Riva Grill On the Lake — Restaurant in South Lake Tahoe

If I could leave zero Stars I would. For all of the positive reviews this place has I was beyond disappointed. The service was completely lacking and there was one singular large party in a fairly empty room of guest that got all the waiters attention. This might be understandable on a slammed weekend however this was a Monday in the off season for southlake. My husband and I went up last weekend for our honeymoon which was listed as a special occasion on the reservation we got zero acknowledgment in any way shape or form that we were there for a special event. And when he had called to try to get us a good view or a romantic spot we basically got told we were Sol because it was already dark in the evening and it didn't matter where we sat. Upon arrival the hostess as well as a waitress was not dressed to what I would consider a fine dining atmosphere. We were told by a few people this was a slightly more laid-backed option but there's a difference between laid back and Border lining a Hooters outfit or someone looking like they haven't showered. Obviously all of that is mildly subjective and regardless of some of those things if the food is still worth the cost then it could have been a great experience however this was not the case. They are way overcharging for what they are offering are appetizer which we ordered was the garlic bread was $13 and was a minuscule four little pieces of a baguette that honestly tasted like freezer Texas toast. My husband ordered their bacon burger and not only did it come out cooked not to what he asked but uneven one side was under and one side was overcooked the Patty was crispy and super thin and the fries were soggy and barely warm. Not worth $30 we've gotten better burgers at Red Robin for half the cost. I ordered or attempted to order the ribeye and when it came out it was cooked correct to order however none of the fat was rendered off and I'd say about 90% of my meat was chewy fat. Given the fact that I like my steaks on the rare side I asked them to go ahead and take it back and cook it a little longer past what I usually prefer to try to help the situation. However when they took the steak back they re-cooked the one that I had which then caused the steak to be completely uneven but even re-cooking was not going to salvage the steak. The cut itself was just bad and as I said before it was 90% fat. Normally some of these things will not be an issue but if you were going to charge the amount of money they are asking for we expect the Ambiance and the quality of the food to be up to par. One of my other major issues we had was the wait time again this was off season and not a very busy kitchen while they might have been short staffed which it didn't appear to be we waited almost 45 minutes for our food and because the waiter's attention was elsewhere he only came to our table once asking us if we wanted drinks when we had first sat down we told them we were still looking and we would start with Waters never once again did he come back and check on us and ask us if we were ready for cocktails or anything. Again given the reputation of this place and the price point on the menu you expect a certain level. And even outside of expecting those levels this was unbelievably the worst experience I've ever had at a restaurant. This place is 100% a tourist trap it is convenient but 100% not worth anything they...

The location of this restaurant is undeniably premium, offering a picturesque view that truly sets it apart. The complimentary valet parking adds a touch of convenience and luxury from the moment you arrive. Inside, the decor is fantastic, creating an atmosphere with a great vibe that makes you feel like you’re in for a special experience. The menu is thoughtfully planned, showcasing a range of dishes that seem to cater to a variety of tastes.

However, despite these positives, our experience was disappointing, leading us to give it only one star.

We have specific food intolerances, and as we often do, we called ahead to ensure the restaurant could accommodate our needs. The staff took detailed notes and relayed them to our server, who was very attentive and understanding. Unfortunately, the problem arose in the kitchen’s response to our requests. Rather than offering to substitute ingredients or create dishes that met our dietary needs, they simply suggested leaving out parts of the meals that contained the ingredients we couldn’t tolerate. This approach felt inadequate and lacking in creativity.

For instance, when we inquired about risotto, we were told it couldn’t be made without changing the standard ingredients. Risotto, a dish that should be made from scratch, seemed like it should be adaptable, but the kitchen was unwilling or unable to accommodate. Similarly, when sauces containing problematic ingredients were left out, there was no offer to substitute with something else. The limited options we were given consisted of two menu items served with steamed vegetables—no starch options and no possibility of upgrading the vegetables to something like asparagus.

The final disappointment was with the dessert. The bread pudding, a dish we were looking forward to, was served with a sauce that had an overwhelming burned, carbonized taste. We reported this, and while one of the servings was removed from our bill, the other was not.

Adding to our dissatisfaction was the situation with the patio seating. While the view of the lake was stunning, the temperature was a chilly 60 degrees Fahrenheit with a windchill that made it feel like 55. Despite these conditions, the manager refused to turn on the heaters, citing that it was too windy. This decision left us uncomfortable and detracted from what could have been a more enjoyable dining experience.

In summary, while the restaurant excels in location, decor, and ambiance, its lack of flexibility and unwillingness to accommodate dietary needs, coupled with the disappointing food quality and service issues, overshadowed the positives. We expected a more inclusive and thoughtful approach, especially given the high expectations set by the restaurant’s setting...

We came in at 9:00pm on 10/03/2024. We had been warned to stay away from here by our bartender (a local) at the previous location, who told us since the current lead chef took over at Riva their food had really gone downhill. She told us that specifically as of recent there had been a number of bad food reviews from other locals as well who know how good Riva has been in the past. Keep reading to find out this ended up being accurate. The place was mostly empty, but for being right on the water and in a location like SLT, we thought we'd give it a try.

The service was great. Beer and cocktail selection were good. I was really happy to see they carried a selection of local IPA's including Revision. And you can't beat the view right on the water. These are the reasons for 2 stars instead of 1, as this is where the positives ended.

For starters, we ordered the garlic bread as an appetizer. I am not kidding when I say we both agreed that the frozen garlic bread I cook in the oven at home was 10x better. It was dry, bland, cold, and tasted like biting into cardboard. It was actually the worst garlic bread I've had, if you can call it that as we weren't sure if there was even garlic on it.

For entrees, we ordered pasta and the ribeye. The pasta was actually okay, with good flavor but very heavy and tasted like they went overboard with the cream. The ribeye is where things really came off the rails...

I have been grilling steaks my entire life. I ordered medium rare, which is a warm pink center. It came out cold and red. I showed the server who agreed and promptly returned it to the grill where, to their credit, they cooked it to a perfect medium rare. However, from there it went further downhill. The cut of meat was terrible; it was tough and the fat far outweighed the meat. The Costco cuts of ribeye are significantly better. I am not sure if they seasoned the meat as it was bland except for the peppercorn sauce they put over it which was decent. The menu said the entree was served with asparagus, however there were only a few tiny diced up pieces mixed in with the potatoes? The potatoes were soggy and tasted like they came out of a microwave.

It turns out they were probably empty for a reason and our local bartender had been spot on. The views were phenomenal and the ambiance was great, however the food was horrendous and not worth the $150 meal for 2. You can get a much better dinner at Applebees. I hope they change some things around here because this place really...