The Water Grill - RichmondGreat Find!Delicious food and wonderful service! I took my daughter and her boyfriend there for dinner while visiting the Richmond area. We were really impressed with the quality of the food and presentation. The Flash Fried Calamari was amazing and they loved the She crab lobster soup. I had the grilled shrimp and scallops over vegetables with sticky rice and thought it superb. I plan on returning the next time I visit the area.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMFather's Day BrunchWe went to Water Grill for Father's Day. Actually, it was the Saturday before Father's day, so it wasn't very crowded. We had 4 in our party. We were seated right away. The restaurant was cute, with a great atmosphere and the service with perfect. The food tasted EXCELLENT. Everything was great - atmosphere, service, menu options, taste and presentation of food. We had French Toast, Hamburger, Salmon Benedict, and Club Sandwich.
My only complaint is that the food it was not very hot, just warm - for all 4 of us. I still gave it a 5 star rating because I liked this place so much.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat a nice place!Water Grill offers several dining environments in one small, 2 story building, in a vibrant walking neighborhood. The outdoor seating is above street level, and protected by broad, colorful umbrellas. Just inside, is a porch with tables along a window wall. The interior is spacious and modern, featuring 2 bars, and dining rooms upstairs and down.
Our service was friendly and professional. He was knowledgeable and efficient. Each of our party of 4 chose a different entree. Our blackened mahi, crabcakes, lobster tail stuffed with crab, and vegetarian selection were delicious, and nicely prepared.
We are pleased we chose Water Grill, and encourage others to do the same.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat experienceFood was amazing, service was great, can't wait to come back.6/10/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Cary Street meal!Found the restaurant by searching on Open Table and had an amazing meal. Salad with arugula, figs, melon and prosciutto was awesome and sesame tuna appetizer was delicious. Scallops/risotto was also amazing (I didn't care for the bacon chunks in it, but that didn't detract from the overall yumminess). Hubby had the salmon which was ordered med rare. It came out over cooked, but our waitress promptly resolved this and it was wonderful. Desserts continued the theme of yumminess, coconut cream pie and key lime pie (our favorite!). Would definitely dine here again the next time we are in Richmond.6/10/2013 12:00:00 AMCrab cakesI recommend the water grill with reservations because of the way-below-par crab cakes. Very little crab for over $20 is not acceptable. I should have sent them back. And the filler had an aftertaste. Otherwise the wait staff was great, accommodating, got us in porch where we hoped to sit. Mashed potatoes and asparagus were tasty. But when I go back, I will tell them about crab and ask for recommendations. I ate here before and found the food outstanding. Not so much this time.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMAwesome experienceThe food was wonderful. I was with a party of seven, therefore we all sampled from each other's plate. All of the entree's were mouth watering.
The ambiance was absolutely the best. It was energetic, with a cross cultural mixture of diners. Their musical playlist, rhythm and blues, was golden. My only complaint is that at two people in my party wanted the same entrée, however, we were informed that there was only portion left.
We will definitely make a return appearance to the Water Grill.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMVery delightful evening spentVery delightful evening spent at the Water Grill. It was recommended by a local friend and I will make verge same recommendation to others. Met and surpassed all our expectations!6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMGood foodFood was good and service was great. We sat outside which was nice.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMOysters on a half shell wereOysters on a half shell were fresh and very good. I had the sampler platter and was not disappointed. The lobster tails were disappointingly small..I mean very small.
Great beer selection. Service could have been better.5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMJust a nice experience FriendlyJust a nice experience Friendly service Very good food Super deserts5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMWatergrill ,a Carytown gemI'm not a seafood fan so I never thought that I would eat here. I now work next door to the Water grill and have eaten there numerous times . I read their menu on line and found a wide variety of interesting non-seafood options. Really good food and I love the wait staff/management. They seem to keep the wait staff so they have to be a pretty good place to work. Thanks Water grill for another wonderful meal!5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was great as always ,Food was great as always , however the waitress seemed abit preoccupied5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMPretty goodIt's always a safe bet to go here. The desserts are great and it is impossible to order a bad meal. Nothing is spectacular, though. Given the price, it should have a little wow to it.5/20/2013 12:00:00 AManniversary trip to richmondLovely dinner, attentive staff, enjoyed the shrimp and grits. Management gave us a celebratory glass of champagne. First time to visit Richmond, would eat here again.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMMislead about MenuWe visited on Mothers Day and because of the time (1:15 PM), we thought the whole menu would be available, but it wan not.
The waitress said Sundays were always brunch and breakfast. Boomer.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderfulI eat a very clean competition diet and can always count on the Water Grill to fix grilled fish and vegetables to order.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMI was hoping for soft shellI was hoping for soft shell crabs...Water Grill does such a good job on them. There were no soft shells but it was oyster night and they were wonderful!5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat dinner and serviceWe would definitely come back again, food was great, service excellent and we could hear ourselves talk! Perfect evening.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMA new experience for our friendsThe Water Grill has been one of our favorites for years. We were accompanied by old friends who don't eat out much, and had never been there before. They loved every bite! I'm sure they'll be back, now that they've discovered it.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMThe service was good and ourThe service was good and our waitress was just the right amount of friendly! She let us know when our dinners were about the come out and then came by and checked on us to see if we needed anything. The food was excellent. We had the lobster and shrimp potstickers, the Shrimp and Grits and the Scallops. Everything was presented nicely and the food was perfect. It was our first visit, but will not be our last.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMThis place is fabulous! TheThis place is fabulous! The staff is very attentive! Great drink selection! My only complaint was the crème brulee was not to my liking! Will definitely be going back!4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat atmosphere and fantasicGreat atmosphere and fantasic food. Services was just as good!4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was our first visit toThis was our first visit to the restaurant - and we were inspired to try it because of its participation in Restaurant Week. We definitely would return. The service staff was exceptionally friendly and helpful.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMCozy, Fun and Romantic AtmosphereThe service was great; although, it was a nice size restaurant the atmosphere was cozy and romantic. I was very impressed with the overall appearance as it was welcoming, yet fun. The food was very tasty as well as appealing to the eye. The crab cakes that I ordered were the best that I have had in a restaurant, they were full of lump crabmeat with very little filler. I will definitely go back to this restuarant, soon.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMMy friend enjoyed her firstMy friend enjoyed her first visit to The Water Grill!! And special thanks to our waiter whose name escapes me - he was most attentive, polite and very welcoming!! We will be back!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat menu choices for restaurantGreat menu choices for restaurant week. Loved the pot stickers!!4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was great. My sliceThe food was great. My slice of key Lime pie was a little small.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMWhile everything was deliciousWhile everything was delicious & presented well...the Coconut CUstard pie was most memorable. THere was a suttle hing of almonds and the pie filling was remeniscent of a cannolli.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMA Hidden Gema bunch of friends and I went to The Water Grill the first time for restaurant week and staff is very accommodating and pleasant to deal with. I have a physical disability and had called the previous day prior to the reservation to see where would we be seated and I had informed them that I couldn't maneuver stairs so they took that request to heart in placing us for dinner. Food came out in a timely manner, it was delicious and well-seasoned. I would love to check them out again at a later time apart from restaurant week.4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMOverall, a very good experience!Overall, a very good experience! Staff was friendly. Food was served in a timely manner and was good.4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMWe visited on the first nightWe visited on the first night of Richmond Restaurant Week and ordered from the special menu. We both got she-crab soup and savoured every last drop with our cursty bread. Delicious! I love shrimp and grits and these were wonderfully creamy with shrimp cooked just to the right point. My husband loved his crab cake as well. Top it off with creme brulee and a wonderful meal was had by all. This was our second visit and we were once again very pleased with our dining experience and commend The Water Grill for participating in the Restaurant Week to help out the Central Virginia Food Bank and Meals on Wheels!4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent meal, took by husbandExcellent meal, took by husband there for his birthday and he really enjoyed his meal and the atmosphere. He ordered one of the specials and when they realized they were out they wanted to give us a dessert, because he didn't want a dessert, they gave him one of his beers. We will definitely return.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMI have taken last minute guestsI have taken last minute guests from out of town to Water Grill on several occasions, and we have always gotten a great meal every time. The red snapper special is a must!4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of our favorite brunchOne of our favorite brunch spots. Prices are reasonable and the food never disappoints, plus they make a fantastic Bloody Mary!4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMFoodie Goes to Water GrillFood was outstanding- obviously a lot of care put into both the concept and execution. Each dish we had (free range chicken and crisp fried oysters) looked exquisite and tasted fresh and vibrant. The quasi-patio dining area made for a relaxing atmosphere, too. I don't think the server took us very seriously when we asked questions about the food/ingredients/preparation/wine though. That was a little disappointing, because I really wanted to know about aspects of some of the dishes. Maybe the manager should spend some time educating the servers on the food so they can speak intelligently about it...? Great wine list, though relatively few were available by the glass. Bottom line: The food delivered. I'd go again.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMClient DinnerTook clients there for dinner on a Monday night, so they were not too busy and there were no crowds, but they did have several tables of patrons. We utilized the bar area for about 30 minutes and it was enjoyable and the bartender was attentive and pleasant. After seating, initial service was a bit slow, but after that everything was excellent. Received plenty of attention and the food was very good. Oyster appetizers (we had several varieties) were excellent. In our group of six, we had fresh fish, seared tuna, grilled lobster, and scallops. Everyone was very pleased and the experience was as expected. We would definitely go back!4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved this restaurant!Our dinner at this reastaurant was excellent, from getting drinks at the bar to dessert! Went with out-of-town guests and they raved about it, too. Ordered she-crab soup, arugala salad, and Caesar salad - all okay. Then ordered 2 Crab-stuffed Salmon specials, Miso Salmon, and Blackened Mahi Mahi - all were exceptional! Then a blueberry bread pudding, chocolate brownie, and key lime pie for dessert. All totally scrumptious. Great wine list and wines by the glass. Sat outside and loved it. Pretty blonde waitress outside was excellent, too. Will be back!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious food and great service!Delicious food and great service! The crab cakes were tasty and had virtually no filler whatsoever! Fried oysters were fantastic! Charming Cary Street location. Love the water feature in the bar area, very soothing and pretty. Great experience.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent outdoor seatingExcellent outdoor seating area we were able to enjoy with nice weather. Food was very good as usual.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful mealWe had a wonderful meal w/ an appropriately attentive wait staff working together to keep water glasses filled, food moving at the right pace, and checking if we needed anything more. The table we had was on the porch so we were almost outside, while still having some cool air. My husband and I were both happy! My grilled fish was absolutely perfect.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent seafood! LovedExcellent seafood! Loved our seating arrangement open to the outside patio.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWe love the Water Grill.We love the Water Grill. Tonight re-enforced that feeling. Another couple joined us this evening. We had mussels, calamari, and house fries as appetizers. Each of them tasted great. Our wives had the crab cakes, simply awesome. The men had the blackened mahi-mahi, cooked to perfection and the coconut rice was perfect. For dessert, we had the creme brulee and the chocolate brownie. Both were fabulous. Our waitress was very good and attentive to our needs the entire evening. We cannot wait until we returned once again to this fine restaurant.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of my favorite RichmondOne of my favorite Richmond restaurants. They have excellent selections even for those who can't eat seafood. They're not especially different or out of the norm, they just do everything very, very well. I have been impressed every time I've been here; even my father was impressed! Definitely recommend4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat ambiance and the foodGreat ambiance and the food was wonderful. Service was excellent, but we were there for a 9:00 reservation so not very crowded. Cozy table by the fire was very nice too.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMA Birthday "must do"I loved eating out in the sunroom, cozy, on a chilly evening, but could see outdoors. Crablegs were very tasty, seasoned just right and very filling. Seared scallops were amazing with the asiago sauce andd risoto. My husband was sceptical before, but enjoyed it so much we will be back!4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMAwsome! Monday night is oysterAwsome! Monday night is oyster night. Best deal on oysters ive seen in a while. We will be going back.4/1/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Redneck Benedict! MyGreat Redneck Benedict! My mom walks with a cane and everyone was incredibly helpful with her. Loved the service and the food. Thanks!3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was top notch. OurThe food was top notch. Our server was very attentive and we never went without anything. Our drinks were always filled and we were very pleased with the service overall. Great date location for new or old couples!3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMGoing The Extra Mile.First off, I've been to the Water Grill before and wanted to share the experience with my mom and sister before going to see Les Miserables that evening. As thought, they loved the food. Mom didn't stop talking about the ambience of the restaurant.
But that wasn't the great part. After leaving, arriving at the venue and parking, my mother realized she had left the tickets at the Water Grill. I called to verify and not only did they find them, the hostess offered to have us call and she ran them out to the car so we didn't have to park.
That small gesture impressed us to the point that we will be singing the praises of the Water Grill for a long time. Thanks!3/29/2013 12:00:00 AM