Riverpark

I had two meals in the last three weeks at Riverpark. Expansive, airy space with high ceiling and East river view. Pleasant service, interesting menu and gentle prices. However many of the dishes are much too salty. Returned several, and replaced by less salty but still overseasoned food. Also after dark the lights are turned so low that you only see your plate if under a direct spotlight. Too bad.

It may be because we went on a Sunday and were literally the first table through the doors as they opened, but our experience from beginning to end was nothing short of seamless. The food was delightful - something for everyone and executed perfectly; service - friendly, not too intrusive, very helpful from first greeting to table to goodbyes. We had a delightful experience and I can't wait to go back and bring all my friends and I was so happy all the concerns raised by previous reviewers did not turn out to be my own!

My experience at this place was not very pleasant. The food and the view are spectacular. A really great deal for the price!! Unfortunately, there are a few things they need to take care of. The service needs to get better. I went there for a late lunch and really liked it. Although there were only 2 tables at that time, the bartender make a mistake and charged me with the wines from the other table (come on, buddy. You had only 2 tables). At the end of my meal, I asked the hostess for a reservation for 2 days later, by the windows (lovely view!!). She said she could accommodate my request with no problem. When that day came, a guy called me to confirm the reservation, and again, I asked him about my request. He told he was aware of it and assured me that I was getting a table by the windows. However, when I went for dinner, they made me wait 20 minutes because my table was not ready. Perfect, I had no problem with that. But later, a cocktail waiter showed up and led my party to the table. Guess what? It was not even close to the table requested. As a matter of fact, we were sat as far as possible from the windows. When I told the cocktail waiter about it, he told me that they actually don't promise any request. He went to confront the hostess, but nothing happened: we had to take the table they gave us (period). As far as dinner goes, the waitress/ kitchen sent the main courses before we were done with the apps. For dessert, the waitress made a mistake and got it wrong. And to topped the night with a big bang, they told me my credit cards declined. 5 minutes later, I went the closest ATM and took some money with no problem. Everything was really bad that night. I hope Tom Colocchio knows the mess at his restaurant and make the changes necessaries.

Having heard so much about this place, we were really psyched about spending New Years' Eve there. While the appetizers and first courses were very good, the main course of a veal chop was extremely disappointing as it was laced with pockets of fat. Pretty repulsive! The baked Alaska tasted like a pre-packaged dessert and almost gluey in texture. While the live combo was good, when they took breaks, the "background" music was extremely loud and when we asked them to please lower it, no one responded. We could barely hear each other speak. The service was hit and miss as they brought over our food and forgot to bring our utensils. For the exorbitant cost of this evening (almost $400, including drinks), we would have expected better food and service. Very disappointing.

The restaurant is beautiful. Our food was excellent. Our server was very nice, but the wine, the appetizers,the entrees & the dessert took a very long time to reach our table. We asked to sit at a table next to the one we were offered. The host said it was reserved & the people were going to be there shortly. No one ever sat at that table while we were there & we were there almost 2 hours. I hope things improve because the food was really great.

We ate at Riverpark last night and all five of us felt like we had made a good find. It is a new restaurant, so there are details that are still being ironed out. The service seemed like they were working to improve on bad feedback like that below. For us, they were extra friendly. The food was delicious, everything we ordered, from the mushroom consomme to the pork chops. The space is open and cozy at the same time and we didn't struggle to hear each other like we do at many Manhattan restaurants. All that said, there is something about Riverpark that seems to belong to a city other than New York. It sits alone, hidden inside an office building at the end of a cul-de-sac. The sidewalks around it feel barely stepped upon and are immaculate. They have to call you a cab when you pay the check because cab drivers never come near the place. And we had to take a cab because no trains go anywhere near the place either. They also let you sit and talk and there is little sense of immediacy which is a plus, particularly with so much delicious food, but only further adds to the feeling that you have left Manhattan. All in all, I woke up this morning feeling like I had had a great meal and had gotten out of town. A strange sensation considering the circumstances, but maybe worth the extra cab fare.

The slightly hidden location makes the place even more special. Beautifully designed with good accoustics unlike many other restaurants in ny. We tasted several things from the menu - absolutely fabulous. Friendly staff and good service. Will definitely go again, especially during summer time - the terrasse is a must see.