River’s Bend Brunch, Green Bay
We’re always looking for a good weekend brunch and this Easter we decided to change it up and try something new at River’s Bend. While it was evidently an annual tradition for some as it was packed, River’s Bend probably isn’t going to make its way into ours. Keep reading to find out why.
In a Bite
https://goo.gl/maps/DNeSmBzaUsBrW1Nz6
Ambiance: Supper Club
Music: Pop
Service: Courteous
Price: $$
Food Style: American
What to Get from the Buffet: French Toast Sticks
Go Again?: Not for brunch but we would try for dinner
The Whole Plate
Reservation
Normally we wouldn’t give “reservation” it’s own space, but this was more challenging than it needed to be. We saw on a Facebook post that brunch reservations were only accepted via phone, but it took us over 19 calls (between multiple family members) to actually reach a human to make the reservation for us. We still don’t know why it was difficult, but alas, it did eventually happen.
Ambiance
The best thing River’s Bend has going for it is the location. On the northside of Green Bay off the Velp Ave exit, the steakhouse is located right on the river near the Howard Memorial Park boat landing. The entrance side is unassuming block wall with a few signs of the name. Walking through the heavyset front doors, you’ll be a greeted by the hostess staff and the large bar in round.
Beyond, you’ll be guided through several large seating rooms. While the entrance isn’t the best looking, the side facing the river is all windows to give a great view. We got a lovely table in the sunroom! You’ll definitely want to request the sunroom, if possible. We’ve sat in similar sunrooms but this one was a much better experience (Florian II in Bailey’s Harbor, Door County is a SAUNA). In the summer, this would be a beautiful spot to grab a drink on the patio as well.
Note: it did feel a little claustrophobic with so many people but it did clear up a little bit towards the end. We assume it was only this busy because of the holiday.
Service
Service was courteous but brisk. Ushered to our spot, we were kindly informed we had an hour and a half to eat. Good to set those expectations up front.
We were there for Easter brunch so it was really just drink service. Our waitress asked us “Do you want anything else to drink?” We stuck with water and didn’t really hear from her again. She was very attentive with refilling water and clearing empty plates from the buffet though so nothing to complain about regarding service.
With the exception of the sticky dessert table tongs, everything was clean. Sometimes buffets can get out of hand but it looked like there were plenty of staff for one of the largest brunches of the year to accommodate.
It may have just been because of the buffet, but there was a mandatory tip. We didn’t feel the service was outstanding enough to warrant an additional tip on top of this.
Food
Now for the truth: River’s Bend’s brunch buffet wasn’t quite the nice steakhouse feel that we were hoping for. While it boasts an array of food from breakfast staples to BBQ ribs, flavors weren’t popping. For the buffet, there is a cold salad bar, two lanes of brunch, a carving station, and a dessert table.
I personally had a salad, a plate of the breakfast options, and then a dessert run with some coffee. Salad was standard supper club spread with only french and ranch dressing. For breakfast foods I got scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, potato hash, mushroom gravy, and french toast sticks. Honestly, the french toast sticks with the warmed syrup was the best part!
*hands the mic to Lindsay*
Lindsay here! I agree with David that the flavors were a hit and miss. The broasted chicken was very good and I’d happily eat that with any waffle for brunch…except there weren’t any waffles, just the french toast sticks which were probably the best part of the meal. The creamy salmon bake was tasty, though all of the meat options felt pretty heavy so it would have been nice to have an option that wasn’t smothered in a cream. The ribs lacked flavor unfortunately. The scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage were all good!
Now for the desserts, the french toast sticks really were the best dessert option even though it wasn’t at the dessert table. The 7-layer bars were the best option actually on the dessert table. The rest of the options I tried lacked flavor or had an unappealing soggy texture.
Taking It to Go
We truly hope you see this as our opinions. Supper club style brunch may be your thing! In which case, eat your heart out. We haven’t completely crossed River’s Bend off our list; we would definitely go back for the views and try a dinner. If you’re looking for a more refined brunch option, we recommend TJ’s Highland Steakhouse at the Oshkosh Country Club, SALT, SAP, or Field & Fire.
