Review Riviera - Ottawa

Had a great time. One of the best dine-in experiences. Sit at the counter and watch the professionals in action. Brought our own wine and the server provided recommendations to pair with our food. She was attentive and anticipated our next move. Classic example of excellent service. The food was top notch. Everything we ordered was amazing. The chef/owner was hospitable and friendly. We are coming back to Ottawa just to eat here again.

Had a dinner here and it didn’t disappoint. Please try their steady seller mushroom toast. We were curious to how that would taste, but it was the most delicious toast I’ve tasted. Their steak and frites were delicious as well. Great menu of delicious drinks as well. The servers were professional, accommodating and friendly. Highly recommended!

This was the only nice dinner I had out in Ottawa and it didn’t disappoint. The host was extremely attentive to my travel itinerary, and the food was great. I was hoping to have the elk bolognese, which was on the online version of their menu, but it wasn’t on the current menu so I had the spinach ravioli instead, which was phenomenal! The Martinez cocktail was a great riff on a Manhattan. The Purple Rain cocktail was a bit bland for my tastes, but pretty.

From the person that welcomes you to the restaurant, to the waiters, to the chefs, to the bar staff - absolutely wonderful people with the perfect balance of formal and informal conversation! The food is other worldly - absolutely incredible and inspired! We especially loved the raw foods (beef tartar, tuna tartar) and the burrata was amazing as well as the lobster pasta (albeit a very small portion) and the desserts lovely but missing a chocolate option. For me personally, by far the best part were the negronis - an amazing range and the negroni Master was so friendly and welcoming and even made a specific Serrano chilli infused one just for my birthday! I cannot recommend Riviera highly enough - especially for a special occasion! Having been to so many Michelin star restaurants all over Europe, this is up there with the best of them, mainly due to the service! Thank you for looking after us and making my birthday special! (One tiny item to note, the lights above the bar and chef's pass need a bit of a clean ;-) )

The food was exceptional. The cocktails are outstanding! The head mixologist, Stephen Flood, is an absolute genius! You must go. If you can, sitting at the bar is a special treat. Resevations most definitely recommended. The Tuna Crudo appetizer, the Lobster Spaghetti, steak frites, damn! And, dill pickle chip encrusted halibut - chef, wow! The Negroni menu, amaro selection and wine list are extensive and filled with delightful offerings. Again, don't hesitate, you really need to be here.

I came to this restaurant for dinner recently. The high ceiling was nice and the atmosphere felt like it was a very nice place for a business meal. One of the staff also went out of his way and brought me a cup for an unfinished coffee that I brought in. In terms of food, I had the Striploin Steak Frites with Bordelaise sauce. The steak was a very nice cut of striploin with a good thickness. It was cooked to a nice medium rare and the crust was flavourful with a tint of char. The sauce complimented the food. The fries were skinny, crunchy, and fresh with a nice salty and sage/rosemary flavour. The fries were a bit surprising together as they were skinny enough that the middle wasn't too overwhelming after but not too oily either (Double fried, long stringy that tasted quite nice with the sauce).

Beautiful ambiance and amazing cocktails and food. Had the lobster spaghetti and burrata, both bursting with flavour. Their Purple Rain cocktail was one of the best I’ve ever tried. Saw the GM on the floor the whole time we were there, helping out; very classy. Will definitely be back.

Food was really good, although not exceptional for a high-end restaurant. Cocktails, service and indoor ambience were excellent though and definitely earn the 5 stars.

We booked our table well in advance knowing that this was one of the new "it" places in Ottawa. We arrived a bit early for our 5:30 seating, booked so early because we had a 7:30 theatre time down the street at the NAC. We were welcomed, coats were checked and we were shown to our table. The space is quite nice but with all of the hard surfaces and marble we wondered if it wouldn't be so noisy that you'd have to yell as the place filled and the drinks flowed. It was not bad, though. I have high praise for the wait staff who knew their stuff and were very professional yet friendly. We started with a dozen oysters which were wonderfully plump and tasty. Then our starters of grilled octopus, and another of mushrooms with truffles on toast topped with a soft boiled egg. Both were lovely. We each had a glass of Sancerre which paired nicely but which priced a bit high for a middle-range wine. We told our server that we would order this much then revisit the menu. I'm afraid that other than the lobster pasta dish, none really appealed but that was because the others fit too closely with what we might've eat at home on a regular basis. (But that's us) the mains again looked ok but other than the lamb shank, none stood out as "must haves". Observing those around us, both that and the steak frites seemed to be most popular. We shared our plates and this is easily done but the extra plates were too large and took too much table room. We decided that the most interesting things were on the starter list so we had an order of the steak tartar and the tuna on toast. We liked the beef which came with a nice tower of potato chips but the accompanying mustard had no bite and the plate was not quite up to comparison with others in the neighbourhood. The tuna disappointed. We were a bit sorry not to have ordered the scallop dish from the daily raw menu. We each had a glass of a red Spanish blend which went quite well. We shared a dessert of rum cake with a rum caramel sauce and sponge toffee crumble and cream. We had an espresso and a cappuccino which were good. The bill came but not until I had gone to the washroom and retrieved our coats for our run to the theatre. All in all, a nice place but not as special as the hype would suggest. The addition of a nicer place in the area is welcome but there are a couple of high end places within walking distance from the National Arts Centre that will attract our custom before we come back here. We don't go to the restaurant there because the food is rather pedestrian but they are quit comparable actually. The Riviera has a nice vibe though my husband said it felt to him like a pop-up, a transient place in a way. I thought it was quite nice and a bit of updated art-deco. As the days warm and spring approaches we will be happy to walk further into the market for our meal before attending the theatre, but perhaps when those cold blustery winter evenings return, we might make a return visit. We still thought it a bit pricey with a $65 bar bill for four single glasses of wine.

With its chic ambiance, delicious food, and wonderful staff, it's one of the best restaurants in Ottawa. I highly recommend it for any occasion from a business lunch to impress out of town guests to a romantic dinner with your significant other.

It’s perfect. Possibly the best restaurant I’ve ever eaten at. Food, service, atmosphere, and attention to detail are all top notch. They’ve earned their place in the top 10 restaurants in Canada!

One of the best dining experiences of my life! Beautiful venue, amazing flavourful food (best bread and butter I've ever had!), wonderful service, plenty of selection. The lamb cavaletti and braised beef short rib were YUM also has a tasty app and some delicious mocktails. They take fine dining seriously (but not too seriously-not a stuffy restaurant but rather cool, casual, glitzy and laid back) We're going back next week and for every birthday/anniversary/excuse (or not)to go out

My guest and I went for dinner on Friday. We started with the oysters and tuna tartare. It was followed by the lobster, and finished with the duck and steak. The service, presentation and food was absolutely superb. I would highly recommend Riviera.

Everything about this place was fantastic. All the staff was incredibly friendly and attentive from the second I walked in. The server especially was very familiar with the entire menu and wine pairing. The decor is incredible as well. It really was a fantastic experience and lived up to all my expectations.

From the authentic decor to the wonderfully tasting dishes, it is a must to experience! Our waitress was kind and ensured we had a great lunch. The open kitchen is a different yet fitting sight and the servers know the history of the place and are more than happy to tell you.

It was very fresh yummy waiter wasn't the best but over all great food wasn't crazy expensive just tasted like it

Excellent service, ambience, food and hospitality. Loved it. Will be back - and heartily recommend it to anyone wanting to feel pampered in a unique setting. First class in all ways. I thought I was in New York City! not Ottawa. A really excellent addition to Ottawa's restaurant scene.

Delicious! Tuna belly to start, pigs head macaroni for the main - so good! On the cocktail list, strongly recommend the elegant or hermaphrodite for a unique experience. Will definitely be back try to more of their cocktails.

I am very disappointed in the unprofessional management of the Riviera. My husband has been trying to make a reservation for 6 people for my birthday dinner this weekend. He has called three times over the past two weeks and left messages requesting reservation and call back to confirm. Nobody ever called him back. You cannot reserve a table for more than four people online- needs to be done with manager. Finally, he calls tonight and speaks with an actual human who cannot make the booking, but no manager available until tomorrow. She also implied that there are no tables for this weekend as the restaurant is so popular that reservations must be made 2-3 weeks ahead of time. I guess the Riviera doesn't care about its potential new customers. ADDENDUM My friends and I dined for the first time at Riviera Ottawa last night after the restaurant saw my initial comments above and were able to accommodate us at the last minute. I have not had such an amazing night out in a while and certainly no comparable experience in Ottawa. A meal is not only about the food but about the entire experience from the time the diner walks through the door until he leaves. We felt incredibly welcome at Riviera which is housed in a most unique and impressive space with a rich history. Our server (Melissa) was pleasant, professional, discreet, and impressive in her knowledge of the menu and how dishes are prepared as well as the history of the building and construction of the restaurant. She took the utmost care in ensuring that we had a very special experience and even sang "Happy Birthday" to me! Every single dish we ordered was expertly prepared with great care. The tuna crudo was incredibly delicious - the fresh taste of the tuna was like tasting the oean. The bone marrow dish was sumptuous. We fought to extract every last bit of the luscious marrow. My main dish was the signature black cod (my favorite fish) with purred carrots. It was cooked to perfection. My companions agreed that the meal was most excellent. We even had the opportunity to thank Jordan Holley who was very gracious in person at the end of the meal. I was most impressed with the great lengths Riviera Ottawa's management took to make our evening so special and make amends for my initial negative experience when trying to secure a reservation. The sign of a great restaurant is the relentless pursuit of excellence and continual improvement. Congratulations to Matthew Carmichael and Jordan Holley on their newest (and best) restaurant! I look forward to enjoying many, many more memorable meals at Riviera!

Unassuming entance but faboulus inside. Love the long curved stainless steel bar and the buzz behind it. Friendly staff but I can tell its all about portraying a feel and look. Food was good no exciting. I will return for the ambience and friendly staff.

From the food, the staff, the atmosphere.....amazing from the moment we walked in, and until we walked out the door! Definitely going back to try the lunch menu. 5+

Amazing food, drink and service. Perfect special date night restaurant. Well worth the $$$$$$

Loved the atmosphere. Very New York City - but in Ottawa. Had a bit of an issue with a waiter bumping us to "flip" the table which was kindly sorted by the management. Will go again.