(312) 644-0283

321 N Clark St (Kinzie Street)
Chicago, IL 60610 41.8881 -87.6309

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Neighborhoods: Near North Side, Central

FLATWATER.US

Hours:

Sun-Wed 7am-10pm

Thu 7am-11pm

Fri-Sat 7am-12am

Price:

$$

Last updated 1.24.11

Category:

Restaurants, Lounges, Bars & Clubs

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Waterfront Dining, View Dining, Lunch Spot, Date Spot, Breakfast, Romantic Dining, Outdoor Dining, Business Dining, Business Breakfast, Group Dining, Fireplace, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene

General Info:

Open 7 Days

Cuisine:

Tapas / Small Plates, Eclectic & International, New American, Italian

Bar & Club Special Features:

After Work

Smoking Permitted:

At bar; Patio

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Flatwater

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – A street-level elevator in a former bridge house descends to a long dimly lit lounge with '60s-inspired varnished dark wood paneling and peach-colored stone walls. Inside, unwinding office workers, tourists and couples relax on white sofas and huddle around a fireplace across from the bar. Tables tucked into glass dormers offer great views of the river and the violet-hued Clark Street bridge. – – The Food – The globe-trotting menu includes starters like baked Brie sprinkled with Indian seasoning and served with apricot cherry chutney, or tender lamb chops…

Editor's Tips

When to Go:
Breakfast is served from 7am to 11am and features break-the-routine dishes like eggs Benedict with red pepper hollandaise and capicola.
Where to Sit:
Diners intent on a romantic meal should request a table as far from the bar as possible. The post-happy hour volume level can run a bit high.
Know Before You Go:
The bar closes at 2am Sunday to Friday and 3am on Saturday.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “Most people go the in the summer to sit on the patio, but i really like coming here in the winter where there are far less crowds and I can still enjoy the same view.”
  2. “must say set up is phenomenal and the view from the patio is amazing.”
  3. “We went to Flatwater while visiting Chicago on Saturday (12/29), we were a little skeptical after reading some of the reviews, but we received great service, we even got seated about 10 mins early, the food was excellent, one of the best filet mignons I'v”
  4. “seated away from the window despite tables with a good view being free, mains took forever to arrive, check brought before we'd finished eating, asked them to call a cab and was told just to hail one on the street (it was late, dark, rainy, and cold), n”
  5. “Awesome view of the Chicago River.”
  6. “Perhaps okay for a company function but definitely not if you're looking for a pleasant meal out with friends in somewhere with a good atmosphere.”
  7. “My husband and I have tolerated the less than perfect service because the location and atmosphere are so great.”
  8. “the food is still being raved about, and the location is beautiful.”
  9. “The view is truly wonderful: you are just above river level and can see tourboats pass by and watch as the city lights come on.”
  10. “Not only is the view amazing, but our service was prompt and the food was great.”
  11. “The best part about Flatwater are the amazing views of the river and downtown architecture.”
  12. “have a great time last week, the food was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect.”
  13. “love this place for its location by the river and live performance on weekends.”
  14. “The location is absolutely amazing.”
  15. “Awesome location.”
  16. “The location is beautiful, so I was very excited to come to this place.”
  17. “It is very sad that a beautiful location like this is being managed by such incompetent people.”
  18. “Great dining experience in an amazing Chicago location.”
  19. “It is a beautiful spot on the river with a sweeping view of the Chicago cityscape.”
  20. “Great View, Nice ambience”
  21. “The food was great, the service was excellent and the ambiance was beautiful.”
  22. “My father, husband and I went to Flatwater so enjoy the view and some tasty seafood.”
drinks
61.11000061035156% positive
  1. “Our server was very knowledgeable on the wines and helped us pair some real great wines with our dinner.”
  2. “would recommend this restaurant to anyone wanting to go out for an upscale dinner, be prepared with drinks to spend about $100 per couple.”
  3. “They did have a good wine, but our TOTALLY incompetent server didn't know how to open, serve, or pour the wine.”
  4. “She brought the nasty host up annd she told us, we could only sit downstairs at the bar.”
  5. “Anyway, they have a great $2 happy hour food menu and a pretty nice draft beer selection.”
  6. “The food is ordinary for a restaurant in this price range, they only stock a handful of overpriced wines.”
  7. “We stopped in for a glass of wine recently, and the new young bartender was very rude and the food was horrible!”
  8. “The waiter seemed afraid to talk to anyone (even about the food) and the only other patrons in the bar were loud, swearing, obnoxious drunks that the bartender was happy to do shots with all night.”
  9. “Not so knowledgeable about the wines, but he did bring over the manager who was able to help us select a nice wine.”
food quality
64.52000141143799% positive
  1. “Plus points: Food quite good, although the salmon smelt far too fishy to be fresh, nice washrooms!”
  2. “The food, however, was awful: my salad nicoise came with uncooked potatos, a "Spring Roll" appetizer came doughy and underfried, my father's sea bass filet was the size of a premature guppie.”
  3. “The waitstaff was nothing but accomodating, and at the end of our meal, we made sure to tell our waitress how awesome the meal was.”
  4. “We had a party of 6 and everyone in our party now has a new favorite dish.”
  5. “The food was very tasty.”
  6. “The food was fairly good but for the price, heh, you could find that anywhere.”
  7. “We shook it off & hoped for a good meal.”
  8. “horrible service, tasteless food, trashy server”
  9. “My father, husband and I went to Flatwater so enjoy the view and some tasty seafood.”
  10. “We went to Flatwater while visiting Chicago on Saturday (12/29), we were a little skeptical after reading some of the reviews, but we received great service, we even got seated about 10 mins early, the food was excellent, one of the best filet mignons I'v”
  11. “the food is still being raved about, and the location is beautiful.”
  12. “The tomato mozzarella salad was awful, I could find fresher tomoatoes at Jewel.”
  13. “We stopped in for a glass of wine recently, and the new young bartender was very rude and the food was horrible!”
  14. “My wife had the chicken which was tasteless except for the pound of salt it was drenched in.”
  15. “have a great time last week, the food was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect.”
  16. “Decent food, bad service”
  17. “good meal”
  18. “Disappointing service and food”
  19. “Not only is the view amazing, but our service was prompt and the food was great.”
  20. “The worst part about the whole thing is that the food is fantastically expensive (~$30/entree).”
  21. “Anyway, they have a great $2 happy hour food menu and a pretty nice draft beer selection.”
  22. “The service was slow, the food not well cooked, and the overall scene a little boring.”
  23. “The favorite at the table was definitely the spicy eggs benedict.”
  24. “Perhaps okay for a company function but definitely not if you're looking for a pleasant meal out with friends in somewhere with a good atmosphere.”
  25. “The food was great, the service was excellent and the ambiance was beautiful.”
  26. “The staff really seems to know the food and really make a for a enjoyable dining experience.”
  27. “Flatwater left quite the bad taste in my mouth - and I never even had a chance to eat the food.”
  28. “The food was delicious and kept hot.”
  29. “The waiter seemed afraid to talk to anyone (even about the food) and the only other patrons in the bar were loud, swearing, obnoxious drunks that the bartender was happy to do shots with all night.”
  30. “Delicious prep, tender, and the fennel mashed potato garnish was amazing!”
  31. “The food is ordinary for a restaurant in this price range, they only stock a handful of overpriced wines.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “This new restaurant has got an awesome menu.”
  2. “Anyway, they have a great $2 happy hour food menu and a pretty nice draft beer selection.”
  3. “Although I didn't have any of their entrees, I gave the menu a once over and the selections seems very appetizing.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “Flatwater has got the best locatio for an outdoor restaurant in the city.”
service
60.74999809265137% positive
  1. “This is the worst service I've ever gotten!”
  2. “Food is medicore and the service is horrible.”
  3. “Most people go the in the summer to sit on the patio, but i really like coming here in the winter where there are far less crowds and I can still enjoy the same view.”
  4. “It is very sad that a beautiful location like this is being managed by such incompetent people.”
  5. “Unfortunately, the service was slow and the workers were downright insulting.”
  6. “And the timing of the serving, table set ups, attention from your staff was awesome!”
  7. “The service is "TERRIBLE”
  8. “Not only is the view amazing, but our service was prompt and the food was great.”
  9. “Decent food, bad service”
  10. “The staff really seems to know the food and really make a for a enjoyable dining experience.”
  11. “tried to call and speak to the manager, but Flatwater's fantastic phone queue leads you to an "error" and you get hung up on.”
  12. “Our server was very knowledgeable on the wines and helped us pair some real great wines with our dinner.”
  13. “We went to Flatwater while visiting Chicago on Saturday (12/29), we were a little skeptical after reading some of the reviews, but we received great service, we even got seated about 10 mins early, the food was excellent, one of the best filet mignons I'v”
  14. “first want to thank all of the staff at Flatwater for helping me host such a wonderful corporate event.”
  15. “Too bad the service here is so horrible because it's a great space.”
  16. “My husband and I have tolerated the less than perfect service because the location and atmosphere are so great.”
  17. “Not so knowledgeable about the wines, but he did bring over the manager who was able to help us select a nice wine.”
  18. “The food was great, the service was excellent and the ambiance was beautiful.”
  19. “Such TRAGIC service for a beautiful venue.”
  20. “Plus the service was slow, although friendly.”
  21. “The waiter seemed afraid to talk to anyone (even about the food) and the only other patrons in the bar were loud, swearing, obnoxious drunks that the bartender was happy to do shots with all night.”
  22. “The service was nice, but a little slow.”
  23. “Our service was slow and indifferent.”
  24. “horrible service, tasteless food, trashy server”
  25. “We stopped in for a glass of wine recently, and the new young bartender was very rude and the food was horrible!”
  26. “Disappointing service and food”
  27. “The waitstaff was nothing but accomodating, and at the end of our meal, we made sure to tell our waitress how awesome the meal was.”
  28. “They did have a good wine, but our TOTALLY incompetent server didn't know how to open, serve, or pour the wine.”
  29. “Our service was also great.”
  30. “The service was slow, the food not well cooked, and the overall scene a little boring.”
  31. “truly thank the staff for helping pull off the best party ever.”
value
33.3299994468689% positive
  1. “The worst part about the whole thing is that the food is fantastically expensive (~$30/entree).”
  2. “The food was fairly good but for the price, heh, you could find that anywhere.”
  3. “The food is ordinary for a restaurant in this price range, they only stock a handful of overpriced wines.”
wait time
25.0% positive
  1. “The service was slow, the food not well cooked, and the overall scene a little boring.”
  2. “The service was nice, but a little slow.”
  3. “We went to Flatwater while visiting Chicago on Saturday (12/29), we were a little skeptical after reading some of the reviews, but we received great service, we even got seated about 10 mins early, the food was excellent, one of the best filet mignons I'v”
  4. “Our service was slow and indifferent.”
  5. “Unfortunately, the service was slow and the workers were downright insulting.”
  6. “Plus the service was slow, although friendly.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

04/27/10

BEST OF CHI WINNER

by 1035kissfm at Citysearch

VOTED THE BEST BUSINESS DINNER SPOT, BY THE 1035 LISTENERS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND A LIST OF OTHER WINNERS, CHECK US OUT AT KISS1035(DOT)COM

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

09/25/09

Great food and drink with a view!

by Ale 819 at Citysearch

My husband and friends wanted to take me out for dinner and drinks before meeting up with a bunch of people for my 30th birthday celebration. After finding out that the initial restaurant I wanted to dine at had a 3 hour wait, we stumbled down to Flatwater per the suggestion of a member of our party. Let me just say, what a blessing in disguise that the other place had such a long wait! Everything that we ate and drank here was wonderful! We started with the Gaspacho (sorry if that is spelled wrong), that was definately a loose interpretation, which, in our foody book, is always a pro! There was a hint of cinnamon which made it to die for! My husband and I decided to split our meals. I chose the seared Ahi Tuna, while he picked the Short ribs! YUM! Both melted in our mouths. The other 2 diners in our party had Short ribs as well, and the Pork Chop. My husband and I are usually not Pork Chop fans, but, this dish made us change our mind! Delicious prep, tender, and the fennel mashed potato garnish was amazing!

Oh, and we can't forget drinks! Blueberry Mojitos! AWESOME!!!!

The waitstaff was nothing but accomodating, and at the end of our meal, we made sure to tell our waitress how awesome the meal was. She said she would pass that onto the chef. She wasn't kidding! He came out to speak with us! Told us that their pork chop is custom cut from a vendor up north, that he frequents the local farmers markets for his produce, etc. He was just a joy for us to speak with!

oh, and don't forget the view! Being a chicagoan my entire life, I never get sick of sitting outdoors and looking at my city!

Def give this hidden gem a shot, I think you'll like it!

  • Pros: Great outdoor dining!
  • Cons: Noisy boats (and those aren't even that bad)
2 Star Rating: Below Average

08/09/09

Go for drinks and view ONLY

by Bepperoni at Citysearch

Spectacular location on the water but as expected with these type of tourist restaurants, the food couldn't match the vibe. My wife had the chicken which was tasteless except for the pound of salt it was drenched in. They couldn't even get the grilled broccoli right. My sea bass was rubbery and cold. And again salty. I generally don't complain about restaurant food but in this case I couldn't help it. Truly awful. Too bad because it's really a cool place. Plus the service was slow, although friendly. Skip the food and come for drinks only. Good looking crowd. Awesome view of the Chicago River.

  • Pros: Outdoor terrace right on the river; great views; cool vibe
  • Cons: Horrible food, spotty service
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/31/09

Great Evening!

by DJK at Citysearch

My husband and I decided to check out Flatwater. We called earlier in the evening for a reservation...and even though we arrived late, we were quickly escorted to our table. Our server, Cara, came over, introduced herself and asked for our drink order. She then shared a special, took our order and within 15 or less, was back with our entree. The food was great, the service was excellent and the ambiance was beautiful. All in all, we cannot wait to go back and we will definately ask to sit in Cara's section.

  • Pros: Food, Service, Ambiance
  • Cons: None
4 Star Rating: Recommended

06/02/09

Great mojitos!!!!

by mobservateur at Citysearch

I went there many many times in the past... I love this place for its location by the river and live performance on weekends. As far as food, it's okay and hostesses are not the most welcoming out there. However, this past Fri I was nicely surprised with our waiter and service. Plus, we had the best mojitos you can have. Highly recommend the place for a weekend brunch...

  • Pros: Nice location!!!
  • Cons: Change the hostess please...

The Details on Flatwater

Place Categories:

  • slow service
  • great food
  • amazing same view
  • beautiful chicago location
  • good meal
  • bad place
  • overpriced wine
  • very nice atmosphere
  • best business dinner spot
  • recommend restaurant
  • full dinner
  • unique chicago experience
  • definitely recommend flatwater
  • wonderful everything
  • nice washrooms
  • great happy hour food menu
  • enjoy tasty seafood
  • responsive rakesh
  • responsive event coordinator
  • best party
  • flat water
  • best locatio
  • awesome timing
  • professional event planner
  • bad taste
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