The Watering Hole — Restaurant in Bengaluru

Located in the vibrant BTM 2nd stage, this recently established hangout spot is strategically situated near the lake, boasting convenient parking facilities and an inviting second-floor setup.

During my second visit, I found it to be an exceptional choice for a delightful evening. The culinary journey commenced with the exquisite Honey Chilli Lotus Stem, a dish that truly stood out with its remarkable combination of flavors—perfect sweetness complemented by a subtle hint of spice.

Regrettably, the European Grilled Chicken Skewer failed to meet expectations. Despite anticipating a more balanced flavor profile, the dish turned out excessively sweet, deviating from the promised European standard herbs and spices. The lack of clarity on the dish's origin adds an element of uncertainty.

Transitioning to the main course, the Mixed Yaki Misi rice left me dissatisfied. Contrary to the menu's description, the dish lacked the promised shintaki and was excessively oily, compromising the overall dining experience.

While my previous visit featured a tender and well-marinated Chicken Tikka, my subsequent experiences left me with mixed feelings about the menu. Despite providing constructive feedback to the staff, a positive response seemed elusive.

On a positive note, the ambience exuded sophistication with its subtly dark tones and impeccably executed rustic interiors. However, the live music, accompanied by lackluster vocals, proved to be an irksome aspect.

Service exhibited a sporadic performance, with varying degrees of effectiveness from different staff members. While responsiveness was evident in their timely table visits, consistency remained an area that could benefit from improvement.

Although the alcohol offerings adhered to standardized expectations, the overall dining experience was marked by its hit-and-miss nature. A silver lining emerged with the serene ambiance, particularly enjoyable around sunset, allowing patrons to relish the open sky and refreshing breeze from the lakeside.

For those considering a visit, exploring discounts available on platforms such as Swiggy Dineout and Zomato is recommended. In conclusion, while the establishment presents itself as a great place to socialize, the culinary experience may be subject to...

We had a very disappointing experience at The Watering Hole, BTM last Friday. My friend and I booked a table through Swiggy, which clearly allows reservations until 12:45 am. We reached around 11 pm, but no one at the reception informed us that the kitchen closes by 11 pm.

The moment we sat, the server started rushing us to place the order, saying the kitchen was already closed at 11:30 pm. When we explained that neither reception nor Swiggy mentioned this, and requested if items could be served one by one so we could relax and enjoy, the staff behaved rudely and insisted everything had to be served at once.

We escalated to the manager (believe his name was Sekar/Srinivas). Unfortunately, his behavior was even more arrogant and dismissive. Instead of apologizing or showing empathy, he simply showed us a handwritten note saying “last order 11 pm” and gave bizarre reasoning like “someone might just order curd rice at that time”. Totally unprofessional!

When we asked for the owner’s or senior person’s contact to escalate, the manager bluntly said “anyways the owner won’t answer the call.” And when we mentioned we’d share our experience on Google review, he casually said “you’re free to do that.” This shows how little they care about customer feedback.

Because of all this, our food was served almost at once, became cold by the time we started eating the main course, and the entire evening turned into a very unpleasant experience.

If the kitchen closes by 11 pm, why accept bookings till 12:45 am? Why allow guests inside without informing them? This is misleading and disrespectful to customers. Definitely not the kind of experience anyone...

Ambience: 5/5 Watering hole is situated between BTM lake and the road that connects to Bannerghatta main road. We went there in the evening when the place was pretty dimly lit and had plenty of candlelit tables. The dining area spans across two floors with a koi pond in the centre and there's lot of seating space though lacking posh sofas and fancy tables.

Food and drink: 5/5 I'm absolutely in sync with the 4.5 reviews this place has on Zomato. Every single dish we ordered that night was lip smacking and we ended up eating above our usual capacity! Crispy corn, classic paneer tikka, onion rings and fries were amazing bar bites. White sauce pasta and the paneer pizza were pretty good picks too. We ordered the brownie fudge cake for our friend's birthday and it was the best brownie fudge I've ever had. 100% recommend.

The drinks were above average as well if not the best. The draught beer- Toit Tintin was pretty average and watered down but the LIIT was pretty strong and was a good value drink. The mocktails that were ordered were pretty fruity and refreshing as well. Do invest in some decent glassware. The presentation can take you miles ahead.

Service: 5/5 It was a weekday evening during Dasara and there weren't a lot of people. Our orders reached our tables quicker than the rate at which 6 hungry gluttons could lick them clean. Food was fresh and orders were taken promptly. No complaints here.

So to summarise, Watering Hole has a very good vibe, delectable food and great choice of drink and rates that are pretty affordable too. Definitely visit this place with friends...