Nicholas awesome server will ask for him next time!!!! Hostess Robin always friendly Love the chopped salad, my friends from Florida come to Michigan for 3 months and always need to visit our favorite restaurant BLUE Water for the salads and wine selection read more

Delicious cocktails and fabulous apps have us looking to go back! The bar is gorgeous and so is the patio!! Gorgeous views

I love eating at blue water! The place is gorgeous and it's always very clean and well kept up on. In the summer you get to enjoy the beautiful gardens (where they grow their own tomatoes, sages, mint and more fresh ingredients they use) and the stunning man made lake. In the winter it's so cozy with the fire places and looking over the frozen lake almost makes you feel like you're at a ski resort lodge. The staff here is always so warm and welcoming. They are all always so kind and helpful with everything on the menu (even if that means they have to run back to the kitchen 3 different times to ask their chef specific questions for their guest.) Every night they run dinner features which is awesome if you want to try something different not off the normal menu. I love that they change their menu seasonally as well. The vegan and gluten free options are awesome and very much appreciated! The blue bar area is very cozy and surprisingly warm in the winter with the fire place and the heaters. It's very pretty down there with the Christmas lights hung and being eye level with the frozen lake. When then moon reflects on it, it's breath taking. The blue bar area is awesome in the summer as well as the upstairs side patio! This place is perfect for any occasion. Date night, family dinners, business meetings, girls night out, ect. They run happy hour EVERY DAY from 2-6. Most places don't run happy hour at all on Saturday's or Sunday's and most don't start at 2! Don't forget about the live music in the summer Thursday Friday and Saturday nights! Some of my favorite items on the menu here are the blue bar egg rolls, the calamari, the whitefish dip, the French dip sandwich, the sausage and goat cheese pizza and so many more things. The beer, wine and cocktail lists are on point and if I could rate this place a 10 I would most definitely do so. Blue water is my favorite Gilmore restaurant for sure! Make sure you download the Gilmore rewards app for points on every dollar you spend at any Gilmore location! Get your Gilmore on! read more

Incredibly pleased with this restaurant. Beautiful atmosphere, good service, and excellent, excellent food! I would absolutely come back!

This is always a pretty consistent place. Food is on the expensive side but is always good and they use fresh ingredients and always have special entrees. It can be a long wait at dinner depending on the time. Nice place to eat outside in the summer. read more

Great view of the lake with a classy dining atmosphere. We had the Chili Crusted Burger with the root chips and both were great, especially the Root Chips. We also tried the Creme Brulee and The Dark Chocolate Flourless Cake and they were incredible although small. Great meal. read more

I can not believe I have never reviewed one of my top 3 favorite go-to restaurants. It's almost a Sunday tradition for my wife and I to sit at the bar and have some food. The bartenders are great and the view is nice through all 4 seasons. The menu is always changing but the pizza is SPOT ON. Currently, I go for that or the ribeye. They usually have at least 4 soups which always gives my wife extra options. We are "late lunch" on the weekends so we are usually there on off hours, but we took my mother-in-law there for dinner when she was in town and it was fantastic at night in the dining room. She had a shrimp trumpet pasta that looked so good I ordered it on our next visit. Once in awhile in the summer we will sit in the downstairs indoor/outdoor bar. You can get out of the sun a bit but enjoy the summer air and it is the same great service and food. Consistent and classy and delicious. read more

So, My review from 2 months ago was met with a very nice response from a Gilmore rep. Don't let that fool you. He hasn't followed thru. Must not want/need the business. read more

I have eaten at The Blue Water Grill several times. I think the food is great, different choices, some stuff you don't find at your average restaurant. I do prefer going in the warm weather, the view, especially sitting outside is worth it. Very beautiful. Its not really a menu or atmosphere for young children, but if your looking for a nice relaxing meal with adults, this is a great choice. read more

Great food, I brought my sister there who is a vegiarian and she had options as well, great ruben and root chips!

I went to Blue Water Grill with my husband, daughter and son-in-law, and we had a wonderful evening. We requested a table outside and were seated right away. It started to sprinkle rain (which we thought might happen), but we were under an umbrella and were staying dry. Our server was so wonderful as she ran through the rain to our table making sure our drinks were full and we had what we wanted. But when our food came we decided to move inside. They were so nice about transitioning us to another beautiful table by a window. The food was absolutely wonderful! And we sat and drank hot coffee until the rain slowed down. We were all so pleased with the warm feeling of the restaurant and its staff. I can't wait to go again on a bright, sunny day! read more

Ugh. We had so much hope for this dinner. We really did. It's a beautiful restaurant and location. We came in November, so the ambiance was warm and festive. We started with the lobster bisque and crab dip. The bisque tasted so... cheap, and it was topped with goldfish crackers and felt like it was microwaved. It was so salty and just gross. Crab dip was O.K. They did this weird thing of dropping some chopped canned roasted red peppers on top of the broccoli... but the juices leaked down from the peppers and made the last cracker soggy. It felt like it was just put there to make the plate look good and fancy, but it didn't serve a purpose in my opinion... I guess I could've eaten it on a cracker? My husband got the Pretzel Crusted Walleye which would've been fine had it been seasoned AT ALL. There was no flavor to ANYTHING on his plate... and NO SALT ON ANYTHING. I made the mistake of getting the 10$ Grilled Mahi. The fish was so dry and not seasoned. The "greens" on the side of the plate were just half a handful of gross looking boxed greens. No dressing or anything. Then there was the "peach chutney" which was TERRIBLE. It was basically extra extra sweet salsa... The spelt salad was gross too because there was NO SEASONING!!! on it and same goes for the blue potato cake, which would've been fine with a bit of salt! I really really expected this place to be better. I was so disappointed. It was the only day of the week I got to spend time with my husband and I really regret coming here. read more

Great outdoor seating overlooking the water! Very attentive and friendly Waite Staff. Loved the wine selection, delicious baguette bead and Olive oil dipping, yum! We absolutely enjoyed our Beet Salad with just the right amount of Goat Cheese , peppery greens, and over the top house vinaigrette ! read more

Great place. Had a beautiful dinner on the patio with amazing background live music! We shared a dip trio to start that had the most delectable choices of dip. J had a lobster club for dinner that was absolutely perfect! read more

1. Was sat at a table next to the servers quarters with high traffic and really bad lighting. 2. Asked about a cocktail, whether it was sweet or not. Was told it should be sweet. Got it and it tasted like rubbing alcohol. Really, really bad. 3. Got the steak risotto. Found a bone after chewing it and also came with mushrooms even though it wasn't advertised on the menu. I understand that's common in risotto but it should be listed. 4. Server was very absent. Over all a really underwhelming, "meh" experience. read more

My girlfriend and I were celebrating her birthday and decided to dine at Bluewater. Made a reservation and dropped flowers off beforehand to make sure we had a table. Upon arriving, we were warmly greeted. Overall the atmosphere was warm and inviting with fantastic architectural qualities. Our table was perfect. Located in the back corner, so it was more secluded which is what we wanted along with having a beautiful view over the lake. The flowers I brought earlier in the day was set up on the table with waters pre filled. So first impression was great. Great menu variety. I got the seafood risotto and my girlfriend got the top sirloin. Both dishes were delicious. Very happy with our choices. Eric our sever was wonderful. Coming from a server background, I appreciate good service. Eric was the perfect mix of being available without being intrusive. Thank you Bluewater for helping make my girlfriends special day, that much more special. Definitely recommend giving them a try. read more

The food here is great but the service is terrible. The last two times I have been there, we waited over 15 minutes for our server to come to our table per our request. read more

For years this has been my go to place with friends. The setting always has been a big draw but in the half dozen times I've gone it has been more disappointing every time. I sent almost all the food we were served back. The salad greens were even wilted and slimy. Who can't get a salad right Gilmore needs to get their act together. read more

Favorite go to spot in town! Great for a happy hour snack or a delicious dinner! My family are regulars here because it's one of the best places around to get good quality food in a sea of friend chicken and hot dogs. I've never had a bad meal here, they have delicious drinks, and the setting off of the lake is peaceful. The ambiance feels like a ski lodge in the winter with the warmth of the fire place, and it just can't be beat! read more

Great location, great atmosphere, food was really good! I had the full order flat iron steak. The steak was cooked perfectly! My daughter had the Mediterranean Ravioli that was so yummy! My husband had the Whitefish basket. The fish was tender and well prepared! Our server Mikhaila, was outstanding . She met our every need! My only complaint is the noise level but hey you can't have everything! We will definitely be back! Definitely appreciated the quick service. Thank you! read more

Excellent Food, Excellent Service, Consistent Each Time We have been to the Blue Water Grill several times. Each time we go we try something new. Our most recent time we tried the Pesto Chicken Wood-Fired Pizza. We also had the 15 Bean White Chicken Chili and the best trio dessert in town. One of the things I enjoy about the Gilmore collection of restaurants is that they don't sacrifice quality for time. Yes, it took a little while for our pizza to get to the table but I would rather wait so I could enjoy one of the best pizzas I have ever had! Worth the wait. Our waitress was very attentive and when we were finished the general manager, Ashley stopped at our table and asked how our dining experience was. Very nice touch. We have never had a bad meal here and it is our favorite place to go to in Grand Rapids. read more

Just finished a business luncheon, and could not have asked for better dining experience! I have been entertained by others in restaurants through out the country, and I have reciprocated by taking several business men to restaurants in the Grand Rapids area. When a national publisher asked to meet me in Grand Rapids, and buy me lunch at the restaurant of my choice, I came up with a list of places which offer fine food and atmosphere. I have eaten at Blue Water Grill two or three times, and never been disappointed. So, I put it at the top of a list of five recommendations. I am very pleased we selected Blue Water Grill. The meal was great, French Dip with Fries sounds simple, but I have been served differing quality across the US, with this one rating at the top of the list. Blue Water uses very good beef, and adds grilled onions on a specialty bun. Julie, our server, had the practiced excellence that I have only experienced at far more pricy restaurants. We were left alone (with subtly refreshed drinks) to talk business for twenty minutes - then, after we had held the menus long enough to determine our selection, she appeared at our table to take our order. She was very attentive and informative, didn't try to strike up a conversation, and just took care of business. The food was warm, fresh, and tasty. The quantity was excellent - more than I probably should have eaten, but I enjoyed eating it. I will definitely be back, and I will ask for Julie. read more

I recently had a visit to the blue water grill and was astonished all around! From the food to the service everything was on par! from the moment I sat down I felt welcomed by the staff (we were luck to have two servers!) When you looked around the restaurant too you could not help but feel a warm and cozy atmosphere. The indoor fireplaces complement the moon and lake view you receive while sitting inside. I had the Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos and savored every bite! A nice touch at the end was the blueberry salt water taffy we received with our dinner check! and we heard from our waiter, that Blue Water will be offering a "Prime Night" special this weekend 3 course prime rib meal for $19.00!!! CHECK OUT BLUE WATER GRILL!!!! read more

My DH and I have been going here since they opened the doors. The food is awesome, however I don't understand all the raves over the root chips. They are pretty mediocre if you ask me. I don't think we've ever dined there without ordering the lobster bisque which is simply divine and then we've tried different entrees throughout the years. The cocktails are not watered down and they have a great wine list as well as a lot of different beers to choose from. Our last dinner there included a hefty steak and a seafood special. All of it was excellent, but just a tad on the cool side which rarely happens there. I enjoyed an ample serving size of creme brulee which was wonderful. Service is attentive, but not overbearing. We'll always go back. Every season there offers a splendid view and while we love the place, we do wish the climate could be controlled better and that it was a little less noisy and crowded. We have to admit that if we're not in the mood for the hubub, we go elsewhere. We DO find it remarkable that many of the gentlemen patrons still pay homage by wearing jackets or suits. read more

I went to Blue Water Grill recently with my husband for a evening out and we had a wonderful time! The menu was great - lots of variety. The location was really nice, too. There was a fire going in the fireplace near the entry way, adding some rustic charm. Then, one whole wall of the restaurant is glass allowing you to see a beautiful lake. My husband got the Mahi Mahi Tacos and I got what I call "adult macaroni & cheese" - macaroni with vegetables. Both meals were delicious and the portion sizes were generous. We were able to take some boxes home and we each got a second meal out of it. The service was good and everyone was very efficient and friendly. I'd highly recommend this restaurant for the food and the ambiance. read more

I have been to this restaurant on a few occasions and have thoroughly enjoyed my meal each time. The Mahi mahi tacos are especially awesome!! But the reason I am writing a review tonight is because of a rough start tuned good, that my husband and I encountered tonight. It was a week night and surprisingly the restaurant was exceptionally busy. We waited a very long time for our table and were about to leave when we were finally seated. It was at this point when things were turned around. It was easy to see the staff was busting butt and making the best of it. We were given a complimentary appetizer and even thought I got the feeling the table by the kitchen wasn't a good table we really enjoyed it. Also, our server was very pleasant and friendly, constantly moving from table to table. The cooks in the kitchen were churning out delicious food with efficiency and ease. I wanted to share this experience as an example of how a restaurant can turn a rough start into a great evening with just a few simple things. Thanks Blue Water Grill :-) read more

Went here the other night based on a referral. We both had sandwiches and fries. We also shared the goat cheese pizza. The pizza was good, however the sandwiches were less than desirable. After paying close to $50 for the meal, I would say there are so many other options available. read more

Walleye and root chips are very good. Lobster/polenta hush puppies were excellent but only four in the plate. Wait staff is excellent. Atmosphere was sophisticated without having to dress up. read more

We came for a beverage and light meal. Ended up sitting downstairs and found it to be delightful ! Great view of water , easy listening music and an outstanding bar tender , hostess & waitress named Lauren. Her wine pairing recommendations were superb. She was attentive but not over bearing. She is the reason we will return. read more

John was fabulous! My mother has a food allergy and he made several special trip just to guarantee her safety.

We went here to try something new in our area. We weren't blown away but we weren't disappointed either. The salmon was fantastic but the fried fish did not have much variety to the plate. The staff was so welcoming and accommodating. We didn't meet the manager at all throughout our meal but that didn't necessarily bother us, just wanted to add it for others. Overall we were pleased. We did note that even though it is an upscale restaurant we thought that the price of the meal was more for the atmosphere than the food itself. read more

There used to be a younger manager that walked around checking tables, I believe his name was Bennett, making sure everything food and beverage wise was up to too par, I have not seen him in a year or so. Since then, I've noticed a lack in sense of care from a chef/ managers perspective, service has gotten worse, and food has became worse as well. We eat here twice weekly, and slowly things are declining. read more

Came to this fine Gilmore establishment Tuesday night for my son's birthday and had a wonderful experience! The hostess was very friendly and brought us over to a table overlooking the water. Our waitress Carolyn was so petite and adorable and was able to cater to our every need. I ate the French dip sandwich dipped in an amazing sauce, possibly the best meal I have had in years! For desert we enjoyed what we were told to be a flourless chocolate cake, very rich in flavor! We will definitely be dining here again thanks to the fantastic food, view and service! read more

I called the GM twice left Two messages still no response. I'm done with Blue Water grill and my 5000 Twitter followers will now know my review of this horrible place. read more

i love, love love this place! right on a small man made lake, the views are amazing! always room at the bar when we go. bartender remembers our drinks. the menu is always fresh and changing per season. amazing steaks, friendly staff. in the nice days, we love the blu bar down stairs. this is our go to place. it is great for a sunday drop in or a special occasion. it is what you make of it! i highly recommend any steak, brick oven pizza or any one of their soups! it's all so great! ps. when our friend in a wheelchair came into town last summer, we called ahead to sit outside. they said it would not be a problem. they moved things out of the way without making a fuss and easily had a great place for us to be seated under the covered patio. they even brought his service dog a bowl of water! read more

BWG has been a favorite of ours since moving to Rockford 8 years ago. Lately, they've made menu changes that fall way short of the quality and variety we had come to love. Fortunately the Kids Menu has remained unchanged. However, that is not enough to bring us back. We miss the Black and Blue pasta, Blue Water Risotto, and the Asian Chicken Salad. read more

We were craving some good fish but picked the wrong place! The service was good - and fairly quick; they weren't busy at all. The atmosphere is nice and we loved the smell of the smoke walking in the door. We had a delicious beet salad that they kindly split for us (though the actual salad did not match the menu description as it was served with spinach, not a mix of greens with frisée and I'm not sure there were any golden beets in there at all). We each ordered the whitefish basket and the filets were too thin for the amount of time left in the fryer resulting in very dry and chewy sections - but even the thicker parts of the filet were super dry. Even dryer than when I overcook my fish at home in accident! We didn't say anything to our server, though because we were starving after a long drive and she, herself was fine so I don't know how or if they would've remedied the situation. We had a 20% coupon but could've had a better and even cheaper whitefish dinner at Arnie's. Ever since this became part of The Gilmore Group, it's been hit or miss for me. I don't think I'd return. read more

The root chips were not finger size, I felt like we got the bottom of the bag, crumbles. We couldn't dip in the dips or we would have dip on the fingers. They were also very oily, I heard great reviews on these, but greatly disappointed. I ordered the steak at MP. It was tough and every bite was full of gristle that I stopped eating after the 2nd bite. Sides were okay, bland. They did drop a huge scoop of cold butter on the overcooked asparagus, which made it worse. Husband had the Walleye - and it was supposed to be breaded and have have capers - it had neither and look like it was cooked in butter or oil. After we left my husband felt bad as we were celebrating a milestone anniversary and he was also told the food was good. It could have been an off night for the cook. Place is beautiful, I enjoyed to pond as we entered and departed. View is beautiful. But very loud even for being at half capacity. IMO, the meal was too pricey. Desert was very good. read more

Appetizers are the best thing on the menu. Daughter had $24 sirloin and it was tough as leather. Several tables in the restaurant are not good - leaving you feeling like you are in the kitchen. BWG has potential, but needs an overhaul. read more

Wife, daughter and I went yesterday afternoon and sat outside. We were greeted at the door with a smile and brought to our seats. We ordered Blue water eggrolls and they were very good. All of our meals were very good, too. My wife loves the margarita pizza here. Our server, Nicholas, was very attentive and checked frequently to see if everything was good or needed anything. We will definitely be back. Very nice Happy Hour selections, too. read more