Waterhouse Tavern & Grill
3407 N. Paulina Ave. (3400N, 1700W)
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 871-1200

In a space that has either been vacant over the last five years, or held establishments as transient as residents in the building next door to it, Waterhouse looks like it's here to stay. The same people behind Matisse and Blue Stem now bring you a new bar, whose increasing popularity most likely stems from its loungey vibe, excellent food & drink specials available throughout the week, and waitstaff who's number one priority is to distance you as far from sobriety as possible – the same formula that has East Lakeview-ans going to work late more often than usual. Considering the demise of JT Collins, found kitty corner, Waterhouse has become the new local for down-to-earth Roscoe Villagers, including yours truly, but also attracts a somewhat more glamorous crowd much to the delight of singleton residents in the area to whom just going to Belly's is getting a bit old.

Waterhouse is located steps from the six-corner intersection of Lincoln, Roscoe and Paulina, and is almost directly under the Paulina Brown Line El stop. For years, the space served as the empty shell once known as "Kerouac Jack's," whose false promises of "Opening Soon" were exposed when Cabo opened. Sadly, the Mexican-themed bar & grill never could really attract a crowd until JT Collins started to go south after Sean & Sheila left, but Cabo's days were numbered when new management soiled the Mexican theme when they wheeled in a Golden Tee machine up to the front of the bar and started playing 80's hair-band rock loud enough to turn your stomach. Even though Cabo is gone, some mistakenly believe that Mexican food is still featured at Waterhouse, but this couldn't be further from the truth except for the quesadillas.

The bar that can now be found lodged within the base of a three-story, beige brick building is of course Waterhouse. A tasteful, backlit Waterhouse sign hangs over a black canopy that pulls out over patrons in the sidewalk café in warmer weather. Waterhouse's ever-present daily specials are well-advertised, both on a freestanding chalkboard as well as on a board next to the plate-glass double doors leading into the bar. Step through and you'll find the long, narrow barroom typical of many classic Chicago bars like Gannon's Pub, Redmond's and Sheffield's. The new owners of Waterhouse did a very wise thing in moving out the island bar that formerly dominated the bar's entire front room in its Cabo days, and set it back against the maroon-painted northern wall. This allows for numerous cocktail tables with marble-like tops up front, overlooking large, plate-glass windows looking out onto Paulina and Lincoln that open up in summertime. Against the southern wall of exposed brick is an elevated banquette with tables and high-backed chairs followed by a handful of booths, leading up to a rather large one at the end that looks like it can fit about eight. A string of vintage, chandelier-like ornate light fixtures hang above the seating area which, combined with nicely framed artwork, hardwood floors and a dark, pressed tin ceiling rounds out the décor and gives the place a somewhat sophisticated, yet funky and relaxed vibe – similar to that of the now-defunct Ivan's (now Taberna Tapatia), a block away, as well as SoPo over on Southport (under the same ownership).

A narrow DJ booth, from which music is spun daily after about 10pm, separates the front room from the rear. Back there, you'll find more cocktail tables, a fairly good sized back bar, and both a Golden Tee and Silver Lanes machine. During the week, at least on one Tuesday, tables are set up for those addicted the latest fad known as Texas Hold 'em. Beyond the back bar is a hallway with potted plants that leads to a pair of spacious, clean and well-tiled bathrooms.

The dark wooden bar itself features about a dozen, high-backed barstools with bowl-shaped lamps hanging over them, and a pair of high-definition plasma TVs that tend to draw your eye no matter where you are in the room. Behind the bar is a wall over which water cascades down. I would suggest to avoid the eastern part of the bar, where the waitstaff tends to congregate in somewhat territorial fashion. A full list of martinis is available, composed of the usual suspects but also of such intrigues as the "Curious George" (vodka, banana liquor, cranberry juice), "Chocolate Covered Cheery" (vodka, chocolate & cherry, cherry garnish), and the "Wango Tango" (citrus vodka, mango puree, splash of cranberry, lemon twist). An uninspired beer selection consists of half a dozen on tap and double that in bottles, most of which are the usual domestics and imports. Waterhouse does feature Guinness on tap but a proper two-minute pour is sadly unknown.

The bar serves a decent menu but, what is disappointing is that, while Waterhouse does so well in the cocktail and ambiance department, they slip notably in the moveable feast department. The usual array of salads, sandwiches and fried food is available, with no real standouts. The nachos use the same liquid cheese found at Wrigley Field that is cold by the time it hits your table, the buffalo chicken sandwich is good but being deep fried takes away most of the taste, and the latter holds true for the fish (although the tater tots help compensate). However, the steamed mussel appetizer sounds good and I think I'll have the turkey burger on my next visit to remind me of JT Collins. Brunch is also served on the weekends, along with Bloody Marys that seem to be developing a following. Hopefully, we'll see an upgrade of the Waterhouse menu and, until then, I shall pine for the excellent Mexican fare formerly featured by Cabo that was even better than nearby Café El Tapatio.

While the food may not quite measure up, I've found the service to be excellent, at least with Jesse. Formerly a waiter at Matisse, Jesse has moved onto Waterhouse and now Roscoe Villagers can do their best to try and escape inebriation, as Jesse, a Laotian prone to doing backflips in the bar, in-between offering you half-priced shots served in cocktail glasses. Just make sure you buy him a shot or two, as you enjoy a fine "Lunchbox" (a shot of Amaretto, dropped into a pint glass with Miller Lite and orange juice) or Jäger Bomb. Just try to be ready for work on time the next day... Waterhouse can also be counted on for a good special, any night of the week. My favorites: half price wine and $4 wraps on Thursday nights.

Waterhouse is one of the few trendy bars that actually has character. This is a nice departure from the pre-fabricated Irish pub craze and the never-ending tide of sports bars, even if they do support Wisconsin with its bright red flag flapping outside in the breeze, and gums flapping inside as Badger fans revere Barry Alvarez in-between cheese curds and saying things like, "katty corner" and "bubbler" – as if Will's Northwoods, Goodbar and HiTops weren't enough.... It wasn't too long ago that if you wanted something a bit more than a quiet neighborhood bar in East Roscoe Village, your options were limited to Fizz, Four Moon Tavern and Tavern 33. Nowadays, Waterhouse, joins Belly's, Bungalow and Riverview Tavern in delivering to locals, as well as those from other parts of the city, and the few suburbanites who have heard of Roscoe Village, looking for a good place to have a cocktail. For more information, check out the Waterhouse website. Next time you're at Waterhouse: have a shot with Jesse and, for the love of God, leave the babies at home especially if your name is "Pete D."

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– written by Sean Parnell