This was a pleasant surprise in a hotel with other restaurants that range from completely inadequate to downright depressing.
Per its name Ristorante Italiano is an italian restaurant located in the Riviera Hotel. Ristorante Italiano's decor looks likes many sit down Italian restaurants from an older area with paintings of ocean scenes on the wall and dark wood used for booths and trim. The lighting is kept dark and intimate. The noise level is low allowing you to hear your dinner guests with no difficulty.
The food has always been excellent. The menu is filled with traditional pasta dishes mixed in with some steak and seafood dishes. The food is prepared well and quickly. We've had excellent luck with their pasta and appetizers. Although I would recommend avoiding the bacon wrapped piece of bread that offer.
The service is professional and you have the impression that the waiters have been working this same restaurant for the 50 years this hotel has been open.
The only sour spot we received was when we insisted our checks be split up (which we requested at the beginning) and they didn't do it. When we asked for this when presented the check we received what I best can be described as a complete annoyance which soured an otherwise excellent meal.