Prohibition River — Restaurant in Town of Orangetown

My girl and I were looking for an enjoyable experience for food. I did a random search on google and came across this restaurant. I checked out their website and the descriptions of in-house mixed burgers and even homemade ketchup intrigued me so we called to make reservations. I discovered the town of Nyack is quaint and charming. There is a large parking lot only 1 block away if street parking is unavailable. Upon entering, we were greeted by the owner himself who gave us a quick description of what they have to offer. Our server was professional and friendly. Our questions were met with quick and detailed answers. The ambience was exactly what we were looking for for the evening. The tables had plenty of room between them, it was clean, wall decor was appropriate and enjoyable, even the construction design of open ceiling rafters added to the charm of this restaurant. And the lighting was on point to provide comfort and seclusion while also functional to eat. The drink menu had some specials as well as the regular unique creations and they did not disappoint at all. Well mixed to what me and my girl could call perfection. Not only did the ambience and the drinks provide a strong foundation for our approval of this restaurant, the appetizers further solidified that this restaurant meant business to please its customers and leave a good reputation in this area. The entrees are well priced for what they are. Each dish is testimony to the talent of its creator displaying depth with each added ingredient. I cant come up with any complaints about the food or our experience here. But what really topped off the night was that as we left we passed the owner who was acting as host for the night but he was busy in a conversation and I didn’t believe he saw us walk out. But a second later he chased us out the door to thank us for coming to his restaurant. We shared a short conversation outside that I can say I’ve never gotten to experience with another restaurant owner before. It drove the point home that our business was appreciated. It also gave the opportunity that if something was wrong, the owner himself could address it and fix it. I’m happy to announce there was nothing wrong with any part of our evening at Prohibition River. I’m excited to...

Let me start off by saying I really want to like this place. It offers the type of food, drink, and atmosphere that I enjoy. I waited to save my review until I had a full meal. Thursday was the 5th or 6th time I've been there and it might, unfortunately, be my last.

The best and worst thing I can day about Prohibition River is that it is inconsistent. Sometimes I'll get a dish there that is incredible and other times, like the other night, my experience will be be lackluster. We started with bacon meatballs topped with tomato chutney. I found the entire dish to be burnt, but my girlfriend seemed to enjoy them so the jury was still out. As an entree, I had a half chicken with a BBQ glaze; Mac and cheese and toasted asparagus on the side. The lady had a Guinness braised short rib over whipped garlic potatoes. Both dishes looked great. Once again though I received overcooked food. The chicken was so dry, the dark meat was barely juicy. My Mac and cheese was good because cheese melted over pasta is never bad, but that too was dry. Finally, the grilled asparagus was cooked perfectly.

My girlfriend's short rib dish was actually quite good, which brings me back to my point. Prohibition has some serious potential. Its menu is inventive and diverse. Its beer, wine, and cocktail selection is great. Its atmosphere and decor is perfect for a fun date or larger get together. Having said that, I can't justify spending 25-30 dollars on entree choices that may or may not be cooked well. I don't want to eat somewhere I have to wonder if my experience will be 'good this time around'. For $50 a person everything should be great everytime.

If I do eventually return to Prohibition River I'll only be going for drinks and apps. Honestly, I'm not advising you against eating there as it may be excellent. Just know, there is an equally good chance it will be a...

Prohibition River is great mainly because of the owner who is a hands and manager and expects his employees to be focused on the job at hand. That’s not to say he is overly strict. He seems to have a great rapport with his staff and their is an obvious mutual respect. He values the staff and I believe that they value him. The restaurant has a warm casual atmosphere and the menu is unique when other restaurants seem to have menus that are more “standard” and predictable. His chef knows what he’s doing as each dish is cooked perfectly to order. The wait staff are always friendly and I truly believe that they value their customers and appreciate that they chose Prohibition River. The bar tenders are personable and sometimes, if you’re lucky, Oliver, the owner takes the reigns behind the tap. There’s also a catering area with a full bar upstairs where the hold special events. Everyone should experience Prohibition River to experience all that I have spoken about about.

PS. Just an FYI. … Oliver just took over a very different kind of restaurant that has been next to his for years. He closed it for less than a month and made it new again with improvements in the seating and the comfort level all around. It was looking and feeling a bit old and tired. The previous owner had admitted to me that he himself was tired after years of being there. Lucky for us in Nyack it still exists under the same name but with a new brightness and lively hood. With a new ice cream bar and a new brand of ice cream and of course a new menu. We can thank Oliver for bringing his business expertise next door to “Temptations”. It’s great to see it bought back to life. The way only a true restauranteur could possibly...