River Deck Restaurant and Tiki Bar
- 107 N Riverside Dr, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168
(386) 957-4198
https://riverdecknsb.com/
We were somewhat apprehensive about trying the River Deck Restaurant and Tiki Bar based on some mixed reviews we had seen. A friend insisted that we go, based on the great views and friendly service. So glad we did, it was a fun afternoon!
River Deck NSB is a recent addition to the New Smyrna Beach restaurant scene, having just opened in 2021. The building it is in has housed other restaurants like Sea Harvest and Dolphin View. We actually had a little trouble finding the restaurant as it is located behind a marina in a standalone building. Their spot on the Intracoastal Waterway is beautiful, it is peaceful to sit there and watch the boats go by.
One complaint that we read was that you have to use valet parking. Maybe it was because it was early in the day, but we just parked ourselves and walked in. They create a fun vibe at River Deck, with music, a rasta theme and friendly employees. We were waited on immediately and decided that it was a great day for margaritas. Though isn’t every day a great day for margaritas?
River Deck has some seating indoors, a large bar that serves inside and outside customers and then plenty of seating outside. Our table was right by the water, giving us front row seats to some dolphins swimming by. That was a real treat!
For our appetizers, we ordered the Crunchy Tuna which is a fried 10 inch tortilla smothered in Maui Sauce, raw seasoned Ahi tuna slices, avocado and drizzled with cucumber wasabi ranch. It was very original and delicious. Based on recommendations, we also ordered the Rasta Flatbread which was pulled chicken, seasoned with their Rasta Sauce, Gouda cheese and red onion. It was really good too.
We were a little full after our drinks and appetizers but we did order a few mains to try them out. One cool item on the menu is a fish sandwich that is a throwback to the previous Sea Harvest restaurant. Kind of a nice tribute. On this visit, we ordered the Cajun mahi tacos (awesome) and their take on a Monte Cristo which was sliced turkey and ham with Swiss and American cheese on wheat bread, battered, deep fried and dusted with powdered sugar then served with raspberry preserves. It wasn’t my favorite but my wife loved it. She could only eat half of it though!
We skipped dessert but took our time leaving to enjoy the view, the music and our drinks. We never felt rushed at all, they were very accommodating and nice. So glad we tried out River Deck Restaurant and Tiki Bar, it is a great addition to New Smyrna Beach!
