Decided to splurge and go by myself before the Lockdown. Staff was fantastic and the food was amazing!

Enjoyed everything

Thanks Again

Perfect! As always. I love Riviera.

Great food!

The mushroom toast was outstanding! Flavourful, tons of mushrooms and fresh. The cavatelli was good too. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable and respectful of COVID precautions.

This was our first time here and definitely not our last, the old bank setting mixed with the massive bar and cozy seating made for the perfect night out. The food was amazing to the point we had to try the dessert even though we where stuffed. The staff where all professional and made the experience worthy of 5 stars.

It was the best dinner ever.

It’s always a nice treat. I love Riviera. Best cocktails in town!!

Some of the best food I’ve ever had but be prepared to spend a lot!

Had been looking forward to visiting the Riviera since returning from Florida in March. Finally took the plunge and felt quite comfortable despite the pandemic. The staff, and the food and drink were exceptional. I found the music too loud, but I didn’t let it spoil my evening. Thank you for persevering despite the odds. Will return.

Fabulous as always

Amazing food and staff. The drinks are amazing, food was superb and the staff super friendly. Would definitely recommend if your every in the city of Ottawa.

Everything was absolutely incredible from start to finish! Except my friend and I ordered the burger to split and unfortunately it tasted exactly like a big mac which we both dont like! But after saying so to our waiter, he took it off our bill!

Perfect date night

Great restaurent! Great waiter and bartender and the food was delicious. The look of the place is fabulous, situated in an old bank downtown with great deco and lighting at night. We loved everything even with the covid situation. We came to Ottawa just to get an escape from Quebec because everything is locked down. So the trip was worth it!

Amazing all around.

The service is good but my steak is almost cold. The striploin was cooked to perfection except the temperature. What a pity.

The food was excellent. Some things are better value than others. A side of bread to various dishes would certainly add value. Highly recommend. Can’t get a better cocktail!

Food was Devine!!

Wonderful wonderful wonderful! Great service! Love the drinks, the location. Highly recommended!

this is our favourite restuarant in ottawa. the food is great, atmosphere sublime, and expert mixology!

We started with a wonderful greeting at the door and it went up from there. We were not rushed through our champagne starter, nor the main or desserts. Service was attentive but gentle, the meals were exceptional. Well done to all!!!

The food was excellent, but it was a bit cold because the heater was not functioning properly. Nevertheless, we had a good evening and the service was very good.

As always, the food at Riviera is amazing. Dishes not only taste great, they are well presented with perfect portion sizes. Wine selection is outstanding, as is the cocktail list. The only thing that would have made our experience on the covered /heated patio would have been blankets for our laps as it was quiet cold the evening we were there. Bring a blanket for added warmth!

COVID Ottawa meant this meal was on the patio with shelter and gas heater. Our waiter was very helpful and hospitable, as were other staff. I sampled five different glasses of wine over the evening and was surprised by how three of the five really challenged my expectations. The Pinot Grigio was lovely, chosen at suggestion of the sommelier after I declined the Tawse Chardonnay (the wine quality was fine; however, it had a very untypical and for me offputting apple cider taste. I have never met a Chard I did not like so this was disappointing.) Pinot Noir was very nice, but the Faugere was a challenge with which I was less familiar, and while the quality was fine, its flavours simply did not turn my crank. As a reasonably savvy and adventurous wine drinker, I was impressed by the effort to present some "different" wines in the "by the glass" list. However, I really missed the opportunity to drink some good examples (this is not an inexpensive list) of more familiar wines - Chardonnay, Riesling, Cab, etc instead of mostly esoteric types. Just sayin'....
Food was great. We had tuna tartare, oysters, a wonderful chowder, lobster spaghetti and a Riviera burger, finishing with fig tart and espresso. My wife had read that the pasta could be a little too al dente, but totally enjoyed the firm texture in this dish. My oysters, accompanied by horseradish, a mignonette and an unusual peppery sauce which had a nice kick to it, were beautifully presented and fresh and tasty. Also enjoyed the burger, which I had chosen on impulse. Probably the highlight of the food was the seafood chowder, which we split. This dish featured some lovely clams, mussels, great shrimp and large sea scallops perfectly cooked in a creamy Pernod - laced broth.
Even on this chilly evening, all tables were taken when we left at 6:30. While our visit was not inexpensive, we felt we received good value, and that our patronage was appreciated. We plan to return.

The waiter didn’t check up on us, didn’t take the drink orders all at once and messed up the bills

Riviera have done their best to make their outdoor dining experience as cozy as it can be given the current restrictions. The food and service was fantastic. I would definitely do it again.

You lose some of the ambience because of the tent but totally understandable because of the pandemic. Food is phenomenal. Burger and fries were amazing but perhaps tell customers how big it really is compared to other items on the menu.

Riviera is an amazing restaurant for a date night, or an intimate evening with close friends. Even though it was raining and cold, we were able to keep warm and enjoy a relaxing evening on the patio with the space heaters and tent. Food is amazing! Definitely recommend the pavlova.

The outdoor heated patio was very cozy and comfortable. The food and wine was fantastic as always. I am glad that outdoor seating is available and hope we can continue enjoying this option for multiple weeks to come.

Riviera has amazing ambiance both indoors and the outdoor Covid-friendly tent. The cocktails are outstanding especially their Negronis. The food is always very high quality and the service was excellent.

Visiting from Toronto and a friend recommended it...food and service we're excellent!

It was the perfect date night, just before things locked back down. Food, ambiance and service especially were the best ever - and that says something considering how high Riviera sets the bar.

Food was fantastic. A bit pricey. The outdoor heater was low on fuel so a bit chilly out on the patio.

my partner and i thoroughly enjoyed ourselves the other night at Riviera. we were really pleased being seated outside as the tent that was set up shielded us from any potential wind/rain and the heat lamps provided a lot of warmth. it was clear that the staff were extremely serious about covid protocols. very friendly and helpful server, wonderfully rich food, pleasant and quiet atmosphere. the cocktails are my favourite part and as always, they never disappoint. can't wait to come back!

Cozy and warm outdoor dining was possible at around 9 degrees Celsius. Highly recommended during this time.

I recommend this restaurant if you are vegetarian and want a place that has options This restaurant is exquisite without breaking the bank. Great prices, amazing ambiance, the architecture is beautiful to look at. It feels like you are in a bother city, an absolutely transformative experience. The staff is incredible and extremely accommodating. I had put a comment in my reservation and the restaurant called me about 5 minutes after booking my reservation online to see if they could accommodate my situation better. At arrival, everyone was extremely kind and attentive. The food was incredible. I am vegetarian as well as the person I went with and there was so many options for us, we were each able to get diffrent apps, mains and dessert with extra options we didn't even get to try. I am giddy to go back, I highly recommend :)

Incredible food. Great atmosphere. Very friendly staff. Looking forward to returning.

Amazing food and ambience. Staff were very nice and welcoming. Will be back when we visit Ottawa again

Everything was fine. The only "hic" was our choice of place. We were juste in front of the door and when it opened (very often) we felt the cold from outside. We were on the bar, the sit was not very comfortable if you chose to look at your friend by your side. However, I'm ready to come back on my next trip to Ottawa. I will just change place ;-)

Best food, amazing service, quiet atmosphere. Great for a dinner with friends or even a quiet night alone with a book. Thank you

Well presented dishes, excellent cocktail list. Highly recommended.