The Riviera + Runaway Cafe in Toronto

If you want to have an explosive diarrhea and extreme low quality foodie experience than this place definitely meets all the needs. It feels like that lack of competition impacted the quality and value of their offer.

Came here as the other open food place in the island seemed small and crowded, and the layout looked better here. The pizza thing (piadini) was really nice. The lasagna was worth $26, and absolutely not worth it. It was a tiny portion, didnt taste nice, simply not nice at all and it didnt seem cooked well. In general we really arent impressed with the food. Waiters were okayish nice. Food was so bad that next time, Ill just get on the ferry back to downtown toronto to eat decent food. Pretty sad because the place has a lot of potential to be better in terms of food quality. 2.5 stars. Vegetarian options: Cheese and veggie piadina are nice. Veggie lasagna NOT worth it.

Pretty subpar place that basically only exists because its in an island where there is nothing else. The atmosphere and decor are nice. We liked the high tables and the TVs showing sports. The food is pretty mediocre for the prices -- we got the cheese dip and its basically a plastic container straight from the fridge, extremely cold all the way down to the beans. 18 dollars for that is highway robbery. The waiter seemed like hed rather be doing anything else but being there. We are not expecting smiles and happiness everywhere. But if you are dealing with customers, a good attitude is preferred.

Cold food, too expensive

This place has 2 things going for it : 1) Nice setting on the island. There was a lovely sunset when I went there 2) Doesnt need to worry about the competition as theres barely any The staff were apathetic and the food was both overpriced and below average in quality

Contrary to website info the Rivera was closed so we dined at the adjoining Rum Shack. This was disappointing as few patio dining experiences in the GTA come close to the view of the lake and the spit nestled in the trees at the Rivera. The Rum Shack is behind the building with no view. Montreal smoked meat arrived promptly but a less than generous portion was the experience. Server was polite but value for the $18 sandwich with a side of potato chips and two tablespoons of coleslaw was disappointing. We are thankful we live in the city as those who travel a long way for this would be even more disenchanted by their experience. Clearly others have had better experiences here as have we in the past. We will most likely give them another chance.

This is only for Runaway Cafe. The Riviera appeared it was closed the day I went.

Poor service, expensive.

Great atmosphere here! Awesome place to catch a game with great staff. There was a huge spider in the bathroom that scared the heck outta me though.

Very friendly and nice :))

The Runaway Cafe is a fantastic place to visit! The staff were all nice, we love the atmosphere and enjoyed our hot drinks. Looking forward to our next visit.

staff really nice! food BAD. do not get the pizza please. if u like seasoning, DO NOT come here.

Ordered gluten free vegan lasagna (I am gluten and dairy intolerant) and ordered a second serving to take home. On a warm fall day we sat at a high table with 6 people and two dogs. We had prompt friendly service, a bright atmosphere, and good food. Cant wait to go back next season. Dietary restrictions: Solid vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options. I am gluten and dairy intolerant and had no reaction with their vegan and gluten free lasagna (cannot speak to celiac cross contamination sensitivity)

Run down. Terrible. Dirty. No thanks.

Our server was so wonderful but the food was barely edible! Came here to refuel after the beach and we decided to always bring food because of our experience. I was so hungry and lost my appetite due to the poor quality of the food. Its a crime to have this beautiful place with kind servers but inedible food. My apologies but I cannnot even give this place 1/5 stars. It is the equivalent of tv dinners. I hope that things can change here.

...it used to be great...! Weve been coming here for more than 15 years but last week was probably the last time for us. The food (quality and selection) is now really as basic as it gets (frozen-costco-flatbread-style pizza and cold burger; but offered for top-of-the-line restaurant prices. Too bad for such a nice hidden beer garden... But what really ticked us off was the unprofessional, immature service. We provided feedback to the restaurant in person so no need to get into details here, but its really disappointing to see what has become of such a gem (that it used to be, both food and service-wise). Interestingly, other patrons made similar comments to us outside the cafe. Its just too bad; we want to support local businesses but they have to provide quality service and products.

The coffee needs a lot of improvement. It tasted worse than a drip coffee. Highly suggest the cafe upgrade their beans as it s full cafe price for sub Tim Hortons grade coffee. The atmosphere is nice just stay away from the cappuccino / Americano.

I love the runaway, best coffee I ve ever had super awesome staff with great vibes and awesome food! 11/10

I went to this Hidden Coffee Shop called Runaway Cafe and I didnt regret it. You have to try their scones :)

Very cute cafe in a pink food truck. Drinks were yummy and the owner was super nice!

The run away café was wonderful their lemonade was to die for 5 s would recommend

Below average

Great espresso, delicious baked goods, friendly staff, and a beautiful setting.

Do not order food here. It s horrible one of the worst places I ve Bennet ! Everything was mushy and there was only leafs and one single piece of pepper. Look at the reviews

Wonderful place to enjoy comfort food with view to the lake.

We didn t stay. We have eaten here several times over the years and the food is good. Today, we arrived by bicycle and the place was empty. We wanted to sit near our bikes, within eyeshot and we did not try to take them into the patio. They have bike racks and dollar store type locks and they refused to permit us to leave our expensive bikes near the patio entrance. The person responsible for seating us was absolutely unhelpful. We were the only people there, during a quiet time and we didn t make an unreasonable request to be beside our bikes, we only wanted to see them. The attitude was unreal.

Oh this place. Went here twice for office team lunches during the summer. The first time I called and emailed them and both times they confirmed that they have Gluten free options. Great. We get there and they tell us that they are out of the GF buns and lasagna. Ok it can happen. We just asked for the burger without the bun. They took out everything but the patty, like nothing on the patty at all and charged us for the whole burger! The second time we went, I emailed them a week in advance letting them know that we are coming and that it would be great to have the GF buns be available. They acknowledge and agreed to it. A week in advance! And sure enough, when we got there, they were out of the GF buns. Both times the service providers had an air of attitude and distance. Sure the sitting area is great on a good day. But the lack of care and taking for grantidness is next level at this place.

Good service. Beautiful patio. Solid pass on the food. Wish we had done what another couple did - they were seated, looked at the menu, looked at what others around them were eating and walked out. Smart. Fish tacos tasted like when you buy a lot of ingredients to make a well reviewed New York Times recipe but you are distracted and overcook everything and nothing comes together but you still have to eat it. The beyond beef burger came with lettuce, tomato and bun. No condiments offered. It was a sad, slapped together thing on a plate. No cutlery offered, rather, a toothpick to eat the potatoes that came with. The whole experience made us miss The Rectory, the previous restaurant in that space.

Nothing worse than showing up somewhere after google says it is open yet nothing is and there isnt a customer in sight. Especially after youve used a ferry and walked the length of the island, there were even signs out. By the sounds of reviews we werent missing much.

I took my out of town family here for lunch and was really embarrassed by the whole experience. First they got the food orders wrong. The meat was undercooked and burgers were served with few chips not the fries. The servers didn t seem to care much about this unfortunate experience. Not coming back here for sure.

I am embarrassed to have brought a vegan friend here. The menu offers vegan options but the owner clearly doesnt know or care how to prepare vegan ingredients. Felt like a tourist trap: got our money, provided terrible food. Under cooked, flavourless, over priced. Lovely location. Enjoyable as long as you dont eat. Vegetarian options: Poorly prepared. Tasteless. Overpriced.

Wicked hidden little gem

I urge you to read all the recent and legitimate reviews, before coming here. I remember when this place was The Rectory - it was pretty darn good. NOT any more. This Riviera is terrible. If this establishment were in the city proper, it would maybe last 6 months. But they have a captive audience on the Island, with limited dining options. The menu is small, the food slapped together with no care or any sort of pride. Burger was just OK. There are NO fries on the menu here, you get these frozen pan fry things instead. Wasnt even offered any cutlery to eat them. Also no condiments offered for the burger. AVOID this place, it tainted an otherwise wonderful trip to the island. I dont like leaving bad reviews for small businesses, but this warranted a warning to others coming to the Island. They need to up their game here - a lot.

We didn t visit the Rivera Cafe anticipating a Michelin star meal, but we did expect an average pub meal. Salads were on the warm side and tasted as if all the ingredients were out of a bag or jar; burger was ok but didn t have a pickle as described and the side was basic plain potato chips; lox and cream cheese was warm and the salmon did not taste right. We did share this feedback and were still charged. Service was fine and meals came quickly - suggest skipping this place when visiting the Island.

Had a very disappointing experience here, which was unfortunate as the place was very pretty :( I brought my out of town friends here and we ordered: smoked salmon lox bagel, smoked meat sandwich, smash burger, and a mimosa. The lox was not fresh tasting, the bagel was barely toasted. The smoked sandwich was 70% untoasted bread and the meat tasted like deli meat (not smoked). The smash burger was an underwhelming burger with very little sauce (when my friend asked for more sauce, they never got more) and there was a single tomato. Ive never been to a restaurant downtown that served lays chips with meals before (why not fries???). We didnt get napkins with our meal (we had to ask for them later, and he threw them on our table). The service was pretty unpersonable (not rude, just blunt). The food was overpriced for what we got; ex. $20 for a barely toasted bagel with a handful of lays chips. I would not come back and I would not recommend this to anyone.

Visited the Runaway Cafe to grab a quick bite, quite pricy ($10+ for two scones) and the barista who served us was also not very nice :( Kinda sad this is one of the only spots to get food and drinks on this side of the island. Will remember to pack our own snacks next time.

The service was very disappointing, waitress and waiter have a very depressed face and it seems they do not like to work there. Food was not very good. Burger was greasy and chips were from lays (or any other brand).

Absolutely filthy! We walked in here and noticed that it was generally pretty dirty looking. But I thought, let s give it a try. I went to the bathroom and it was absolutely disgusting. The restaurant had literally just opened so there was no excuse for this. The whole place just looked so dirty and unkept. We left straight away. I don t think I have sat down and walked out of a restaurant in about 10 years. It was that gross. If that is how they keep their bathroom, I would hate to see their kitchen. Just so gross. Having read the bad reviews on her subsequently, I m just so glad we didn t eat here.

The Runaway Cafe was excellent. Very chill. Try the Vietnamese Iced Coffee!

I recently dined at this restaurant and was disappointed by the overall experience. For the cost, I expected much better quality food. Additionally, there was only one server for the entire patio on a busy Saturday afternoon during peak season. This resulted in slow service, with long waits for both orders and refills. Considering the high prices, I anticipated a more attentive and efficient service.

This is a review for The Riviera, perhaps the Runaway Cafe is better... Wanted to have dinner on a Saturday night but ended up leaving. We were seated by some girl who did not ask if we would like anything to drink to start. The restaurant was half empty and we waited for a very long time as they only had 1 server taking orders on a weekend night... Ended up leaving discouraged by the menu choices, recent negative reviews and overall wait time. Maybe charge more $$$ but get better service.

A bit on the pricier side for what you get, but understandable since its on the island. The atmosphere was great - a well shaded and secluded area that was perfect for a summer day.

Kayaked over to the island and stopped in for a burger and beer. The beer was cold but so was the burger.

Ambiance has island feeling to it, which is fantastic; however, the food is 1 star, the menu is literally a printed paper, they didnt even bother to laminate it. And how do you name this restaurant Riviera when the food is a HARD pass? Great ambiance, but bring your own food don t waste your money here.

The restaurant seems to have declined from what it once was. The burger was good but this was once a much fancier restaurant in better condition.

The host is so cute I would eat here everyday if I could just to see him

Honestly the food is just ok, nothing special. But their staff are super friendly, very accommodating and the overall atmosphere is terrific. They also have a super cute and friendly cat on premise. 10/10 would recommend this place for drinks with friends in the summer.

A very lively and beautiful place to have a light meal. Good food and service and very friendly staff. Absolutely do not miss the Blondie dessert.

Good place to stop for lunch while walking along the lakeside broadwalk. Staff friendly and helpful Tea good ... make sure you dont get the decaff tea by mistake Hot dog was ok Location out in the tree shaded garden on the very hot day was lovely

Recommend checking the bill before paying; was charged $4 for a $3 coffee, with the server claiming taxes.

Runaway cafe was beautiful and had so many interesting and refreshing options, my favourite oat milk (minor figures, but there s an up charge) and hatch beans from Markham (blackout, classic bean). However, imo the espresso shot in my iced latte was sour and under extracted, so I was a bit disappointed that it was not dialed in correctly at the time I visited. I may be a snob but lattes can be pricey and I usually expect a higher standard. Nonetheless the vibes are gorgeous and the staff was very kind. They had lemonades, viet coffee and other bevvies that sounded amazing and I m excited to return for those.

$20 excluding tax for a regular, cold burger, chips, and 1/2 pickle... Too expensive for my taste! Topping extra. Nice setting, fast service. Kid-friendliness: Yes

Worst place ever! Bad service and disorganized staff. Not enough employees, long waiting lines to be seated.

Ordered the jerk chicken. It was seasoned well however it was pink I took bites of it before having to send it back. They didn t have the courtesy of compensating for that in any way. I was still charged for my refill of my drink and got nothing on the house. I just think if you give someone raw chicken you should do something to make the experience better. Won t come again.

The Riviera is such a cute beach restaurant and we had a perfect experience. After our beach day party for our daughters 16th birthday on Wards Island, my husband and I took her and her 4 friends here for dinner. It was a busy evening at the restaurant but we didnt wait long to be seated and everything we ordered came out promptly. We had the 5 layer dip and guacamole with chips and we all ordered the smash burger. For desert we ordered all 5 of the different cakes being served that day and everything was amazing including the outstanding service provided by our server, Charlotte. It was a very busy evening but the kitchen managed to pump out the food in a timely manner and Charlotte was on the ball giving us exceptional service and her bubbly, loving personality deserved more than a standard tip so we gave her 30% which she definitely deserved. Everything was so great, we cant wait to come back! Thanks to everyone at the Riviera for such a wonderful experience

Stopped to have a bite to eat at the Riviera. Cute spot by the water. Friendly staff. We will visit again when we are back.

Perfect vibes at both the Runaway Cafe and the Riviera. Best place to go in Toronto on a hot summer day.

Beautiful place to eat outside. Unfortunately food is not great and menu is very limited. Prices are a bit high but I guess you pay a premium for being on the island

We were walking here 1 hour, and we came 15 minutes before closing and the unpleasant guy said that they are not taking orders anymore, even though it was 15 more minutes before closing. Don t recommend coming and wasting your time

Very bad customer service, the girl who works there is very rude and she acts like a teacher.. honestly shes scary be careful folks she mights bite if you talk to her .

Where to begin...? We enter onto a quaint back patio with an excellent view of the sea-side. Our expectations were that at the very minimum they would serve some passable, timeless pub grub...greasy goodness. The service was truthfully fairly good, and staff very kind, but the food was a quagmire. The bean dip was an amalgamation of processed gunk from a can with no freshness. It tasted straight out of grandmas fridge. The smash burger was nervously grotesque in that the tomato had a woodiness, the bun had an un-toasted dampness, and the patty minuscule in scale. By the way, beware of the confusion in receiving a side of chips, expecting french fries, when they are in fact Lays Chips dumped onto the plate. Literally crumbs and all. The conclusions were dark, the bill high, and for what? Why serve such terrible food at such high prices?

The worst place I have ever been to

Amazing coffee in the morning

Had the fish sandwich and the lemonade and both were awesome.

I ordered the Lox bagel. Salmon was bad. It had gone grey. I had to ask for napkins from 2 different servers. My girlfriend asked for a straw for her water and waiter dumped it into her glass. Very unprofessional. Tables unclean. Spider webs underneath. Bad food, bad service. Worse then a third world country. Coffee was decent.

The food was extremely underwhelming and the service was also very poor. We ordered a salad which was $5 to upgrade and it had next to no dressing on it. We also never got a fork for our salad, my pizza was very undercooked and no one checked in on us after we ordered our food. What a joke of $80!

Had a wonderful experience here over the week! The server, Sasha was very attentive and provided great recommendation. My friend and I ordered the no boats on Sunday peach cider and the meat pizza. The paring was delicious and great for a summers day!

Service was poor. While waiting to be seated the hostess unprofessionally had her hand underneath her shirt while greeting guests ( is she going to be running out food I thought to myself ?). We received our food before we received our drinks. Everyone s order was incorrect and the server did not come to check in until we were almost done our food. It was not observed to be busy at that time. The washrooms were not clean and there was a hole in the door, door handle broken. Considering the amount of foot traffic passing through should be an easy and affordable fix. I had a single smash burger which was good. It was served with potatoes chips. Which was disappointing to find out it was not French fries. Menu not up to date.

Very pricey for small portions, long wait times. Paid $16 including tax and tip, which the waiter added for himself, for a handful of Tostito chips plus salsa and guac. Alright if its for convenience on the Island with nice scenery.

Server is miserable, food is sub par. Beautiful setting, but 16 dollars for a frozen patty burger that they call a brisket burger is over priced, and not good. Will not return.

The food at this restaurant was below mediocre. I had the hamburger and it honestly tasted like the Loblaws boxed ones. The restaurant does not even do French fries they give potato chips instead. The restaurant is also overpriced but given that they are in beautiful location they can charge the high prices for what it is. Maybe it is better off to just have a drink at this place. Don t recommend for food. The atmosphere is very nice though and the servers were accommodating.

Something about it here is just so off. Feels like theyre banking on being the only restaurant on the island to give you the lowest effort, lowest value, and lowest quality experience possible. My food came out and after two bites I had got the ick and had that I shouldnt eat this feeling. Everything on the plate was grey and wet. When it was clear I didnt eat they inquired defensively as to why, not in an effort to make it right either. I dont know what left a worse taste in my mouth, the food, the service, the atmosphere, or the price tag.

We went as a group of 6 but were told that they were unable to make a table of 6 so we seated in two separated tables but they still charged 18% tips with no service at all. Won t come back again

AVOID THIS PLACE!!!! Very bad experience. We had absolute no service at all. The glass we have is dirty. Server never showed up during our stay. An 18% tip is forced on us even though we sit in separate tables and pay separately. Worst place on the island. Food

They wouldnt let us put the table together, we had to sit separately. But they still counted us as a group of six and charged us a compulsory 18% gratuity. Ridiculous service.

They charged extra 18% gratuity fee without any service.

Good service, below bare minimum veggie burger. Lettuce, tomato, sautéed onion with side pickle for $20. Would pack food before heading to the island next time.

Its so cool to have an outdoor dinner on the Wards Island. The food is good. The ambiance is unique.

Runaway cafe was great

Fantastic service! Our server Shane was amazing and very fast with everything. Mango margaritas are to die for!

Loved this place, the burger is really good !

Quite overpriced, slow service, subpar food.

Bed food with bad service,ordered pizza and received it after 45 mnt and it was burned.please go somewhere else...

We went to the restaurant during long weekend, waited 25mins for the order during which no service at all not even water. Didnt get my coffee, neither. Finally food came, I had single layer burger which is 16 dollars the size is half of McDonalds egger with a few chips. My husband got jerk chicken, it was very hard overcooked chicken with way too much spice He only ate the rice. We wasted 25mins for waiting the food and was served with such quality, end up finishing it in 10mins. Id not recommend this place to anyone.

Disappointing experience, took over 30 minutes to get seated, whoever was the hostess looked lost beyond measure while there was empty tables everywhere and a line up of people waiting to be seated. Once seated the server took our order, food took forever to come out, we had to ask about it twice. $20 for a burger and the buns were not toasted, no condiments, cheap american cheese and served with a pathetic handful of lays chips not even fries. You would be better off going to McDonalds. Server didn t even bring us napkins, we had to ask twice for napkins, and they were rude about it. Wouldn t waste my money or come back here again. edit: I d also like to note that the washrooms were filthy

We waited for 1 hour and 45 minutes for the most plain burger I ve ever had. Bring a picnic to the islands instead of wasting your time on this place!

The food is not good at all, waste of money pricy as well.

Fantastic Banh Mi sandwich and raspberry Italian soda. A must stop! Great vibe!

Nice and relaxing, great food right along the lake. Have a gd bite nd walk it off.

Very good restaurant! The soup was exquisite, the patty perfectly cooked and grilled, and the brownie INCREDIBLE !!! I dont understand the bad comments about this little restaurant! We were very very happy by our visit! And all was served very fast by the way...

Really nasty server/bartender. Hey, what is the soup of the day? Im busy, you ll have to wait . He literally had a bottle in his hand, not sure how difficult it is to say cream of mushroom , or chicken noodle . In any event, you could learn some manners. Definitely not how you operate a business. Yuck!

R.I.P

My wife and I visited this place to unwind. It was our first time. Zoe, the waitress extended to us exceptional customer service. We will definitely come back soon. Kudos to the management and staff!

We visit year round for the awesome burgers, vibe, views, and service. The staff are wonderful and the food never disappoints.

I always enjoy my time whenever I get the chance to go to The Riv. Atmosphere is everything you could want from a smaller bar: friendly and quick service, that makes you feel like youve always been around. Drinks are well made and the food is wonderful. The winter menu isnt very large, but what they have on there at the moment Id have again any day, and I could barely decide what sounded better. Plus all the desserts are handmade in house and are the perfect way to finish out a meal. Excited to go back again, especially as things open up and the food and drink menu expands once the warm weather arrives.

Winter is limited but still has the summer favorites (burger and nachos). Call ahead to confirm. Great atmosphere in the winter, but does fill up fast with people

Went to Toronto Island on a very hazy day so wasn t able to see the Toronto skyline. This restaurants made my day with good food and people. The servers Zoe and Andrew were super friendly and attentive. Will definitely be back next time I m in TO!

A nice place in the middle of the center island. It is nicely located within the woods on one side and the water on the other side. Easily accessible, usually busy over the summer weekends. The food is good, ambience is good. The place has its own vibe. The staff is great and friendly. The food is ok but a bit expensive considering it is on the island. The nachos portion is filling n the drinks are good too.

Had a coffee and bottle of water from this shop and came back to use their bathroom but the guy was not very welcoming. Rude, wouldn t recommend.

A cute restaurant and the view is amazing. We ordered lasagna, loaded nachos and coffee. The lasagna was delightful and nachos was okay too. The service wasn t that great, it felt that the server was always in a hurry and one server was serving the entire place. The loaded hot chocolate was unavailable and I was really craving for one. The drinks menu was interesting and they also had games, a nice place to get together with your friends and family.

It is a place to go in high season, otherwise everything is closed. The views of Toronto stand out

A nice cozy place to dine in if you are at Islands. Highly recommend!

Forget your Americanos and Cappuccinos......youll get drip coffee served promptly and with good humour....and you can enjoy it in a pleasant sun-filled yard in the shade of the trees.!!

Beautiful place, I believe I either met the owner or the manager, super friendly and helpful. I wish I could say the same from the bartender (young blonde girl with glasses) from the moment we got in, we were not greeted and straight forward ask in a demanding way, what we want. We place our order and no words were say. We start talking to the manager and he told us they had another place today and that on summer the place is a most, which I agree, however, I would highly recommend to coach the bartender, as I don t know if this was a one time event or is she is always that way as one of the regular customers mentioned. But is she behave this way on a slow season, I can t imaging how she can be on peak season. I hope she can understand that she is half of the experience for such a lovely place.

Great location but that s about it.

Dietary restrictions: Gluten free options Food

Everything closed in the island this time of the year, April but remembered this lovely place from our last visit in September. Great surprise it was open! A great eatery any time of the year with a welcoming sitting area and a resident cat .

Very nice stop Quiet during this period, with locals! Good music and atmosphere that accompanies our lunch! Good burgers and hearty nachos

We only had drinks but the service and atmosphere was very friendly!

Its all ok. Would go again

Last year experience at this place was much better than today. The guy who host us to our table shouldnt work there with such nasty attitude. We had company of 6 and he walked us to table for 4, brought extra 2 chairs and when we asked him if he is planning to move extra table he answered : Absolutely not! and left. I have never seen such a rude host in any place. One of the adults in a company wanted a hotdog however the waitress said she cant get the hotdog because its on a kids menu and they offer it only to kids 12 and under. Why does it matter at all?! Tacos, nachos and tomato soup were good.

The staff was not Friendly. We went two families together and they refused to combine two tables for us and we have to separate into two tables. Not Family Friendly. Not recommended for big groups. The food was ok nothing wow.

service and products are sub-standard and overpriced: terrible drip coffee & sloppy club sandwich. the setting w/high trees is nice but the WC is overcrowded. skip if you can

Great restaurant on the island to get a drink & some appetizers. We got the aperol spritz ($14) and the nachos ($19) with added on sour cream ($3). Overall, the nachos were great & they did not skimp out on the toppings. Good service as well.

Great location and cute spot. Disappointing food and ok service.

The Rivieras Ward Island Kitchen offers a range of culinary options, but unfortunately, our recent experience left much to be desired. Despite the promising start of splitting the twenty-dollar nachos as a starter, the dish was lacking in cheese and heavy on the garnish. As for the main course, the island club chicken was a major disappointment, with an unexciting flavor profile reminiscent of boiled chicken. The burger, while not necessarily bad, failed to deliver any memorable qualities. The service was another letdown, with an unenthusiastic waitress who seemed disinterested in her job. We had to repeatedly ask for water and even had to signal our server down after she disappeared with our drink order, with no inquiry as to whether we were interested in ordering food. Overall, while the ambiance of the Rivieras Ward Island Kitchen is pleasant, the lackluster food and service make it a less than desirable dining destination.

A visit to the Riviera restaurant and café on Torontos Wards Island offers more than just a meal its an enchanting experience that combines delightful cuisine, excellent service, and a uniquely charming atmosphere. Nestled amidst lush greenery, the restaurant provides a serene respite from the citys bustle. Although the shade provided by the verdant canopy may make sunlit spots a rarity, it contributes to the tranquil ambiance that makes this place so special1. The Rivieras service is commendable, with a staff that is as friendly as it is efficient. The menu, though not extensive, offers a range of delectable dishes that cater to various palates. While the pricing might seem a tad high, its quite justifiable considering the location and the unique dining experience on offer. The simple yet satisfying food, coupled with the captivating views of the city from the ferry ride to Wards Island, make it a spot thats as loved by locals as it is by tourists.

Very good place to eat and drink in the middle of the green and the price is also ok. Any time

Different kind of place. Sort of eclectic. Jimmy was very welcoming and personable. My wife and I had a local lager and the smash burger. Both were very good. Definitley would recommend this neat little restaurant.

Service is average but the price for the food is not worth. Hot dogs not even cooked but boiled, with no onions, tomatoes, or vegetables, the dressings on the burgers on the bottom part of the bread makes it soggy, it can be better but is not that good, among other things... Vegetarian options: Burger and hot dogs

I used to love this place when it was the Rectory Cafe, but it s now pretty disappointing. I had a very blend club sandwich consisting of a dry chunk of chicken in a pasty baguette, no bacon. The terrasse is still quite nice and the staff friendly, but the menu is quite underwhelming.

This place is not what I remember it to be. Service was good, staff friendly, and polite. Food came out quickly however, taste is mediocre at best, I had the burger it was just OK, all condiments completely out of a packet, nothing fresh. Certainly not worth the price they charge. The place is quite filthy, cleanliness does not seem to be a priority; patio is not clean, washrooms are absolutely disgusting, public washrooms are better. The cons outweigh the pros, therefore I would not recommend this place, EVER! Wheelchair accessibility: There is room for anybody who needs accessibility on the patio. Not sure about the washrooms, however both need to be cleaned. They are rather disgusting.

Visited here for a quick lunch. The staff kinda rushed us and weren t much friendly. The smash burgers that we ordered were really delicious and filing. Overall a good experience Food

A little gem that feels far away from the city.

Fish taco was not good at all

The worst pizza we ve ever had.

If you go to the island, this is a great place to check out. Not only beautiful visually, but cooler because of all the tree coverage. I have never eaten there, but the food looks good seeing it visually when a server walks by. Limited menu, though, and kinda pricey, I guess, but then again what isint now a days. Its worth checking out if you visit the island.

Nice place on the island. Terrace very cozy because it is surrounded by trees. Service was very bad. The waiter was annoyed when we didnt order anything to eat. When we wanted to pay by card, he shouted as he ran away that he would rather have cash. He then threw the card reader onto the table without comment and ran away again. We then paid independently and left without comment. We wont come back again.

Great patio restaurant at Ward s Island. It has a very relaxing vibe. The food is amazing but the service is just exceptional. This will be my go to place when visiting the Island.

So we ordered burgers and Hawaiian pizza, and it was delicious, but we are waiting little bit longer, so i put 4 stars for service, just because lady on bar solved the situation) with the kitchen

What a BEAUTIFUL terrace! The food was good; the jerk fish tacos were absolutely delicious, but the portion was so small that it was more of an appetizer than a meal, for the price of a meal... a growing trend in tacos these days, it seems. Staff was casual and friendly. Wheelchair accessibility: Terrace easily accessible; had to move a couple chairs to get my mobility scooter through but we got to put it right beside our table. I believe there were stairs to the bathroom though; call to check.

Nice ambiance, music, and friendly service (host and server) close to the beach. Jerk Fish tacos were a bit salty but tasty nonetheless. Nice place to spend an afternoon.

I spent July 7,2023 at Toronto Island, used to go to this restaurant years ago. What a pity! Apparently owner has changed. THey modified the menu and now on you can only find fast food (bad quality by the way). Service was horrible, they took 1 hour for 3 burgers and 1 nacho. MEat was burned and very small portions. Started raining, they rolled out portable ceiling cover and guess what? full of spiders, dust and dead insects fell over our food. The waiter, a dark woman (I am not being racist) did not even dare to apologize. Super expensive bill and they even dared to charge gratuity, how cinic!. I will never return to this place. 3 stars for the atmosphere because location is beautiful but poor hygene in general. Defenitely not an option anymore.

Wins: great atmosphere and vibe, good service. Offered water bowl for our puppy Loses: forgettable food, both club sandwich and jerk chicken sandwich are drier than my elbow. Baked potatoes are ok. No condiments were offered too. Food

Place with a bucolic atmosphere on the island opposite the city of Toronto. Very friendly staff and a place that conveys peace

Had fish tacos. They were fantastic

Great food and atmosphere. The burger was amazing!!! Excellent Kid-friendliness: Childrens menu and open space. Wheelchair accessibility: There are no steps, it is at street level.

Out of all restaurants open on the Island, this one has the nicest and friendlist staff. At other restaurants on the Islands, nobody really cares about your order. The food was good, the drinks were strong, and the ambiance was great. I would definitely come back here when I visit the islands again!

Very nice service! Normal price!

I didnt have food but after walking around it was a nice place to have a drink.

Great spot on Ward Island. The back patio is huge and lovely. The shade is a welcome break from the summer heat. Good and drink were excellent.

Food was good! Okayish! (had a club sandwich). Ambience is amazing, trees around you, nice music. Service was great, for a group of 15, they served us pretty quick. Plus point: there is a very cute cat on the premise Vegetarian options: Burger Dietary restrictions: Vegan Gluten Free

I ordered veggie burger adding Cheddar cheese! It was okay. Not special but I appreciate that the restaurant is inside Toronto island!

Beautiful place and magical at night

Food was decent once it arrived but that took nearly 90 minutes. Kitchen obviously too small or not staffed enough to deal with the number of seats they have on the patio. Prices were extremely high for what you got. I wouldnt go there again!

My wife and I had a lovely lunch. We had the jerk pork and the fish tacos. The atmosphere/setting was so relaxing and beautiful with the water and trees. Can t not mention the playlist .amazing music- please share!!!

Bartender was extremely rude- drinking on the shift and flirting with the customers. She was annoyed when we asked for prices of the drinks (nothing was listed) and continued to serve the men she was flirting with (and herself) after she called last call for my group.

Food was great. Drinks were good.

The website and menu said the lasagna came with ceaser salad. We ordered 3 orders. They substituted for raspberry dressing without telling us. We all hate raspberry. Also, raspberry and lasagna????They would not fix it and only took $4 total off a $100 bill. Not cool. Manager clearly does not care about the guests.

patio is amazing. margaritas are amazing, if pricy. service is meh at best horrendous at worst. food is meh and sometimes bad when they re rammed. It s essentially the only proper waterfront restaurant at the island, so thanks to the anticompetitive tendencies of the City of Toronto vis a vis the island, it s the only choice. All round positive experience though.

Great physical location. TERRIBLE lousy ignorant uncaring service! Kid-friendliness: Little boy fell off chair hurting his head. Servers couldnt have cared less! Refused to send him a kiddie drink to cheer up! Male server just walked away! Food : 2/5 |

Wonderful service, delicious food, and an excellent patio with a view! We stopped in for lunch just by chance, expecting something a bit touristy (overpriced and/or underwhelming) and we couldnt have been more wrong. Were already looking forward to visiting again. I would highly recommend the Island Smash Burger or the Jerk Tenderloin Sandwich. Vegetarian options: One person in our party ordered the veggie burger and really enjoyed it! Kid-friendliness: Plenty of room on the patio for everyone, plenty of families with kids of all ages and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

This is a great place to relax and have a bite to eat and a drink after exploring the islands. Theres a large patio with a lovely view of the lake and lots of trees for shade. We ordered nachos and they hit the spot as a mid afternoon snack.

I dont recommend it. The service was pretty bad the two times Ive come here. Staff rush around, are short with you, and dont really seem to care about your orders.

A nice place to relax and chat with friends on the Island. Theyve got nice burgers and desserts. Boasts good service and amazing scenery.

Great burgers, great service and beautiful 6-toes!

This place has a surprisingly good vegan lasagna! I was very surprised with the selection and the fact that it was really good. I don t normally like lasagna in general and I thought this was a great meal. A bit on the pricey side, but that s what you would expect from a restaurant on the island. The atmosphere was very nice. Nice outdoor seating, definitely a fair number of bees/wasps, but overall very comfortable. The service was quick and I don t really have complaints. Would definitely recommend a visit before they close for the season!

Sadly a terrible service, The server had a bad attitude and that is all about the atmosphere in the restaurant. We tried but it was the last time in this restaurant, maybe another server could be better.

I used to love this place when it was the Rectory Cafe. They had a great menu with lots of choices for vegetarians and an interesting selection of beers. I have been back 3 times since it changed to the Riviera and each time it is worse. The selection of food and beer is not good. The last time I was there, I had a vegan lasagna with kale Caesar salad. It was tasteless and I could tell they had just nuked it. The kale salad was good. The patio is great, but that doesnt make up for the decline in food and service.

We visited Riviera with a very large group from work, around 40 people. These guys were fantastic, great service, helpful staff. Our food came very fast, and it was very good. Beautiful patio location.

Forgot to place our food order and didn t comp the drinks. Poor.

I have been at this restaurant many times and its been great. But today- not so much!! There was a new server- she was a nice gal but clearly was not focused- she got other tables their hot food in minutes while we waited 30 minutes for salads! We had extremely slow service, and there was a lack of appropriate supplies- there was no milk, no decaff tea, and they ran out of salad dressing-they still are running 4 days a week so how does that happen? And, although I cancelled my tea order due to lack of milk, discovered that they charged me anyway! Not sure I can ever return to be honest. It was so disappointing!

Quality food at reasonable prices. Staff were friendly.

Spacious and very hidden place. Confusing indications on the outside, and being hidden by vegetation it is not easy to find it immediately. Nice garden and outdoor area with colorful style and matching bar, while the interior is a diner. Very narrow places. Unfortunately several dishes on the menu were not available at 3 so we opted for a coffee. At the time of the bill, $6 becomes $7 (tax??) and then the waitress keeps the change saying she doesnt have change. For $3/5 you dont have change? But what place are you that doesnt have a cash register? I went back to ask for change, which was given to me quite nervously. In pennies I would say tourist trap :(

Real nice pub inside with a great whiskey selection and friendly service.

Food: We had the nachos with guacamole and chicken. The nachos themselves were quite good (my spouse, who is somewhat of a nacho enjoyer, rated them an 8 out of 10). The chicken was served in relatively large chunks without seasoning of their own, which we thought was a bit odd; we ended up putting a bunch of extra salsa over the top, and the result was delicious. Service: The staff were friendly and attentive despite how busy it was. That said, the place is obviously a bit understaffed and in very high demand - our server was running around frantically practically the entire time. If they had one or two more front of house staff this wouldve been perfect as well. Atmosphere: Quite friendly and talkative, with locals drinking at the bar and visiting families eating at the tables. The decor is a bit idiosyncratic, with a combination of maritime pub vibes (painted aged wood, that sort of stuff) and art gallery (a bunch of local artists displayed on the walls). If the weather suits, definitely sit outside - its in an amazing spot close to the island beaches. Vegetarian options: There are multiple good-looking vegetarian and vegan options on the menu.

Great location, foods are drinks are OK and a bit over priced. Among the Halan, Central and Ward islands, Ward is my preference and thats the reason I give this restaurant 4 stars

Decent spot for a quick bite.