Having had some of the best meals from the best restaurants when I worked downtown Chicago many years ago, I can only express my praise for this dining experience. Beyond the great wines and the wine tasting room, the food was incredible. I had the Lobster/Crab bisque soup. Not being sure, I tasted a small spoonful and the blending of the meat with the spices and heavy cream tantalized all my taste buds. This was probably the best bisque soup I have tasted since the Blackhawk restaurant in Chicago closed many years ago. Then I am glad I ordered only the crab cakes appetizer as the 3 crab cakes with the Asian coleslaw filled up what little room was left after the coup and bread that was served bread warm and fresh. My daughter had the soup and a green salad with the most crisp pears I have ever eaten. She allowed me a small bite of one. As to the service, again it was top notch. The overall dining experience transported one to a fine upscale restaurant. For me linen napkins are always a plus. This is definitely going to become one of my favorite places to have lunch or dinner.
(5)
JL O.
I've been to this location now two times since they've opened. And after reading the other reviews I had to post more comments. First, they take reservations which is a huge plus. We waited maybe five minutes after our party arrived but it's have us a chance to sample a glass of wine. I do not feel the restaurant is loud. Maybe I've been lucky the last few times. Yes it's busy but I've never felt like I couldn't have a clear conversation with others I was with. The service still needs some improvement. It's not bad but it's not stellar either. The servers need more confidence and I'm hoping it will come with time. It's a new restaurant so I'm sure they're still learning. For that reason alone I give them a break. The food once again was incredible. The chopped Caesar salad and short rib risotto was once again outstanding. It says alot about a restaurant when you can consistently serve amazing dishes. My husband had the jambalaya and it too was outstanding. Mom got the gnocchi pomodoro and the sauce was fabulous. She loved it. Hands down incredible food! As far as price, it is very reasonable. It was $120 for the four of us including drinks and appetizers. That is a great deal if you ask me. Entree prices range from $12 to $32. If you want cheap food, visit any of the other junk chain restaurants that cover route 30 outside. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great meal.
(4)
Kristin S.
My review is based only on my wine tasting experience. Unfortunately, I ate dinner before we stopped in to check out the new addition to 'the mall', a moniker all people from NWI understand. I was fortunate enough to have Rebecca guiding us through the tasting. She was beyond knowledgable about their wines, and I appreciated her taking the time to ask what I thought of each taste. Most pourers talk more and listen less. Too bad it was Sunday and I had a long drive ahead of me. I would have loved to stay for more! No worries though, Rebecca introduced me to my new summer fave...Cooper's Hawk White! Great addition to 'the mall', NWI, great service, and great wine. Will be back for the food!!
(5)
Belinda E.
The food we ordered was delicious. I wish we would have tried Cooper's Hawk out sooner. We were able to sit in the bar right away & avoided a 15-30 minute wait. We were greeted by our friendly server right away with pretzal bread and butter. That was so good we ate another plate of it. I am giving it 4 stars because it took longer than it should have to get our drinks from the bar. The spa-tini and peach sangria are tasty. Both very light and refreshing. Our entrees were around $13 and $22 but worth every penny. My boyfriend ordered the braised ribs with mashed potatos. It was delicious. I ordered the flatbread and salad combo with Thai chicken flatbread and a cobb salad. They were delicious as well. Our bill ended up being just over $50. I read in past reviews the noise level is loud, I didn't experience that. We didn't have a problem hearing each other throughout the whole dinner. Sure, it's not as quiet as a cafe but it wasn't as loud as I expected. We had a nice time :) The ambiance and decor were so nice, I forgot I was in the crowded and loud mall.
(4)
Mindy S.
I have always enjoyed Coopers Hawk. Their wine is amazing, the menu is creative and extensive, and every meal I have had is perfectly cooked. From the appetizers to the entrees to the desserts to the wine pairings, they truly know how to please a diner. But, I now have an even greater appreciation of this restaurant. I found out less than a year ago that I suffer from a wheat allergy, which means that dining out choices are pretty limited (and frankly, there are only so many corn-tortillas a girl can stomach). When I found out that Coopers Hawk has a wheat free/gluten free menu, I was excited. But when I saw HOW extensive the menu was, I was thrilled. The wheat/gluten free menu is massive! They do not limit the choices. Appetizers, entrees, sandwiches (on wheat free bread!!!), and even desserts were all to be found on this menu. Anyone who can't eat wheat or gluten will get why this next statement is amazing: there were so many choices, I had a hard time selecting a meal! And for the first time in almost a year, I had an actual entree at a restaurant (the parmesan crusted chicken)...and it was amazing. I found out they cook these meals in a dedicated space in the restaurant, so I also didn't have any cross-contamination issues. I always have loved Coopers Hawk, but now I will become an evangelist for it. Thank you so much for treating those of us with wheat allergies and celiac disease the same as other diners. That is rare, and it is so appreciated!
(5)
Louise C.
I took two different groups of customers over the Christmas Holidays. I received great help from Bobbi in Sales but more importantly both times the service was better than excellent and the food was fantastic, The groups I brought were on the refined side and they were extremely impressed and loved it. Thanks for making me look good Cooper's Hawk!
(5)
Colin M.
This was my girlfriend and my first time eating at Cooper's Hawk and let me tell you the experience was sub-par. We expected the hour long wait with no reservation on a Friday at 8pm, and that was fine because she got to shop around the mall. I would suggest if you are looking to be seated within 10 minutes of the time you arrive to call in with a reservation. First thoughts were great ambience, but really loud and crowded in the wine tasting area. Keep in mind this is a nice restaurant, but to be honest we went there on a whim and maybe weren't dressed the best, but also not like a bum. I do not know whether it was our appearance or the fact that we look really young for our age (24), but the service was just awful. The server was very pushy with suggestions, only recommending the most expensive entrees and drinks. When we finally decided on an appetizer and wine flight, she was rude about the idea of me and my girlfriend sharing the flight to try the wines. Her attitude was pushy and rude, she did not refill our waters a single time, and the entrees took about 40 minutes to make it to our table. I give 1 star for the amazing food! I enjoyed the maple, mustard, and pretzel crusted pork medallions and my girlfriend loved the Parmesan crusted chicken. We had the south of the border egg rolls and tried the white flight with our dinner. The other star is for the manager Susan. She was great after noticing that our first experience was not going all that well. She took the time to come over and talk to us and for the first time in the evening we felt welcomed. It is because of the delicious food and Susan that we will give Cooper's Hawk another go, we just hope the service can match up with all the other great qualities.
(2)
Megan J.
Excellent atmosphere! Not the best service, but not awful either. Our waitress was just awkward and difficult to hear, but the food was of highest quality, and the menu was extensive. Oh, and the wines - huge selection which suited my picky palette! Great experience - cant wait to return to try some of the desserts!
(4)
Jerry S.
I gotta say...I was so impressed with the food here. Went with a party of six. tried alot of different appitzers. The Bacon wrapped shrimp was my favorite appetizer. I ordered the Grouper. It was excellent. Two friends ordered salmon One chicken & one Tri-Filets and they all loved theirs. Everyone was impressed. Great Wines too, you can ask for a sample before you buy a glass. Environment and service too. Not much more one would want in a restaurant.
(5)
Cassandra K.
I have been waiting for what feels like forever to finally eat here after reading the delicious menu online and finally got to check it out yesterday for lunch. Just walking into this place was heavenly. You would never think that an establishment such as Cooper's Hawk was in a mall. We walked in and the place was very clean, neat, orderly and set up quite nicely. The staff was very friendly, with the host seating us in the bar/lounge area. Our server, Sirena B. asked us if we have ever been to a Cooper's Hawk restaurant before, and when we said no, she gave us an entire rundown of the background of the restaurant. She was very thorough, explaining the winery part of the restaurant, right down to the year it was established. After that, we then ordered our drinks, my mother just having a raspberry lemonade and myself having a mimosa (it was a Sunday after all). The drinks took a little long to get to us, but it was pretty busy that afternoon, so it didn't really bother us. We looked over the menu and one thing that caught my mom's eye was the Mexican drunken shrimp, which was grilled shrimp wrapped in bacon with a tequila lime butter sauce. We asked for an order of the shrimp and when it arrived to our table, our mouths were watering. Even the presentation was good enough to eat. The tequila lime butter sauce wasn't overpowered with lime flavor, but had just a hint of a lime taste that complimented everything else. The shrimp was perfect, bacon wrapped around it nicely and not burnt; grilled perfectly. We then ordered cups of soup, my mother having the tortilla soup and myself having the lobster and crab bisque. I could already smell the tortilla soup, which was loaded with chicken. You know a soup is amazing when you can smell every ingredient. My lobster and crab bisque soup was AMAZING. Generally when I have any kind of lobster bisque, I usually get gypped out of any seafood, but this one was VERY different. The amount of shrimp, lobster and crab that was in this amazing soup was unreal. I was very satisfied. Now we decided to order our main course for lunch. My mother having the ahi tuna tacos and myself having the blackened ahi tuna entree. The tuna was amazing, served perfectly, and although I was a little skeptical on "blackened" part, I was not disappointed. It wasn't burnt like I thought it would be, instead it was more of a blackening spice on the outside. The Asian slaw served next to it was incredible. A nice citrus dressing really made the slaw stand out and have a fresh taste to it. All in all, our bill was a little over $80, but it was honestly worth every penny. Another great part of the experience was getting to know the manager Jeff. I had asked for our server's name and I told her that she was very knowledgeable of the menu and the background of the restaurant and told her I would be writing a review. She brought Jeff over the to the table and introduced us and he was so nice that he gave my mother and I both 2 complimentary invitations to a wine tasting there. I was very pleased with my experience there, feeling like I was in a downtown Chicago restaurant which I tend to frequent more because I work out there, but would never think this type of amazing hospitality would ever be brought to Northwest Indiana. I will definitely be going back again. Hopefully Sirena will be server again, and if you're lucky, maybe she can be yours.
(5)
Chaz H.
The wife and I stopped there for dinner on Wednesday night, 3/13/13, around 8:15 PM. As we approached the hostess stand, we observed two young ladies talking together, while one was on the phone. They didn't really acknowledge us at all. After a few minutes, the girl who was NOT on the phone finally looks up at us and says, "She'll be with you in a minute," and walks away into the dining room leaving the other girl still on the phone. We stand there for about five minutes, realizing the hostess (without the mostess) is taking a reservation for the next night. I saw the other girl that left in the dining room looking back at us once or twice as we stood there twiddling our thumbs, but she never did anything. While the hostess was still on the phone, two dudes saunter out of the restaurant/bar area and plunk themselves right in front of the girl on the phone. She FINALLY hangs up and, wouldn't you know it, asks the two dudes that walked up WAY after us what they needed, which, I guess, was a table for four. We could have said, "Hey, we were here first!" but what's the point? We were over it already. We promptly left and went to a place with good service. I am generally leery about chain restaurants, but it's usually more for quality of food concerns as opposed to service. This place looks like it has bad service (based on plenty of other reviews) and I'm guessing the food is not worth the prices I've seen on the menu. I was hoping this place would change my mind, but we couldn't even get a table to find out. It looks like a pricier TGIF. I'm guessing the microwave is working overtime in that kitchen! A wannabe semi-fancy winebar in NW Indiana attached to the Mall in a struggling economy??? Probably won't last too long! Corporate better shore up service to at least give itself a chance! We shan't be back.
(1)
Annie W.
I like the Orland Park location better than Merrillville... The staff was too nervous in Merrillville, maybe they wasn't use to a busy Friday night!!!
(4)
Kristen M.
I would have rated this Cooper's Hawk restaurant 5 stars, however, my last experience there was not the best. I have never had an issue with the food or drinks. Food and wine are excellent here. My only issue had to do with the overall service. I tried really hard to give the waiter the benefit of the doubt, but after continually messing up our order, I couldn't help but get more aggravated. He was rude, didn't let us finish ordering without interrupting, and was extremely forgetful. It took our table of three about 20-30 mins. to receive our pitcher of sangria. First, he gave us the wrong kind of sangria. Then, he insisted he heard us say white sangria, when we clearly ordered red sangria. I just felt he was being rude with his tone and with blaming the customers for his mistake!! It then took him another 20 min. or so to send us over the pitcher of sangria. He was not apologetic for messing up our order and taking forever to get us our sangria. Maybe he was having a bad day, but I have zero tolerance for rude waiters!!!!
(3)
September V.
Having dined at other locations and being a Copper's Hawk fan, I was very disappointed with this one. I made reservations for my family and I for a Sunday night dinner. My sister and I got there a bit early and they offered to seat us then. We opted to wait but then changed our mind 15 minutes later. The host then told us it would be a 30 minute wait. I looked around and surveyed the foyer and the restaurant that was filled with empty tables. Never saw the crowd of people that we were waiting behind but yet 15 minutes prior they were ready to seat us. Whatever! I ordered the Ceasar Pesto Chopped Salad for my salad appetizer and the Flatiron Steak Frites as my entree. I couldn't wait to try the salad and anticipated it's arrival as my mother and sister recieved their soups. Eventually, my Flatiron Steak was placed in front of me. Guess the waitress decided I didn't need the salad, yet, was surprised I did not want it after my entree was placed in front of me. The Steak was okay, Parmesan Fries were average, and the Sauteed Green Beans, Sweet Grape Tomato Relish was disgusting. Still deciding if I will give this location another chance.
(2)
Michael N.
Never had a bad meal or glass of wine
(4)
Raena C.
Service not the greatest. At these prices need and want good service. Orland is way better.
(2)
Natalie R.
I was excited to try Cooper's Hawk after all the hype but I must say I was very disappointed. As several others have indicated the service was quite poor. I was waiting for my daughter and decided to go in the bar and try the wine. When I sat down the waitress asked me if I was alone and when I said yes, you could tell she was immediately irritated. She never offered me a tasting, pretzel bread or even water. I ordered the sangria which was good but I didn't even get it until after she delivered my cold flatbread. The back waiter accidentally brought me another drink and when I told him the server already brought it, he told me to just keep it. The waitress came over and asked how I got another drink and I told her. She soon came back and told me that that was a mistake and wanted me to know that. She then asked if I thought I could drink a second drink. I told her that it was okay. I felt like she was staring at me and never came back to the table. When I paid the bill, she collected it and never came back to the table with my change. When I asked her about it, she said that she assumed it was her tip. I never told her to keep the change and was really still thinking of what kind of tip I should leave for such poor service while waiting for her to return. I have never felt more unwelcome at a restaurant.
(2)
Krista J.
Came to celebrate mother day and everything I got was delicious. Started off with the French onions soup which was fantastic and then the Chicken Madera. it was delicious I didn't want to get a typical steak but this was a good substitute I felt like it had the great sauce that I think would go good on a steak but for a lighter option best choice
(5)
Diana I.
I love this place! I always order the crab cakes which are delicious! Love the Asian slaw! its so tasty! Service is always great!great wine selections. The chicken potstickers are awesome, however they recently changed how they prepare the calamari. They now toss it In a sweet pepper flake sauce. It takes so much away from the dish and the rings are a bit tough. Just not what I expected especially when you're used to putting lemon on it. I really didn't care for it. But overall it is always a great meal for a special occasion or dinner out with friends. Kids menu available too!
(4)
Mark B.
great food! great service! My girlfriend and I started our meal with a bowl of crab & lobster bisque (very tasty!) and an order of ahi tuna tacos! The slices of tuna were cooked to perfection, and would definitely recommend these tacos to anyone. Then I ordered the Prime rib burger (this was ok) with a side of Betty potatoes (the cheese melted on the shreds of potatoes was just perfect!). Then to top it off, we shared an order of Pretzel bread pudding, yes, this was the perfect ending to our lovely, tasteful lunch. The dessert was plated very nicely, and the sweetness was just right
(5)
J Leigh E.
Well, I really want to like Cooper's Hawk but just can't do it for a good dining experience. And I am not picky. The service was bad. Perhaps some of the worst service ever. Again, no bread delivered until I asked for it. I finally got a chance to ask for it when our food was delivered (our server was MIA from the time we ordered until the food was delivered). The server was very pushy. He asked several times if we wanted an appetizer, wine, dessert, etc. "No" means "no" buddy. I had the scallops. Decent but pricey. $26 for 4 scallops, a few pieces of asparagus and some jasmine rice. Hmmm...perhaps they should include a soup or salad with it at that price. My "date" started with the lobster bisque and said it was really good. Her crab cakes were good but not the best in the area (she mentioned a bar next to Cold Stone Creamery in Crown Point has the best in the area--sorry, can't recall the name). Recap: Service is bad here. Not sure if I can give it another try at this point. Note that I did have good service one time when I stopped in the bar for a quick appetizer early on a Friday evening. Food is average but pricey. The wine is good and the wine tasting is fun. Perhaps that is the only reason I will visit in the future.
(2)
Felise R.
I have never been to a Coopers Hawk before, but my waitress Brittany was absolutely AMAZING, she didnt make me or company feel rushed or hurried. She introduced me to my new favorite wine Pinot Noir exculsively from CH. Needless to say the food was great, she recommended the steak frites, that accompanied my new favorite wine wonderfully. The atmosphere was inviting, and relaxing we didn't want to leave. When it came time to leave, she boxed up our food, giving us time to relax and think about desert, she recommeded the Banoffee which was the perfect ending to a Great dineing experience. I'm thinking about making Coppers Hawk our weekly go-to-hangout, if all the waitresses and waiters are as great as Brittany
(5)
Kelly B.
Cooper's Hawk has a great atmosphere for an intimate gathering of friends. Before your meal you can do a wine tasting- there's also the bar to sit at. They have the club there and it is definitely worth joining! You can do one or two bottles a month of wine and that entitles you and 1 guest to a free birthday meal (also specials) and as you earn points you can redeem them for $25 off your meals! If you're a lacto-ovo vegetarian, there are quite a few items you can order. For us vegans there is nothing on the menu BUT, talk to your server and they will work something out for you. The chef prepared a lovely ginger risotto for me! BEWARE: going that route can be pricey; my risotto was $21.99...
(4)
Kaleen F.
Pork medallions are so good, I am ordering that every visit. I just love the staff, they are always friendly. And Bobbie the boss lady is wonderful
(5)
Christin H.
Well This place is always so overcrowded there is no chance of getting up to the tasting bar at all. membership or not, I have never been able to take advantage of the benefit of membership (free tasting each month). It's just a zoo, lots of people, TWO Staff trying to pour wine for the crowds and ridiculous wait times to even pick up wine. They really need to work on serving their customers better, the wine is not THAT good! Just cancelled my membership.
(2)
Bitty C.
We threw my moms surprise birthday party here this weekend. Party of ten of us. Our server Michelle took great care of us. She was so accommodating with our requests how we wanted the check divided, our cake we brought in, and was fantastic to deal with. She even wrote on the cake and lit candles on it (we didn't bring those!) the food was fantastic I got the knife and fork pork belly Blt---amazing! The sparkling moscato was great. Overall,my first visit to Cooper's hawk was a good one!
(4)
Andre J.
Pleasantly surprise to find this great restaurant at a mall! Great atmosphere! Great food made fresh in house! Great wine also house! I love this place because I have celiac and they have a huge menu that is gluten free, and I never have had any allergic reaction after eating here.( many other restaurants claim to be gluten free but hurt my stomach)
(5)
Jim W.
Better than most in the area, food-wise, and near the best in experience. And it's in the mall. Really. Bring some cash and give yourself plenty of time to try the tasting room, the near-excellent apps, creative entrees & decedent desserts. A personal favorite: They have a $10 bloody mary that comes with a sidecar of beer. So good, I'd pay $15 for it. (glad I don't have to though)...
(4)
Angie D.
Great menu, great food, great service. I recommend the wine club. The wine is good for the price point and joining the club comes with several benefits. Discounts, gift certificates, and special purchases.
(5)
John T.
Food was a 3 star rating--got the gnocchi carbonara which was amazing, but the fiery shrimp, soups, and salmon were not up to par. Actually the salmon was great, but they were out of the Asian slaw, but didn't mention this until right about to serve so I settled on broccoli and it was really overcooked. The service was awesome. I will definitely be going back and even signed up for the wine of the month club solely because of the server and his great talking. The Chilean wine that is their current wine of the month is awesome, so I definitely recommend it.
(4)
Michael R.
Been a wine member for several years. The staff is always very friendly and the food is outstanding not to mention he wines are awesome. The staff behind the bar int he tasting room are very knowledgeable about the wines and always very nice.
(5)
Tom J.
I don't understand the big deal about this place. The service was OK. The appetizers were OK. The food was not cooked very well. The wine was OK.
(2)
Tatiana M.
I had one of the life balance menu items and I loved it! Been eating pizza and calzones and Chicago style hot dogs since I for here and I wanted something tasty but no carbs... For 429 calories this was amazing!
(5)
Emma T.
I've been back to Cooper's Hawk half a dozen times since discovering it a year ago. The food is incredible and the portions are on point, enough to fill you up without being an overwhelming amount yet never such a small portion that you leave hungry. The staff is quite encouraging and often have recommendations on what to try when I want to branch out into a new wine or dessert. I definitely recommend trying the bar on an early weeknight. They allow two free tastes and then the price is quite reasonable if you want to keep testing.
(4)
Alcea R.
Please Keep reading all the way through or skip to the bottom paragraph. The real reason of a 1 star- really should be zero is in the last paragraph. This place has so much potential. First off, they only allow to try two different tastings of wine prior to buying a glass. I thought this was odd, until I tried the first sample. I gave another sample a try too. Wow! This place is a "winery"?! The Meritage is a $12.00/glass, which I'm happy to pay, but not for a wine so terribly made. This was worse than opening a young wine too soon. A high quality wine will finish clean. These do not, my husband stated what is that after taste? It tastes like what I would think sweaty gym socks would taste like. Ok, fine. No worries about having wine. Lunch came and my husbands Beef rib risso to was delicious, as well as my lobster bisque. Now this rating would have been higher if I didn't have FOOD POISONING as I type this. Must have been the bisque. This is the food consumed today. Ugh, all on a week of work travel.
(1)
Krystal W.
Food was great loved the chocolate pretzel bread pudding best Ive had and a wonderful wine selection staff is very friendly and the place is beautiful with a great atmosphere
(5)
Sheila S.
I sat at the bar and the two bartenders walked back and forth several times. I sat there about 7 minutes before I was acknowledged (no drink orders, no menu). It took a manager to walk up to ask if I wanted a menu.I was directly in front of them so it was not like they did not know I was there. I was very disappointed in the lack of acknowledging me as I have gone to the Naperville location off Diehl Road and the Orland Park location several times. I guess, perhaps, this staff needs to visit the other locations to watch them and observe their service levels. Erica at the Orland Park location immediately said, "I'll be right with you". I am one who eats out frequently and does not mind tipping 20% when I have good service. This is a shame. We need more high-quality restaurants like Cooper's Hawk...don't take customers for granted.
(3)
Jessica L.
My husband and I returned to Cooper's Hawk and had a great experience. The server, Rachel S., was super nice and did a great job. The food was great and it came out quickly. I will return again.
(4)
Kristina C.
Yum, yum, yum!! From start to finish, this restaurant was an excellent surprise!! Drunken shrimp and apple & Brie bruschetta were awesome appetizers...so good that we got another order of bruschetta for our dessert ;) We loved the complimentary wine tastings (2 tastings/person)...the Sauvignon blanc was perfect to go with the chefs special churasco shrimp entree with jicama slaw and cilantro rice!!! Jacqueline was a great server!! Will definitely return for more!!
(5)
Shane E.
There are quite a few reason my night here was great: 1. We sat at the bar, and the bartender was gracious enough to let us sample some of their excellent red's. The Lux Meritage (I believe that's the name) is a big/dry red worth sampling. 2. Reasonable prices throughout the menu. 3. Shrimp Appetizer - whoa. Bacon-y, Tequila-y, Lime-y. Shrimp-y. 4. Actually a great selection of craft brews and cocktails for those who aren't into the wine scene. 5. Pretzel bread.
(5)
Ashley C.
Love this place! Great food, I have never had to wait long on the weekends. Always made a reservation. I love the wine tasting area!
(5)
Miriam L.
Waited less then 2 mins with reservations and service was impeccable. Three course meal cooked very well. Overall, would definitely be a returning guest.
(4)
Karl S.
DONT SIT IN THE BACK ROOM ! Very noisy ! I don't mind paying more for quality, but in this case, I felt the portions were small. And bordered on mediocre . The service was good, but I wouldn't recommend sitting in the back(mall) room. VERY noisy. Didn't help there was a ladies night out table against the window ,drunk and Very loud. Not a good atmosphere t all. They should fix this. That hampered the whole experience..Won't go out of my way to go back...
(2)
Lee B.
I have to eat strictly gluten free due to allergies and gluten intolerance, and Cooper's Hawk is a favorite restaurant of mine. They have an extensive gluten-free menu, including excellent appetizers and desserts, and they even have gluten free bread served at the table upon your request. The food is delicious and prepared responsibly. When the Merrillville location first opened, they weren't quite as good as some of their other locations, but now they are equally good, if not better. The servers are wonderful. The couple of times that I've had a server that's been less-than-the best, I haven't seen them again thereafter, so I'm assuming that CH has excellent management that keeps on top of customer service. I wish CH would find a way to offer gluten-free French fries, however, they have added homemade potato chips that make a tasty side to a burger (on a gf bun). I also wish they would find a way to offer gluten-free flat bread. A lot of establishments now have it on their gf menus, and Cooper's Hawk needs to join them! I'll go out of my way to go to a restaurant with gf flatbread! If you're new to Cooper's Hawk, definitely look into joining the Wine Club. One of the things they don't always mention is that you can use your monthly subscription bottle(s) at your table with no additional charge or corking fee. So, let's say you're a red wine member -- you'll pay around 19.00 per month for membership as a single-bottle member. On the menu, the average price for a bottle of red is around $25 to $29 and the average for a glass of red is around $8.00 - $9.00, so you've saved money by having your monthly bottle served at the table. You do not have to drink the whole bottle. They have a way of sealing the bottle, including a fully-sealed bag, that allows you to legally remove the opened wine from the restaurant . . . and in Indiana, you can even do it on a Sunday, as long as you ordered it served at the table. So, I opt to pick my bottle up rather than have it shipped -- that way, I can use it at the restaurant, AND I can use it at any Cooper's Hawk location. Plus, as a member, you get gift cards in return for the money you spend there -- I believe it is $25 for every $500 you spend, but double check. And, a couple times a year, you get extras such as a magnum of wine instead of the standard size, or a cookbook along with a bottle of wine, an extra $20 off during a July, etc. Also, as a member, you and your spouse or significant other will get $15 off on a birthday. Always check the rules for the dining gifts and cards. Sometimes they cannot be used on Saturdays, for example. So, the membership is more of an investment than a purchase. If you love the food, enjoy the wine and consider it a favorite restaurant, you'll save money with a membership. Noise level is average to a little on the loud side. Casual attire is welcome. Children are welcome. The biggest drawback is that the Cooper's Hawk Merrillville location is located inside a shopping mall, so the ambience at could be better. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, but some tables overlook the stores on the opposite side, so unless you're really into Build-A-Bear, you might wish for something a little more appealing. That said, it is also quite convenient to have it there if you're looking for an excellent meal after a long day of shopping. I also wish they had a private room for groups. All-in-all, I love Cooper's Hawk. I have dined at many of their locations and will continue to enjoy them wherever I find them.
(5)
Eugene S.
I had a wonderful experience... Great wine, Great food, Great service, with a great atmosphere.
(5)
Melanie T.
I have been to Cooper's hawk several times and have always gotten the gnocchi carbonorara. I told my parents who were visiting from out of town to get the sane dish. This time there was a very big mess up in the kitchen that caused my dish to taste overall sweet. The waitress that we had was awesome and got me a remake very fast. Once the manager and waitress found out what happened in the kitchen they rename my mom's and dad's dishes even with my dad having ate all of his. The manager also brought over a bottle of complimentary wine. Although my dinner was messed up, the service and hospitality totally made up for it. Everything at the table was delicious. Make reservations if you plan on going on the weekend.
(4)
Diane C.
Can't go wrong with this place. And now a new updated menu... ohemgee! Crab cake bites for starters. A new burger for dinner. And a raspberry sangria to wash dinner down. What a good evening!
(5)
Crazy G.
Good fresh taste. Way over priced. Clean. Rachel our server was nice. Good atmosphere. in side the mall so rent is probably high.
(3)
Adrienne W.
Save your money. There is constantly a long wait (sometimes upwards of two hours) and after trying this place, I do not understand why. Their wine is mediocre. Our meals were just ok, not bad but nothing that I have any interest in eating again. Definitely not worth the money. This seems like a place for people who don't know how to better spend their money.
(2)
Annette F.
If you need a good bottle of wine that goes with a cheese tray and cranberry jelly and crackers, I would recommend the Sangiovese. I would also recommend the Sangiovese to go with A 9oz Filet medium rare and Mary potatoes. Then if have room for desert go for the Banoffee Pie, But if you are looking for a good slice of Chocolate Cake, keep looking they have Mousse ant that is not cake.
(5)
Michelle M.
Love the food love the wine! Been a wine club member since 2010. The caprese flat bread is delicious. My go to item is the soy ginger salmon, I love how you can order a smaller portion on their lighter menu.
(5)
Kari B.
Visited this past weekend and had an amazing experience. Finding a restaurant that can serve something more than a salad a vegetarian and someone with a severe gluten allergy is extremely hard to find. More importantly for my gluten free friend, she finally had a full menu to choose from. It was also the first time in years that she has had gluten free bread and kept wanting more. The server was extremely helpful and polite. None of us have been able to find a wine that we like and she got it correct on the first time - romance red. Food came out quickly and hot. We didn't want to stop eating. Visiting the location in Cincinnati for graduation to see if we have a similar experience.
(5)
Rosey M.
Love this place! Great food and service. Try the drunken Mexican appetizer-it's delicious!!
(5)
G D.
Food: I've dined here on serval occasions so I've tired a variety of items from the menu. I absolutely love the ahi tuna tacos! I wasn't too hungry when I ordered this and I honestly didn't think I'd eat it all, but It was so delicious, I devoured every bite! Also the jalapeno cheeseburger is quite tasty. Love their fries! Marys potatoes is another can't go wrong option. The dessert truffles are the best I've ever had! Wine: I'm a wine club member, what more can I say? The wine is delicious and during meal service, you're offered 2 tastes. The wine tasting room is only $7 per person, or you can buy it by the glass. Service: Restaurant table service has always been great. Very professional and knowledgeable. Honestly I've never had even one negative experience anywhere at Coopers Hawk.
(4)
Emma K.
I'm surprised at the ratings of this place since dinner here last Friday has been one of the best meals I have had in the area. Since my boyfriend first suggested Applebee's and then pulled into the mall parking lot, I was skeptical. I got much more excited after seeing the word "winery" on the sign, and the evening only got better from there. Don't let this place being attached to the mall throw you. The interior is adorable. There is a little area with a store of all sorts of neat products and desserts, and then the hostess stand and the bar and dining area behind that. We were seated immediately and our waitress was great about explaining the concept, wines, and food once we told her it was our first visit. They have a wide variety of wine flights which is amazing. Sadly, I only went with one glass, but the Petite Syrah was great. I was telling my boyfriend I wanted to come back before our food even came out, and luckily that didn't change my mind since everything was delicious! They bring out warm pretzel bread and butter which is to die for. I could probably have had two of those with a wine flight and been one happy camper. Anyways, we shared the chicken pot stickers which were yummy and a good size to share. BF got the Southwest Chicken Sandwich and I got the Caprese Panini. Both were great. One great thing about this place is that they have a Life Balance Menu which has a TON of great options in the 300 - 600 calorie range. Since I was doing a long run the next morning, I didn't order from it, but would definitely in the future. It's great to see so many healthy options instead of the usual "chicken breast with fruit." I didn't leave enough room for dessert, but did drool over the chocolate display on the way out. I found the prices incredibly reasonable since one wine + one soda + one app + two entrees was less than $50. I look forward to coming back to try a wine flight and some chocolate soon!
(5)
Rogelio T.
1st class service all the way..food is soooo mouthwatering staff is a class above the rest...im a def repeat customer
(5)
Brandon B.
Don't believe the hype food is boring and none flavored sent food back second food came back worse never return
(1)
Heidi D.
Went here for a special occasion. I was three months pregnant at the time. They served me raw chicken. Not just a little rare. Completely raw. To make matters worse they didn't offer anything for possibly giving me food poisoning. They just took it back. Be safe. Double check your food is cooked properly. We won't be going here again.
(1)
Michelle L.
My husband and I took a very good friend to dinner here last night and we were all very impressed! They greet you with the wine of the month sample, (very tasty indeed) and then we took a little while to browse the gift shop. So many interesting things! The atmosphere is very laid back and charming. Hostess was very accommodating since we did not like the first table she took us to, she had no problem seating us somewhere that we were more comfortable. The wine list and the tastings were amazing! We tried several and of course, joined their wine club and walked out with our first two bottles! It is well worth joining because you don't have to pick up once a month, you can wait all year if you want and pick them all up in time for the holidays! We shared the drunken shrimp appetizer and it was wonderful! My husband had the scallops which melted in your mouth! Didn't like that they were served with very plain white rice so you may have to ask them to substitute Mary's mashed potatoes instead... I had the grouper and it was also fantastic! Very large portion so everyone got to taste it! We are looking forward to coming back time and time again!
(4)
Mary B.
One of my favorite places, I love their parmesan crusted chicken, pork medallions, and salmon dish. My favorite wines are blueberry, raspberry, romance red, gerwertzaminer, and ice. And my favorite server is Sal!!! I always sit in his section. Love love this place
(5)
Krystina R.
This was my first time trying Cooper's Hawk and I was very excited. My Dad was in town from Mexico and we decided Cooper's Hawk for some quality time. We tried a red wine that was deliscious, but I cannot rememeber the name. Now, my review is a bit different. Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to really try the food. We had a new waiter that had made a few mistakes early on, but wasn't an issue since we understand. I ordered the Turkey Burger but when it arrived, it looked a little different. Now, I should have said something at this point but I assumed this is how Cooper's Hawk made their Turkey Burger. Well, only one bite in, I realized it had nuts on it! I am severely allergic and came to find out this sandwich had candied Walnuts. We never saw the waiter again. My dad got the manager right away since we had to get up and head to the ER. The manage did comp the meal, but again, we had ONE bite. So I would have been shocked if they made us pay. Needless to say, we played phone tag several times over the span of two months. I spoke with various managers that apologized and said they were sending Be Our Guest gift cards so that I could have another chance at trying Cooper's Hawk. After hearing that on several occassions, I never received anything in the mail. Nothing. I feel like McDonald's gives better service. They made me feel like I was just a probelm they wanted to shoo away. I could have experienced anaphylactic shock and they couldn't even have the decency to be sincere in their apologies. This experience and they way they handled this mishap caused by their very own personnel has made me share my negative expereince to others. A month after my experience was graduation time. I had a friend book a private room to enjoy her graduation with her loved ones and paid for everything. They called her the WEEK of and told her they moved her to the general seating because they found another party that would bring in more guests. HORRIBLE MANAGEMENT.
(1)
Brett V.
Food and Service were A+. Only qualm was I had a reservation at 5 and wasn't seated until 5:20 even though when walking to our table there were over a dozen empty tables. Our server was fantastic and everyone was blown away by their meal.
(4)
Monique N.
I'll start with the good, I love the wine! My faves are the blueberry, red sangria and guwertraminer which I think may be my fave! However, I have yet to fall in love with any of the menu items. My recommendation? Come for the $7 tasting :-)
(3)
Sarah N.
Probably one of the better choices in the area for quality. I wish their fish selection was fresh & wild rather than frozen & farmed. Bonus: separate gluten free menu!
(4)
The grapevine W.
This is now one of my favorite restaurants in Northwest Indiana. I love the ambience of the restaurant. The wine selection is wonderful; if you have the chance to become a Wine Card member it is really worth the money. I've tried most items on the menu the food is always good, my least favorite are the miniature sliders I find the beef tough and hard to chew. The service is excellent and attentive. The times that I am here in the restaurant I find it hard to believe I'm in Northwest Indiana. I enjoy the fact that this is cooked food not, reheated Gordon Service Food. Great job Coopers Hawk I hope you're here for many years to come.
(4)
Christina G.
Went here for the hubby's bday dinner. Tortilla soup was hot and tasty. Our egg roll app was amazing. The parm crusted chicken was well worth it.
(5)
Kim S.
Wonderful anniversary dinner with my hubby. Server was marvelous and I gladly overtipped for her attentiveness to detail. I ordered the filet mignon and while the blue cheese crust and fried onion strips on top were delicious, the beef just didn't have the flavor I would have hoped for. Maybe it wasn't aged enough? Who knows? It was good enough that I finished it all, however, but the broccoli that came with it was not only stone cold (and I know that it's hard to keep that hot), but so al dente that I had to try and cut it with a sharp knife and ended up not eating it at all. Betty's Potatoes as a side were out of this world, and I could have skipped the broccoli for another serving of those! Ordered the creme brulee for dessert with a glass of their raspberry wine, and it made for a nice end to the meal. Would I go back? Yes. Steak? No. One other issue is the intense noise level in this restaurant; my husband had to repeatedly turn down his hearing aids because of the crash and roar of conversations and dishes.
(4)
Tonia O.
It's DECENT. I tried this place twice to get a good sense of what type of restaurant this is...... so here goes: 1. Love the design 2. Service sucks --- If I could have gotten up to get my food, I would have. I waited 2 mins on a 2nd set of clean silverware, napkin, and plate, which leads me to #3... 3. Nasty silverware. Not just a mark or a little crust spot, but a glunk of dried on food. Let me just preface this by stating, that someone has to manually wrap the silverware, which means, they are either blind or don't give a shizz. Either way, terrible. 4. Food is hit or miss. Ordered the risotto and short ribs of beef. The risotto was likened to oatmeal. 5. They do 1/2 soup and sandwich really well, but so does Panera Bread. Nuff' said.
(2)
Lizette Crystal R.
Best restaurant in Indiana. Love them !!! Five stars wouldn't even begin to give them justice. Nice ambiance & great food.
(5)
Sharee M.
I absolutely love this place for my pre- bachelorette party! Not only was the wine good but so was the food! The sweet red wine is probably the best I've ever had in my natural life! I don't really care for their crab cakes and my friend did not care for their tortilla soup at all. I did enjoy the sample app platter! And the mashed potatoes were excellent. I love the lounge feel of the whole restaurant and they actually had a little section just for buying their wine. I also like that you can get 2 free samples of wine! This will be a great first or second date as well as a good spot to take the wine lover that you know. I'll be back!!!
(4)
Chip T.
I took my girlfriend here and we had the salmon. The portions were excellent, my biggest question was the mashed potatoes. The dish was geared more for an Asian twist. So they put a wasabi butter on the starch. I don't find mashed potatoes to be very Asian, but it's a global economy and everyone can get their hands on anything. The service was a little slower, but our waitress had a large group along with a few other tables. What's the rush? We were on a date so we had nothing to complain about. Our waitress was knowledgable of the menu and made great recommendations. Wonderful experience.
(5)
Jeannie A.
Let me start by saying I am a 2-bottle a month wine club member and that I love the Orland location. Visited this location today and was really disappointed with the food and service. The good: the tasting bar area is beautiful. What a great set up. So roomy and seperate. Love the way this place was designed. This was the only good. The bad...Service... Went to the host to be seated...and waited...and waited..and waited. Oh, the place wasn't busy and probably 75% of the tables were empty. However, the person that seats you, never came back from seating the previous party. So we stood there, waiting. Finally, the host said he would seat us. Our waitress was friendly, but she wasn't anywhere to be found. She was going to bring us pretzel bread several times, but never came back. I finally reminded her and she brought it. Then we never saw her again. There was this door that all the servers kept going into, I think it was connected to the bar. I had a perfect view of the door, and every time it opened, I saw all the wait staff just standing in there talking. I ordered the crispy fried fish sandwich, which was stared on the menu as a 'chef recommendation'. Really? You recommend a deep fried piece of talapia, that turned into cardboard once done? Talapia is such a thin fish, that it was just awful once deep friend. I had to send it back, it was just not edible. Of course, I had to wait about 15 minutes until I could find our waitress. I've eaten at the CH location in Orland at least 50 times, and the food has always been superb. The food here was just not good. A 'manager' did come over and offer to get me something else, but I was kind of over this place by this time. Time to pay the bill. Where's the waitress? Seriously, the place was not busy. There was tons of staff hanging in the back room....how about waiting on the customers? I would not go back to this location. I'll still with Orland - where the service and food is always good.
(2)
Shaun H.
I've eaten here twice. In one word AWESOME!!! I tried foods I normally wouldn't have, just because they looked so good. our waiter was great, helpful and knowledgeable. We will return over and over...
(5)
Dana F.
Wine club member so I eat there once a month or so. The pork medallions are excellent and so are the filet medallions. Eat the Betty's potatoes instead of Mary's. They let you sub on the menu with sides also. Good ahi tuna and crab cakes too!
(4)
Tonda H.
This is not our first visit nor will it be our last. We are wine club members and really enjoy the menu. The presentation is excellent and the food always tastes as good as it looks. The only rub is that on my reservation I requested booth seating and that was not recognized. We were taken to a table in a busy spot of the restaurant. We were quickly accommodated.
(5)
Kristine L.
This is my second time returning to Cooper's Hawk in Merrillville. My husband and I went with another couple during opening week. What a huge mistake. We waited over 35 minutes for our reservation. The table next to us (different waitress) had been turned over twice before we received our appetizers. If it wasn't for the great friends and conversation we would have left. The food was ok. Nothing impressive. I had been to the Orland Park location numerous times so I was excited to see a Cooper's Hawk opening near me. I wanted to give the location another chance so I met a friend for dinner and drinks. Again I waited a ridiculous amount of time to be seated. Upon arriving I was told 25 to 30 minutes. I figured we could try a few wines while waiting. After 35 minutes had passed I asked the hostess how much longer she thought. She rolled her eyes and asked to see my number on my buzzer. I was told it may be another 15 minutes. I advised her that 35 minutes ago she told me 25 to 30 minutes. She then just looked at me and said ok, well we're busy. Awesome way to treat your customers. After we were seated my friend and I ordered drinks and dinner. Our waitress was very nice and informative about the questions we had about the menu. Our food arrived and was good, but nothing spectacular. The scallops were room temperature but the sauce was decent. Overall, I probably will not return to the restaurant, but I do enjoy their wines and wine of the month club so that reason I would return.
(2)
Dawn P.
Beautiful resteraunt with amazing food, great service. lots of unusual items for sale and of course wine!!
(5)
Erin C.
A bit on the pricey side, but worth every penny. The wine tastings are phenomenal (tip! pay an extra $1 and get a truffle added on! The key lime pie ones are to die for!)! If you stay for dinner try out their gnocci, holy balls batman, it's delightful. In fact, everything on their menu is delightful, so why not go hogwild. Also, if you join their wine of the month club (only $35 a !) you get 2 bottles of wine a month, 2 free wine tastings (their selection changes every month), and can earn bonus points to put towards wine and other discounts. month
(4)
Rossel E.
Good wine selection but food is ok. Let me explain, I had the Parmesan crusted chicken and I had tried the same dish before but what helped differentiate the taste is the tomato basil relish. That I find a little refreshing but I don't see anything else special. What is great is the ambiance and a good spot for intimate conversations. My wife had the jambalaya with linguini and she said the chicken taste funny so she didnt finish it. But the kid's italian sausage with pesto flat bread is good since they used ricota cheese instead of just mozarella. Overall nice place to hangout and even for business meetings.
(3)
Michele L.
The menu had a good variety of wine-food-desserts. I had a chicken meal, the meal was wonderful. Sangria was outstanding. Dessert magnificent. Fabulous waiter. A little pricey but worth it.
(4)
Hank H.
We really liked this place. The food that we had was excellent. The pretzel bread they automatically bring is very good. We then had the stuffed mushroom appetizer, which was also really good. We both had 2 different chicken dishes ( I had the Dana's parmesan crusted chicken) and Mac-n-cheese for our 3 year old, each of which was outstanding ! The decor is really nice, and it is quite loud inside but for parents sometimes thats a good thing. My wife had the wine flight , which she really enjoyed. (4 different wines to try) The desert (Crumbled Apple Pie) we had was incredible, an apple crumb ice cream dish. The service was pretty good although a little slow, but not too bad. It's a little on the pricey side, but not too terrible. Some reviews said the place was too cold , but we thought it was fine. And like any place thats just opened it will take a little time to work out all the kinks. Would recommend and we will definitely be going back to try something else. coopershawkwinery.com
(4)
Billie R.
I have to give it 5 stars! I am there at least every other month- usually by myself, and I sit at the bar. The bartendress is always friendly and helpful- but I go to read my book, eat my salad and have a glass of wine- and I never feel like I am being pushed out because I am not ordering a bunch of liquor or food. Sometimes, when I am with other people I will order more than just the appetizer wedge salad, but that thing is so stinking good and filling, I really can't manage to scarf anything else down. Now- let me tell you a little about that salad. I am sitting here right now wishing I had one....most days I think about it. Some evenings I dream about it. I LOVE IT! It's a typical wedge in the manner of- a nice little iceberg wedge is sitting on your plate- but that's not all... There is some yummy chopped up romaine added for your noshing pleasure--- but that isn't even the good part. I know, I am keeping you in suspense- but my mouth is watering just thinking about it- so let me enjoy my memories while I tell you. On this beautiful wedge they drizzle a little vinegar, top it with a creamy dressing, halved cherry tomatoes, blue cheese chunks, parsley, and bits of fabulous crispy smokey bacon. Doesn't sound like heaven? Dude- try it... It has changed my whole perception of the wedge.
(5)
Brittany H.
Pleasantly surprised by this place. I usually am skeptical of chains. However the food and service was great. I had the fish and chips which came with a fantastic siracha mayo. My dad had a gnocchi dish with butternut squash. Also delish. My mom liked her burger and it looked great. It's not a cheap place but I found it well worth the money and I didn't even get around to trying the wine! I'll just have to make another visit soon!
(5)
Kathryn O.
So happy Merrillville finally has a NICE restaurant! Although the hostesses all seem VERY inept the food makes up for it!! Things I loved : tuna tacos, lettuce wraps, chopped wedge salad, Thai flatbread & BANOFEE pie ( not all at once lol). I wasn't crazy about the trio of medallions I've had before, very bland and over priced. Also make sure you take advantage of the free samples of wine!! I go back for apps and dessert :)
(4)
Anne L.
Today was a rough day. My uncle started expiring at 1:30 this morning; so, my family has been up since then. With zero sleep and tons of melancholy, no one felt like cooking. Since we were already at the mall making sure my uncle is casket sharp, Cooper's Hawk was a logical choice. We could drown out our sorrows with some vino, and I could have a gluten free meal. With all of the g-free options, I settled on a simple Caesar salad, with grilled shrimp. The salad came out...and it looked a little sparse. I asked our waiter what was up with the skimpy salad, and he also thought it was a bit off. Mike--our waiter who is definitely the doppleganger for a childhood friend named Carl--quickly resolved the issue! He had a chit chat with the chef and got me some additional lettuce! File that under winning. The shrimp was grilled to perfection, flavorful. Our service tonight was unparalleled. Mike is pretty awesome at what he does. He came prepared with recommendations, and was happy to help with whatever we needed. So basically, he did his job! It was great to have someone who clearly enjoys doing his job (or at least it appears that way). We finished the evening off with truffles from the tasting room. I had the Bailey's truffle. It wasn't what I expected. I couldn't actually taste the irish cream. It was still good, however. Next time I'll probably try the zinfandel truffle. This was definitely one of my better evenings at CHW.
(4)
Nathan E.
My girlfriend, her little one and I were planning on going to dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings but she decided to surprise me and take me here instead. She made a great decision! This restaurant is very nice and the food was delicious. I had the Cooper's Hawk Bloody Mary which came with a sidecar of Cooper's Hawk Ale. Both were delicious and the Bloody Mary was a meal in itself with a skewer of aged cheddar, cherry tomato, shrimp, pickle and a blue cheese stuffed olive. As far as the food goes, I was impressed. I had a half sandwich and a cup of the soup of the day. The sandwich was the Honey-Smoked Turkey and Brie and the soup was a Tomatillo Bisque. I'd go back just for the sandwich alone. The flavor was out of this world! The soup was very good as well. My girlfriend had a cheeseburger which was served on a pretzel bun and it was quite good. I liked the side order options that you get with the sandwiches: fries, fresh fruit or slaw. It's nice to see some healthy options and they also have a "Life Balance" section in the menu that offers food under 600 calories. The only problem I had was that we had ordered apple juice for the little one and since it was coming from the bar, they waited to bring it out with my drink. Not the best idea when serving a child for whom minutes can seem like hours. Our server was very friendly but the service seemed a tad slow. I don't mind waiting a bit but if you bring children here or are impatient yourself, be prepared to learn some patience. That being said, everything from the drink to the food was well worth the wait and I wish I had saved room for dessert as the dessert menu looked very good. I will definitely be returning here and I would highly recommend it.
(4)
Stacey E.
SUMMARY: The wine was great, the food was great. PRETZEL BREAD & LOBSTER BISQUE, Get some. Back room is loud (the sound just bounces off the walls), don't sit there. More info... I have visited the Orland location which was always really great! I am not a huge wine fan but I do like the wine here and always get a flight (4 different wines to try, about equal to 2 full glasses). My husband doesn't like wine at all, he ordered a mojito, I don't like mojitos at all until this one. YUM! It is on the pricier side, just a heads up. I think it is reasonable enough and worth it though. We went as a party of 4 on a Friday night (which was packed), thankfully, we had made a reservation and were seated right away. Everything that we ordered was as expected. I was disappointed that they were out of a few dishes and it was still early for a Friday, about 6:30-7:00 but our waitress and the manager were very accommodating and pleasant. I just chose something else. My husband's meal was "going to be late" but they offered soup, salad, etc. while he waited. (His wait was literally about 3 minutes longer than ours). The location is still relatively new and little things like those can be expected and forgiven. Some people find this to be a "fancy" place, I don't think so. Come on peeps...it's in the mall. I'm not saying it's not nice, it's a nice place you just don't have to get fancy to go. The one thing that was hard to get over was the noise level in the "back" room. Originally we were going to be seated there and before we even sat down, we asked if they had something else and they moved us. It was really ridiculously loud in that part of the restaurant, I am sure that it has something to do with the building itself, it wasn't the people, it was just really loud. The middle area of the restaurant was fine. All in all, it was very good and we will be back again. I am glad they have a closer location to me than Orland now :)
(4)
Bennett G.
I was very skeptical at first-after all it is a little odd to put a fine dining restaurant in a mall. I have now been several times, and I am a converted fan. The appetizers, from the shrimp to the calamari are consistently good. We have never had a bad entree, though some do stand out more than others. In particular I like the grouper and the pork medallions. It seems from reading the reviews that management has listened when it comes to service. The staff seem to be much more seasoned. Reservations are required on the weekend or you will be frustrated. I don't even bother attempting even a tasting on a Friday or Saturday night as the place is packed. We became members of the wine of the month club and have found it is now a favorite spot. We come on a week night for our tasting, then have a quick bite in the excellent bar.
(4)
Tiffany K.
Love Cooper's Hawk. As a former wine of the month club member in Indianapolis I need to certainly get back on track at the Merrillville location. Both of my visits at this location have been wonderful and worth the wait considering it was Friday and Saturday the times I went. The wait time was in line with other restaurants in the area. Doing the wine tasting during that time was the perfect way to spend my 30+ minutes. The food is amazing. I have never had something I didn't like between the Indy and Merrillville location. The Lobster Bisque is a requirement for me to have everytime...it's that good.
(5)
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Address :2120 Southlake Mall,Unit 500
Merrillville, IN, 46410
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : No Best Nights : Wed, Thu, Sun Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Leanne H.
Having had some of the best meals from the best restaurants when I worked downtown Chicago many years ago, I can only express my praise for this dining experience. Beyond the great wines and the wine tasting room, the food was incredible. I had the Lobster/Crab bisque soup. Not being sure, I tasted a small spoonful and the blending of the meat with the spices and heavy cream tantalized all my taste buds. This was probably the best bisque soup I have tasted since the Blackhawk restaurant in Chicago closed many years ago. Then I am glad I ordered only the crab cakes appetizer as the 3 crab cakes with the Asian coleslaw filled up what little room was left after the coup and bread that was served bread warm and fresh. My daughter had the soup and a green salad with the most crisp pears I have ever eaten. She allowed me a small bite of one. As to the service, again it was top notch. The overall dining experience transported one to a fine upscale restaurant. For me linen napkins are always a plus. This is definitely going to become one of my favorite places to have lunch or dinner.
(5)JL O.
I've been to this location now two times since they've opened. And after reading the other reviews I had to post more comments. First, they take reservations which is a huge plus. We waited maybe five minutes after our party arrived but it's have us a chance to sample a glass of wine. I do not feel the restaurant is loud. Maybe I've been lucky the last few times. Yes it's busy but I've never felt like I couldn't have a clear conversation with others I was with. The service still needs some improvement. It's not bad but it's not stellar either. The servers need more confidence and I'm hoping it will come with time. It's a new restaurant so I'm sure they're still learning. For that reason alone I give them a break. The food once again was incredible. The chopped Caesar salad and short rib risotto was once again outstanding. It says alot about a restaurant when you can consistently serve amazing dishes. My husband had the jambalaya and it too was outstanding. Mom got the gnocchi pomodoro and the sauce was fabulous. She loved it. Hands down incredible food! As far as price, it is very reasonable. It was $120 for the four of us including drinks and appetizers. That is a great deal if you ask me. Entree prices range from $12 to $32. If you want cheap food, visit any of the other junk chain restaurants that cover route 30 outside. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great meal.
(4)Kristin S.
My review is based only on my wine tasting experience. Unfortunately, I ate dinner before we stopped in to check out the new addition to 'the mall', a moniker all people from NWI understand. I was fortunate enough to have Rebecca guiding us through the tasting. She was beyond knowledgable about their wines, and I appreciated her taking the time to ask what I thought of each taste. Most pourers talk more and listen less. Too bad it was Sunday and I had a long drive ahead of me. I would have loved to stay for more! No worries though, Rebecca introduced me to my new summer fave...Cooper's Hawk White! Great addition to 'the mall', NWI, great service, and great wine. Will be back for the food!!
(5)Belinda E.
The food we ordered was delicious. I wish we would have tried Cooper's Hawk out sooner. We were able to sit in the bar right away & avoided a 15-30 minute wait. We were greeted by our friendly server right away with pretzal bread and butter. That was so good we ate another plate of it. I am giving it 4 stars because it took longer than it should have to get our drinks from the bar. The spa-tini and peach sangria are tasty. Both very light and refreshing. Our entrees were around $13 and $22 but worth every penny. My boyfriend ordered the braised ribs with mashed potatos. It was delicious. I ordered the flatbread and salad combo with Thai chicken flatbread and a cobb salad. They were delicious as well. Our bill ended up being just over $50. I read in past reviews the noise level is loud, I didn't experience that. We didn't have a problem hearing each other throughout the whole dinner. Sure, it's not as quiet as a cafe but it wasn't as loud as I expected. We had a nice time :) The ambiance and decor were so nice, I forgot I was in the crowded and loud mall.
(4)Mindy S.
I have always enjoyed Coopers Hawk. Their wine is amazing, the menu is creative and extensive, and every meal I have had is perfectly cooked. From the appetizers to the entrees to the desserts to the wine pairings, they truly know how to please a diner. But, I now have an even greater appreciation of this restaurant. I found out less than a year ago that I suffer from a wheat allergy, which means that dining out choices are pretty limited (and frankly, there are only so many corn-tortillas a girl can stomach). When I found out that Coopers Hawk has a wheat free/gluten free menu, I was excited. But when I saw HOW extensive the menu was, I was thrilled. The wheat/gluten free menu is massive! They do not limit the choices. Appetizers, entrees, sandwiches (on wheat free bread!!!), and even desserts were all to be found on this menu. Anyone who can't eat wheat or gluten will get why this next statement is amazing: there were so many choices, I had a hard time selecting a meal! And for the first time in almost a year, I had an actual entree at a restaurant (the parmesan crusted chicken)...and it was amazing. I found out they cook these meals in a dedicated space in the restaurant, so I also didn't have any cross-contamination issues. I always have loved Coopers Hawk, but now I will become an evangelist for it. Thank you so much for treating those of us with wheat allergies and celiac disease the same as other diners. That is rare, and it is so appreciated!
(5)Louise C.
I took two different groups of customers over the Christmas Holidays. I received great help from Bobbi in Sales but more importantly both times the service was better than excellent and the food was fantastic, The groups I brought were on the refined side and they were extremely impressed and loved it. Thanks for making me look good Cooper's Hawk!
(5)Colin M.
This was my girlfriend and my first time eating at Cooper's Hawk and let me tell you the experience was sub-par. We expected the hour long wait with no reservation on a Friday at 8pm, and that was fine because she got to shop around the mall. I would suggest if you are looking to be seated within 10 minutes of the time you arrive to call in with a reservation. First thoughts were great ambience, but really loud and crowded in the wine tasting area. Keep in mind this is a nice restaurant, but to be honest we went there on a whim and maybe weren't dressed the best, but also not like a bum. I do not know whether it was our appearance or the fact that we look really young for our age (24), but the service was just awful. The server was very pushy with suggestions, only recommending the most expensive entrees and drinks. When we finally decided on an appetizer and wine flight, she was rude about the idea of me and my girlfriend sharing the flight to try the wines. Her attitude was pushy and rude, she did not refill our waters a single time, and the entrees took about 40 minutes to make it to our table. I give 1 star for the amazing food! I enjoyed the maple, mustard, and pretzel crusted pork medallions and my girlfriend loved the Parmesan crusted chicken. We had the south of the border egg rolls and tried the white flight with our dinner. The other star is for the manager Susan. She was great after noticing that our first experience was not going all that well. She took the time to come over and talk to us and for the first time in the evening we felt welcomed. It is because of the delicious food and Susan that we will give Cooper's Hawk another go, we just hope the service can match up with all the other great qualities.
(2)Megan J.
Excellent atmosphere! Not the best service, but not awful either. Our waitress was just awkward and difficult to hear, but the food was of highest quality, and the menu was extensive. Oh, and the wines - huge selection which suited my picky palette! Great experience - cant wait to return to try some of the desserts!
(4)Jerry S.
I gotta say...I was so impressed with the food here. Went with a party of six. tried alot of different appitzers. The Bacon wrapped shrimp was my favorite appetizer. I ordered the Grouper. It was excellent. Two friends ordered salmon One chicken & one Tri-Filets and they all loved theirs. Everyone was impressed. Great Wines too, you can ask for a sample before you buy a glass. Environment and service too. Not much more one would want in a restaurant.
(5)Cassandra K.
I have been waiting for what feels like forever to finally eat here after reading the delicious menu online and finally got to check it out yesterday for lunch. Just walking into this place was heavenly. You would never think that an establishment such as Cooper's Hawk was in a mall. We walked in and the place was very clean, neat, orderly and set up quite nicely. The staff was very friendly, with the host seating us in the bar/lounge area. Our server, Sirena B. asked us if we have ever been to a Cooper's Hawk restaurant before, and when we said no, she gave us an entire rundown of the background of the restaurant. She was very thorough, explaining the winery part of the restaurant, right down to the year it was established. After that, we then ordered our drinks, my mother just having a raspberry lemonade and myself having a mimosa (it was a Sunday after all). The drinks took a little long to get to us, but it was pretty busy that afternoon, so it didn't really bother us. We looked over the menu and one thing that caught my mom's eye was the Mexican drunken shrimp, which was grilled shrimp wrapped in bacon with a tequila lime butter sauce. We asked for an order of the shrimp and when it arrived to our table, our mouths were watering. Even the presentation was good enough to eat. The tequila lime butter sauce wasn't overpowered with lime flavor, but had just a hint of a lime taste that complimented everything else. The shrimp was perfect, bacon wrapped around it nicely and not burnt; grilled perfectly. We then ordered cups of soup, my mother having the tortilla soup and myself having the lobster and crab bisque. I could already smell the tortilla soup, which was loaded with chicken. You know a soup is amazing when you can smell every ingredient. My lobster and crab bisque soup was AMAZING. Generally when I have any kind of lobster bisque, I usually get gypped out of any seafood, but this one was VERY different. The amount of shrimp, lobster and crab that was in this amazing soup was unreal. I was very satisfied. Now we decided to order our main course for lunch. My mother having the ahi tuna tacos and myself having the blackened ahi tuna entree. The tuna was amazing, served perfectly, and although I was a little skeptical on "blackened" part, I was not disappointed. It wasn't burnt like I thought it would be, instead it was more of a blackening spice on the outside. The Asian slaw served next to it was incredible. A nice citrus dressing really made the slaw stand out and have a fresh taste to it. All in all, our bill was a little over $80, but it was honestly worth every penny. Another great part of the experience was getting to know the manager Jeff. I had asked for our server's name and I told her that she was very knowledgeable of the menu and the background of the restaurant and told her I would be writing a review. She brought Jeff over the to the table and introduced us and he was so nice that he gave my mother and I both 2 complimentary invitations to a wine tasting there. I was very pleased with my experience there, feeling like I was in a downtown Chicago restaurant which I tend to frequent more because I work out there, but would never think this type of amazing hospitality would ever be brought to Northwest Indiana. I will definitely be going back again. Hopefully Sirena will be server again, and if you're lucky, maybe she can be yours.
(5)Chaz H.
The wife and I stopped there for dinner on Wednesday night, 3/13/13, around 8:15 PM. As we approached the hostess stand, we observed two young ladies talking together, while one was on the phone. They didn't really acknowledge us at all. After a few minutes, the girl who was NOT on the phone finally looks up at us and says, "She'll be with you in a minute," and walks away into the dining room leaving the other girl still on the phone. We stand there for about five minutes, realizing the hostess (without the mostess) is taking a reservation for the next night. I saw the other girl that left in the dining room looking back at us once or twice as we stood there twiddling our thumbs, but she never did anything. While the hostess was still on the phone, two dudes saunter out of the restaurant/bar area and plunk themselves right in front of the girl on the phone. She FINALLY hangs up and, wouldn't you know it, asks the two dudes that walked up WAY after us what they needed, which, I guess, was a table for four. We could have said, "Hey, we were here first!" but what's the point? We were over it already. We promptly left and went to a place with good service. I am generally leery about chain restaurants, but it's usually more for quality of food concerns as opposed to service. This place looks like it has bad service (based on plenty of other reviews) and I'm guessing the food is not worth the prices I've seen on the menu. I was hoping this place would change my mind, but we couldn't even get a table to find out. It looks like a pricier TGIF. I'm guessing the microwave is working overtime in that kitchen! A wannabe semi-fancy winebar in NW Indiana attached to the Mall in a struggling economy??? Probably won't last too long! Corporate better shore up service to at least give itself a chance! We shan't be back.
(1)Annie W.
I like the Orland Park location better than Merrillville... The staff was too nervous in Merrillville, maybe they wasn't use to a busy Friday night!!!
(4)Kristen M.
I would have rated this Cooper's Hawk restaurant 5 stars, however, my last experience there was not the best. I have never had an issue with the food or drinks. Food and wine are excellent here. My only issue had to do with the overall service. I tried really hard to give the waiter the benefit of the doubt, but after continually messing up our order, I couldn't help but get more aggravated. He was rude, didn't let us finish ordering without interrupting, and was extremely forgetful. It took our table of three about 20-30 mins. to receive our pitcher of sangria. First, he gave us the wrong kind of sangria. Then, he insisted he heard us say white sangria, when we clearly ordered red sangria. I just felt he was being rude with his tone and with blaming the customers for his mistake!! It then took him another 20 min. or so to send us over the pitcher of sangria. He was not apologetic for messing up our order and taking forever to get us our sangria. Maybe he was having a bad day, but I have zero tolerance for rude waiters!!!!
(3)September V.
Having dined at other locations and being a Copper's Hawk fan, I was very disappointed with this one. I made reservations for my family and I for a Sunday night dinner. My sister and I got there a bit early and they offered to seat us then. We opted to wait but then changed our mind 15 minutes later. The host then told us it would be a 30 minute wait. I looked around and surveyed the foyer and the restaurant that was filled with empty tables. Never saw the crowd of people that we were waiting behind but yet 15 minutes prior they were ready to seat us. Whatever! I ordered the Ceasar Pesto Chopped Salad for my salad appetizer and the Flatiron Steak Frites as my entree. I couldn't wait to try the salad and anticipated it's arrival as my mother and sister recieved their soups. Eventually, my Flatiron Steak was placed in front of me. Guess the waitress decided I didn't need the salad, yet, was surprised I did not want it after my entree was placed in front of me. The Steak was okay, Parmesan Fries were average, and the Sauteed Green Beans, Sweet Grape Tomato Relish was disgusting. Still deciding if I will give this location another chance.
(2)Michael N.
Never had a bad meal or glass of wine
(4)Raena C.
Service not the greatest. At these prices need and want good service. Orland is way better.
(2)Natalie R.
I was excited to try Cooper's Hawk after all the hype but I must say I was very disappointed. As several others have indicated the service was quite poor. I was waiting for my daughter and decided to go in the bar and try the wine. When I sat down the waitress asked me if I was alone and when I said yes, you could tell she was immediately irritated. She never offered me a tasting, pretzel bread or even water. I ordered the sangria which was good but I didn't even get it until after she delivered my cold flatbread. The back waiter accidentally brought me another drink and when I told him the server already brought it, he told me to just keep it. The waitress came over and asked how I got another drink and I told her. She soon came back and told me that that was a mistake and wanted me to know that. She then asked if I thought I could drink a second drink. I told her that it was okay. I felt like she was staring at me and never came back to the table. When I paid the bill, she collected it and never came back to the table with my change. When I asked her about it, she said that she assumed it was her tip. I never told her to keep the change and was really still thinking of what kind of tip I should leave for such poor service while waiting for her to return. I have never felt more unwelcome at a restaurant.
(2)Krista J.
Came to celebrate mother day and everything I got was delicious. Started off with the French onions soup which was fantastic and then the Chicken Madera. it was delicious I didn't want to get a typical steak but this was a good substitute I felt like it had the great sauce that I think would go good on a steak but for a lighter option best choice
(5)Diana I.
I love this place! I always order the crab cakes which are delicious! Love the Asian slaw! its so tasty! Service is always great!great wine selections. The chicken potstickers are awesome, however they recently changed how they prepare the calamari. They now toss it In a sweet pepper flake sauce. It takes so much away from the dish and the rings are a bit tough. Just not what I expected especially when you're used to putting lemon on it. I really didn't care for it. But overall it is always a great meal for a special occasion or dinner out with friends. Kids menu available too!
(4)Mark B.
great food! great service! My girlfriend and I started our meal with a bowl of crab & lobster bisque (very tasty!) and an order of ahi tuna tacos! The slices of tuna were cooked to perfection, and would definitely recommend these tacos to anyone. Then I ordered the Prime rib burger (this was ok) with a side of Betty potatoes (the cheese melted on the shreds of potatoes was just perfect!). Then to top it off, we shared an order of Pretzel bread pudding, yes, this was the perfect ending to our lovely, tasteful lunch. The dessert was plated very nicely, and the sweetness was just right
(5)J Leigh E.
Well, I really want to like Cooper's Hawk but just can't do it for a good dining experience. And I am not picky. The service was bad. Perhaps some of the worst service ever. Again, no bread delivered until I asked for it. I finally got a chance to ask for it when our food was delivered (our server was MIA from the time we ordered until the food was delivered). The server was very pushy. He asked several times if we wanted an appetizer, wine, dessert, etc. "No" means "no" buddy. I had the scallops. Decent but pricey. $26 for 4 scallops, a few pieces of asparagus and some jasmine rice. Hmmm...perhaps they should include a soup or salad with it at that price. My "date" started with the lobster bisque and said it was really good. Her crab cakes were good but not the best in the area (she mentioned a bar next to Cold Stone Creamery in Crown Point has the best in the area--sorry, can't recall the name). Recap: Service is bad here. Not sure if I can give it another try at this point. Note that I did have good service one time when I stopped in the bar for a quick appetizer early on a Friday evening. Food is average but pricey. The wine is good and the wine tasting is fun. Perhaps that is the only reason I will visit in the future.
(2)Felise R.
I have never been to a Coopers Hawk before, but my waitress Brittany was absolutely AMAZING, she didnt make me or company feel rushed or hurried. She introduced me to my new favorite wine Pinot Noir exculsively from CH. Needless to say the food was great, she recommended the steak frites, that accompanied my new favorite wine wonderfully. The atmosphere was inviting, and relaxing we didn't want to leave. When it came time to leave, she boxed up our food, giving us time to relax and think about desert, she recommeded the Banoffee which was the perfect ending to a Great dineing experience. I'm thinking about making Coppers Hawk our weekly go-to-hangout, if all the waitresses and waiters are as great as Brittany
(5)Kelly B.
Cooper's Hawk has a great atmosphere for an intimate gathering of friends. Before your meal you can do a wine tasting- there's also the bar to sit at. They have the club there and it is definitely worth joining! You can do one or two bottles a month of wine and that entitles you and 1 guest to a free birthday meal (also specials) and as you earn points you can redeem them for $25 off your meals! If you're a lacto-ovo vegetarian, there are quite a few items you can order. For us vegans there is nothing on the menu BUT, talk to your server and they will work something out for you. The chef prepared a lovely ginger risotto for me! BEWARE: going that route can be pricey; my risotto was $21.99...
(4)Kaleen F.
Pork medallions are so good, I am ordering that every visit. I just love the staff, they are always friendly. And Bobbie the boss lady is wonderful
(5)Christin H.
Well This place is always so overcrowded there is no chance of getting up to the tasting bar at all. membership or not, I have never been able to take advantage of the benefit of membership (free tasting each month). It's just a zoo, lots of people, TWO Staff trying to pour wine for the crowds and ridiculous wait times to even pick up wine. They really need to work on serving their customers better, the wine is not THAT good! Just cancelled my membership.
(2)Bitty C.
We threw my moms surprise birthday party here this weekend. Party of ten of us. Our server Michelle took great care of us. She was so accommodating with our requests how we wanted the check divided, our cake we brought in, and was fantastic to deal with. She even wrote on the cake and lit candles on it (we didn't bring those!) the food was fantastic I got the knife and fork pork belly Blt---amazing! The sparkling moscato was great. Overall,my first visit to Cooper's hawk was a good one!
(4)Andre J.
Pleasantly surprise to find this great restaurant at a mall! Great atmosphere! Great food made fresh in house! Great wine also house! I love this place because I have celiac and they have a huge menu that is gluten free, and I never have had any allergic reaction after eating here.( many other restaurants claim to be gluten free but hurt my stomach)
(5)Jim W.
Better than most in the area, food-wise, and near the best in experience. And it's in the mall. Really. Bring some cash and give yourself plenty of time to try the tasting room, the near-excellent apps, creative entrees & decedent desserts. A personal favorite: They have a $10 bloody mary that comes with a sidecar of beer. So good, I'd pay $15 for it. (glad I don't have to though)...
(4)Angie D.
Great menu, great food, great service. I recommend the wine club. The wine is good for the price point and joining the club comes with several benefits. Discounts, gift certificates, and special purchases.
(5)John T.
Food was a 3 star rating--got the gnocchi carbonara which was amazing, but the fiery shrimp, soups, and salmon were not up to par. Actually the salmon was great, but they were out of the Asian slaw, but didn't mention this until right about to serve so I settled on broccoli and it was really overcooked. The service was awesome. I will definitely be going back and even signed up for the wine of the month club solely because of the server and his great talking. The Chilean wine that is their current wine of the month is awesome, so I definitely recommend it.
(4)Michael R.
Been a wine member for several years. The staff is always very friendly and the food is outstanding not to mention he wines are awesome. The staff behind the bar int he tasting room are very knowledgeable about the wines and always very nice.
(5)Tom J.
I don't understand the big deal about this place. The service was OK. The appetizers were OK. The food was not cooked very well. The wine was OK.
(2)Tatiana M.
I had one of the life balance menu items and I loved it! Been eating pizza and calzones and Chicago style hot dogs since I for here and I wanted something tasty but no carbs... For 429 calories this was amazing!
(5)Emma T.
I've been back to Cooper's Hawk half a dozen times since discovering it a year ago. The food is incredible and the portions are on point, enough to fill you up without being an overwhelming amount yet never such a small portion that you leave hungry. The staff is quite encouraging and often have recommendations on what to try when I want to branch out into a new wine or dessert. I definitely recommend trying the bar on an early weeknight. They allow two free tastes and then the price is quite reasonable if you want to keep testing.
(4)Alcea R.
Please Keep reading all the way through or skip to the bottom paragraph. The real reason of a 1 star- really should be zero is in the last paragraph. This place has so much potential. First off, they only allow to try two different tastings of wine prior to buying a glass. I thought this was odd, until I tried the first sample. I gave another sample a try too. Wow! This place is a "winery"?! The Meritage is a $12.00/glass, which I'm happy to pay, but not for a wine so terribly made. This was worse than opening a young wine too soon. A high quality wine will finish clean. These do not, my husband stated what is that after taste? It tastes like what I would think sweaty gym socks would taste like. Ok, fine. No worries about having wine. Lunch came and my husbands Beef rib risso to was delicious, as well as my lobster bisque. Now this rating would have been higher if I didn't have FOOD POISONING as I type this. Must have been the bisque. This is the food consumed today. Ugh, all on a week of work travel.
(1)Krystal W.
Food was great loved the chocolate pretzel bread pudding best Ive had and a wonderful wine selection staff is very friendly and the place is beautiful with a great atmosphere
(5)Sheila S.
I sat at the bar and the two bartenders walked back and forth several times. I sat there about 7 minutes before I was acknowledged (no drink orders, no menu). It took a manager to walk up to ask if I wanted a menu.I was directly in front of them so it was not like they did not know I was there. I was very disappointed in the lack of acknowledging me as I have gone to the Naperville location off Diehl Road and the Orland Park location several times. I guess, perhaps, this staff needs to visit the other locations to watch them and observe their service levels. Erica at the Orland Park location immediately said, "I'll be right with you". I am one who eats out frequently and does not mind tipping 20% when I have good service. This is a shame. We need more high-quality restaurants like Cooper's Hawk...don't take customers for granted.
(3)Jessica L.
My husband and I returned to Cooper's Hawk and had a great experience. The server, Rachel S., was super nice and did a great job. The food was great and it came out quickly. I will return again.
(4)Kristina C.
Yum, yum, yum!! From start to finish, this restaurant was an excellent surprise!! Drunken shrimp and apple & Brie bruschetta were awesome appetizers...so good that we got another order of bruschetta for our dessert ;) We loved the complimentary wine tastings (2 tastings/person)...the Sauvignon blanc was perfect to go with the chefs special churasco shrimp entree with jicama slaw and cilantro rice!!! Jacqueline was a great server!! Will definitely return for more!!
(5)Shane E.
There are quite a few reason my night here was great: 1. We sat at the bar, and the bartender was gracious enough to let us sample some of their excellent red's. The Lux Meritage (I believe that's the name) is a big/dry red worth sampling. 2. Reasonable prices throughout the menu. 3. Shrimp Appetizer - whoa. Bacon-y, Tequila-y, Lime-y. Shrimp-y. 4. Actually a great selection of craft brews and cocktails for those who aren't into the wine scene. 5. Pretzel bread.
(5)Ashley C.
Love this place! Great food, I have never had to wait long on the weekends. Always made a reservation. I love the wine tasting area!
(5)Miriam L.
Waited less then 2 mins with reservations and service was impeccable. Three course meal cooked very well. Overall, would definitely be a returning guest.
(4)Karl S.
DONT SIT IN THE BACK ROOM ! Very noisy ! I don't mind paying more for quality, but in this case, I felt the portions were small. And bordered on mediocre . The service was good, but I wouldn't recommend sitting in the back(mall) room. VERY noisy. Didn't help there was a ladies night out table against the window ,drunk and Very loud. Not a good atmosphere t all. They should fix this. That hampered the whole experience..Won't go out of my way to go back...
(2)Lee B.
I have to eat strictly gluten free due to allergies and gluten intolerance, and Cooper's Hawk is a favorite restaurant of mine. They have an extensive gluten-free menu, including excellent appetizers and desserts, and they even have gluten free bread served at the table upon your request. The food is delicious and prepared responsibly. When the Merrillville location first opened, they weren't quite as good as some of their other locations, but now they are equally good, if not better. The servers are wonderful. The couple of times that I've had a server that's been less-than-the best, I haven't seen them again thereafter, so I'm assuming that CH has excellent management that keeps on top of customer service. I wish CH would find a way to offer gluten-free French fries, however, they have added homemade potato chips that make a tasty side to a burger (on a gf bun). I also wish they would find a way to offer gluten-free flat bread. A lot of establishments now have it on their gf menus, and Cooper's Hawk needs to join them! I'll go out of my way to go to a restaurant with gf flatbread! If you're new to Cooper's Hawk, definitely look into joining the Wine Club. One of the things they don't always mention is that you can use your monthly subscription bottle(s) at your table with no additional charge or corking fee. So, let's say you're a red wine member -- you'll pay around 19.00 per month for membership as a single-bottle member. On the menu, the average price for a bottle of red is around $25 to $29 and the average for a glass of red is around $8.00 - $9.00, so you've saved money by having your monthly bottle served at the table. You do not have to drink the whole bottle. They have a way of sealing the bottle, including a fully-sealed bag, that allows you to legally remove the opened wine from the restaurant . . . and in Indiana, you can even do it on a Sunday, as long as you ordered it served at the table. So, I opt to pick my bottle up rather than have it shipped -- that way, I can use it at the restaurant, AND I can use it at any Cooper's Hawk location. Plus, as a member, you get gift cards in return for the money you spend there -- I believe it is $25 for every $500 you spend, but double check. And, a couple times a year, you get extras such as a magnum of wine instead of the standard size, or a cookbook along with a bottle of wine, an extra $20 off during a July, etc. Also, as a member, you and your spouse or significant other will get $15 off on a birthday. Always check the rules for the dining gifts and cards. Sometimes they cannot be used on Saturdays, for example. So, the membership is more of an investment than a purchase. If you love the food, enjoy the wine and consider it a favorite restaurant, you'll save money with a membership. Noise level is average to a little on the loud side. Casual attire is welcome. Children are welcome. The biggest drawback is that the Cooper's Hawk Merrillville location is located inside a shopping mall, so the ambience at could be better. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, but some tables overlook the stores on the opposite side, so unless you're really into Build-A-Bear, you might wish for something a little more appealing. That said, it is also quite convenient to have it there if you're looking for an excellent meal after a long day of shopping. I also wish they had a private room for groups. All-in-all, I love Cooper's Hawk. I have dined at many of their locations and will continue to enjoy them wherever I find them.
(5)Eugene S.
I had a wonderful experience... Great wine, Great food, Great service, with a great atmosphere.
(5)Melanie T.
I have been to Cooper's hawk several times and have always gotten the gnocchi carbonorara. I told my parents who were visiting from out of town to get the sane dish. This time there was a very big mess up in the kitchen that caused my dish to taste overall sweet. The waitress that we had was awesome and got me a remake very fast. Once the manager and waitress found out what happened in the kitchen they rename my mom's and dad's dishes even with my dad having ate all of his. The manager also brought over a bottle of complimentary wine. Although my dinner was messed up, the service and hospitality totally made up for it. Everything at the table was delicious. Make reservations if you plan on going on the weekend.
(4)Diane C.
Can't go wrong with this place. And now a new updated menu... ohemgee! Crab cake bites for starters. A new burger for dinner. And a raspberry sangria to wash dinner down. What a good evening!
(5)Crazy G.
Good fresh taste. Way over priced. Clean. Rachel our server was nice. Good atmosphere. in side the mall so rent is probably high.
(3)Adrienne W.
Save your money. There is constantly a long wait (sometimes upwards of two hours) and after trying this place, I do not understand why. Their wine is mediocre. Our meals were just ok, not bad but nothing that I have any interest in eating again. Definitely not worth the money. This seems like a place for people who don't know how to better spend their money.
(2)Annette F.
If you need a good bottle of wine that goes with a cheese tray and cranberry jelly and crackers, I would recommend the Sangiovese. I would also recommend the Sangiovese to go with A 9oz Filet medium rare and Mary potatoes. Then if have room for desert go for the Banoffee Pie, But if you are looking for a good slice of Chocolate Cake, keep looking they have Mousse ant that is not cake.
(5)Michelle M.
Love the food love the wine! Been a wine club member since 2010. The caprese flat bread is delicious. My go to item is the soy ginger salmon, I love how you can order a smaller portion on their lighter menu.
(5)Kari B.
Visited this past weekend and had an amazing experience. Finding a restaurant that can serve something more than a salad a vegetarian and someone with a severe gluten allergy is extremely hard to find. More importantly for my gluten free friend, she finally had a full menu to choose from. It was also the first time in years that she has had gluten free bread and kept wanting more. The server was extremely helpful and polite. None of us have been able to find a wine that we like and she got it correct on the first time - romance red. Food came out quickly and hot. We didn't want to stop eating. Visiting the location in Cincinnati for graduation to see if we have a similar experience.
(5)Rosey M.
Love this place! Great food and service. Try the drunken Mexican appetizer-it's delicious!!
(5)G D.
Food: I've dined here on serval occasions so I've tired a variety of items from the menu. I absolutely love the ahi tuna tacos! I wasn't too hungry when I ordered this and I honestly didn't think I'd eat it all, but It was so delicious, I devoured every bite! Also the jalapeno cheeseburger is quite tasty. Love their fries! Marys potatoes is another can't go wrong option. The dessert truffles are the best I've ever had! Wine: I'm a wine club member, what more can I say? The wine is delicious and during meal service, you're offered 2 tastes. The wine tasting room is only $7 per person, or you can buy it by the glass. Service: Restaurant table service has always been great. Very professional and knowledgeable. Honestly I've never had even one negative experience anywhere at Coopers Hawk.
(4)Emma K.
I'm surprised at the ratings of this place since dinner here last Friday has been one of the best meals I have had in the area. Since my boyfriend first suggested Applebee's and then pulled into the mall parking lot, I was skeptical. I got much more excited after seeing the word "winery" on the sign, and the evening only got better from there. Don't let this place being attached to the mall throw you. The interior is adorable. There is a little area with a store of all sorts of neat products and desserts, and then the hostess stand and the bar and dining area behind that. We were seated immediately and our waitress was great about explaining the concept, wines, and food once we told her it was our first visit. They have a wide variety of wine flights which is amazing. Sadly, I only went with one glass, but the Petite Syrah was great. I was telling my boyfriend I wanted to come back before our food even came out, and luckily that didn't change my mind since everything was delicious! They bring out warm pretzel bread and butter which is to die for. I could probably have had two of those with a wine flight and been one happy camper. Anyways, we shared the chicken pot stickers which were yummy and a good size to share. BF got the Southwest Chicken Sandwich and I got the Caprese Panini. Both were great. One great thing about this place is that they have a Life Balance Menu which has a TON of great options in the 300 - 600 calorie range. Since I was doing a long run the next morning, I didn't order from it, but would definitely in the future. It's great to see so many healthy options instead of the usual "chicken breast with fruit." I didn't leave enough room for dessert, but did drool over the chocolate display on the way out. I found the prices incredibly reasonable since one wine + one soda + one app + two entrees was less than $50. I look forward to coming back to try a wine flight and some chocolate soon!
(5)Rogelio T.
1st class service all the way..food is soooo mouthwatering staff is a class above the rest...im a def repeat customer
(5)Brandon B.
Don't believe the hype food is boring and none flavored sent food back second food came back worse never return
(1)Heidi D.
Went here for a special occasion. I was three months pregnant at the time. They served me raw chicken. Not just a little rare. Completely raw. To make matters worse they didn't offer anything for possibly giving me food poisoning. They just took it back. Be safe. Double check your food is cooked properly. We won't be going here again.
(1)Michelle L.
My husband and I took a very good friend to dinner here last night and we were all very impressed! They greet you with the wine of the month sample, (very tasty indeed) and then we took a little while to browse the gift shop. So many interesting things! The atmosphere is very laid back and charming. Hostess was very accommodating since we did not like the first table she took us to, she had no problem seating us somewhere that we were more comfortable. The wine list and the tastings were amazing! We tried several and of course, joined their wine club and walked out with our first two bottles! It is well worth joining because you don't have to pick up once a month, you can wait all year if you want and pick them all up in time for the holidays! We shared the drunken shrimp appetizer and it was wonderful! My husband had the scallops which melted in your mouth! Didn't like that they were served with very plain white rice so you may have to ask them to substitute Mary's mashed potatoes instead... I had the grouper and it was also fantastic! Very large portion so everyone got to taste it! We are looking forward to coming back time and time again!
(4)Mary B.
One of my favorite places, I love their parmesan crusted chicken, pork medallions, and salmon dish. My favorite wines are blueberry, raspberry, romance red, gerwertzaminer, and ice. And my favorite server is Sal!!! I always sit in his section. Love love this place
(5)Krystina R.
This was my first time trying Cooper's Hawk and I was very excited. My Dad was in town from Mexico and we decided Cooper's Hawk for some quality time. We tried a red wine that was deliscious, but I cannot rememeber the name. Now, my review is a bit different. Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to really try the food. We had a new waiter that had made a few mistakes early on, but wasn't an issue since we understand. I ordered the Turkey Burger but when it arrived, it looked a little different. Now, I should have said something at this point but I assumed this is how Cooper's Hawk made their Turkey Burger. Well, only one bite in, I realized it had nuts on it! I am severely allergic and came to find out this sandwich had candied Walnuts. We never saw the waiter again. My dad got the manager right away since we had to get up and head to the ER. The manage did comp the meal, but again, we had ONE bite. So I would have been shocked if they made us pay. Needless to say, we played phone tag several times over the span of two months. I spoke with various managers that apologized and said they were sending Be Our Guest gift cards so that I could have another chance at trying Cooper's Hawk. After hearing that on several occassions, I never received anything in the mail. Nothing. I feel like McDonald's gives better service. They made me feel like I was just a probelm they wanted to shoo away. I could have experienced anaphylactic shock and they couldn't even have the decency to be sincere in their apologies. This experience and they way they handled this mishap caused by their very own personnel has made me share my negative expereince to others. A month after my experience was graduation time. I had a friend book a private room to enjoy her graduation with her loved ones and paid for everything. They called her the WEEK of and told her they moved her to the general seating because they found another party that would bring in more guests. HORRIBLE MANAGEMENT.
(1)Brett V.
Food and Service were A+. Only qualm was I had a reservation at 5 and wasn't seated until 5:20 even though when walking to our table there were over a dozen empty tables. Our server was fantastic and everyone was blown away by their meal.
(4)Monique N.
I'll start with the good, I love the wine! My faves are the blueberry, red sangria and guwertraminer which I think may be my fave! However, I have yet to fall in love with any of the menu items. My recommendation? Come for the $7 tasting :-)
(3)Sarah N.
Probably one of the better choices in the area for quality. I wish their fish selection was fresh & wild rather than frozen & farmed. Bonus: separate gluten free menu!
(4)The grapevine W.
This is now one of my favorite restaurants in Northwest Indiana. I love the ambience of the restaurant. The wine selection is wonderful; if you have the chance to become a Wine Card member it is really worth the money. I've tried most items on the menu the food is always good, my least favorite are the miniature sliders I find the beef tough and hard to chew. The service is excellent and attentive. The times that I am here in the restaurant I find it hard to believe I'm in Northwest Indiana. I enjoy the fact that this is cooked food not, reheated Gordon Service Food. Great job Coopers Hawk I hope you're here for many years to come.
(4)Christina G.
Went here for the hubby's bday dinner. Tortilla soup was hot and tasty. Our egg roll app was amazing. The parm crusted chicken was well worth it.
(5)Kim S.
Wonderful anniversary dinner with my hubby. Server was marvelous and I gladly overtipped for her attentiveness to detail. I ordered the filet mignon and while the blue cheese crust and fried onion strips on top were delicious, the beef just didn't have the flavor I would have hoped for. Maybe it wasn't aged enough? Who knows? It was good enough that I finished it all, however, but the broccoli that came with it was not only stone cold (and I know that it's hard to keep that hot), but so al dente that I had to try and cut it with a sharp knife and ended up not eating it at all. Betty's Potatoes as a side were out of this world, and I could have skipped the broccoli for another serving of those! Ordered the creme brulee for dessert with a glass of their raspberry wine, and it made for a nice end to the meal. Would I go back? Yes. Steak? No. One other issue is the intense noise level in this restaurant; my husband had to repeatedly turn down his hearing aids because of the crash and roar of conversations and dishes.
(4)Tonia O.
It's DECENT. I tried this place twice to get a good sense of what type of restaurant this is...... so here goes: 1. Love the design 2. Service sucks --- If I could have gotten up to get my food, I would have. I waited 2 mins on a 2nd set of clean silverware, napkin, and plate, which leads me to #3... 3. Nasty silverware. Not just a mark or a little crust spot, but a glunk of dried on food. Let me just preface this by stating, that someone has to manually wrap the silverware, which means, they are either blind or don't give a shizz. Either way, terrible. 4. Food is hit or miss. Ordered the risotto and short ribs of beef. The risotto was likened to oatmeal. 5. They do 1/2 soup and sandwich really well, but so does Panera Bread. Nuff' said.
(2)Lizette Crystal R.
Best restaurant in Indiana. Love them !!! Five stars wouldn't even begin to give them justice. Nice ambiance & great food.
(5)Sharee M.
I absolutely love this place for my pre- bachelorette party! Not only was the wine good but so was the food! The sweet red wine is probably the best I've ever had in my natural life! I don't really care for their crab cakes and my friend did not care for their tortilla soup at all. I did enjoy the sample app platter! And the mashed potatoes were excellent. I love the lounge feel of the whole restaurant and they actually had a little section just for buying their wine. I also like that you can get 2 free samples of wine! This will be a great first or second date as well as a good spot to take the wine lover that you know. I'll be back!!!
(4)Chip T.
I took my girlfriend here and we had the salmon. The portions were excellent, my biggest question was the mashed potatoes. The dish was geared more for an Asian twist. So they put a wasabi butter on the starch. I don't find mashed potatoes to be very Asian, but it's a global economy and everyone can get their hands on anything. The service was a little slower, but our waitress had a large group along with a few other tables. What's the rush? We were on a date so we had nothing to complain about. Our waitress was knowledgable of the menu and made great recommendations. Wonderful experience.
(5)Jeannie A.
Let me start by saying I am a 2-bottle a month wine club member and that I love the Orland location. Visited this location today and was really disappointed with the food and service. The good: the tasting bar area is beautiful. What a great set up. So roomy and seperate. Love the way this place was designed. This was the only good. The bad...Service... Went to the host to be seated...and waited...and waited..and waited. Oh, the place wasn't busy and probably 75% of the tables were empty. However, the person that seats you, never came back from seating the previous party. So we stood there, waiting. Finally, the host said he would seat us. Our waitress was friendly, but she wasn't anywhere to be found. She was going to bring us pretzel bread several times, but never came back. I finally reminded her and she brought it. Then we never saw her again. There was this door that all the servers kept going into, I think it was connected to the bar. I had a perfect view of the door, and every time it opened, I saw all the wait staff just standing in there talking. I ordered the crispy fried fish sandwich, which was stared on the menu as a 'chef recommendation'. Really? You recommend a deep fried piece of talapia, that turned into cardboard once done? Talapia is such a thin fish, that it was just awful once deep friend. I had to send it back, it was just not edible. Of course, I had to wait about 15 minutes until I could find our waitress. I've eaten at the CH location in Orland at least 50 times, and the food has always been superb. The food here was just not good. A 'manager' did come over and offer to get me something else, but I was kind of over this place by this time. Time to pay the bill. Where's the waitress? Seriously, the place was not busy. There was tons of staff hanging in the back room....how about waiting on the customers? I would not go back to this location. I'll still with Orland - where the service and food is always good.
(2)Shaun H.
I've eaten here twice. In one word AWESOME!!! I tried foods I normally wouldn't have, just because they looked so good. our waiter was great, helpful and knowledgeable. We will return over and over...
(5)Dana F.
Wine club member so I eat there once a month or so. The pork medallions are excellent and so are the filet medallions. Eat the Betty's potatoes instead of Mary's. They let you sub on the menu with sides also. Good ahi tuna and crab cakes too!
(4)Tonda H.
This is not our first visit nor will it be our last. We are wine club members and really enjoy the menu. The presentation is excellent and the food always tastes as good as it looks. The only rub is that on my reservation I requested booth seating and that was not recognized. We were taken to a table in a busy spot of the restaurant. We were quickly accommodated.
(5)Kristine L.
This is my second time returning to Cooper's Hawk in Merrillville. My husband and I went with another couple during opening week. What a huge mistake. We waited over 35 minutes for our reservation. The table next to us (different waitress) had been turned over twice before we received our appetizers. If it wasn't for the great friends and conversation we would have left. The food was ok. Nothing impressive. I had been to the Orland Park location numerous times so I was excited to see a Cooper's Hawk opening near me. I wanted to give the location another chance so I met a friend for dinner and drinks. Again I waited a ridiculous amount of time to be seated. Upon arriving I was told 25 to 30 minutes. I figured we could try a few wines while waiting. After 35 minutes had passed I asked the hostess how much longer she thought. She rolled her eyes and asked to see my number on my buzzer. I was told it may be another 15 minutes. I advised her that 35 minutes ago she told me 25 to 30 minutes. She then just looked at me and said ok, well we're busy. Awesome way to treat your customers. After we were seated my friend and I ordered drinks and dinner. Our waitress was very nice and informative about the questions we had about the menu. Our food arrived and was good, but nothing spectacular. The scallops were room temperature but the sauce was decent. Overall, I probably will not return to the restaurant, but I do enjoy their wines and wine of the month club so that reason I would return.
(2)Dawn P.
Beautiful resteraunt with amazing food, great service. lots of unusual items for sale and of course wine!!
(5)Erin C.
A bit on the pricey side, but worth every penny. The wine tastings are phenomenal (tip! pay an extra $1 and get a truffle added on! The key lime pie ones are to die for!)! If you stay for dinner try out their gnocci, holy balls batman, it's delightful. In fact, everything on their menu is delightful, so why not go hogwild. Also, if you join their wine of the month club (only $35 a !) you get 2 bottles of wine a month, 2 free wine tastings (their selection changes every month), and can earn bonus points to put towards wine and other discounts. month
(4)Rossel E.
Good wine selection but food is ok. Let me explain, I had the Parmesan crusted chicken and I had tried the same dish before but what helped differentiate the taste is the tomato basil relish. That I find a little refreshing but I don't see anything else special. What is great is the ambiance and a good spot for intimate conversations. My wife had the jambalaya with linguini and she said the chicken taste funny so she didnt finish it. But the kid's italian sausage with pesto flat bread is good since they used ricota cheese instead of just mozarella. Overall nice place to hangout and even for business meetings.
(3)Michele L.
The menu had a good variety of wine-food-desserts. I had a chicken meal, the meal was wonderful. Sangria was outstanding. Dessert magnificent. Fabulous waiter. A little pricey but worth it.
(4)Hank H.
We really liked this place. The food that we had was excellent. The pretzel bread they automatically bring is very good. We then had the stuffed mushroom appetizer, which was also really good. We both had 2 different chicken dishes ( I had the Dana's parmesan crusted chicken) and Mac-n-cheese for our 3 year old, each of which was outstanding ! The decor is really nice, and it is quite loud inside but for parents sometimes thats a good thing. My wife had the wine flight , which she really enjoyed. (4 different wines to try) The desert (Crumbled Apple Pie) we had was incredible, an apple crumb ice cream dish. The service was pretty good although a little slow, but not too bad. It's a little on the pricey side, but not too terrible. Some reviews said the place was too cold , but we thought it was fine. And like any place thats just opened it will take a little time to work out all the kinks. Would recommend and we will definitely be going back to try something else. coopershawkwinery.com
(4)Billie R.
I have to give it 5 stars! I am there at least every other month- usually by myself, and I sit at the bar. The bartendress is always friendly and helpful- but I go to read my book, eat my salad and have a glass of wine- and I never feel like I am being pushed out because I am not ordering a bunch of liquor or food. Sometimes, when I am with other people I will order more than just the appetizer wedge salad, but that thing is so stinking good and filling, I really can't manage to scarf anything else down. Now- let me tell you a little about that salad. I am sitting here right now wishing I had one....most days I think about it. Some evenings I dream about it. I LOVE IT! It's a typical wedge in the manner of- a nice little iceberg wedge is sitting on your plate- but that's not all... There is some yummy chopped up romaine added for your noshing pleasure--- but that isn't even the good part. I know, I am keeping you in suspense- but my mouth is watering just thinking about it- so let me enjoy my memories while I tell you. On this beautiful wedge they drizzle a little vinegar, top it with a creamy dressing, halved cherry tomatoes, blue cheese chunks, parsley, and bits of fabulous crispy smokey bacon. Doesn't sound like heaven? Dude- try it... It has changed my whole perception of the wedge.
(5)Brittany H.
Pleasantly surprised by this place. I usually am skeptical of chains. However the food and service was great. I had the fish and chips which came with a fantastic siracha mayo. My dad had a gnocchi dish with butternut squash. Also delish. My mom liked her burger and it looked great. It's not a cheap place but I found it well worth the money and I didn't even get around to trying the wine! I'll just have to make another visit soon!
(5)Kathryn O.
So happy Merrillville finally has a NICE restaurant! Although the hostesses all seem VERY inept the food makes up for it!! Things I loved : tuna tacos, lettuce wraps, chopped wedge salad, Thai flatbread & BANOFEE pie ( not all at once lol). I wasn't crazy about the trio of medallions I've had before, very bland and over priced. Also make sure you take advantage of the free samples of wine!! I go back for apps and dessert :)
(4)Anne L.
Today was a rough day. My uncle started expiring at 1:30 this morning; so, my family has been up since then. With zero sleep and tons of melancholy, no one felt like cooking. Since we were already at the mall making sure my uncle is casket sharp, Cooper's Hawk was a logical choice. We could drown out our sorrows with some vino, and I could have a gluten free meal. With all of the g-free options, I settled on a simple Caesar salad, with grilled shrimp. The salad came out...and it looked a little sparse. I asked our waiter what was up with the skimpy salad, and he also thought it was a bit off. Mike--our waiter who is definitely the doppleganger for a childhood friend named Carl--quickly resolved the issue! He had a chit chat with the chef and got me some additional lettuce! File that under winning. The shrimp was grilled to perfection, flavorful. Our service tonight was unparalleled. Mike is pretty awesome at what he does. He came prepared with recommendations, and was happy to help with whatever we needed. So basically, he did his job! It was great to have someone who clearly enjoys doing his job (or at least it appears that way). We finished the evening off with truffles from the tasting room. I had the Bailey's truffle. It wasn't what I expected. I couldn't actually taste the irish cream. It was still good, however. Next time I'll probably try the zinfandel truffle. This was definitely one of my better evenings at CHW.
(4)Nathan E.
My girlfriend, her little one and I were planning on going to dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings but she decided to surprise me and take me here instead. She made a great decision! This restaurant is very nice and the food was delicious. I had the Cooper's Hawk Bloody Mary which came with a sidecar of Cooper's Hawk Ale. Both were delicious and the Bloody Mary was a meal in itself with a skewer of aged cheddar, cherry tomato, shrimp, pickle and a blue cheese stuffed olive. As far as the food goes, I was impressed. I had a half sandwich and a cup of the soup of the day. The sandwich was the Honey-Smoked Turkey and Brie and the soup was a Tomatillo Bisque. I'd go back just for the sandwich alone. The flavor was out of this world! The soup was very good as well. My girlfriend had a cheeseburger which was served on a pretzel bun and it was quite good. I liked the side order options that you get with the sandwiches: fries, fresh fruit or slaw. It's nice to see some healthy options and they also have a "Life Balance" section in the menu that offers food under 600 calories. The only problem I had was that we had ordered apple juice for the little one and since it was coming from the bar, they waited to bring it out with my drink. Not the best idea when serving a child for whom minutes can seem like hours. Our server was very friendly but the service seemed a tad slow. I don't mind waiting a bit but if you bring children here or are impatient yourself, be prepared to learn some patience. That being said, everything from the drink to the food was well worth the wait and I wish I had saved room for dessert as the dessert menu looked very good. I will definitely be returning here and I would highly recommend it.
(4)Stacey E.
SUMMARY: The wine was great, the food was great. PRETZEL BREAD & LOBSTER BISQUE, Get some. Back room is loud (the sound just bounces off the walls), don't sit there. More info... I have visited the Orland location which was always really great! I am not a huge wine fan but I do like the wine here and always get a flight (4 different wines to try, about equal to 2 full glasses). My husband doesn't like wine at all, he ordered a mojito, I don't like mojitos at all until this one. YUM! It is on the pricier side, just a heads up. I think it is reasonable enough and worth it though. We went as a party of 4 on a Friday night (which was packed), thankfully, we had made a reservation and were seated right away. Everything that we ordered was as expected. I was disappointed that they were out of a few dishes and it was still early for a Friday, about 6:30-7:00 but our waitress and the manager were very accommodating and pleasant. I just chose something else. My husband's meal was "going to be late" but they offered soup, salad, etc. while he waited. (His wait was literally about 3 minutes longer than ours). The location is still relatively new and little things like those can be expected and forgiven. Some people find this to be a "fancy" place, I don't think so. Come on peeps...it's in the mall. I'm not saying it's not nice, it's a nice place you just don't have to get fancy to go. The one thing that was hard to get over was the noise level in the "back" room. Originally we were going to be seated there and before we even sat down, we asked if they had something else and they moved us. It was really ridiculously loud in that part of the restaurant, I am sure that it has something to do with the building itself, it wasn't the people, it was just really loud. The middle area of the restaurant was fine. All in all, it was very good and we will be back again. I am glad they have a closer location to me than Orland now :)
(4)Bennett G.
I was very skeptical at first-after all it is a little odd to put a fine dining restaurant in a mall. I have now been several times, and I am a converted fan. The appetizers, from the shrimp to the calamari are consistently good. We have never had a bad entree, though some do stand out more than others. In particular I like the grouper and the pork medallions. It seems from reading the reviews that management has listened when it comes to service. The staff seem to be much more seasoned. Reservations are required on the weekend or you will be frustrated. I don't even bother attempting even a tasting on a Friday or Saturday night as the place is packed. We became members of the wine of the month club and have found it is now a favorite spot. We come on a week night for our tasting, then have a quick bite in the excellent bar.
(4)Tiffany K.
Love Cooper's Hawk. As a former wine of the month club member in Indianapolis I need to certainly get back on track at the Merrillville location. Both of my visits at this location have been wonderful and worth the wait considering it was Friday and Saturday the times I went. The wait time was in line with other restaurants in the area. Doing the wine tasting during that time was the perfect way to spend my 30+ minutes. The food is amazing. I have never had something I didn't like between the Indy and Merrillville location. The Lobster Bisque is a requirement for me to have everytime...it's that good.
(5)