different ones next to each other was super fun. It was a splurge for me but...

My review is based on a weekday LUNCH experience just after noon. I felt like the food and service was better than average. This could be a totally different story at dinner time and on weekends if there's a rush!

Here's what I ate and the current prices: Drunken Pig $18 A burger which according to the menu has: stout bacon jam, apple-wood smoked bacon, aged white cheddar, coffee aioli, sunny side up egg & frisée American wagyu beef blend.

This drunken pig burger is also served with the State's house salad, topped with candied almonds. Super green like a field greens salad.

-Mac and cheese $12 According to their menu, this is a: four cheese blend cheese sauce, cavatappi pasta, topped with toasted bread crumbs & chives.

We were missing some protein so we added chicken for an additional charge - I think that was an extra $6. We suggested to the server that it could be served with a piece of bread. She said it would cost extra for some bread. It's real creamy and has some cheese pull and a soup-y texture when it's fresh and hot, so bread would pair well.

Compared to the Monrovia location for the State, this Riverside spot has a big open space and a mix of table, booth, and...