Rivers Restaurant

a little nerve-wracking, as one can imagine. Dan was so wonderful working with us through not one, but TWO postponed dates amongst COVID. He was so accommodating and kept us in the loop with the venue restrictions that seemed to change daily. The venue itself offers a very modern industrial rustic chic vibe, and the scenery itself being right on the river is a minimalist bride’s DREAM since the river view requires very little decor to make a big statement. The patio is 100% covered and is MASSIVE— perfect for offering an indoor and outdoor spaces and plenty of space for safe distancing, especially for a mid-Covid wedding like we had. Having access to Rittergut for the wedding party to hang out beforehand/keep their belongings and storing decor/various other items was so nice— (don’t forget your own cooler for that room though!) And. The. FOOD!!! I still have dreams about the chimichurri skewers. We still have guests tell us how yummy the dinner was. Even if you don’t have your wedding here, GO FOR A MEAL! It’s the furthest thing from your mass-produced, lukewarm chicken and mash wedding food. Un. Freaking. REAL. My only negatives of the venue were 1. not being able to have the dance floor outdoors— apparently a grouchy neighbor gets a little fussy about music after, like, 7pm, so they recommended keeping the dance floor inside— but honestly the temperature dropped so much once the sun went down that it worked out fine— once things got a little warm from dancing, one quick walk on to the patio to cool off and you were good to go. And 2. Drop off/pick up of decor and supplies is TRICKY— it’s a little tough to find (underground) and parking is crazy expensive, so ya better move quickly haha. Aside from those very minor things, would recommend this venue in a heartbeat. Thank you for making our day so very special!

s during COVID restrictions, Dan, the general manager, kept us abreast of the possibilities for our event. Our guests have remarked that the atmosphere was one of the best that they have ever experienced and the food was the best that they ever had at a wedding. We were extremely pleased with all aspects of the venue and our daughter and son in law had the wedding that they had hoped for and dreamed about. I would recommend this venue to anyone who wants a Chicago wedding on the Chicago River!

r our reception. The dance floor is right on the bar which keeps everyone dancing and the floor packed all night. The interior is stunning with beautiful brick and subway tile walls. Our photos are beautiful in the space and our guests loved it! Everyone was raving about the food for weeks afterwards. Their prices are also incredibly reasonable. Fantastic venue!

were looking for (inside and outside space). Everyone raved about how good the food was and we were extremely pleased. Thank you for such a wonderful day!

with, she responded to every single one of my emails/questions. Everyone who works here is kind, knowledgeable and wonderful at what they do. I chose not to have a florist, and Rivers allowed me to bring all my cut flowers and vases to the restaurant to my rehearsal dinner the night before and keep the flowers in a cooler. My mom and aunt went to Rivers a few hours before the ceremony to put the vases and flowers on the tables and the waitresses set everything up for them already! In fact they noticed we had extra flowers and got some of their own vases and put them out on the bar! It was so nice and looked so beautiful! My wedding was in July and it is now November and people are still talking about the wonderful time they had at my wedding! My guests said this was the best food they ever ate at a wedding and they loved how the bartenders kept the drinks flowing! I want my sisters and my friends to get married here just so I can come back!!

sociated with this venue, Taylor Rehor of Amelia Cole Events. She used to work at Rivers and handled literally everything for the venue for me. The venue was beautiful, the event went through seemlessly, and everyone raved that the food we served was incredible. This is also a great venue for a big wedding and is one of the more affordable options. Not to mention that the space is outstanding. We had guests completely awed by the setting. I have no complaints, Rivers Restaurant is the perfect venue for a beautiful downtown Chicago wedding!!!

inish, it was such a painless, and easy process. Our guests could not stop complimenting the food. We heard from several people that it was the best wedding food that they had ever had. I highly recommend Rivers for your wedding!!!

l city views. Dessert and Dancing took place inside, which ended up being great because it was a bit chilly outside! Chef Tom worked with us on the food menu to ensure it was exactly what we wanted and was open to our suggestions, which was so nice. My husband and I are very pleased with how everything turned out and are so glad we chose River’s as our wedding venue!

eing a restaurant, they regularly execute dinner so they have the catering down. Highlights in particular include our guests saying it was the best wedding cocktail hour they've ever had and loving the aesthetics of our setting. My parents appreciated the tasting that was held for us, and the manager Dan and chef Tom were very accommodating. The downside of booking with Rivers is having to work with their Event Coordinator Elaine Simcox. We originally contracted with her predecessor Taylor Dahlstrom, and you should know that the past 5 star reviews are when Taylor was working at Rivers (prior to October 2016). With Elaine, we had to constantly follow-up to receive responses on our questions, re-confirm everything that had been previously agreed upon and decided, and continually remind her of past decisions that she did not remember and could not locate in her email. I hired a day-of planner because I did not trust that things would be executed properly with just her there. Additionally, multiple family/bridal party members commented to us about her rudeness on the day of the wedding. If you book with Rivers, make sure you have a strong planner who can manage Elaine, get all agreements in writing, and brace yourself for the lack of organization.

ivers is very affordable for what you get. The dance space inside the restaurant is perfect and big so it's easy to have your whole wedding dancing! At the same time, the outdoor patio is such an incredible space for people to get fresh air, go outside and talk, and also to get spectacular pictures. I loved the fact that there were two bars open, no one ever had to wait longer than a minute or two for a drink! Food was incredible and so was the staff. Can't recommend Rivers enough!!!!!!

Dahlstrom, the main contact for weddings. The venue is amazing..a really unique place right on the Chicago river. We had the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing all on the outside covered patio. It was so nice to have everything in one place. The Rivers staff “flipped” the patio from the wedding to reception without any of the guests even noticing. The food was FABULOUS and far from standard wedding fare. My friends and family are still commenting that the steak was the best filet they have ever had. The head chef made sure the plating was timely, attractive, and most of all delicious. Taylor sequenced the room so the dinner time flowed perfectly to ensure that everyone’s food was hot and correct. The waiters, waitresses, and bartenders were awesome. From the initial venue visit to the countless emails and phone calls back and forth during the time leading up to the event, and of course everything she did the day of, Taylor was always responsive, friendly, flexible, helpful, and just simply a pleasure to work with! She was also extremely helpful in providing unbiased recommendations for other vendors with whom she had had good experiences. I had no idea how much work went into planning a wedding before this experience, and I am so grateful that I had Taylor there to guide me through the process, and always be there with a smile. The recommendations she provided were great! Overall, I couldn't recommend Rivers more. I wouldn't change a thing! The takeaway was .. I wish we could afford to throw that party every year. It was PERFECT!

no need to go overboard in decor as the view speaks for itself and they have really cute flower boxes on the terrace. If you're planning on having a true outdoor Chicago cityscape wedding for a good price with a plan B for rain (it's Chicago you know you have to have one) this is the place.