Riva's

"Riva’s is the perfect balance of a gay dive bar and a casual red-sauce Italian restaurant. Ambiance here radiates from the bawdy staff, year-round holiday lights, and the massive, cheese-slathered plates of baked eggplant parmesan. It’s a beautiful, adults-only playground—a sign on the front door explicitly states “no children allowed”—that’ll transport you to a time when Houston was just some working-class cowtown. It’s not the best Italian restaurant in town, nor is it the most beautiful. But Riva’s hits that sweet spot of comfort and nostalgia, coats it in a deeply unserious attitude, then smothers it in marinara. And we can’t get enough." - chelsea thomas, gianni greene

"Riva’s Italian in Montrose feels like a dive bar that at some point accidentally hired a pretty talented Italian-American cook and just sort of stuck with that theme. Decked out in near year-round holiday lights and a dizzying array of kitsch, the no-kids-allowed restaurant serves surprisingly excellent plates of pasta, piccata, and a complimentary pre-entree salad with unbelievably good Italian dressing. We’rre actually kind of obsessed with Riva’s, and even though nothing here will blow your mind, the cheesy carbs will  heal what ails you. Go here for a casual meal, a quick date night, or anytime you want to feel a little warm cheer in your cold, grizzled heart. " - chelsea thomas, gianni greene

"Even though Riva’s Italian has been around for forever, it still feels like one of Montrose’s best kept secrets. Stacked floor to ceiling with an almost nauseating level of kitsch and near year-round holiday lights, Riva’s kind of feels like someone smashed together a sassy dive bar and a small town Italian-American restaurant. We’re completely obsessed with it. photo credit: Richard Casteel The staff wears regular clothes and no aprons, so you might not even know who works here at first, but the service feels genuine, professional, and lightning fast once you do. Portions of penne and piccata are massive, and every entree comes with a soup of the day to start, and a salad served with near mythically-delicious Italian-ish dressing on the side. Almost everything gets smothered (and we mean drenched) in white sauce or red sauce. And while nothing here seems like it will blow your mind, it also kind of will, because the food always tastes way better than you expect. Trust the process here, and respect the “no kids allowed” policy, and you will be greatly rewarded, mostly with a plate of cheesy carbs. Go here for a casual meal, a quick date night,  or anytime you want to feel a little warm cheer in your cold, grizzled heart. photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel" - Chelsea Thomas

"Montrose restaurant Riva’s continues its tradition of filling its space with the gaudiest of Christmas decor, complete with hundreds, if not thousands of twinkly lights, and unbeatable plates of Italian fare, including veal parmesan and creamy penne dishes. Sunday brunch is also a hit among Riva loyalists. Be warned: the experience is for ages 13 and up only." - Megha McSwain, Brittany Britto Garley