Waterleaf Restaurant - Glen Ellyn

This restaurant is a student run restaurant where they are learning how to run an upscale restaurant. They do a very.good job in providing a classic meal. The food is very well prepared and delicious. Service can be slow but this is part of the learning curve.

This was the Pacific Northwest lunch program. Everything was excellent again from the Lentil Soup, the Arugula Salad, the Planked Salmon to a very special Desert. It was a very artistically invented and presented version of "Black Forest Cake" with additional decorative items that I can't describe, the best ever.

I typically give food a deservedly "Outstanding" rating. This time, only "good" for the following reasons.

Negatives:
1) The Yukon Potatoes were literally swimming in butter or some other ingredient.
2) The lentil soup was somewhat on the bland side and the cup wasn't even half filled.
3) The vegetables were somewhat "oily" or overdone with butter.

Positives:
The plank salmon was excellent - tasty and cooked to perfection
Bread was very tasty
Dessert was outstanding as usual.

Such a cool experience. I can’t believe they don’t have lines out the door. I will definitely go again and again!

The ambience was superb - quiet, immaculate, relaxed.
The service was effective, knowledgeable, efficient, well-timed.
The food was adventurous, but that was expected since the menu varies according to whatever the teachers are teaching the culinary students.

I had been there once previously, following a tour of the MAC. To celebrate the birthday of a dear friend, I suggested this place, where she had never been. It was a successful celebration!

Just duplicate comments from experience written about Luncheon on September 12, 2018

This is a student run restaurant that is used for College of DuPage culinary arts training of future chefs. The dinners followed a central plains theme and the food was typical of midwestern fare. Future dinners will follow other regional themes. Service was ok as the servers were learning how to work in a restaurant.

We went for the American South menu. Staff and students are always very polite and attentive. For this menu the Soup and Entre were very good but the Salad was just ok. We had to wait awhile for the entre but the staff was very apologetic and the catfish dish was worth the wait.

This student experience offers pretty good food for unbelievable prices. You also get to help these Culinary students hone their skills.

I was very impressed with the ambiance and the professional staff. I felt like I was at a 4 star restaurant but reasonable in price. I loved the presentation of the food and that the food was exceptional. The whole meal was very good but that dessert was outstanding! Will plan to come again in Feb. I felt lucky to get this reservation for a birthday lunch for 6. They are all booked to the end of the semester!

We have visited this restaurant many times before, both when it was still independent and now under the COD student program. This was our first lunch during this new Fall Semester. The theme was "American South". Each one of us took a different selection from the menu for all three courses, all were excellent, including the desert. This was probably the best experience of the many meals we have had at Waterleaf, even though they are always excellent. We have made reservations for all four luncheon themes this semester and also for the four dinners coming up during the Fall 2018 "International Cuisine gastronomical trip around the world".
We know this is wishful thinking, but it would be great if this place would be open year around, including holidays and weekends.
PS: This time around service was "a little slow" because of shortage of student servers, it was still good and we didn't mind enjoying the relaxing atmosphere.

Great experience. Would recommend making it easier to view the menus and dates available. Would also like the opportunity to have weekend times available. Otherwise a great experience.

Each course was interesting and tasty! We loved the theme. The service was perfect! Will definitely come back!

THE BEST restaurant for dinner and conversation--you never have to yell to be heard as is usually the case. Quiet ambiance, professional service, excellent food always makes for an enjoyable, satisfying experience. Our favorite place for all occasions!

The food is wonderful - such a value for $17. The students do an excellent job both with the food and service. I highly recommend this.

This is a nice place to go to support the culinary students and program at COD, and also to have a four course date-night meal that is tasty and inexpensive.

Restaurant of the culinary program at College of Dupage.

Great food and service from students learning the business!

Waterleaf is a wonderful dining experience acknowledging the students learning opportunities. what is most confusing to me are the HOURS of the restaurant and the lack of dining availability. If this is a restaurant, it should be available/open more hours. If this is a student experience, it should NOT be listed as a restaurant on OPENTABLE, but listed on the COLLEGE website as a college venue for learning.

the student waiter was forgetful and unsure of himself.

We found the food, especially our entrees, very mediocre at best. My trout, rice and vegetables, had no seasoning at all, no flavor. Extremely disappointing. My husband's meat was tough and overcooked. Another disappointment.
The soup, salad and dessert were good but the entrees, what we really were looking forward to, were not worth the trip.

Our experience was excellent. The restaurant is very pretty, with a light atmosphere. The service was excellent, food was good, and not very expensive. We will come back again!

It was our first visit. Food was delicious and beautifully served. Amiable service, good wine and reasonably priced. Enjoyed our evening and we plan to!be back real soon.

It is a special joy to help prepare these students for the real world experience ahead of them. By interacting with them in this wonderful atmosphere, where fine food, carefully prepared and artistically presented is the goal, we together share a very special experience, however brief.

The Waterleaf is our "go-to" choice for our special remembrances.

After a tour, we had lunch at the Waterleaf. This restaurant is a “lab” for students in the culinary and hospitality programs at College of DuPage. You are in a “classroom” albeit a lovely and delectable classroom. The students do a great job. I highly recommend this restaurant.

We visited during lunch hour. I believe they are only open two or three days a week for lunch. A reservation is perhaps required.

This is part of the culinary school at COD and the staff is largely students.

The food was served well and was really great.

My friend and I enjoyed our lunch, as usual. We both had the salmon and it was perfectly cooked. The soup, salad, and dessert were awesome too.

the restaurant is only open on Tuesday nights and for lunch. I can't recommend it because it is almost impossible to get reservations.

Bread good, salad good. Food & wine pedestrian.

The culinary students at College of DuPage really do a great job. The food is delicious and the service is great. You have several choices for soup, salad, main dish and desert. You can also have wine with dinner. Great place for lunch or dinner.

wonderful valentine alternate night out, I love the students professionalism

Upscale restaurant with affordable prices. This is my fourth time eating at Waterleaf and have enjoyed all of my visits there. Hope to get my Red Hats group there soon for a nice outing.

The new semester has started and the food, service and ambiance continues in the same excellent manner we have come accustomed to.

Everything was just excellent it made my friend’s 70th birthday celebration very special. I’m bringing another friend in to celebrate her 70th in April.

Absolutely excellent food and wonderful hospitality. We enjoy being able to dine in beautiful atmosphere and if you wish interact with the culinary students. This restaurant is a true gem.

The dessert was dry but otherwise, it was a great meal.

Food is very good. Excellent value for money. First rate ambiance including exterior views from dining room

I love that you can have a conversation in this lovely restaurant and be heard! Also, the food was fantastic, especially the amuse-bouche and the pumpkin soup!

We have dined here for years. The students try so hard. It is always a fun evening.

Our server was excellent, but the kitchen was very slow, and the entree I ordered was all gone. Neverless, the food was delicious, so I'd definitely recommend Waterleaf to friends.