Whitewater Dining & Spirits

Ok Whitewater Dining room is already closed awaiting whatever the Marriott chooses it to be. You can still get some food at the bar. Came For one last Karl’s cosmo (ok 2) before I leave for vacation. Far as I know bar will be open for another week, but no more happy hour. Sad to see them leave. Guess we’ll have to wait and see what comes next. Good luck guys and gals hope you find new places soon

For a hotel lobby bar you can’t go wrong.
½ price drinks & appetizers from 4−8pm — favorites spinach salad, lobster ravioli, fried calamari.
Great outdoor seating if you can score a table! The view is worth full menu prices if you miss happy hour!
But like everything @ the Siena Hotel things are changing.
Carl, bartender, is still there and his Cosmo is a must have!
Rumor has it they’ve been testing new menu options @ great rates.
Not sure what it will become but it’s still White Water till the end of June!

We had Mother’s Day dinner here with out of town friends. Surprisingly, they weren’t doing anything special for the day, just their regular menu. We started with appetizers, two shrimp cocktails, scallops, and a crab cake. My crab cake was good, but only one cake for $ 15 seemed high to me, and it was too mayonaissy for my taste, my husband finished it for me. The shrimp cocktails had four huge shrimp, and the scallops came with two scallops, and everyone was satisfied with their appetizers.
We enjoyed the herbed bread that came out before our dinners, it was dense but full of flavor, with soft butter, along with oil and vinegar. I wanted to eat more, but knew I’d be too full for my entrée. Entrees come with sides, but no salad or soup.
For the entrees, I had a burger with fries, which I asked for extra crispy, but they weren’t. Our guests both had the pork chops, which they devoured, but they avoided the gnocci. My husband had a rib eye, which he enjoyed, and he loved the garlic mashed potatoes. My burger was good, but nothing special, and the brioche bun couldn’t hold up to the patty, it fell apart the more I ate it.
With drinks and a bottle of wine, the bill came to $ 300 for the four of us, which I think was steep for the quality of food we received. I would think again before coming here. The food was OK, but certainly not stellar. The best thing about the evening was our server, she was stellar, bring about the third star for Whitewater.

I read the reviews on the poor service and could not disagree more. I came midweek for happy hour and was served by Karl the bartender. He gave me tips on drinks and navigating the happy hour menu, which was pretty good. He also asked me if I thought that calamari was too spicy, which it is. I found that amusing, since I had read it on other reviews here before I came. It is too hot with the type of heat that just lingers. Please take the hint chefs!
Now the happy hour is from 5 – 8 pm. The bar was not crowded at five and Karl was able to chat. I came back down around 7:50 and it was crowded and active. Karl no longer had time to chat, but still managed to get our orders in before the deadline. The kitchen ran out of lobster ravioli. I guess I will have to wait for next time.
Oh and I had about three of the blue drinks. Mmmmm Blue!!!

A friend & I went to dinner there Tues. not knowing the Whitewater is closed on Mon & Tues. Have eaten there several times so was disappointed. We decided to stay & have a drink & eat in the Whitewater Lounge. Big mistake. There were several open tables but service was non existent. After sitting there for 15 min & even signaling to the waitress my friend finally went up to the bar & got us drinks. We made several attempts to signal the waitress who continued to ignore us. Another party of about 6 people came in. She immediately went to take their order. Should have left but hung in there. She finally came to take our order. We ordered crab cake for appetizer (which was delicious), We had not finished that when she brought our entrees which made for us to figure out how to get everything on the small cocktail table. My friend had the Pan Seared Salmon which was way over done & hard around the edges. I had top sirloin which was way over done & then cold on top of that (as were the potatoes). No water or asked if we wanted anything else to drink. This was a huge let down as we assumed the food would be on par with the restaurant. Will not go here again.

While the food scored a 4 with the warm spinach salad, lobster ravioli and crab cakes.
The service is non existent
No water, no drinks at the bar during happy hour.
Asked for desert, they told us to go and look at this around the corner. That’s called service… Wow
Maybe they just like my looks or something but this ain’t a 4 star boasted on many ads.

Mid week, happy hour makes the drinks regular prices… No interesting appetizers that caught my eye. Bartender wasn’t very friendly or engaging. We just ordered drinks and took a table overlooking the river. Atmosphere was just odd, took our drinks into the casino. Maybe on the weekend, the «A» team will be on duty.

Well they did it again!!! We did the two pounds of king crab legs this time and they did not disappoint. More than you can eat and at BARGAIN prices!!! Joanna, our server, went above and beyond as usual, ask for her she is GREAT! When she asked if we wanted soup or salad with our meal we mentioned (just as constructive criticism mind you) the lobster bisque (which we love) was not hot enough the last time we visited. So what does she do? She brought it this time on the house to apologize for the previous error clearly showing they understand the importance of not only listening to the customer but also going out of their way to make it right. She also genuinely cares/​remembers customers and is pleasant and attentive every time. Can’t wait for next visit… thinking a Sunday brunch is in our future (also a fantastic deal/​experience).

Went here after work w/​some co-​workers to the Whitewater Lounge which is just outside this restaurant where they have Happy Hour (HH) from 4pm — 8pm. During HH appetizers, well, house wine and beer are 50% off.
We arrive, and I usually drink Sierra Nevada. I ask about the special and am told that the draft beers and domestics are half off. I ask about Sierra Nevada, it’s domestic and not a micro-​brewery any longer, but it’s not included, all that’s included is Coors and Bud products. So I order Coors Light, which I drink on occasion. It’s just fridge cold, so not really anything special. Also they only have 3 beers on tap, so that’s only about 7 choices for beers including the regular and light versions of the, «Domestic’s».
I drink it, order another, then eventually decided to peruse the app menu. The apps are aggressively priced, $ 10 for ahi taco’s and $ 8 for chicken wings. My co-​workers orders the tacos I ordered the wings. I was surprised when she told they were 9 wings for that price, and now it’s 50% seems like a good deal. I am pretty picky when it comes to wings, not to many places do good wings, so my expectation was low, and at $ 4, it wasn’t much of a risk if they were not good.
They wings arrive w/​out any dipping sauce. so I asked for bleu cheese, and it’s brought out and I wash my hands. There was not much thought by the server to see if anyone was sharing nor should I have to ask for dressing that’s a standard part of wings, most places just serve ranch. Not a big deal, but it’s also not busy, so really no reason not to give better service. She never did offer to bring extras plates, napkins, etc.
The wings were below average, not great flavor, not cooked great, just passable. The dressing had littler flavor to add either. I would never order these again, unless I was starving and they were 50% off, and even then, I would probably go somewhere with better wings if I was craving wings.
My co-​workers tacos were a joke, $ 10 for 3 tacos that were a fried wonton, a very small thin piece of ahi tuna, and a bit a cabbage. I didn’t ask him how they were, but didn’t look good nor look like a $ 10, maybe $ 1 each, and they would still make money, since it was such a small piece of tuna.
So last not but not least, I asked how much my Coors Light was, she said $ 3, I said okay, that’s for both, she said no $ 3 each, I said your normal price is $ 6? Turns out that is the price for a 12oz bottle of fridge temperature Coors Light beer at the Sienna.
I don’t remember seeing any naked women around me, and I have NEVER paid that price for a Coors Light with the exception of sporting event.
Needless to say won’t be returning any time soon.
So truly last, the parking lot is quite dark, and it’s not a great part of town. They try to create this upscale vibe inside, and they have a parking lot that matches a strip club or some seedy casino from the 70’s who can’t afford lights because they might shut the doors any day. It’s very ghetto out there, I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving my car there. To me that says alot, when I would leave my car right next door at what is a dive casino, but does the basics like a lighted parking area.
I don’t see much a future for a place that wants to rip people off and provide a sub-​par parking experience.
«Taste + Price + Quantity + Quality + Service (Acceptable varies according to the place) = Value or aka My Value Equation».

I love a good steakhouse or brewery-​style restaurant and it seems like in every town there is ONE that is the best. After Dinner last night I think Siena Whitewater takes that crown in Reno
I was invited to dinner at Whitewater in the Siena Casino. The menu was great and the item descriptions were simple and the food choices great. Based on the low prices I did not have high expectations but was still looking forward to a good meal. We were all in awe as the food started arriving.
The French Onion Soup, The appetizers, the huge steaks filled with flavor and cooked to perfection was really not expected. Oh My. We celebrated the great meal with several wines from an excellent selection of wines.
The meals were delivered in beautiful fashion, very elegant, delicious and the value was incredible. ask for Lee! He was amazing.

I am not sure, yet. A return trip may determine a more concrete opinion. Service was prompt, personable, and good; the food was as described on the menu; and there were no surprises. And that was possibly, maybe a drawback. The offerings were as I expected, nothing more, nothing less. I was not disappointed with my meal and I was not surprised. Just — Meh. The house-​smoked prime rib was very smokey and cooked to expectation, but was rather thin sliced. The beer battered (ouch) French fries were crunchy on the outside, yet chewy on the inside; though neither one quite lived up to expectations. They were good, but not WOW!
Ambiance, service, and presentation were good enough to postpone a final rating. I will definitely visit Whitewater again to sample different entrees before proffering a final rating.
Whitewater has a first rate wine list with reasonable prices. There are not many establishments where Ferrari Carano’s Sienna is the most reasonably (and it is reasonable) priced wine on the list, with the other wines of like or better quality.
Whitewater is a solid (and very romantic) choice for dinner, and has the promise of being great. I will return with an open mind and hope to be awed. No other restaurant, not even the Wild River Grill, has a better siting on the Truckee River, and the view can be awe-​inspiring.

We have dined here on two recent occasions and both times the experience was exceptional. The mood is set for fine dining with quiet and picturesque views of moonlight shimmering on the river. The lobster tail is a fantastic value and only a minimal charge for an accompanying side. The tail was large and prepared and served correctly both times. The service was extremely attentive. This in light of a full restaurant on a Tuesday evening on our most recent visit. Michael & Jo worked well together as a team to deliver a fine dining experience. Michael is very customer service oriented and strives to please with a big smile that is genuine. Give a try, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Ok still a bit confused if the bar is part of whitewater or a separate entity. Met a group of friends for drinks and apps before deciding if we go in for dinner or venture on. Bartender, well I’m not sure if he was even worried about guests as much as trying to hit on the girls at the end of the bar (employees not working on a tip here) two of us ordered our drinks and the third member of the group asked for the bottled wine list (as we had two others coming in who also drink wine) he looked over the bottled wine list he was handed and pointed to the Rodney strong cab. The bartender returned with a glass of it and went back to talking at the other end of the bar. Now admittedly he did not say bottle, but as he asked for the bottle list, pointed to the bottle of wine on said bottle list you would think if there was any question if he really wanted a bottle he would have been asked. But I guess we weren’t blonde and 20. Rest of our group showed up so we tried to flag him down to a) get a second round and b) say we were moving to a table if that was ok or if we needed to close out the check first. After five minutes one member of the group finally walked to the end if the bar to tell him as he was still talking to the same employees. At this point I’d rather leave but I’m overruled and told the apps are great. We order calamri, shrimp cocktail and sliders. A few orders of each. Calamari had a spicy breading which was fine, but not labeled as such and resulted in a very unhappy member of the group. I didn’t mind the spice, I minded that it was just well mushy breading. And the citris buerre blanc was so thin you couldn’t even use it as a dipping sauce. Sliders had stale rolls with dry sliced beef. Shrimp cocktail was honestly the only saving grace. Half the appetizers left on plates as we walked up to find someone to pay our bill with, and left to find food elsewhere. Sadly after the app presentation/​taste and non existent service from the start none of wanted to go in and try the restaurant. I had been looking forward to trying it for awhile but honestly did not know what to expect after this bungled service and food

Always a nice time here. Service is great and prices are just as good. The food was delicious. Wife and i were here for lunch and will be back again without a doubt.

I frequent the Siena food outlets as a gambler, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Whitewater Dining and Spirits!
I gauge my ratings based on if I’d come back to an establishment or not. 1 star = HELL NO. 2 stars = No, thanks. 3 stars = maybe?. 4 stars = YEP. 5 stars = HELL YEAH! This is a resounding 5 stars, and this is why:
1. Ambiance. Fine-​dining flare on the river? Give me a hell to the yes.
2. Service. Dinner service was GREAT. The team of Lee and Joanna was great. Lee sold me on a great bottle of Moscato with my dinner; wines are his forte. Joanna was our actual server and she was prompt, professional, and had a great personality for a server. What sold me on her was her ability to peg things out that I wanted for appetizers and desserts, and not many can do that for me.
3. Food. They have a different special every day/​week/​month. I even heard that their menu is getting a revamping soon! Be it the Sriracha bites, some of the best prime rib that I’ve had, or one of their Siena Apple Pies a la mode, they thrive at this.
4. Price. As a player, I get food credits and comps for the meals, so this is never an issue for me. Friends have commented on it being on the higher end for fancier things, but that doesn’t bother me. You can still have a $ 10 – 15 meal if needed.
5. Cocktails. After having the wine, the bartender Karl made me a great cocktail out of the blue. I told him that I wanted something sweet with vodka, but fruity, and boy does he know his stuff. Very professional but humorous.
Whitewater Dining and Spirits is great. Splurge for dinner there if you want something with a great ambiance.

Back when this was the Riverview they would sometimes have 5.99 specials on the digital board outside but not on the menu inside. I guess they’ve decided to go a little more snooty now and not doing that anymore? It’s a casino diner but pitched /​decorated more «upscale» than most downtown casino diners. Expect your meal to be 10 bucks and up before drink, tip and etc.
9.99 patty melt was pretty good. Nice crispy seasoned fries. A little better than the cheapo casino burgers. It’s one of those places that insists on linen napkins instead of paper though. Which does not work with a sloppy burger and salty fries. I guess they don’t really want you ordering burgers like a beery barbarian here anymore.
I overheard the most hilarious clueless/​out of touch conversation between some country club lookin’ family at the booth behind me. I swear this is part of it verbatim:
«America doesn’t *really* have problems.»
«Well, there’s minor problems, but it’s just little tweaks to fix.»
«You know, one of the problems is that the blacks have so little experience ruling themselves.»
(double facepalm) Enjoy that bubble you live in bros. I guess the remodel captured the demographic they were after though? Grats on that.
…
And before anyone starts up with «lol nevada white racists», the mom was Asian.
…
Anyway, it’s alright if you happen to be staying or hanging out in the casino, just a touch spendy. Nice river seats when the weather is nice though.

January 31, 2014 Friday — dinner 6 PM
4 adults
Atmosphere — 4 stars
Food — 4 stars
Service — 3 stars
Background — Going to the comedy club at the Pioneer so we wanted to eat nearby.
Atmosphere — Very modern elegant feel to place. When I made the reservation I requested a window table. The river was flowing well from the recent storm. Even under the stars and the lights of downtown Reno the river was very visible. But what ruined the atmosphere was the lights would flicker. The first time I thought they were adjusting the lights in the room, but when it happens about every ten minutes it becomes annoying and distracting.
Food
Drinks — I had Bard’s Sorghum Malt Beer, I love trying new beers. But I really disliked this one, but I will not dock them for that. My wife enjoyed the beer. I will dock them for giving me a sticky beer bottle. How does a bottle get sticky? So gross! Even if the distributor gave it to them dirty, clean it!
Appetizer — skipped this.
My Main Course — I went for one of their burgers, the BEC burger, bacon egg cheese burger. The bacon was crunchy the way I like it. The cooked to your wishes, over easy to get some of that yummy yoke. They have many cheeses to pick and I had the pepper jack, give me some heat. This was half pound burger so it was very large.
Dessert — Skipped it as we were in a rush.
Service — It was going great. My friend had to send her salad back as she hated the dressing. They had a special for January where you buy one meal and get the other free. So that knocked $ 22 off the bill, so that was great but one of the reasons we pick the restaurant. Like I said early we are going to the comedy club. So after our plates were cleared it took twenty minutes to get our bill. I know I did not tell our waitress that we were on schedule but when you have no food or drinks the bill should come in more timely manner or at least ask you what you want for dessert.
Future — hmmmmm that is a tough one. I will leave that open to future debate.

The GF and I were really struggling to figure out where to eat, wanting something new. We tend to avoid casino restaurants as there are so many great, local places. Friday night, so places were busy, so we decided to try the Siena, figuring it wouldn’t be busy.
We wandered around a bit, checking out the options, and decided on the Whitewater, which appears to be the most upscale option in the casino — simple décor, trying to be a little upscale, but very moderate price point.
The GF ordered a Siena Splash ($ 12, modified Zombie) while I had a Mammoth IPA ($ 7). GF isn’t much of a drinker, and the fruity description tricked her, but this was a stiff drink — she ended up saying it may have been the stiffest drink she’s had.
I started with the oysters ($ 14) — nothing special here, but a half-​dozen or so competently prepared Blue Points served on a big plate of ice with lemon, mini bottles of Tobasco, lemon, and cocktail sauce.
The GF asked to split an order of Thai Bites ($ 10, «Sriracha-​spiced Chicken Bites»), which came with three dipping sauces. A large cone of breaded chicken bites, with a basil aioli, sweet chili, and I forget the third sauce.
We apparently had been starving, and I also ordered the fish-​n-​chips ($ 12), while the GF got the Gruyère and Green burger (crusted with green peppercorns). Everything was fine — no wow factor.
Portions were very large — we could have stopped after the appetizers. I don’t like taking food home, so I ate my fish-​n-​chips, while the GF barely touched her burger, and got it boxed up.
Our server was fantastic, making appropriate small talk, and making sure we had everything — bring out the small plates ahead of time, ketchup and malt vinegar without needing to be asked, etc. I really appreciate servers who get the details right.
Presentation of the items was simple — the fish-​n-​chips were on a plate, with some thicker fries, and both the fish and the fries were the same, uniform golden brown. Nothing to break up the colors at all, not even that token wilted leaf of lettuce under the fish. My fish-​n-​chips were the same as I might get in a paper-​lined, red plastic basket as a kids meal elsewhere, just doubled up.
I ended up tasting the burger the next day, and I do have to say, the peppercorn crust was a nice touch.
Overall impression was a middle of the road place — décor had an upscale style, but it was more of a Gilded feel than feeling really upscale. Seems like it’d be good for families with children, as there’s nothing too daring or crazy on the menu. Decent food at a reasonable price point.