Takeaway
Yes
Rileys by the River in Alexandria Bay
Categories
Location on the map
Alexandria Bay, Jefferson County, New York, US
Service options
Dine-in
Yes
Delivery
No
Health and safety
Staff required to disinfect surfaces between visits
Yes
Highlights
Great beer selection
Yes
Great cocktails
Yes
Great coffee
Yes
Great dessert
Yes
Popular for
Breakfast
Yes
Lunch
Yes
Dinner
Yes
Solo dining
Yes
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible car park
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible seating
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Yes
Offerings
Alcohol
Yes
Beer
Yes
Cocktails
Yes
Coffee
Yes
Comfort food
Yes
Happy-hour drinks
Yes
Kids' menu
Yes
Quick bite
Yes
Small plates
Yes
Spirits
Yes
Wine
Yes
Dining options
Breakfast
Yes
Lunch
Yes
Dinner
Yes
Dessert
Yes
Amenities
Bar on site
Yes
Good for kids
Yes
High chairs
Yes
Toilets
Yes
Atmosphere
Casual
Yes
Cosy
Yes
Crowd
Groups
Yes
Tourists
Yes
Planning
Accepts reservations
Yes
Phone: +1 315-482-7777
Site: http://rileysbytheriver.com/
Site: http://rileysbytheriver.com/
Opening hours
- Monday:8AM–9PM
- Tuesday:8AM–9PM
- Wednesday:8AM–9PM
- Thursday:8AM–9PM
- Friday:8AM–9PM
- Saturday:8AM–9PM
- Sunday:8AM–9PM
Comments (199)
Amazing food!!! The blueberry vodka lemonade was delicious would recommend this place to anyone for good food service was very nice and the waiter was fun and accommodating
We love Rileys by the River. We have now eaten there for breakfast and lunch multiple times. All have been great! For breakfast I have tried the eggs Benedict and the amazing Strawberry stuffed french toast. Fir dinner I have had Fried Haddock and also a mix of appetizers and my hubby had the Chicken Riggies which had a nice spiciness to it. We have always gotten good service and even the wait times havent been bad. If you are in Alex Bay you should eat here!!!
Have eaten three meals at this restaurant since we came to Alexandria Bay 3 days ago. Food has been great along with the service. Tonight, however, the pasta dish I got was way too spicy even for me. The manager, Riley, came to our table. He had tasted my meal and agreed it was way too spicy. He was the most pleasant and accommodating manager I have dealt with. He took my meal off the bill and gave free dessert. It wasn’t necessary, but his customer service was great. I recommend this restaurant to anybody for any of the three meals!
Our family enjoyed a fantastic lunch at Rileys while visiting Alexandria Bay. The service was fast and friendly. Our lunches were fresh and delicious. This was our second time here, and both times were notably good. Highly recommended. See pictures.
We were staying at Captain Thomson’s resort just steps away from Riley’s so we frequented here twice for breakfast and once for dinner! Each visit was consistently pleasant! They were quick to meet us at the door and get us seated. All of our serving staff were quick, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu items. The food was FANTASTIC with more than generous portions at a fair price! The wine slushies were also amazing! We loved that it was right on the river which provided amazing views during our meal. Will definitely be eating here again when we come back!
We stopped in Rileys briefly while we waited for our tour boat. We just had drinks, but we enjoyed a quiet moment, and our bartender was pleasant and knowledgeable. The bar is well stocked and prices are fair. Rileys is clean and provides a nice destination if youre waiting for the tour boats. And, a nice destination, even if youre just there!
This is a pretty cool spot to enjoy a meal, it has a nice view and friendly workers, but thats where the pros stop. The service, while friendly, is very slow. The 2 meals we ordered were sub-par, my meal (pictured) was very bland and the pasta was overcooked. The other meal my friend ordered was overcooked as well, too mushy. I felt fine after my meal, other than it being too oily, but my friend ended up getting quite the upset stomach afterwards. Would not recommend, they take advantage of the tourists, but dont delivery quality of any kind.
We enjoyed our 25th anniversary dinner at Rileys and Zachariahs previous reviews of a great server were spot on and although he had other takes you wouldnt know it. I got the Bay Burger and my wife got the Prime Rib Sandwich, both were delicious 😋. Great service, great food, we will be back!!
Stopped in after touring Boldt Castle and the 2 Nation tour on Uncle Sam Boat Tours next door to the restaurant. We had a late lunch. The food is fantastic! I opted for the poutine upgrade for my fries. That was a very good move. The poutine is superb. I could have made a meal of it. I ate half of it before taking a bite of my burger. Yes it was that good. And the burger was no slouch. Loved it. I had The Spicy Burger. Cooked to perfection. Our server was excellent. He treated everyone like they were his most important customer. Our experience was really quite flawless. Thanks Rileys, we will be back next time we are in town.
Excellent dinner! We ordered broiled salmon with citrus glaze and broiled haddock. We also had delicious fried jumbo shrimp for appetizer. Forgot to take pics but everything was great including our server, Nick!
Service was good. I had a burger and it was cooked as requested and tasted good. My wife the crab cakes and enjoyed them. Not the best restaurant, but good food and service for the price. Would visit again.
Excellent experience!! Especially for a large party of 18. Our server Ryan did an exceptional job. The food was excellent, and a great family atmosphere. Will definitely stop in next time were in town!
We ate here after taking the 3pm 2 Nations Tour with Uncle Sams. The restaurant is right next door to the boat tour so when we showed up to the boat we stopped into Rileys to make a reservation for 5:30. Then we took the tour, got off the boat and walked over to the restaurant. We were seated promptly and our server, Paul, was very attentive. The food was excellent, especially the seafood chowder, and the special was ravioli which was excellent. I highly recommend.
Always a great place to eat in Alex Bay ! Great menu, food and cocktails. Staff is top notch and makes you feel at home.
Greastest tasting prime rib dip sandwich EVER😋😋😋❤/ hubby loved❤ his cheeseburger, excellent service. We cant wait to go back again!!!
My boyfriend and I came here because we were staying at the resort next-door. They had absolutely AMAZING clam strips (tastes like bostons!!) my boyfriend got the buffalo chicken sandwich and he said it was the best he’s ever had. the spinach dip with the buffalo chicken wing dip was absolutely incredible!!! Can’t forget about Ryan our server, he made the whole experience even better!
Good food. Nice service. Great views!
Its an alright place to eat if youre in Alex Bay. Im not sure if it was just because of our party size, or if it was because our waitress was struggling with her section, but I feel like making an 18% mandatory gratuity on parties of 7 or more isnt an excuse to let your service slide.-Our drinks took 15 minutes to get to us from the bar (only 3 people in our party ordered alcohol)-appetizers were delicious, but we had to get another waitress to bring us side plates (and she brought straws too! Which we didnt ask for. It was a lovely surprise)-our waitress kept putting things down in front of the wrong person and we had to move it around the table.-half of our groups food was cold, or had something missing from the plate. It seemed like the kitchen doesnt know how to properly time dishes. (We had a burger that was ordered medium, it came to us like a hockey puck, Im assuming it was because our party also ordered grilled chicken sandwiches and they probably got put on the grill at the same time).As a former BOH and FOH restaurant staff member, I know what service is supposed to look like and how you run big parties.It wasnt a bad experience, but if there were other dining options open and not under construction, I probably wouldve gone there instead.
My Husband & I went to dinner here tonite. 5stars.Our Waiter Ryan Was Outstanding!!!!! The Food & the Portions were Incredible. Highly Recommend..PS.Ryan when I spill Ketchup on myself, I will always think of you..👍😊😊😊.Definitely we will be back this Summer.
First time in Alex Bay and stopped here out of the convenience and closeness to the boat tours. So glad we did! Had the Bacon Jam Burger and it was phenomenal. Probably the best burger Ive ever had!
My favorite restaurant in Alex Bay. Great food, service and ambiance. The menu has a great selection of great tasting steaks and seafood and the seating has great views of the river. Always friendly and welcoming service with attention to details. When in Alex Bay visit for breakfast, lunch or diner.
Waited about one hour for our checks, Steak and ribeye was all fat and barely seasoned, manager was rude, the overall service was inattentive and slow. Got there at 5:00pm and didnt leave until 8:45 due to bad service.Went to this place for the first time at 5:00 and asked the hostess if they can accommodate 10 people. She said yes but asked for time to figure out where to put us. Once we sat down our waiter came to take our drinks. We waited about 15 minutes for only 2 of our drinks to come out and another 15 minutes for the rest. Thats 30 minutes just for drinks. Our waiter was also the only bar tender in that part of the restaurant. Soon after we told him a few appetizers which came out pretty quick. The waiter said it was his first time on the job so we completely understand why he was a little slower at some things. After we ate our appetizers we waited about 30 minutes until I finally caught him and asked him to take our entree orders. The food took 45 minutes to come out of the kitchen. One of the orders was incorrect serving only an appetizer and not the full meal. The steak on the salad was unseasoned and super chewy including the ribeye, which was all fat barely any meat and super over priced for the small portion. Two friends both ordered purple haze fish bowl, these drinks was mostly ice and juice. The cocktail menu had no prices so they had no idea each drink was 24 dollars. Neither of them tasted alcohol and felt nothing after drinking them. My friend with the incorrect order waited 35 minutes for 3 crab cakes to be made. By this time we asked for our checks and waited about one hour. During this time we asked the manager 3 times to assist the waiter because his entire focus was on the bar and not us. The manager told us it will be a while… Why would it be a while to get us our checks? Finally another manager came by to handle the check situation at about the hour mark and still we waited about 30 minutes for him to come swipe our cards.I do not put the blame on the waiter, I put the blame on management who neglected its customers and failed to hire enough help to keep the restaurant flowing. Also for putting an inexperienced waiter to hold down our big table and serve a busy bar area. Never again am I going here
Rileys is a great location on Lower James Street in Alex Bay. Its a very convenient location to stop for a drink either before or after an Uncle Sams boat cruise, which is exactly what we did!The bar was small, seating about 5. The drinks were good. We tried a few of their new signature cocktails for 2021. Everybody liked the huckleberry lemonade. It was light and refreshing. There was some kind of jalapeno cocktail that nobody enjoyed, but if you like spicy drinks Im sure it was well made.The food was good, and they have gluten-free options if thats your jam.
We came up for a day trip and had dinner here. I got the prime rib sub with onions and peppers, it came with au jus and I got fries. I couldnt finish all of mine, the bread was soo good though I kept trying. My husband got the NY strip with fries and it came with broccoli. We each got soda. Everything was delicious, we will definitely come back. Bill was $53, well worth it.
After a boat ride with Uncle Sams Boat tours we had a very nice dinner at Rileys. Very good service and very health concious and covid safe. We really had a nice time with a very nice view. The Poutine burger, Bacon Jam burger, and Chicken Alfredo were all excellent.Would recommend this place and plan to go back again next time we are up there.
Great place to enjoy a sit down dinner with a fantastic view. Their sandwiches are amazing and their burgers are great.
Stop in whenever in the area.Today had a burger n fries and was excellent.I have NOT had a bad meal here.Wife and daughter as well.
The food was excellent, the service was professional and friendly, and the atmosphere was welcoming. As a vegetarian, the option to sub a meat burger for a beyond burger was really great.
Ive lived in the north country most of my life but have had yet to visit Rileys by the River until just this past weekend. My husband chose the spot at random as we were walking through town with a family member, so we decided to check it out. Due to COVID shut downs, we have had very few dine-out options for the past 3 months and this was a very welcoming experience back to some normalcy! The staff greeted us quickly, our server was excellent, and we loved the food. We will absolutely be returning again soon. Thank you!!
Nice location with free parking. Atmosphere inside seemed like it had potential. However, service was absolutely terrible. After being seated we waited 10 minutes before our waitress took our drink/food order (impatiently at that). Drinks were dropped off, food came in a reasonable time, but that was the last we saw of our waitress for the rest of the meal. Not once did she or anyone check on us. No refills to beverages or check to see how the food was. Fries were decent but the buffalo chicken sandwich was drowning in hot sauce, and the fried chicken was not very good. My coworker enjoyed his burger. After waiting what seemed to be an eternity for our waitress to see that we were done eating, we got up and asked to be cashed out by the host/hostess near the bar. Really disappointing.
Awesome food and service. Prices very reasonable. Staff were wonderful, attentive and very friendly. Would recommend to friends and family.
Surprised by the poor reviews. Usually stop once every few years here to eat on the way through and never have had any issue. Food is usually good and the view is amazing. I just recently stopped again. Everyone loved their meals.****Ok...update: Went again Oct. Not a good idea. They are closing and literally have nothing. Apparently they stay open to the end and empty their entire inventory. They had like 25% of their menu available and were missing many common items. Very difficult to have a dinner with a party. So if youre going to stop here, do it during peak time not in Oct.
Great family and individual eating. I personally ate the French Onion soup and it was delicious. It wasnt overly salty and the portion was perfect with an appetizer for lunch. I also had the crab dip. It was a wonderful treat. My waitress was very friendly and provided quick and courteous service. The prices were very reasonable too. I highly recommend eating here with the great view, delicious food, and great service.
I was at Rileys in the off-season so they werent as busy as usual. They have a nice selection on their menu, all reasonably priced. Our dinner was delivered hot and came fast. Rileys has both a bar area and a separate dining room. We had breaded haddock and it was delicious. But Id skip the mashed potatoes and go with the tater tots.
Enjoyed the breakfast I had at Rileys by the river.and we took the dinner cruise that night and the meal was so very good.will go back again.🤗
Food took a little while, but worth the wait as my sons burgers were hot and delicious. Poutine Burger is awesome. Very nice staff.
We ate at Riley’s for breakfast and dinner twice during our visit to Alex Bay and each time the food was delicious and the staff fantastic. We want to especially mention Karley as a definite asset to the restaurant. She was there both evenings and one morning and always cheerful and greeted us with a smile. She was also very efficient and willing to be helpful in either seating customers or cleaning off tables for the next customer. I would also like to mention Tori who was our waitress at breakfast on our last day. She is another efficient employee and an asset to the restaurant. Thank you to all the employees of Riley’s By the River for a great experience.
We went for a late breakfast, around 11 in the morning Sunday. The place was busy and we were seated pretty quickly. Our drinks arrived quickly as well, and our waitress was very friendly. Our food came pretty quickly and it was pretty good.What stood out - we went with a 9 month old in a car seat. The bus boy immediately asked if we wanted a high chair. Hes still too small (the baby, not the bus boy), so we didnt, but it really was nice that we were asked.Baby did what babies do and eventually started squawking pretty loud, so I left with him and let my wife finish eating and to get mine packed to go. The waitress, Tori, asked if I wanted her to walk the baby around so I could enjoy my food. Pretty good service, if you ask me. I didnt take her up on that, she obviously had other things to attend to, but it was sweet of her to offer.My crab cake eggs benedict was thoroughly enjoyed in the drivers seat of my car when my wife finished up. It was perfect and hit the spot (especially after camping for a few days eating nothing but stale coffee and fire sacrificed hot dogs).Were hoping to make a trip to Alexandria Bay and the Thousand Islands a yearly thing like it was when I was a kid, and if we do, I hope to make Rileys by the River a routine stop.
Absolutely delicious food! Service was great. They have wine slashes- the white was tasty! Bacon jam burger is to die for!
We visited Rileys for breakfast on October 7, 2021. The service was excellent and the food was perfect. The staff expertly handled a busload of customers who came in right before we arrived. They were quick to seat them and take their orders - all with smiles on their faces. We will definitely be back.
Gone here thrice since our arrival at 1000 Islands: a few steps from our hotel room at Capt Thomson, it serves breakfast, lunch and dinner; we had great service (friendly and fast enough); drinks were nicely unique to the taste; and food was fresh and tasty.
Great food and service, thoroughly enjoyed my beef on weck. Has a nice view of the water and cool atmosphere.
Great food. Great service. Great view. Reasonable prices!
Me and my husband went there for breakfast both Saturday and Sunday. Both times our waitresses, food & mimosas were great!
My husband and I were told by our hotel front desk this was the place to go for meals. They were soooo right!! We both had the Maryland Eggs Benedict and it was scrumptious. We are going back tomorrow for sure! It was busy even for a Tuesday morning, but our waitress was on the ball and so friendly. Hope to get Laura again for our dinner tonight.
My wife and I stopped in for a late lunch/early dinner after visiting Boldt Castle. The service was excellent and the food was excellent. The Sea Food pasta was absolutely perfect and enough for 2 people to eat together. The appetizer Crab Dip was great. Our waitress was fabulous. Would definitely recommend this place for everyone to go.
One of the worst experiences I had for dining in a long time. Waited well over an hour to get our food. Saw others that came after us that received their food first. Waitress explain that our food was given to someone else and that they had to recook it. Only camped us for one appetizer. The food was merely adequate. The steak that we had ordered was not cooked right and it was mostly grizzle. The clams and the liguinne was more like butter broth and noodles. Which is sad because I had heard some good reviews about the place. Maybe we were just the one a few that received the awful experience. Definitely was not worth the money that we spent for the meal. If the staff was more attentive in more upfront and honest I would have rated it better.
Food and service was awesome. My only complaint is the had 4 items written on a blackboard, I saw upon entering. However they werent on the menu and our server didnt tell us about them. My husband had the bacon wrapped scallops. He said they were perfectly cooked . I had the shepherds pie. It was great , but..the gravy was delightful and it was on the plate. The meal was heaped in a small crock so the gravy said off .it was more than a meal for me. I afraid Ill run out of gravy when I go to finish it. Still very good food tho!
The good: The drinks were strong, the wings were crispy just like I asked for them to be. Although its not a perfect view of the river, you so get a view from most seating spots. The waitress was very friendly and getting in to a seat was quick despite the line being out the door.Needs improvement: lobster bisque was way too salty, if anything use less salt and let the customer add in. There are no more fishbowl drinks despite the sign on the highway advertising them. Lastly the service was a little slow. The waitress was nice but didnt come over very often and the food took about 40 minutes for two people.All in all I would definitely go again.
A good place to grab a meal or a drink after one of Uncle Sam tours. Enjoyed our lunch with a good view.
Across from Sams boat tours. Good to stop by for a drink while waiting. Ate there a couple of times and just very unimpressed by the food. Always busy guess its about location.
Disclaimer: I dont blame the server, I blame the establishment.If youre thinking Rileys By The River, choose the river instead...If I could give less than one star, I would. We should have known the service would have been poor considering our reservations were for 5pm and we didnt get seated until 5:15pm.After being seated, our party of 11 placed appetizer and drink orders. We waited until approximately 5:50pm and never received drinks or appetizers.It was fairly busy, but a restaurant in this area is likely busy all the time during the summer So hearing that Its a busy night from staff really doesnt sit well with me. To wait 40 minutes for waters is ridiculous. I could understand waiting longer for appetizers, but the basic unit of life is easy enough to serve within a 5 minute period of time.At this point, we hadnt even placed our meal orders at this point. We decided to leave and go elsewhere. We got our waters within 5 minutes of being seated and our meal orders within 10 minutes. I would probably still be waiting to place an order If I hadnt left.
Rileys by the river was a culinary treat. I liked it so much we visited a second time on this most recent trip. The prime rib dip was extremely tasty the service prompt and friendly and the restaurant clean with a beautiful view of the St Lawrence River. I would highly recommend this to any traveler to the thousand Islands as a must stop location for dining. They only had one local IPA available and I think they could have done better with the beer list. More local craft beers would be much appreciated.
Good food and fantastic service.. Pesto pasta was great and so was the Spicy Tomato pasta!
The half hour wait was worth it. Our food was outstanding! Best American fish n chips Ive had in 20 yrs and poutine as good as Ive had in Canada!! Our waitress Mackenzie was very friendly and attentive. Enjoyed our dinner with a river view too. Ill definitely return next time we visit Alex Bay!!
Great food, fast friendly service !!!Great place to stop after the castle tour.
The food was so good. The view was amazing
Visited on a Tuesday evening and it was busy! They were short-staffed like everywhere these days, but you wouldn’t know it! Our server was Zacharias and he was the best. He went out of his way to make sure we were happy, gave us great recommendations and we enjoyed chatting with him! We had the bourbon salmon, shrimp pesto and fried haddock - all very good! Kudos to people and places like this rocking it out even when it’s tough!
The food was very average. I had a burger which had nothing of note on it. No special sauce, dry, the bare minimum vegetables. The fettuccine was also quite bland. It tasted like pasta-roni. It was quite a large portion, so buy two boxes of pasta-roni at the family dollar around the corner. The building is nice, restrooms smell pleasant and look clean, theres an elevator for those in wheelchairs, and the servers were pleasant.
Food was great, but waitress was not. Several items were ordered but didnt come out. When we asked her the reply was I put it in the order. Then she preceded to avoid us checking in on all the other tables around us and ignoring mine. I think with a better waitress we wouldve had a much better experience.
Very good food. The old bay dip was excellent as was the sea food chowder. Service was very good with regular checking and refills on beverages. Good location right next to the river, and Unlce Sams Boat Tours. Watch the ships go by on the river and enjoy the view.
Chicken wings were not usual wings and were undercooked. I made mention was told ....sorry and would I like anything else or just the check. However....my husband had the fish sandwich which he said was very good. We did wait a long time for food to come out.
I often stop by Riley’s to visit the friendly staff who work there and grab a bite to eat. The food, especially the burgers are always good. However, this time, I must say everything was exceptional. I had the special which was shrimp pesto Alfredo and it was delicious and an enormous portion. Our table of five got two orders of poutine and steamers to start. The clams were little neck and were plump and tasty. The poutine had nicely cooked fries with a tasty gravy and lots of cheese curds. Just like Canada eh? Upon arrival, the manager recognized me and had my drink on order. He also made a specialty drink called The Last Word for my friend because they didn’t have what he drinks. It was spot on to his taste and made him feel special that he knew what he would like. The manager waited on us and didn’t write down our order yet everything came out exactly as we ordered. Food was reasonably priced, especially for Alex Bay. Salad and bread are a la carte, but the price reflects that. Service was prompt and extremely friendly and knowledgeable. I’m somewhat of a foodie and relatively hard to impress, so this rating is very rare for me, but deserved. Our night was special and memorable.
We ate here for dinner. Wife had the Maryland burger. The sauce has a little spice to it. Other then that no complaints. I had the chicken apple salad. Large salad and very similar to Wendys Apple Peacan Salad.
The food was good and the staff was friendly and helpful. Nice view of the river.
The clam pasta is AMAZING. Best cheese-free pasta Ive ever had, I highly recommend it. Our waitress was very attentive and kind to my friend and I and checked on us frequently. I cant wait to come back!
Went there this afternoon for a Anniversary early dinner. The seafood chowder was creamy goodness and the clams/linguine was on point. Zack was a cutie, thanks for those Tall Cool Caddy Shacks. Will be by again♡
Had lunch (4 adults, 6 kids) and while most of the meal was decent there were a few things that just didnt match our expectations given the price.Seafood Pasta - zero flavor, very watery sauce, tiny scallops and sparse seafood. Not at all what you expect for $26 a plate. Kids penne was not even all the way cooked yet. Crab dip was ehh.Appetizers were brought to the table but no plates so we could share them with the table without making a mess.Friend said their burger was very good and the rest of the meals seemed okay. Hostess was nice when I brought it to her attention.
We are locals here in the Bay and business owners here as well. We went to Riley’s to celebrate my granddaughter’s birthday. Hearing that everyone is having a hard time getting staff we made reservations but planned on a wait anyway just due to the lack of help. The food was awesome, the waiters and waitresses were the best!!!! They were understaffed it seemed but they all were running their tails off, in this heat and still smiling, laughing and making everyone’s night so much fun! Hats off to everyone at Riley’s!!!!
Higher food and drink prices do not equate to better tasting food or quality of service. Both were disappointing. We were put in a small room off to the side that had a sour smell as though someone had recently thrown up. The waitress was very slow and my grilled Rueben was delivered lukewarm and soggy. Youd think that a restaurant in the Thousand Islands would make fresh thousand island dressing. Nope, it tasted like Kens or whatever brand their food distributor had on special that week.
When we got to the place i had to ask someone to help us to find a table, they were walking all around and not even ask for help.The service was good but the food…. Ugh.The sirloin was very hard to shew and the fish didn’t has any flavor. We ask for a ribeye . They said they were out of it. So they offered us another sirloin instead. I don’t go ever again.
The pasta is terrible, not the sauce but the pasta itself. The seafood chowder is fine, a little too salty.
Definitely the worst $300 Ive ever spent on a meal. Staff certainly is temporary for the busy season. Premade beef patties, Morningstar veggie patties (@$13 for the veggie burger!!), cold fries and tots, salads that (besides being ill-prepared) came out 10 minutes after the meal which took over an hour to come out. Go for a mid-afternoon refresher and appetizer. Save your hard-earned money for a meal somewhere else.
Worst restaurant experience of our lives. After 40 minutes of sitting at a table in a hot, what felt like a 90°+ corner of the restaurant, we still had not even received a glass of water. An adjacent table had been brought their food, and I overheard that an entree was not brought out. After 20 minutes they had to complain yet again that they still had not received the entree. A member of my party approached the host to ask for a manager who ignored us and walked away. Once he came back, thinking perhaps he did not hear us, we asked again for the manager. The host, who this time definitely heard us, ignored us completely. It took a third time to get a manager to come out and acknowledge us. He did give us a $50 voucher, but the damage had already been done. We left after having spent 45 minutes without so much as a glass of water. Terrible staff service. It really was a terrible experience. We walked to a nearby restaurant and was seated immediately, had drink orders taken the minute we sat down, and overall had an excellent experience. Rylie’s should be ashamed.
Marina, our server, was fantastic! Ordered a glass of Chardonnay and was told establishment was out. Bartender sent out sample of two wines as an option and chose from there. Ordered appetizer of a dozen steamed clams, they were delicious, but only received 11. Pointed out to Marina and the 12th was brought out to us. Ordered haddock sandwich with fries. Fries were cold, brought to the attention of Marina, and a replacement.was provided. Haddock sandwich itself was great. Also ordered walleye nuggets, locally sourced. Very good. Battered and deep fried. Aside from a couple of hiccups, a nice meal.
We had just got off the shuttle boat from Boldt Castle and needed some refreshments. So we headed to Rileys. Lucky for us, Zacharias was tending at the bar. It was so nice talking with him! He made us feel like we were friends. Sharing stories together. He suggested the Walleye nuggets, his favorite. So I ordered them. He didnt steer me wrong. Very light and delicious! If ur reading this post, give them a try! The other employees were equally friendly. The view of the Alexandria Bay harbor was right there to add to the experience
The meal was good, service was slow but normal for the covid era and view of the bay wa great. Offered a 20% gratuity but when the credit card invoice appeared, the charged amount did not match the receipt. Tip was increased by 66%!!!As we travel, we try and be patient with slow understaffed service but then to have bled amount changed Id unbelievable @
FOOD POISONING... I was on vacation when i ate here about a month ago. I had about an hour and a half wait to get in with my girlfriend, the time it took for us to get our food was about 40 minutes so not too bad but i called at 6 to make reservations. I understand the popularity and limited resturants but to my point, i ordered salmon, it was delicious. I got corn that i didnt know came with it, it didnt taste the best but i ate it because i was starving and a few bread sticks as well i thinkI went to bed with my stomach feeling a little nautious, i was taking antibiotics at the time and had a couple beers that night. I woke up at 4 am to vomit in my mouth and i couldnt hold it back. Threw up all over the floor, we had already planned to leave that morning so we left and i tried calling a couple times with no answer to dispute the charges and let them know. My bank tried but they cannot take the money back, took them a month to try and this past few days i still cannot get anyone to answer the phone OR EVEN CALL ME BACK WHEN I LEAVE MY NUMBER. Yet their answering machine says to LEAVE YOUR NUMBER AND WELL CALL YOU BACK. Make your own decision but my opinion of them is pretty low now. I would not recommend eating here unless you want to take that risk and have that long wait. Although when we left they were taking walk ins...
Bartender and staff very good! Fantastic food!!
Been in 4 out of our 5 days in Alexandria Bay for both breakfast and dinner the breakfast is OUTSTANDING the pancakes are to die for. Only bad part was this morning our waitress didn’t visit our table for almost 10 minutes but the manager took our drink and food order and had it out quickly which made up for the table mix up. Riley’s is a treasure and should be incredibly proud of their staff 12/10
I went here on a regular Thursday evening. The place was probably half full when we arrived and throughout our meal. I ordered the Mediterranean Pasta with chicken, simple but something I enjoy. I do not exaggerate, the most bland food I have ever eaten. I thought someone cooked the pasta in hot dog water, then added boiled chicken and all of the other ingredients except the olives. Then they soaked the whole thing with dirty sink water and topped it with some cheese, only to serve it to to this poor guy who’s just trying to get a decent meal.Sorry for that rant. As for the rest of the food though, we ordered the dip and dip (artichoke dip, Buffalo wing dip, and tortilla chips, also listed on the menu with a better description). It came out luke warm, half the chips were crumbs? and yea I’m gonna be picky because.. cmon it’s easy, the wing dip was not spicy at all. My buddy got a quesadilla and the chicken was so dry he thought each bite was just a mouthful of sand, which is partly due to the fact that the waiter came by like once the whole time. Another person got the Med. Pasta as well and same as above. Another got a Caesar salad that had a minimum of 32 oz of dressing on it. I thought they were gonna charge us for an extra drink.Ribs were pretty good, some nice barbecue and the meat didn’t stick to the bone at all. Also, some women outside the restaurant were pretty hyped up about their miscellaneous fish dishes they received, so maybe I ordered wrong, who knows, I’m just giving my experience.The waitstaff were nice, but took their time doing everything (not to be mr. restaurant master guy, but it should not take 20 minutes just to get the check). Also, no bread? are you kidding I’m so hungry. I would add that some kind of napkin is in order when getting a 30-40$/person meal.This place seems to exist off of solely tourism. They don’t care if you come back, which I won’t, they just want to maximize profit.
Great food and great service. Nice views and great location.
Took a trip up to Alex Bay for a romantic night with my girlfriend. Stopped here for dinner and at the start things were going well the giant pretzel was a nice appetizer but thats where the good part stops. My entree was overcooked and not prepared how I requested. My girlfriend requested a glass of water to go with her adult beverage 3 times before a different waiter was asked and he promptly returned with it. Overall the bad waitress and her seemingly lazy attitude was what brought down the whole evening.
Very under-staffed and for the price the food was subpar. We started in the door at 5:30, and finally sat at 6:45 to an empty room. Their whole rib rack was more of a half rack. It was edible, and the staff was nice though.
I cant even comment on the food because we never made it to our table, that we waited for over 25 minutes for..., after being told there was a 15 minute wait time for a table for 2. The hostess, a male, was hands down the worst host I have experienced in my adult years, and I have been around for a while. He was lacking professional, customer service, enthusiasm and communication. He seemed to be uncomfortable with the position he was placed in. He told us at 15 minutes to wait another 5 because our table wasnt available. My husband asked for a drink, and told to proceed to bar, but the couple behind us, was informed they could sit at any available table. The couple after us, sat, ordered and began enjoying their outing as we waited. We opted to seat ourselves as well in hopes of receiving service. The bartender who attended to the couple that entered after us never came to our unassigned table. The hostess opted to leave his station and remained ghosted until...., not sure. We left. Hopefully our assigned table became available to a well deserving couple who enjoyed their experience, but for us..., it was a terrible experience and I promise I will state my discontent for Rileys on the River. My lack of an experience could cause a lack of other experiences all because of the hostess.
Had a wonderful dinner with my boyfriend after a boat tour yesterday. We wear seated quickly and had a prompt and fun server. We never have appetizers but this time I was dying to try the Walleye Nuggets. Corn flour dusted and fried they were perfectly white, flakey and delicious. Not dry. I have never had Walleye. My new favorite fish. He had the Bourbon Salmon, I tried it and it was fantastic. He lived it. I had the Uncle Sams Grilled Chicken Salad. Very happy with my selection. I love micro greens and the chicken was spiced and cooked to my liking. The salad was huge. Full of chicken, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and blue cheese crumbles. Loved the place. When I can figure out how to post pictures I will.
No wait at all on a busy summer weekend afternoon and the food, atmosphere and service was exceptional. The view was also unbeatable! Will definitely be back! Best post Covid indoor dining experience yet!! Great work!
A rare pictureless review for me, but we were too hungry... Solid menu, both the poutine and bacon onion jam burgers were fantastic and done perfectly as requested. We also had the seafood chowder (great) and cobb salad (standard fare, but very fresh). Portions were solid, staff was friendly and the location right on the river had nice scenery except for having our snouts buried in the food meant we didnt do a lot of water watching. Coffee game was weak, thus the 4-star. Well stop in again the next time were in a-bay.
First time visit and brought family. Zacharias gave us incredible service! I had the ribeye special with balsamic glaze with garlic blue cheese that was to die for! Everything was wonderful!
Crazy busy on the 4th. Massive crowds outside.We hoped to eat before the fireworks started. Got our table in 15 minutes and had perfect service from Kurstyn who kept checking on us even though kitchen was slammed. Quality appetizers and other tables food looked good too. Wouldnt have been surprised to see subpar food from the kitchen but everything was great. Did I mention it was crazy busy? ALL the staff were on their A game and friendly. Definitely going back next time in A-Bay. Best part? Left Rileys just as fireworks started and watched them from the sidewalk in front
We visited this establishment on a fine Thursday evening. We had a reservation so there was no wait to sit and headed to our table. The waitress was with us shortly and got our drink orders as well as appetizers. The drinks came quick but the appetizer seemed to take a very long time to come.We ordered the dip and dip, which was buffalo dip and artichoke dip with tortilla chips. This dish left much to be desired. The dips were barely warm with a portion size that might be fit for a small child, not our group of five. And the chips, they were so small it seemed we were eating the crumbs from the bottom of the bag. Dusty.We had put in our food orders before this and than after a reasonable wait were presented with our entrees. Mediterranean pasta with chicken, barbeque ribs, chicken caeser salad, and a chicken quesadilla. Basic but hard to get wrong. Well...they got these wrong.Two people in our group ordered the Mediterranean pasta. The pasta was missing olives and had very little flavor. According to one, it was the most bland thing they had ever eaten. The other barely ate any as they were waiting for the waitress to ask for parmesan cheese...the waitress didnt show until we had already finished our meals. Delicious.Another person got the chicken quesadilla. Something youd expect even your 9 year old to be able make. Well I dont know who was cooking but my friend said that the chicken was so dry he needed 3 glasses of water to wash it down. Yum.I got the chicken caeser salad and was slightly disappointed when it was set down. The salad was large but there was hardly any chicken on it. Less than half a chicken breast. I began eating anyway but as I took my first bite, was met with a mouthful of dressing. I went in for another, then another, and they were all like this. Dressing dripping off of each forkful. It seemed as if someone had poured half the bottle of dressing on it and it made the dish almost inedible. Tasty.The ribs were nothing special but we had no complaints...probably the best dish out of the group.To be fair, as we were walking out we heard a group of women exclaiming about how great their fish sandwiches were...maybe we ordered the wrong things.
We had a party of 11. 3 of us ordered the lobster roll, we eat lobster frequently. They served them on a round bun and they were so salty and had a weird color of gray and pink...yuk! When you picked it up to bite the water ran out of them...yuk!Chicken salad was just lettuce, had to ask for the chicken. When the chicken arrived it was cold and only 4 small cubed pieces for this very large bed of lettuce.The appetizer dip and dip was ok however the tortilla chips were stail, asked for fresh and still brought more stail chips.The manager was very nice and apologetic. We were comped for the bad food.DONT EAT THE LOBSTER ROLLS!!
Pretty good food. Staff were very upbeat and personable. They very helpful with our takeout order. Interior has a nice lively atmosphere. Would recommend for dinner.
Had a great meal service was on point and had a nice view of a ship passing by we will definitely return again
Food was good, location was nice after touring the Castle our family worked up an appetite. Staff was friendly, prices seemed reasonable. The only negative I could find was that the business would benefit from a water filter since the water served had an off flavor like too much minerals or something.
This new restaurant is a poster-child for how Alexandria Bay has improved since I was a boy visiting twenty years ago. It replaced an arcade. The service is fast and friendly, there was an excellent variety, and the hot food was served hot. The restrooms were extremely clean. Comfortable, classy decor. The prices are fair. Neat Sport theme tastefully expressed. My wife especially loved dining at this location.
8 of us went for dinner for 50th Birthday partyThe waiter was good. With 1 round of drinks and our dinner order, the bill was $188.And thats as far as we got. On a packed night we were told we were being to loud. Not sure why?? We were not any louder than any other table for a Saturday night. Will not go back. The waiter was good and seemed to. Ot want say anything. He still got a tip even though we ended up taking our food to go.
Nice atmosphere and decent food and prices. Convenient place to eat dinner after taking the boat ride to Boldt Castle. We shared a crab dip appetizer. It had large chunks of crab. Hubby had the bourbon salmon which came with veggies (green beans that night) and choice of baked, mashed, or French fried potatoes. Mashed were freshly made and tasty. I had their special, which was shepherds pie. It was average. They brought some brown gravy on the side and that improved it. Two glasses of a nice dry rose and one White Claw seltzer. Total bill was ~ $70.
Service was good however the hostess was at one point sitting on the floor. Food was okay at best. Dont order the chicken riggies because you cant find the chicken.
Waited over an hour for food that was over priced. The waitress was genuinely friendly and apologetic, but the food was not worth the wait or price.
Great place to eat after the Boldt Castle tour.
My family and I walked in with a party of 5. We were told a half an hour wait which was no big deal at all. We came back after 25 minutes to be told that our table was given away and it would be another 45 minutes. We understand accidents happen but we were not given an apology of any sort, just “it’ll be 45 more minutes”. The host, a young man, was pompous and rude with no hospitality at all.
Weak drinks, weakest drink I have had in a very very long time. The appetizer came out at the same time as the food so I wouldn’t bother ordering an appetizer. Substituting fries for chips cost an extra $2! I would try something different if I were you.
Never do this but the quality of the food and kitchen service was not good. My table ordered a lobster roll which was served as a lobster salad on a hamburger roll with lettuce, tomato and mayo. Not a lobster roll. Another ordered seafood chowder which had no visible seafood in it. The fried flounder was like a thiN sheet of paper and the mozzarella sticks were brought to the table well after the entrees. Waitress was very nice and just caught up between poor quality food and a mismanaged kitchen.
Giving it a two because first time there was good...unfortunately, the second time there with friends was well below good. We had cheese sticks, but no cheese inside. The waitress was not surprised because she asked if that was the problem before I even mentioned it.We had ordered hot dogs burned on one side, raw on the other. Chicken wings that were under done even though we ordered well done. Service was slooooooowwwww!!!! I don’t blame the waitress. I think the kitchen staff is inexperienced and needs help.Love the location and the area. It can work. Just trying to give constructive criticism. God bless!!!
Server looked like a surfer dude but he was great. Food was excellent. Maryland burger was incredible! Overall a great place to eat.
We had breakfast here. It was one of the best breakfast Ive had in years!! Our server was Dorene, she was amazing with a great sense of humor. For the most part the food came out quickly besides one plate but again the server was ontop of it. As a restaurant manager myself I always look for great personality in a server, because even if a kitchen is busy and the server is still checking on you instead of ignoring the situation your customers are less ap to get upset.I would definitely recommend this place for breakfast
Loved our lunch! Rileys actually has gluten-free rolls, and I got a Lobster Roll. Yum! Our waitress, Kenzie, was adorable. 🧡
My wife, sister & myself totally enjoyed ourselves. Our waiter Zacharias was very engaging & was very helpful in our dinner selections which were excellent. We will be back
The food here was great and worth the wait. The service was also good despite the current challenges of covid. We did have a 20 minute wait for a 11am lunch because they clearly have a big draw for bfeakfast as well. The server was upfront about the kitchen needing some time to catch up so I cant fault her for our food taking a good while to come out. Overall I would reccomend them and would plan on coming back again so long as we werent in a hurry.I got the fried perch fritters and they were everything I could hope for. The side salad was underwhelming and Id probably skip that next time.My wife enjoyed her chicken quesadilla as well.Everything was fresh and cooked nicely.
We both ordered steak medium well and got two very rare pieces of shoe leather Im sure! Wont go back there again. Maybe they were having a bad day.
This is probably the only restaurant worth going to in this area. Food was good...bit pricey though. Atmosphere very dark and little dingy but otherwise okay.
After the boat and castle tour, our family decided to come here to eat since it was right next door. The wait wasnt too much of an issue until we sat at the table. Food seemed a bit overpriced for what we got. The burgers were undercooked, the lobster sandwich was not what expected, and the alfredo was just ok. Props for the nice view of the water front though.
The food and drinks were great. Ellie was a phenomenal server and made it a great first experience at Rileys. We will definitely be back, highly recommend!
We were shocked at how terrible our meal was today. We check the menu outside while passing by after a tour and decided to give a try. We sat down and asked for kids menu...which they had no printed copies of. We ordered the big pretzel appetizer when we sat down and it came about 30 minutes later...basically burned on the outside and served with microwaved cheese sauce that was near boiling. I ordered the turkey club and it was so loaded with mayo it was coming out the sides with bites. Two kids meals werent worth the wait. Penne was served without butter and we had to wait for it and when it came it was straight from the cooler and took a while to melt on the pasta. We had to ask for salt and were given packets which is expected at this time, but only 1 salt packet amongst about 30 pepper in the container. Chicken tenders were over fried and terrible quality chicken. My kid loves any chicken tenders and she only ate a couple of small bites. My husband ordered the prime rib dip sandwich special. It had cooked red onions and canned mushrooms mixed with the sloppy, overcooked meat hash in a soggy bun. I couldnt tell if it was mayo or cheese in the sandwich. We wont be returning.
Four of us enjoyed an early dinner/late lunch after touring Boldt Castle and Yacht House in Alex Bay. Two friends shared a dinner, another had a lobster roll, which he said was very good, and a fish chowder which was excellent. I really enjoyed a lightly fried Perch dinner. Next time I have visitors, well go to Rileys. Very good service.
Great place to grab dinner after a day on the water. Everything was delicious with large portions. Friendly and quick staff, too. Would recommend!
Great food and a very pleasant staff.
Service, atmosphere, and food were spot on! The server interacted with our older son and made it a really enjoyable experience. We had 5 adults and 2 children and they set us up in a spot where my oldest could see the boats coming in and out. Being from Buffalo, we know our food, and everything we had was delicious. Loved the Huckleberry fishbowl!!!
We were waiting to be seated for at least 30 mins and then when waiting for our food took even longer. I had ordered a burger and i asked for medium, i could tell the meat was a little more like medium rare, my friend had ordered a fettuccine alfredo and they had said it tasted bland but i thought it tasted pretty good. The food was definitely not worth over a hours wait.
Food so-so, service with Zacharias excellent. Bland steak, burned pretzel, but the walleye app and crab cakes were excellent! Hot Girl Summer drink excellent, need to up the wine list.
Great breakfast and great prices. Wish they served breakfast later than 11 on weekends. Would definitely recommend.
We came in after visiting Boldt Castle to have lunch. Our server was absolutely amazing! The food was great as well! Thank you Kim B!! We will def come back and request you, you made our dining experience great!
The wait was long, but the view and the fried haddock were worth it.
Its been a few years since Ive been in Rileys, and its still a solid spot for great food. I typically go downtown late (after 9), which limits food options. I made it in a few minutes before 9 and had a seat at the bar. I wasnt rushed, and even though service stops at 9, I was able to place an order (and even offered another beer well after 9). Pasta sounded right for the night so I ordered the Chicken Riggies, which was fantastic. The sauce was spicy but not overly so, with excellent flavor and an extremely generous portion. Service was great as well. All in all, a great experience!
Amazing appetizers and drinks after a nice long boat ride and walk around Boldt Castle.
We had a large party and they managed to keep us very close together. Wait staff was very knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful, especially when a steak that was ordered med well came out rare and tasted off.
Service was great and food was delicious! We had our drinks very quickly and our appetizer and salads were out soon after. We had the perfect amount of time to finish those before our food came out. Everything was perfect and more than delicious! One of the best places we have been to eat on our trip to 1000 Islands!
Great meatballs for $1.00!! Good drink price. Clean, excellent bartending
This place needs to seriously reevaluate their menu and staff. Their calamari was half the portion for the same price as compared to the other local restaurants, not to mention a few pieces were fried banana peppers (good thing I’m not allergic) which was misleading. When I brought the matter up to the server (who clearly doesn’t know how to wear her mask), she tried to insult my intelligence by stating “have you been to the other restaurants?”. I live here, so “yes I have” and their portions are more than fair. To add, the burger was not fresh. Also, they charge two dollars for a side of regular fries if you decide against their standard, out of the bag, Lay’s potato chips. I thought fries were suppose to come with a burger!? The location and interior design, however, is astonishing.
Very neat establishment. The food was good! The time from order to table was very efficient. Drinks, appetizers, and the main meals came out of the kitchen when they should have. Bravo! There are not very many places that do this very well but you guys did it, very well! Thanks to all who made our culinary excursion a memorable experience! We will be back!
We got the garlic bread as an app. Which was good but nothing amazing. My wife and I both got quesadillas and they were sub-par. Our daughter got a burger which wasnt on the kids menu. We ordered medium well but was very burnt. Wasnt crowded so it was a nice place to eat quick but likely wouldnt go back
The waiter, Paul, was very friendly and willing to accommodate our large group split into two cheques. Eggs Benedict was tasty.
We had great food and great service! Tori is amazing 👏! She makes the whole thing work. The kind of employee that every business needs!
Good Was not good. My wife and I both had the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, she had the chips and I had fries. The chicken was way overdone and the exterior was rock hard. I had all I could do to cut through it with the knife that was provided. Once I got it cut, it was very chewy and stringy. The flavor was mediocre at best. Although the server was pleasant, it could not make up for the 1/2hour wait for the food, and the substandard condition of the meal. This is the third time we have eaten here and on each occasion there have been problems. This will be the last time we eat there and rest assured we will not recommend it to others.
Food was awesome as well. The hostess readily took our table request & made it happen. I would definitely go back!!!
Nice restaurant and atmosphere. Our waitress wasnt the nicest but Riley came over to our table and talked. We found out some history of the restaurant and that it was named after him. Very nice and personable guy. Food was delicious as were the drinks.
The food was good, the service was great and the beer was cold. This was probably the best meal my family has had in Alexandria Bay. The server was very nice and did a great job. Everyones food was served hot and their order was right. The portions were actually much larger than what weve come to expect from New York restaurants. Overall Rileys was a good experience and well definitely return.
Awesome view of the bay/St Lawrence River. I had their fettuccine Alfredo and it was very rich and creamy. They give you very generous portions so I couldn’t finish it all but it was great nonetheless. I also had a rainbow cake which was tasty and colorful.
First time to Alex Bay and was recommended this place. Waitress was rude and snippy. Dip n dip was pretty good, the two dips is a creative app. My sister’s salad had rotten apples on it, although the chicken was delicious. My burger was decent, the friend pickle aspect would’ve been better if they put more than 4 on there. Fries were luke warm. Very limited menus, wouldn’t recommend.
Overated by far , had sum walleye fish nuggets for app , $12.99 for 5 lil piesces of fish , one with bone included ...buffalo chicken sandwich hmmm chicken was a lil tough , like a ole bird , maybe they would be better to butter fly the the chicken . Burgurs seemed good homemade and good size
This atmosphere is nice. The place is well kept and inviting. The food was pretty good. They have a great Bloody Mary menu. I had the Siracha Bacon Bloody Mary. It was awesome! Ill try The St. Lawrence Scorcher next time.The wait staff was very friendly. We ordered the French dip and Ruben. Our food came out in about 10 minutes. I would definitely stop here again. It was a good pick.
Service was very good with a smile. Got the Uncle Sam burger medium but came back well done. Burger was over priced at $13. The sea food chowder was very good and large. Wine slushy was good too. Over all was pricy and food was hit or miss
Great food. 👍 Alfredo was Amazing
They were slow but polite. They even toasted my gluten free bread and buttered it for me. It has a nice view of the water and looks like an old wooded building. They were nice and generous to the children with tator tots and home fries.
Horrible. Food was ok. Pricey, I get it being in a tourist trap. But place was empty and staff seemed clueless how to seat people during this covid thing. The steamed clams were insulting for the size and cost. 13 min after seating we still waited for drinks. 3 reminders for place settings and silverware.
The waiter was super bubbly and kind. We had a great view of the river. The food was very good also. We had the buffalo chicken burger and the pulled pork sandwich and they give you plenty. You are paying for what you get I enjoyed it and wouldnt hesitate to go back.
Amaaaaazing pancakes! Great view just by the boats. Great price too
My burger was bland and the waitress showed up maybe twice since we got our food. My companys fish was very good though and we both enjoyed our appetizer of wings.
The Strawberry Stuffed French Toast along with the pancakes were amazing and delicious! It is “Food Channel” quality, might I add. They were huge portions which is an A+. I can tell the cook is good at what he or she does. I was very impressed. I hope to have the same experience this year.
Both the food drinks and service have been consistently excellent every time weve visited over the last several years.
This was our first visit to Alexandria bay and Rileys by the River was walking distance from our hotel. It was worth the walk. We both had burgers that were juicy and well seasoned. Our server, Kim, was friendly and efficient. We would definitely come back.
I ordered the Mediterranean pasta with shrimp for the second time and it was excellent both times. The presentation was lovely, the asiago instead of the usual feta gave a unique favor, the large shrimp were tender and not overcooked and the chef was very generous with all the ingredients. I came home with enough for another meal which was just as good reheated..This restaurant ranks high on my list for this dish at least and I will definitely go back again. The service was also excellent. Kudos to the chef!
Every time we come to a-bay, this is a stop for us for a quick drink. The first year we went the drinks were great and a bar to remember. We went back again and were not disappointed. Staff were friendly .they had a nice separate bar area and then a dining area. Restrooms were clean.we havent tried the food .
First I’ll start with positives. The appetizers were AMAZING! If the appetizers could be meals they should. The establishment is clean and the location is nice. The service was okay (giving the benefit of the doubt because they were a bit busy).However, that’s where it ends. The entrees were AWFUL. My husband got the salmon and I got the sandwich with au jus. My husband’s salmon was tough (being from South Florida we know how fish should taste). My sandwich was so salty and the roast beef was so tough it was gross. The au jus had also spilled out of the cup onto the sandwich when it came out.For the price ($80 after a 22% tip with only 1 alcoholic drink) it was mediocre at best. I’d also like to add we don’t believe in taking the faults of the establishment out on the server.I’d save your money and go eat right across the street at Coleman’s Dock of the Bay. The food is always tasty, service is great, and you get nice portions.
Food was okay, but we waited a very long for food to come out. 55 minutes for three meals. Watched multiple tables complain about how long food was taking, with one table leaving before food arrived. There was no one dedicated to seat customers coming in, it was up to all servers to keep their eye out for that. Seems mismanaged or understaffed, with other reviewers leaving same complaints about food wait time. Waitress apologized multiple times for the wait time. Did not see any manager on floor going around to tables or taking over for the greeting at entrance to sit down restaurant.
Food was mostly well prepared, however the breading on the perch was rather heavy a d the coleslaw had way to much acid for a mayo based dressing. The pasta dish was great, as was the service provided.
Burger was good. Soup, meh
Our motorcycle group stayed at Capt. Thomsons (across the road). We ate dinner here one night and had a banquet-style meal here another night. The banquet food was excellent. The dinner, just so-so. Service was friendly and quick.
Fast service. Waitress was great, and the food was awesome. Will definitely go again when were here again!
Food was good. I got the walleye nuggets which were plain but the spicy burger was great.
They have, get this.. Ready for this? Poutine! Everyone was ordering it, it seemed so popular. I didnt get it tho. I was too scared. 😨. Writing this now I feel like such an idiot. You ever do that? Just regret the smallest decisions that you think could have the biggest impacts but you dont kno until its too late. Geez. Ginger ALE was watered down
We had a lovely dinner at Rileys on the River, food was very good, staff was super friendly. Would definitely recommend!!
Havent walked around Alex Bay in a few years and was pleasantly surprised by this relatively new eatery. Good service, good food, great views. Ill be back.
Service was really good but the food was not. Very expensive also. My pasta dish had so much butter I stirred it three times and still floated to top. Dish tasted like blue cheese and butter. Not good flavor profiles with food. Just not eatable. 2 stars is for server. Food is terrible. Wife got chicken Alfredo dish and even that was bad.
Rileys is a very nice waterfront restaurant, serving, breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday until 10 at night, in the summer. The food is good, nice variety, and there are specials. The bar makes nice cocktails, has craft beer, and serves several Fingerlakes wines The staff is very nice, especially bartenders. There is nice buffet breakfast offered. The service is fast and the quality of the food is good. Rileys is updated and is very clean, and well kept. The seating gives you plenty of space and views.Rileys is located in the downtown area, and Captain Thomsons Resort is located across the street.
Calamari was the consistency of a latex balloon. Overpriced steak dinner all while being served with what appeared and tasted to be a frozen medley of vegetables straight out of a bag. The place has potential and is clean; the menu is what is lacking.
Let’s start with the beginning.We came off the uncle sam’s ride, and were very hungry. After nearly a 20 min wait , the server tells us there are no tables for a party of 5. They were full. After we look around for her, we find there at least two tables that could seat us. After much sighing and huffing, she says, she will have to clean it.She then left silverware that was wet and unclean on a table that was sticky wet.We asked for limes for our waters, and one of the slices was bad, and when we asked for more, the server returned the same dish with one tiny piece of lime.When the order came, for being a fishing town, the fish was terribly dry and no flavor.The chicken sandwich seemed on par of a decent takeout burger.The walleye was good.All of these were brought with none of the menu listed sauce sides. We had to ask for every single one of them from memory - the server did not notice anything amiss.We walked out unhappy and never going there again. Will not recommend.
Went for breakfast. Ordered pancakes,eggs, bacon, sausage, and home fries. Everything was under cooked and just tasted off. Service was good which is the only reason I gave it 2 stars.
Poor service, chicken wings were good
Just had dinner at Rileys. Went there for ribs as I have for the past three summers but it was taken off the menu. Please put it back on menu. Stuffed haddock was good but nothing to write home about. Service was excellent by bartender Sharon. I live year round 30 minutes from restaurant. Please put St Louis ribs back on menu. I will give you 5 stars again.
I would highly recommend staying away from this place. My husband and I were shown to our table by the hostess and then proceeded to wait 10 minutes before a young girl with horrible attitude slammed down water and threw straws on the table. We waited another 5 minutes before leaving. I have been a waitress and even by the lowest of standards you should at least greet the table well before 15 minutes. The rude tone of the girl dropping off water did not help the impression of the restaurant. Husband was looking forward to some of the things on the menu but with horrible attitudes that were shown we decided to leave and take our business elsewhere.
Nice little place for food right after the boat tour. a little overpriced for the quality. the gravy ruined what otherwise would’ve been great poutine
We went a few years ago and it was awesome. Went yesterday and the service was good, drinks were great, the food was cold and raw. They did make it right by replacing the food.
Rileys just keeps rolling along. We dropped in this morning for breakfast. My wife had her usual strawberry stuffed French Toast. Always a winner. She counts the days between visits. I tried the Thats My Jam Omlet. Impressive, sweet onion jam, bacon and maple cheese. I will definitely do that one again. As usual the service was excellent. One of the best cups of coffee in the 1000 Islands. Rileys is a must stop anytime you are in the area
While visiting upstate New York my family and I stopped for lunch. The fried green tomatoes were delicious! The manager was very pleasant and stopped by our table a few times to chat and check on us. Our server was a bit scattered but all in all.....great time!
Worst hosting services I have ever had. Never made it up the starirs. The hostess forgot about the customers ahead of us and then did not acknowledge the fact we were even there. The kicker was that dispite the signs for social distancing, he allowed more customers in a small space to pass by us and seat them while we stood there.
Visited the bar after Uncle Sam Boat Tour. Good selection of drinks and bar food, and was kept clean. Staff was friendly.
We loved our waiter Cole, he was attentive and fun. He made sure our drinks didnt run dey but also made sure appetizers and meals flowed evenly. I also enjoyed the hostess I didnt get his name but was also very nice. The sauce on my chicken parmesan was pretty thick and not that appealing. I would definitely give it another shot especially after the awesome service we received.
Ive only been once, but the time I did go for breakfast. . . Lets just say that its my new favorite breakfast out place. Their strawberry stuffed french toast, is the best thing I have ever eaten! The portion was huge, but I ate it all anyway, and continued to ask my parents if we could go back again!
Awesome little pub right on the water. Watching boats and jet skis on the water. The haddock sandwich might be one of the best Ive ever had.
The food is a bit over priced. The wait time is long, but its clear that the servers are busting their butts. Also, they have no buzzers, but also no designated waiting area. The best way to describe it is a cluster f**k. But, i would definitely recommend!
It was a nice resturant, roomy, had adequate social distancing, lovely scenic view on the water, good food, alot to choose from, staff was patient & gave good service. I would highly recommend this place to eat
We stopped here for breakfast before our boat tour. We were worried we wouldnt have enough time, but our waitress, Doreen was great and made sure we were fed and had coffee before our adventure. The food was great too. Recommend!!
The server was very nice and the service was quick. Unfortunately I ordered the ceaser salad which has made me sick. There was a lot of rotting lettuce on the plate and the leaves were unwashed and uncut.The view here is beautiful but unfortunately the food was bad and now Im sick.Maybe this place is better to just get drinks at?
Food was delicious, drinks were refreshing, service was great. Definitely earned all 5 stars.
Because we live in Alexandria Bay we eat at Rileys often. The food is always excellent, service is prompt and friendly. Plus the view of the St. Lawrence river is great
Our waitress Liz was great. We had friends over from Canada and went there for dinner. We all had something different and it was great. Great atmosphere we were the last ones out. Really nice place to socialize
We have been 3 times. Great food, great service, and a beautiful view! We will be back for sure!
Total reviews rating 4.1
199 Reviews for Rileys by the River 2023:
Review №1
2022-05-27We were staying at Capt. Thomson’s, so Riley’s was very convenient. Had a late lunch/early supper one day and breakfast another day. Excellent food at a great price (breakfast prices especially!!). Servers Nicole and Kim were attentive and friendly. My sister had broiled haddock and said it was cooked perfectly. I had a grilled chicken sandwich that had a great marinated chicken breast on a nice soft roll. Homemade kettle chips were so good, I took the leftovers back to the hotel to snack on later. Would definitely stop back here again next time we are in town!
Review №2
2022-07-02Struggle if this is 2 or 3 stars. Our server was fantastic, so feel bad to give a 2, but the food was average at best. Less than OK. 4 plates and we disliked all of them. Mostly overcooked is what ruined them, but hard to say if they would have been flavorful even if cooked well. Have a look from color of pictures of 2 medium rare burgers and salmon.
Review №3
2021-09-15We went their twice. Once the day we came into town & on our way out. Our waitress the last day was amazing! She was super friendly & offered a great drink selection. She has a camp in Alex Bay & technically retired. Food was awesome as well. The hostess readily took our table request & made it happen. I would definitely go back!!!
Review №4
2021-09-24My husband and I came here on a Tuesday night for dinner then the following morning for breakfast (best breakfast we had during our stay!)Dinner had around a 15 minute wait for the table so we sat at the bar and ordered drinks, I had the strawberry mojito, it was delicious! My husband ordered the fall festival on tap, he enjoyed that.Food we had NY strip with mashed potatoes and broccoli, it was alright nothing too special. My husband ordered the fish taco and he liked them fairly well!Breakfast though is where they really shined!!I ordered their special (Which should definitely be put on their menu as a standard!) Fisherman french toast, thick cut bread fried to perfect, dusted with cinnamon and sugar. The outside was wonderfully crisp, while the inside was so soft 10/10! My husband ordered the bacon jam omelette, he remarked multiple times how good it was!On top of all of this the staff was all very kind and they had good music in the background 😆If ever in the 1000 islands area again well definitely stop!
Review №5
2021-10-10Excellent food and fantastic service. The staff was attentive to our needs and polite. The food is fresh and tastes amazing. I would check the giant blackboard when you walk in, they have specials listed there. The pricing is good for the amount of food that you get. They also make great adult beverages. Perfect location, comfortable and clean environment. The bathroom was clean and smelled nice. If you visit Alex Bay, you MUST try Rileys.Burger shown below is the Spicy Burger. The Thousand Islands quesadilla is great too! I highly recommend it!Also pictured, the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and the Prime Rib Dip. SO delicious! 😍
Review №6
2022-05-2311/10 spicy burger - chips made in house werent my favourite but would have probably been great with a side dip of some sort. Beer was ice cold with local selection and great service. A perfect stop after a boat tour.
Review №7
2022-05-21Experience was great and waitress was awesome and if she didnt know something she went and asked my mother and fiance got the Reubens and I got the bourbon salmon and food was quick and tasted wonderful
Review №8
2022-06-18We were happy to find a breakfast spot with gluten free bread. I couldn’t find a breakfast menu anywhere online so I am happy to share one, see pics. I believe they also serve lunch and dinner. This is in the middle of Downtown Alexandria Bay and right on the water.If you need the GF bread make sure to call and confirm they have it in stock before you come. I did make the call before coming and was glad I did. I ordered French toast and it came out on what looked like burger buns. It was still very good and tasty. I appreciated their ability to adapt but found it interesting they didn’t mention this. My uncle sat at another table, at the same time, and asked for GF toast and was told there was no GF bread left. Just mentioning this because you might want to question all of this on the phone before you come if this would bother you.I had the GF French toast with Nutella drizzle and a side of bacon. It was tasty and a healthy portion. The Nutella was a nice touch. The bacon was a little thin for my liking, could have been a little crispier but there was a good amount for a side. My significant other agrees with my comment about the bacon. But he said the toast was very good and the deep fried home fries were pretty good. Overall a standard breakfastsPrices were reasonable and service was great. A good option for a quick breakfast if you are in the area. And many seats offer great views of the water.
Review №9
2021-10-09This was a great place to eat after a long car ride to Alex Bay. The food was wonderful and the service was excellent. I had a Bay Burger and freshly made pasta salad. It was delicious...a tad messy!We were seated by the window and had a wonderful view of the bay. We would recommend this restaurant to family and friends.
Review №10
2021-09-22Wonderful place to visit right next to Uncle Sam Boat Tours in Alex Bay. We had the Maryland eggs Benedict and they were cooked to perfection. The crab cake on this was a tasty touch! The stuffed French toast was the perfect pairing to split as a couple. Very friendly service both days we visited. Laura was super sweet and made great recommendations and Zachariah was also wonderful. Would highly recommend and would definitely go back!