Riverside Family Restaurant

The restaurant has a diner atmosphere, but the food is anything but. I have had the pirogis, which are plentiful and full of bacon and some onions, and I have also had the goulash (it’s the best!), and the svickova (sirloin in a cream sauce) with breaded dumplings (a little bit different from the polish dumplings you would normally think of). The prices are very reasonable and you get more food than you will be able to eat. I can’t think of a time in my life where I was more full than after leaving this restaurant. Not only do you get your main entrée, but included in the price is a soup, bread, and a dessert (kolach with fruit filling). Although the desserts are not my favorite, the food here is excellent and we have been here many times. The waitresses are very nice and accommodating. The seating is a little cramped, and the restaurant is always busy but you won’t have to wait. This is wonderful Czech food that anyone would like. It is very similar to polish food — the flavors are very simple and not overwhelming, but the meal is very hearty and filling. You will love this place.

Love the traditional food, atmosphere attitude. Nothing trendy, nothing fancy. Cash only. I dream of the fish soup available on Fridays. Great fish dishes as well

I am never disappointed. You get real home cooking and large portions for a fair price. I have been here countless times. My grandpa loved this place and he really knew good Bohemian food.
I love the breaded pork tenderloin, polish sausage, dumplings, beef noodle soup, and of course kolacky.
Cash only, so be prepared.

The food here is excellent and great value. Every dinner comes w/​homemade soup of the day (liver dumpling is my favorite), homemade bread, and a dessert. I’ve had most of their menu: the stuffed cabbage, stuffed peppers, wienerschnitzel, goulash, pierogis, fruit dumplings, cheese blintzes amongst other things. I’d say my favorite dish is the stuffed cabbage. Its really, really big, flavorful, and mostly meat (not too much rice as filler as I’ve had at other eastern european restaurants). The tomato gravy that it comes in is also really good and acts as a good sauce to use as a dip for their homemade bread. The wienerschnitzel is also the best that I’ve had. Always fried to perfection, moist. I highly recommend getting it with the red cabbage as its sweet and tart and acts as the best compliment to the dish. Honestly, they give you a lot of food with any one dinner, but if you can, order a fruit dumpling or a cheese blintz which you can get a la carte for a pseudo-​dessert. You always have the option of getting the dessert that comes with your dinner (strudel or kolaczki) in a to-​go container to eat later. The staff here are also very friendly, available to answer any questions, and very accommodating.
As other have mentioned, this is cash only so be prepared. But 15 dollars gets you a very long way at this restaurant.

This has been a consistent example of Czechoslovakian/​Eastern European Comfort food for at least the last 30 years that I’ve been dining at this establishment. It is a straight no thrill restaurant that puts out quality dishes that brings you Back decades with food that warms your soul. The breaded pork tenderloin and dumplings are some of the best in the Chicagoland area. You really get a lot of great food for a reasonable price which can rarely be said now a days.
Staff is always welcoming and Service is always great.

Yummy Bohemian/​Czech food! I’ve been coming here since I was a wee young laddess and they have never disappointed. From my teenage angst years of pork tenderloin to my vegetarian loving self now, Riverside Restaurant fills me up and makes me happy!
With every dinner ordered you receive a soup or tomato juice, mashed/​boiled potatoes or dumplings, red cabbage/​beets/​sauerkraut, and dessert. Almost every dinner is under $ 10 and they have a ton of options. They have vegetarian options besides wienerschnitzel for all of you veg heads! A must try is the breaded cauliflower. I order it every time I come!
The only caveat is they take cash only. However, the prices are so reasonable it should not be of concern.

Been going to this place since before it was open. (The same people owned another restaurant that we used to go to when I was a kid.)
Huge portions of amazing Bohemian food at totally reasonable prices.
Although, I have tasted everything and it is all amazing, the one thing that I simply cannot stop ordering is the wienerschnitzel. Because I know that, if I do not order the wienerschnitzel when I am here, I will not have the wienerschnitzel here until the next time I am here. So I must have it.
But, I gotta say that the stuffed cabbage – amazing, as well.
And, come on Sundays for the liver dumpling soup!!!
Also, every day: the dill gravy!!!
Oh my lord, the DILL GRAVY!!!
I put it on everything and I am not ashamed.
THE DILL GRAVY!!!

Love this place! Very much reminds me of my Mothers Polish cooking! Always a great meal, I’ve been for lunch and dinner– very filling. One of my kids favorite places to eat! The stuffed peppers and pork cutlets are my favorites! The service is always excellent! Had a friend of mine not taken me I don’t think I would have tried it! So glad we did!

I was raised by a German born mother on this type of fare. Roast pork, duck, breaded pork tenderloin, blaukraut (red cabbage) etc. I also traveled all over Bavaria enjoying a favorite «liver dumpling soup» in many restaurants. I cook this food during the holidays, but to be able to walk into this charming spot whenever I want to experience a delicious meal that smacks of my childhood is wonderful. The food, the space, the cost, the service, the menu… outstanding.

I looooove me some legit Bohemian food!
My Dad’s side of the family is Czech so ever since I can remember, every holiday, we’d meet with them and go get Czech food together. It’s very nostalgic for me and is the epitome of the treat-​yo-​self gravy based meals!
I’ve been gluten free for several years now, but if I could… and this may even be worth the side effects, I’d go straight for the koprova. It’s boiled beef with dill gravy and you MUST get the side of bread dumplings to transport all that delicious gravy straight to your taste buds. If you’re not familiar with Bohemian-​style gravies, they’re usually have a base of sour cream (but really there’s TONS of variations) so they are on the sour side, but not in a harsh acidic way. The svichkova is also an old-​world favorite and is a brown gravy that tends to lean towards the sweeter side.
I always love the red cabbage as a side. They bring out a basked of fresh rye bread, if that’s your jam, and some dinners come with a dessert: kolache or strudel or ice cream.
For the GF types, it’s still a great fit. I liked the smoked butt for two reasons: 1. teeheehee butt! 2. it’s like a more indulgent cut of ham and nice and smokey. You can get potatoes as a side and it’s a pretty straightforward gluten-​free option. There are also lots of other proteins, like duck, ham, sausage, sometimes lamb that you can do with a veggie and have a pretty healthy meal.
But really… it’s worth clogging the arteries here.
Staff is always super nice and I think most of them are actually Czech too.
Cash only though. But it’s pretty cheap so even for a group, it’s not ever that bad.
Na zdraví

This is a great place for authentic Czech food — super reasonably priced for the quality and variety, too. Think: homemade.
Highly recommend the roast duck dinner — moist, but not greasy with deliciously crispy skin. Also highly recommend the fruit dumplings — very traditional and heavenly texture and light buttery flavor. Traditional rye bread is always fresh with a nice crust — very homemade. It seems like everything is prepared on premise vs. ordered from a local bakery. Strudel and kolache are nicely done — texture is beautiful. Everything really does taste like someone’s mom is back there cooking dinner for friends… that kind of place! Price is super reasonably for the quality and quantity.
Have been dining here for more than 20 years… hadn’t been for awhile, and stopped there on Friday. Just like I remembered… everything was nicely done and service was very friendly.
Cash only!!! But they do have an ATM on premise.
Photos below don’t do the food justice.

Always good food, large portions, friendly staff, and reasonable prices. Never had a bad meal here. Only cash but there is an atm there.

Yummy! Love this place.
After Bohemian Crown closed in River Forest (on Lake street, just beyond Wieboldt’s), I really didn’t know of any other Bohemian places in the area. Moved to Riverside in 2000, found out about this place, and it is one of my local favorites. You cannot beat the amount of food you get for the money; just make sure you time your visit correctly! It can get pretty busy.
Love the stuffed cabbage, the pork tenderloin and those yummy dumplings! Not to mention the best red cabbage I’ve ever had.

I stop at Riverside if I’m in the neighborhood, which is rare
because I live fourty miles away. Nothing fancy here but
excellent food and always good service. Roast Duck, Pork loin,
tenderloin are always good choices. Can’t make up you’re
mind, they have combo plates of many popular dish’s

What I love most about this place are the side order options — mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, dumplings? Does anyone every order baked potatoes here? Or regarding vegetables: green beans, red cabbage or sauerkraut? Red cabbage that I don’t have to make myself — really? And they deliver in the local area!
Sometimes after a busy day, you feel like a REAL meal! And if you have eastern European roots, that does not mean hamburgers. The menu has all your favorites and they are excellent.
So place an order, sit back and in about half an hour, a Czech feast with all the trimmings (yep, kolachky too) will be delivered to your door. Riverside Family Restaurant is a real local gem.

Had lunch there yesterday. I had the best breaded pork tenderloin I’ve ever had in a while, I chose the option smothered with sausage and cheese, and a fresh kolacky for dessert (fresh from the oven.)
I highly recommend the place.

This place is a solid 4.5. Last time I visited was about 25 years ago so I did not know what to expect.
The parking situation has not improved. Small parking area in front and a few angled spots on the street.
We were cheerfully greeted and asked a preference of booth or table. Quickly greeted by our server, specials for the day were on a separate small sheet of paper, and were were provided an opportunity to study the menu. There are a number of selections that are offered in smaller portions, but the large portion, which includes soup or juice, choice of 2 side and dessert, is still a bargain at $ 9.95. How can you go wrong? We were frequently checked on by our server and it was just a delightful lunch.
I found it clean and quite homey. I would not hesitate to eat here again.

I’ve come to this establishment since I was a teenager. 25+ years later and it’s still just as delicious as it was back then.
Ignore the dated décor. It’s the food that matters. The service is always wonderful. If you love Czech, you will be very pleased. The Weinerschnitzel is my personal favorite. The roast pork is always a great choice. I do not know of another restaurant where you get bread, soup, entrée, dessert, and coffee/​tea for around $ 10 – 12 that is as satisfying.
Cash only. They do have an ATM inside.

Been coming here since I was a kid! My fam and I are 100% Polish, and our food is very similar to what they cook here. This place is as close to homemade you can get. It doesn’t look like much on the outside and inside, but if you want quality traditional bohemian food for a good price– this place is it. I’ve been getting the duck dinner since I was little. Comes with dumplings, sauerkraut, and a slice of heaven in the form of an apple strudel. Craving this right now!

What a lovely surprise!
Driven past this place dozens of times but had no idea that it was a bohemian place!
Husband loves Bohemian food. He hails from East LA and had never had or even heard of Bohemian food until I dragged his ass to the Midwest.
We decided one night to finally try this place. I usually moan and groan because I’m a non meat eater and one can really only eat so many fruit dumplings — and I don’t even eat them properly.
Their rye bread was the best I have ever had in my life, I’m guessing they make it there themselves. It was like freshly baked.
The menu actually had a vegetarian/​fish section. Granted, most of it was fish, but I had more options here than any other Bohemian place I’ve been to, which was nice. But I ordered fruit dumplings (all peach) anyway. I get mine with everything on the side, hold the cottage cheese. I can’t stand it.
So I drizzle just a teeny, tiny bit of melted butter over the dumplings, just a smidge of sugar and cinnamon. Four come to an order, I could only eat two. I passed on soup as there were no veggie friendly options. I didn’t touch my glass of tomato juice — husband drank it.
I think the husband had one of the breaded meat tenderloin things with like sliced polish sausage on top. I could’ve sworn I took pictures, as I usually do, but I guess I didn’t.
For dessert, the only kolacky flavor they had at the moment was apricot (blah) so I opted for the chocolate pudding which adorably came with whipped cream on top, haha.
Thanks to Unilocal,we were already aware of the cash only policy and were prepared.
We are totally coming back here. I wonder if you can buy a loaf of the bread to take home… So good.