And one of them, Cit , is closed for remodeling, though the restaurant, atop Lake Point Tower, hopes to reopen in late March. Cit 's remodeling will be a waste of time, however, if the owners fail to upgrade the food and service, which have been unimpressive in the past. Not surprisingly, the rents on these prime perches are, well, stratospheric, and those costs are evident in the menu prices. Navy Pier offers unequaled views of Chicago's lakefront skyline, and one of the best places to enjoy that view is at Riva, Phil Stefani's Italian-accented seafood restaurant. In general, the simpler the dish you order, the better you'll like it.
Grilled salmon is another fine piece of fish, served with minimal muss or fuss.
Contrast that with the corn-crusted salmon that's apparently one of the house specialties. The salmon is quite literally surrounded with sweetness, overwhelming the poor fish. But around all this was a moat of sweet roasted-shallot sauce that couldn't have tasted more out of place. Fortunately, simplicity reigns on the appetizer list, which offers a very good crab cake and fine sauteed prawns. The indulgent can share the Buckingham Fountain, a three-tiered seafood assortment that includes jumbo shrimp, fresh oysters, sashimi tuna, pristine lump crabmeat and smoked salmon.