Flatwater

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

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! Pros: Great outdoor dining! Cons: Noisy boats (and those aren't even that bad) more

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 more

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 more

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... more

This was the only place we could find that was right ON the River. Other placees like Smith & Wollenskys... more

This is one of the coolest little dining spots in the neighborhood. 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. The city is absolutely gorgeous by the river. We started coming here a few months ago when we heard there was a new chef at the helm. I have to say that we have consistently had great creative meals here. The staff really seems to know the food and really make a for a enjoyable dining experience. If you come here, you have to get the Ribeye steak. This thing is unbelievable. I like coming here whenever I have freinds in from out of town and it is also the perfect spot for a quiet business dinner. Pros: Ribeye, Great View, Cute Hostess Cons: Small more

I visited Flatwater after a not so wonderful dinner over at Fulton's on the River. My friend and I figured we'd do cocktails and dessert since we had just eaten. The energy at Flatwater was popping from the moment we entered the door. We were seated promptly outside on the patio with the water right beneath us. Their was a DJ spinning that night and the music was all good! The crowd was diverse, mature and out for a good time. Although I didn't have any of their entrees, I gave the menu a once over and the selections seems very appetizing. We closed the restaurant, danced and mouthed the lyrics to many classics that night. The next time in Chicago, I will definitely pop in again. Pros: Nice Water Front Dining, Good Energy Atmosphere more

We recently dined at Flatwater for their 'Bossa Nova Brunch' and we had an amazing experience. The location on the river coupled with the live Brazilian band made it quite an unforgettable experience. The menu was pretty diverse with both breakfast/brunch food and some lunch type items. The favorite at the table was definitely the spicy eggs benedict. We really felt like we were on vacation while we were dining at Flatwater. They have done a really good job in creating a unique Chicago experience. Pros: Great Waterfront Dining, Diverse Menu, Wonderful live Bossa Nova Band Cons: Limited Drink List more

first of all, I go in to speak with the host and she was terrible and rude. She said my table was't ready ad that i had to wait at the bar. Instead of asking us to wait!!! Then I have a seat at the bar and the bartender was a show off, someone who obviously has spent too much time bartending and think he owns the place... He kept throwing glasses in the air and bottles, and flipping things, while constatly spraying me with liquor. He didn't eve apologize. VERY RUDE!!! Then When the Host seats me, she seats me upstairs and the table were everywhere! The servers were bringing tables over my head while I was trying to read the flimsy menu. When the server came, I explained that I wasnted to sit downstairs on the lake where I made my reservation. She brought the nasty host up annd she told us, we could only sit downstairs at the bar..outside.... NO THANK YOU!!!! Pros: I'll never be there again! Cons: Trailerpark trash more

My husband and I have tolerated the less than perfect service because the location and atmosphere are so great. We stopped in for a glass of wine recently, and the new young bartender was very rude and the food was horrible! We're really disappointed as this has been a favorite hang-out for us! We WILL NOT be going back. Pros: It's on the river Cons: The staff more

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've had in a long time (cooked to perfection), and the atmosphere was very nice. They play good upbeat music in the dining area. It is a very trendy feeling place, kind of reminds me of some of the trendier spots in London. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone wanting to go out for an upscale dinner, be prepared with drinks to spend about $100 per couple...they also have a cool lounge area with a fireplace. Pros: Nice Riverside Location Cons: Small more

I don't know what is about this place, but it is always packed with women for Happy Hour. It must be the feel of the space. It does not really feel at all like you typical pub. It has more of a lounge feel. Anyway, they have a great $2 happy hour food menu and a pretty nice draft beer selection. I love going there in the winter and getting a seat by the fireplace. Pros: Great Eye Candy, $2 Happy Hour Menu Cons: Small Space more

I have been to Flatwater several times on dates and it never fails to impress. I love the fact that it is one level away from street level. It almost has a very exclusive hidden feel to it. The best part about Flatwater are the amazing views of the river and downtown architecture. I cannot think of another place in the city with these kinds of views. The river really makes you feel relaxed and like you are on vacation. The menu has some nice choices, but the avocado egg rolls are a must if you are dining there. Pros: Hidden Gem, River and City Views Cons: Small Wine List more

I went there with my parents. We didn't make reservations on a weeknight but, as expected, it was jam-packed with what seemed to be glamorous Loop young business-types. We were seated promptly indoors (it was a gorgeous day and the outdoor section had been reserved out). Our waitress didn't seem to care about our service. She didn't seem very friendly. The food was fairly good but for the price, heh, you could find that anywhere. We had the marlin, the ahi tuna, and the sea bass. I had a coconut martini. Everything was good. Not great. Good. Pros: Good food, priced for what it's worth. Good atmosphere. Great location Cons: Service could be a tad bit better more

I am a professional event planner and I have had corporate events all over Chicago. Recently, a colleague told me about Flawater because she had such a wonderful dinner there. I was planning a party for an Investment Banking client of mine, so I decided to take a look at Flatwater for the event. I really loved the place and we winded up doing our event there. Everything was flawless. I thought the place might be a bit too ""over the top"" for my conservative client, but they absolutely loved it! My client sent me a great letter of appreciation, which prompted me to write this review. Thank Flatwater! I will be back with many more clients. Pros: Truly Unique Location, Wonderful Menu, Great Event Department Cons: A Little Hard to Find more

We recently celebrated a wedding brunch at Flatwaters for a Colorado couple. Our group of 50 family and friends came from all over. All of our guest had a wonderful time. The food was delicious and kept hot. And the timing of the serving, table set ups, attention from your staff was awesome! The venue from the River can't be beat and was a guarantee, but Flatwaters' attention to our party was an important part in making the celebration a success. Rakesh, the event coordinator, was very helpful and responsive to our needs in answering any questions/concerns we had. I am sure our family will be talking about the event for months to come. It was truely a wonderful time. We will certainly consider Flat water's for future events. Pros: The River view of the City is awesome! Cons: A little bit warm inside with our group of 50 people. more

Flatwater was my 1st choice to have my wedding reception and I had called to get more information. After playing phone tag, I got a hold of the special events manager, Rakesh. His attitude was snide and arrogant, any questions I had he told me to refer to their events sales kit and quickly got off the phone with me. I emailed him twice with questions, left several voice messages, and called from a land line and had him pretend he couldn't hear me and hang up on me. Needless to say, I won't be choosing them as my venue. I 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. I finally had to call the reservations line and speak to a receptionist (LINDSAY) who also wasn't apolgetic when I relayed my story. I told her I had seeked Flatwater out to give them the business, no sorry, nothing, just asked me if I wanted to leave a message for the manager or if I wanted him to call me back. I'm 100% sure I WON'T be receiving a phone call from him. Such TRAGIC service for a beautiful venue. I don't think I've ever encountered such lack of customer service, and ignorance. Pros: the view Cons: everything else more

My father, husband and I went to Flatwater so enjoy the view and some tasty seafood. 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. 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. Our soups tasted strongly of Campbell's and arrived lukewarm and 45 minutes after our order. There were no olives or bread to snack on in the meantime. Pros: Spectacular view, especially at twilight Cons: Waste of money, lousy food, sullen service more

Flatwater gets credit for being the first place to disappoint so thoroughly as to warrant an actual negative review. This place was bad from entrance to exit... Attempted to dine there last night with my boyfriend. We were met by incompetent, vapid hostesses and told there would be a 45 minute wait to be seated outside. No problem. We head to the bar for a drink where we were greeted by a less than hospitable bartender who somehow managed to screw up a gin and tonic. We watched 3 tables pay up and leave and no one was ever seated at them. We asked the hostess about this and she said it would be a few more minutes. We finally just walked out, past the hostesses, without so much as an apology, thank you or even a glance in our general direction. Never, and I mean, NEVER have I seen such a complete disregard for the customer. It was appalling beyond description. What a shame that such a lovely location is completely ruined by an incompetent, apathetic group of employees. Flatwater left quite the bad taste in my mouth - and I never even had a chance to eat the food... Pros: It's on the water Cons: Service, indifferent staff, rude bartenders, ridiculous attitude more