We had the New Brunswick/PEI oysters, Lamb Cavatelli, Fogo Island Cod, Riv Burger & Fries, and the Berry & Sweet Corn Pavlova. All of them were excellent! Looking forward to dining here again.

Never disappointed! Everything was lovely - staff, food and surroundings. All precautions were taken for COVID19 too. It's one of our favourite. Will definitely be back again.

I'm mostly mad about this app. But the burger was far too overpriced.

Wonderful evening. Great tasty food, perfect cocktails. Staff are above all expectation. Perfect place for a perfect evening.

The food was yummy. It was unique and flavourful.

Keep it up guys, everything was perfect !!!

We both had the shrimp-stuffed zucchini blossoms, they were SO good! Love that new things are being added to the menu.

Outdoor tables are small for parties of 5-6. Service was excellent and good was very good.

As always, and despite these unprecedented times, Riviera did not disappoint! Food, service, ambiance were superb! Made for a 'bright light' in our new reality.

Outside under the umbrellas on the iconic Sparks Street mall. Server was knowledgeable and relaxed. We thought the available 5pm reservation was early but it worked out so well. I’ve never had gnudi and this set the bar very high. I was in the mood for dessert but nothing attracted either of us.

Amazing food and wine list. Very impressive. Also extremely consistent.

Amazing food and service - best oysters!!! Great drinks as usual

Favorite restaurant in Ottawa, will be back again for sure

Fantastic as usual!

Good food, excellent wine but miss the ambiance of the interior of the restaurant ie open kitchen etc.
The service is always excellent. They have done their best with the patio during this challenging time. Glad we went downtown for a change from Kanata.

We love the amazing patio setting they have created on Sparks street! Downtown Ottawa would not be the same without Riviera!!

I've had the opportunity to travel all over the world and this was memorable.

Anniversary

Great food, great service! We were at the very end of the patio so not too much in the restaurant ambiance (too far from music and action). Still a good night out!

It was my first experience at Riviera and I had always heard good things. It did not disappoint. With a variety of options, large portions and carefully crafted dishes, and select wines, Riviera will be at the top of my list! The server spoke impeccable French, which added to the overall high quality of this mouth watering culinary experience.

We appreciate the quality dining/cocktail service from start to finish!

It could be Nice to Have flowers or plants on the patio to add some charm and May be some music for atmosphere. :)

With COVID19 restrictions on dining, we were searching for a restaurant with a patio that took reservations. We could have chosen other places (with a patio) and taken our chances on a table, but it was a special occasion and we had driven in to Ottawa from out of town.
Riviera staff were all masked, seated us promptly. Our server explained the health and safety precautions they were taking, and what their expectations of us were. We felt very comfortable that we were eating in comfort and safety.
The wine list was extensive, and included some boutique Cdn wineries, which we were happy to choose. The menu offerings were varied in between meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish. All four of us were completely satisfied with our entrees.
We did not feel rushed, the sound level was perfect, so no need to strain to talk or listen.
All in all, a very good dinner, in a relaxed atmosphere with good service, food and drink. We would go back!

Now, it might partly be the fact that we had not been out in months, because of COVID, but Riviera on Sparks St. was a great night out for our anniversary. My wife is celiac and also allergic to dairy, but the restaurant had no problem pointing out a range of delicious options, including appetizers and mains that were not only possible but they made her feel welcome. The food was served in a relaxed but not late manner. Steaks were done perfectly (rare means rare), and the side dishes were equally well made and presented. The appetizers were outstanding - the tuna with puffed quinoa was fantastic. Service was friendly and attentive, while allowing for a romantic dinner setting. Overall a lovely evening out.

Was disappointed that there was no background music, reduced menu and not worth the price. Would go back once fully reopened as service, cocktails and decor was excellent

I feel bad leaving 4 stars because we LOVE this restaurant and are regulars, but on this occasion, our server was not Riviera calibre. When we asked questions about the menu, rather than describe the dish the way you'd expect (details concerning ingredients for example) he literally shrugged his shoulders and described the item re-using the words on the menu verbatim. "It just a piece of fish on peas" and "it's just a hot dog but with truffle on it" and "it's basically an orange creamsicle" were a few of the descriptions he delivered. We still really enjoyed the dishes we ordered as usual (the fish was AMAZING) and we still had a great time with Mr. Robert Flood (wow, he actually served the drinks to the table and with his usual, genuinely professional service). I'd just say that in our case, Riviera has got a little bit of training to do with this particular server because we were SO happy to be back and spend good money at our favourite spot. And the new patio arrangement/tent at the "bar" was PERFECT. Classy, safe from the rain, stunning furniture that was also comfortable and just a great way to kill a Saturday night. I do HIGHLY recommend this restaurant and particularly to those who want a perfect cocktail delivered personally by one of Canada's best mixologists. We had a lovely time.

Amazing staff and service. Unfortunately, due to Covid the menu is limited, however, a wonderful experience at the end of the evening. Nestled within a quite walkway, the evening was very intimate and personal. A great place for a date.

Patio is charming. Missing their beautiful interior (Covid restrictions) but food and wine are still at their high standard.

As always great food and great service. Thank you for opening up the patio!

Outstanding. Cocktails were a work of art, seafood a perfection. Fantastic service. Desert was absolutely beautiful and delicious.

It was great as usual. Prices have gone up a bit specially on the cocktails.

Excellent overall romantic experience. Our waiter, Mario, was great.

Food and drinks were delicious are usual. Ambiance and atmosphere were abnormal due to COVID-19 restrictions; service suffers somewhat because of them.

Under the circumstance of new normal, the experience was great

Malgré les inconvénients reliés à la Covid, notre repas était génial. L’équipe était attentionnée et tous avaient le sourire.
Merci à l’équipe de Riviera!

It helped to have a perfect night but everything was well-controlled re: Covid-19. Tables well spaced, special place for serving etc. We asked about a wine not on the menu and they were able to check their cellar and get us a bottle for a reasonable price. All of the food was good and reasonably sized (some sizes are way too small nowadays for twice the price) but this was just right. The experience could not have been better.

We were celebrating an anniversary with good friends. The patio worked well. All the Covid 19 protocols were followed completely and we were all more than comfortable. The wonderful wine and the delicious meals made for a perfect evening. The spaghetti lobster is amazing as was the beef tartare. Our friends loved the mushrooms on toast and the tuna burger. And our server, Derrick was superb! We’ll be back soon for another fabulous evening!

Delicious, creative food. We were lucky with the weather so the atmosphere was really nice. The service was great too. We were very happy, especially after not eating out for more than three months!

So grateful to be able to enjoy a top tier meal in the capital again. Was it the best meal we’ve ever had? No, not even the very best we’ve ever had at Riviera, but given the circumstances our drinks were great, our service was as good as it can be given the restrictions, and the food was very good, just not that 10/10 that Riviera is capable of. Very happy to have the opportunity to dine here and expect to be back, hopefully in better times.

Service, food, and drinks were all excellent on their patio. Way to adapt!