Riverdale Restaurants
Does anyone know of any good restaurants in Riverdale? Any kind of cuisine is fine.
Jenny
May 21, 2003 01:00PM
Does anyone know of any good restaurants in Riverdale? Any kind of cuisine is fine.
Jenny
May 21, 2003 01:00PM
I lived in Riverdale all my life but I've yet to find a good restaurant. The only place I go to is Palace of Japan on Johnson Avenue for sushi - their rolls are great! For American/Italian food that won't make you sick (but it's boring) you could try Madison's on Riverdale Avenue and 256th Street.
Mostly we go to Manhattan to eat.
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I have also lived in Riverdale all my life. I do like Palace of Japan, they have great Japanese food. I was just wondering if there were any I didn't know about. You don't like Blue Bay?
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Where's Blue Bay?
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Its on Johnson right down the street from Palace of Japan. Have you ever tried the Indian restuarant on Johnson?
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I've tried the Indian place on Johnson and it was horrible. I mean, it was just glop on a plate - argh! I never went back.
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Ugh, thats too bad that it was horrible. I have eaten at Josephinas a couple times and liked it. However, I do not like Bellavista. I do want to try Madison's, is it worth it?
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It's OK, not mind-shattering. Go when you feel too lazy to go anywhere else.
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Anybody been to Palace of Japan since they renovated the place? I stuck my head in earlier this week and it's beautiful. I haven't eaten there in a long time, because I long time ago my husband and I decided we liked Planet Tokyo better. I was kind of curious as to if they had redone the menu along with the decor.
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I was there this week. It is very beautiful. Unfortunately, the food hasn't changed. The prices are a little higher (someone has to pay for the renovation). There are a few new items on the menu. It also much noisier now.
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I completely agree. I love the decor, especially the giant majong board in the enterway (but isn't that game played more in China than Japan?). The food was pretty decent, but pricy, so I think I'll stick to Planet Tokyo, at least till it gets warm out again and they open up those doors to the street.
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The food at Palace of Japan is still not authentic Japanese, the Yakiudon was pretty bad and tasted like LoMein with udon noodles. The bar is beautiful, so maybe good for a sushi roll and some miso and a drink, but I wouldn't do dinner there. We did lunch and were glad it was only lunch. Sushi Mikes in Dobbs Ferry is still the best around here to me.
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Aside from "fine dining" -- what about those Jewish delis? I was up there visiting a friend and I saw the menu for one that had "mini hot dogs in a puff pastry" for .40cents each. Sounded like exactly what the chow doctor ordered -- but it was closed for yom kippur.
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I used to work in the area as well. Warning -- Siam Square is only open for dinner. I found that out the hard way. Also, I felt that Tazmohol was much better than Cumin (though everybody talks about Cumin). You should definitely try El Malecon for their chicken and mondongo. And I totally agree with you about Piper's Kilt -- they always prepared my burger to perfection.
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You can try Jake's Steakhouse down on Broadway. I've only been there once, and while the porterhouse wasn't Luger's, it was acceptable. If you're willing to go slightly out of Riverdale, there's Ya Hala on Broadway just north of McLain up in Yonkers.
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My husband tried Jake's and said that it was good, but too expensive.
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my husband and i like josepina's (italian) on johnson. their linguine with mussels is pretty good. just stay away from "lobster night" lobsters—they tasted pre-cooked and were rubbery...
has anyone been to the new(ish) kappock cafe? we got their takeout menu under our door recently and it looks nice...
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The Kappock Cafe is nice and pretty good. I have taken out from there and the food is good and very nicely priced. I recommend trying it.
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Although not techincally riverdale (kingsbridge I guess) you should try malecon on broadway right by 231st street. It has delicious rotesserie chicken. The roast pork I had once wasn't bad either but you should stick to the chicken.
don't go on weekends,it was jammed!
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In that same area I like to get delivery/takeout from Caridad (230th & Bway). Good cuban sandwiches, roasted chicken, plantains, & mofongo. I'm less of a fan of their rice & beans (not as good as La Caridad down on the UWS).
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I live around the corner from the Kappock Cafe and have picked up takeout there a number of times (mainly because there's not much else nearby). The club sandwich was pretty good (with real roasted Thanksgiving type turkey) and came with fries, and the prix fix lunch specials are a good deal too. But I ordered a turkey mozerella panini one night (which was suposed to be hot and include roasted red peppers, and basically got a dry turkey sandwich with fresh mozerella and tomato (no roasted peppers to be seen) on a hogie roll that was cold. It was tolerable, but not worth the $7 plus I paid for it and it didn't come with fries or chips or even a pickle.
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Riverdale dining is pretty bleak. We have now been living here for close to 6 years and have been generally underwhelmed. However, there are a few bright spots. Becco Fino, on Mosholu is pretty new, is quite good and is reasonably priced. It's owned by the same people that own Madison's and Park Place. Madison's, though expensive is good. Our single experience at Park Place was not a good one. We have heard very good things about Nonna Tony's, but our experiences have not lived up to the hype. Kappock Cafe, Cafe Bleu and The Place are all owned by the same guy. None of them is great. On the surface, Riverdale Garden should be good, unfortunately, we haven't been impressed and the prices are very high. Blue Bay is the best bargain around, the portions are huge but the food is only mediocre. For sushi, we go back and forth between Palace of Japan and Planet Tokyo. I don't believe there is much of a difference. The rest of the Asian restaurants are barely adequate. For some reason, we have only eaten at Josephina's once, though we did enjoy it. Haven't been to Jake's, but we do enjoy Riverdale Steak House. Finally, Liebman's is always reliable for deli.
Though not in Riverdale (not even the Bronx), but reasonably close, are 2 very good spots that we enjoy - Park Terrace Bistro and Garden Cafe. They are practically next to each other on the west side of Broadway, just north of 207th.
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Good notes, with which I basically agree.
We recently ate twice at Beccofino, and found it to be a very good neighborhood Italian restaurant (although with Arthur Ave's outstanding bakeries a few minutes away, they could easily serve better bread!). Riverdale Garden is inconsistent; occasionally excellent, but just as often not worth the prices. Leibman's is fine for a deli fix. Definitely agree on Park Terrace Bistro (French-Moroccan) where I recently had a delicious lamb shank stewed with prunes and almonds. Haven't been to Garden Cafe.
On Asian, I'd note that J.Jade's on Johnson offers good dim sum (makes a nice lunch), and that Siam Square on Kappock St. is consistently good Thai with some interesting twists (check the specials), and their salads (esp. the beef salad and the watercress salad) make good summer meals. Also, as I've posted on Chowhound before, if you're in the mood for old-school "Cantonese" dishes, Golden Gate on Johnson makes the best Chinese-style spareribs I've ever eaten (and that's a lot of ribs!) as well as good eggrolls, wor shu op, lobster cantonese, etc; just don't bother to order anything not of that era or you'll be disappointed.
Finally, the Riverdale Diner just south of 238 and Broadway makes a decent bacon cheeseburger and classic diner breakfasts. It's better than Kappock Cafe or any of the diner-type places on Johnson for that kind of food.
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Riverdale Diner has gone downhill recently. For burgers, I'd recommend Piper's Kilt. Much better. Also, River City Grill on Riverdale Ave and 235th makes a good burger.
Definitely agree on the ribs at Golden Gate, but I wouldn't eat anything else there.
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Sorry to hear that the Diner has gone downhill but even without that, you're right on the better burger - I forgot about Piper's Kilt! River City Grill also has decent wings and a good deal on them (and well drinks) during "happy hour".
As for Golden Gate, you might try the lobster with burnt pork (which the NYT touted a year or two ago, and which is excellent, but best if eaten at the restaurant rather than delivered). As for the rest of the menu - I grew up on the bland and/or gloppy dishes of 50's outer boro Chinese food, and when the craving occasionally hits me, Golden Gate does that just fine (which I understand does not appeal much to anyone not of that era), but the restaurant does not - and here we agree - do well on the more contemporary items on the menu.
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piper's kilt is excellent as is the riverdale diner (238th and b'way). for the best chinese food, go to ya mei up on sedgwick. caridad is horrid.
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I am going to chime in and say that I have really grown to dislike the Garden Cafe. Details in my post on Inwood dining here:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/472475
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I generally agree with the comments. But I find Cumin (the Indian on Johnson Avenue) acceptable, and I have had two way above average meals at Park Place. I think all the Italians on Johnson are boring, although Beccofino was good the one time I was there. Also disagree with the Riverdale diner assessment...I think its gotten better (although I prefer Blue Bay).
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My husband and I tried Piper's Kilt and it was great. Good burgers, cheap beer and a fun atmosphere. Has anyone tried the brunch? I'm curious about it. My husband and I have been to Siam Spicy twice and it was awful both times. The second time we went it was a Wednesday, which features free all-you-can drink wine, and after a few glasses of marginal white wine, the food was still bad. Service was really slow too. The pizza place next door is awful too. Great Wall (at the top of the hill near Ben's Market) is pretty decent cheap Chinesse takeout. Otherwise, it's better to just hike down the hill to Broadway, where things are a little bit more lively. Malecon is great, huge portions of Cuban/Dominican food and eventhough they got my order wrong, it was still great. Try the chicken with peppers and onions and fried plantains. And you can't go wrong with the roat chicken. Mr. Magoo's bar nearby is fun too. On Riverdale Ave. try Salvatores of SoHo for great pizza.
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Many years ago I dated a girl from 233rd St off of B'way, A bunch of us use to go to the Pipers Kilt for brunch on Sunday, They offered all you could drink bloody mary's (YUMMY) pitcher of beers or a screw driver or mamosa. they offered the basic brunch items burgers omlets eggs benidict so on, we would get there around 11:00 am /12:00 PM and leave at 3:30 4:00 pm full and toasted they would serve you as long as you were eating and at the table we became regulars OH HOW I MISS the PIPERS KILT
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whew! that was passionate! mostly accurate. I can't agree, however with Park Place. I've had two meals there in the last six months which were fine from appetizer through entree. I think the steak there is the best non-steakhouse meat I've had in a long time. (it has a lovely char)and my wife loved the paella. I thought the steak at Jake's was less than mediocre.
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I agree with your assessment on the Paella in Park Place...it was actually very good and cooked to order, so on that I stand corrected..I still feel the food used to be better than it is now but the Paella is very good.
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Of the Latin restaurants - which do you think has the best Cubano sandwiches?
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I really don't think the Cubano's are that great up here...I guess the Economico would be the best (on 231), but for a really good Cubano, go to either 136th or 138th and BDWY on the downtown side on the corner in Manhattan...its a restaurant that specializes in Cuban sandwiches I just can't remember which of the two blocks the restaurant is on, but you will know which block it is when you see the restaurant..
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Went to Economico last night. The Cubano was not so good - no pickles or mustard, big hunks of pork rather than slices, served on a sub roll and not pressed. Not what I was looking for. We also had sweet plantains that were soaked with oil and a whole chicken that was just okay. Not such a great experience.
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Sorry to hear about your experience in Economico...I haven't been there in awhile, but after hearing what happened when you went, we won't be trying it again...I really don't like the latin american food in Riverdale, which is actually Dominican food, in general the chicken at Malecon was good the last time I had it but everything else there was terrible. There is a place on Westchester Ave (other side of the bronx near parkchester) named Joe's Place that has great, authentic Puerto Rican food...other than that I just usually cook it at home.
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Too bad Parkchester is on the other side of the earth!
The Latin options in Riverdale are bleak. I agree 100% that the pollo a la brasa at any of the El Malecon chains is the only thing worth getting there. Everything else comes from the steam table; and even their rice and beans is insipid. That being said, their whole chicken is excellent.
If I want a good Cubano (sliced pork shoulder, bolo ham, swiss cheese, thin pressed bread), I head down to La Floridita on 125th and B'way, which isn't too far.
Riverdale is a lesson in bad and mediocre restaurants. Diners here either drive to Westchester or go elsewhere in the Bronx (Arthur Ave./East Bronx) for authentic, quality food. Liebman's and The Bagel Corner are all we have, people.
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I'm new to the area but I found tht the Hunan Balcony on Johnson Avenue and Salvatore's of Soho on Riverdale Avenue offer above average Chinese and Italian cuisine. Just look for where the "Boys in Blue" from the 50th precinct eat and you won't go wrong.
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I love Siam Square on Kappock. I don't drink the wine, but I think that their very spicy duck is so great! Everyone I meet loves it there, and I've had mostly fine service.
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J Jade Dim Sum Cafe on Johnson is terrific. Dim Sum aside (which is quite good) they have a board of specials with some pretty adventurous stuff. Also, the staff is very warm and friendly. It certainly isn't the most attractive place in the world (but then what Chinese restaurant is.) If you like interesting and innovative food (they do normal fare well too) give them a try.
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The Riverdale Diner is a trip and also the Greek Diners are very good if you like a feta cheese omelet and your boyfriend beside you chowing down on the hash browns
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The Riverdale Diner is a one-way trip to the land of horrible food. It hasn't been edible in 20 years.
The Greek diners? Gee, that really narrows it down.
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OK so what are your recommendations? Anyone can pan any place but to do so without giving recs is terrible.
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A few things:
1. I offered recommendations. Please read the thread.
2. Furthermore, I diasgree with your position. If I disagree with a review, which I vehemently did because the Riverdale Diner is just God awful--they can't make toast for goodness sakes, I have every right to voice my dissenting opinion in order to help readers make an informed choice on whether or not to dine there. It's done all the time. It isn't "terrible" not to include a recommendation. Avoiding a bad restaurant is progress, however slight.
3. I've never panned a place before and perhaps my post sounded a bit harsh, but, believe me, it's warranted.
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you say the riverdale diner has not been edible in 20 years, but when was the last time you were there? they were totally renovated 1-2 years ago, and the wuality has improved measurably. as for neddludd, even though i enjoy their food, i've never liked delivery from the riverdale diner. food arrives cold and soggy (especially fries, but that's common...i've never gotten good delivered fries) so i'd advise you to check it out in person for a better than acceptable meal.
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Oh. I haven't been there in 2-3 years and didn't know the food quality had improved since then. Now this makes a lot more sense. Years ago, it was a running joke amongst Riverdalians just how BAD the food was. The service--or lack of it--was also laughable. Your waitress used to serve you and then vanish.
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I happened to eat there this weekend, this morning as a matter of fact, and the breakfast was delicious. Both my wife and daughter enjoyed theirs too.
My daughter, who lives in the area, eats there often says the burgers are good. We also ate dinner last night at the Santa Fe Reataurant and enjoyed it very much, The food was freshly made and tasted good and we were very pleased.
Believe me, I know it is not "gouret food" but it was very good.
We also stopped by Mother's Bakery on 236th between Johnson and Oxford and we were overwhelmed by the variety and quality of the baked goods there.
So for all you who knock the Riverdale area, please go out and see what's out there.
Especially you, nobody special, who haven't been there in a few years.
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Last week my wife took our one car and left me and my kid with a pacity of delivery options. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger from the Riverdale Diner and found it acceptable.
So I disagree with your review...I find most of their food...acceptable.
Personally, I prefer Blue Bay for diner food.
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Well, I still live in Riverdale, and we all talk about the low level of food available, but if you really want a first rate cake go to the corner cafe. They make the best caramel cake and mocha cake and lots of other stuff really made right in back.
Their food is good, but the service isn't!
I am not kosher, but along with the excellent dairy cakes, they even have very good non dairy cakes for those of you who may be allergic (or eating a meat meal of course). I cannot say enough about their cakes.
Mothers is the usual old time bakery stuff, and after you've eaten in the now closed (for many years) Katz's bakery in Liberty NY, no bakery measures up.
Blue Bay diner has great REAL turkey sandwiches, but that is all I've had there, and as for the Riverdale diner, after 40 years of living here in the area, and still eating there occasionally, I can say with confidence that it stinks.
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Wife and I visited our daughter in Riverdale over the weekend and she and one of her roommates wanted to go to the Santa Fe Grill on Broadway Saturday evening. It was surprisingly good.
The 3 ladies each had a different enchilada, one was chicken other chorizo and the other beef. I had a chicken breast dish with refried beans and rice. We ordered some appetizers and everything was good.
Sunday morning we ate at the Riverdale Diner. Breakfast was great, huge portions, daughter had 3 pancakes that were enormous, wife had the cheese blinzes andf i had the standard eggs over easy with home fries.
We then went to Mother's Bakery and loaded up on some ckaes and rolls and bread and headed back to VT content with how the weekend played out.
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Fiance and I visited Kappock Cafe and Wine Bar for an early evening meal. We were surprised not to be provided a Wine Menu along with the Dinner Menu. House salad was tasteless and we have a strong suspicion that the gnocci was microwaved.
Carpaccio arrived without shaved parmesan as described on the menu. I've been a waitress and recall odd moments when items like three large slices of cheese were missing from an appetizer and have turned back to the kitchen before serving the incomplete dish.
It wasn't too busy for the waitress to have noticed the not there cheese. We thought perhaps the waitress might have been new and unfamiliar with the menu, but other patrons came in and greeted her by name with warmness.
We did order coffee, which was refreshingly good.
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This is not surprising and is indicative of both this restaurant and Cafe Bleu, which are owned by the same person.
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Despite the fact we live on Kappock, my husband and I have stopped ordering takeout from Kappock Cafe. It's overpriced and marginal at best. I'm not a huge fan of Santa Fe either. We've eaten there a few times with mixed results. The food is OK, but the service can be terrible. At our last visit, we were promptly seated by the hostest and a waitress brought us water and chips and salsa right away. But she never came back. After going through our basket of chips and water without someone so much as asking for our drink order, my husband flagged down the hostest and complained. She sent someone over, but we didn't so much as get an apology. Try Montezuma's in Kingsbridge. The neighborhood is a little dodgy, but the food and service are pretty good. Decent margaritas too.
As far as the other stuff up the hill from Kappock, the Thai place and pizza place are awful, but Great Wall is OK for takeout Chinesse and is open late.
On a positive note, we've become huge fans of Piper's Kilt in Kingsbridge and eat brunch there almost every Sunday. The food is pretty good, but it's the staff that makes the place wonderful. They're friendly and attentive and we never have to ask for a refill (brunch is all-you-can drink). My only complaint is they need better stuff on tap. On the flip side, the P&K in Inwood offers lots of great stuff on tap, but their food (same menu) is awful and most their staff should be fired .
My husband likes Planet Tokyo for sushi and we've had decent, but not great, Italian meals at Josephina's and Peppino's on the days we've craved it but been too lazy to head to Arthur Ave. Salvatore's is our pizza place of choice. Nona Tony's is OK for pizza. They screwed up our order (left off all the toppings and gave us just a cheese pizza), but did get it to us within an hour on New Years Eve, so we weren't going to complain. Their crusts are kind of weird though. Their perfectly circular and appear to be premade.
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What beers does P & K have on tap?
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The one in Kingsbridge has I think Bud, Bud Light, Heinken and St. Pauli Girl, while the one in Inwood has the same stuff, plus Guiness, Smithwicks, mabe Harp and at least one other. Prices are pretty cheap at with places. Again, though I admit the one at 231st St. isn't as cool of a building, the staff is great and we've never had a bad meal there. On the other hand, at the location in Inwood, unless you sit at the bar, you may have to beg someone to get you a beer and the food is terrible. We'll go back when we're in the neighborhood for drinks at the bar, but my husband and I will stick to 231st St. when it comes to food.
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