In Riva

Nice little place. A lot of outside seating if that interest you. I was a party of one so I chose to eat at the bar. First cocktail I had was delicious, but went down way too quick so I switched to some draft Peroni. Next was some wings. Very crispy and flavorful; portion was a little small (6 wings/$17 I think) but they were meaty. Personally I like when they indicate how many wings you get, so there is no disappointment. I also ordered the Branzino since I wanted a lighter main meal cause I thought the wings would have been a little more. Fish was well cooked but just average in taste. Biggest issue was The fish came out not even 5 minutes after my wings so that was a disappointing. Scarf down piping hot wings before my thin fish fillet got cold? Tried going back and forth between both but ultimately decided just proceed as normal and to eat my fish cold. Had 2nd cocktail to finish my meal (as good as 1rst) but still was a little hungry to be honest. Bartender was good. Personable but not over the top. I would definitely go back as the rest of the menu looked great.

The service was good and food came out quickly. We went on a Saturday night, arrived at 6:45, we were sat right away (had a reservation), and were out and done eating by 7:50. The food was good - just wish there were mocktails.

Update after visit 2: Made it back for half off pizza night and definitely enjoyed the experience more. Ranking all 4 pizzas we tried between the two visits Id say the zucchini mushroom truffle was by far the best followed by the picante, bianco, and margherita in that order. In the future Id return for the pizza, even not on Tuesdays though the half off is a terrific deal.Tried this place on a Saturday night for dinner and sat outside facing the river. There's plenty of seating and we didnt need to wait at all, and its a great spot to have a meal outside, weather permitting. We ordered the crab spaghetti, margherita pizza, and charred octopus app. Overall everything was solid though nothing really stood out as outstanding. Each dish including the app ran about 20$ a plate, which given current restaurant pricing isnt too shabby. However, between the two of us Id say I left still a touch hungry and it wouldve been nice if the portions were a little larger. The octopus in particular was only three slightly-larger than bite size pieces and the pasta seemed like it wouldve been great had it been twice as large. Service here was also just a little slow, wouldnt recommend if youre in a rush, though the ambience was pleasant and weather nice for sitting a little bit outside. Overall, id probably rate the experience around a 3.5, but Im planning on returning to take advantage of their tuesday happy hour/half off pizza specials. The pizza was probably the best part of tonight's meal, and Im hopeful that some of their other pizzas and cocktails will impress!

The wildest pizza craving (and procrastination from doing my work) hit me on a Friday evening. I googled "brick oven pizza" and made it to In Riva in time for happy hour. The $12 P&B happy hour deal is top tier-- any pizza and any draft beer. Not a beer girlie, my server (who was an absolute gem) recommended Downeast cider. Delicious. As for the pizza-- since I refuse to put two baddies against one another-- I got the pepperoni AND margherita. That's right. Two ciders, two pizzas, and yes I took home leftovers. Both were delicioussss but that pepperoni-- in all its zestiness-- was a definite fave. (P.S. The pizza reheats well in an oven or air fryer on low temp.)

Everything went well.Don't live far from here and always come when I have a taste for guaranteed goodness. The menu isn't large and that's great because the few things on there are done to perfection. I always experiment with cocktails and entree pairings but the charred octopus is my staple appetizer. Parking in the front is ample and the prices are reflective of the quality. Wait staff is attentive without being overbearing and the vibe is light and airy. Spacious digs with outdoor seating and dog accommodations outside as well. You can't be disappointed with the seasonings and although dessert isn't on the menu the do have a couple things the wait staff can riddle off without a stutter. Love it

In Riva is hard to rival for happy hour and dinner in East Falls--or anywhere along the Schuylkill for that matter. I always get great service. The drinks--cocktails and beers being personal favs--are fantastic. The food is consistently yummy. In Riva has a lot of routes to satisfaction and satiation. I've tried many of the apps, big plates, pasta dishes, and pizzas. All wonderful, especially the whipped ricotta, meatballs, octopus, bucatini, and branzino. I advise you to sit outside on the patio when the weather is nice! You can watch all of the fit people biking and jogging by as you work on getting a little fatter

I appreciated the vibe of In Riva- folks seemed to be enjoying themselves and the servers were attentive (but not too!)The Ballerini cocktail was dangerously good, I could have kept drinking them all night.The food was decent but I guess I expected more:1. Arugula and mushroom salad- we thought the mushrooms would be cooked- they were just freshly cut up. It would have given the salad more flavor. The rest of it was fine.2. The burrata was good, but it had a lot of olive. When we ordered the Branzino, we requested olives on the side, but there wasn't a note about there being olives in the burrata so we didn't ask. So one of us couldn't eat the whole dish.3. As for the burrata, I am glad we asked for the olives on the side because it was a very salty (yummy) mix. The fish wasn't mindblowing, it was good though.One thing that I really appreciated is that when we got to our table, the people next to us were quite loud, and I couldn't hear my wife. And the seat cushions were lopsided, so sitting was uncomfortable. When I asked to move, it happened immediately, and the meal was so much more enjoyable than it would have been otherwise. Thank you!

I'm not sure why I've never reviewed In Riva. I have been here a number of times over the years. It is a mandatory stop when biking the river trail. I have biked here with friends and my daughters. Getting off the path is a quick crossing of the street with a readied bike rack right off of the most beautiful large outside dining area. After riding from West Philly, parking the bike and getting a table on the beautiful deck, ordering drinks and good food is a delight. My latest obsession is the bianco verde pizza. It is covered with garlicky arugula pesto and is a texture explosion with red onion and almonds. It's delicious. My favorite cocktail is the Binda. It is the most perfect summer drink with vodka, coconut and pineapple. You can order it frozen if you like it like that. The salads are delicious (try the Caesar and add anchovies! You won't be sorry!) and the antipasto menu is also very good! They have specials throughout the week with a great happy hour. After we sip and stuff ourselves we hop back on our bikes and ride back to West very happy!

This may have been the best pizza I've had in Philly. The service was quick and professional. I will say the drinks were a little watered down but definitely delicious.

I sat outside with my dog and cousin. The atmosphere was very welcoming and dog friendly. They gave my dos treats and water. The server was really nice and attentive.The food was really food. I ordered the whipped ricotta, meatballs, and a pizza. Everything was delicious! I can't wait to come back!