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| - I adore the original OTB in the South Side. I love North Park and run there quite often. Imagine my delight when I found out the old boathouse was being given new life by the good, veggie friendly folks at OTB! What a great idea with so much potential!
We decided to go one Friday afternoon for some light bites. It was a warm afternoon and plenty of people were sitting on the gorgeous patio over looking North Park lake. We waited quite a lengthy bit of time for the host to seat us, despite there being open tables and only one party in front of us. We weren't in a hurry, so this wasn't a huge issue, but I did take note of how unorganized things seemed. The space was limited from the start, as they worked inside the footprint of the boathouse. This means indoor seating is limited and somewhat cramped, so we were happy to sit outdoors and take advantage of the view and sunshine. The patio is adorable and welcoming, with a fire pit and adirondack chairs placed near the dining tables. We looked over the menu and decided to get a few appetizers. The seitan wings in sweet chili barbecue flavor and the "Tangled Spokes", or soft pretzels with beer cheese. The restaurant was pretty busy, but our waitress was noticeably absent for most of our dining experience. We had to flag somebody down to get napkins and silverware. The food was good, about what I'd expect knowing what the original OTB is capable of. The boathouse menu seemed smaller to me, but there was still a few veggie sandwiches I'd be happy to try. My only real complaint about this place was the service. Our waitress could have turned over our table rather quickly if she had been paying attention. One of my dining pet peeves is waiting forever for the check. Which we did. I don't enjoy feeling like a restaurant is holding me hostage. I would have loved to given this OTB a four star review based on just the food and beautiful setting. But the service knocked it down a notch. When we finally left the line waiting for seating was literally out the door. I can't even imagine how long those poor people waited, since the tables weren't being turned over efficiently. I hope they can get the kinks worked out, because this will be a killer spot if they can pull it together.
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