The Black Water Grill looks like a big house from the outside. Inside the bar area is to the right and the dining room on the left. The bar was packed and they had live music playing which always helps to bring in the crowds. The dining room has more muted tones with dark wood and candles.
Our waitress came by and we ordered some drinks and then something interesting happened. The waitress put a large bottle of water on the table. What's this I thought? Pour my own water! Well, it appears that this might be a trend and I have seen it in a couple of other restaurants. This seems to be a cut in service with something that has always been part of what is expected at a decent restaurant. We are on the fence about this one and will have to see if this continues.
A bread basket soon arrived and it was out of this world. In fact, it was so good that we asked for another basket.
We analyzed the different appetizer and entree options and it was a difficult decision as per usual. To start we decided on the BWG Chicken Crunch, these are boneless chicken tenders and for anyone who remembers eating captain crunch as a kid they are covered in this sweet cereal. These are fried and served with BBQ sauce. These were okay but they did not "wow me" as I think a signature dish should. My wife thought they were perfect.
I chose the grilled swordfish as my entree served with a mixture of cajun rice, vegetables and shrimp. The swordfish was a little overcooked when it came out but they quickly took it back with a replacement. This was a thin piece that may have added to the preparation difficulty. The side combination was seemingly strange by what was in it but delicious nonetheless.
My wife's selection, The Charlie Horse Steak Tips were just ok. They weren’t very tender and for the amount they seemed overpriced for what she got.
Overall we enjoyed our experience. Once again it seems like my in-laws were right - The Black Water Grill is a decent casual dining experience in Salem.
