The Riverside

Went for Valentine's specials, everything was great. Food was absolutely delicious. Service was above expected... kitchen even made a specialized hot chocolate drink (not pictured) that was not currently on the menu, but had been in the past. It was nicely decorated & band was great to listen to. This place has 5 stars. Only thing that is questionable is something my husband said about the men's bathroom decor... something about male genitalia (not sure if he meant decor or graffiti). ‍

The service was tremendous; Brittany went out of her way. The stuffed mushrooms were great and the bison burger and boneless tenders with BBQ (for kids) were also great.We went on a Sunday and they were out of many items, including the marinated Ribeye and "all vegetables" ran out of coleslaw and potatoes while we were eating.The regular ribeye was very low quality, thin, tough, and flavorless. Sizzler quality or lower. A major disappointment.The scenery and service didn't make up for the steak.

When I travel i love to find a mid scale bar and restaurant with very good food and great people. This is quickly becoming that place in Monticello.The fried banana peppers are super tasty.I had fried bluegills as the entree (yeah I know. It it was one of those nights) and the gills were huge and delicious.For sides I had an enormous bowl of very fresh really nice slaw and a solid baked potato.I ate at the bar and the staff and the other patrons weee fantastic.See you again soon!5 stars because they are who they are with no pretensions and they do their thing with pride and very well!

Great food and even better service! The atmosphere of the restaurant is amazing and very inviting as well!

We love the Riverside. Beautiful location. Strong drinks. Great food. One of the hugest breaded tenderloins around. Often a musician on the deck outside on summer weekend nights which can get quite loud.

Another good experience today. We were seated promptly and the staff was very friendly. I ordered the tenderloin, as I usually do. In the past, there has been a distinct seasoning on the breading. This time, I did not notice the breading. The size of the sandwich was good and the fries were hot. It was still good. It is the breading that used to make the sandwich great!

While I was expecting an expanded bar and grill-style menu, I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot more. There's a lot of great choices in addition to the usual bar staples. A Cajun chicken with peppers and onions was a cheese lover's delight as it was covered in it. A clam strip special was a great appetizer for something different. Oysters (Friday and Saturdays only, I think) were big and tasty, and are served with some great cocktail sauce and horseradish. French Onion Soup (Fridays and Saturdays only) was very good. Filet with lobster tail (Friday and Saturdays only) was a great value, especially with two sides included. The filet was perfect and the lobster pretty good. The catfish was also pretty good.This is an out-of-the-way place in a semi-residential area, on a scenic piece of property on the river, not far from Lake Shafer. The inside has a bar and dining room with a comfortable rustic feel. Outside, there's a large covered porch, and a few steps down is an open-air area with lounge-type seating. We were visitors to the area and had such a good experience the first night, that we came back the next night with a larger group. We ate outside the first night and inside the second, and after dinner the second night, we had drinks in the backyard area, while enjoying the view of the river and an acoustic performer on the covered porch.On both nights, service was friendly, efficient and not rushed. Separate checks weren't a problem. They offer a number of beers including some local options.

Great food great service. Very rustic and has a Nice view of the river. Daily Specials are the way to go

Love the place. Favorite spot in Monticello. Not had anything on the menu or specials that I didn't like.

Food was bland and basic. Sat inside and tables were not super clean. Staff was nice and friendly.