The Scout Running Club starts today

The South Loop Running Club has partnered with The Scout Waterhouse + Kitchen to form The Scout Running Club. Tuesday, January 31, 2012 is the launch. If you’re interested in joining, show up at The Scout at 6:15 p.m. and participate in a 5K run. After the launch, running club members will meet every Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. for 5K runs from The Scout.

Free Membership, Free Food!
Club membership is free. After each weekly run, The Scout will provide a free buffet and drink specials for runners. The club has acquired sponsors, including Goose Island Brewery. According to Allen Patin, founder of original The South Loop Running Club, more sponsors will be added soon.

Socialize and Stay Fit
Patin founded The South Loop Running Club to “bring fitness-minded people together in a social atmosphere.” With the advent of The Scout Running Club, it looks like his goal will be realized.

For more information, check out the club Web site by clicking here.

The Scout To Serve Brunch

The popular new South Loop sports bar located at 1301 S. Michigan will start serving brunch this weekend. The Scout Waterhouse and Kitchen will be open for brunch from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Check out the menu below and let us know what you think.



Brunch Menu
Steak and Eggs $20
Angus Ribeye and choice of two eggs any style


Pot Roast Benny $10
English muffin, Pot Roast, and Chipotle Hollandaise


Two Eggs Your Way $7
Served with Applewood Smoked Bacon or Canadian Bacon


Stuffed French Toast $8
Fresh Berry Mascarpone Stuffing, topped with a Berry Compote


Huevos Rancheros “Stacked” $10
Pan-fried Corn Tortillas layered with Eggs, Homemade Mole Sauce, Beans, Sour Cream and more


Green Eggs and Ham “Scout Style” $10
Thick-cut Canadian Bacon, Poached Eggs, Fresh Basil Pesto


Brisket Hash - “The Hangover Cure” $10
Angus Brisket, Grilled Onions and Peppers, Griddled Potatoes topped with two eggs any style

Weekend Happenings

Chicago Art Exchange “Grand Opening Celebration” August 19 and 20, 2011, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. This new art gallery located at 1530 S. State St.,  will be serving “Hors D’Oeuvres and Libations courtesy of Tapas Valencia.” If you want to attend this event, you need to RSVP. Click here for more information.

The Scout Waterhouse + Kitchen’s official grand is August 19 and 20, 2011. You probably thought this new pub was already open, but today and tomorrow makes it official. The Scout is located at 1301 S. Wabash Ave.

Jazz at Donna’s Café August 19, 2011. Friday night jazz has become a regular weekly event at the local breakfast and lunch spot located at 1255 S. State St. No cover charge; five dollar minimum purchase for BYOB. Jazz starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m.

Greater South Loop Association (GSLA) Open Meeting at Tribute. Find out what’s happening in the greater South Loop and meet and mingle with friends and neighbors. The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. with meet-and-greet starting at 9:00 a.m. with refreshments. Tribute is located at 800 S. Michigan Ave. (Essex Hotel).

Air and Water Show August 19 and 20, 2011, is the oldest and largest of its kind. North Avenue Beach is the central location for viewing this annual event that attracts over 2 million fans. This year the headliners are the Thunderbirds, Leap Frogs, and Golden Knights. The show runs from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. both days.

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"

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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: The Sign is Up!

The Scout plans to open in early August. We'll keep you posted if anything new develops.

If all goes according to plan, The Scout Waterhouse and Kitchen will be open the first week in August (contrary to what their Web site says). South Loop Connection will attend a preview of The Scout. Check back here for the inside scoop.

New Restaurants Opening Soon...We Hope!

Did you notice the small item in Thursday’s RedEye? It said The Scout Waterhouse and Kitchen (1301 S. Michigan) is opening August 1, 2011. We hope that’s true because The Scout’s Web site still says “Look for Opening in June 2011.”

Waffles’ Alex Hernandez said, “We had to push back our opening to the 27th of this month.” Hernandez has promised to keep us posted if there are any more changes or updates. Waffles is set to open at 1400 S. Michigan Ave. For a peek at Waffles's menu, visit rtheir  Facebook page.

Opening a new business and establishing an opening date is tough. This is especially true for restaurants that oftentimes have complicated kitchen equipment and are subject to various inspections and certifications.

Here’s hoping these dates hold.

Opera Is No More...

Well, it's been gone since December of last year, but the "Opera" sign came down yesterday. Moving into the space at 1301 S. Wabash is much-anticipated The Scout Waterhouse & Kitchen. The new gastro-pub opening soon should be pretty spectacular. Last week, I posted pictures of the interior under construction. Inside you'll be hard-pressed to remember what the old space looked like. Outside, the bottle glass is being removed and replaced with more traditional see-through glass windowpanes.

The "Opera" sign is no more.

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"

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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.