Sweetwater Tavern & Grille (Michigan Plaza - Chicago)

Oooooooohhhhh my goodness!!! What is there NOT TO SAY ABOUT this place! The service was fast, our Server was Alex and he was amazing! Nestled in the heart of Chicago, Sweetwater Tavern and Grill effortlessly combines the charm of a classy tavern with the vibrant energy of a sporty grill. From the moment you step inside, you're greeted by a warm and inviting atmosphere that strikes the perfect balance between sophistication and laid-back comfort. The menu offers an impressive array of options, blending classic tavern favorites with innovative twists that make every dish memorable. The Chicken Nachos are a must-try—perfectly cooked and bursting with flavor. We don't indulge in alcohol, but they sat us right across from it, so I can't speak on that area but the menu offered cocktails and an extensive beer selection, which cater to every palate. The service is nothing short of exceptional. The staff is attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely committed to ensuring you have a fantastic dining experience. Whether you’re catching a game on one of their big screens or enjoying a relaxed meal with friends, you’ll feel right at home. In short, Sweetwater Tavern on Michigan Avenue, downtown Chicago is a gem that masterfully combines great food, impeccable service, and a lively yet refined atmosphere. It's the kind of place where you can unwind, celebrate, and enjoy every bite. Highly recommended!

If I could give this restaurant a minus 1, I would. My friend and I came to this restaurant after the flight because it is located in the center and has good reviews. What a disappointment I was after visiting this restaurant. We weren't particularly hungry, so we ordered nachos and chicken wings. The waitress offered us a choice of Asian or Buffalo sauce for the wings. I said I couldn't eat Buffalo because it was too spicy, so I asked for Asian. They brought us food, my friend bit one piece of chicken wing and started telling me that they were very spicy. I, in order to make sure that there was a mistake in our order, also tried it and it was Buffalo sauce, which you can't confuse with anything. I asked the waitress to change the wings because it was not the sauce we ordered. She took the plate away, came back empty-handed and said that they have this Asian sauce. I asked again, maybe they add Buffalo sauce to the Asian sauce, but she said no. I asked to bring two different sauces to try. And then I saw this Asian sauce for the first time, it is different in color and taste and it contains black sesame. I try both sauces. I say that I feel the difference. That they brought us wings with Buffalo sauce. She took the sauces and after some time brought us the plane wings with Buffalo sauce on the side. I asked her if it was a joke and asked her to bring the second sauce again which was different from this one. She brought the second Buffalo sauce again. In the end the manager came up to us and started telling us the same thing, that this is their Asian sauce. I offered both the waiter and the manager to try this buffalo sauce in my presence and then tell me again that it is still an Asian sauce. I understand that everyone can make mistakes. And the waiters, when they enter the order into the system and the cooks in the kitchen. But if you made a mistake, then you don’t need to make a fool out of the customer, it’s enough to just correctly redo the dish and say that you made a mistake. Moreover, they tried to pay us with a card twice, without removing these wings from the check that we never ate. Only when I asked to print the check, and not show it to me electronically and showed the waitress on the calculator that we were being forced to pay for food that we did not eat due to a mistake by the restaurant, she removed them from the check. I will repeat once again that there can be mistakes everywhere. We are all human. But I hate it when people try to deceive me. I am attaching a photo so that you can see that these are Buffalo wings. Unfortunately, in my emotions I forgot to take a photo of other sauces.

An absolute vibe, this place! I really enjoyed myself. Food was very satisfying. For my drink, I ordered a spicy margarita very exceptional. I tasted the casamigo very well! The bang bang shrimp for an appetizer was phenomenal the best thus far. For my entree, I had fish tacos with a side of French fries. I enjoyed this too, hot n' fresh and very tasteful. The view is beautiful! I highly recommend this spot!

I was very surprised of this place! I thought because the restaurant is on Michigan Ave that it would be a tourist trap with food being okay but I was wrong. I ordered the southwest wrap and it was so flavorful. Plus they made it spicy which I loved that they didn’t skimp out on. Service was speedy too. Definitely coming back!

Maricio was phenomenal! The food was delicious, he brought us a dessert when he found out we were here for our anniversary. Music was all upbeat and they had sports on all the tvs. Loved it. Fav place in Chicago!

Excellent customer service. I see it flows from the Top Down. The Manager Rafael & his team went out their way to accommodate us just and hour before closing. We initially ordered our food online. Upon arrival I wanted to stay. He and his team went into action without complaint. It was 2300 and they close at Midnight. The food was delicious. We enjoyed the Gochujang Wings, Thai Chicken & Rice & The Sweetwater Chopped. The next day for Brunch our server was Havana. She provided awesome service. We enjoyed the Hnagover Bowl, Breakfast Flatbread, Tropical Mismosa, Strawberry Soothe & complimentary Peanut Butter Snickers Pie decorated with strawberries as Roses and Happy Anniversary in Chocolate!!! They know how to make a couple feel special. Overall great dining experiences. Highly recommend. Plenty bang for your buck, clean& comfortable seating both indoor and out.

Sweetwater Tavern & Grille offers friendly and prompt service. Delicious food (we had drinks, enjoyed the Poke protein bowl and a steak). Very popular location - great for "people watching" when seated outside. Nice dinner for two came in around 95 bucks (tip included). Highly recommended.

Great food, great service, staff was very friendly and attentive. I would like to personally thank the guy who was working on the front counter for accommodating us because it was their closing time and still he accepted us and didn’t bother us to pay or to leave the premises. We took our time to enjoy our meal. Special thanks ☺️ to our server Eliana.

A Fantastic Dining Experience! I had the pleasure of dining at Sweet Water Tavern and Grill, and it was an exceptional experience from start to finish! The food was absolutely delicious--every bite was packed with flavor and clearly prepared with care. The menu was impressively large, offering a wide variety of options to suit every taste. Whether you're craving comfort food, something lighter, or an indulgent treat, there's something for everyone. Our server, Omar, was outstanding. He was attentive, friendly, and went above and beyond to make sure our dining experience was perfect. It's rare to find such excellent service, and Omar truly made the evening even more enjoyable. I highly recommend Sweet Water Tavern and Grill for anyone looking for great food, a welcoming atmosphere, and outstanding service. I can't wait to go back!

The food was amazing. It kinda took awhile for our food to arrive but it was worth it The service was good as well. They treated us kindly and respectful. The waiters were kind and they we're sorry for the inconvenience of how many people was in the restaurant. The ambiance was great though because the food was good too we left a nice tip

We visited Sweetwater recently for lunch. The food was OK, my chicken sandwich was rubbery. The service was not great, it appeared our waitress had several tables. Our beers were also served to us after a very long wait, and were warm.

What an amazing unplanned early New Year's Eve dinner this evening. We just checked into the River Front Hotel and needed a decent place to help bring in the New Year. Thank goodness Sweetwater Tavern was open. Icing in the cake is that they are pet friendly which was perfect for our little dog, Stevie. Our server, Savannah was so polite, friendly, and helpful with the menu! The ambiance was contemporary with mood lighting.

The food was good I had the Italian beef flatbread, amazing ambiance was bustling as an Chicago restaurant should be. They had tvs everywhere for viewing the latest sports game. Service was fast

We dined at Sweetwater Tavern and Grille twice during our recent trip to Chicago, once for brunch and once for dinner. The hostesses were super friendly and kind each time. Our servers were lovely as well. Employees seem happy to be working here. I had true Philly cheesesteak and fries both times because it was so delicious the first time we visited. The fries are so good! My husband had the breakfast tacos during the first visit and a burger the second time. He was very happy with his food both times as well. The prices are in line with other similar style restaurants in the city. The restaurant was very clean and well decorated for Christmas. We will definitely be stopping by again next time we are in town.

This restaurant wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. It's in a nice location and the ambiance isn't anything spectacular. The staff were attentive and probably the highlight of this restaurant. The food was a hit or miss. We ordered the Baked Spinach Dip and Fish with a side of tots. The flatbread that came with the dip was hotter than the dip itself. The dip needed some seasoning, but the addition of fresh tomatoes on top was excellent to cut thru the cheese and heartiness of the dish. The tacos were kind of bad. No seasoning whatsoever and a very fishy taste compared to other fish tacos I've had in the past. The soft taco shell felt and tasted on the stale side, like all they did was microwave it and call it a day. The sauces in the taco needed some (a lot of) kick. The tots were perfectly salted and were the best part of the dish. If you're in Chicago, I'd skip this restaurant and go elsewhere.

10/10 experience. If you're an espresso martini person, don't hesitate just get it. Sooo good and balanced and a chocolate note you can taste. The ambiance was a little loud but the music was great so we didn't mind! Also tried the fried pickles, fries, and Oaxaca colada and all exceeded expectations (:

I have eaten at the restaurant before and wanted to try getting carry out after work last week. I decided it to get the Atlantic Salmon entree and it was a great choice! It was grilled salmon, marinated broccolini, mashed potatoes, lemon chive butter. The portion size was great and I was able to eat leftovers the following evening as well. The salmon was grilled nicely and the potatoes were firm. I would get carry out from here again.

We were able to get in right away, which was nice. I ordered a Philly and salad and found everything quite delicious. The atmosphere here is, shall we say, rarefied--not exactly a casual dining experience. Just a note for tourists who might pass by--it's better if you're dressed a little nicer. The menu is pretty small, and the service was fairly slow even though the restaurant wasn't terribly crowded. For that reason, I did not give five stars.

This place was fantastic. Every dish we ordered was a 10, the service was solid despite them being surprisingly dead for a Friday night downtown- probably the cold. We highly recommend this spot. Not the cheapest in the world but it's cozy, you very much get what you pay for, and they've got several games on the TVs at any given time. Plus the mocktails are solid, the dessert is awesome, and it's right downtown so it's a good spot to take friends visiting Chicago or just to have a solid date night!

We stopped in for lunch which we were shopping in the area. It was a cool, breezy day but we ate outside because that was the first available table. A hot coffee was the first thing I needed to take the chill off. We ordered a hot turkey press and the Santa Fe chicken wrap. They were served right away and everything was piping hot. Eating on the patio, we enjoyed watching the passersby and the restaurant has a nice vibe overall. My only criticism is our server seemed distracted (or maybe she was just new). She was very pleasant and friendly, but we had to ask for things like coffee refills (several times). Overall we had a very nice lunch and I'd definitely go back.

Our server was super friendly and honest. Extremely helpful in helping us decide what to eat and what to avoid. We sat outdoors because we had brought our dog and we sat right next to the street. Great outdoor vibe. I appreciated it for what it was. The food was meh. I had the spicy chicken wrap and others in my party had the poke and salmon entree. The food was presented nicely but really lacked much flavor. Also the drinks were ordered were just too sweet. A good place to drop by without a reservation, but I wouldn't go back with all the different places to eat in Chicago.

I liked the ambience and the way everywhere looked calm. Our waitress was orderly and organized. She was also fast and worked well with our time. The food however came very late, I understand that some restaurants cook fresh but over 20-30 mins is not really doable to me. Pricing is also on the high end, my salad was about $26 maybe cause of the salmon. The experience was good regardless.

I went for dinner as a post graduation celebration with friends and we really enjoyed what we got! I got the Chicago double burger ($18.99), which was delicious and came with bacon, caramelized onions, and a Dijon aïoli. I got it with a side of tots and had a hard cider for my drink. We had a nice space just for ourselves, which was really nice and though I didn't get any dessert, there were a few things on the menu that looked good, so I would definitely return in the future.

Jesse was awesome. Jesse was a great waiter. He was managing several parties extremely well. Food was just ok. Hostess was not attentive. I had to keep reminding her that it was a birthday that we were celebrating. The wings were just ok. The food was not that impressive. We were literally the only black people in the entire restaurant and it was packed. Ambiance was nice. We sat outside to dine.

Yeah, I'm not sure how I feel about Sweetwater. It kind of went over as a "meh" for me. There was a fair number of TVs, but they were mostly only visible if sitting at the bar and they were small compared to some of the newer restaurants. Our server was great! She was very patient and allowed us to take our time as she checked back in routinely. The fries are really good. Among the best I've had in Chicago. I originally ordered the (I think it's called) bourbon smack cocktail. It had a tropical vibe that caught my wife's eye. She liked it so much that she stole mine! So I ordered myself a Manhattan. It tasted terrible. I didn't have time to send it back, so I didn't even complain. My Nashville chicken wrap and my wife's tacos were quite flavorful. However, they put a LOT of lettuce, onions, etc. We both found ourselves scraping everything off. My wife quipped, "This is enough lettuce to make a chop salad." All in all, we loved the location, the atmosphere, and the fries. Unfortunately, the cocktails and entrées seemed to be hit or miss.

Decided to have a late breakfast after landing in Chicago for a long weekend nice walk from our hotel and we were able to be seated right away. Enjoyed the fish tacos and poke bowl both were delicious plenty of food service was great a little noisy in the small enclosed room we were in but we made it work. Nice menu with lots of options

This is always a great stop for us when we are in the city. The beer is always cold. The food is always hot and the service is always friendly. We typically have a seat up at the bar as we're normally there for lunch. The restaurant is large with plenty of seating and lots of comfortable seating at the bar. The restaurant has a great vibe to it.

Great food and service! We had a party of 5 and there was comfortable seating for us. The service was good and the food was delicious. Everything was very clean and the neighborhood felt safe, even at night. The shrimp and grits were phenomenal! My turkey sandwich and tater totals were also very good. I would definitely come here again.

Food was pretty good and filling. Good location for visitors right near millennium park and a couple hotels. Decent menu with lots of options, easy to find something everyone would like. Music was pretty loud and it was hard to converse with my group. When we arrived to our table there were a couple of crumbs on the table which was a little upsetting, but it didn't ruin my experience. Our server was attentive and friendly.

Terrible experience. The food was very overpriced for what we ordered. The worst was that the bun that one of the burgers was served on, had a bite out of it! They remade it for us but it took forever and didn't come back medium rare as we asked. Sides were not correct either. Music was way too loud and it was hard to tell what the style was.

It was fine. Typical American fare. The salmon on my salad was cooked really well. My dining companions appreciated the fact that tater tots are an option for a side. There aren't a lot of standout restaurant options on the Mag Mile so I guess this is par for the course.

I wouldn't recommend this place. The service was okay and the ambiance was fine, but the food and drinks were disappointing. I ordered an Old Fashioned for $18, which was really underwhelming. My boyfriend got a steak salad that came with just 4 tiny strips of steak - it was clear they were cutting corners while still charging high prices. The wings and beer were good, but given the other amazing restaurants in the area, I'm surprised this one is still in business. I felt like we were robbed blind when we left.

Lovely restaurant, there are so many kinds of food to try. We went with fried pickles, nachos, and a Cajun linguine. I am stuffed! I love that they had Shirley temples, my daughter loves them. Our waitress Havana was very sweet and gave us recommendations on what to try. There is indoor and outdoor seating available along with a beautiful view of the downtown architecture.

I never give out 5's but we all agreed our three meals were amazing. Very underrated restaurant. We loved it. Pretzel bites were also out of this world. Our server Jesse just topped it off with awesome service. One of my new favs in Chicago!

So this place just seems like "bar food". I tried their new Thai chili chicken or whatever... word of advice...Be cautious trying "what's new". Restaurants may need time to perfect it. The sauce was like jello. I was trying to stomach it but it actually was gross. My husband's chicken nachos tho were very fresh and pretty good. So this place might actually be good. Maybe I had a bad plate

Amazing food if you're looking for upscale American. The cocktails were great with a wide variety, and the server was very helpful.

Can't go wrong with Sweetwater. Super nice staff, and the food comes out pretty quickly. My favorites here are the Philly cheesesteak, fish tacos, and buffalo chicken salad. Sometimes it can take awhile to pay your bill, but as long as you can flag a waiter down you're good to go!

Not very busy on a Friday night in Chicago with a convention going next door. Hmm a sign? Pretzel bites were crispy on outside and soft inside. Beer cheese on point. Pork chop was over cooked (perhaps my fault since I was uncertain when asked how I wanted it cooked). Sauce was sweet and slightly spicy which was good but mashed potatoes and onion rings didn't seem to pair well. My husband's mushroom burger and fries were really good. Fries hot and fresh with good salt. Waiter told us he wasn't feeling well because he was losing his voice. Not sure how I felt about that. Peeps gotta pay bills but don't cough on our food please.

Fast service and good food. I also ordered the Philly steak and didn't take a picture because I devoured it. Fries are good too.

Omar was our server and he was very attentive! This restaurant is one of my faves in this area and he made the experience even better. My friend is dairy free and he made sure everything she ate and drank was okay for her! He explained the menu to us and was overall an amazing server! Loved him!!

Omar was an amazing server! He was very attentive and the food was delicious. The vibe of the restaurant was super cool.

Had a very enjoyable and delicious early dinner at Sweetwater today. Perfect for me. Very relaxing and clean sidewalk dining. 312 Beer is a must in Chicago. Ordered fish tacos (grilled mahi). Delicious. Followed by a couple dips of ice cream with a hot cup of coffee. Really recommend it Server (Saul) was pleasant and helpful with the menu. To top it all off, the Navy Blue Angels were flying overhead, practicing for Saturday's event.

I really liked this place. Prices and service were on point. There is usually a wait, even on a Saturday afternoon at 2pm. Who would have guessed? While visiting, we eat here 4 times. It has something for everyone, including vegans and selective eaters. On 3 of the 4 occasions we had great bar drinks. On the fourth, 2 colleagues ordered the Great Cosmos they had the night before. They were horrible and not close to the same. So it is bartender dependant as far as drinks are concerned Wear your jeans and bring friends, it is a great hangout place. Would I return? Of course, I ate here 4 times in 5 days.

It was cold. We were tired and I just couldn't walk anymore. So we popped in here. A short wait as it was packed and we didn't have reservations. Got seated at a communal high top which was fine with us. Service was good. Very interesting beer selection. Looked like they partnered with local breweries which I love to see. We both got a burger. It was a really solid burger. And crisp fries. I like a really crispy fry.

We were walking around after our architecture boat tour and picked Sweetwater. We weren't expecting much and were so happy we chose it. The food was absolutely delicious. We had nachos for the table, and it was some of the best nachos I ever had. I also had a Cobb salad and chicken wrap. It was all very good. The service was amazing, and the staff was friendly, and the service was on point. I would recommend this establishment!

Was in town for a conference and stopped in for a bite and to do some work. Ordered the spinach dip and the sweet water burger. Food was decent but I had a really good server, Niema!! Spinach dip needed salt and the bread lacked some flavor but my server, Niema brought me some chips and it made a world of difference! Y'all should give the option of tortilla chips or bread! Over all enjoyed it. Burger was delicious! Also needed some salt but I finished it. Ordered a side salad with the herb vinaigrette (suggested by server) and it was DELICIOUS! Over all food was a 3.5/5 but service was 5/5! Niema was on top of my water and made sure to check in often to make sure I was enjoying everything. Would come back just because of the service!

The cleanliness is horrific and the poor service. To keep this short and to the point, we ordered the mimosa tower and the glasses that were brought for us hadn't been cleaned properly (but it only gets worse). I wish I had taken a picture but both glasses still had multiple, large food particles inside of them. I immediately showed this to our server. She only laughed and took them away. I then watched her wipe out the glasses with a napkin and bring them back to us. Not only had she brought us back the same gross glasses but they still had food and debris on them. I would stay far away from this place as cleanliness clearly isn't their top priority. With that said, we had the fried pickles as well and they were very good. I really wanted to love this place. I'm not sure why our server had no care.

Great drinks and lively environment. Drinks are Nice and not watered down. Service is prompt and friendly service personnel

Sweetwater is always a constant good choice. Always availability and consistency in food quality.

Awesome food. We were were hungry and it was late. Found this restaurant. Awesome service and drinks. We are hot dog, kungpao cauliflower and shrimp. Food was delicious.

The food was pretty decent. Service was "ok". I definitely recommend the chicken nacho plate! It was incredible!!!! We enjoyed cocktails as well and they were also made well. If you're on Michigan Ave. stop in. Worth the try.

Good was great ! Service not the greatest but the food made for it ! The ambiance is also great !

Our server Omar was fantastic!!! Great meal recommendations (pretzel bites & shared taco plater). Both Carnitas and Chicken were excellent. Fed 2 of us easily. Nice wine, beer and cocktail selections! Great meal and excellent service! Please get rid of your techno/emulated music, really annoying.

We had a large party, and they have a couple of private rooms which accommodated us well. The wait staff was very attentive and served us quickly. This is a good Bar & Grill with a handful of nicer dinner items. The salmon was good, as was the steak flatbread. They have a number of beers on tap and wine selection as well, in addition to a full bar. Plenty of vegetarian options as well. Everyone enjoyed their meal. If you are looking for something in downtown Chicago with a more casual atmosphere, this would be a good choice.

Great place for good drink and food. Grouper with grits was good (ask for more jalapeño if you want a kick) and cucumber mule was not overly sweet. Bartenders were attentive and offered great suggestions on food and drink. Very sports bar like with all the TV turned to some game but bright and airy.

The food was great, we had the fried pickles and pretzels bites which was a good start. I also had the spicy margarita which was good. Jillian was a very attentive waitress.

First time here and it was amazing!!!! Would definitely be back and recommend to my friends. Our waitress Jillian was great!!