09/25/09

Great food and drink with a view!

by Ale 819

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)

08/09/09

Go for drinks and view ONLY

by Bepperoni

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

07/31/09

Great Evening!

by DJK

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