Some of the best food I've tasted in Monterey. Definitely a must stop with a great old-school Italian vibe. Service was excellent and is a definite go to!! on the old pier

The best tasting clam chowder in Santa cruz! Went to Santa Cruz to escape the bay area heat to have lunch at Rivas, my favorite seafood restaurant on the warf! Had a bowl of hot clam chowder and tasty fish tacos, I was seated right away, my table had a nice view of the ocean, all of the staff at Rivas was very friendly,.. "Got a clam chowder to go, my friend gets mad if I don't bring some back!" I'll be back soon!

Deborah Joyce Windisch Local Guide·18 reviews·6 photos We arrived 20 minutes before closing on a busy Saturday night. Ellie, who greeted us, said there would be a 5 minute wait, which she quickly reduced to 3 minutes. She showed great skill in managing a busy crowd with her professionalism and calm expertise, but was also warm and friendly. Nathan waited on us with attention to details and courtesy. He customized our menu selections accurately and saw to our every need. We missed the fried zucchini garnish and fried clams, but that gave us an opportunity to try other items on the menu. My cousin had grilled tilapia with teriyaki sauce, rice pilaf and fresh veggies. I had a calamari appetizer and side of noodles (large enough for an entree in other restaurants) with Alfredo sauce and parmesan cheese. Both meals were fabulous. The tilapia was fork tender, the rice was flavorful, and the teriyaki sauce was to die for. My cousin ordered a second cup of the sauce. My noodles were al dente, and lightly sauced, not swimming in it. The calamari pieces were the "steak" cuts, no circles or tentacles. The basket was filled to the top with them. They were tender and fried to perfection. The cocktail sauce and tartar sauce are homemade. We finished with bright red raspberry sorbets. Everything was fresh and excellently prepared. Both Ellie and Nathan made us feel welcome and at home. Paul, the general manager, stopped by long after the restaurant closed to greet us, as we were finishing dessert. Paul runs an efficient, busy restaurant without any sign of stress. The staff obviously love their jobs because of the way they treat their customers. Highest praise to Riva, where we have been dining since the 80's. It is always a top notch succes

They advertise themselves as one of the highest rated restaurants on Municipal Wharf. I agree! My cajun salmon will one of the best salmon dinners I've ever had! The waitress, who was basically serving everyone, was friendly and pleasant. She took her job seriously! I highly recommend stopping here if you find yourself walking to the end of the pier and are disappointed by the closing of The Dolphin!

Just wanted to say that the bar staff was amazing. My wife and I were celebrating our anniversary in Santa Cruz and we went for a late night dinner and not a lot of places on the pier were open so we sat at the bar. Everything we try was delicious, but the only picture I took was the chicken piccata but the two young bartenders are very friendly and fun and just wanted to give them a shout out I believe the young ladies name was Kylie and the two young men were very helpful and funny and we will definitely come back next time. We're in Santa Cruz.

Riva Fish House! Honestly, I thought I wrote a review for Riva's already. What can I say that the pictures don't say for themselves? This is one of the best spots to eat at on the wharf. Food is on point as well as the drinks and the awesome ocean views. Clam chowder is a must, oyster shooters for me, the salmon bowl, fish & chips, as well as the pasta & prawns. All bueno. Of course this spot is touristy and on the expensive side but what do you expect? Service is always super friendly and quick. Make it a point to check out Riva's if you're on the wharf feeling hooooongry!

This is the second time I've been here and it continues to have great food and good service. Beautiful views of bay too. This time I had the Oysters on the half shell. Very fresh and the mignonette sauce was tasty. We also shared an open face Crab sandwich, packed with fresh crab and melted cheese. Served with crispy fries. Delicious!