The Riverdale Garden Restaurant

We made reservations and signed a contract for a family dinner and got cheated out of our money. Our waitress was very nice but everything else was so terrible that I would never go back. When our guests sat, the menu was not what we signed on contract, another menu was on our tables with the price listed. Drinks were ""included"" for our guests of their ""liking"" on contract but in reality, two drinks were served by the pitcher and I went through the embarassment of having one of my guests charged for their drinks within those two hours. Outside of the contract, we decided to do a simple toast and asked for an inexpensive bottle of champagne. The owner recommended two bottles instead and said that we were shown the old menu and that they would provide something similar. When the bill came, we were charged double the price for each champagne bottle without us knowing in advance. They robbed us of our money. My guests will never go there again and I will be sure to deter anyone who mentions that place. A HORRIBLE experience as it was my first night married and I chose that stupid place to have my dinner. more

Located just off Broadway at 242nd street, the Riverdale Garden is just what we need around here. The highly skilled kitchen staff put forth thoughtfully prepared food that is fantastic. With the best risotto in the city, vinaigrettes that should be bottled they are that good - I always enjoy perfectly cooked fish when I go there. The fresh flavors (no heavy sauces thank you!), interesting menu choices (wild boar anyone?), and yummy desserts (big enough to share, not that you?ll want to!) more than make up for service that, while always well meaning, sometimes misses the mark. I love this place! more

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The Riverdale Garden is a one of a kind Bronx destination that achieves a rare level of culinary excellence. I go there to celebrate special occasions and to create a special evening on ordinary days. Its elegance is of the casual variety, so only dress up if you feel like it. And you don't have to take out a second mortgage to afford it. The food is simply fabulous. I'm not sure what you call chef-owner Michael Sherman's style of cooking except, well, delicious. He uses the best ingredients and knows how to bring out the best in food. The menu changes often, so there is novelty even for regulars. Love the risotto, love the grilled squid, love the duck, the chicken, the lamb chops, the pheasant, the sturgeon. As for desserts...leave room; you can't go wrong. His food goes best with a glass (or two, or three) of wine, and whether you order by the glass or pick out a bottle, you are sure to be pleased. As for the service, if you remember that even though you might be eating one of the tastiest meals of your life, you are still in a local Bronx restaurant and not a bristlingly efficient Manhattan hotspot, you may just realize that the service is just fine. So cut these guys a little slack, appreciate how nice they are, and relax. You'll be amply rewarded. more

I was very excited to book a private event at The Garden. The event coordinator was lovely and professional, as was the chef. I have no issues with the food, which was very well prepared, or the bill, which was well within reason. I was just frustrated by the utterly incompetent waitstaff. It took them forever to bring out the food and they were just didn't seem to know what they were doing. By my estimation, they added another hour to our meal. It's too bad, because this is a hidden gem and the food is top shelf. I just hope they can get their act together. Pros: Very Good Market Driven Menu, Terrific Value Cons: Lackluster and Slow Service more

My boyfriend and I, along with another couple ate here for the first time last night. I had a great time!!!\r The food was excellent. I had the ostrich, it was outstanding. My boyfirend had the pork medallions, it was good. My friend had the duck... which I tried.... and it was really good. The skin of the duck was sooo tasty.\r I would recommend the scallop and sardine appetizer, the dressing is to die for. \r We all plan on going back again when the menu changes. The venue was really nice and we got to chat with the chef who was very personable. \r The only bad part of the evening was the waiter. Tuesdays are BYOB, a great added incentive thought of by the owner/chef to enhance business during the week! So we brought a bottle of wine with us and gave back the wine list. We told him we brought our own in since it was Tuesday. He asked us where we had heard of it, then he came back and insisted that there was a $15 corking fee. He then said that he was going to ask the owner to make sure... the look he gave us for bringing in our own bottle was slightly annoying. But soon after, they got us a bucket to chill our wine for us and the service thereafter was outstanding.\r I would recommend anyone in the area try this place out. We were all very happy with our meals. Oh, and yes, the desserts are good too. Try the mint ice cream and chocolate lava cake. Pros: seasonal dishes Cons: uninformed wait staff more

The food was excellent. Everything we ate was thoroughly enjoyable. Our dining companions brought wine since Tuesday is BYO wine/no corkage fee night (although we had to remind the waiter of this fact). Service was adequate, no complaints. The chef was friendly and conversational with us. My only complaints: 1) decor is lackluster - the place looked closed when we approached (everyone was dining out back in the garden and it was not well lit inside), 2) There is no bartender and the bar is rather uninviting. Street parking was no problem and I understand they have free valet on certain nights. I would readily go back to try some other things on the menu. Everything we ate was high quality and very well prepared. All staff were pleasant and attended to our needs. The other details need some work, as they affect the overall ambience. Pros: Excellent food, nice staff, garden Cons: No bartender more

very nice place for a restaurant in the Bronx. Great service, been there 2x. Seems like it belongs in... more

We live on the Upper West Side and decided to do a day trip, lunch at The Riverdale Garden and then off to visit the majestic grounds at WaveHill. We are foodies and appreciate the likes of Bouley, Danube, Union Sqaure Cafe, Aureole and Capsouto Feres. This place really surprised us with its fine quality at really reasonable prices. After feasting on asparagus soup, fois gras on brioche with fruit compote, grilled quail on baby fave beans, and ortrich on homemade polenta with baby peas, we were hooked. It turns out that other people at the restaurant planned the same day trip that we did as we saw them at the garden tour at Wavehill! For Manhattanites, its worth the trip. For locals, it must be a godsend. Pros: Finest Dining Cons: Not so special decor more

My husband and I live in the neighborhood and have always complained about the lack of fine dining in Riverdale and decided to try this place one night as a couple. We enjoyed our meals the first time, I had duck with a berry sauce that was very good. We were the only people in the place at the time, so the service was defintely focused upon us. However, we decided to bring back 4 other people another time 1 month later, and the service/food was absolutely terrible. We were there for over 3 hours for dinner because the meals were brought out at different times (sometimes one meal was brought out 20 minutes before another person's similar course!) and the food was often prepared incorrectly (i.e. overcooked). Our server never came around to check on us, and our meals, all in all, were not worth the price that evening. It was a complete 180 from the night my husband and I had before and I was quite embarassed to have brought the other people along with us there after having told them it was a good meal. Such a shame since I'm not willing to spend the money on a place like that again and take yet another chance to see if the meal will be good or bad this time. Pros: fine dining in Riverdale, nice ambiance, good wine list Cons: horrible service, extremely inconsistent, overpriced for inconsistency more

I love this Riverdale restaurant. It is close to the upper west side, but feels worlds away when you get there. The ever changing menu has always been on target, and accommodates with vegetarian options as well. I love the scallops, and their game dishes. Plus the molten chocolate cake is truly amazing. Also check out the AFFORDABLE well chosen wine list. Pros: Wine list, dessert, garden. more

This is the only spot in the area for foodies! The atmosphere is pleasant enough and the garden out back is a nice touch, but the food! The tree ear mushroom risotto with crispy slivers of garlic was to die for. The wild boar with apple and onion was a delight. The service was over the top if you like charming and friendly. And the wine list is an incredible value of spot- on treats. Overall, a delightful surprise. Pros: Innovative dishes, great wine values, charming and knowledgeable staff Cons: Out of the way for Manhattanites more

Last night we had dinner at the Riverdale Garden and enjoyed it thoroughly. The food was to perfection and delivered in a timely manner. The atmosphere, especially in the garden is divine. Desserts were to die for. Chef Michael Sherman came out during our meal to check on us. The experience is one we will not soon forget. As soon as we walked through the door the servers were welcoming and courteous. Overall the service was friendly, the food was excellent, and we will definately be dining there often. Pros: Free Valet parking, Food, Desserts more

Went there for my birthday. Service was very slow, especially when waiting for our drinks (no bartender, bad mistake). No bread basket for the table, the server came around with a basket and we each got 1 piece of bread. Food was good but portions were quite tiny. For the prices they charged the portion sizes and service left much to be desired. Actually it was awful. Will not be going back Pros: Ambience Cons: tiny portions, very slow service more

Though the food had not impressed us before, decided to give it another chance and made reservations for Easter lunch (two adults, one infant), arrived on time, were mistreated by the wait staff who refused to give us a high chair (though we'd requested one with our reservation) but also would not allow us to keep the stroller next to our table. We sat for twenty minutes completely unattended. The waiter was rude when we insisted about the high chair though the restaurant was almost empty and there were high chairs available. We left before ordering because the situation was so uncomfortable. Quite a disappointment. more

We just celebrated Nancy's Birthday after a day at the Bronx ZOO. This was a perfect end to a great day. Just 10 minutes away from the Zoo - easy parking and close to the highway for the trip home to Long Island. More importantly this was a first class dining experience that rivals the ZAGAT top 10 list. Our 2 year old son had a fantastic time, as Chef/Owner/Dad Michael was a very accommodating host. You can bring your kids and feel comfortable and relax and still enjoy first class cuisine - very unlike the Manhattan Upscale scene. Amazing food, impressive wine list, and great service and reasonably priced. We are anxious to come back when it gets warmer to enjoy the garden. It's worth the trip! Pros: Food , Kid-Friendly, Ambiance more

Riverdale Garden is a wonderful restaurant, the wine list has the ability to be both sophisticated and non pretentious, the food under Chef Michael Sherman is possibly the best New American that NY has to offer, and not as pricey for better quality in many downtown restaurants. The menu changes frequently and all items are fresh with local ingredients. The ambiance is romantic and cozy, from the woodburning fireplace and sofas (great for dessert which is decadent and homemade) as well as the patio and garden in the back. Its worth the trek from another borough...I am so happy that something so wonderful is right around the corner from where I live. Riverdale Garden is a must try for everyone Pros: romantic atmosphere, outdoor garden, free valet parking more

Finally, a place for really good, intelligent food and wine in Riverdale. Chef/owner Michael Sherman has created a charming, comfortable oasis at the end of the No. 1 Train. The spacious interior is laid-back and friendly, with tile floors, oversize wooden chairs, a hodge-podge of art, and wrought-iron light fixtures. Delicious cuisine emphasizes fresh local ingredients and is prepared with great care. Don't skimp on dessert. Not cheap, but much better value than many Manhattan eateries. Pros: Great food, Unpretentious, Good value more

In winter, the wood stove; in summer, the lovely garden out back. The well-credentialed chef provides an excellent menu, of which no item we tasted failed to please us. We had the reasonably priced 5-course meal created ourselves in consultation with the chef. We drank our own wine keeping the price low for the quality of the experience. The Chef appreciated our offering him a 1/2 glass of '90 Montrose, showing interest in both his customers and in expanding his horizons. I recommend this restaurant to those with sophisticated palates desiring a fine meal amongst nice people in an inviting atmosphere where the background music is so blessedly soft that one must actually try to hear it in order to do so. Pros: fine cuisine, excellent ambiance, very friendly people more

We wanted a cocktail and then dinner. No bartender in the not very inviting bar! There was an uneveness in the restaurant, from the decor right through to the food and service. Service was SLOW. ""Unprofessional"" was the word that kept coming to mind. One got the feeling that the kitchen, not the unattentive but friendly wait staff, was the reason for this dragged out dinner. The food was just OK, when it was served correctly. We both had ordered soup, only one of us got it. This restaurant is called a dining oasis in The Bronx? Utter nonsense! If they really want to compete with the big boys of gourmet dining they better instill better coordination. One can expect to get better service at any fair to middling local Bronx restaurant, which this night is all The Riverdale Garden was. Pros: decent food, deliscious desserts, friendly waitstaff Cons: slow and confused ser, overpriced for the la more