Wow, what a hidden gem. This place is like an outdoor oasis. Went there for lunch today and was very impressed. The sandwiches are fantastic. I had an italian sandwich and it was great. The meat was fresh and service was great. The best thing is the ambiance. We sat outside and you are surrounded by green. Plants, tree, etc. They have plenty of seating and it is a very welcoming place. My buddy and I were commenting on how we did not even feel like we were in the city anymore, it truly does take you away from everything. It was not crowded either. The inside is just as nice as the outside. Picture an old house, old hardwood floors, and rustic. Highly recommend this place!
(4)
David W.
Ok, so on the plus side, this place is cheap. Other than that, my eggs were overcooked, and so was my bacon. The waitress was weird, and even though I pointed at what I was ordering (The Bucktown Breakfast) and said it by name, she kept asking me questions as if I was ordering something entirely different. She spoke English perfectly so I was totally confused. Cute place, but below par food.
(2)
Karl S.
Awesome food and had the place to ourselves. Across the street Janes was packed and I'm glad it was a 1hr wait or we would not have found Riverside. Place gets 4 stars because it is CASH ONLY which is always a surprise if you don't expect it.
(4)
Tanisha S.
This plays has 50s atmosphere. Much bigger than expected too with a side room and outside courtyard. I took a mini tour before lunch. Tons of nostalgic items decorate the cafe. The food is fresh and homemade. I had Chicken noodle soup and rosemary chicken salad with balsamic dressing. Perfect food on a cold day like today.
(4)
Tom E.
This is a cheerful, clean, unique little place, which is a step back in time, thanks to the antique fixtures, furnishings, and bric-a-brac. The food is just a little bit on the pricey side for a neighborhood lunch, but not terribly so. Very friendly staff. I will be back.
(4)
Jeffrey D.
Great for breakfast or lunch. Little Gem stuck between all sorts of commercial buildings on Courtland just west of the Kennedy Expressway. A great surprise and unbelievably old fashion. Pictures of the rat pack on the wall along with all other stars from past years. Food is good, ambience better and prices great. Hard to go wrong. No problem
(4)
Ashley M.
I went for Sunday brunch and was blown away! BYOB AND literally everything you could ever want for breakfast at the buffet. The food was not just good but DELICIOUS !! The out door patio is so pretty and the service was great!! The women was super accommodating for our larger group. And I am definitely going to be back!
Made my second visit to Riverside today, in part to use up some of my Groupons. Riverside is very average fare when it comes to lunch food; my wife and I tried the Cuban and the meatball sandwiches today and both of us used the "meh" face when asked about the food. There was a soup special (don't remember the name, but it was vaguely Spanish) that my wife thought was the winner of the three things we had. Sandwiches come with chips, but even then they are a bit overpriced thanks to the Bucktown surroundings. Save for about a half-dozen people inside with very poor hearing, the place was dead...I'm glad those folks were there, if anything to give the place some life. Our server was really nice, moved fast, took our orders quickly and invited us back for brunch, so at least Riverside has that going for it. I hear brunch is better, so if you are thinking lunch in this neck of the woods, Cortland's Garage now serves lunch and they are the better pick.
(3)
Julia B.
I came here years ago and was underwhelmed by the food, but after reading reviews I decided to give it another try. Maybe I had ordered the wrong thing or caught them on a bad day? Nope! It's just not good! My daughter and I came in on Saturday for brunch/lunch and despite the cute decor, the place was not welcoming. Our server was curt, bordering on rude. I get that if you're busy and have a lot of tables to attend to, but that was not the case. We waited a long time to order, a long time for our food, and an extremely long time for our check. I was in the mood for eggs and decided on the Bucktown Omelet. According to the menu it has cheese and seasonal veggies. I'm a vegetarian, so I figured whatever the veggies were I would enjoy them. I figured there might be mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers...general veggies found in omelets. The omelet arrived and it was broccoli and lettuce. Broccoli, not what I was expecting but o.k. Lettuce? Are you kidding me. Not spinach...lettuce. Needless to say it was disgusting. As for the cheese, good luck finding it. Out of desperation I ate the breakfast potatoes which were clearly the frozen kind, burnt, and lukewarm. My daughter ordered the turkey sandwich with chicken noodle soup. The soup seemed o.k. Lots of noodles. The sandwich appeared to be Oscar Mayer turkey and regular wheat bread. I don't come to a restaurant to pay money for a sandwich that resembles a school lunch. My daughter, who eats anything, took all the turkey out and ate the bread. No reason to come here when Jane's and Cortland's Garage are across the street and serves great food by servers who smile and make you feel welcome. I was hoping for a neighborhood gem and was sorely disappointed.
(1)
Stephanie S.
A Bucktown gem. Located in a scrappy little corner of Bucktown businesses, the Riverside is a sweet spot for heaping mounds of brunchy, lucnhy, and dinnery goodness. Pancakes are fluffy, eggs are tasty, sandwiches are stacked, and the portions are generous. I have hosted a number of professional get-togethers here and the staff is accommodating and flexible, with plenty of compliments about the ambiance and fare. Oh, you know what else? It's QUIET. And there are NO TEEVEES. Pancakes and quiet? BREAKFAST BLISS.
(5)
Victoria G.
"Family Treasure" Coolest place ever and kid friendly!! Everything has a fresh ingredient taste and smell, all ingredients taste of a high quality, healthy and wholesome. If your looking for greasy fast food thats full of preservatives and deep fried then this place isnt for you.. ;-) During the week its the perfect place to enjoy a gourmet deli sandwich with a cup of homemade soup and the fresh salads Wow. On Sunday the buffet is "Truly Amazing" with the biggest variety of international cuisines, Its a room filled with wall to wall surprises. I've been enjoying this restaurant sice I was a very young child and now my son Aaron loves it just as much. Thank you RiverSide #weloveyou
(5)
Claudia J.
Many times after dropping off my son at school I drive down Cortland and keep eying this place. I finally stopped by today, it's a very very cute place, but I have to say that I was very disappointed! The coffee was horrible and the breakfast sandwich I got was very plain. I was so looking forward to trying this place and now I know I won't be going back. The two starts is for the friendly service and the effort on making the place look very cozy.
(2)
Angelica P.
Went here for lunch and the food was good... nothing special though. I had the beef brisket sandwich which was good but kind of dry. Black bean soup was good!
(3)
Lisa P.
They are very accommodating here. It's my first visit and they made me a plate of crab salad, tuna salad and turkey cranberry salad too, even though it's not in the menu. The gumbo for today's Fat Tuesday is spectacular! The room where the weekend brunch is held is fabulously charming. Wonderful staff. My first visit here was a win win. It was a Living social deal that brought me here but we'll be back.
(4)
Sheryl B.
Very disappointed. I purchased a Living Social Voucher $15 for $30 to spend on food. My husband took our daughter for an early lunch. My husband ordered the fajita and it was obvious the steak had been microwaved. Completely turned off. To make the situtation more unpleassant, when the bill arrived it totaled $26 plus change. The server told them since they did not spend $30 she would only honor the $15 purchase price of the voucher. Poor and disappointing customer service. Needless to say, we will never go back.
Love this place! Their Brunch on Sundays is amazing and so tasty. So many choices! I enjoy the decor and it's ambiance! I love the Frida Bathroom (as i call it). Riverside Cafe has something for everyone. In August of 2004, my husband and I were given the opportunity to have our wedding there. It was the first outsider wedding they ever had. (usually they would only allow familiy members to rent the space). Mary (owner) and her husband were wonderful Host. They, with the staff made everything run smoothly, everyone was pleased. We were married at St Mary of the Angels on Hermitage, so we were able to walk down to Riverside Cafe with a Musical Trio trailing us. It was dubbed the Frida Wedding because of the flowers that awaited us at the entrance gate at Riverside Cafe. Such a lovely memorable evening. Thank you so much! Though we no longer reside in Bucktown/Wicker Pk. we still mangae to stop by when we can! Keep up the good work!
(4)
Lori Taylor R.
Shame on me for not turning to yelp, before walking out of the house this morning. I woke up craving biscuits and gravy. I know not a very healthy option or a standard breakfast plate here in the city, but it's what I wanted. I had walked past Riverside Cafe numerous times and fell in love with the outdoor patio - I decided to finally check it out this morning. We were seated at a table outside in the adorable courtyard/patio area. The staff was very friendly and kept our coffee mugs full. Unfortunately, we didn't realize the only option was to order the buffet. However, when it was described to us having "over 50 items" I thought well, maybe I will be in luck with the biscuits and gravy. Worst case scenario, I will just build my own. For sure there will be biscuits and hopefully some gravy. I was completely wrong. No biscuits, 50 items and no biscuits? Ok, well I will forgo the biscuits and gravy and sample some of the other items. Unfortunately, everything I tried was cold - all of it. This was at 9:30AM the pans were all full to the brim and all were cold. It was a real disappointment and at $13.95 I at least want something hot. Reminder it's BYOB and CASH ONLY.
(2)
Dana E.
I'm knocking off two stars because I walked over there to get something to go with the salad I brought from home, and wanted to buy 2 ready-made chicken breasts from behind the counter. She rang me up for $12. $12! Are you out of your mind?! I told her no thanks, I'll take one (which somehow, rang up for $4) and I, unfortunately, haven't been back since.
(3)
Brendan H.
I came in for brunch a couple weeks ago. The place was packed! The food was delicious. The only downside was the 35 minute wait for a few eggs and toast. The prices were relatively cheap and the atmosphere was awesome.
(4)
Barry H.
My family loves the Sunday brunch!!! We feel it is probably the best in the Chicago area.
I keep forgetting to tell you all that Riverside Deli has the best black bean soup I have ever had. It's not weird and creamy. It's healthy. It's light in texture and heavy on taste. It's full of greens. It's spiced just right. The biggest bowl they serve, which is huge, is $5.00 Best $5.00 meal I know of anywhere in the Bucktown area, and then some.
(5)
Jenna S.
BYOB. Brunch. I really could just leave the review like that, but I feel like I should say more. This place is definitely a hidden gem. Why don't more people come here? Every time we've been for brunch, we're one of maybe three groups of people total in the place. But the food is so good! $14/person and there's literally something for every taste. They have corned beef hash, breakfast burritos, sandwiches, eggs benedict, scrambled eggs, tortas, taquitos, cookies, cakes... everything! There's a really great blend of Latin American and American favorites. You're bound to find something you like. If I may, the corned beef hash is the best. But that's just my opinion. The service has aways been nice and prompt. The restaurant is much bigger than it looks from the outside and - weather permitting - they have a wonderful patio out back. Parking is super easy, so you should come here more often. We've made this our go to place for taking out-of-towners when we want to go to brunch. Riverside Deli is delicious!
(5)
Melinda Z.
Wow, has Riverside Cafe gone downhill. The brunch used to be a excellent variety of Mexican and traditional American fare. Now it's a paltry sampling of its former self. Bunch of slop basically offset by a nice outside. Skip it, better options.
(1)
Caroline A.
I just had their cranberry turkey salad sandwich and it was pretty excellent. A little too good actually. I'm going to work out twice today. I wish they weren't walking distance from my office.
(4)
Bubba G.
This is definitely one of my favorite spots for brunch! It's super cozy, the food is very good and the service very attentive! I've been coming here for 4 years and have never had a bad experience. There's a great variety of food in the buffet and they are always bringing in new items while keeping the staples and big time favorites! They've been in business for decades and obviously are doing something right! Recently I've met the owner's sister who told me about how they got started, showed me pictures of the family, talked about the decor...it was nice and welcoming! It just made me love Riverside Cafe even more!
(5)
Frank d.
I use to come here 16 years ago and have fond memories of lunch with my kids after school. The food is still good but the service sucks. I use the services of a business nearby and I've eaten here about a dozen times in the last six months. On three occasions I've entered this establishment during posted business hours while the open sign was lit and and have been informed they're closed. I've also have found the door lock with the sign on an hour before posted closing time. I personally will never return to this restaurant because of how unreliable the business hours are and when open the staff 's service appeared as if I was interrupting something more important. No inquiry as to how the food is. Waitress delivers food to the table and abruptly leaves without an offer of continued service or request if I would need anything else. I was clearly persuaded to eat at the competitor on the same block.
(1)
Vivian M.
I came here for a Sunday brunch with no biases of any sort, just looking forward to a lovely breakfast. It all went out the door once I was sat down with my coffee and opened to creamer only to find little curds and lumps. Ew. Maybe it was just that one? Nope, they were all like that. I love coffee and to find things like that and old crystal ball sugar like things inside the sugar packets made me sick to my stomach. The busser was kind enough to bring me milk but it still didn't help the watered down coffee. To add to that, the food selection was cold, old, and just not coherent? Twinkies, "Greek" pasta salad, "Mexican" chilaquiles, and "Puerto Rican" rice? I use the quotations to insinuate the influences as it really did not taste like the country of origin. Honestly, please don't waste your time here. Just pour yourself a bowl of Cheerios like I should've done on my lazy Sunday.
(1)
Shelly E.
This place is pretty cheap and right around the corner from my house. My husband and I REALLY hoped this would be our place for lunch. We envisioned being regulars. Totally bummed out. First of all, we have tried this place over 5 times! Each time my husband ordered the Cuban. Each time he got a totally different sandwich. Once it was grilled like a panini, once it was cold. Each time it had different bread. One time it had barely any meat and one other time they forgot the cheese. I mean, COME ON!! How can you mess up a Cuban CONSISTENTLY!?! Very frustrating. Also, the staff is as cranky as they get. The only reason I gave them 2 stars is because I feel bad giving any place one. As for the sandwiches I have had, I have tried a different one every time and 2x they left off 1/2 of the ingredients (a main component of one was grilled onions. Not an onion in sight on my sandwich). If you are going there, get the chicken chipotle. It is good, or at least the variation I had was.
(2)
Kori E.
We came here for brunch Sunday morning and it was pretty good! They have a VERY interesting spread of food. Sunday is buffet only, and they seriously have everything you could think of. Twinkies? Check! Snack Pack? Check! Frosted Flakes? Um, Yes! They also have the typical brunch offerings, including, eggs, pancakes, french toast, meats, fruit, etc. My date had been there before, so he was well versed on this operation. I was pretty confused at first, but with each bite felt more comfortable with our choice in restaurant. Its a cute/charming place in terms of decor as well. Definitely would like to try their dinner sometime.
(3)
Terris A.
Our company hosted on our annual Holiday party at the Riverside Cafe. We were looking for somewhere that was BYOB and also casual so our employees could relax for the night. Mary, the owner, was wonderful to work with from the beginning to the end. She was accommodating on every need that we requested. All of our employees commented on how amazing the food was- many of them wanted to go back at a later time so they could enjoy the food again. The set-ups were done exactly as we requested and everything was on time. Its a great place to go if you're looking for a casual but still professional venue for a company gathering.
(5)
Susan H.
Riverside Cafe is awesome--kind of because of the food, but especially because of everything else. We went there about a year ago with friends for Sunday brunch and enjoyed the outside patio, so last Sunday we decided to go back. We wandered in around 8:30am, completely oblivious to the fact that they don't open until 9:00 on Sundays!! But they greeted us, sat us at a table outside, and we were none the wiser. They were still putting some food out, but they encouraged us to help ourselves and we still didn't realize they weren't even open. So, we enjoyed an amazing private breakfast for half an hour! The food is pretty good. Yes, it's a random assortment and it appears that a lot of things come from the local Jewel, but some of the home-cooked specialties, like chilaquiles, are great. And the coffee is excellent! The staff are incredibly kind, and the patio can't be beat on a lazy summer morning. And it's very kid-friendly (hello, Twinkies!). Pretty much the perfect combo for our family.
(4)
Marian C.
This Sunday brunch was awful. Food was cold. Pasta undercooked and everything was just stale. I'm actually angry that I paid for that. And whoever said the coffee was included in the price got lucky. They didn't so that for us. Bad bad bad. My bf was lucky he was so hungover that he couldn't eat. I will never go there for anything again. Oh yeah, cash only stinks too.
(1)
C Y.
homey yet professional. several homemade soups daily. awesome pancakes. able to safely serve many things to people with severe tree nut and peanut allergies. i wish they were open for dinner...
I found Riverside Cafe via Yelp a few weeks ago for Mother's Day Brunch. Because of some of the reviews I had mixed emotions about visiting the first time on such an important occasion. But I did. And boy am I glad I did!!! Aida Marian the entire staff super attentive anything we wanted the gave. They were children friendly no glares when my nephews got a little boisterous or the youngest started to cry. The bathrooms were clean. My eldest nephew dropped some fruit, the young lady came right out w/the broom-no eye rolls no under breath muttering. The people here were friendly welcoming. And I TOTALLY reccomend their Sunday Brunch Buffet. Btw, we must've missed the twinkles because the only desserts were actual delectable treats fitting an awesome restaurant as this! Oh and they're BYOB and no corking service!!! (but they gave me a corkscrew because I forgot my own!)
(5)
Erika G.
A damn fine BLT, and a good addition to my "BLTs in Chicago" list.
(3)
Brittney F.
Wanted to try something new and was drawn here by the groupon now deal. I loved my sandwich and the staff were extremely friendly. I will be coming back and made a mental note to bring guests here!
(4)
Christine D.
This is a cute little CASH ONLY place with STREET PARKING in Bucktown. It feels out of the way and has a fantastic patio. I went here for the Sunday brunch, and the other reviewers are correct: on Sundays, there is no "menu." There is only the "magic room" in the back which is full of any kind of food you could imagine--from corned beef hash to perogis. Coffee is great. Servers are attentive. Recommended for warm Sundays on the basis of the patio alone.
(3)
Erika B.
So clearly this place is very hit or miss, judging from the reviews. Luckily, the day I went was a hit. As everyone else has said, the food is a strange, eclectic mix of classic American brunch food, Mexican and Caribbean fare, and random things like snack cakes and mini boxes of cereal. Everything I had was delicious. The hot food was hot, the cold food (fresh fruit and the like) was kept cold. I'm planning on taking some out of town friends here next week; hopefully it will be as good as the first time I went.
(4)
Kara K.
There's nothing like a gigantic buffet stocked with brunch goodies to soak up a bottle of birthday champagne and umpteen celebratory cocktails. I used to frequent Riverside Cafe about five years ago but I somehow forgot about it...how did I do that?? So when a dear friend invited my girlfriend (who was visiting from Seattle) and I to breakfast at the RC to celebrate my birthday, I said hell to the yeah. We got there an hour before they shut the brunch down but there was still plenty of hot, fresh and delicious food to choose from. Scrambled eggs, bacon, chorizo, waffles, pasta salads, tacos, tamales, sandwiches, fresh fruit and MUCH MUCH MORE! I'm not that embarrassed to say I stuffed myself--and I think my friends did too! We were the last ones standing at 2pm and there was still a ton of food left. I asked them what they were going to do with all of it and they said they would throw most of it away. WHAT????? I thought about the many people that could benefit from a hot, delicious meal (yes, one of those people was me) and literally wanted to cry when I saw all the food that was going to get tossed out. Yeah. I get sentimental when it comes to food. Anyway, to me this Sunday brunch is, HANDS DOWN, the best in the city. The restaurant is very warm and inviting and everyone who works there is super cool. However, I must say I didn't appreciate the unobtrusive, yet very obvious hov-around when it was time for us to get the eff out. I mean, as soon as we stood up, they swooped in to rearrange the tables. Sheesh, let us at least walk away! But really, I love this place and I have to make it a point to come back more often.
(4)
Claudia D.
CASH ONLY. ODD HOURS. Good food, good service, unique layout and decor. Lovely garden available in the summer. Brunch is unique, not heart healthy, but very tasty. We like this place. Wish I could eat here more often, but the doctors advise against it for me, due to the old ticker. Family likes it too!
(4)
Jules H.
Yum and double yum! Such a little gem I have found. I have dined there twice, and can vouch completely for their tuna salad sandwich and melty ham and swiss. Both came with chips and a crisp kosher pickle. I opted for fresh brewed iced tea both days and was quenched! Their entire menu is downright salivatory and the ambience delightful. Today I found a New York Times, and read in peace and ate bliss. I highly encourage any Bucktown diners to eat here. You will be hap-hap- happy you did!
(5)
David K.
Love this nastalgic Cuban cafe. As for the food, the flavors tend to be a little bland but they have a wide variety of options on the menu. I would definitely recommend you try it. Sunday brunch is an experience of its own unlike anything else you'll find in the city.
(4)
Shayna N.
This best thing about this all you can eat brunch is the variety. Soooooo may items to choose from: salad fruit eggs bacon tamales BLT reubin mexican mushroom noodle salads cuban rice etc etc etc The problem is only about half of it is delishious. The rest is OK or not worth eating. The upside is if you don't like one thing there's about 50 other options to try so you don't ever really feel let down.
(3)
Jennifer S.
One of my top 3 fav brunch places in Chicago. A buffet from food all around the world? Amazing. Great food, great atmosphere, great service. Outdoor seating is the cutest! A+
(5)
Erin S.
I adore Riverside Deli! I think it has the best lunch in the neighborhood, and if you're wanting a ridiculously big spread of glutenous Sunday brunch fare, this is your place. I first became acquainted because my dog's vet is right across the street. She got really sick and so I had to spend hours and hours there while they gave her IVs and rehydrate her. I passed a lot of the time at Riverside! The black bean soup is just a little bowl of delight. Just beans, a hint of cheese and a couple other fresh vegetables, with a side of french bread for dipping. It really doesn't get better than this. Saturday brunch has a nice selection of egg dishes, most of which are served with cuban rice and a side of soup. It's an excellent value for the money. The deli case is filled with fresh pasta salads, mostly, but with a few other pastries and types of bread. There is also a selection of grocery items, like juices, chips, etc. On Sundays, all they offer is the buffet, which probably has 50+ items from sandwiches to pancakes to steaks to cereal to twinkies to god knows what else. The buffet is great, but don't go unless you plan on stuffing yourself because the regular menu isn't available. When you first walk in, you're either going to be totally charmed or think to yourself, "WTFingF?" The interior is quirky to say the least, with black and white pictures, little decorative chochkeys and other memorabilia from Cuba's bygone era. We opted not to BYOB for brunch that time, but saw a couple other people doing so. (Even a table with red wine at 10 a.m. .... BLECH!)
(5)
Patrick B.
Food is pretty good here. Service is questionable at best. If you're looking to be somewhere on time after eating here, good luck. Bring some well cushioned shoes as you will standing at the register waiting to be helped. Oh and bring cash, who doesn't love that.
(2)
rhea w.
This place seems like such a delightful secret, until you actually go there and eat. the food, though charmingly eclectic in its range, is mediocre. the coffee comes in a carafe, which i like, but was actually not amazing coffee. The decor reminds you that this place has some interesting customers, and history. my vegan friend ordered a bagel with tomato on it, and they didn't even think to give her a slice of ripe tomato. i mean, sure, being a vegan requires sacrifice sometimes, but a hard green tomato slice? gross. its cash only. good for laundering money for the Archdiocese' convoluted business dealings. Thats a fancy way of saying there's a huge beautiful church across the street, and that if you ever go to this deli, i think that peeking your head in the church might make up for the disappointing food.
(2)
A S.
Avoid the Sunday buffet brunch. Went here as a last resort brunch option and wish I had just gone home to eat. Nothing was fresh. The eggs florentine weren't even heated. The pancakes were really really dry. The scrambled eggs were a big cluster and by no means fresh. The price for the quality is bad in my opinion ($12.95). Maybe their lunch stuff is better but I won't be coming back.
(1)
Helena B.
BYOB Brunch? Friggin' brilliant! First off, this place is adorable. It's all full of nooks, crannies, knick-knacks, and randomness. I like. It's a shame I didn't get here before the weather turned as the patio looks pretty amazing. Ah well. Seated at a table near the back (in almost complete privacy) brunch-buddy and I ordered some OJ for the champagne I'd been carrying in my purse (hello, mimosas!) and decided to go for the buffet. The buffet was located in the next room. As we entered, my jaw dropped to the ground. Holy moly. This was absolutely the largest brunch spread I've ever seen in my life! In addition to breakfast offerings, the spread also consisted of lunch and dessert items. I knew from the start there would be several return trips. Beyond standard brunchy-lunchy fare, Riverside has a slight Latin flair. Don't worry, you'll still be able to get your brunch favorites - you'll just be able to augment them with salsa and peppers. Ole!
(5)
Eman S.
My wife and I have seen this place so many times taking our puppy to the vet across the street but never had a chance to stop and eat. One day, we wanted to go to a deli-type place and decided to finally try it. Damn...the food was good. We went at lunch and both loved what we got. There were probably five or six different things that I really wanted off the menu and I will be back to try the all. The catch is two-part. First, our waitress forgot about us. It got to that point when you are at your table for no service that you discuss with the person you are with how many more minutes you will wait to get out of there. Ours was four and she got there just in time. The other, is the "family friends" there. I don't know if this is a regular thing, but there was a family with a crying baby who knew the people who worked there. The baby didn't stop crying and the families kept yelling to each other...pretty weird actually. Those two points aside, I will definitely go back and try all the other things I liked because the food was just that damn good.
(4)
Sarah H.
5 stars for the breakfast buffet and the ease of throwing a bday bash in their outdoor garden!!! Riverside Cafe was awesome to work with...so accomodating! I had a bday celebration with about 25 people: for the all-you-can-eat buffet, mimosas & bloody mary mix, tip and tax the total was around $20 per person. Great deal! They were so friendly and easy to work with, I can't wait to have another party here! oh yeah, the food was awesome too! HUGE buffet:)
(5)
ashley m.
Stopped in to get lunch to go this afternoon. Super cute feel & the Cuban sandwich was AMAZING lots of meat esp the pork! The pork was a HUGE portion and super tender.
(4)
david s.
This place deserves one star for food, but the second star is because of the outdoor patio which is fantastic. We went here for sunday brunch, and I must say it is one of the worst buffets I have ever had. Every dish offered was random, nothing was spectacular, many dishes were not good at all. Most of the food looked as if it has been sitting in the buffet tray for a very long time. The dessert offered mostly pre-packaged items such as twinkles and ho hos. The fruit was not fresh. And finally, when I got a check, I was notified that they are cash only, which was a surprise for me.
(2)
Jason P.
Excellent food, fresh and great service. Fantastic brunch on Sunday's!
(5)
chad n.
All u can eat sunday brunch with tons of selection make this spot one of my favs. When i say tons .. i mean if you had one of each item you would have one ton of food. The variety included American favs like ham, Eggs, bacon, pancakes, french toast, cereal boxes, all sorts of sandwiches, fruit salad; plus many italian, cuban, mexican, etc options like 4 kinds of pasta salads, salami stuffed peppers, garlic bread, chicken fajitas, italian sausage and peppers, french fries, empanadas, tamali, fried mushrooms, cheese quesadillas, cuban rice, spanish rice, grilled vegetables, mixed green salad, muffins, cakes, twinkies, and many more desserts. The down side is that most of the food is just good, very few items are great, and a few items are not so good. It has an extremely quaint atmosphere, many small rooms, tons of plants, paintings, and knick-knacks everywhere, and if its warm outside a nice big patio. All this for $13 + tax+tip make it a good deal.
(4)
Mark A.
So for a while I was fighting in these MMA fights professionally. The weight cutting for a fight would have me obsessing about food - especially any place where I could eat as much as possible for a flat fee. I believe we call this, "buffet." So a post fight tradition would be for me to find the newest, biggest and best-est brunchiest places in the city. I'd wake up at 2 am obsessing about pancakes and bacon, and would start Google searches for "chicago, brunch, best, cheap...etc." These would last an hour, many nights up until day of the weigh-in. Lo and behold Riverside Deli came up...and thank you Jehovah. There IS a buffet. There IS a table with just Ho-hos, Twinkies, brownies and oatmeal cookies. It spoke to me on my first visit. All your standard breakfast food, and then some with a little Mexican flair. Huevos rancheros, con chorizo...etc. Pancakes. Corn beef sandwhiches. Yeah. Corn......beef.....whatever, you know where I'm going with this. Fajitas!? Yes. There's like 12 bowls of different pasta salad - with all the required CARBS my depleted body had been craving for weeks up until then. Now that I've mentioned it, the buffet is carb-rich and protein-easy. Who cares? It's my buffet, and I'll do what I want to. There's mini cereal boxes of Frosted Flakes and Snack Packs of chocolate pudding and Jello. I know..endearing and actually brings a tear to my eye. The vibe and atmosphere? Love it. There's little nooks and alcoves in the restaurant space with cozy little places to eat with your family, girlfriend, friends...etc. The waitress that's always working Sundays is lovely. I know she knows who I am and recognizes me and that I eat 12 plates when I'm there. Keeps the coffee filled, the eaten plates clear. And she has a nice smile. This place just asks for you and whoever you're with to have a great, hang-loose time. My friends and I always have a bet that I can' t finish my last plate in a certain number of seconds. It's my stomach's job to prove them wrong, unfortunately most of the time when that clock hits 10 seconds left, it becomes too funny to keep it all down. That's when they usually bring the bill... Please visit Riverside. The Twinkie buffet is worth the visit alone.
(4)
Joyce P.
I wish I lived closer to this establishment so I could walk there more often. Good service, good coffe and good menu. The interior feels like a small town diner but the selection feels like a New york deli. Speaking of which--it is the only place outside of NYC that I have seen that sells Cel-ray soda.
(4)
Alisa d.
Riverside Cafe has a GREAT brunch. It's not the type of brunch that has organic tempeh chips delicately laying on a bed of handpicked mesclun greens. It's also not a truck stop where you get a greasy egg omlette. Don't get me wrong; there's a time and a place for both of those options. And then there's a time and a place for Riverside. The owners are LOVELY, and I have such an easy time giving my business to people who appreciate it, and are friendly. Here they are both. Also, I feel like you walk in and you can eat whatever your craving is. Yes, they have some totally random thing (twinkies??), but that's the beauty. When I'm hungover and crabby and completely indecisive, this is my haven. I heart Riverside.
(4)
Linda G.
Great place for a lingering Saturday lunch. BYOB The food is good and the prices reasonable. I like all of the junk they have on display. We always find parking right in front of the place. They have a lovely outdoor area.
(4)
chris q.
I've been here for regular Saturday breakfast (i.e., order off the menu), which is great, and Sunday brunch, which is OK. From the menu, an omelet (i think the Bucktown) and pancakes were good, and they are generous with the coffee. The brunch is... interesting. Some very good items and diverse offerings overall... fresh fruit abounds. Potatoes, pre-cooked pancakes, scrambled eggs, meats, etc. The unwrapped twinkies and other assorted snack cakes arrayed on tiered serving platters was quite odd. Brunch is pricey, though. The dining area decor is quirky and home-y, while the main shop/check-out side is deli-style. I haven't been able to dine outside on the nice patio because last time they had a private party. It looks nice, though. The woman who runs the register is pretty steely.
(4)
J M.
Ok, I figured after three visits I could give this a fair shake. Here is my synopsis. 2 out of the 3 visits were disasters. The food was so stale and gross that I honestly believe this place is going to be directly responsible for a food poisoning outbreak. The first time I had sausage and eggs. Though the coffee sucks, this dish was serviceable and intrigued me enough to want to come back on a Sunday for brunch. Therefore, the following day I went back for Sunday brunch which was terrible. I got there at 1030 and it was obvious the food had been sitting in the steaming trays since the place opened. The eggs benedict had hardened and the rest of the stuff just didn't taste fresh. To be honest, this might be one of the worst buffets I have ever had the displeasure of eating. And mind you, I was poor as a child and frequented the Old Country Buffet for family outings. Total dog food across the board on the buffet, skip it and it's high price. So the brunch buffet is a vomatorium, check, avoid that. However, I went back yesterday to have an omelet to see if Riverside could redeem itself. Unfortunately, this was by far the worst omelet I have ever had in my life. I had the Denver and it had many problems. 1) unevenly distributed ingredients 2) deli sliced ham in an omelet? are you serious? 3) out of the can mushrooms? again, are you serious? 4) absolutely flavorless Ok, so 2 out of the visits have ended with me utter the phrase "Worst ever..." and let's be honest, sausage, eggs, hash browns and toast isn't exactly a difficult dish to serve up in an adequate fashion. The decor and people are nice, which is probably why I gave this place three chances.
(1)
Tim S.
This place was a great surprise ... My wife and I are tired of the trendy brunch joints in our neighborhood ... Love the food at Bongo Room or Toast, but the lines, the cramped tables, the noise ... sometimes you just want really nice food in a chill environment. Riverside Deli has the most AMAZING spread for weekend brunch! Great selection of Cuban, Mexican, Greek, Italian, and Jewish fare ... tons of fresh fruit ... and all very fresh and beautifully presented. If you want a little peace and quiet, great service, delicious food and a cozy neighborhood vibe, this is the place! Don't forget to bring cash cuz it's cash only, and don't tell TOO many people about it cuz this place is a nice little neighborhood secret!
(4)
Joe O.
Great little out-of-the-way breakfast joint. Try the chorizo and eggs!
(4)
Y V.
This is a wonderful, family-owned breakfast and lunch spot kind of hidden away on Cortland in Bucktown. We just moved into the neighborhood and wanted to find some breakfast joints within walking distance from our home. Our breakfast was pretty good - simple vegetable and cheddar omelets, toast, and some coffee. The family who runs this place are very friendly. We watched them deal with some "holier than thou" customers who demanded they turn off the AC because they were too cold (it wasn't cold at all). They have a nice outdoor seating area that's open during the summer. Go here for the laid-back atmosphere and decent breakfast and lunch.
(4)
Matt R.
I haven't been to the Great Pyramids, and I've never seen the Great Wall of China. But I assume the amazement at their beauty and magnificence is comparable to one first encountering the brunch spread at Riverside. You can find everything your little heart desires...and I assume it desires pancakes, burritos, and twinkies. But seriously, what a great deal for all the food options. And really great atmosphere and wait staff. Come early on Sunday or be prepared to wait.
(5)
Natalie G.
I came here for the Sunday brunch and it was quite an experience. There was SO MUCH TO CHOOSE from. PROS: There was a good selection and it was a well priced buffet. CONS: I left kind of thinking, well there was a lot of stuff, but I never went back to the buffet to get something for the second time. Everything was OK- I think they concentrated more on the quantity and not the quality. Cute place though, I might go back on another day other than Sunday.
(3)
Liz K.
Worst brunch I have ever had in my life. My friends and I walked into this magical little room filled with food: everything from empanadas to corn beef hash. However once we sat down and started eating we realized that the food tasted like garbage If you like paying 13 dollars for cold eggs Benedict and hot dogs you will love this place.
(1)
Colleen B.
First thing: I cannot comment on the brunch because I went on a Saturday. That said, I really liked this place. The room you first enter is the deli with prepared foods to take home, lots of drinks from other countries and baked goods. We were seated in the next room and this restaurant looked lovely. It was noonish on a Saturday so not too crowded. A nearby table enjoyed lots of Bloody Marys and Screwdrivers with the Vodka they brought along. Note to self: do what they did. Love a BYOB lunch. The menu provided a little bit of everything. Not a million options but they had a good way of sampling dishes from different cultures: carribean, mexican, italian and american breakfast dishes provided. I was nervous but decided to try the Eggs Benedict for the first time. It was DELICIOUS and will certainly have it again. Would like to have my hash browns a little less soft and more crispy but hey, I can request that next time. Our server was a sweet heart and recommended that we try the brunch. Judging by the disparate reviews I certainly will. I'm curious to know what the fuss is about. Did I mention the coffee? Really really good. I will certainly be back. Seems to be the perfect place to bring out-of-town guests who stay the night.
(4)
lewis J.
Great brunch !!! The restaurant was very quaint, it was almost like having brunch at a bed and breakfast. The vast selection of food items allowed all of us to find more than enough to eat. The price was more than reasonable which left room for us to really treat ourselves with the BYOB. A must visit especially if you like the simple pleasures in life.
(5)
Kirstie S.
Riverside Deli has a fantastic variety of various Cuban, Mexican, Italian, and traditional brunch items. I was really impressed with the options and enjoyed several of them in this brunch buffet. It's also a really quaint environment with a huge outdoor patio as well as a porch seating area and an indoor eating area as well. A couple of criticisms...food quality was good but it was a little too dark in the buffet area and food wasn't labeled if it was vegetarian, which would have been a nice touch. There were a couple of items that I thought were vegetarian that had meat underneath cheese or mixed in with a pasta salad. It really wouldn't be too much work for them to put Veg. by the card that labels options and there are quite a few that are nebulous...burritos, empanadas, and tamales. Second, I loved the traditional Cuban music indoors but I really disliked the soft rock playing outside on the patio. I couldn't actually tell if it was coming from the bar next door whose back doors were wide open or speakers outside but it was really driving me crazy...I had just managed to forget those awful songs existed when I heard them again.
(4)
C D.
This place is so cute that I decided to hold my wedding ceremony on their patio. We had 150 guests, and although tight, it was an amazing day. Mary, the owner will help with any questions you have, and take care of all of the set-up and tear down of the event. She will also be on-site when you have to do the walk throughs (as we did multiple times). Many kudos to Mary and her staff for helping us on our special day!
(5)
Andy R.
Novelty and abundance drag buffet mediocrity across two star line
(2)
Stef B.
My boyfriend and I love this place! The Sunday brunches are great when you can sit outside, under the umbrella, and eat whatever you want when you want it. the buffet is set-up around 2 connecting rooms, on tables and carts, with multiple little plates of cookies and little debbies to pick at. Our Vegan friends, and our highly-carnivorous friends will all eat here. To anyone who thinks the food is unsanitary because there is so much of it with no heaters under any of the trays... they switch out the food so often that you don't have to worry about it. Ask to sit where you can see the buffet, and just watch how often they come in with fresh trays. They are AWESOME at keeping the cups full, too!! (Our buggest pet-peeve is an empty cup.) It is BYOB - and they will bring out a pitcher of Orange Juice if you come in with Champgne. They help us pop it open, and keep the orange juice supplied on the table for our groups. Whether it's me and my boyfriend, or 8 of us, the service has always been wonderful!!
(4)
Maria A.
Walking into the back patio of this place, I was totally charmed. The little tables with pots of yellow flowers, the rusty white chairs, the whole patio surrounded by trees...definitely a great place to just sit and have a cup of coffee. Oh, and the women's bathroom had lots of clutter and Frida posters, which I also liked for some reason. The downside of this place? Well, we went on a Sunday morning, and the only option was to order the all-you-can-eat buffet. That doesn't sound like a downside initially, but I realized after starting to eat my heaping first plate that the food wasn't really that good. It was the kind of thing where I'd think, 'hurray, pancakes! french toast! eggs florentine! empanadas! salads! fruit! (wait, twinkies? hohos?)' but then I'd eat it and wish I hadn't been so greedy. I guess when all-you-can-eat places prepare large vats of food, the quality tends to go down a bit. In the end, we enjoyed eating there--again, the atmosphere was great, the company was good, and the staff were friendly and helpful. It was the kind of place you could just sit and talk and keep eating random things. But for the cost at the end--about $20 for the brunch, a coffee, tax, and tip--I probably could've gotten a better meal elsewhere.
(3)
Erin J.
So a friend and I went there for brunch this morning. It was...nice. Just nice. I was more taken with the decor of the place than the food. Also to note: they said there was 'no menu' while the brunch buffet was being served, so if you go at that time, this is the only thing you can "order." Overall, the reviews on here are fairly accurate; there are some items on the buffet that are tasty (Argentine empenadas), and some that fall flat (gooey, stiff oatmeal portioned into paper muffin cups and called oatmeal muffins). The little room where all the food is set was quite warm, despite being just through a hallway from the cool dining area inside. This is great for the warm stuff, but I don't particularly enjoy fresh fruit salad warm. Or any of the Little Debbie chocolate stuff warm. OH - and there weren't any Twinkies! Poo. :( It looked like they offered a lot more than what was available; some of the chafing dishes listed 3 items inside, but only had one, for example. The eggs con chorizo was really so-so - I could have made this in my own kitchen. The maduros tasted like they pulled the plantains too early - not as ripe. Some of the stuff was pretty good, but truthfully I wasn't impressed. I enjoyed the Cuban rice, and the coffee was admittedly good. For coffee and brunch for two people, we paid about $36.50. We could have eaten our fill of just as good of food (albeit not Cuban-inspired) from Cozy Corner, which is much closer to my home, for half that. Because of the general 'eh' feeling of the buffet, I don't think I'll be making a special trip back up here again. Should I be with a group of friends, or have the need to show off a Frida Kahlo-inspired bathroom (complete with hirsute self-portraits), I'll go. But not otherwise.
(2)
Carol J.
I come here for lunch quite often and have always had a great experience. The ladies that take your order and make your sammie couldn't be sweeter. There are always a ton of people from the car dealership and local businesses so its always bustling but the ladies are always hustling to get everyone in and out. I love the Orangina that is amply stocked and always drink one while I wait. My sandwiches are always plenty big, stuffed with meat, cheese and iceburg lettuce. Just like mom used to make. The prices are a little high but worth it for a made to order sandwich and they always have some interesting home cookin' style options. I've never had the brunch here but lunch has always been good and customer service is excellent. I can't wait for their outdoor garden to open so I can actually enjoy lunch out there instead of on the go!
(3)
Cliff W.
I had dinner here one night in the middle of the week. They have odd hours on the weekend hours or maybe it just seems they are closed whenever we have thought to go. The food is Cuban style and was very good. It is a BYOB place.
(4)
Ingrid C.
wonderful atmosphere, excellent service, great variety of food! yesterday, I took some friends from out of town to enjoy the Sunday brunch and they were very impressed. I definitely recommend this place, the price is also very convenient and the food (being an "all you can eat buffet") is very tasty. I read some reviews where people said that the food was bad... you can't forget it is a buffet and you shouldn't expect the freshness and temperature of a plate that was just made for you minutes ago!! Riverside deli is great for what it offers!!
(4)
Dee W.
I miss this place, it reminds me of the year that I spent living and working in Bucktown/Wicker Park - they had the BEST breakfasts and lunches available during the week. Customer service is amazing and super friendly. It looks family owned and one time, I was talking to one of the workers there and she confirmed that in the past 100 years, only two families have owned this deli. It's a small little location and serves the best sandwiches with the huge pickle with it. The sandwiches are huge and chockful of good stuff. I usually go with the Reuben or the Chicken salad. You can also call in your order and pick up, too. Sandwiches will run you roughly about $6 and they have chips, they have my all-time fav, sea salt chips - mm! Oh, yeah - they are cash only. I've heard many good things about their Sunday brunch buffet but never quite made it over to check it out - it'll have to be on my to do list next.
(4)
Brenda H.
Wow! I guess I'm the only one who thinks it's ridiculous to pay $15 for a brunch buffet that includes a table full of twinkies, ho hos and other gas-station food that has been sitting out so long that the cookies are stale. When I pay $15 a plate for brunch, I expect fresh baked pastries, fresh and hot eggs (maybe an omlette bar?) tasty biscuits and gravy or thick french toast. The eggs, pancakes, strange looking hot dogs and different bowls of pasta at Riverside had also been sitting out and were neither hot nor cold. I ended up eating as much fresh fruit as I could just to get my money's worth. If the buffet were half as much, I would have just forgotten about this place rather than complain.
(1)
Timothy M.
If the federal government knew about this place, they'd be pissed. After all, this is pretty much the equivalent of illegally flying to Canada then to Cuba. The storefront deli, the brilliant homemade food, and the homey atmosphere makes you think that you really have just stepped off the street in Havana to enjoy one of the famed Ma-and-Pa Cuban kitchens. They have something for everyone. I don't know how you could possibly come here and not be able to eat anything. They have so much variety in vegetables, meat, and everything in between. And it's all good! I came here for a Sunday brunch all-you-can-eat buffet, which was definitely worth the $12. Set in an old house with different rooms set up for old-fashioned dining, I got a kick out of the red-and-white checkered tablecloth atmosphere. For food, they have everything you can want. And it's all delicious. If you're more in the mood for American breakfast, they have eggs, bacon, corn beef hash, etc. Latin flavor includes empanadas, plantains, tacos, tamales, etc. I can't even recall all of the dishes, there are way too many. You just have to experience it.
(5)
Kristin W.
This is a really interesting brunch to try. The place is pretty unassuming and you wouldn't imagine how sprawling the restaurant is. There is three rooms full of seating and one room dedicated solely to food. In every corner and along every wall there is food. mexican, argentinan, cuban, american. everywhere. The food is pretty decent, but not exceptional. Not even really much to speak of. The impressive thing is the quantity and variety of it. There is a LOT to choose from. **If you can choose a place to sit, I highly recommend sitting in the back "porch" area. It's so cozy and nice! I went with Leigh K. and Zach H. and we all agreed that we felt like we were on vacation.
(3)
Jesse G.
The food made my mouth itch and when I left I felt like I just got swindled. It literally cost $15 per person, and all I ate were some stale salerno cookies, toast, a pudding cup, a piece of wet french toast, a swiss cake roll and a glass of water. I wasn't brave enough to try anything else. The hot food wasn't hot, the cold food wasn't cold. Totally gross. I would have been more satisfied to pay them $10, have them slap me in the face, and then spend $5 at McDonalds. And I hate McDonalds. Oh, and it was a nice touch for the waitress to peer at us while we were deciding on the tip. Yeah, still not leaving you one. Sorry.
(1)
Dane K.
A bizarre brunch experience you'll only find here... I like the concept of this place... They have a buffet of a wide variety of foods, it's all you can eat. As many have commented, selections include Twinkies... Then there's all kinds of ethnic foods... there is a very wide variety of a ton of stuff here. There really isn't one item that stands out as exceptionally great food, though.... It's OK. I think most of their buffet selections are leftover from their catering or something.. I never got the idea that everything was freshly made. It's a bit pricier than your average brunch experience so go here if you're really hungry. Contrary to their name, they aren't alongside a river or any other form of water (the river is a good 3 block walk). Food/service/etc are 3 stars, concept buys them an extra star.
(4)
lois c.
After reading all the positive reviews, I thought I was going to encounter a meal made in heaven. The staff is pleasant. Yes, there is plenty of food. I tried everything and basically, only ate less than a bite. The pancakes were cold. I found all the hot food for the most part to be barely warm. The best thing I ate was corn beef hash which was out of the can. The salads lacked flavor. Basically, all the food was cold and flavorless. The plates were dirty. I feel I should have been paid to eat there. It is a shame when you come to a place hungry and are prepared to eat, and come out hungry, angry, and stupid for believing the reviews that this was a great place to dine at.
(1)
Crystal M.
The people are really nice, hence the concession of the one extra star. However, I find it shocking that this place is allowed to remain in business. The brunch buffet just screams "health code violation". It is literally a room filled with food out in the open on plates, much of it not heated or covered. It has a very "home made" vibe about it. Some may find that quaint (and it is in a way), but it's still very alarming. Am I the only one that sees this? Some of it is edible regardless of it's inappropriately low temperature, but you have to turn a blind eye to the fact that it's probably a hotbed of germs and disease that has been fingered and sneezed on by all of Bucktown. If you're up for that, you should check it out.
(2)
Liz K.
Well, I'm going to be the contrarian here and say this is probably the worst buffet / brunch I've had in the city. My boy and I showed up at noon and he promptly piled up food on his plate sky high, raving about how good the empanadas were. Only a few things were labeled, so I waited around hoping a worker would appear and help me determine which dishes were vegetarian, but no one showed up. I tried to enlist fellow brunch-goers and they were somewhat helpful, as well as my boy acting as a taste-tester (although he's previously had an inability to detect meat if it's not visibly apparent, so his judgments are somewhat suspect anyhow). So I chose a few pancakes, a pastry and some scrambled eggs. The pancakes were dry (although edible with copious amounts of syrup) as was the pastry and the eggs, which had bits of crusty dried egg mixed into it. I ended up getting a plate of mixed fruit instead, which was perfectly acceptable. For the most part the cookies, cakes, and dessert-type offerings (notably those silly Twinkies) appeared to have come straight from Jewel the day before--they had that dry crunchy preservative-laden feel about them. Gross. I gave it two stars instead of one because apparently the (meat-filled) empanadas are excellent. If you're an adventurous omnivore with a huge appetite who doesn't require anything too fancy or novel you'll probably dig this place.
(2)
Terry H.
Had Mother's Day brunch there and it was great. So much to choose from and only 12.95.....
(4)
Ross R.
There must be some sort of magic at work, given all the positive reviews this place gets. I found the food to be average at best and the service below average. Maybe they just hid all the good stuff when I showed up.
(2)
Travis H.
I can speak only for Riverside's Sunday Buffet, the extend to which is all I know about the place. I stumbled upon this restaurant when my family was in town, looking for a new breakfast restaurant in my neighbourhood. The two favourites, Feast and Bongo Room, providing excellent food but long waits and an agitated dining experience. Especially Bongo Room - how they pressure you to leave after you've eaten! That day, tucked away along the residential streets of Bucktown, whose brick houses were covered in sunlight filtered through fall foliage, Riverside Cafe provided a tranquil respite from the earnest diners of Damen and Milwaukee Avenues. The restaurant itself was a house, and the main dining room might have only sat twenty people at tables of various shapes and sizes. After a good cup of coffee we were gestured to a room towards the back of the house, uncertain what to expect. After weaving through a short corridor, I came upon the holy of holies. I found myself in a dimly-lit room, meticulously arrayed with the most delicious freshly-prepared food. Tables lined every wall, each one replete with dish upon dish. I think some bookshelves were used, too, and I'm certain there were plates on the fireplace mantel as well. The family that runs the cafe is Latino, and perhaps 60% of the food in that room was from Latin America. Empanadas of three different types, assorted tacos, fried plantains, tamales, quesadillas, huevos rancheros, chorizo, papas bravas, and more. There was also every kind of fresh fruit, french toast, pancakes, hashbrowns, bacon, quarter sandwiches, potato salad, even hamburgers and hot dogs. I also remember a lot of baked goods, which I had to pass up in the interest of saving room for everything else. For me this was a quasi-religious episode. Fittingly, try as I might to tell my coworkers about it on Monday, it fell on deaf ears. It was as if I could find nobody to understand the significance of my experience. Maybe it was a dream. . . But it wasn't!
(5)
Brad C.
This place is a gem! Me and the girlfriend stopped in the other day while on a bike ride and picked up a couple sandwiches to go. We had only drove by a couple times and always found the place interesting. Once we got home and dived into these sandwiches I knew we had made a wise choice. Very nice staff, and great selection of tasty food! I'm looking forward to going back and eating there, maybe in the outdoor patio or for the Sunday brunch.
(5)
B E.
We came here for brunch one morning, and were surprised that there was no menu. A brunch buffet is offered in lieu of ordering off a menu. The buffet was such a strange hodgepodge of items that it almost looked like they just raided their cupboards for anything available. There appeared to be no method to the madness, and we were unable to determine if the food had been rotated out periodically or if it had all been sitting there since it opened that morning. None of the desserts were homemade, it looked like they raided the hostess and nestle toll house factories. They were literally serving Chips Ahoy cookies, Hoho's and the like. The food that we did have was good, but not memorable enough to make me want to return, at least not for the buffet. As a side note, the staff here were great! Very nice and attentive.
(3)
Jill A.
I miss living in this neighborhood so I can go here for brunch. Skip the long wait at The Bongo Room and go here instead.
(4)
Kristen S.
Riverside is great for Sunday brunch and lunch during the week! It is reasonably priced and offers an eclectic array of food. The decor is fun, full of antiques and local knick-knacks. For lunch, sandwiches and salad are available. The sandwich and chip lunch will run you about 5-6 dollars and water is available if you do not want to purchase a soda or other beverage. For Sunday brunch, which is my favorite meal to eat here, everything is amazing! It is about 12 dollars per person and the atmosphere is very relaxed and fun. Everything from eggs, corn beef hash, the Famous BLT, salads, fruit, vegetables, fajitas, breaded zucchini/sweet potatoes/squash, and plantain chips are offered for brunch! To satisfy your sweet tooth, Riverside offers a whole table of "Little Debbie" type of desserts, including twinkies!
(5)
Tiff B.
I've only been here for brunch once. Don't think I'll return. Well, how should I put this.....it just seems as if they put a bunch of random food in one room and called it brunch. We got there 20 minutes after they opened (we were trying to go to Jane's but they weren't open yet) and the food was cold already. Everything was just o.k. nothing really stood out as being particularly tasty. I only ate a few items because everything looked stale. Hardly $13 worth of food. was eaten between the two of us I don't really think the "buffet" is worth the price charged. Especially since the food isn't good. I will say that the coffee is decent and the service was very friendly. They only take cash, which also sucks. I think we left this place pissed off because the food wasn't good and they took all of our cash.
(2)
Kalbiguy B.
I have no idea why mom moved to Bucktown a few years ago. Our family lived in the Chicago burbs for many moons. Then this. Never heard of a midlife crisis for women. Anyways, during my current XMAS visit, we went a block down for breakfast. Gotta say, I love Cuba. Don't know what it is. Fidel? Cohibas? You're on metered street parking. When you enter, there's an exotic yet homely feel. It's surrounded by Ratpack (Sinatra, sammy davis, etc) pics on the walls. Over 50+ years of history. Ordered the chorizo omelet. Mom had the pancakes. Very good! If you're in the neighborhood, it's worth a visit. I just can't believe my mommy is such the hipster...
(4)
Jennifer S.
Different from your typical breakfast spot but very satisfying. I went on a Sunday where they offer an all you can eat buffet. It has everything from scrambled eggs, breakfast meats, pancakes to pasta salads, roasted vegetables, hot dogs, casseroles and sandwiches. They even had an assortment of desserts which included Twinkies! I really enjoyed the Cuban empanadas. It was nice enough to seat outside in the side courtyard which was very clean and pleasant. I'm not sure I'll be going back every weekend but its definitely a nice change of pace.
(4)
Marie L.
Riverside Deli is a nice alternative to all the hoity toity wait-in-line-for-an-hour brunch spots in Bucktown and Wicker Park that so many people inexplicably love. Masochists. You can get a nice brunch buffet here for around $12 and it is well worth your money. They have your brunch standards as well as food with a Latin American spin, expect plantains and other tasty surprises. If you have a tiny stomach and don't feel you'd get your money's worth with the buffet, they have a regular menu as well. Everything I'd had so far is pretty tasty, my old standby is the Cuban breakfast platter.
(5)
Leang E.
It seems like it's part grocery store and part restaurant. They have shelves of pasta that you can probably buy, and juices displayed in a fridge as well like any other supermarket store. You will find an oasis of items in here reminiscent of a different time and place as you see old pictures. It's interesting in how one of the rooms has pictures in picture frames up and people insert there business cards around the edges. One side has the red gingham print tablecloths and the other side are green. There is another back area where you can treat yourself to the buffet. They do have decently priced breakfast packages, especially cheaper than those at Toast or the Bongo Room. Of course, this place can't compete with those types of places in terms of fusion and originality of the food. I was disappointed that my eggs were over-easy and the whites were still kind of runny. I had chorizo, eggs, rice and Cuban toast. I like how the rice and chorizos were prepared, so it may cater more towards a Latin flair. Once and while I have a chorizo and eggs craving, so it could be satisfied by coming here. I'm not sure if I should come back to try the sandwiches here since it is a deli, but I'm in no rush. The staff is sub-par, but it's an nice relaxing casual spot.
(2)
Leigh K.
I went here with Kris and Zachary in August and oh my, it was a crazy selection, but oh, it was kind of a mess. In theory it was a fantastic idea, but Chicago style hot dogs, eggs, bacon, Hostess baked goods, it was just insane. It's fairly cheap for such a selection, but nothing left us feeling awestruck, so I don't think I'll be heading up here for quite awhile. I prefer Joey's Brickhouse Pizza or Sushis Para II for AYCE goodness.
(3)
Miss O.
my bf and i went here a few months ago. sort of just stumbled upon it. i believe the brunch is only on sundays - but you can get anything here. i was a HUGE fan of the fried plantains. it has a spanish influence so there are tons of things to choose from - traditional breakfast foods to pasta salads and even twinkies. okay so i stayed away from those but it was delicious and for a great price.
(4)
Evann G.
I had been wanting to try this place for Sunday brunch ever since I moved here, because UNLIMITED TWINKIES??!! That's just awesome. I don't even like Twinkies, but the idea of a brunch buffet that includes them is still too cool to pass up. My excuse for eating here came in the form of an out-of-town friend visiting for the weekend. We came here, along with my boyfriend, and were at first nervous that we had somehow missed the buffet. But never fear, it just has its own room in the back. And trust me, it NEEDS its own room. What DON'T they have to eat here? You can fill up on typical breakfast items (potatoes, pancakes, french toast, bagels, eggs prepared all sorts of different ways, even pre-buttered-and-jammed English muffins!) as well as lunch items (turkey and ham sandwiches, tacos, breaded and roasted veggies, various salads)... but it also veers toward the atypical, from Italian muffins (tasted like Cream of Rice in muffin form) to bruschetta to baked polenta. There were so many options, it made my head spin. And, in addition to Twinkies, there were donut holes, cookies, and HO-HOS! As my boyfriend said, "Any place that serves unlimited Ho-Hos deserves 5 stars." That said, we did waver between 3 and 4 stars. The variety of the food was phenomenal, but the quality was just so-so. Some items were good; a lot were just okay. The boys concurred at a solid 4 stars, but once they heard the price ($15/each), one of them wavered down to 3.5. As for me (the most picky eater of the three), I was at a solid 3 stars, but because of the pure fun and uniqueness of the experience, I have to go with 4 overall.
(4)
Christopher G.
I'm not big on reviewing, but I thought I'd give back to my fellow Yelpers who do'nt know of this place. It is my new favorite lunch spot. For some strange reason, there are rarely more than six people here when i go- which is great in my opinion- but probably not so much for them so... It's one of the only places I've found in Chicago that have the rustic New York vibe of- we've been doing this a long time/ you get more for your money here than you would anywhere else/ if you do'nt like it- try this/ this is Mama's cooking we're talking about. The decor is rat pack goes to Cuba. Cool 1950's curios and black and white photos pepper the place with an effortless charm. Quiet, low key atmosphere which is great for heart to hearts- or to simply be alone with some great home style cooking with a cuban flair. The lunch specials are amazing- soup, salad, steak- for $8!!!!!!!! As far as beverages go- a plethera of sodas and juices. Fresh breads, chips on the rack, mints to go- all in all Riverside is a rarity in that it really gives the customer- great food, great atmosphere, for great value. i love it! They also have an outdoor patio that I have yet to enjoy. I do'nt live around there but go out of my way to have lunch there with good friends and family- everyone loves it. Everytime I've been there's only been one sweet lady working the place. The first time I went I was so hungry that I ordered a second dish after I was finished with the first. She felt bad that I was still hungry- that the second time around- she heaped on the food. it was very sweet of her. I highly recommend this place- but like Gil J. said- Do not go here :) !
(5)
Gina T.
Cold Cold brunch food. Just a mix of random food and food items are too close to eachother. Nice cozy atmosphere that needs major revamping.
(2)
Hayden J.
Riverside might look like a regular storefront deli from the outside, but the interior has the feel of an old, cozy home. However, the best spot is outside in the back shaded by the trees. The main attraction here is the Sunday brunch, which is a bit on the expensive side ($14.95) but worth it for the experience. Tucked away in a back room is a buffet that can only be described as schizophrenic. Nearly every cuisine is represented here, and you're free to be as adventurous as you like. However, if you're feeling less than adventurous, you can stick to the traditional bacon and eggs breakfast. If you do take the plunge and try various dishes, expect to be wowed by some and disappointed by others. The coffee here was so great I got a cup to go even after gulping down at least four cups at the table. Make sure to grab a twinkie (yes, a twinkie!) and a fortune cookie before you leave. I should note that this establishment is CASH ONLY so be prepared.
(4)
Cate N.
Ate there for lunch with my parents. We all thought it was good food and not expensive. My mom thought her sandwich should have been hotter, but I don't think it was meant to be served warm. Regardless, the sandwich roll I had was amazing, and I usually don't like bread that much. I'd recommend trying their bakery selections also.
(4)
Nik M.
Riverside is hit or miss.... There Buffet is on Sunday's and if you get there early is really nice with a menu of Cuban/ American / Spanish / delights. However if you visit during the week you'll find it best to stay with a sandwich! There drink selection also kinda sucks, i think if they added some fresh squeezed orange juice or something a little more "natural" it would be a nice deli touch. If I was just rating the buffet 4-5 stars but the general breakfast deli quality/ maybe 2-3 stars.. take it as you may.
(3)
Justin K.
A wonderful hidden gem in the bucktown area. Go there for Sunday brunch - huge selection like nothing you have ever seen. They have really classic food through really funky! The dessert area is amazing with again basics like twinkies to amazing fruit cups that are to die for!
(4)
Jenn K.
Good good deli-cious goodness. Actually, I don't know anything about the deli part of this place-- it does indeed have a cold food case where you can buy tasty morsels by the pound, but I'm more of a sit-down and have food brought to me kind of gal. If you're like me (and I know you are) you will have a great breakfast here anytime between the hours of 7am and 2pm. Or for that whole stretch of time-- why not? There are unlimited refills of coffee and maybe it would be wise to spend an hour just mulling over the menu. Then maybe another hour just checking out the junk in the dining room. Honestly, from the outside, I thought that on the left was the restaurant and on the right was an antique/junk shop.
(3)
stephen r.
I hadn't been here for at least a couple years. The last time I had breakfast and this time my wife and I came for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. There were plenty of seats available when we arrived around 1 PM. My wife had a cup of Cuban black bean soup - awesome. I had a cuban sandwich, which was better than expected. All together our bill was only about 19 bucks. Not bad.
(3)
Shannon M.
i don't even want to review this place, only because i want it to remain a secret between me and myself. kinda like fight club. anygnads, i heard about this place thru a friend of a friend and have since enjoyed a handful of brunches there. i shudder to think of the line at bongo room wrapping outside the door with hoards of strollers and hungry hungover wixies. (wicker park trixies - I made this up, it's copywritten) this doesn't happen here. words don't even do the buffet in the back justice. it's like your best friend is colombian and he brought you to his family's house and they prepared a feast of empanadas, tortas, heuvos rancheros, spanish rice, etc... just for you. seriously, there is so much food and it's so ornate the way they have set things on antique kitschy tables with checkered tablecloths. it's so overwhelming that most people just walk around with empty plates gawking at all the food. and cheap. the key though, is getting the food while it's still hot. oh, and the waitresses are hot, in that exotic kinda way.
(5)
RJ W.
Its cute, its relatively cheap, its a total neighborhood joint without any attitude. OK, so they MAY be using Little Debbie snacks as part of their dessert options, but we found the rest of the food pretty darn good, if not spectacular. The atmosphere is great, service is OK (maybe a bit overwhelmed when we were there) but kind... if you are in the area, try it out... we will return
(4)
G W.
I tried this place because of a Living Social deal I bought. It is a quaint and charming place with nice outdoor seating. However, using my deal was a bit of an issue, and the attitude of one of the employees was not very good. One of them seemed nice but refused to call the owner when it came to a question about using the voucher. She then gave me an alternative which was acceptable. The other one just seemed to have a chip on her shoulder. If you want new customers and you bring them in with a deal, you need to treat all of them with friendliness, not just the regulars. We had sandwiches, and for the price and taste, you're better off going to Subway.
(2)
Lauren M.
I ate brunch here with friends yesterday morning. I like that you can make reservations, it's Byob (they supply the OJ for the mimosas) and the patio is just lovely. The coffee was tasty but lukewarm & we had plastic cups for our mimosas (I noticed that another table had champagne flutes). The food was good, not outstanding but good! There was a great variety and considering it was a buffet, the food was of a good standard. I'd eat here again, especially in the summer months to enjoy the outdoor patio.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : No Good For : Brunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Joe S.
Wow, what a hidden gem. This place is like an outdoor oasis. Went there for lunch today and was very impressed. The sandwiches are fantastic. I had an italian sandwich and it was great. The meat was fresh and service was great. The best thing is the ambiance. We sat outside and you are surrounded by green. Plants, tree, etc. They have plenty of seating and it is a very welcoming place. My buddy and I were commenting on how we did not even feel like we were in the city anymore, it truly does take you away from everything. It was not crowded either. The inside is just as nice as the outside. Picture an old house, old hardwood floors, and rustic. Highly recommend this place!
(4)David W.
Ok, so on the plus side, this place is cheap. Other than that, my eggs were overcooked, and so was my bacon. The waitress was weird, and even though I pointed at what I was ordering (The Bucktown Breakfast) and said it by name, she kept asking me questions as if I was ordering something entirely different. She spoke English perfectly so I was totally confused. Cute place, but below par food.
(2)Karl S.
Awesome food and had the place to ourselves. Across the street Janes was packed and I'm glad it was a 1hr wait or we would not have found Riverside. Place gets 4 stars because it is CASH ONLY which is always a surprise if you don't expect it.
(4)Tanisha S.
This plays has 50s atmosphere. Much bigger than expected too with a side room and outside courtyard. I took a mini tour before lunch. Tons of nostalgic items decorate the cafe. The food is fresh and homemade. I had Chicken noodle soup and rosemary chicken salad with balsamic dressing. Perfect food on a cold day like today.
(4)Tom E.
This is a cheerful, clean, unique little place, which is a step back in time, thanks to the antique fixtures, furnishings, and bric-a-brac. The food is just a little bit on the pricey side for a neighborhood lunch, but not terribly so. Very friendly staff. I will be back.
(4)Jeffrey D.
Great for breakfast or lunch. Little Gem stuck between all sorts of commercial buildings on Courtland just west of the Kennedy Expressway. A great surprise and unbelievably old fashion. Pictures of the rat pack on the wall along with all other stars from past years. Food is good, ambience better and prices great. Hard to go wrong. No problem
(4)Ashley M.
I went for Sunday brunch and was blown away! BYOB AND literally everything you could ever want for breakfast at the buffet. The food was not just good but DELICIOUS !! The out door patio is so pretty and the service was great!! The women was super accommodating for our larger group. And I am definitely going to be back!
(5)iddells E.
This may have been the worst brunch I've ever had in my entire life! I decided to try Riverside Café after an acquaintance spoke highly of it. Without hesitation, I grabbed the Living Social deal as soon as I saw it. I took a friend and we sat out on the porch, which was really nice. The whole restaurant had a certain charm to it and it felt like I was in somebody's house. The food, on the other hand, was devastation. I ordered the skirt steak that came with eggs and Spanish rice. Immediately after the dish was placed in front of me, I could tell that I was definitely not going to eat the steak. It did not look like skirt steak at all; it also looked old and dry. I took a bite of it and that was enough for me. I hate wasting food, but I would not give that to anybody else, nor any animal. So, I just ate the rice and eggs. I forgot what my friend ordered, but he wasn't impressed with it and didn't even like the coffee. The banana French toast was decent, though. Service was really bad; no one ever came to ask us how we were doing or how the food was. After the horrible dish I had, I don't think I'd ever give Riverside Café another try.
(1)Justin B.
Made my second visit to Riverside today, in part to use up some of my Groupons. Riverside is very average fare when it comes to lunch food; my wife and I tried the Cuban and the meatball sandwiches today and both of us used the "meh" face when asked about the food. There was a soup special (don't remember the name, but it was vaguely Spanish) that my wife thought was the winner of the three things we had. Sandwiches come with chips, but even then they are a bit overpriced thanks to the Bucktown surroundings. Save for about a half-dozen people inside with very poor hearing, the place was dead...I'm glad those folks were there, if anything to give the place some life. Our server was really nice, moved fast, took our orders quickly and invited us back for brunch, so at least Riverside has that going for it. I hear brunch is better, so if you are thinking lunch in this neck of the woods, Cortland's Garage now serves lunch and they are the better pick.
(3)Julia B.
I came here years ago and was underwhelmed by the food, but after reading reviews I decided to give it another try. Maybe I had ordered the wrong thing or caught them on a bad day? Nope! It's just not good! My daughter and I came in on Saturday for brunch/lunch and despite the cute decor, the place was not welcoming. Our server was curt, bordering on rude. I get that if you're busy and have a lot of tables to attend to, but that was not the case. We waited a long time to order, a long time for our food, and an extremely long time for our check. I was in the mood for eggs and decided on the Bucktown Omelet. According to the menu it has cheese and seasonal veggies. I'm a vegetarian, so I figured whatever the veggies were I would enjoy them. I figured there might be mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers...general veggies found in omelets. The omelet arrived and it was broccoli and lettuce. Broccoli, not what I was expecting but o.k. Lettuce? Are you kidding me. Not spinach...lettuce. Needless to say it was disgusting. As for the cheese, good luck finding it. Out of desperation I ate the breakfast potatoes which were clearly the frozen kind, burnt, and lukewarm. My daughter ordered the turkey sandwich with chicken noodle soup. The soup seemed o.k. Lots of noodles. The sandwich appeared to be Oscar Mayer turkey and regular wheat bread. I don't come to a restaurant to pay money for a sandwich that resembles a school lunch. My daughter, who eats anything, took all the turkey out and ate the bread. No reason to come here when Jane's and Cortland's Garage are across the street and serves great food by servers who smile and make you feel welcome. I was hoping for a neighborhood gem and was sorely disappointed.
(1)Stephanie S.
A Bucktown gem. Located in a scrappy little corner of Bucktown businesses, the Riverside is a sweet spot for heaping mounds of brunchy, lucnhy, and dinnery goodness. Pancakes are fluffy, eggs are tasty, sandwiches are stacked, and the portions are generous. I have hosted a number of professional get-togethers here and the staff is accommodating and flexible, with plenty of compliments about the ambiance and fare. Oh, you know what else? It's QUIET. And there are NO TEEVEES. Pancakes and quiet? BREAKFAST BLISS.
(5)Victoria G.
"Family Treasure" Coolest place ever and kid friendly!! Everything has a fresh ingredient taste and smell, all ingredients taste of a high quality, healthy and wholesome. If your looking for greasy fast food thats full of preservatives and deep fried then this place isnt for you.. ;-) During the week its the perfect place to enjoy a gourmet deli sandwich with a cup of homemade soup and the fresh salads Wow. On Sunday the buffet is "Truly Amazing" with the biggest variety of international cuisines, Its a room filled with wall to wall surprises. I've been enjoying this restaurant sice I was a very young child and now my son Aaron loves it just as much. Thank you RiverSide #weloveyou
(5)Claudia J.
Many times after dropping off my son at school I drive down Cortland and keep eying this place. I finally stopped by today, it's a very very cute place, but I have to say that I was very disappointed! The coffee was horrible and the breakfast sandwich I got was very plain. I was so looking forward to trying this place and now I know I won't be going back. The two starts is for the friendly service and the effort on making the place look very cozy.
(2)Angelica P.
Went here for lunch and the food was good... nothing special though. I had the beef brisket sandwich which was good but kind of dry. Black bean soup was good!
(3)Lisa P.
They are very accommodating here. It's my first visit and they made me a plate of crab salad, tuna salad and turkey cranberry salad too, even though it's not in the menu. The gumbo for today's Fat Tuesday is spectacular! The room where the weekend brunch is held is fabulously charming. Wonderful staff. My first visit here was a win win. It was a Living social deal that brought me here but we'll be back.
(4)Sheryl B.
Very disappointed. I purchased a Living Social Voucher $15 for $30 to spend on food. My husband took our daughter for an early lunch. My husband ordered the fajita and it was obvious the steak had been microwaved. Completely turned off. To make the situtation more unpleassant, when the bill arrived it totaled $26 plus change. The server told them since they did not spend $30 she would only honor the $15 purchase price of the voucher. Poor and disappointing customer service. Needless to say, we will never go back.
(1)Sonia B.
My fiancé and I came here last weekend because we wanted to try a new place for breakfast. I had no idea this little gem was minutes away. The inside is very cute with memorabilia posted along the walls. However, the patio has got to be the highlight. It is very spacious, so great for larger groups, but it is also intimate enough for a date. The weather was gorgeous that day so we took full advantage of the alfresco dining. Our waitress was very nice and very helpful with my many questions. I wish I could order everything on the menu, but I decided to go with a traditional American breakfast of over-easy eggs, off-the-bone ham, and house potatoes. Everything was good, but nothing out of this world. I hope to try some of their ethnic Latin dishes some day. Our coffee and food was also a little cold, so I had to knock a star off for that. I also learned they have a great Sunday Brunch with 50 items, and it's BYOB. They provide orange juice and bloody mix for Mimosas and Bloody Marys, so I will be back for that along with some friends :)
(4)Lucia F.
Love this place! Their Brunch on Sundays is amazing and so tasty. So many choices! I enjoy the decor and it's ambiance! I love the Frida Bathroom (as i call it). Riverside Cafe has something for everyone. In August of 2004, my husband and I were given the opportunity to have our wedding there. It was the first outsider wedding they ever had. (usually they would only allow familiy members to rent the space). Mary (owner) and her husband were wonderful Host. They, with the staff made everything run smoothly, everyone was pleased. We were married at St Mary of the Angels on Hermitage, so we were able to walk down to Riverside Cafe with a Musical Trio trailing us. It was dubbed the Frida Wedding because of the flowers that awaited us at the entrance gate at Riverside Cafe. Such a lovely memorable evening. Thank you so much! Though we no longer reside in Bucktown/Wicker Pk. we still mangae to stop by when we can! Keep up the good work!
(4)Lori Taylor R.
Shame on me for not turning to yelp, before walking out of the house this morning. I woke up craving biscuits and gravy. I know not a very healthy option or a standard breakfast plate here in the city, but it's what I wanted. I had walked past Riverside Cafe numerous times and fell in love with the outdoor patio - I decided to finally check it out this morning. We were seated at a table outside in the adorable courtyard/patio area. The staff was very friendly and kept our coffee mugs full. Unfortunately, we didn't realize the only option was to order the buffet. However, when it was described to us having "over 50 items" I thought well, maybe I will be in luck with the biscuits and gravy. Worst case scenario, I will just build my own. For sure there will be biscuits and hopefully some gravy. I was completely wrong. No biscuits, 50 items and no biscuits? Ok, well I will forgo the biscuits and gravy and sample some of the other items. Unfortunately, everything I tried was cold - all of it. This was at 9:30AM the pans were all full to the brim and all were cold. It was a real disappointment and at $13.95 I at least want something hot. Reminder it's BYOB and CASH ONLY.
(2)Dana E.
I'm knocking off two stars because I walked over there to get something to go with the salad I brought from home, and wanted to buy 2 ready-made chicken breasts from behind the counter. She rang me up for $12. $12! Are you out of your mind?! I told her no thanks, I'll take one (which somehow, rang up for $4) and I, unfortunately, haven't been back since.
(3)Brendan H.
I came in for brunch a couple weeks ago. The place was packed! The food was delicious. The only downside was the 35 minute wait for a few eggs and toast. The prices were relatively cheap and the atmosphere was awesome.
(4)Barry H.
My family loves the Sunday brunch!!! We feel it is probably the best in the Chicago area.
(5)Wesley S.
Review is for the BRUNCH only. The Riverside Cafe brunch is reasonably priced. The cafe itself is in a gorgeous space, one that is particularly pleasant on sunny mornings. Service and hospitality are both good. The food offerings include a few Caribbean and Mexican dishes, setting this brunch apart from many others. Let's start with the food. A typical brunch would have fresh fruit salad, an assortment of grilled vegetables: eggplant, peppers, sweet potatoes, plantains, zucchini, and tomatoes parmesan, scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, sausage (chorizo), eggs with chorizo, eggs Benedict, eggs Florentine, potato pancakes, Puerto Rican rice, sauteéd new potatoes, a variety of breads --- and, at this point, I lost track of the remaining dishes. Coffee is included in the $15 price. I personally ate each of the grilled vegetables. I and my companion agreed that they were excellent. The egg dishes were mediocre, as was the potato pancakes. The (regular) pancakes did not look appealing. The rice was very good. Among the breads was Texas toast. Neither of us chose a dessert. Perhaps you can make out the dessert offerings from the photos. I did not have any of the meats. However, the ham, bacon and chorizo all looked appealing and appetizing. I also tried the eggs Benedict, the eggs with chorizo, and the Puerto Rican rice. The rice was good, the eggs with chorizo were average, and the eggs Benedict was decidedly inferior. (The Hollandaise and egg were ok but the English muffin was incompletely toasted.) Service was good. The server kept close tabs on our table. The busboy was prompt in clearing our plates and refilling our coffee. The server welcomed us warmly upon our entering the restaurant. She continued to make us feel welcome throughout the meal. The cafe occupies two adjacent storefronts. The first room is reminiscent of a delicatessen, with a deli type display case occupying the rear 25% of the room. Tables fill the other 75%. The second dining room has more tables. The two rooms might have been part of a first floor apartment, because a foyer connects the second dining room to an interior, windowless room, the room that houses the buffet itself. Decorations, photos and colorful art adorn the dining rooms. All of the rooms have mirrors. On a sunny morning (the restaurant has a direct southern exposure), the windows and mirrors light up the space warmly. The Riverside Cafe has terrific morning brunch ambiance. Price: The brunch, including coffee, costs $15. We enjoyed our experience, so we thought this was quite cheap. Other comments: BYOB. Come early for brunch before the desirable dishes are eaten up. The restaurant fills up quickly. The Riverside Cafe offers a nice brunch experience for a reasonable price. The Caribbean foods and vegetable dishes are good. The more traditional American brunch dishes are mediocre, tending towards inferior. Service is good and ambiance is outstanding. This is one of Chicago's nice brunch spots, but it does have some limitations.
(3)Michael S.
I keep forgetting to tell you all that Riverside Deli has the best black bean soup I have ever had. It's not weird and creamy. It's healthy. It's light in texture and heavy on taste. It's full of greens. It's spiced just right. The biggest bowl they serve, which is huge, is $5.00 Best $5.00 meal I know of anywhere in the Bucktown area, and then some.
(5)Jenna S.
BYOB. Brunch. I really could just leave the review like that, but I feel like I should say more. This place is definitely a hidden gem. Why don't more people come here? Every time we've been for brunch, we're one of maybe three groups of people total in the place. But the food is so good! $14/person and there's literally something for every taste. They have corned beef hash, breakfast burritos, sandwiches, eggs benedict, scrambled eggs, tortas, taquitos, cookies, cakes... everything! There's a really great blend of Latin American and American favorites. You're bound to find something you like. If I may, the corned beef hash is the best. But that's just my opinion. The service has aways been nice and prompt. The restaurant is much bigger than it looks from the outside and - weather permitting - they have a wonderful patio out back. Parking is super easy, so you should come here more often. We've made this our go to place for taking out-of-towners when we want to go to brunch. Riverside Deli is delicious!
(5)Melinda Z.
Wow, has Riverside Cafe gone downhill. The brunch used to be a excellent variety of Mexican and traditional American fare. Now it's a paltry sampling of its former self. Bunch of slop basically offset by a nice outside. Skip it, better options.
(1)Caroline A.
I just had their cranberry turkey salad sandwich and it was pretty excellent. A little too good actually. I'm going to work out twice today. I wish they weren't walking distance from my office.
(4)Bubba G.
This is definitely one of my favorite spots for brunch! It's super cozy, the food is very good and the service very attentive! I've been coming here for 4 years and have never had a bad experience. There's a great variety of food in the buffet and they are always bringing in new items while keeping the staples and big time favorites! They've been in business for decades and obviously are doing something right! Recently I've met the owner's sister who told me about how they got started, showed me pictures of the family, talked about the decor...it was nice and welcoming! It just made me love Riverside Cafe even more!
(5)Frank d.
I use to come here 16 years ago and have fond memories of lunch with my kids after school. The food is still good but the service sucks. I use the services of a business nearby and I've eaten here about a dozen times in the last six months. On three occasions I've entered this establishment during posted business hours while the open sign was lit and and have been informed they're closed. I've also have found the door lock with the sign on an hour before posted closing time. I personally will never return to this restaurant because of how unreliable the business hours are and when open the staff 's service appeared as if I was interrupting something more important. No inquiry as to how the food is. Waitress delivers food to the table and abruptly leaves without an offer of continued service or request if I would need anything else. I was clearly persuaded to eat at the competitor on the same block.
(1)Vivian M.
I came here for a Sunday brunch with no biases of any sort, just looking forward to a lovely breakfast. It all went out the door once I was sat down with my coffee and opened to creamer only to find little curds and lumps. Ew. Maybe it was just that one? Nope, they were all like that. I love coffee and to find things like that and old crystal ball sugar like things inside the sugar packets made me sick to my stomach. The busser was kind enough to bring me milk but it still didn't help the watered down coffee. To add to that, the food selection was cold, old, and just not coherent? Twinkies, "Greek" pasta salad, "Mexican" chilaquiles, and "Puerto Rican" rice? I use the quotations to insinuate the influences as it really did not taste like the country of origin. Honestly, please don't waste your time here. Just pour yourself a bowl of Cheerios like I should've done on my lazy Sunday.
(1)Shelly E.
This place is pretty cheap and right around the corner from my house. My husband and I REALLY hoped this would be our place for lunch. We envisioned being regulars. Totally bummed out. First of all, we have tried this place over 5 times! Each time my husband ordered the Cuban. Each time he got a totally different sandwich. Once it was grilled like a panini, once it was cold. Each time it had different bread. One time it had barely any meat and one other time they forgot the cheese. I mean, COME ON!! How can you mess up a Cuban CONSISTENTLY!?! Very frustrating. Also, the staff is as cranky as they get. The only reason I gave them 2 stars is because I feel bad giving any place one. As for the sandwiches I have had, I have tried a different one every time and 2x they left off 1/2 of the ingredients (a main component of one was grilled onions. Not an onion in sight on my sandwich). If you are going there, get the chicken chipotle. It is good, or at least the variation I had was.
(2)Kori E.
We came here for brunch Sunday morning and it was pretty good! They have a VERY interesting spread of food. Sunday is buffet only, and they seriously have everything you could think of. Twinkies? Check! Snack Pack? Check! Frosted Flakes? Um, Yes! They also have the typical brunch offerings, including, eggs, pancakes, french toast, meats, fruit, etc. My date had been there before, so he was well versed on this operation. I was pretty confused at first, but with each bite felt more comfortable with our choice in restaurant. Its a cute/charming place in terms of decor as well. Definitely would like to try their dinner sometime.
(3)Terris A.
Our company hosted on our annual Holiday party at the Riverside Cafe. We were looking for somewhere that was BYOB and also casual so our employees could relax for the night. Mary, the owner, was wonderful to work with from the beginning to the end. She was accommodating on every need that we requested. All of our employees commented on how amazing the food was- many of them wanted to go back at a later time so they could enjoy the food again. The set-ups were done exactly as we requested and everything was on time. Its a great place to go if you're looking for a casual but still professional venue for a company gathering.
(5)Susan H.
Riverside Cafe is awesome--kind of because of the food, but especially because of everything else. We went there about a year ago with friends for Sunday brunch and enjoyed the outside patio, so last Sunday we decided to go back. We wandered in around 8:30am, completely oblivious to the fact that they don't open until 9:00 on Sundays!! But they greeted us, sat us at a table outside, and we were none the wiser. They were still putting some food out, but they encouraged us to help ourselves and we still didn't realize they weren't even open. So, we enjoyed an amazing private breakfast for half an hour! The food is pretty good. Yes, it's a random assortment and it appears that a lot of things come from the local Jewel, but some of the home-cooked specialties, like chilaquiles, are great. And the coffee is excellent! The staff are incredibly kind, and the patio can't be beat on a lazy summer morning. And it's very kid-friendly (hello, Twinkies!). Pretty much the perfect combo for our family.
(4)Marian C.
This Sunday brunch was awful. Food was cold. Pasta undercooked and everything was just stale. I'm actually angry that I paid for that. And whoever said the coffee was included in the price got lucky. They didn't so that for us. Bad bad bad. My bf was lucky he was so hungover that he couldn't eat. I will never go there for anything again. Oh yeah, cash only stinks too.
(1)C Y.
homey yet professional. several homemade soups daily. awesome pancakes. able to safely serve many things to people with severe tree nut and peanut allergies. i wish they were open for dinner...
(4)Dennis S.
All hail King Michael S. Bow to the Emperor. Follow the Pied Piper of Sunday brunches to his recommended Riverside Deli. Wow, this is a great place. I've never been to a brunch buffet where they keep bringing out new dishes throughout the time you're there. It ruins buffet planning. But it makes for a great experience. More dishes than you can possibly try, both breakfast and lunch items. Are there any world class dishes - no. Is it gourmet food - no. But I'd much rather pay $14 for really good, not world class, interesting food with a wide assortment, at Riverside Deli on Sunday morning, than blow $80 for really good, not world class, interesting food with a wide assortment, at Seasons Cafe at the Four Seasons on Sunday morning. The Cuban (and Mexican, and Latin) dishes make this a great place. As does the antiques décor. As does the excellent service (not much required - taking away dirty plates and refilling coffee, but it's amazing how poorly many buffet restaurants are at that). I loved the Cuban empanadas, the corned beef hash, the Western omelet dish (after I covered it with salsa), and the Spanish rice with black beans. Simple fresh fruit went perfect with all the complex dishes. Arriving at 11am on a Sunday, it wasn't even half full. We'll be back - a lot - to provide updates on how crowded it can get in summer. But for now, everyone please show homage to Michael S's recommendations. Special feature - BYOB. At the Sunday brunch, you bring your own vodka or champagne, and they'll sell you a small or large carafe of freshly squeezed OJ or Bloody Mary mix, so you can make your own Mimosas or Bloody Marys.
(5)latrice j.
I found Riverside Cafe via Yelp a few weeks ago for Mother's Day Brunch. Because of some of the reviews I had mixed emotions about visiting the first time on such an important occasion. But I did. And boy am I glad I did!!! Aida Marian the entire staff super attentive anything we wanted the gave. They were children friendly no glares when my nephews got a little boisterous or the youngest started to cry. The bathrooms were clean. My eldest nephew dropped some fruit, the young lady came right out w/the broom-no eye rolls no under breath muttering. The people here were friendly welcoming. And I TOTALLY reccomend their Sunday Brunch Buffet. Btw, we must've missed the twinkles because the only desserts were actual delectable treats fitting an awesome restaurant as this! Oh and they're BYOB and no corking service!!! (but they gave me a corkscrew because I forgot my own!)
(5)Erika G.
A damn fine BLT, and a good addition to my "BLTs in Chicago" list.
(3)Brittney F.
Wanted to try something new and was drawn here by the groupon now deal. I loved my sandwich and the staff were extremely friendly. I will be coming back and made a mental note to bring guests here!
(4)Christine D.
This is a cute little CASH ONLY place with STREET PARKING in Bucktown. It feels out of the way and has a fantastic patio. I went here for the Sunday brunch, and the other reviewers are correct: on Sundays, there is no "menu." There is only the "magic room" in the back which is full of any kind of food you could imagine--from corned beef hash to perogis. Coffee is great. Servers are attentive. Recommended for warm Sundays on the basis of the patio alone.
(3)Erika B.
So clearly this place is very hit or miss, judging from the reviews. Luckily, the day I went was a hit. As everyone else has said, the food is a strange, eclectic mix of classic American brunch food, Mexican and Caribbean fare, and random things like snack cakes and mini boxes of cereal. Everything I had was delicious. The hot food was hot, the cold food (fresh fruit and the like) was kept cold. I'm planning on taking some out of town friends here next week; hopefully it will be as good as the first time I went.
(4)Kara K.
There's nothing like a gigantic buffet stocked with brunch goodies to soak up a bottle of birthday champagne and umpteen celebratory cocktails. I used to frequent Riverside Cafe about five years ago but I somehow forgot about it...how did I do that?? So when a dear friend invited my girlfriend (who was visiting from Seattle) and I to breakfast at the RC to celebrate my birthday, I said hell to the yeah. We got there an hour before they shut the brunch down but there was still plenty of hot, fresh and delicious food to choose from. Scrambled eggs, bacon, chorizo, waffles, pasta salads, tacos, tamales, sandwiches, fresh fruit and MUCH MUCH MORE! I'm not that embarrassed to say I stuffed myself--and I think my friends did too! We were the last ones standing at 2pm and there was still a ton of food left. I asked them what they were going to do with all of it and they said they would throw most of it away. WHAT????? I thought about the many people that could benefit from a hot, delicious meal (yes, one of those people was me) and literally wanted to cry when I saw all the food that was going to get tossed out. Yeah. I get sentimental when it comes to food. Anyway, to me this Sunday brunch is, HANDS DOWN, the best in the city. The restaurant is very warm and inviting and everyone who works there is super cool. However, I must say I didn't appreciate the unobtrusive, yet very obvious hov-around when it was time for us to get the eff out. I mean, as soon as we stood up, they swooped in to rearrange the tables. Sheesh, let us at least walk away! But really, I love this place and I have to make it a point to come back more often.
(4)Claudia D.
CASH ONLY. ODD HOURS. Good food, good service, unique layout and decor. Lovely garden available in the summer. Brunch is unique, not heart healthy, but very tasty. We like this place. Wish I could eat here more often, but the doctors advise against it for me, due to the old ticker. Family likes it too!
(4)Jules H.
Yum and double yum! Such a little gem I have found. I have dined there twice, and can vouch completely for their tuna salad sandwich and melty ham and swiss. Both came with chips and a crisp kosher pickle. I opted for fresh brewed iced tea both days and was quenched! Their entire menu is downright salivatory and the ambience delightful. Today I found a New York Times, and read in peace and ate bliss. I highly encourage any Bucktown diners to eat here. You will be hap-hap- happy you did!
(5)David K.
Love this nastalgic Cuban cafe. As for the food, the flavors tend to be a little bland but they have a wide variety of options on the menu. I would definitely recommend you try it. Sunday brunch is an experience of its own unlike anything else you'll find in the city.
(4)Shayna N.
This best thing about this all you can eat brunch is the variety. Soooooo may items to choose from: salad fruit eggs bacon tamales BLT reubin mexican mushroom noodle salads cuban rice etc etc etc The problem is only about half of it is delishious. The rest is OK or not worth eating. The upside is if you don't like one thing there's about 50 other options to try so you don't ever really feel let down.
(3)Jennifer S.
One of my top 3 fav brunch places in Chicago. A buffet from food all around the world? Amazing. Great food, great atmosphere, great service. Outdoor seating is the cutest! A+
(5)Erin S.
I adore Riverside Deli! I think it has the best lunch in the neighborhood, and if you're wanting a ridiculously big spread of glutenous Sunday brunch fare, this is your place. I first became acquainted because my dog's vet is right across the street. She got really sick and so I had to spend hours and hours there while they gave her IVs and rehydrate her. I passed a lot of the time at Riverside! The black bean soup is just a little bowl of delight. Just beans, a hint of cheese and a couple other fresh vegetables, with a side of french bread for dipping. It really doesn't get better than this. Saturday brunch has a nice selection of egg dishes, most of which are served with cuban rice and a side of soup. It's an excellent value for the money. The deli case is filled with fresh pasta salads, mostly, but with a few other pastries and types of bread. There is also a selection of grocery items, like juices, chips, etc. On Sundays, all they offer is the buffet, which probably has 50+ items from sandwiches to pancakes to steaks to cereal to twinkies to god knows what else. The buffet is great, but don't go unless you plan on stuffing yourself because the regular menu isn't available. When you first walk in, you're either going to be totally charmed or think to yourself, "WTFingF?" The interior is quirky to say the least, with black and white pictures, little decorative chochkeys and other memorabilia from Cuba's bygone era. We opted not to BYOB for brunch that time, but saw a couple other people doing so. (Even a table with red wine at 10 a.m. .... BLECH!)
(5)Patrick B.
Food is pretty good here. Service is questionable at best. If you're looking to be somewhere on time after eating here, good luck. Bring some well cushioned shoes as you will standing at the register waiting to be helped. Oh and bring cash, who doesn't love that.
(2)rhea w.
This place seems like such a delightful secret, until you actually go there and eat. the food, though charmingly eclectic in its range, is mediocre. the coffee comes in a carafe, which i like, but was actually not amazing coffee. The decor reminds you that this place has some interesting customers, and history. my vegan friend ordered a bagel with tomato on it, and they didn't even think to give her a slice of ripe tomato. i mean, sure, being a vegan requires sacrifice sometimes, but a hard green tomato slice? gross. its cash only. good for laundering money for the Archdiocese' convoluted business dealings. Thats a fancy way of saying there's a huge beautiful church across the street, and that if you ever go to this deli, i think that peeking your head in the church might make up for the disappointing food.
(2)A S.
Avoid the Sunday buffet brunch. Went here as a last resort brunch option and wish I had just gone home to eat. Nothing was fresh. The eggs florentine weren't even heated. The pancakes were really really dry. The scrambled eggs were a big cluster and by no means fresh. The price for the quality is bad in my opinion ($12.95). Maybe their lunch stuff is better but I won't be coming back.
(1)Helena B.
BYOB Brunch? Friggin' brilliant! First off, this place is adorable. It's all full of nooks, crannies, knick-knacks, and randomness. I like. It's a shame I didn't get here before the weather turned as the patio looks pretty amazing. Ah well. Seated at a table near the back (in almost complete privacy) brunch-buddy and I ordered some OJ for the champagne I'd been carrying in my purse (hello, mimosas!) and decided to go for the buffet. The buffet was located in the next room. As we entered, my jaw dropped to the ground. Holy moly. This was absolutely the largest brunch spread I've ever seen in my life! In addition to breakfast offerings, the spread also consisted of lunch and dessert items. I knew from the start there would be several return trips. Beyond standard brunchy-lunchy fare, Riverside has a slight Latin flair. Don't worry, you'll still be able to get your brunch favorites - you'll just be able to augment them with salsa and peppers. Ole!
(5)Eman S.
My wife and I have seen this place so many times taking our puppy to the vet across the street but never had a chance to stop and eat. One day, we wanted to go to a deli-type place and decided to finally try it. Damn...the food was good. We went at lunch and both loved what we got. There were probably five or six different things that I really wanted off the menu and I will be back to try the all. The catch is two-part. First, our waitress forgot about us. It got to that point when you are at your table for no service that you discuss with the person you are with how many more minutes you will wait to get out of there. Ours was four and she got there just in time. The other, is the "family friends" there. I don't know if this is a regular thing, but there was a family with a crying baby who knew the people who worked there. The baby didn't stop crying and the families kept yelling to each other...pretty weird actually. Those two points aside, I will definitely go back and try all the other things I liked because the food was just that damn good.
(4)Sarah H.
5 stars for the breakfast buffet and the ease of throwing a bday bash in their outdoor garden!!! Riverside Cafe was awesome to work with...so accomodating! I had a bday celebration with about 25 people: for the all-you-can-eat buffet, mimosas & bloody mary mix, tip and tax the total was around $20 per person. Great deal! They were so friendly and easy to work with, I can't wait to have another party here! oh yeah, the food was awesome too! HUGE buffet:)
(5)ashley m.
Stopped in to get lunch to go this afternoon. Super cute feel & the Cuban sandwich was AMAZING lots of meat esp the pork! The pork was a HUGE portion and super tender.
(4)david s.
This place deserves one star for food, but the second star is because of the outdoor patio which is fantastic. We went here for sunday brunch, and I must say it is one of the worst buffets I have ever had. Every dish offered was random, nothing was spectacular, many dishes were not good at all. Most of the food looked as if it has been sitting in the buffet tray for a very long time. The dessert offered mostly pre-packaged items such as twinkles and ho hos. The fruit was not fresh. And finally, when I got a check, I was notified that they are cash only, which was a surprise for me.
(2)Jason P.
Excellent food, fresh and great service. Fantastic brunch on Sunday's!
(5)chad n.
All u can eat sunday brunch with tons of selection make this spot one of my favs. When i say tons .. i mean if you had one of each item you would have one ton of food. The variety included American favs like ham, Eggs, bacon, pancakes, french toast, cereal boxes, all sorts of sandwiches, fruit salad; plus many italian, cuban, mexican, etc options like 4 kinds of pasta salads, salami stuffed peppers, garlic bread, chicken fajitas, italian sausage and peppers, french fries, empanadas, tamali, fried mushrooms, cheese quesadillas, cuban rice, spanish rice, grilled vegetables, mixed green salad, muffins, cakes, twinkies, and many more desserts. The down side is that most of the food is just good, very few items are great, and a few items are not so good. It has an extremely quaint atmosphere, many small rooms, tons of plants, paintings, and knick-knacks everywhere, and if its warm outside a nice big patio. All this for $13 + tax+tip make it a good deal.
(4)Mark A.
So for a while I was fighting in these MMA fights professionally. The weight cutting for a fight would have me obsessing about food - especially any place where I could eat as much as possible for a flat fee. I believe we call this, "buffet." So a post fight tradition would be for me to find the newest, biggest and best-est brunchiest places in the city. I'd wake up at 2 am obsessing about pancakes and bacon, and would start Google searches for "chicago, brunch, best, cheap...etc." These would last an hour, many nights up until day of the weigh-in. Lo and behold Riverside Deli came up...and thank you Jehovah. There IS a buffet. There IS a table with just Ho-hos, Twinkies, brownies and oatmeal cookies. It spoke to me on my first visit. All your standard breakfast food, and then some with a little Mexican flair. Huevos rancheros, con chorizo...etc. Pancakes. Corn beef sandwhiches. Yeah. Corn......beef.....whatever, you know where I'm going with this. Fajitas!? Yes. There's like 12 bowls of different pasta salad - with all the required CARBS my depleted body had been craving for weeks up until then. Now that I've mentioned it, the buffet is carb-rich and protein-easy. Who cares? It's my buffet, and I'll do what I want to. There's mini cereal boxes of Frosted Flakes and Snack Packs of chocolate pudding and Jello. I know..endearing and actually brings a tear to my eye. The vibe and atmosphere? Love it. There's little nooks and alcoves in the restaurant space with cozy little places to eat with your family, girlfriend, friends...etc. The waitress that's always working Sundays is lovely. I know she knows who I am and recognizes me and that I eat 12 plates when I'm there. Keeps the coffee filled, the eaten plates clear. And she has a nice smile. This place just asks for you and whoever you're with to have a great, hang-loose time. My friends and I always have a bet that I can' t finish my last plate in a certain number of seconds. It's my stomach's job to prove them wrong, unfortunately most of the time when that clock hits 10 seconds left, it becomes too funny to keep it all down. That's when they usually bring the bill... Please visit Riverside. The Twinkie buffet is worth the visit alone.
(4)Joyce P.
I wish I lived closer to this establishment so I could walk there more often. Good service, good coffe and good menu. The interior feels like a small town diner but the selection feels like a New york deli. Speaking of which--it is the only place outside of NYC that I have seen that sells Cel-ray soda.
(4)Alisa d.
Riverside Cafe has a GREAT brunch. It's not the type of brunch that has organic tempeh chips delicately laying on a bed of handpicked mesclun greens. It's also not a truck stop where you get a greasy egg omlette. Don't get me wrong; there's a time and a place for both of those options. And then there's a time and a place for Riverside. The owners are LOVELY, and I have such an easy time giving my business to people who appreciate it, and are friendly. Here they are both. Also, I feel like you walk in and you can eat whatever your craving is. Yes, they have some totally random thing (twinkies??), but that's the beauty. When I'm hungover and crabby and completely indecisive, this is my haven. I heart Riverside.
(4)Linda G.
Great place for a lingering Saturday lunch. BYOB The food is good and the prices reasonable. I like all of the junk they have on display. We always find parking right in front of the place. They have a lovely outdoor area.
(4)chris q.
I've been here for regular Saturday breakfast (i.e., order off the menu), which is great, and Sunday brunch, which is OK. From the menu, an omelet (i think the Bucktown) and pancakes were good, and they are generous with the coffee. The brunch is... interesting. Some very good items and diverse offerings overall... fresh fruit abounds. Potatoes, pre-cooked pancakes, scrambled eggs, meats, etc. The unwrapped twinkies and other assorted snack cakes arrayed on tiered serving platters was quite odd. Brunch is pricey, though. The dining area decor is quirky and home-y, while the main shop/check-out side is deli-style. I haven't been able to dine outside on the nice patio because last time they had a private party. It looks nice, though. The woman who runs the register is pretty steely.
(4)J M.
Ok, I figured after three visits I could give this a fair shake. Here is my synopsis. 2 out of the 3 visits were disasters. The food was so stale and gross that I honestly believe this place is going to be directly responsible for a food poisoning outbreak. The first time I had sausage and eggs. Though the coffee sucks, this dish was serviceable and intrigued me enough to want to come back on a Sunday for brunch. Therefore, the following day I went back for Sunday brunch which was terrible. I got there at 1030 and it was obvious the food had been sitting in the steaming trays since the place opened. The eggs benedict had hardened and the rest of the stuff just didn't taste fresh. To be honest, this might be one of the worst buffets I have ever had the displeasure of eating. And mind you, I was poor as a child and frequented the Old Country Buffet for family outings. Total dog food across the board on the buffet, skip it and it's high price. So the brunch buffet is a vomatorium, check, avoid that. However, I went back yesterday to have an omelet to see if Riverside could redeem itself. Unfortunately, this was by far the worst omelet I have ever had in my life. I had the Denver and it had many problems. 1) unevenly distributed ingredients 2) deli sliced ham in an omelet? are you serious? 3) out of the can mushrooms? again, are you serious? 4) absolutely flavorless Ok, so 2 out of the visits have ended with me utter the phrase "Worst ever..." and let's be honest, sausage, eggs, hash browns and toast isn't exactly a difficult dish to serve up in an adequate fashion. The decor and people are nice, which is probably why I gave this place three chances.
(1)Tim S.
This place was a great surprise ... My wife and I are tired of the trendy brunch joints in our neighborhood ... Love the food at Bongo Room or Toast, but the lines, the cramped tables, the noise ... sometimes you just want really nice food in a chill environment. Riverside Deli has the most AMAZING spread for weekend brunch! Great selection of Cuban, Mexican, Greek, Italian, and Jewish fare ... tons of fresh fruit ... and all very fresh and beautifully presented. If you want a little peace and quiet, great service, delicious food and a cozy neighborhood vibe, this is the place! Don't forget to bring cash cuz it's cash only, and don't tell TOO many people about it cuz this place is a nice little neighborhood secret!
(4)Joe O.
Great little out-of-the-way breakfast joint. Try the chorizo and eggs!
(4)Y V.
This is a wonderful, family-owned breakfast and lunch spot kind of hidden away on Cortland in Bucktown. We just moved into the neighborhood and wanted to find some breakfast joints within walking distance from our home. Our breakfast was pretty good - simple vegetable and cheddar omelets, toast, and some coffee. The family who runs this place are very friendly. We watched them deal with some "holier than thou" customers who demanded they turn off the AC because they were too cold (it wasn't cold at all). They have a nice outdoor seating area that's open during the summer. Go here for the laid-back atmosphere and decent breakfast and lunch.
(4)Matt R.
I haven't been to the Great Pyramids, and I've never seen the Great Wall of China. But I assume the amazement at their beauty and magnificence is comparable to one first encountering the brunch spread at Riverside. You can find everything your little heart desires...and I assume it desires pancakes, burritos, and twinkies. But seriously, what a great deal for all the food options. And really great atmosphere and wait staff. Come early on Sunday or be prepared to wait.
(5)Natalie G.
I came here for the Sunday brunch and it was quite an experience. There was SO MUCH TO CHOOSE from. PROS: There was a good selection and it was a well priced buffet. CONS: I left kind of thinking, well there was a lot of stuff, but I never went back to the buffet to get something for the second time. Everything was OK- I think they concentrated more on the quantity and not the quality. Cute place though, I might go back on another day other than Sunday.
(3)Liz K.
Worst brunch I have ever had in my life. My friends and I walked into this magical little room filled with food: everything from empanadas to corn beef hash. However once we sat down and started eating we realized that the food tasted like garbage If you like paying 13 dollars for cold eggs Benedict and hot dogs you will love this place.
(1)Colleen B.
First thing: I cannot comment on the brunch because I went on a Saturday. That said, I really liked this place. The room you first enter is the deli with prepared foods to take home, lots of drinks from other countries and baked goods. We were seated in the next room and this restaurant looked lovely. It was noonish on a Saturday so not too crowded. A nearby table enjoyed lots of Bloody Marys and Screwdrivers with the Vodka they brought along. Note to self: do what they did. Love a BYOB lunch. The menu provided a little bit of everything. Not a million options but they had a good way of sampling dishes from different cultures: carribean, mexican, italian and american breakfast dishes provided. I was nervous but decided to try the Eggs Benedict for the first time. It was DELICIOUS and will certainly have it again. Would like to have my hash browns a little less soft and more crispy but hey, I can request that next time. Our server was a sweet heart and recommended that we try the brunch. Judging by the disparate reviews I certainly will. I'm curious to know what the fuss is about. Did I mention the coffee? Really really good. I will certainly be back. Seems to be the perfect place to bring out-of-town guests who stay the night.
(4)lewis J.
Great brunch !!! The restaurant was very quaint, it was almost like having brunch at a bed and breakfast. The vast selection of food items allowed all of us to find more than enough to eat. The price was more than reasonable which left room for us to really treat ourselves with the BYOB. A must visit especially if you like the simple pleasures in life.
(5)Kirstie S.
Riverside Deli has a fantastic variety of various Cuban, Mexican, Italian, and traditional brunch items. I was really impressed with the options and enjoyed several of them in this brunch buffet. It's also a really quaint environment with a huge outdoor patio as well as a porch seating area and an indoor eating area as well. A couple of criticisms...food quality was good but it was a little too dark in the buffet area and food wasn't labeled if it was vegetarian, which would have been a nice touch. There were a couple of items that I thought were vegetarian that had meat underneath cheese or mixed in with a pasta salad. It really wouldn't be too much work for them to put Veg. by the card that labels options and there are quite a few that are nebulous...burritos, empanadas, and tamales. Second, I loved the traditional Cuban music indoors but I really disliked the soft rock playing outside on the patio. I couldn't actually tell if it was coming from the bar next door whose back doors were wide open or speakers outside but it was really driving me crazy...I had just managed to forget those awful songs existed when I heard them again.
(4)C D.
This place is so cute that I decided to hold my wedding ceremony on their patio. We had 150 guests, and although tight, it was an amazing day. Mary, the owner will help with any questions you have, and take care of all of the set-up and tear down of the event. She will also be on-site when you have to do the walk throughs (as we did multiple times). Many kudos to Mary and her staff for helping us on our special day!
(5)Andy R.
Novelty and abundance drag buffet mediocrity across two star line
(2)Stef B.
My boyfriend and I love this place! The Sunday brunches are great when you can sit outside, under the umbrella, and eat whatever you want when you want it. the buffet is set-up around 2 connecting rooms, on tables and carts, with multiple little plates of cookies and little debbies to pick at. Our Vegan friends, and our highly-carnivorous friends will all eat here. To anyone who thinks the food is unsanitary because there is so much of it with no heaters under any of the trays... they switch out the food so often that you don't have to worry about it. Ask to sit where you can see the buffet, and just watch how often they come in with fresh trays. They are AWESOME at keeping the cups full, too!! (Our buggest pet-peeve is an empty cup.) It is BYOB - and they will bring out a pitcher of Orange Juice if you come in with Champgne. They help us pop it open, and keep the orange juice supplied on the table for our groups. Whether it's me and my boyfriend, or 8 of us, the service has always been wonderful!!
(4)Maria A.
Walking into the back patio of this place, I was totally charmed. The little tables with pots of yellow flowers, the rusty white chairs, the whole patio surrounded by trees...definitely a great place to just sit and have a cup of coffee. Oh, and the women's bathroom had lots of clutter and Frida posters, which I also liked for some reason. The downside of this place? Well, we went on a Sunday morning, and the only option was to order the all-you-can-eat buffet. That doesn't sound like a downside initially, but I realized after starting to eat my heaping first plate that the food wasn't really that good. It was the kind of thing where I'd think, 'hurray, pancakes! french toast! eggs florentine! empanadas! salads! fruit! (wait, twinkies? hohos?)' but then I'd eat it and wish I hadn't been so greedy. I guess when all-you-can-eat places prepare large vats of food, the quality tends to go down a bit. In the end, we enjoyed eating there--again, the atmosphere was great, the company was good, and the staff were friendly and helpful. It was the kind of place you could just sit and talk and keep eating random things. But for the cost at the end--about $20 for the brunch, a coffee, tax, and tip--I probably could've gotten a better meal elsewhere.
(3)Erin J.
So a friend and I went there for brunch this morning. It was...nice. Just nice. I was more taken with the decor of the place than the food. Also to note: they said there was 'no menu' while the brunch buffet was being served, so if you go at that time, this is the only thing you can "order." Overall, the reviews on here are fairly accurate; there are some items on the buffet that are tasty (Argentine empenadas), and some that fall flat (gooey, stiff oatmeal portioned into paper muffin cups and called oatmeal muffins). The little room where all the food is set was quite warm, despite being just through a hallway from the cool dining area inside. This is great for the warm stuff, but I don't particularly enjoy fresh fruit salad warm. Or any of the Little Debbie chocolate stuff warm. OH - and there weren't any Twinkies! Poo. :( It looked like they offered a lot more than what was available; some of the chafing dishes listed 3 items inside, but only had one, for example. The eggs con chorizo was really so-so - I could have made this in my own kitchen. The maduros tasted like they pulled the plantains too early - not as ripe. Some of the stuff was pretty good, but truthfully I wasn't impressed. I enjoyed the Cuban rice, and the coffee was admittedly good. For coffee and brunch for two people, we paid about $36.50. We could have eaten our fill of just as good of food (albeit not Cuban-inspired) from Cozy Corner, which is much closer to my home, for half that. Because of the general 'eh' feeling of the buffet, I don't think I'll be making a special trip back up here again. Should I be with a group of friends, or have the need to show off a Frida Kahlo-inspired bathroom (complete with hirsute self-portraits), I'll go. But not otherwise.
(2)Carol J.
I come here for lunch quite often and have always had a great experience. The ladies that take your order and make your sammie couldn't be sweeter. There are always a ton of people from the car dealership and local businesses so its always bustling but the ladies are always hustling to get everyone in and out. I love the Orangina that is amply stocked and always drink one while I wait. My sandwiches are always plenty big, stuffed with meat, cheese and iceburg lettuce. Just like mom used to make. The prices are a little high but worth it for a made to order sandwich and they always have some interesting home cookin' style options. I've never had the brunch here but lunch has always been good and customer service is excellent. I can't wait for their outdoor garden to open so I can actually enjoy lunch out there instead of on the go!
(3)Cliff W.
I had dinner here one night in the middle of the week. They have odd hours on the weekend hours or maybe it just seems they are closed whenever we have thought to go. The food is Cuban style and was very good. It is a BYOB place.
(4)Ingrid C.
wonderful atmosphere, excellent service, great variety of food! yesterday, I took some friends from out of town to enjoy the Sunday brunch and they were very impressed. I definitely recommend this place, the price is also very convenient and the food (being an "all you can eat buffet") is very tasty. I read some reviews where people said that the food was bad... you can't forget it is a buffet and you shouldn't expect the freshness and temperature of a plate that was just made for you minutes ago!! Riverside deli is great for what it offers!!
(4)Dee W.
I miss this place, it reminds me of the year that I spent living and working in Bucktown/Wicker Park - they had the BEST breakfasts and lunches available during the week. Customer service is amazing and super friendly. It looks family owned and one time, I was talking to one of the workers there and she confirmed that in the past 100 years, only two families have owned this deli. It's a small little location and serves the best sandwiches with the huge pickle with it. The sandwiches are huge and chockful of good stuff. I usually go with the Reuben or the Chicken salad. You can also call in your order and pick up, too. Sandwiches will run you roughly about $6 and they have chips, they have my all-time fav, sea salt chips - mm! Oh, yeah - they are cash only. I've heard many good things about their Sunday brunch buffet but never quite made it over to check it out - it'll have to be on my to do list next.
(4)Brenda H.
Wow! I guess I'm the only one who thinks it's ridiculous to pay $15 for a brunch buffet that includes a table full of twinkies, ho hos and other gas-station food that has been sitting out so long that the cookies are stale. When I pay $15 a plate for brunch, I expect fresh baked pastries, fresh and hot eggs (maybe an omlette bar?) tasty biscuits and gravy or thick french toast. The eggs, pancakes, strange looking hot dogs and different bowls of pasta at Riverside had also been sitting out and were neither hot nor cold. I ended up eating as much fresh fruit as I could just to get my money's worth. If the buffet were half as much, I would have just forgotten about this place rather than complain.
(1)Timothy M.
If the federal government knew about this place, they'd be pissed. After all, this is pretty much the equivalent of illegally flying to Canada then to Cuba. The storefront deli, the brilliant homemade food, and the homey atmosphere makes you think that you really have just stepped off the street in Havana to enjoy one of the famed Ma-and-Pa Cuban kitchens. They have something for everyone. I don't know how you could possibly come here and not be able to eat anything. They have so much variety in vegetables, meat, and everything in between. And it's all good! I came here for a Sunday brunch all-you-can-eat buffet, which was definitely worth the $12. Set in an old house with different rooms set up for old-fashioned dining, I got a kick out of the red-and-white checkered tablecloth atmosphere. For food, they have everything you can want. And it's all delicious. If you're more in the mood for American breakfast, they have eggs, bacon, corn beef hash, etc. Latin flavor includes empanadas, plantains, tacos, tamales, etc. I can't even recall all of the dishes, there are way too many. You just have to experience it.
(5)Kristin W.
This is a really interesting brunch to try. The place is pretty unassuming and you wouldn't imagine how sprawling the restaurant is. There is three rooms full of seating and one room dedicated solely to food. In every corner and along every wall there is food. mexican, argentinan, cuban, american. everywhere. The food is pretty decent, but not exceptional. Not even really much to speak of. The impressive thing is the quantity and variety of it. There is a LOT to choose from. **If you can choose a place to sit, I highly recommend sitting in the back "porch" area. It's so cozy and nice! I went with Leigh K. and Zach H. and we all agreed that we felt like we were on vacation.
(3)Jesse G.
The food made my mouth itch and when I left I felt like I just got swindled. It literally cost $15 per person, and all I ate were some stale salerno cookies, toast, a pudding cup, a piece of wet french toast, a swiss cake roll and a glass of water. I wasn't brave enough to try anything else. The hot food wasn't hot, the cold food wasn't cold. Totally gross. I would have been more satisfied to pay them $10, have them slap me in the face, and then spend $5 at McDonalds. And I hate McDonalds. Oh, and it was a nice touch for the waitress to peer at us while we were deciding on the tip. Yeah, still not leaving you one. Sorry.
(1)Dane K.
A bizarre brunch experience you'll only find here... I like the concept of this place... They have a buffet of a wide variety of foods, it's all you can eat. As many have commented, selections include Twinkies... Then there's all kinds of ethnic foods... there is a very wide variety of a ton of stuff here. There really isn't one item that stands out as exceptionally great food, though.... It's OK. I think most of their buffet selections are leftover from their catering or something.. I never got the idea that everything was freshly made. It's a bit pricier than your average brunch experience so go here if you're really hungry. Contrary to their name, they aren't alongside a river or any other form of water (the river is a good 3 block walk). Food/service/etc are 3 stars, concept buys them an extra star.
(4)lois c.
After reading all the positive reviews, I thought I was going to encounter a meal made in heaven. The staff is pleasant. Yes, there is plenty of food. I tried everything and basically, only ate less than a bite. The pancakes were cold. I found all the hot food for the most part to be barely warm. The best thing I ate was corn beef hash which was out of the can. The salads lacked flavor. Basically, all the food was cold and flavorless. The plates were dirty. I feel I should have been paid to eat there. It is a shame when you come to a place hungry and are prepared to eat, and come out hungry, angry, and stupid for believing the reviews that this was a great place to dine at.
(1)Crystal M.
The people are really nice, hence the concession of the one extra star. However, I find it shocking that this place is allowed to remain in business. The brunch buffet just screams "health code violation". It is literally a room filled with food out in the open on plates, much of it not heated or covered. It has a very "home made" vibe about it. Some may find that quaint (and it is in a way), but it's still very alarming. Am I the only one that sees this? Some of it is edible regardless of it's inappropriately low temperature, but you have to turn a blind eye to the fact that it's probably a hotbed of germs and disease that has been fingered and sneezed on by all of Bucktown. If you're up for that, you should check it out.
(2)Liz K.
Well, I'm going to be the contrarian here and say this is probably the worst buffet / brunch I've had in the city. My boy and I showed up at noon and he promptly piled up food on his plate sky high, raving about how good the empanadas were. Only a few things were labeled, so I waited around hoping a worker would appear and help me determine which dishes were vegetarian, but no one showed up. I tried to enlist fellow brunch-goers and they were somewhat helpful, as well as my boy acting as a taste-tester (although he's previously had an inability to detect meat if it's not visibly apparent, so his judgments are somewhat suspect anyhow). So I chose a few pancakes, a pastry and some scrambled eggs. The pancakes were dry (although edible with copious amounts of syrup) as was the pastry and the eggs, which had bits of crusty dried egg mixed into it. I ended up getting a plate of mixed fruit instead, which was perfectly acceptable. For the most part the cookies, cakes, and dessert-type offerings (notably those silly Twinkies) appeared to have come straight from Jewel the day before--they had that dry crunchy preservative-laden feel about them. Gross. I gave it two stars instead of one because apparently the (meat-filled) empanadas are excellent. If you're an adventurous omnivore with a huge appetite who doesn't require anything too fancy or novel you'll probably dig this place.
(2)Terry H.
Had Mother's Day brunch there and it was great. So much to choose from and only 12.95.....
(4)Ross R.
There must be some sort of magic at work, given all the positive reviews this place gets. I found the food to be average at best and the service below average. Maybe they just hid all the good stuff when I showed up.
(2)Travis H.
I can speak only for Riverside's Sunday Buffet, the extend to which is all I know about the place. I stumbled upon this restaurant when my family was in town, looking for a new breakfast restaurant in my neighbourhood. The two favourites, Feast and Bongo Room, providing excellent food but long waits and an agitated dining experience. Especially Bongo Room - how they pressure you to leave after you've eaten! That day, tucked away along the residential streets of Bucktown, whose brick houses were covered in sunlight filtered through fall foliage, Riverside Cafe provided a tranquil respite from the earnest diners of Damen and Milwaukee Avenues. The restaurant itself was a house, and the main dining room might have only sat twenty people at tables of various shapes and sizes. After a good cup of coffee we were gestured to a room towards the back of the house, uncertain what to expect. After weaving through a short corridor, I came upon the holy of holies. I found myself in a dimly-lit room, meticulously arrayed with the most delicious freshly-prepared food. Tables lined every wall, each one replete with dish upon dish. I think some bookshelves were used, too, and I'm certain there were plates on the fireplace mantel as well. The family that runs the cafe is Latino, and perhaps 60% of the food in that room was from Latin America. Empanadas of three different types, assorted tacos, fried plantains, tamales, quesadillas, huevos rancheros, chorizo, papas bravas, and more. There was also every kind of fresh fruit, french toast, pancakes, hashbrowns, bacon, quarter sandwiches, potato salad, even hamburgers and hot dogs. I also remember a lot of baked goods, which I had to pass up in the interest of saving room for everything else. For me this was a quasi-religious episode. Fittingly, try as I might to tell my coworkers about it on Monday, it fell on deaf ears. It was as if I could find nobody to understand the significance of my experience. Maybe it was a dream. . . But it wasn't!
(5)Brad C.
This place is a gem! Me and the girlfriend stopped in the other day while on a bike ride and picked up a couple sandwiches to go. We had only drove by a couple times and always found the place interesting. Once we got home and dived into these sandwiches I knew we had made a wise choice. Very nice staff, and great selection of tasty food! I'm looking forward to going back and eating there, maybe in the outdoor patio or for the Sunday brunch.
(5)B E.
We came here for brunch one morning, and were surprised that there was no menu. A brunch buffet is offered in lieu of ordering off a menu. The buffet was such a strange hodgepodge of items that it almost looked like they just raided their cupboards for anything available. There appeared to be no method to the madness, and we were unable to determine if the food had been rotated out periodically or if it had all been sitting there since it opened that morning. None of the desserts were homemade, it looked like they raided the hostess and nestle toll house factories. They were literally serving Chips Ahoy cookies, Hoho's and the like. The food that we did have was good, but not memorable enough to make me want to return, at least not for the buffet. As a side note, the staff here were great! Very nice and attentive.
(3)Jill A.
I miss living in this neighborhood so I can go here for brunch. Skip the long wait at The Bongo Room and go here instead.
(4)Kristen S.
Riverside is great for Sunday brunch and lunch during the week! It is reasonably priced and offers an eclectic array of food. The decor is fun, full of antiques and local knick-knacks. For lunch, sandwiches and salad are available. The sandwich and chip lunch will run you about 5-6 dollars and water is available if you do not want to purchase a soda or other beverage. For Sunday brunch, which is my favorite meal to eat here, everything is amazing! It is about 12 dollars per person and the atmosphere is very relaxed and fun. Everything from eggs, corn beef hash, the Famous BLT, salads, fruit, vegetables, fajitas, breaded zucchini/sweet potatoes/squash, and plantain chips are offered for brunch! To satisfy your sweet tooth, Riverside offers a whole table of "Little Debbie" type of desserts, including twinkies!
(5)Tiff B.
I've only been here for brunch once. Don't think I'll return. Well, how should I put this.....it just seems as if they put a bunch of random food in one room and called it brunch. We got there 20 minutes after they opened (we were trying to go to Jane's but they weren't open yet) and the food was cold already. Everything was just o.k. nothing really stood out as being particularly tasty. I only ate a few items because everything looked stale. Hardly $13 worth of food. was eaten between the two of us I don't really think the "buffet" is worth the price charged. Especially since the food isn't good. I will say that the coffee is decent and the service was very friendly. They only take cash, which also sucks. I think we left this place pissed off because the food wasn't good and they took all of our cash.
(2)Kalbiguy B.
I have no idea why mom moved to Bucktown a few years ago. Our family lived in the Chicago burbs for many moons. Then this. Never heard of a midlife crisis for women. Anyways, during my current XMAS visit, we went a block down for breakfast. Gotta say, I love Cuba. Don't know what it is. Fidel? Cohibas? You're on metered street parking. When you enter, there's an exotic yet homely feel. It's surrounded by Ratpack (Sinatra, sammy davis, etc) pics on the walls. Over 50+ years of history. Ordered the chorizo omelet. Mom had the pancakes. Very good! If you're in the neighborhood, it's worth a visit. I just can't believe my mommy is such the hipster...
(4)Jennifer S.
Different from your typical breakfast spot but very satisfying. I went on a Sunday where they offer an all you can eat buffet. It has everything from scrambled eggs, breakfast meats, pancakes to pasta salads, roasted vegetables, hot dogs, casseroles and sandwiches. They even had an assortment of desserts which included Twinkies! I really enjoyed the Cuban empanadas. It was nice enough to seat outside in the side courtyard which was very clean and pleasant. I'm not sure I'll be going back every weekend but its definitely a nice change of pace.
(4)Marie L.
Riverside Deli is a nice alternative to all the hoity toity wait-in-line-for-an-hour brunch spots in Bucktown and Wicker Park that so many people inexplicably love. Masochists. You can get a nice brunch buffet here for around $12 and it is well worth your money. They have your brunch standards as well as food with a Latin American spin, expect plantains and other tasty surprises. If you have a tiny stomach and don't feel you'd get your money's worth with the buffet, they have a regular menu as well. Everything I'd had so far is pretty tasty, my old standby is the Cuban breakfast platter.
(5)Leang E.
It seems like it's part grocery store and part restaurant. They have shelves of pasta that you can probably buy, and juices displayed in a fridge as well like any other supermarket store. You will find an oasis of items in here reminiscent of a different time and place as you see old pictures. It's interesting in how one of the rooms has pictures in picture frames up and people insert there business cards around the edges. One side has the red gingham print tablecloths and the other side are green. There is another back area where you can treat yourself to the buffet. They do have decently priced breakfast packages, especially cheaper than those at Toast or the Bongo Room. Of course, this place can't compete with those types of places in terms of fusion and originality of the food. I was disappointed that my eggs were over-easy and the whites were still kind of runny. I had chorizo, eggs, rice and Cuban toast. I like how the rice and chorizos were prepared, so it may cater more towards a Latin flair. Once and while I have a chorizo and eggs craving, so it could be satisfied by coming here. I'm not sure if I should come back to try the sandwiches here since it is a deli, but I'm in no rush. The staff is sub-par, but it's an nice relaxing casual spot.
(2)Leigh K.
I went here with Kris and Zachary in August and oh my, it was a crazy selection, but oh, it was kind of a mess. In theory it was a fantastic idea, but Chicago style hot dogs, eggs, bacon, Hostess baked goods, it was just insane. It's fairly cheap for such a selection, but nothing left us feeling awestruck, so I don't think I'll be heading up here for quite awhile. I prefer Joey's Brickhouse Pizza or Sushis Para II for AYCE goodness.
(3)Miss O.
my bf and i went here a few months ago. sort of just stumbled upon it. i believe the brunch is only on sundays - but you can get anything here. i was a HUGE fan of the fried plantains. it has a spanish influence so there are tons of things to choose from - traditional breakfast foods to pasta salads and even twinkies. okay so i stayed away from those but it was delicious and for a great price.
(4)Evann G.
I had been wanting to try this place for Sunday brunch ever since I moved here, because UNLIMITED TWINKIES??!! That's just awesome. I don't even like Twinkies, but the idea of a brunch buffet that includes them is still too cool to pass up. My excuse for eating here came in the form of an out-of-town friend visiting for the weekend. We came here, along with my boyfriend, and were at first nervous that we had somehow missed the buffet. But never fear, it just has its own room in the back. And trust me, it NEEDS its own room. What DON'T they have to eat here? You can fill up on typical breakfast items (potatoes, pancakes, french toast, bagels, eggs prepared all sorts of different ways, even pre-buttered-and-jammed English muffins!) as well as lunch items (turkey and ham sandwiches, tacos, breaded and roasted veggies, various salads)... but it also veers toward the atypical, from Italian muffins (tasted like Cream of Rice in muffin form) to bruschetta to baked polenta. There were so many options, it made my head spin. And, in addition to Twinkies, there were donut holes, cookies, and HO-HOS! As my boyfriend said, "Any place that serves unlimited Ho-Hos deserves 5 stars." That said, we did waver between 3 and 4 stars. The variety of the food was phenomenal, but the quality was just so-so. Some items were good; a lot were just okay. The boys concurred at a solid 4 stars, but once they heard the price ($15/each), one of them wavered down to 3.5. As for me (the most picky eater of the three), I was at a solid 3 stars, but because of the pure fun and uniqueness of the experience, I have to go with 4 overall.
(4)Christopher G.
I'm not big on reviewing, but I thought I'd give back to my fellow Yelpers who do'nt know of this place. It is my new favorite lunch spot. For some strange reason, there are rarely more than six people here when i go- which is great in my opinion- but probably not so much for them so... It's one of the only places I've found in Chicago that have the rustic New York vibe of- we've been doing this a long time/ you get more for your money here than you would anywhere else/ if you do'nt like it- try this/ this is Mama's cooking we're talking about. The decor is rat pack goes to Cuba. Cool 1950's curios and black and white photos pepper the place with an effortless charm. Quiet, low key atmosphere which is great for heart to hearts- or to simply be alone with some great home style cooking with a cuban flair. The lunch specials are amazing- soup, salad, steak- for $8!!!!!!!! As far as beverages go- a plethera of sodas and juices. Fresh breads, chips on the rack, mints to go- all in all Riverside is a rarity in that it really gives the customer- great food, great atmosphere, for great value. i love it! They also have an outdoor patio that I have yet to enjoy. I do'nt live around there but go out of my way to have lunch there with good friends and family- everyone loves it. Everytime I've been there's only been one sweet lady working the place. The first time I went I was so hungry that I ordered a second dish after I was finished with the first. She felt bad that I was still hungry- that the second time around- she heaped on the food. it was very sweet of her. I highly recommend this place- but like Gil J. said- Do not go here :) !
(5)Gina T.
Cold Cold brunch food. Just a mix of random food and food items are too close to eachother. Nice cozy atmosphere that needs major revamping.
(2)Hayden J.
Riverside might look like a regular storefront deli from the outside, but the interior has the feel of an old, cozy home. However, the best spot is outside in the back shaded by the trees. The main attraction here is the Sunday brunch, which is a bit on the expensive side ($14.95) but worth it for the experience. Tucked away in a back room is a buffet that can only be described as schizophrenic. Nearly every cuisine is represented here, and you're free to be as adventurous as you like. However, if you're feeling less than adventurous, you can stick to the traditional bacon and eggs breakfast. If you do take the plunge and try various dishes, expect to be wowed by some and disappointed by others. The coffee here was so great I got a cup to go even after gulping down at least four cups at the table. Make sure to grab a twinkie (yes, a twinkie!) and a fortune cookie before you leave. I should note that this establishment is CASH ONLY so be prepared.
(4)Cate N.
Ate there for lunch with my parents. We all thought it was good food and not expensive. My mom thought her sandwich should have been hotter, but I don't think it was meant to be served warm. Regardless, the sandwich roll I had was amazing, and I usually don't like bread that much. I'd recommend trying their bakery selections also.
(4)Nik M.
Riverside is hit or miss.... There Buffet is on Sunday's and if you get there early is really nice with a menu of Cuban/ American / Spanish / delights. However if you visit during the week you'll find it best to stay with a sandwich! There drink selection also kinda sucks, i think if they added some fresh squeezed orange juice or something a little more "natural" it would be a nice deli touch. If I was just rating the buffet 4-5 stars but the general breakfast deli quality/ maybe 2-3 stars.. take it as you may.
(3)Justin K.
A wonderful hidden gem in the bucktown area. Go there for Sunday brunch - huge selection like nothing you have ever seen. They have really classic food through really funky! The dessert area is amazing with again basics like twinkies to amazing fruit cups that are to die for!
(4)Jenn K.
Good good deli-cious goodness. Actually, I don't know anything about the deli part of this place-- it does indeed have a cold food case where you can buy tasty morsels by the pound, but I'm more of a sit-down and have food brought to me kind of gal. If you're like me (and I know you are) you will have a great breakfast here anytime between the hours of 7am and 2pm. Or for that whole stretch of time-- why not? There are unlimited refills of coffee and maybe it would be wise to spend an hour just mulling over the menu. Then maybe another hour just checking out the junk in the dining room. Honestly, from the outside, I thought that on the left was the restaurant and on the right was an antique/junk shop.
(3)stephen r.
I hadn't been here for at least a couple years. The last time I had breakfast and this time my wife and I came for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. There were plenty of seats available when we arrived around 1 PM. My wife had a cup of Cuban black bean soup - awesome. I had a cuban sandwich, which was better than expected. All together our bill was only about 19 bucks. Not bad.
(3)Shannon M.
i don't even want to review this place, only because i want it to remain a secret between me and myself. kinda like fight club. anygnads, i heard about this place thru a friend of a friend and have since enjoyed a handful of brunches there. i shudder to think of the line at bongo room wrapping outside the door with hoards of strollers and hungry hungover wixies. (wicker park trixies - I made this up, it's copywritten) this doesn't happen here. words don't even do the buffet in the back justice. it's like your best friend is colombian and he brought you to his family's house and they prepared a feast of empanadas, tortas, heuvos rancheros, spanish rice, etc... just for you. seriously, there is so much food and it's so ornate the way they have set things on antique kitschy tables with checkered tablecloths. it's so overwhelming that most people just walk around with empty plates gawking at all the food. and cheap. the key though, is getting the food while it's still hot. oh, and the waitresses are hot, in that exotic kinda way.
(5)RJ W.
Its cute, its relatively cheap, its a total neighborhood joint without any attitude. OK, so they MAY be using Little Debbie snacks as part of their dessert options, but we found the rest of the food pretty darn good, if not spectacular. The atmosphere is great, service is OK (maybe a bit overwhelmed when we were there) but kind... if you are in the area, try it out... we will return
(4)G W.
I tried this place because of a Living Social deal I bought. It is a quaint and charming place with nice outdoor seating. However, using my deal was a bit of an issue, and the attitude of one of the employees was not very good. One of them seemed nice but refused to call the owner when it came to a question about using the voucher. She then gave me an alternative which was acceptable. The other one just seemed to have a chip on her shoulder. If you want new customers and you bring them in with a deal, you need to treat all of them with friendliness, not just the regulars. We had sandwiches, and for the price and taste, you're better off going to Subway.
(2)Lauren M.
I ate brunch here with friends yesterday morning. I like that you can make reservations, it's Byob (they supply the OJ for the mimosas) and the patio is just lovely. The coffee was tasty but lukewarm & we had plastic cups for our mimosas (I noticed that another table had champagne flutes). The food was good, not outstanding but good! There was a great variety and considering it was a buffet, the food was of a good standard. I'd eat here again, especially in the summer months to enjoy the outdoor patio.
(3)