Riva's

It has its own decent-sized parking lot. When we went it we were immediately greeted and sat down. Had multiple staff ask if we needed help with anything off the menu so we never had to wait for assistance. Staff were very friendly and helpful. That’s honestly one of the reasons why I would come back. The food was absolutely delicious. I’ve never had fettuccine that delicious. I had strawberry lemonade and it was also very good. I’m excited to come back to this restaurant. The only thing I would say is that I wish they gave regular napkins instead of the thick black ones.

Food was DELICIOUS!!!!!! Service AMAZINGGG, I’m definitely coming back! How this place isn’t more packed amazes me, but I guess bc social media is all about the “aesthetic” type places and not the quality of the meal. This restaurant will not disappoint! And towards the end the owner mentioned to come back for brunch on Sunday’s, where they have a brunch menu and mimosas. (Which I’m eager to try!)

Rivas Italian Restaurant was a great way to begin my NYE!!! Located in the Montrose area, this restaurant is known for having tons of Christmas lights throughout the entire restaurant. With its popularity on TikTok and other platforms, I am so glad I gave them a try! The owners and servers are so nice, they make you feel welcome from the moment you walk in. This was my second time visiting the restaurant since the food is so delicious! They do Italian the right way, flavors are on point with every bite. I have not been disappointed from their holiday menu because everything is so good! The portions served are enough for two. I highly recommend this spot for home style Italian cooking and festive lighting, it’s perfect for a date with someone special or even just for your friends and family. Thank you Rivas for a fantastic NYE dinner! I look forward to dinning again this year!

My husband and I visited here for 1st time for Sunday brunch. Loved the Christmas Decorations! The Eggs Benefit was delish and the service was great. We'll have to visit more often. A++ *Note as per their phone message says they don't accept children under 13 and parties bigger than 6 people will have split tables.

I can't believe I'd never eaten here. The food was delicious. I can hardly wait to go back to try a different dish. I had the shrimp fettuccine. Dinner came with a nice lentil soup and a lovely salad. I want to have a pasta dish with a red sauce next. It was a farewell dinner for a coworker who is moving out of state. Our server, I believe his name was Randy, was phenomenal. He helped us make her evening special. 10 out of 10 for me.

We just randomly chose this place while in town. Best decision ever. I had the creamy pesto with chicken and my coworker had the salmon in lemon basil. Both were amazing. Staff was friendly and helpful.

I was recommended this place by friends and it was a worthwhile visit. We were able to order our meal pretty easily, the decision was difficult to make as there are so many appetizing entrees but we managed to narrow down our choices and ordered the Beef Ravioli and Veal San Pietro. All entrees come with a soup and salad and garlic bread. The soup for the day was a vegetable soup and was so delicious, I almost picked up the bowl and drank it. I didn't ask what the salad was but it came with ranch and an in house sauce which were both delicious with the salad. I'd say the garlic bread has a little too much of whatever makes plain bread turn into garlic bread but that didn't stop me from eating more than 3 pieces of it, dipping it in my entree's sauce and whatnot. The entrees were great. I wouldn't have been able to eat them on my own entirely. The ravioli was everything I could have wanted and more. The veal San Pietro didn't hit for me as it did for others (3 people ordered it at our table) and that's fine. I'd still recommend trying it because everyone else said it was pretty good. The food filled us up and left us satisfied. I'd come back and try more when I can. As for customer service, overall pretty decent. I didn't notice anything out of place about it. The food arrived in a timely manner and they checked on us enough. One of the employees came over and doused our food in cheese and followed it with some innuendos which was fine since we're all adults. It added to the vibe.

Was pleasantly surprised by Riva’s! Friendly staff and large menu to enjoy. The chicken funchezzi was super thin and crisp. Well cooked. Veggies on the side were good. Hubby had the cream penne with chicken and it was good. Big portions. Both plates came with soup and salad which honestly isn’t needed but I get it. They were fine, but next time I would decline. Focus on the main meal. :).

I just finished dinner at Riva's Italian Restaurant on Missouri St in the Montrose area. This was my second time visiting this restaurant. Both times were exceptional! The food was very good and the quantity for the price can't be beat. I had the Veal San Pietro the first time and the Chicken San Pietro tonight which was veal or chicken in a lemon butter cream sauce with mushrooms, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and capers. Both came with a cream of lentil soup and garlic bread. I don't eat peas or beans very much but the soup was fabulous! Next was a garden salad with your choice of House Italian or Ranch. I chose the House Italian. It was very flavorful. I was only able to eat half of the main entrees. Both came with your choice of pasta. Fettuccine is my go to! All of this was just $25! And like I said, I'm getting two meals out of it. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because they are not open for lunch. If they were, I'd be here at least twice a week! Can't wait to come back!

I love the atmosphere here! The owners are amazing & the service is always consistent. Christmas is a gem here due to the decor! Favorite menu items Shrimp scampi (yummy) Chicken piccata Penne cream Rosa

The food was pretty good. I had chorizo and eggs, rice, and beans. my partner had the enchiladas and we had the lunch special. Even as a lunch special, the prices were expensive. The service was good and our waiter paid close attention tension to us. I would eat there again, but maybe not for lunch.

cute neighborhood italian spot! came here for girls night dinner and the vibes and food did not disappoint! portion sizes are hugeeeee! entrees come with lentil soup, garlic bread, and a house salad! the garlic bread was sooooo good, and they kept refilling it. it paired well to dip with the soup! I got the penne rosa with mushrooms (not on the menu, but they were able to accommodate since i am vegetarian!). It was delicious! There is a reason why the rosa sauce is popular here. I took a few bites but took most of it home since i was so full on the bread/soup/salad. great service with friendly and attentive staff! there's a small parking lot and plenty of street parking. Cute divey interior. Definitely not a fancy spot, more of a homey vibe. it's not the most authentic show-stopping pasta in town, but the flavors work well and the price/portions are unbeatable. good neighborhood casual spot.

Was excited to come here for a fun dinner and immediately regretted it. Upon arrival, the restaurant smelled dingy and off putting. We decided to try it anyways since so many people seem to like the place. We were sat at a 2 seater table that was nearly touching the table next to us. The server came out and didn't introduce himself or say hi whatsoever, just asked what we wanted 2 minutes after sitting down then walked away when we weren't ready. We each ordered an entree which included soup and salad to start. The soup portion is maybe 8 spoonfuls. Take a look at my pic, that's untouched and it was lukewarm when the restaurant had literally just opened 5 minutes before we arrived. The salad was meh. The garlic bread was good. For my main, I got the penne cream rosa. It was decent but a bit heavy on the cream - not balanced with tomato enough. We also got the chicken fransico which was tasty but kind of an odd dish on an Italian menu in my opinion with the poblano cream sauce and sautéed veggies on top. It almost reminded me of fajitas. I took a bite and it had a piece of bone in it which was surprising and unpleasant. The fettuccine Alfredo was abysmal. It was straight cream with no seasoning or flavor or cheesiness. Our server never checked on us and we had to catch his attention to ask for simple things. Overall, I wish I didn't come here. Really hope it doesn't destroy my stomach tonight. I threw away my leftovers from how terrible the experience was. Sure they have cute decor but at the end of the day, it's a restaurant and what matters is the food and service quality which were both poor.

Was pleasantly surprised by Riva's! Friendly staff and large menu to enjoy. The chicken funchezzi was super thin and crisp. Well cooked. Veggies on the side were good. Hubby had the cream penne with chicken and it was good. Big portions. Both plates came with soup and salad which honestly isn't needed but I get it. They were fine, but next time I would decline. Focus on the main meal. :).

this place is an institution. atmosphere is over the top. Everyone there is great. Randy as your service person will make the experience one to remember. Mike the owner is super friendly. Traditional Italian food. just like grandma made.

I frequent here! I got the shrimp Caesar this time so good! Throw some extra parm on there for a treat!

I kept hearing about Riva's and finally got to go with a large group during Christmas. For anyone who knows about Riva's during Christmas, you know how awful an idea that can be but the staff were super accommodating and allowed our party to sit at two tables next to each other, which probably meant a lot of fenangling of tables and parties on their end. The whole environment was extremely festive and people all seemed to really be enjoying themselves. I ordered the lasagna and all meals came with soup, salad, and garlic bread. I really liked all parts of my meal, the garlic bread was a nice starter and went well with the lentil soup they provided. The salad was nothing special but was a nice bit of veg for a carb heavy meal. I really liked the lasagna but I also just generally like lasagna and can't imagine it being bad unless its undercooked but maybe I've just been lucky. The portion was also large enough for me to take leftovers and have lunch the next day. Riva's definitely feels like a neighborhood staple, with a super friendly vibe and fun decor for various holidays. I def want to return for next Christmas and Halloween but hoping I'll be back before then!

Riva's is always a good choice. I love their pasta and their portion sizes. I had to take my food to go because kids under 14 aren't allowed and my son was with me, and although I did want to sit down and dine in I still enjoyed my meal when I made it home. The food is always good, and it's always enough to have leftovers if you're like me and like to wake up for a late night snack.

Do not let this little place fool you! It's tucked away in the neighborhood and we came in for a friend's birthday dinner. We were greeted by very enthusiastic staff. Honestly I would come back just because of the staff, they play a huge role in my rating. The food portions are massive, I had egg plant parm which was cheesy and saucy and everything I look forward to when ordering. The food came out very quickly as well. I was told during the holidays they go all out with the decor so I can't wait to visit houston for Christmas to come back.

I feel dooped by my fellow Yelpers who have this place more than 2 stars!! I can not imagine how anyone went to Rivas, tasted the food and possibly gave it a good review. I'm shocked, after reading that people used the words 'delicious and flavorful' !!! Yes, the decked out Christmas decos are cute and it must be why it draws in most of its new patrons, it was the reason why we visited. Besides that, everything is a thumbs down. Bathroom is dirty, smells bad and is in need of renovation. The waiters, although nice, since they have no assigned area, constantly take turns asking you if you're ready to order and since there is a dinig time limit it all feels rushed. The menu has only half of the items, as the regular menu, during the holiday season. The presentation of the food was unappealing. Garlic bread was burned, cold, absolutely had no butter or garlic taste and it was so hard to bite and chew. Soup came in a plain, white, plastic bowl. Filled only half way, looked like prison food you see on tv. We got mildly warm, unseasoned lentil soup. Then we got a plain jane salad with only 2 choices of salad dressing, ranch or Italian. It tasted like the chef salad I ate in school. Lastly the chicken from my entree was hard to chew and tasted processed, the shrimp tasted like it was frozen and the whole thing lacked flavor. The chicken marsala was overly sour and it could hardly be eaten without puckering. In all honestly SAVE YOUR MONEY, go to Olive Garden, you are better off saving money, time. Sad news Rivas!

Nice intimate location w/great decor if your into the holiday themes. Food will not disappoint and they wait staff is wonderful considering how busy they are. Perfect parking lot and food courses is wonderful with plenty of choices! Definitely returning. Don't forget the salad, bread and fabulous lentil soup.

We have always loved the food at Riva's, and I was excited to bring a friend there for the first time. Unfortunately, the experience on Sunday, May 4, 2025 was disappointing due to the service we received. There was a private party reserved, which we completely understand, but one of the staff members (unfortunately I did not get his name, but he was a man wearing a white T-shirt and blue jean not very tall) made us feel like we were being rushed out. Instead of politely letting us know they had a reservation and offering to move us to another area or letting us know ahead of time, he made rude and unnecessary remarks that were very unprofessional. There's a respectful way to inform paying customers about a scheduled event or a closing time, but this was not handled appropriately. We arrived at 1:30 PM, and nothing was mentioned about a party when we were seated. It's disappointing that what should have been a nice lunch turned into an uncomfortable experience. I truly hope Riva's considers better communication and hospitality in the future. Right now, I'm not sure I'll be returning! I will be sure to share with my family and friends of my experience of the rudeness.

Always love Rivas! Randy/ Michael the whole staff are just amazing, attentive and the food is really good too. I never miss a chance to stop by.

I was extremely disappointed with my visit. I was excited to bring my girlfriend, as we both heard good things about Riva's. The first thing I noticed when we walked in was the smell of dirty carpet. We were sat at a table that was squished in a corner and the table was very wobbly. It was so wobbly, I could barely cut my meal. The waiter #5 "Screamer" did not bother speaking to us and we had to constantly get his attention for any basic requests. When I stated that I needed a minute to look at the menu, he did not say a word and immediately walked away before I could finish my sentence. The facility in general felt very unprofessional. I went to the restroom and outside the men's room, there were 4 or 5 vaccum cleaners in the middle of the room. After, as I was walking through the narrow walkway, I noticed that clean silverware and napkins were stacked on a table, in front of the restroom entrance. Someone could have easily brushed up against it or knocked it over as they walked by. The decorations and lights were nice to look at, but with how cramped we were in the corner, they felt more like a nusence and a little suffocating (in photo attached). I also noticed that the decorations on the wall near my head smelled like outside and were pretty grimey in appearance. Overall, my girlfriend and I were off put by our experience, and asked for to-go containers. I would highly recommend that management evaluates "Screamer's" service skills. He made us feel as though we were an inconvenience. We arrived only 10 minutes after opening and if that is the type of service the restaurant opens with, I would hate to see what kind of service they offer near closing. I wish I saved the $60 and had a pleasant meal elsewhere.

I loved the lentil soup they served before our meal. The waiter was really kind and funny. Our food was delicious and the price was a delight!

You're likely to see your neighbors here. Old school Montrose vibes, better to leave the kiddos at home-- great Italian classics-- strong mixed drinks- love it

The place is cute and the service is great. The soup was delicious but the rest of the meal was odd and not very good. No breading on the chicken parm, broccoli and carrots all over the chicken Marsala. What? I really wanted to like this place but I don't think I'll be back.

The courses were rushed and the Fettuccine with chicken and shrimp wasn't as good as my previous experiences. The Alfredo was thin and watery and the chicken included only a few slices and very thin. Service was good except for when one of the servers yelled out that someone was having a birthday. He was trying to be funny but it caused many of us to skip a heartbeat.

Whimsical charming No reservations Good parking Food is plain and ample! Kind of adorable

Food was so tasty, big servings. Do recommend, i enjoyed the soup, salad and the pasta.

Thumbs Up: This is a historic eatery in the Montrose gayborhood. Thumbs Up: I love how the restaurant showcases its history through pictures displayed on the walls. Thumbs Up: The dining area features Christmas lights strung along the walls. The restaurant upgraded from incandescent to LED lights a few years ago. Thumbs Up: The food has always been excellent, and you won't leave hungry--meals come with salad, soup, and garlic bread.

Riva's is included in every article about the best Christmas themed bars and restaurants in Houston, but sadly I was underwhelmed. The bar had 1 guy working, and I don't even think he was a bartender - seemed way out of his element. Then the wait staff were RUSHING tables in and out. No specific dedicated waiter, just a variety of servers coming and going to your table bringing soups then immediately salad, then immediately the pasta dishes. The food itself was fine, but nothing special - flagging that you can't split entrees. It says on the menu that each adult has to order their own dish. The more you know!

YES YES YES! This spot is the best restaurant in Houston. Food is fantastic! Service is even better. They are always very busy especially during holidays. Mostly Christmas so during those times be prepared to wait or hard finding a rsvp. But def worth going. Restaurant is a small house type of ordeal and the vibes are very cozy.

Completely unrelated to the star rating of this restaurant: Someone here really like Halloween. When I state "like," I am greatly understating the matter. I was told that I need to come back to see how they decorate for Christmas because it's even more extreme than their Halloween stuff. This place is not fine dining, it's family dining. I give you this take of mine because this is not a place for hushed tones and classical music playing in the background. This place is loud. This place is loud and has high energy. This place is loud, has high energy and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. This place is loud, has high energy, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves and the have big portions. This place was packed, so the wait time was kind of long...but I feel it was worth it. The food actually had decent flavor. The food actually has decent portions. The wait staff was really personable. The energy from everyone laughing and yelling at each other was infectious. All in all, when you have decent eats mixed with decent price to portion ratios, I'm not opposed to returning to this place. I think this is a place everyone should experience.

Parking was tough but there was an attendant The portions are huge and loved the Christmas decor

Visited Rivas for the first time and had a great experience!! The food was incredibly authentic and such large portions (definitely shareable!!). We had the chicken parm and lasagna. All meals come with soup, salad and main dish. The bar makes excellent drinks. Hanna is the owner and also works there. She's fun, interesting and made us feel welcome. Will definitely recommend to others and with our new move to town, this will become one of our places!!

Food, service, ambiance was on point!!! BEST place to go for a great Italian meal not to mention how FESTIVE it is! HIGHLY recommend!

Solid homestyle Italian with a side of Christmas explosion.. a must see during the holidays. Went on a Tuesday night. No wait but definitely a full house. Would expect a wait closer to the weekend. Casual. No need to be fancy. Parking lot to the side but was full so street parked. Recommend if you want to fully embrace the Christmas spirit.

We were guest on 12/19/2024, the same day they were featured on our local tv station. An owner greeted us on our way in and let us know there is an hour wait. Lots of tables to sit at on the patio to wait for our table. Christmas decorations were phenomenal. Our food was excellent, lentil soup A+. We all ordered pasta, all plates were well prepared.

Solid food. I could eat a basket of the garlic bread by myself. The restaurant itself is.... Interesting. Lots of character. The wait staff is hysterical. Def not a place to go if you don't like to be talked back to by the staff or get some witty responses/comments. The food is really good and plentiful. I've only been a couple of times but never disappointed. A Montrose staple for sure. If it is your birthday, be careful of what may lurk underneath the waiter's apron.

Went for a girls and love this Montrose staple. Every server was so kind. The vibes were great. And the food...DELICIOUS. We split a bottle of wine, and I ordered the Cream Rosa pasta with chicken and it was amazing. I loved that it came with soup, salad, and garlic bread. Easy choice to come back to!

Food was delicious and you get soup, salad and garlic bread with every entree. Definitely will be coming back. Portions are very big

Came here for dinner on a weeknight and the place was about 3/4 full; so, no issue with parking in their private lot (also some street parking in the area) and no wait to be seated. The space is very cozy and kitschy, in a great way. They have some year-round Christmas lights up, but the real show stopper appears to be coming at Christmas for an explosion of decor - I will have to come back for that! Now on to the food...everything was delicious and portions were huge. We started with the Salmon Croquette. I don't really eat fish and even I was a fan of this - it had a rich flavor without being 'too fishy' and was paired with a nice dill and tomato cream sauce. For my main, I opted for the Penne with "Cream Rosa" sauce and Chicken. A gigantic plate of pasta was brought, enough for leftovers for another meal or two, and it was excellent. Perfectly cooked pasta, rich and creamy sauce, deliciously seasoned chicken mixed in. Definitely recommend if you decide to go the pasta route. All mains are served with soup and salad; our soup was a light vegetable soup, and the salad is brought to the table with self-serve ranch and italian dressings. Paired with a glass of wine and this was a great meal! Service was friendly and welcoming, but not overly attentive. You immediately feel welcome here.

Great ambiance! I absolutely love this place. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming! Food is fresh and tasty! And holidays are a mercy, and must do!

Good Italian food with large portion at a reasonable price. The rack of lamb was much better than the price would indicate. Friendly staff & a pleasant setting. I've been in Houston for 50 years, this establishment has been here almost as long. A hidden gem

I hate to not score this place higher, but I was really disappointed with my experience. I had high expectations from what I've heard and seen online. The only thing that surpassed my expectations were all of the beautiful Christmas decorations- indoors and outdoors! The waitstaff was sweet and sassy which met well with the Montrose vibe. The food is what was truly disappointing. Although the lentil soup was surprisingly good (the texture and flavor were unique for what I would expect an Italian soup to be), it came luke-warm in plastic bowls, and everyone on my table had a different portion. I ordered the grilled chicken piccata which was topped with a decently creamy lemon butter sauce, whole slices of garlic, & capers. Unfortunately, the chicken was hard to cut and hard to chew. The lemon flavor was prominent- a bit too sour, and the dish was cold. It came with a side of alfredo pasta, however again... it was cold. It could have been the creamiest pasta, but it was cold and no one likes cold cheese. I saw another Yelp member say to save your money and go to Olive Garden, and unfortunately, I 100% agree.

My favorite go to place! The food is excellent and you even get soup and salad included! Who does that anymore? Great owner, great staff, never a complaint after 10+ years!

I ordered the best Chicken Suga Rosa pasta I ever had. Not only was the portion enough for two people, it was preceded by garlic bread, soup AND salad, with both ranch and house Italian dressings; all of which were great, all for $23. The Suga Rosa sauce, unlike most I've had, was well-balanced in texture and that acidity which accompanies Marinara sauce while blended with Alfredo. The Long Island Ice-T ($11) was in a tall glass that was not almost entirely filled w/ ice. I never give 5-stars to restaurants who go 1-inch above the rim of the glass, with ice, before pouring the cocktail from the shaker. I look forward to visiting Riva's again.

So my original plans fell through tonight so I decided, ya know what? I deserve a good Italian meal. When you are in the Montrose area of Houston you don't have to look far for that. This place has been a staple of this LGBTQ+ community for YEARS! I ordered the house wine to start, a nice Italian red table wine, can't go wrong. Oh, when I got there I was going to sit at the bar, and the owner politely informed me they had just finished cleaning it, and would mind a table in the main dinning room. Not at all, I replied, and was told I could sit anywhere. A VERY attractive waiter (Shoot, when they're cute, they're cute..) sat me down and took my drink order. He gave me a minute to peruse the menu, which by the by, I included updated pictures of. I ended up ordering the Penne with Roasted Bacon Sauce. That came with soup and salad, for under $20...SOLD! I got some delicious garlic bread while I waited for my meal. The soup and salad were great, but the show stopper was the penne. I haven't been in this place in nearly 6 years and the folks here haven't missed a beat! The service was sublime and as I was leaving I informed one of the owners or long time waiters (was hard to tell), that I hadn't been there in years but give them 2 thumbs way up! He was so sweet, he and my waiter both gave me hugs. Needless to say, if you are in the mood for some great Italian food and want to be treated like family, Rivas is the place to be. The staff should be proud, great job yall! I'll definitely not let 6 years go again by before my next visit.

Love this neighborhood, homey, kitschy Italian restaurant, nestled in the Montrose. Cozy, kind of romantic, yummy bread, tasty pasta and the Halloween decorations are perfect for pictures and spooky funny! Love this place & good service too. Reasonable prices. Italian food is well above average...not fine dining, but better than one if the chain Carrabba's restaurants for sure. But, the food is not as amazing as the original Carrabba's on Kirby, but more affordable and homey. Definitely will be back.

I love the food, upbeat atmosphere, and the friendly servers at Riva's. I've eaten here many times over the years and have celebrated many birthdays (friends and my own) at this Montrose institution. While I enjoy my visits there, it's not for everyone. It's definitely not a family restaurant (no small children allowed). However, don't let that stop you from giving them a try. Note: Sunday brunch is on point (as the kids like to say). Hee Hee

Riva's is a very special place. It's unique inside and the staff were extremely friendly and attentive. All four of us ordered different meals and were very pleased. You receive everything for one price including bread, salad, soup and your main entree. The drinks we ordered, I just had one but wanted a second, were fantastic and everyone enjoyed their dessert. The staff almost hugged us when we left, but you know, we've been living in a big city too long and did shy away. Ha, ha.

fabulous fabulous fabulous!!! waiter was so so fun and told us about the history of the place. the food was great. every entree came with a salad, garlic bread, and a soup. the soup needed more seasoning imo but they have salt pepper and red pepper flakes at every table so it was fine! the chicken funchezzi and fettuccine was super good. loved the garlic bread. we got crème brûlée cheesecake for dessert and it was amazingggg not too sweet. the christmas decoration was adorable!! definitely going to be coming back around the holidays in the coming years.

Pick this spot at random from Yelp. Our first time, and definitely not our last time!! OMG everything was so YUMMY!! And super fulfilling

Incredible food and wonderful service! I have been several times and go often for Anniversaries. I look forward to returning and will be going for years to come

I have been to Riva's several times and always enjoyed the experience. However, last night, we had horrible service, weren't attended to, and were so rudely rushed out before we could even finish our bottle of wine that the table next to us were horrified and apologized to us for the interaction. I understand it's the holiday season also do not like the limited menu. Probably won't be going back.

Food was ok but didn't order the best option either. Service was barely there and rushed as ever. Our server was rude but the other servers around us seemed friendly. They are too busy and under staffed in my opinion. If you can't give refills, check on your table or give attitude when they request something, you shouldn't be a server or you should just slllooowww dowwwnnn. Was decorated nice for Christmas and Chocolate cake was good. Might be back but not during the holidays.