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Categories: American (Traditional), American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Near North SideMerchandise Mart (Purple Express, Brown)
Clark/Lake (Pink, Brown, Green, Blue, Purple Express, Orange)
Grand (Red)
Mon-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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I went to Flatwater back in October and after reading some of the negative comments I felt compelled to leave my own review.
I went to Flatwater on 9/9/09 while surprising my girlfriend in Chicago. We had JUST gotten engaged and were walking around Chicago looking for a random 'nice" place to eat.
We walked along the river and saw Flatwater in the distance and decided why not!
The place seemed to be crowded with an after work drinks scene but we were still seated with in 5 minute. Again, no reservation.
The waitress, whose name is escaping me right now was absolutely great. She was so patient with us, described the menu, wine and even stood there and waited as my fiance was receiving congratulatory phone calls about our engagement. In face, the waitress was so nice she brought over a bottle of champagne on the house.
I ate the short ribs, cant remember what she ate. But I know we left with smiles on out faces and will definitely be going back when we visit Chicago again.
Just to finish, Flatwater was awesome. Had a great time.
A friend and I used my $50 groupon here the other night.
It was nothing short of a fabulous experience.
I absolutely adore the atmosphere here. Lights glimmer on the Chicago river water. The dark wood, fireplace, and candles inside set the mood for clever conversation or romantic glances.
Sparkling wine.
Pumpkin mushroom pot pie... served in a mini pumpkin. Holy... wow.
And.... scallops with polenta and bacon candy. We were speechless. Literally. We stopped our important conversation and took a few minutes to take this dish in. WOW.
Our server was really wonderful. Attentive, engaging, efficient, and pleasant.
I'll be back!
I ALWAYS pick Flatwater as my meeting spot when returning from San Francisco. I was here last month for work and used my Groupon voucher. I've repeatedly had a good experiences here, except for once when we came here for late night drinks and the place was overcrowded and it took some time to get our drinks - but that was my sole bad experience.
The ambiance doesn't really need much description. Chicago Skyscrapers. By the river. Outdoor Miami-style seating. It's beautiful.
As for the waitstaff, being from San Francisco I have a penchant for waiters with a quick wit and "fun service". Without fail, I've had great service every time I've gone here (although some are more fun to banter with than others - but overall the they have been professional and quick).
As a vegetarian, I've really enjoyed the options here. I always appreciate when a restaurant has more to offer me than some boring pasta dish or a plate of sauteed vegetables. I had the mini pumpkin pot pie (which i think may be seasonal) which was amazing. They have tons of other stuff to choose from but this was the last thing I remember.
I'm coming back to Chicago next month and can't wait to come here again! Undoubtedly one of the best dining experiences in Chicago.
Reasonable prices, good location, nice looking place.
Food looks good when it comes out, so why only two stars?
I've only been here for brunch, twice I'm surprised to read one review that said "nothing short of a fabulous experience". Because my two visits were Quite A Bit short of fabulous. Underwhelming is the best way to put it, from the service to the food.
First of all, the we were immediately informed that the menu on the website (which looked good) was no longer in effect, and IMO what replaced it was pretty pedestrian. Our server had no clue what were were talking about when we asked about the many unavailable items. Not A Clue.
Also, when I say reasonable prices, take that as in that for any downtown location with the elegant decor and dinnerware you can get out without spending a fortune, but I wouldn't want to pay much more for the meals we got.
We also got the $8 "muffin basket" which when it got to the table I suddenly thought, "Wait--shouldn't this be complimentary??"
The brunch entrees were okay, but you go to this location to impress, and the food simply does not--tastewise, I mean--but presentation I admit is good.
The host both times was very nice, but our servers both times were competent but not particularly warm. In other words, they did their jobs--no more, no less. Could have stood a bit 'more'.
Here's the thing. I clicked wrong when I ordered the "Groupons" so I still may go back just to use the extras, but I really don't think it's a good value. The fact that I'll be MAKING myself go says it all--hence, the two stars.
We went to this place for brunch and it was rather great, we love the view, and the food was in large portion and taste good ( I loved their muffins and pancakes ) , plus, the price is rather fair considering the river view
I ll be back there for sure
If it were not for Groupon, I would have never tried this place...and I will never again.
Nothing special. Overpriced. Less than average service. If you want to enjoy the river, just...take a stroll on the river walk?
Flatwater , I agree its a hit or miss with the service it can be flat at times. I usually go after work for drinks with co-workers or grab a bite with my buds from out of town. Food is good for the most part. Great view of the Chicago River and the city of course.
Looking for jumbo scallops? Flatwater has one of the best seared scallops in town! A girly of mine was celebrating her birthday at Flatwater and gave us a reason to doll ourselves up and look pretty. None of us were really expecting much in terms of food since it was rated 3 stars overall and usually nice restaurants in a scenic location like by the Chicago River are just for show and not so much for their amazing dishes. We were pleasantly impressed. I had the lamb, others in the group had the grilled pork chop and pastas. All excellent choices. I do not recommend the soup though. It tasted very bland not even sure how to best describe it - just don't order it.
After dinner, Flatwater transforms their dining area into a lounge with live music so it's also great if you're looking for a nice place just to hang out and relax. The strawberry mojito isn't too bad although I heard the blueberry is better but they ran out of blueberries. The place is a bit pricey although you can sometimes catch some good deals. We happened to get a groupon deal ($20 for a $50 value - 2 groupons good for tables of 4 or more) so we were pretty lucky since we were a group of 9.
I went to Flatwater for Brunch. It is a beautiful restaurant situated next to the Chicago river. We were there for a birthday celebration so we had 20 people and we got to sit right by the windows. We ordered a few drinks and coffee. The Mimosas were great, the bloody marys were ok-they could have been spicer. The coffee was terrible. I hate it when you go to a brunch place, and they serve bad coffee.
We waited about 45 minutes before I had to call the server over to take our order. The food come out pretty quickly. For the most part the dishes were good. The omelets are pretty bland and forgettable. I had the eggs benedict. The hollandais sauce was perfect, very textbook. The rest of the dish was just meh.
When they brought the check I looked at the charge for my dish, and realized that they had charged more on the check than was listed in the menu. So I made everyone check, and it turns out they did the same for another dish. This is totally not acceptable. I told them about the problem and they apologized and said they would fix the computer. However, they never brought us a corrected check so we just brought up the check sans the extra money.
Overall there are much better places to go for brunch, but they were able to take reservations for a large party which is not usual for breakfast places.
Went to this place for brunch yesterday. Since we had the most beautiful weather in fall this weekend, a lot of people decided to go to the restaurant as they had the outside seating open yesterday. The restaurant is right next to the river, beautiful views.
When we got there, the place was not packed at all, a lot of empty tables everywhere. However, the host, later on we found out that he's the manager and he was doing everything from seating people to taking orders and cleaning up, took forever to seat us (I believe it took more than 30 minutes). He was a terrible host for sure. Anyways, it seemed to me that you have to have a reservation in order to even be acknowledge at all. People who came after us were seated because they had reservation. I had no idea it was so hard to be seated in such an empty restaurant.
When we finally sat down, of course the service was slow. No water, no silverware, no napkin, we just sat for about another half hour before anybody came to take our order. The food was average, nothing too fancy, too good, and have to have.
We went there through Groupon.
Bottom, not recommended. To be fair, they could be having a really off day.
I had plenty of doubts walking into this place: I just wanted pancakes, and though pancakes were indeed listed on the menu, they had a silly name like "buttermilk sliders" or some such. Begrudgingly, I ordered them anyway.
I'm so glad I did: they were absolutely perfect: fluffy with just the right amount of tang and a perfect crust, sandwiching a layer of whipped cream tinged with Bailey's but not enough to be cloying. Easily some of the best pancakes I've ever had, and the side of bacon I ordered was equally amazing. My wife ordered the french toast and immediately declared them the best she'd ever had, and she doesn't sling compliments like that around lightly. We absolutely could not have been happier with the food. Highly recommended.
Had brunch here with my fiance on a beautiful Sunday.
Pros: riverside dining (romantic)
Cons: slow service, mediocre food (calamari is good, eggs benedict and steak & eggs combo were doused in hollandaise sauce and were quite forgettable), slow with refilling beverages (you know, when you don't drink unless you really have to because you know you'll later die of thirst), no live music (despite being advertised at the restaurant!)
We used a Groupon, so our meal was very inexpensive. We look forward to trying out Fulton's as we won't be returning here.
Brought to you by Groupon and OpenTable.....I had dinner there recently with a friend of mine (thank you Groupon). Getting a reservation for a Tuesday evening was a sanp (thank you OpenTable). I've been to Flatwater before for the most obvious reason -- riverside seating. Since it was cold the night we went, outdoor seating was not possible, nor was it offered (thankfully).
The first thing that annoyed me was that NO valet was present, regardless of the sign advertising valet parking service. My friend went down into the bowels (Flatwater is located below the street level) and the manager came up, apologizing profusely, and instructing me to park across the street in the Golden Triangle lot for free (which is where the valet would've parked my car for $12. Hmmmm.....).
So, now, after being fully irritated, and with my curiosity piqued, I was mildly surprised to observe the restaurant was half-filled (pretty good for a place primarily known for its outdoorification). The interior was fairly cozy, dark, a fire lit, lots of dark wood and sandstone, very nice in the evening. One might've mistaken it for a much higher end place. As apologetic as the manager was, we were not offered anything gratis. N. O. T. H. I. N. G. Not that I was expecting anything, but after having waited for 15 minutes for the mystery valet, the least he could've done was offer us a drink.
The server was prompt, friendly and entertaining. He recommended a white (Tandem Chardonnay) that he really liked, with the claim that he and his wife rarely buy nor drink white wine. Good recommendation, but I went with a glass of red. The menu is limited, but very focused. Interesting collection/variety of offerings, and all with very good and appealing descriptions.
We chose to split the beet salad as a starter -- the kitchen divided it for us, which was very nice on their part (and we were not charged for "sharing"). The salad was delicious - extremely thinly sliced beet "carpacio" with arugula, goat cheese, some nut (walnuts?), and a citrusy vinaigrette; I highly recommend this salad. There was clearly enough for two, and I'm glad we shared it.
My friend ordered the mahi mahi, which was finished with a poblano cream sauce (zing!), and some other stuff I can't remember. Very tasty, spicy enough to keep you interested, well seasoned.
I had the rack of lamb, which was encrusted with cheese (blue? goat?), and came with herbed, garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. The lamb was finished as I ordeered it (medium) was seasoned well. The cheesy crust was tasty but distracting, the three bones in the rack was a good amount, very meaty, not "lamby" but "lamby" enough. And, people, do NOT be afraid to pick up those bones and eat all of the "lamby" goodness -- great flavor and crusty, charred bits. I had no shame whatsoever.
My only complaint was the the kitchen was fairly slow - I understand there is a timing aspect to running food between courses, but were were there for like 3 hours for a essentially what amounted to a 3-course dinner. The server even apologized for the tardiness of our entrees.
To end the meal, we shared a Tres Leches cake. Smallish in portion, but enough to satisfy the "I-need-a-bit-of sweet-after-dinner" feeling with which y'all are familiar. A very good representation of one of my favorite desserts -- three medallions of white sheet cake with just enough of the 3 milks to make it tasty and not soggy. A little too much Chantilly (read: whipped) cream (I thought it was a good amount, but she doesn't like whipped cream and I do), and a touch of rum that really enhanced the flavor at the finish (but not too much that it was noticeable - she doesn't drink and did not mention it at all). They could have deleted the strawberry coulis, and as tasty as that was, it was a distraction and took away from the core flavor of the dessert.
Flatwater is a good for the last-minute, need a restaurant off the beaten path in the Loop, kind of place. The food is prepared well (Ive been here before, and the other dishes I've had were just as tasty). Cost seems to be reasonable given location and ingredients. Other than the MIA valet, what's with the two giant flat-panel TVs behind the bar? Is this supposed to be a nice place to have a quiet dinner, or am I at a sports bar trying to be a restaurant? There are better places to have lamb, fish, salad....but, I can come here again. Especially with a great deal from Groupon!
Worst service ever.
We came here for a birthday lunch - with reservation. We were seated right away - and proceeded to sit for 45 minutes with water only. Waitress nowhere to be seen, there was not even another waiter that we could ask for our waitress. The place was practically empty so that wasn't the problem.
The food we got was good - but nothing out of the ordinary.
I used my groupon, but I would never come back here again.
I came here for dinner and the food was very good and the views were spectacular. I love the atmosphere of looking out onto the river. I can't wait to come back when it's nice out and you can sit outside. I must mention the gelato dessert because the menu doesn't explain the pure excellence that it was. It came with three scoops of different gelato. I think they give you whatever they have....I had espresso, chocolate and creme caramel I believe. They topped it with a huge piece of caramelized pineapple, tons of fresh berries and chocolate sauce. It was sooo delicious and highly recommended. I'll come back here for sure.
if flatwater were any closer to the chicago river, you'd be on a boat. a beautiful view - at times, accompanied by questionable smells (hey - it IS the chicago river, after all!)
as for flatwater's food, i can only speak for lunch. whenever i've dined, they've had a build-your-own lunch deal. never underestimate the joy of soup/salad/sandwich combinations. unfortunately, i think they've changed chefs since the summer, so they no longer offer this special. the food has always been decent, bordering on unmemorable - hopefully the new chef is making some changes. they also have a variety of lemonades that are deliciously refreshing on a hot summer day.
average food, great patio.
Went here for BRUNCH yesterday and loved it - the food, atmosphere, service everything!
Their portions are very big so keep that in mind! We had the brioche french toast - excellent and topped up with lots of fresh mixed berries!
The freshly baked muffins were very good indeed, especially with the jam!
The guac was a little less perfect and sort of on the bland side.
Went here for dinner last night with a group of other people. The table and place was nice, but our… Read more »
I kept going back and forth between 3 and 4 stars for this place, but I've decided that its not just the location and the riverside seating that makes it 4 stars. It's also got amazing interior deco and really quality food. The only downsides is that their food isn't... special. Just well-crafted, quality standards with average service. But on a beautiful, warm Chicago day I'm really not sure that a great meal on the river with a beautiful presentation and a live Bossa Nova band can be beat.
I think the staff there in general is a little, confused? But kudos to our server who was sweating his balls off. It was like 70% humidity but he was hustlin'.
Came here for a visit thanks to a groupon deal I bought. It was quite busy for Sunday brunch so we were lucky we had made reservations in advance. It was about 90+ degrees outside so we opted to sit inside. There was no AC in the restaurant except for the bathrooms. We were sweating without being in direct sunlight!! Maybe we should have opted for outside...at least there was a breeze by the river. The best part of the restaurant is the riverside seating. Too bad we didnt get to enjoy that!
The food was pretty good. I had ordered the huevos rancheros and my friends ordered the spinach salad and classic benedict. We all cleared off our plates without a problem. Our waitress did take FOREVER to serve us though. If I wasnt so busy catching up with my friends from out of town, we would have sat there staring at each other for 20 minutes before she finally took our order. It took so long for us to get our order in that the table next to us (that got seated AFTER us) had their food served BEFORE us. The prices are on the high side so I'm glad I had my groupon. =) Otherwise, I dont think its worth it to come here.
hugely successful restaurant....
oh boy http://Yelp.com does it again.....
I can't take yelp seriously when I see their rating for this place...
spies must be writing bad reviews...sinister.
This place rocks the house1
It's hard to resist a place like this in Chicago. Brunch, live Bossa Nova music, riverfront views of skyscrapers, good food. What could be wrong?
Well, there is some kinda funky smell when you sit outside. Loss of a star for that.
Other than that, I loved my food and would recommend this to any Chicagoan, or any tourist looking to get tasty food in a scenic spot.
Location, Location, Location... is pretty much all Flatwater has going for itself and maybe some of the staff.
Even after reading the reviews I had high hopes but was quickly let down. Flatwater if you read this, know that you front desk is a mess, I stood there longer then I should have before I was even acknowledged then I was shot a look for wanting to sit outside on a nice day. Then we were sat at the worst table on a hot day, right in front of the kitchen, which leads me to say... Why in the hell is there even a table here?!?!? Take it out!! It would also help your wait staff get in and out which means that even those you lose a table, your staff turns their tables faster which will make up for it.
We had a few more issues with the staff. We asked our first waitress if we could move, she completely understood and the new table wasn't even in her section (sweetheart). Our second waiter took our drink order and never came back. The Third waitress who wasn't even in our section asked if we needed something and then proceed to go find our actual waiter to helps us. The forth waiter was ok but I would've much preferred the third, she even checked on us twice. For that they get a star and a half.
The food was nothing but bland. I almost went back into the kitchen just to cook myself a better meal. Started with the Avacado (yes that's how they spell it) egg rolls, which is a great idea but fell short on taste. We split the Chicken Burger and let's just say I still have nightmares from it. I couldn't even finish my small half of it. Whatever spices you put into it, PLEASE take them out, it's nasty. The only good was the fries. Oh yeah and I wasn't really found of their Bloody Marys either.
You ask why come here then... well like I said other then a few staff members, it's mainly the view. Sitting right along side the lake, getting to see the tall buildings shine, it's one of the best views of our beautiful city. It gets a star and a half just for the view. I would come back but only for a couple drinks.
Opentable Reservation + Passport card FTW! Saw this place as we rolled by during out architectural river cruise. Saw it, looked good, made reservation. We walked over after our cruise, and found that it was hard to find. It's basically "underground" if you want to think of the location that way.
Anyways, the food was pretty good. Very inexpensive IMO, especially with the passport. 2 waters please. Along with our appetizer and 2 entrees, it was only $16 after using the passport card. Saved $12, and spent it on the Taxi back.
Like the last few reviewers I found this place because of the Groupon. I think Flatwater was a little cheap with the groupon because we still went over the $20 by almost another $20 and we didnt even get drinks!
Aside from that, which isnt the end of the world, the brunch was great. I had the huevos rancheros. I've had huevos rancheros all over as it's my favorite breakfast food and I will tell ya that this was one of the best! The portion was huge and I was given a choice of how I wanted my eggs done. The BF got the french toast which he said rivals the french toast at Milk and Honey. I gave it a try and mmmmmm yum! I didnt even need the syrup, the berries served with it were enough to provide that extra sweetness.
It was a great day to sit along the river and watch the kayakers and the boat tourists go by while listening to the live band in the corner. Our waitress was super attentive clearing the table quickly and refilling the iced tea before the glass was half empty. But strangely as soon as the bill was paid, the iced tea stopped. What's up with that.
Lord, lord, lord...where do I start with this hot mess of an experience. Ok, so my roommate and I bought a Groupon for $5 (LOVE Groupon) and we're thinking, how is this not a win-win? Well, we had never been to Flatwater. So, the only reason Flatwater gets two stars instead of one is because the location is gorgeous.
Now onto the dirt. We went there on Sunday for brunch and we didn't make a reservation beforehand. I had never had a problem at any other of Chicago's fine brunch establishments. But at Flatwater, apparently not having a reservation gets you put at the high table with stools in the corner. I wouldn't have had any beef with this had the restaurant been crowded, but there were at least four empty tables. When I pointed this out to the hostess, she said that she couldn't seat us at those tables because the people with reservations were going to show up. Well guess what? They never did. The tables stayed empty our entire meal.
So we sit there for about 10-15 minutes before anyone acknowledges we are even sitting at our table. How rude! I ordered an omelet and said I wanted tomatoes instead of something else and I was informed they do not do substitutions. Now really, how hard is it to slap some tomato in my eggs? My roomie ordered an omelet also. So during the time we're waiting at the table, no one attempts to set the table or give us silverware. The food comes and we still have no forks. Eventually we get the necessities we need to begin eating, though I later had to ask for salt, pepper, jam & ketchup. The food is average at best. I've made much better eggs at home.
And surprise, surprise...they messed up my roomie's omelet and forgot to put avocado in it. She tells the waiter about it. He then tells us in the amount of time he has worked there that the kitchen has never made a mistake. Was that supposed to make her feel better? So instead of giving her a new omelet, he brings her a plate of avocado. Nice. Oh, and her eggs were runny.
I'm hoping this experience was just a fluke. But under no circumstances should service be this bad. I was a little bummed since we live right across the street and thought we had found a new quality brunch spot. Flatwater, I'm willing to give you one more chance...but if you mess up again, we're through.
I've been to Flatwater twice now and both experiences were very similar.
First, the location on the Chicago River is amazing. The two-floor outdoor patio sits right along the river - the bottom floor is boat-level. Across the river is the downtown Chicago skyline. The indoor-outdoor bar is cool, and the ambiance is really nice. It's a great place to get together and enjoy the view.
The service is hit or miss, as evidenced by the reviews. But for the most part, my experience has been decent. The first time I went, the hostess took a very long time to seat us. Once seated, the service was fine. The second time I went, everything was great. Our server was extremely friendly and did a good job of checking up on us. Although he later told us that he was also the manager and took us because the restaurant was understaffed.
The food is just okay. Flatwater is more expensive than its worth. Most of the dishes on the menu are in the $20-30 range, but with no drinks under $10, a meal can easily cost $40-50 a person or more. The first time I went, I ordered the halibut, which was terrible. Super dry and bland. The second time I went, I split the PBLT (P is for pork belly, a thicker bacon-type meat) and the risotto with a friend. The PBLT was not good. The sandwich was a little burned and the pork belly was, like the halibut, dry and bland. If there was sauce or dressing, I couldn't taste it. It came with fries, which were well cooked but a little too salty. The risotto was really delicious, but small. Overall, the food at Flatwater is a major disappointment, especially given the cost.
The view is so amazing that it is almost worth the high-priced bad food. Maybe come for some drinks at the bar?
I only wanted to give Flatwater 2 stars, but its unique location and decor kind of make up for everything that isn't so top-notch...
Even though I think the river can be a bit smelly at times, the entire 2-story out door area is really nice. Upstairs it's more of a lounge; downstairs, tables. Inside, the bar is cool and there's an area for dancing etc and lots of seating along the walls.
Service is pretty much nonexistent. Someone in our party went to get drinks at the bar and came back with a couple of tonics splashed with gin, and a couple of French martinis which were yellow and consisted entirely of pineapple juice and a chambord float. I thought maybe going down the Long Island Iced Tea road would be a good bet, but no such luck. There's a bartender there who does some pretty cool tricks a la Cocktail, but unfortunately his magical skills do nothing for the quality of their drinks.
Also, a VERY interesting crowd - half were normal, half were...not so much... I saw some really unusual dance moves. However, the location sort of makes it all worth it.
Went for a birthday party - super cute ambiance with great food. The salad was pretty good but I didn't think the super candied walnuts paired well with the vinaigrette dressing and goat cheese. I was surprised by this b/c all of those ingredients I normally love on a field green salad. Maybe it was off that day.
The chicken piccata was tasty and well seasoned. The best dish was the pork tenderloin. The had a carving station for this and it was so juicy and tender. YUM!
I have to say after reading the reviews of Flatwater I was scared I was in for a disaster, but it was very much the contrary.
We sat indoors because it was getting a little chilly out, but we were pressed against glass doors looking out over the river as the sun was setting. I'd have to say probably the best location for a Chicago restaurant I've ever experienced.
We started with some drinks- for me a dirty martini that came in a very generous cocktail glass and was shook perfectly. Everyone seemed pleased with their drinks.
I got the caesar salad to start- it was good not great, others got the Pancetta salad which they liked a lot and looked really tasty. For my main course I got the Braised short Rib that was very strong. It wasn't quite as good as Carnivale, but very good nonetheless. It was served over mushrooms and potato pancake. I thought the mushrooms were good, but I didn't feel like the pancake added as much as it could have if my mom had made them!
I also was fortunate to be sitting next to my girlfriend who only eats a little bit of her meal. That gave me a great sampling of the halibut over ratatouille that was delicious. Fish was cooked perfectly! Others got the pork chop and tuna and everyone seemed very pleased with their entrees.
My one complaint would be the portions on the braised short rib and halibut are very small. The porkchops and tuna were of better quantity. While I left still a little hungry I was impressed with the overall experience, and flavors of Flatwater. I would encourage those that have previously had a bad experience to give it another go!
I'm not really sure to start with this review. first off... i recently had brunch at Flatwater thanks to my groupon! i bought two and can't wait for dinner! don't worry I'll write a review after.
we got there on Sunday and decided we'd like to try to be outside. there were plenty of open tables but we were informed there were also a bunch of reservations. OK, i know I've been out of the restaurant industry for a while, but when you have a reservation that means a table is reserved for you... right? meaning they won't just seat somebody that walks in off of the street at your table... it's reserved... hence the term reservation. maybe people like "Victoria L." aren't familiar with this concept.
yes the manager was helping out his servers and doing whatever it took to make peoples dining experience a positive one. kudos to him! i wish my managers had helped in the same way. we got to speak to him when he refilled our coffee... he apologized for the slow service and lack of music stating that no one had planned on or expected the weather to break the way that it did. he went on to explain that the music is mainly in the summer when the patio is always open and that on such short notice, due to the weather, they weren't able to book entertainment. OK... valid point... that seems rational and totally acceptable and OK. am i going to bitch and moan and complain because the sign out front or the website said it would be happening? no! (Dawn B.)
as for being busy... nobody... NOBODY figured it would be as gorgeous as it was! sure we had to wait a minute to be sat but guess what... that's what you have to do when a restaurant is busy! we watched others wait and a lot of people waited a couple of minutes but nobody... NOBODY waited 30minutes!!! really Victoria l. c'mon! then you waited another 30minutes before anybody came to your table? ummm excuse me... reality calling.... NO you didn't wait 30 minutes for either! think about it... you could've sat at your table or stood at the host stand long enough to watch entire t.v. show? really? no wait.... really? groupon or not NO ONE in their right mind would legitimately wait 30 minutes for anything at a restaurant without leaving or flagging someone down.
as for the food. my wife and i had eggs benedict, coffee and oj. the coffee was nothing too bad... not amazing but not crap like some breakfast places. the oj was fresh squeezed and yummy! i had the crab cake benedict and my wife had the traditional. no complaints! everything was very tasty and served hot and in a timely fashion. yes did the food take a minute or two longer than maybe it should have? yes... but the restaurant was CRAZY busy and the staff was working as hard and as fast as they could to make everything right. dealing with people like Victoria and dawn I'm sure this was difficult! lol if a restaurant is busy and i have to wait a minute or two to get my coffee refilled but everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off... fine. its when the staff is not busy and people are just standing around that waiting for the basics becomes unacceptable. again that seems like a pretty reasonable concept doesn't it? if I'm wrong PLEASE let me know! back to the food. the hollandaise sauce was perfect... not too tart but not too bland. i didn't need any extra salt or pepper. the eggs were cooked correctly and the english muffin wasn't soaked with sauce (which is sign that your food sat around in the window for awhile before it was served.)
overall i have no complaints and can't wait for dinner! i will make a reservation so my table is sitting open, ready and waiting for me!
can't wait!
p.s.- people relax and think about what you are writing before you make your post! leave out the exaggerations and snap judgements. peoples income might be based on reviews and saying you sat at a table for 30minutes is simply not true, a gross over exaggeration bordering on melodramatic. think and be a little more realistic in the future.
You know your server is cheerful when
- one half of the 8-person party arrives 20 minutes before the other half, and he doesn't give you a hard time
- the sprinkler system in the kitchen malfunctions and suddenly all of the staff are tearing out of the kitchen soaking wet and he reassures you that there's no need to rush with your meal
- firetrucks are racing to the scene to turn off the water while gallons of it are pouring out of the kitchen and your server is laughing with you about the situation while simultaneously lugging furniture out of harm's way
- he finds out that the restaurant is going to be closed for at least 3 days during which he's not sure if he'll get paid, and he cheerfully announces that your meals are free because they can't get to the credit card machines.
Needless to say, we left our very lovely waiter a giant tip. In addition to that, the brunch dishes that we had were very good (oh, how I love an omelette with avocado in it, and I could certainly have nibbled off more of my friend's brioche french toast with berries). And of course, the view right on the river was spectacular. A lovely place to spend a Sunday morning, listening to the wonderful live bossa nova musicians and admiring the skyscrapers on the other bank. And the very friendly service more than makes up for some flooding and loud sirens :)
So I bought a groupon (thank you groupon for saving me money and making me poorer all at the same time!!!!) for this place after reading a few reviews here. It seems that this place can be streaky, but luckily I am happy to review to rate this place well.
We did come earlylish on Sunday after deciding brunching in my neighborhood spots was passe. Reservations were made in advance (about an hour before arriving) and we were accomodated perfectly. It seems like this may be a key to getting a table that you want.
I had the steak and eggs with a bloody mary while my counterpart got the crabcake eggs benedict with an orange juice. Also, got the calamari as an appetizer.
The calamari was good with it's two dipping sauces. One was like a thai sweet chili sauce and the other was a spicy mayo. No complaints for this dish at all. My steak had hollandaise sauce on it which was really good combined together. I don't think the quality of meat was up there, but it's definitely better than other brunch places. The potatos with the steak were fine, but nothing to rave about. The crabcake benedict was really good I thought. Usually, I don't go for eggs benedict, but I did try some and was impressed. We also saw the normal eggs benedict on another table and the ham slices were really HUGE!! Made me want to of gotten that instead it looked so good!
Drinks were good.. OJ was fresh as it should be and Bloody Mary was good. It was nice to know that they make the mix for the Bloody Mary everyday and that they use sriracha in it...let's face it.. sriracha can go on anything! well almost..
Okay, so the food was good... now the location/decor... it's really nice. It's located right by the Chicago river and that by itself puts it up there for me.. The place itself was laid out nicely. Only sat outside and I did like how they had it set up.
So why is this place 4 stars and not 5? Well, I did like the food, but I could go without it.. It was the service that swayed me more towards the 4.. Our server was excellent... very friendly and helpful. He even split my potatoes before they came out so that they could be shared because only my dish came with potatoes.. Totally great service on his part. However, the hostess did seem snooty as although we did like the table right next to the river we decided to sit in the shade one table over. Our waiter asked for us, but we were told that this couldn't be done because others had reservations for those. Too bad that no one else sat in that seat by the time we were done with our whole meal. Our waiter even asked for us again, but ah well..
If only we could of had a little shade on that really sunny day you would of garnered 5 stars.. too bad..
My my my... Where to begin really?
I really thought it was going to be a great place to grab a GOOD meal for the prices...
We started with guacamole.. they actually got that right. It was pretty good, so that's one star. I ordered a burger. BAD idea. It was terrible. Tasteless, bland.. just yuck. The fries were pretty good. Their ranch is incredibly weird tasting. I couldn't pin point what ingredient it is thats in it thats not supposed to be, but its blatently obvious that something isn't right with it.
The service was decent. We were actually never without a drink, plates were cleaned up pretty promptly, etc..
I'll probably never be here again nor recommend this place to anyone.
Before I start, just want to say this is a BRUNCH review.
I bought my first Groupon ever and it was for Flatwater ($5 for a $20 gift card for brunch only). My fiance and I kept putting off going to this restaurant and finally we got around to it. Unfortunately, it was a little chilly to sit outside bc I believe that's one of the main draws to this restaurant (which is A LOT smaller than I thought it would be, esp since the outdoor area was closed).
The restaurant ambiance is very nice. I like the decor and lots of natural lighting. Kind of feels like you're on a cruise, but in a small private dining room or something. Our waiter came up to us and at first seemed like he was pretty rude. Overall, he wasn't very personable but he ended up warming up to us. The food came promptly so overall I'd say the service was fine (nothing to complain about). I did ask for a recommendation, even though the menu isn't huge and he gave me a good one...
I ordered the huevos rancheros and a bloody mary for brunch. Let me just say this... I had never had huevos rancheros but the waiter told me I should get it and that he eats it once a weekend. Well, if I worked there, I would order it twice a weekend. It was so good! The corn tortillas were crispy, the chorizo was spicy (even for a chorizo, it was hotter than normal) and the sunny side up eggs were cooked perfectly. There was a small dollop of pico de gallo and sour cream on top. The plate had a greenish salsa all around the dish. All I can say was that I was sad when I finished the dish. It was amazing and I would go back just for that.
My fiance had an omelet which looked like an omelet you'd get anywhere. She is not picky though. The potatoes she got as a side were excellent.
Bloody Mary was one of the best ones I've ever had.
Go here for brunch sometime, but check the menu first because it is fairly limited. Get the Huevos Rancheros but be prepared for a spicy breakfast.
I would've given this place all 5 stars but our waiter wasn't great... I'd really give it 5 stars for food, 3 for service, and 4 for atmosphere.
Okay, so checked out this place today for brunch. It was suppose to be bossa nova brunch with live music, but there was no live music. We asked our waitress about it and were told the band was usually there but she didn't know why there was no music this week. I was not too upset and started to check the menu out. Nothing too exciting but settled on a veggie omelet and the crab benedict. Food came out quickly and was enjoyable. The atmosphere and river side seating was great. But overall the place was just okay. Don't think this will be high on my list of places to go back to soon.
Flatwater is pretty forgettable... I went once with some local friends and once with some out of town friends and the food is OK but nothing to write home about.
The menu is not impressive and VERY LIMITED...also I went in March on both occasions I would not recommend sitting near the windows in the winter....I was so COLD when I was eating it ruined the experience.
I imagine in the summer and spring it is pretty nice but whenever I go there it is empty....very empty...there is never more than 5 couple in the restaurant.... how they stay in business, I am not sure.
There are far better places to go....
I went there right when it first opened and had the worst time. Ick food, expensive drinks and abhorrent service. Only plus was the locale.
I went again recently and found everything the same - maybe the food was a bit better.
why is this place reviewed so low? this is blasphemy...this place has such a great atmosphere, one of the best spots to have a calm drink next to the river and take in the city, especially in the pm. they play some pretty neutral music from what i recall, and keep it classy. kind of yuppie, but sometimes you want that...drinks arent cheap here, but u'd be in the wrong place if u came here for cheap drinks. i want to bring all my friends by this bar
Food = 3 stars. Location = 4 stars. Service = 2 stars. So average 3 stars.
First, location - wow, wonderful seating along the river. Great on a nice sunny day, but they also have some indoor seating. They have a bossa nova band play on the weekends, they sat us right next to the band, so we had to yell a little bit. But the band was pretty good. They had a really nice couch area towards the "back" of the restaurant - it looked really nice and would be awesome to sit there with a large group of friends.
Second, Service - Hostess was a little bitchy, had a little bit of attitude. It took the waitress FOREVER to take our order. But the food came out right away. Our water glasses did NOT get filled ONCE. We sat there with empty plates for a long time before they were taken away, then it took forever to get our check, then another forever and 10 minutes to have her take our payment and give me my card back. And the place was about half full - no excuse for the slow service. At least she was friendly.
Third, Food - I got the crabcake benedict, it was very good. I love any kind of benedict. My friend got the vegetable omelette - it was okay, but I don't like omelettes much because it's always too much egg. But it seemed to be a good mix of veggies and egg.
I'd like to come back but hope the service is better next time.
If not for the location, I wouldn't have come here a few times... after this last visit, I don't plan on returning. I'm now convinced that their service will always be sub-par. Whether or not I've gone with a reservation, for lunch, drinks, or dinner, it always seems to be such an effort to seat me, have someone wait on me, etc... It's simply not worth it.
Six Bucks Before Six
Neighborhood: South Loop
Free Aperitif On Arrival!
Neighborhood: Roscoe Village
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Nightlife
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Wine Bars
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Sandwiches
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