Riva Blu Italian Restaurant & Bar, Manchester

"Came here before a concer at the arena. The restaurant is very pretty. The menu is pretty good as well for an Italian, but there wasn't very clear vegetarian and vegan options in my opinion. I ordered the pesto pasta and the waiter was helpful with making sure it was mild because I don't do well with spicy food. The garlic bread was tasty and my friends enjoyed the pizza. I was disappointed that my pesto pasta had blobs of cream cheese of some sort on there as it wasn't stated on my menu from what I understood, and I hate cheese so that was annoying, but it didn't ruin the meal. The service however was weak. Our starter arrived before our drinks did which wasn't good and the staff also kept going to wrong tables when delivering drinks which was pretty embarrassing to watch. We had to waive at the waitress to tell her that is our order. We also ordered some more tap water when the food arrived and the waiter came back and said they had no more bottles so they couldn't give us any, when we then saw 3 more tables get bottles of water. I had a flare up of cystitis so I really needed some liquid and it really was a joke how long it took for us to get some tap water. We ended up telling another waiter we'd been waiting around 15 minutes for some water. I would say to go but definitely be aware that the service of the place isn't great"

"Booked a table for two as we received 50% off mains offer. We ordered Arancini, Lobster Linguine, Veal Milanese and Truffle Cheesy Fries. Food came swiftly. We enjoyed the starter, the pasta and the side but weren't that keen on the veal main dish that was quite dry. Otherwise, the Arancini and the Lobster Linguine are highly recommended! Friendly service too."

"I recently dined at Riva Blu Italian Restaurant in Manchester and was blown away by the amazing food and service. The panna cotta and affogato for dessert were both incredibly delicious, and the calzone and smoked cheese garlic bread were standout dishes. The king prawn pasta was also a standout, as it was different from what I've had at other competitive restaurants. The ambience and lighting at Riva Blu were top-notch, making for a truly enjoyable dining experience. But what really impressed me was the service - the staff were knowledgeable and helpful, especially in recommending different wines as I am not a wine person. Overall, I highly recommend Riva Blu Italian Restaurant for anyone looking for great food and excellent service in Manchester."

"Called in on chance, Resturant was fully booked so we eat in the bar. Service was great we had three courses with wine and cocktails. The whole night was perfect,loved the atmosphere of the place."

"Lovely Italian place around Arndale. Food was good, particularly enjoyed the calamari antipasti. The waiters are friendly and happy to make suggestions when asked."