Local Eats: Riviera Tapas Bar
By: Maureen C. Cribb
The Town Center with its outdoor patio, Enomatic wine machine, and funky beers; the Farmers Market (picked up some Kalamata-olive-infused bread); the newly opened Riviera Tapas Bar … downtown Riverdale Park on Thursdays after work is kinda more happening now. Yes, good old grubby S&J’s is now a tapas bar. Not quite the José Andrés Jaleo experience, but it’s close to work and handy for a pleasant happy hour at the end of a work week (their hours are limited at the moment – they’re doing weekend brunch now and testing lunchtime). Ordered a couple of ordinary things (Montaditos de Salmon, Pan Con Tomate) … nothing special but still good. Will try the Vieiras a la Plancha next time (do like my scallops). The décor is simple, and the service is friendly. Plenty of free parking across the street and beside the building. Prices are a touch high for the area but comparable to other tapas places in DC. Go.
Update (May 10): Planning on going on a Friday or Saturday evening? Make a reservation. It was packed when some friends and I showed up on a Friday around 7pm (we managed to get the last empty table). Nice to see some action in downtown Riverdale. Tried more tapas dishes … happy to say that the “Vieiras a la Plancha” was tasty as was the simple “Montaditos de Jamon y Queso”. Actually, everything we tried at the table was good. Well worth a visit.
4/5 forks
https://rivieratapasbar.com/
6108 Rhode Island Ave., Riverdale
