Scout’s Honor: The Scout’s Grand Opening Is Set For August 19th and 20th

It seems like we’ve been reporting about the opening date for The Scout Waterhouse and Kitchen for months. Well, maybe that’s because we have. But it’s really close to opening, really! The official opening is August 19th and 20th. However, rumor has it that they’ll be open the middle of next week, so keep your eyes peeled as you walk or cruise down S. Wabash Ave.

The Scout is located at 1301 S. Wabash

Recycled, Rustic, and Real Cool
Chris Bravos, Managing Partner for The Scout and former co-owner of The Pony in Lakeview, took us on a tour of the facility, which is now complete. The rustic upscale tavern and sports bar is sure to impress with its interesting mix of wood, metal, and glass. Bravos pointed out the custom wood and metalwork throughout. The front and back bar countertops are made from 2" old growth pine, with metal inlay, replicating the look of old wine barrels. Bravos was quick to point out that the pine is solid and not pressed wood. The wood blocks behind the back bar were reclaimed from Lake Michigan piers, which is a nice touch considering the tavern’s location.

Fifteen Beers on Tap
If you visited the space when it was Opera, you may remember the private booths in the back. Those have been converted to coolers with full see-through glass doors. Bravos explained that those spaces were dressing rooms when the building housed a department store and before that, movie canister storage rooms when it was a film exchange facility for Warner Brothers. The Scout has 15 beers on tap. For a full list of beers and wines served at The Scout, click here.

"The Scout Waterhouse and Kitchen"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

A Well Organized Space
One of the things that struck us is the way the space is organized. It’s big, but Bravos and his team have created smaller spaces within the larger space. There are tables with their own flat screen TVs for those who don’t want to watch what everyone else is watching. They’ve included a special room that could be used for private parties or meetings. It’s fully wired for movies and audio visual presentations.

Prices Range from $3 - $19
Food menu prices range from $3 - $19 for salads, burgers, sandwiches, and entrees. Some entrees on the menu include black Angus pot roast, dry rubbed rib eye, and bacon wrapped Angus meatloaf. Okay, they had us at bacon! According to the restaurant’s press release, Executive Chef George DeZutti is “excited to try several new dishes on The Scout customers, like an Andouille Stuffed Pork Chop.”

Hours of Operation
The Scout will be open seven days a week, 365 days a year. The hours of operation are Sunday – Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.; Saturday: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 a..m.; Saturday and Sunday brunch starts at 9:00 a.m.

The Scout is located at 1301 S. Wabash Ave. For more information, visit their Web site or call 312-705-1595.

The Scout Waterhouse & Kitchen: One Cool Space

Gasto-Pub is the Word
The Scout Waterhouse & Kitchen may not be open yet, but it’s looking pretty awesome. The new gastro-pub at 1301 S. Wabash Ave. plans to debut this June, if all goes according to plan, so says owner, Chris Bravos. Bravos, former co-owner of The Pony in Lakeview, let me walk through the build-out space and take pictures of the work in progress.

Rustic Styling Modern Amenities
Inside the new space on the first floor, there are two bars: one in front and one in back. The interior is a mix of cooper, wood, brick, and stone. This rustic look is all part of Bravos’s master plan. The Scout will be provide space for smaller, more intimate groups, as well as larger spaces for parties, organizational fund-raising events, and so on. If you’re like to watch television, you’re in luck. The Scout will have 34 flat screen TVs! I don’t know for sure, but I doubt there is a restaurant, pub, tavern, bar in the South Loop that even comes close to having that many TV screens of any kind.

1301 S. Wabash will never be the same...and that's a good thing!

Cool and Green
Surrounding the bar are mirror-finish cooper panels. The bar top is made of reclaimed wood, helping to not only make the space cool, but green as well.

"The Scout: A New Tour in Photos"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

Bravos’s new gastro-pub won’t just be an exciting addition to the South Loop and Wabash Ave., but a destination must-go-to place for folks visiting Chicago.