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  • Forrester's on the River

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Reserve at Forrester's on the River

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Forrester's on the River
Forrester's on the River

Forrester's on the River Details

  • Dining Style: Casual Dining
  • Website: http://www.forrestersontheriver.com
  • Phone: (419) 691-2626
  • Hours of Operation:
    Sunday Brunch: 11:00am - 2:00pm
    Lunch: Daily: 11:00am - 4:00pm
    Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 4:00pm - 10:00pm, Friday & Saturday: 4:00pm - 11:00pm, Sunday: 4:00pm - 9:00pm
  • Payment Options: AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
  • Cuisine: Steakhouse, American
  • Executive Chef: Brian Joyce
  • Dress Code: Casual Dress
  • Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
  • Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Dancing, Entertainment, Fireplace, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wine, Wine Bar
  • Catering: Chef Jason Rodemich caters events from 10 - 500 people. Most catering is based in house, but we can come to you. Flexible menu options are available upon request.
  • Private Party Facilities: We are available for Rehearsal Dinners, Business Meetings, Private Parties, Weddings and Special Events. CJ's Terrace at the Docks is our Banquet Facility capable of holding up to 300 guests. We also have two conference rooms for smaller events.
  • Private Party Contact: Chelsea McQueary (419) 691-2626
  • Entertainment: We offer live entertainment every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening. Bands range from 70's and 80's Classic Rock, to Jazz and Blues Bands inside the restaurant. On the weekends in the summer months we feature live DJ Jim Liebhar.

Getting there

  • Cross Street: Front Street
  • Parking: Valet
  • Parking Details: We offer spacious parking lots located just outside of our facility. Valet parking will be available on the weekends in the coming months.
A word from Forrester's on the River
Thank you for your interest in Forrester's on the River. Forrester's is a casual fine dining restaurant open 7 days a week serving lunch from 11am to 4pm daily. The menu includes a variety of different sandwiches, soups and salads for lunch, diving into succulent steaks, fresh seafood and some… lighter fare for the dinner hours. Checkout the best patio in town; featuring a remarkable view of downtown, this is truly unique downtown dining.Continued
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Awards voted by OpenTable diners
  • Diners' Choice WinnerMost Booked
Diner Reviews
  • "Food was great, view always magnificent. The indoor restaurant was busy and the outdoor bar was very crowded. Nice to see a successful restaurant in that spot again."
    Dined on 7/11/2014
  • "My wife and I took the boat out and docked it at the restaurant. The atmosphere was nice. We ate inside as it was quite breezy that night. They had a dj outside playing music which was cool. I had found the restaurant online and checked the menu and when we got there, some of the items were not on the actual menu as they changed it and hadn't updated. I had the BBQ salmon which was great, and let me say the Caprese flatbread appetizer is definitely a reason to return. Bill was $55 with dessert and we don't drink alcohol, so I was a little shocked. The waitress apologized for slower service, said it was crazy busy, even though over half the tables were empty. All in all the food was good and I will prob return for another romantic date....."
    Dined on 7/8/2014
  • "Food was great, but we had 13 people & service was lacking due to busy July 4th traffic. Over-all a good time, but Management knew we were coming and should have provide two waiters for the table. I would return.....good time had by all."
    Dined on 7/4/2014
  • "I've loved this place since it first openend. Found a new favorite dish. The chicken club with a garlic aioli. Wonderful"
    Dined on 6/30/2014
  • "The waitress did her best but the book signing/celebration that was going on made service difficult. We waited a long time for our food and I didn't get my soup until after I received my steak. The food was all wonderful except for the chicken pot pie soup which I thought was very salty. We will come again, as I expect most nights will not be like this one. I suspect the service will be much better when there isn't an overflowing event going on at the same time. My wife and two sons (6 and 4 years old) both loved their food as well."
    Dined on 6/22/2014
  • "We went to Forrester's for my birthday and initially thought it was going to be a great experience- I love the atmosphere. Unfortunately our service was ridiculously slow (it took 20 minutes to get a drink, each time we ordered) and the food for our party of 5 took an hour and 45 minutes! My steak was supposed to be medium rare and came out well done. When I received the remake, THIRTY minutes later everyone had already finished eating and my steak was still overcooked. The restaurant was not busy at all. Very disappointing experience."
    Dined on 6/21/2014
  • "Great outdoor atmosphere on the river downtown! Food tasted very fresh and was prepared very well, could not have been better."
    Dined on 6/7/2014
  • "We had a party of 10, everyone enjoyed their meals. Burgers, fish & chips, the barge salad, flat bread pizza, the veggie & chicken skewers were nicely presented. Our server was pleasant and attentive."
    Dined on 6/16/2014
  • "It use to be, if you wanted a great steak in Toledo, you had to go to Mancy's. NO MORE! Four of us had dinner, three of us had steaks. Two had filet mignon and I had a ribeye. All were perfect! Our other guest had chicken & veggie skewers and she loved her's as well. Portions are healthy too. We asked for a couple of "substitutions" and were accommodated without question. Combine great food, with great service and an excellent view, and you can't go wrong!"
    Dined on 6/7/2014
  • "We had a party of ten following a small, private wedding. Forrester's was a beautiful location and perfect for our small gathering. The food was delicious! The service was incredibly slow. We were the only ones in the restaurant (we got there right at 11:00 when they opened, with reservations) and it took forevvvvver to get our food out to us. Again, great food and atmosphere, just really slow slow service."
    Dined on 6/7/2014
  • "The food was decent but the portions were small. Service was slow but friendly. The un-acceptable part was the condition of the restrooms. The men's was in need of a good cleaning and the trash was overflowing. The women's according to my wife and her friend was disgusting. No toilet paper in any stalls. There's no need to comment about the other issue's as the no toilet paper will be enough to guarantee we won't be back."
    Dined on 6/7/2014
  • "Food was awesome however it took forever for our order to come the app was like30 minutes then waited for salad and finnaly the main course came before we could finish the salad"
    Dined on 5/31/2014
  • "They had the best food around, but couldn't get the server to the table except for ordering and bringing the food to the table. It was not a busy evening at all and we were the only ones in the section that this server had. The manager on duty never came by to ask how our evening was and as we were leaving, he asked if we needed to be seated. So even though we were right next to where he was all night, he had no idea we had already eaten. It was disappointing to have such bad service, because the food was outstanding. Most likely will not go again."
    Dined on 5/28/2014
  • "The servers all seemed to generally toss plates across the table. For a steakhouse, it was disappointing that my order of medium rare was served very rare. The garlic mashed potatoes were more like sticky rice in texture. The grilled asparagus, however, was wonderful! And the view on the patio was gorgeous! "
    Dined on 5/21/2014
  • "My family and I celebrated my graduation with dinner at Forrester's. The food was perfect and absolutely delicious!! Our server was very attentive and made sure we were happy. The restaurant and menu was kid friendly. The best part was my view of the beautiful Maumee River!!!!"
    Dined on 5/17/2014
  • "My wife and I had a casual night out. She ordered the shrimp and steak skewers, and I had the chicken marsala. Both we very good dinners with the right amount of meat and rice, but a little shy on the vegetables, although they were very good."
    Dined on 5/17/2014
  • "We were sat 15 min after our reservation even with no other people waiting and an empty restaurant. Once sat we waited another 10 min for any waitstaff to acknowledge our table. Once drink and food orders were taken we were told fresh rolls in the oven would be just be a few minutes longer. Server came back 3 times to tell us they were still baking and that our food would be out any minute ... rolls came out frozen solid in the middle. Food orders each came out with wrong vegetable sides and when he returned with the ordered vegetables they were cold and hard not steamed at all. Spent 3 hrs and almost $200 before tip for 4 people. Asked to speak with management and server just brought us the bill . We wont be back."
    Dined on 5/17/2014
  • "Food was good~Service was good...bartender/waiter was very helpful!"
    Dined on 5/9/2014
  • "We have enjoyed coming to Foresters. The food is very good and the atmosphere is very inviting."
    Dined on 5/11/2014
  • "Arrived 30 minutes early for a 7:30 reservation reservation to have a drink. At 740 we were told they were not seating anyone as kitchen was behind. Many empty tables still open Service at bar was extremely slow and poor. Checked in two more times and at 810 asked to talk to manager. And watched as a group who had arrived just minutes earlier and clearly knew some staff employees was taken to a table and seated. Finaly seated at 815. NEVER received any resemblance of an apology from manager or reception staff. After that, service and food was average. ..nothing special and NOT worth a repeat visit. "
    Dined on 5/10/2014
  • "The menu was very varied with lots to choose from. Our server was fantastic, very friendly and giving advice when needed and attentive without being too much."
    Dined on 5/9/2014
  • "It is called a steak house. It is not. My strip was way over cooked. Her file was also over cooked. Tastless and not juicy. We havve been there in the past when the previose owner ran it and thne steaks weref good. Cousinos is one of several steak houses thatbr excellant. Sorry to see him lose it. Will go to his place on Woodville rd. will not be back to Forresters"
    Dined on 5/4/2014
  • "I had a group of 12 people for my graduation lunch that I booked at 1:15. I also had people with me who are very picky eaters. They let me move my reservation to 2 pm without a fuss. When we got there we were promptly seated and they gave us the dinner menu with no fuss because we wanted more of a variety. They had a great alcohol selection and they made my pomegranate martini perfect. The food was served at perfect intervals. All the steaks were perfect and my seafood Portofino was amazing! If you're looking for a great place to celebrate a special occasion you should definitely go here!"
    Dined on 5/3/2014
  • "We picked this restaurant for a birthday without ever having been there before. The food was very good and our table looked out on the water. Excellent wait staff. Adult patrons. Quiet. All in all a romantic dinner. "
    Dined on 4/24/2014
  • "great food selection. we come there for the Easter buffet."
    Dined on 4/20/2014
  • "We had six of my family memebers attend your Easter brunch and everyone was totally satsfied with the variety and quality of food selections. We ewre siited promptly and had a great view of the river and downtown Toledo. Definiotely a repeat for next year. Some things to consider: You may want to consider adding shrimp cocktail and another carving station for beef. I was at Manhattan's in 2013 and they featured both of these items in their brunch which was $2 less than what you charged. However there faciklities were not as comfortable. Thank you "
    Dined on 4/20/2014
  • "The food and service were excellent. We will defiantly be returning."
    Dined on 4/12/2014
  • "This was our first visit and we were pleasantly surprised. Our steaks were cooked to perfection. Our sides were hot and tasty. Our server was experienced and attentive. The prices are very reasonable. Our only problem was that the bottle of red wine we ordered was stored in a room as cold as a refrigerator. We prefer room temperature or slightly cooler. No need to go to Mancy's for a great steak! We will be back!"
    Dined on 4/4/2014
  • "The service and food where exceptional. The biggest downfall that we had while at the Forrester's was there was a DJ playing the music and it was loud and some of his comments where not suitable for children's ears."
    Dined on 4/2/2014
  • "Love the tall booths, gives the feeling of privacy. The food very good the burgers always cooked the way we like them, the pork chops stuffed with apples and cherries delicious. And the view is a bonus."
    Dined on 3/21/2014
  • "OK best describes Forrester's. We both had steak. Nothing special at all and it was served just warm. The salad, and it came with the meal, was very good. If you are nearby and are not looking to do anything more than have a decent meal, it would be an ok place. However, in my case we drove 20 miles to try it out and it just wasn't worth the drive considering how many restaurants we could have gone to that were much closer."
    Dined on 3/21/2014
  • "Our waitress never smiled at us. She was competent, got our order right but didn't chat even a little. Not sure if it was because we were using a Groupon or not. It was our first time there, and our anniversary so we were looking for something special I guess. I ordered the seafood trio. I've never had mussels so I can't say if the little tidbits were good or not. The lump crab meat qualified in that there was one or two lumps, but mainly a small amount shredded. The shrimp were overcooked, very chewy. It was supposed to be over pasta in a garlic sauce, not a broth. It didn't stick to anything. My husband ordered the fish and chips and his fish was soggy, not crisp. The creme brulee was not creamy, but sort of curdled."
    Dined on 3/21/2014
  • "Disappointed that the 1/2 off steak special as advertised on website not offered on Tuesday night"
    Dined on 3/18/2014
  • "Made a reservation for 25 people at the last minute and they handled it without a problem. Our group was provided with a special purpose room that was cozy and the staff was professional. Would recommend the facility and the food to anyone I know. Job well done Forrester's....I might add that being able to book on-line was a nice experience also."
    Dined on 3/17/2014
  • "Celebrated a birthday with friends and couldn't have asked for better service or food, especially for a Saturday night out in Toledo. From previous experiences, it's impossible to go anywhere nice in Toledo without a 1-2 hr wait on a weekend night and at Forrester's there was no wait. Definitely think this is a gem located on the Docks. All my friends had nothing but good things to say and our waitress was on top of things. Our food was amazing from the pretzel sticks with beer cheese sauce to the filet mignon and new york strip dinners. The steaks were cooked exactly how we asked. Very refreshing dinner experience with a great view. Also a big plus, Birthday people get a free meal :) Can't wait to go back especially in the summer."
    Dined on 3/1/2014
  • "No complaints. Everyone in my group enjoyed their meals."
    Dined on 3/1/2014
  • "The bathroom could use updating. Overall good Experience"
    Dined on 2/22/2014
  • "Our first visit to Forrester's... we wanted a nice, quiet place to celebrate our anniversary and we got it! The ambiance was wonderful, the view of the frozen river and the downtown skyline was amazing, the food was exquisite, and our waitress was absolutely charming!"
    Dined on 2/19/2014
  • "I was very excited to take my wife to Forrester's for Valentines Day. I had told her about the business lunches and dinners I have attended at the Forrester's Restaurant. Un fortunately the evening started out bad as soon as we were being seated. We had 4 in our party and we had a reservation. We were being seated back in a corner at a small corner table. We walked past MANY open tables and asked if we could be seated at another table. Our host was looking to place us at another table when a young woman in a loud voice stated that all the tables were reserved and we had to sit at the assigned table. I have not been in first grade for a very long time - 50 years.The food did not help, we ordered a Salmon dinner to be told that you were out."
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "The whole experience was nothing like I expected. The service was slow and unprofessional. In addition, this is a steak house and they were out of half of their steak menu. Our steaks came out completely over done and burnt. Over all I would not recommend this place to anyone."
    Dined on 2/15/2014
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