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Union Square (4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W)
14th St-6th Aves (F, V, L, 1, 2, 3)
14th Street (PATH)
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I've been here a total of 3 times. Twice for brunch and once for dinner. The wait was a bit long (an hour) but we wanted to see the jazz combo playing downstairs.
For brunch I got the eggs benedict (with crab and spinach). Try the roasted Brussel Sprouts! Out of this world!!!!!
Last time I was there I saw celebs too so that might be a plus for some.
Awesome Atmosphere and awesome food!
When I used to live in NYC, this was a frequent meet-up spot for me and my friends in the Union Square area. We enjoyed the live jazz in the basement dining area with a few drinks and delicious food.
Great seafood dishes and steak. Oh yeah, and desserts! I only have fond memories of Blue Water Grill - Union Square.
Went for brunch. Seemed to be the trendy "it" spot for Connecticut families coming to the city to have a nice sit-down brunch. Think, sweaters tied around shoulders.
Arrived and was seated on the 2nd level. Menu wasn't bad, was expecting it to be much more expensive, but relatively affordable (less than $20 per person).
Ordered the Smoked Salmon Benedict. It wasn't very memorable, hence my a-ok 3-star rating. It might've been because I was a little out of sorts (I almost fell asleep at the table b/c I had a late night). Other than that, it was a pleasant meal in a pleasant environment, but nothing I'd go back for.
I've been wanting to try this restaurant for a long time now and went recently to celebrate a special event. It was a Monday evening and we were seated as soon as we walked in. The retaurant in elegant and beautiful. Soaring ceiling, huge mirrors, long white table cloths. It was decorated for the holiday season- not at all over the top, just enough white christmas lights and evergreen wreaths to feel festive.
We split the spicy crab and salmon roll to start which was fresh and delicious. This roll gets its spice from fresh jalepeno rather than a gooey sauce which I really appreciated. For entrees, my BF had the blackened swordfish which came with a rich sweet potato and crab meat sauce. I could have drank a soup dish full of that suace! The fish was meaty and cooked to perfection, flaking apart at the touch of a fork. I had the chilean sea bass in a ginger wasabi sauce. The piece of fish was again pristine and the taste was clean and fresh.
The service was friendly and attentive. When we had to remind our server we'd ordered a second glass of prosseco, she gave it to us free as well as a little complimentary dessert- small chocolate cookies which provided just enough sweet to satisfy me. We were continuing on to a night of drinking and chose to skip dessert, but the menu looked great and I would return to try it out.
Overall a lovely experice- I will certainly return and highly reccoment BWG!
What a great Friday night at the Blue Water Grill. Absolutely loved it. We got a great table and enjoyed the great live jazz.
They have a great wine and cocktail selection and we ordered a nice bottle. I had the sushi, which was fresh and fantastic. It was delicious!
We had a really fun evening and the service was exceptional. We even had a chat with the manager on the way out who was very gracious.
A very fancy-looking spot in a stately building that originally housed a bank. I went with Jerry C. on a Sunday for brunch, and the hostess told us there was a 20 minute wait, though she could seat us downstairs immediately. We chose to sit downstairs and we were glad we did. The Jazz Room doesn't have the Union Square views or natural light you get upstairs, but it is nevertheless a very handsome and thoughfully lit room, plus on Sundays for brunch, you get live music and you don't have to wait twenty minutes to be seated.
The Hama Hama oysters were fresh, delicious, and elegantly presented. The chicken Cobb salad was unusually moist and unusually chicken-y. The service did seem a little scatterbrained, but it was an extremely busy brunch, and everything did work out in the end.
One minus: The bathroom had an attendant. I hate that--does anyone not hate that? So awkward, especially since I didn't have any singles on hand to tip the guy with. I could have squirted the soap into my own palm, thanks.
I look forward to coming back.
A busy restaurant in busy Union Square, especially during weekend brunch. Tip: If there is a long brunch wait, ask to be seated in the Jazz room downstairs. Same food plus live jazz! A glass of champagne comes with the meal.
John S. and I both had Hama Hama oysters in the half shell. I prefer West coast to East coast oysters, and these were fresh and delicious from Washington State. You really can't go wrong with oysters at Blue Water Grill!
Both of us also ordered the Chicken Cobb salad and it was on the money. The grilled chicken was moist. We left satisfied and full.
The only minor complaint was that due to every table filled, service was not in top shape. I had to ask for oyster forks and then small plates. I was also surprised the waiter didn't offer fresh ground pepper when giving us our salads, and we had to keep asking for water refills. These small misses dented what could have been a top brunch experience.
I've been here several times for lunch and it's a good Union Square backup. Nothing special, but (I suppose) still worthy of 4-stars.
Favorites: Lobster bisque, Chilean sea bass, crab cakes
Nah: Sushi, Taking a date for dinner
Seating: Outside if it's nice, upstairs otherwise
Other: Stains on most of the cloth napkins...come on...
Service: Usually fine, but not superb
One quick story from lunch today:
"Do you have room for three?" we asked.
"We do, but only if you can be finished by 1:15," offers the hostess.
Running through my head: "Are you going to strong arm us out?"
Through my friend's head: "If the bill hasn't come, can we leave without paying?"
Our third agreed to the deal. It was only 12:15.
What odd customer service.... If you want fast, tell the waiter and kitchen to push us along. But I didn't knock them down for that. The service is usually the same as the food: very good but nothing to write home to mom about.
Blue Water Grill has a big name that is only partially justified. Perfect for tourists and business meetings.
I have been hearing great things about the Blue Water Grill for sometime now and finally had the chance to eat here last month for my sisters birthday. There was six of us at the table, we all ordered appetizers, entrees and desert. I tried a little bit from everyones plate so I got to try most of the menu. The menu here is seasonal which I really like a lot. The sushi was high quality, all of the fish dishes were tasty but nothing mind-blowing, lobster bisque was disappointing, and desserts were delicious. The service was on point. They made one mistake on a sushi order but made up for it with a sushi roll on the house.
I only give three stars because I would not go back there... not on my wallet at least. There are too many great restaurants in Manhattan I would rather try then revisit this one. This place is just not worthy of their prices.
I've been to BWG several times. Always have had a great meal and good service. My favorite meal was the 2.5 lobster, I've never before nor since have had such a succulent lobster. I love their shrimp & lobster spring rolls and their chocolate fondue dessert is in itself worth going back for.
Food was good. Desserts were excellent as was the appetizers. I was turned off by the small portion of Salmon I had and my wifes small portion of swordfish.
Waiting time: average
Easy to gety to: YES
ambiance: Nice
Service: GOOD
Went to blue water for restaurant week. This was my first time dining here, and was in the mood for seafood, so it was what I thought would be a great match. Could not find a think on the RW menu that was appealing to me, so I went for the A la carte. I think I should mention they wedged us into a table maybe inches between other diners on both the left and right side of our table. This place IS NOT intimate at all, and you better hope the person next to you does not spill their drink or you will be wearing it too.
My dining companion and I started with a shared App which was the shrimp dumplings. Came out hot but were disappointing as far as dumplings go (maybe im a snob), but we were hungry so we made quick work of them.
Entrees: I went with the Seafood Paella. Shrimp, Clams, mussels, and chicken were evident if not slightly over done. The lobster, calamari, and chorizo seemed to be little to non existent. The rice was well cooked, but lacked that bold flavor that I was hoping for. This was average paella at best. GF went with the halibut or cod (aren't all white fish the same?) This was good; it had some sort of pesto sauce that was actually quite palatable.
Skipped dessert.
Overall an average at best seafood experience, even with the RW deal, I can think of a multitude of seafood places throughout the city that I would rather eat at than BWG. Too bad too because I love the managements other restaurant (Dos Caminos).
They were aherad of their time in 2001 with great fresh ingresients in their drinks, & excellent ceviche as well.
This wasn't my first time dining at Blue Water Grill. I've always been to Blue Water Grill for lunch on a summer holiday weekend and I've always sat outside with a bottle of a very summery wine (usually Rose).
I didn't make it to Blue Water Grill all summer this year and I was a bit disappointed. So, I was thinking... It is too late to really enjoy my mid-summer holiday weekend lunch on the patio but I can still go for the food. Most of my memories of a relaxing holiday weekend afternoon on the patio.
I had no idea the dining room was so nice. The food was amazing. The service was exceptional. Everything far exceeded my expectations except the final bill. It was much less expensive than I was expecting. Great bottle of wine. Appetizers, entrees, desserts and what I hope was a generous tip for exceptional service - *less than $175.00 for two people* (Note: You do not need to order the $100.+ bottles of wine to enjoy a good wine at Blue Water Grill). Did I mention the food - excellent!
Came here for dinner for a party of 13 on a Friday night. I made reservations about a week and a half in advance. When we arrived we still had to wait about 15 minutes before our table was ready.
First impression... the place was nice...very classy. The hubby and I shared the following:
BBQ Eel Roll (Crispy Shiitake, Cucumber, Chipotle Teriyaki) - Just OK to me...
Filet Mignon Roll (Grilled Portobello, Thai Dipping Sauce) - Sounds good but really not that great.
Spicy Lobster & Tuna Roll (Avocado, Jalapeño, Cilantro Aioli) - I wasn't able to try this one myself but the hubby thought it was really good.
Seafood Paella - Looked and smelled really good BUT it was just alright for me. VERY filling though...
Most of the other people in our party seemed OK with their food. The seafood was definitely fresh but there just wasn't anything extraordinary about it.
To end the dinner on a sweet note, we shared 2 orders of the Caramelized Banana Ice Cream Tower with 2 other couples. I'm a big fan of sweets so this was a THUMBS UP for me. Extra points for its presentation.
I think this place is great for the seafood lover although with all the other amazing restaurants in NYC I probably would not come back.
Kill me. I couldn't hate this place any more. We waited an hour to be put upstairs right under the blaring speaker playing really bad music. By the time our waiter came all we wanted to do was order. Nope. We needed to get drinks first then he can take our order. After many poor and wrong explanations about the beer on the menu we order drinks and wait. Other tables get seated, fed and are finishing by the time i get my coffee filled once. We order an appetizer which apparently confused our waiter. We cant have an appetizer and lunch scheduled in the computer correctly. Must have been too much for him to handle. 20 minutes to get coffee. 10 more to take our appetizer and lunch order. Soup comes right after then another 20 minutes for lunch. Food was average after all that - who cares. Not worth the wait, the poor service and the bad attitude. Run away.
i've been here a few times and always enjoy the experience and the delicious food.
i started off with the local beet and goat cheese salad followed by the filet mignon.
the salad was delicious and really it's hard to go wrong when you have beets and goat cheese (two of my favorite things) and the filet mignon, was extremely tender and melted in my mouth.
this is a restaurant that is always consistent in the quality and taste of its food, which i appreciate because sometimes it's nice to know that regardless you'll have great service and a flavorful, enjoyable meal.
I was here awhile ago and I wanted add my 2 cents to this mix. This a great reasonably price seafood restaurant in New York City.
As you walk in you notice the restaurant stretch all the way to the back. I only wish the bar was a bit bigger and longer. I remember it was too small. Though I do remember them having a great selection of scotches and top shelf liquor.
Once we were seated, down below in the basement or the lower level, I realized it was Jazz night. I understand that reservations might have been an issue with us getting a better table, but I wasn't going to complain. I don't personally like a music performance when I eat.
This place is one of my good friend's favorite places to eat. The fish I had, the mahi mahi, was really good. None of that fried fish stuff that masks freshness. The appetizers were good, but nothing that was memorable. I remember the pricing for reasonable as well.
I would return again if I had the chance. I think its a decent place in a good location.
I love this place! Every time someone asks me where to have a Bday party, I always recommend it. It's great for groups, the food is solid and the location can't be beat. If you're taking the subway, you can take pretty much any line and it will get you here. Don't expect too much, because this isn't Gramercy Tavern or Daniel or any of the super fancy places you have in the city, but it's just good enough where the food is tasty and the atmosphere is nice and relaxing and not overly stuffy. Great place for client lunch/dinner as well.
I went here to meet my friend for brunch. We went there when they opened up for Sunday brunch. Restaurant seemed pretty nice. Hostess escorted us to the table and things fell apart from there. Waitress was no where to be found. It took literally 20 minutes to order the appetizer. Then waitress disappeared again for long time. And this was repeating. Food was good but waitress really didn't do good job at all. It's too bad that one waitress was ruining a good food experience.
Food - 3.5
Service - 0.5
Ambiance - 3.5
It's good. The food does not have WOW factor but I can't complain. It was very noisy however and they were playing music on top of it all. I went about a year ago and it was just "the in place to go" at the time.
It has a trendy atmosphere and your best bet is to go with friends and just get appetizers and drinks. They had a good looking and lively crowd.
Not the place to have a nice cozy dinner with loved ones.
3.49/5 stars
Since Blue Water is a few blocks from work I find myself there about every other month for a business lunch. The decision to dine there is rarely mine but I never complain when the choice is made. Why?
Well, Blue Water has a number of characteristics that bring real praise. Decor is lovely and the service is surprisingly efficient and friendly. The lunch choices are vast. Dependable appetizers, good salads and a large array of sushi from which to choose. Main courses have been more hit and miss for me but a simple grilled fillet (mahi mahi or swordfish) does me right.
As someone mentioned earlier, the biggest detraction is that there just isn't that "wow factor" that one gets from comparably priced destinations. Me thinks it has something to do with BWG being part of a larger restaurant empire. I think that sucks a bit of the soul out of the place hence diminishing the diner's experience. What is gained in consistency is lost with lack of the unexpected.
BWG is a solid option where I will undoubtedly return (on someone else's dime).
Missed the boat during Restaurant Week this year, but finally made my way to Blue Water Grill last night for dinner with a friend. This was a memorable experience from the ambiance, to the service to the food. Yes, it's a little bit pricey, but it's an unpretentiously swanky enough place which serves really good food to make it worth it's weight.
We had the option of dining outside but decided to stay indoors b/c it was a little nippy. I wasn't too hungry so we shared only one appetizer and each got an entree, but ended without any dessert (travesty, I agree). So, the few items that were ordered proved to be quite good, actually make that great (they were the dumpling potstickers, and as entrees, the marvelously cooked and flavored, grilled Scottish salmon with spinach and raisins, and the sea bass). I regretted that we didn't try any of their sushi rolls or, again, the delectable-sounding desserts. I'm hoping to come back, maybe for the brunch experience to substantiate whether or not the rolls here are as good as other fellow yelpers have affirmed.
Btw, our waiter, Trevor, was so delightful. He was friendly, but not in that glaringly obnoxious and plastic sort of way some waitstaff can be. Instead, he was so likable and attentive, while not being a pinch intrusive at all. As a diner, I fell head over heels. At the end of the night, I gave him some love on the post-dinner feedback card because he so deserved recognition for his professionalism and noteworthy service.
The mood at Blue Water is pretty relaxed and laid-back. It was a little noisy with table chatter, but that only adds to the charm of the restaurant as diners all around us seemed to have been enjoying their company and food.
Great food, wonderful service, definitely a fan and I would love to come back ( once I save up some more money for it!)
Their lobster bisque is extremely delicious and their presentation is overall quite nice and clean. One of my favs is their lobster mashed potatoes. Hmmm.... LOVE IT!
I have to make a point that their service is WONDERFUL. Very attentive, but not bothersome at all.
Definitely returning back here!
Rating: 3.5 stars for Summer 2009 Restaurant Week
Dined here with my mom and the hubby for dinner. The selections on the RW menu weren't all that great, but we opted for it anyways. Mom and I were lucky enough to get the salmon that wasn't on the RW menu, but the RW price. Score!! Our waiter was super nice and asked the chef if we could substitute the salmon on the main menu since I didn't like watermelon (which accompanied the salmon the RW menu). Hubby ordered the ribs and fried chicken. I know (who orders ribs at a seafood place), but surprisingly the ribs were good. The chicken was whatevs. There was a side of mac n cheese that was yummy too. For apps, the heirloom gazpacho soup was wonderful. Momma had the clams and she enjoyed them and hubby had a salad which was so so. As for the dessert, the sorbets were standard, but some pie sort of dessert (forgot what it was), was pretty good.
All in all, we thought it was a good value. We also ordered a bottle of wine and it was only $35.
Not sure if I'd dine here during non RW week, but in general this place is ok.
A sister restaurant of the Ocean Grill the menu and food are similar. I think the layout makes the restaurant more of a scene with its big open rooms and long bar. I like Ocean a bit better bc i think it has a more comfortable layout and feel with the fool being modestly better, but Blue Water Grill is not a bad place and I would certainly go back. Not a bad date place either if the location makes sense.
Great people watching location if you can grab a seat outdoors!
I had an amazing heirloom tomato salad here, and would return just for that. A nice place to grab a glass of wine or apps before moving on to another destination.
Nice space, decent food, but pushy waiters. I realize that we're in a recession and all, but is it really necessary for them to push us to get bottles of wine and dessert/coffee just because it looks like we are on a business lunch??
Notes on the food:
-the crispy Thai calamari wasn't crispy -- I don't know what happened, but it somehow became soggy from the point that it got fried and got to our table. That was a little disappointing. The big-eye tuna nachos were surprisingly tasty, as were the shrimp and lobster spring rolls, but the Maryland crab cake was incredibly tiny and at $12 felt like a bit of a rip.
For my entree, I had the Maine lobster and shrimp sandwich, which actually wasn't as great as I thought it would be. I felt like there wasn't enough lobster, and the lime vinaigrette though light just wasn't terribly appetizing. The worst part about the sandwich was the bread -- a soft, ordinary bun that didn't have too much character at all. The one big piece of bacon in the sandwich was good, though.
I also had a lavender raspberry lemonade, which was really refreshing. It's a good non-alcoholic drink to pick for a hot summer day like it was that day I was there.
Looking at what my dining mates had ordered, I wish I'd ordered the sushi rolls. They looked amazing and were pretty big, too. Overall, the appetizers were pretty good and the sushi rolls seemed to be a hit, but the lobster/shrimp sandwich I will not be having again.
Over of my seven-year relationship with my boyfriend, this restaurant ranks at the top for us in terms of class, food quality, service, and ambiance. Taking all things into consideration, the price was surprisingly easy on the wallet. Many of the entrees were under $40 which, for Manhattan, is quite reasonable for quality fine dining.
We went on a rainy Friday night and were lucky to squeeze into a 9:50pm reservation, but I was a little skeptical with the knowledge that the chefs would be tired and cranky by this time. If they were, they didn't show any signs of it in their dishes. I ordered the tuna ($37?) and it was perfectly cooked medium-rare. It was quite possibly the best tasting thing I have ever put in my mouth. My only regret is we didn't request to be seated downstairs in the jazz room. I had gone downstairs to use the restroom and my eyes glazed over at how romantic and beautiful it was. We'll be sure to do that next time.
Fresh seafood and great service. RW I had the oyster crudo, ribeye, and choc bar while my lady had the gazpacho, crab crusted mahi, and watermelon granita. We also shared a sampler of clams and a hefty plate of lobster mashed potatoes.
Solid 4 star experience at Union Square!
This review is for brunch at Blue Water Grill:
3.5 stars.
A bright and airy restaurant with a versatile atmosphere- good for groups or a casual date. If there's room available, ask to sit in the Jazz room and enjoy a live band while dining.
Expect to spend about $15-20 at most, and get a complimentary mimosa/bloody mary or real freshly squeezed orange juice. Might I add, the bread basket is a treat!- a mix of pumpkin cake and walnut raisin bread w/ strawberry cream cheese.
The egg benedicts here steal the limelight- the lobster benedict is a crowd pleaser (although i do wish they would add more lobster) Normally, I get the regular benedict with canadian bacon and ask for toasted brioche instead of the english muffin- topped with creamy hollandaise sauce--so yummy!
Generally, i agree that the food isn't to-die-for, but you are assured good quality in a nice location. Plus, this place is reasonably priced and a crowd pleaser.
** this is a brunch review **
Elegant atmosphere, but the food was way overpriced. "Free" bloody mary and mimosa were very weak.
This is probably a weird complaint, but the large table I was sitting at wasn't flat, so the edge of the table stuck out and was uncomfortable resting my arms on the table.
Home fries were not warm.
I got the organic egg white omelette ($16.50). The cheese was good, but the other components were not mixed properly so that one part of my omelette had all the spinach. The egg was also partially runny.
My friend's egg benedict was over cooked.
Come here if you're trying to impress someone because the "feel" is cool, but I'd definitely suggest skipping this place for brunch.
Definitely one of the best seafood restaurants in the city. It didn't hurt that we had a free gift card that covered the lunch for two.
It caught me by surprise that the sushi dishes were better than a lot of the Japanese restaurants around the city. Easily a possible 5 stars, just that I haven't tried everything on the menu yet.
im gonna keep this one really short: everything is okay.
food okay....drinks okay....atmosphere: if you're downstairs in the jazz-playing-room, and you're into a loud, tight atmosphere, then it's good; if not, it's okay. upstairs is a little more relaxed, but still just okay.
i wouldn't run back, but i wouldn't turn it down if invited...yeah...yeah...
that about sums it up for me; hope this was helpful, yelpers!
Great food and service. Central location. Two different dining rooms give you a choice of dining in two different atmospheres.
20 minutes after our party was seated, I had to ask IF WE COULD ORDER A FIRST ROUND OF DRINKS!?!?!
seriously?
we were asked first what kind of water we wanted first???
i don't get it.
First round drinks took at least 15 minutes to arrive.
3 hours later...we are stillllll there....
slowwwwww service
desserts were damn good, though.
I prefer dinner at Blue Water Grill over brunch, but this review is about their brunch.
Coffee: excellent
Bellini: excellent
Egg White Omelette: good but nothing spectacular. Too much egg, not good home fries.
It's a good stand by brunch place but there are many many better places around.
This review is for summer restaurant week 2009.
My friends and I made a reservation and we were seated at the jazz room. The music was pretty loud and it was quite difficult to carry on a conversation.
The dinner is definitely a disappointment. Only the appetizers are up to average standard yet one would expect more for Blue Water Grill's expectation. The fish are so-so but the sauce is extremely salty. Desserts are nothing special. The dinner is not worth $35.
The raw bar is not the best/most fresh I've ever had, but the specialty sushi rolls are surprisingly delicious. Out of the spicy crab and salmon roll, the crunchy florida roll, and the coconut shrimp roll, the clear winner is the latter of these three: fresh, subtle, with a divine coconut dipping sauce.
My bf went all the way with a steamed 2-lb lobster that was very chewy and had mediocre sides. Our waitress gushed about the asian-inspired sea bass and the savory hash that came with the blackened swordfish. The hash was definitely awesome and the fish was very good quality.
Overall a decent meal and probably one of the few places in the city to get reasonable seafood in a nice setting.
This place is amazing for Brunch. I call my Sunday Brunches here "Boys and Brunch" because the waiters are super cute and indulge you in some harmless flirting over your Eggs Benedict.
I always get a Mimosa (comes with your meal) and the Lobster Benedict which is lobster (can't go wrong with that) over a lemon brioche and yummy hollandaise sauce. God, I'm getting excited just thinking about it.
Bonus: they have live jazz so you feel like you're being classy even though you're drinking before noon.
Double Bonus: They crumb your table. I love that!
Triple Bonus: I asked the watier for his crumber and apparently they have a huge box downstairs so he gave me one. YES!
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: American (New)
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