Rivershack

CLOSED… it’s ouzo’s now

Apparently no longer a gastropub. Back to Greek food?

I guess i should start by stating that this review might be a bit biased because I found myself being disappointed since the moment I sat down and learned that Anise had closed down (i never had a chance to try it but heard it was pretty good) and instead the owner had decided to open a Gastropub of sorts. Well, the décor and the ambiance is great for a small cozy restaurant great for casual dates, but I honestly don’t see a Gastropub succeeding here (especially considering they hardly have a reasonable bar and only a small television)
We decided to make the best of it, sat near the water and grabbed a bite to eat. The server advised that they still carried some of the popular dishes from before, including the octopus, so I immediately went for it. Danny decided for one of their «favorite» sandwiches and for some of their «Evil Eggs» their version of deviled eggs with a sauce supposedly made of sriracha. I attempted to order a bottle of their Famega Vihno Verde but they were out, this happen with a couple more selections til the server suggested something along the lines.
The meal was mediocre at best; the sandwich that was supposed to be served on brioche came with regular loafed bread, and to say that the egg (no plural) dish was forgettable at best is definitely an understatement. I was impressed by the precision with which the octopus was boiled. It was perfectly fresh and tender, not chewy (a worthy task). Too bad it was part of the old menu and it would soon disappear all together from their repertoire. I’m very sad about this, I think the location is very promising to have a «dinner date» kind of establishment, unfortunately a gastro pub will not succeed, not like this.

I would give this place 4.5 stars if Unilocal would let me. Here’s why:
1. The service is great (5+ stars)! My wife and I have been to Rivershack four times now, and we have great service every time. The owners (GiGi and Liza) are always readily available to chat. They are always very welcoming, and their waitstaff is fantastic.
2. The atmosphere is phenominal (5 stars). Other Unilocalers are trying to compare Rivershack to the previous restaurants that have been at this location (Ouzo’s, Anise Taverna, etc.), but Rivershack is a gastropub and a completely different place. The place is fun, eclectic, and energetic for a small restaurant on an even smaller river. The lounge/​bar area is unique & fun, the inside dining area is relaxing, and the outside dining area is quiet and «intimate».
3. The food is good (4 stars). Rivershack has many options in terms of food– each item is interesting and delicious. First of all, the chefs did a great job in catering the menu to carnivores (like myself) and vegetarians alike.
The mac and cheese is delicious.
Fried pickles are good (one time when I was there, they made fried zucchini– this was even better than the fried pickles!).
The smoked brisket empanadas are okay– I think the brisket would be better served on its own instead of inside an empanada, but they were still pretty good.
The barbecue sauce they use on the 48 hour ribs is delicious! It’s tangy and sweet, giving the ribs a wonderful flavor.
The apple barbecue flavor of the Sloppy Dave sandwich isn’t for me, but my wife liked it.
I tried the fungus amungus once, and I have to say that I am a fan! I don’t usually enjoy mushrooms, but the chef did a good job with this sandwich.
I’ve had their sangria, and I would buy it by the gallon to take home if I could.
Finally, for dessert– I like the sweet potato cheesecake, and my wife likes the campfire s’mores bites. You would never think to make a cheesecake with sweet potatoes, but the flavors seem to go together very well in this dessert.

I don’t know what to make of Rivershack. I think I liked it. I’m pretty sure I did.
The location is quirky which wasn’t great for past restaurants I tried there. Indian, Bangladeshi, Greek. I think the current owners have figured out how to make the space work. We went on a Friday and they had some live music. It was just ok, I’m assuming he was a friend of the owners.
We went there because we were looking for another place that just wasn’t where the GPS said it was. I remembered reading about Rivershack on Unilocal,and even though it had some mixed results decided to give it a shot. My reading comprehension must be worse than I thought, I was sure it was a BBQ shack. So the actual menu was a surprise, but not really a bad one. (The two quibbles here is the first two things I tried to order were not available. And then we tried to order Evil Eggs, which are spicy deviled eggs, but the waitress let us know its 1, cut in half, per order. $ 3 for 1 egg? They should call it Evil Egg, don’t you think?) Other than that, the menu is different but not too different. Most people should find something they like. Unless it runs out!
The service was nice — attentive but not clingy, and informal in a way that made us feel very comfortable. The food was delicious. We split mac and cheese, which was as good as advertised. It was also decadent and set me back a week on my diet. Both entrees were very good, but at the end we agreed for the price we could have gone someplace a little fancier.
I would give them an extra star for having Pabst Blue Ribbon — except they were out. Of course they were!

My wife and I used to love this restaurant when it was Anise. Great Greek. Now that they changed it to the River Shack it is as bad as they get. The food was TERRIBLE.
It seemed like the highly touted MAC and CHEESE was microwaved. very bland.
We were dissapointed with the salads we ordered as well as something as simple as the french fries. Sorry but have to give 2 thumbs down on the River Shack.

So, I’m at this Memorial Day weekend pool party. My friends start talking about leaving to go to this restaurant that just opened up the road. I’m thinking what in the world is wrong with these people. It’s a beautiful day, the water feels great, and we have everything we need right here (aka beer). But I guess not everybody is doing the beer-​only diet… yet.
Great atmosphere inside the restaurant. Our rowdy selves walked outside instead and then bam! I woke up to this beautiful setting by the water. Like if I was hit with a cold bucket of water in the face. I went from grumpy to happy and then right back to grumpy (because my buzz was now gone).
I should probably warn readers that I am not going to discuss food in this review since I only sampled what my friends ordered (3 Cheese and Mac and Fried Pickles). The Sweet Potato Cheesecake was sooo on point that I am tempted to dedicate a whole paragraph to it… but I am not.
The service was spectacular. Chef David came outside numerous times to talk to us. There was a puppy, an iguana, we got rained on and didn’t care. The place just seems to have a lot of good things going on for it.
I will go back sober to test the menu. And I’m pretty sure they know this (or I hope) but the beer list is slacking hardcore for a gastropub. Nevertheless, an all around positive experience.
Upper East Side is where it’s at people.
Cheers!

I hate to disagree… especially after frequenting the previous restaurant as often as I did. Totally surprised when I showed up to dine… expected it to be same or better quality and unfortunately disappointed! The look and feel is ok… the menu not creative and serves the same stuff you find in many BBQ spots… it’s like Red Light at a new location. Except that all plates have the same seasonings and for some reason hard to digest and… was left feeling extremely thirsty… perhaps too much salt with the herbs. Miss the Greek food… oh well… not sure I’ll ever return.

This place has an awesome location on the water (unique dock/​dining deck) and all the fixings of a gastropub!
We went there for the first time and had the Braised Beef Empanadas and the home made meatballs– WOW!
Chef Mickey’s Shrimp & Grits were creamy and fresh… cant wait to come back to dive into the 48 Hour Ribs.
Miami’s Upper East Side has a new gem!