Recently went for the Father's Day Buffet. After learning they only offer the brunch buffet 3 times a year (Easter, Mothers Day, & Fathers Day) we decided to try the buffet as it would be the last one since until Easter 2027. The staff and restaurant were lovely as always, and you really can't beat the views from dining on the outdoor patio overlooking the Marina. If you have general hesitations when it comes to buffet food, you can put them at ease when at the Water Bar, as even the typical 'filler food' like salad and mashed potatoes were out-of-this-world good. I'm not kidding when I say their buffet-style Caesar Salad was better than any made-to-order Caesar I've had. Same goes for their garlicy mashed potatoes, they were heavenly! The poached prawns were prepared perfectly, and the snow crab legs and claws were delicious and easy to eat (if you're used to shelling your own crab). The soy-glazed salmon with wild rice was surprisingly flavorful and melted in my mouth. Even the mac & cheese was rich and creamy- I can't think of a single item I tried that was sub-par. I ended the meal with a slice of carrot cake that I kept thinking about long after I left. It was moist and well-spiced with a very decadent frosting, the perfect end to a delicious brunch. I will say, we weren't aware the cost per person for the buffet was $80 (it wasn't displayed on the buffet menu, our server didn't share this when telling us about the buffet, and we didn't ask). We have no regrets on opting for the brunch buffet, as again all the food was truly incredible. However, an $80 price tag will likely keep us from opting for the brunch buffet again in the future. read more

So figured I needed an update from my review three years ago. My best lunch buddy and I picked this spot for our monthly ladies' lunch. We decided to sit on the patio inspite of it being a very hot day. They have made some well needed update to the "outdoor" seating since the last time I was here. It is now enclosed wth glass and huge umbrellas to provide shade. It was definitely warm, but the view of the Marina is always worth it. We were seated right away and were given menus to peruse while they brought our drinks - no "Wet Woody" so iced tea and an Arnold Palmer fit the bill. The glasses are bottomless - a definite plus. We shared an order of deep-fried Zucchini with dipping sauce. Most excellent. My friended ordered the Dungeness Crab Cakes and I got the Teriyaki Salmon Salad. Both were good. My salad was huge! I had enough left over to take for lunch. Our service was good, a little slow in getting the Arnold Palmer, but otherwise all went well. Chris and Tomas were our servers. Yes, it is worth a return visit. read more

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Came for lunch and dined on the patio. The weather was gorgeous. They had the umbrellas up and the heaters on low as well. I had a mocktail (I'm pregnant) and we started off with the zucchini sticks. Loved both! I'd order the zucchini appetizer again. Then had the crab salad sandwich for lunch but upgraded it to a BLT style. The upgrade was great and definitely added to the sandwich. It was a recommendation from our wonderful server. The server was personable and made sure we had all we needed. Love this place! read more

Came tonight for the Hawaii Mai tai party! Tickets were $15 and my friend got them ahead of time so no line to wait in and we got right in! It was held on the second floor and we took a window seat. We were served a Mai tai right away and soon after servers came around with pulled chicken sliders. Homemade Potato chips and dip were on the tables. Servers were dressed accordingly to the theme and all so friendly and having fun. We enjoyed the Mai tais and were also served ahi nachos on won ton chips and spicy bacon wrapped sausage. It was very loud but a fun time was had by all who attended! read more

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Excellent views, ambiance, and service during a Thursday at lunchtime. The prime rib was great, but the blue cheese butter was a bit too rich for me. But if you can handle it, it was yummy! Party of 5 service for us was excellent! read more

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Always a great time coming here! The service, food, and outside seating was wonderful! This is one of my favorite spots! read more

Sparks Water Bar - Kraken Wet Woody - Bars Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

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Tables at boardwalk Artisan Breads w whipped butter Water views w cool winds Fresh salads Entree warm & fragrant after speaker was completed Service customized to each guest Kitchen made desserts ready to take home read more

Sparks Water Bar - 14" pork chop - Bars Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

First visit to this restaurant and we loved everything! Service was great from the entire staff from the moment we walked in the door till we paid our check and departed, but our server Helena went above and beyond! I started with the Malibu Woody-delicious like a strawberry pina colada and had the Korean taco appetizer as my entree. The meat was tender and flavorful and loved the sauce. My husband had the French onion soup and French dip with French fries. Many times restaurants serve French onion soup and it's very watery and bland. This broth was full of rich, deep flavors and one of the best I've had. His French dip was stuffed with tender, flavorful beef and the French fries were perfectly seasoned and the perfect amount of crispy fried like French fries should be. We had a hard time choosing just one dessert but finally settled on the peppermint stick hot fudge sundae which was so good and love peppermint ice cream year round! This restaurant is a local gem and I'm adding it into our regular rotation of local restaurants. read more

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My BFF took me to St Patrick's Day lunch at Water Bar. I know it's a Tuesday but it's St Patrick's Day! They only had 2 servers, one bartender and maybe a hostess. We had a reservation but we had to wait for the Bartender to seat us then the hostess showed up. It took awhile for our server to greet us. We told her I was on my lunch break so the food came out fairly quick, but we didn't get our drinks until we were almost finished. My corn beef plate was OK, slightly cold. The bread was good, but the same. My friend's cottage pie was delicious and she ate all of hers and I took half of mine home. The best part was the Crispy potatoes. The corn beef was fatty and the cabbage had an odd taste. I did like the carrots and onion thou. The cucumber mojito was delightful. I had a taste of my friends since I had to go back to work! It was a beautiful day to sit outside and enjoy the view of Mountain Rose and the Marina. The staff are amazing friendly and always welling to help even short staffed. read more

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We always have a good time at the Sparks Water Bar. What makes this place is the drinks. Always strong and delicious, especially the Mai Tai. Had the salmon salad this time and it was spot on. Coconut prawns were amazing. Great service and nice seating overlooking the marina. read more

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First we ordered a Mai Tai. My husband said it was terrible. He NEVER sends a drink back but he couldn't even muscle it. I got a Miami vice and it was delicious but couldnt taste any alcohol. Our salt and vinegar chips were 8/10. Ahi tacos 7.8/10. The whiskey rib eye 7.5/10 vegetables had no seasoning though. I got the conchiglie pasta. Flavors were good the but chicken was a little dry and rubbery. Would have been better without the chicken. 6.5/10. Our favorite part, the live music! They were a great little duo and they made the ambiance. Our service was good but nothing to write home about. Overall... 7.5/10 read more

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One of the best restaurants in the Reno area. Food: reliably good. I often get the pacific swordfish. The salads and cocktails are also very good. Ambiance: nice location on the Sparks marina. Has a mini-Tahoe feel to it when you're at the restaurant. They also have a huge second floor that is ideal for private events. Service: always great read more

Sparks Water Bar - Pacific Swordfish: ROASTED CORN & ARTICHOKE ORZO, SWEET CHILI LIME BUTTER, HERBED ZUCCHINI NOODLES. Definitely recommended. - Bars Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

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Came her for a birthday dinner and got the salmon salad, and when I tell you it melted in my mouth it melted! I haven't had a good salmon salad like that in a long time and that was by far my favorite. From the ingredients to the salmon being cooked perfectly everything was perfect i've been wanting to go back just to get that salad because of how good it was but haven't had the time. If you guys are looking for a good salmon salad this would be the place I definitely recommend. read more

Sparks Water Bar - Salmon salad - Bars Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

First time visiting this restaurant was better than the second visit. My food was delicious each time but my husband's and both kids food was not good this past visit. The kids drinks were awful as well. We sent the smoothies back and got a kid mocktail and that was awful as well. The service was not great either that day! Was pretty upset at all around quality this last time but willing to try again to hopefully change my mind. read more

Sparks Water Bar - Wanton Wrapped Ahi - was in appetizer on the menu (delicious!) - Bars Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

The ambiance is very elegant if you dine inside but the outdoor dining is our favorite on beautiful days like we are enjoying. We decided to pop in and just have drinks and appetizers. We ordered two of their signature margaritas. I do not advise ordering them blended because they came out very watered down. That was the only disappointing thing about our experience. They are meant to be to be served on the rocks. We ordered the zucchini sticks and pineapple prawns and they were both amazing. We topped it off with a hot fudge and caramel sundae. It's a great place to just relax and join the view. Our server Blythe was very attentive and genuine and added to our great experience. Great date spot with your sweetie. read more

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The food is good and the view is amazing. Especially during sunset. The service needs work, it takes a long time to get service once seated. We had to keep waving down our server. read more

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Had to drop it to 4 stars because they lack on service and kind of feel ignored in a way. Definitely love the food and views and dont forget the wet woodys. All in all a great spot but could step up the service a bit. read more

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I really want this space to be amazing, but... Except from the deck, the view is disappointing. The deck has heat lamps, a cool fireplace and wind shields to help enjoy the water view. The main dining room has a good view of the deck with limited water views. I've never dined upstairs but presume a better view. Service is friendly and attentive. The food alas, is also disappointing. Price and quality are not aligned at all. The crab sandwich has been fishy on two tries with barely warm fries both times. The Lobster Bisque with shrimp was tasty but was either lukewarm to start with or cooled really fast affecting our enjoyment of the dish. A fish full past visit was also poor tasting and had worse texture. A fun filled drinks menu is special but quite expensive too. The location draws people in but unless the kitchen improves taste and timing at least, they won't return. read more

Sparks Water Bar - Bars Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

I wish there was a button for 4.5 stars Food Overall: Extremely hit or miss on the food. We've had some incredible food here, and food we weren't especially keen on finishing but it's hard for us to send things back. Ahi Poke Tacos: Amazing 5/5. Super well balanced on the flavor. Exactly what you want. But you get 3 tacos so sharing with two people is hard and it's pricy for what you get. Shrimp & Lobster Bisque: Delicious, well flavored and creamy but was too salty. I got through it with a lot of water but it was a bummer because I felt like maybe I shouldn't be eating more salt than I need to be. 3/5 Slider Along the Pier: Very tasty mini burgers. No complaints. 4.5/5 - would have been nice to have a variety of flavors like a mini burgers flight. Teriyaki Salmon Salad: 10/5 criminally good. You'll be satisfied at the end of your meal but still feel like you did something healthy for yourself in the process. Always a good choice. Grilled Fish Tacos: 5/5 delicious- also a little pricy for what you get. Buffalo Chicken Sandwich: 0/5 this one is going to be a no from me. All the ingredients on their own are lovely and fresh/ cooked perfectly and then the buffalo sauce is a totally overwhelming flavor that masks all the great ingredients inside. When my husband ordered this he didn't want to finish it or take it home and I ended up sharing my meal with him instead. Ambiance: The inside feels nice but I can't quite put my finger on a design or vibe to it. Really the aesthetics here I feel rely on the huge windows overlooking the beautiful marina. Outdoor seating is lovely - I can't get enough of the view. Warning for the short of height - if you sit at one of the tables next to the windows outside you'll be fighting the black edge of the window for an unobstructed view. Overall I still came here for my birthday lunch because I love the Teriyaki Salmon Salad and coupled with the view, that was exactly the vibe I wanted. read more

Sparks Water Bar - Teriyaki Salmon Salad - Bars Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

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I honestly don't recommend this restaurant at all. We went there while visiting Reno and tried a few places this one in Sparks was one of them. The steak was extremely tough and tasted more like boiled meat than grilled. I also had another dish that was supposed to be a fish and shrimp patty, but it was extremely fishy and had a strong unpleasant smell. The only thing I actually enjoyed was the appetizer those long crispy biscuits that you dip into a creamy sauce. That part was really good. overall, I wouldn't come back here again. read more

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Service from Blake was friendly and prompt. Only issue was the burger temp. Was medium, I ordered medium rare. Classic blunder, I was hungry so I ate it and it was fine and tasty, just not right. read more

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Been here a couple times and it does not disappoint! The view from the outside patio is beautiful, overlooking the water. Service is prompt and friendly. I ordered the Korean Short Rib tacos which were absolutely delicious. I also ordered the homemade salt and vinegar chips which come with an incredible dip! It's official that I have to get those chips every time I come - SO GOOD! As for drinks, we had to ask for a beer menu but they do have a few beers on tap. We got the hazy IPA and it was delish. Definitely come here if you're looking for great food with a nice ambiance! read more

Sparks Water Bar - Bars Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

The food, service and ambiance are excellent. Never had a bad meal or a bad drink here! Must haves include the coconut shrimp and deviled eggs ap. The teriyaki salmon salad, the scallop and the filet and scampi meals. Just bomb. The boys love the bbq burger read more

Sparks Water Bar - Bars Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

Even when things go no expected - a positive customer service experience can still make it a 10/10 Our server Thomas & manager Eric went above and beyond to turn our situation around. The most exceptional service. read more

We just left Sparks Water Bar for Fathers Day.... The food was overall ok but if I am paying a premium price for a meal, I expect certain things. Let's start with the appetizers. I didn't particularly care for the lobster deviled eggs. There was nothing that made them stand out. We ordered Moscow mules and they came in regular glasses. Why aren't they Moscow mule cups? For heavens sake, you have bar in your name... my husband had the divers scallops for as an entree. It was yummy. I had the filet mignon... again attention to detail; why should I have to request a steak knife when I ordered a steak? The waitress was sweet but I'm not sure if I'd return. read more

Well, I guess our days of eating here over! We have gone for years and the food is still the same, Mann never changes, same old, same old! We went the other day for my husband's birthday lunch, with our kids, sat in front of the Cooking station they're in the back! One my grandkids ordered mango smoothies, they were absolutely disgusting, and all of them were totally grossed out by it! We had a new server, Ethan and he was helping a girl who was training him, they remade the smoothies to the strawberry ones. They weren't much better but better than the first ones.! the service was so subpar, he would think that Ethan, who is a brand new guy would be really hustle and smiling, we actually had to find them to fix the smoothies! My son ordered a veggie burger, big mistake, while he liked it you can tell it was totally freezer burned, you think that Gordon Ramsay would walk in and go what the hell you can't figure out how to make a veggie burger, but from scratch you have to use these frozen nasty patties? That was not worth it.! I ordered a boring friendship sandwiches because it really wasn't much left on the menu, it was OK. Meat was stringy not too exciting husband ate the other half french fries were ok! My grandkids ordered kids sliders, and I wish I would've ordered those off the kids menu myself because she said they were really good! My daughter-in-law ordered the tacos, she really liked those. My husband also ordered. I think the Korean tacos I'm not so sure but he said they were OK.! but I don't know if the owner passed away or not. I keep asking if they're gonna change the menu, menu is so small this time. I think they shortened it up same items it's boring. I'm done.! We'll find some other nice restaurant to sit at and look outside, you just get tired of the same food tasting the same over and over and order, no specials no varieties no nothing.! I know the owner was really boring when it came to that kind of food and walking around. The restaurant never acknowledged us and we've been going there for years, but he'd go sit with his colonial friends in the corner and whatever.! I haven't seen him in a while so maybe he's gone! Anyways, the staff looks like they're out of the 70s in the back and I'm just bored with it! read more

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This place is one of the nicest places in Sparks. High standards and great drinks. Try the "woody" drink it's dangerously tasty;). Reliably good food and great staff. Beautiful inside and outside if you're lucky enough to have good weather. read more

Had an absolute fabulous lunch date with my best friend today. We got all dressed up and took our selves out and it did not disappoint! I love how constant the food is! Always amazing and packed with flavor!! Our waiter was so cute and attentive!! Checked on us through out with out being hovering. It was a beautiful day to sit out side, yet we chose a widow seat and enjoyed people watching! Quiet and classy. One of my favorites!!! read more

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Where to begin? Odd check-in process & there was some confusion at the front desk, although to be fair it was Easter and busy and we were eventually seated as requested. I made the reservation on Opentable which asked if we wanted the brunch menu or the regular menu, except that It was a buffet and the regular menu was not available. This restaurant is too cramped for a bunch of food stations. Customers and staff walking back and forth to the deck and in some cases into each other, no room to wait in lines or to walk around looking at the food stations while looking for the little signs to tell you what was where. Then the most disappointing part: the plates were really hot but the food was not. Lukewarm eggs benedict (ick) and potatoes and breakfast meats. Some of the non-breakfast dishes were flavorful like the chicken (very flabby skin but easy to take off) and the pork, but again, not hot and the rice that came with the chicken was crunchy as though it had been sitting on a counter top and not under the chicken in a chafing dish. Our check showed two buffets, one coffee and one iced tea and each of us paid 87.59, plus tip. Never again. read more

Beautiful view and overall atmosphere on the patio was really nice. I chose this place for a small company dinner during our work trip. Everyone was happy with the food, there were plenty of options for our pescatarian coworker as well. The server was not very attentive, didn't provide any recommendations nor walked us through the menu since it was our first time, and didn't offer more drinks. But overall myself and my coworkers will be back once we're back in town. read more

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Wow! We found this gem through a quick Google search, and it absolutely delivered. We were warmly greeted and given the option to sit inside or outside. Since it was a warm and breezy day, we chose to sit indoors and were promptly served water. Shortly after, Jordan came by to take our drink order. We went with a bottle of the Trefethen Cabernet and it was outstanding. For dinner, my husband had the Korean short rib tacos, and I had the Ahi tuna tacos. We also shared the house salad, which was a perfect portion for two. Dessert was the peppermint stick and cream wafers. It was light, refreshing, and delicious. Every dish was a hit, and we'd easily give the experience 5 stars. Jordan was a rockstar who was attentive, friendly, and full of great energy. If you visit, don't miss the view of Sparks Marina Park Lake. It's absolutely stunning! read more

Sparks Water Bar - Ahi tuna tacos - Bars Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

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My husband and I like to come out to Reno during football season and this restaurant is always our go to. Not only is it close by the GSR (the best hotel), it's conveniently located on the water front. The atmosphere is great with indoor and outdoor seating and live music to set the tone. Service is always so amazing! Super kind staff. We love to order a few cocktails, the seared diver scallops w/ risotto and the Korean short rib tacos. You can't go wrong. read more

The great view is just the beginning of the fun @ Water Bar! We had marvelous crab cakes with basil oil dijon horseradish aioli, and cucumber salad!...and coconut prawns with grilled pineapple spiced so perfectly to compliment the prawns (sooo goooood!). Maddi, our server, was not only attentive and helpful, she was fun and even helped us take the best photo in front of the sign! Give that lady a raise! Perfect way to enjoy the lovely sunny weather on the patio! read more

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I've been here a couple of times and always leave happy and full. They have a variety of food to choose from and the view is amazing. Highly recommend sitting outside and come right before sunset! The service is superb! They treat all their customers very well. The only negative part I would have to say are their prices. Their food is good but, nothing crazy. I would say I come here for the view and experience. Will come back! read more

I will start with saying there is NOTHING else like Sparks water bar in the sparks or spanish springs area. The view of sparks marina is so pretty especially during sunset. Add a Wet Willy (alcoholic beverage) and call it a day! All their food items that I have tried are quite tasty. I will say that they are certain days/times where the water bar is packed and service can be questionable, like having to ask more than once for a refill or something needed at your table. With that being said, I still have an enjoyable time with each visit at the water bar. read more

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Place was nice beautiful views ! But the food ..... Wasn't great they took forever on our food forgot a bunch of items food was cold and odd smell and taste lobster was old had a fishy smell service wasn't great..... Sucks to say this but I wont be coming back here ! read more

First time here and it was a great stop. We came during lunch so it was a bit slower. The weather was gorgeous too. Staff are super friendly, plenty of parking, lots of tables indoors and outdoors. Loved the huge umbrellas over the tables outside. The food was delicious. We had fish tacos (not pictured), prime rib French dip (not pictured), buffalo chicken sandwich with salad, and Korean short rib tacos. It was so good and came out pretty quick. Their house made salt and vinegar chips were pretty good too. They had great selection of drinks and obviously their woody's menu. We will definitely go back to try dinner and to sit on patio during warmer months. After we walked around the marina a bit since it was so nice. read more

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I came in for brunch with a friend a few weeks ago and it started off nicely with a window view of the marina. I was very disappointed with the pace of service and how cold my potatoes were and luke warm eggs benedict. My friend arrived before I did and was seated right away. She was there for about 15 minutes until I made my way to our table. We ordered a bottomless woody and a bloody Mary for myself from the bar then our meals: a chicken and waffles and an eggs Benedict for myself. We received our bar drinks and never got any water. Our server's section filled up and we didn't see him for awhile until our food was dropped off. My potatoes were cold and eggs Benedict was Luke warm. Both big signs that my food was sitting for awhile. My friend had no complaints about their food. I guess our server like our water forget about us and our food or it was just mine. He was nice and the only reason I gave two stars this time around and not one. We over paid for mediocre service and cold food. I would have sent my food back, but our server never checked on us. I took my friend out to celebrate a recent birthday. I didn't want to ruin that for her, but it will be awhile before I come back here again. read more

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Took the family back to celebrate a special event. We had a great time, kids even got some fun mocktails to go with their meal. Ambiance was absolutely great coming just before sunset, what a gorgeous patio to watch the sun go behind the mountains on.... We had some of the Trader Vic's Mai Tai's with our meals which were pretty great and then got one of the blended macadamia Wet Woody's. That my wife did not like personally, but I love it so I can't fault them for it. As far as service, 10/10. Our waiter was extremely friendly and helped us navigate not only the food menu but the drink offerings. For sure going to come back next time we want to enjoy a killer view and some sun rays. The food... Highly recommend the Ahi Tacos appetizer, really fantastic flavors packed in there. The kids burger was surprisingly great, and the onion rings and fries were nice and crispy. Hands down the best thing on the table was the scallops. Really fresh and perfectly cooked scallops, and the crab risotto it was nestled on, AWESOME! Next time I have my eyes on the Korean taco appetizer. read more

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Food was insanely good, as was the service (Juliana was our server) ! I wish I had always been coming to the Water Bar for a nice dinner out in Reno. View was beautiful as well. Will absolutely be coming back! read more

Sparks Water Bar - Seafood Special and Wet Woody - Bars Near Me - Sparks, Nevada

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