Is River Roast Still Open? Best Thing I Ever Ate Update (Chicago, IL)

Current status

As of September 2026, River Roast is listed open on riverroastchicago.com, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Primary source
riverroastchicago.com ·

Last verified

What the source shows: The restaurant's own site lists current day-by-day operating hours and an active online-ordering and reservations system.

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What happened after Best Thing I Ever Ate?

The Cooking Channel's 'Best Thing I Ever Ate' episode 'On the Waterfront' highlighted River Roast's riverside approach to American comfort food, served alongside views of the Chicago River. The restaurant is known for family-style roasted meats, brunch, and a full bar program in a dining room built around its waterfront location. According to riverroastchicago.com, the restaurant continues to operate at 315 N. LaSalle Dr., listing current hours of Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The site also offers active online ordering and lists an All Day Menu, brunch, drinks, dessert, and happy hour options. River Roast markets itself as Chicago's premiere riverfront restaurant, with a private-events and gallery presence documenting its dining room and Corner Roast bar area.

Food Paradise's 'Food with a View' episode featured River Roast, a riverfront restaurant along the Chicago River at 315 North LaSalle Street in Chicago, Illinois, known for spit-roasted meats carved tableside and a patio overlooking the river and downtown skyline. The restaurant's own website describes an all-day menu spanning brunch, dinner, and happy hour alongside private event space inside the historic Reid Murdoch Building. A 2026-09-08 check of riverroastchicago.com found the site live with a working online ordering system and posted weekend hours running from 10 AM to 9:30 PM, and Google Places listed the business as operational at the same address on the same date.

Featured on Best Thing I Ever Ate

Season / episode
Season 11, Episode 8
Original air date
Not confirmed
Episode title
On the Waterfront
What was featured
A family-style roasted-meat dish served with a Chicago River view
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
River Roast
Season / episode
Season 10, Episode 4
Original air date
Not confirmed
Episode title
Food with a View
What was featured
riverside spit-roasted meats and Chicago River dining views
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
River Roast

Frequently asked questions

Is River Roast still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, River Roast is listed open on riverroastchicago.com, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What happened to River Roast after Best Thing I Ever Ate?

The Cooking Channel's 'Best Thing I Ever Ate' episode 'On the Waterfront' highlighted River Roast's riverside approach to American comfort food, served alongside views of the Chicago River. As of September 2026, River Roast is listed open on riverroastchicago.com, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Where is River Roast located?

315 North LaSalle Drive, Chicago, IL 60654. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Best Thing I Ever Ate featured River Roast?

Season 11, Episode 8 of Best Thing I Ever Ate. The episode is titled “On the Waterfront”.

Is River Roast still using the Best Thing I Ever Ate menu or branding?

The site also offers active online ordering and lists an All Day Menu, brunch, drinks, dessert, and happy hour options. Anything newer than our last check on September 7, 2026 may not be reflected here.

Every status on this site carries a confidence label and a date, and names the source it rests on. Read the Editorial & Corrections Policy for what each label means and how quickly we act on corrections. The questions above are generated from this record's own published fields — we never publish a question we cannot answer from the data.

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Visit info

Address
315 North LaSalle Drive, Chicago, IL 60654
Venue type
restaurant
Official website
riverroastchicago.com

Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources

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Record btiea-0869 · last verified .