Zagat 2008: A felicitous island of city chic, Steve Hanson's Union Square anchor serves top-shelf seafood in a glossy marble-clad converted bank boasting a great veranda and jazz combo sets downstairs; thanks to its social atmosphere and excellent brunch, it's one of NYC's most popular restaurants.

New York Magazine "In a converted bank on Union Square, this space, formerly a restaurant called Metroplis, 315 seats strong, still offers jazz downstairs. In the dining room, it's no-nonsense fish, always impeccable. At the bar, it's cruising and hooking-up galore. Hanson also operates Ruby Foo's, Blue Fin, Dos Caminos and Isabella's."

Black Book Magazine "Seafood scene from franchise master Steve Hanson. Constantly packed and boisterous. Insides as expansive and strangely partitioned as only a converted bank building can be. Outdoor tables worth the wait. Perfect for cruising your gf's mother at the bar. Order one of over 20 oyster concoctions. Get your organic salmon three ways - sashimi, crispy skin, or grilled. Lesser-known jazz room down below. Locals, tourists, NYU freshman with daddy's plastic, all serious eaters."

Time Out New York "Another Steve Hanson success story, Blue Water has several distinct personalities, owing to its separate dining areas: The front bar area is filled with young business types; couples and boisterous larger groups take to the back room. Weather permitting, more tables are squeezed onto the narrow sidewalk. Downstairs, live, mellow jazz plays in the dining room. One recent sushi special was "a mahimahi maki with avocado, Asian pear and scallions, finished with salmon and accompanied by a cilantro - dijonnaise sauce."

New York Times "Blue Water Grill tries to offer all the options. When the oysters arrive, they are accompanied by four sauces in separate dishes: mignonette, Thai mignonette, American cocktail and horseradish. Not to mention lots of lemons. The menu lists all sorts of seafood in all sorts of styles, from straightforward fish house fare like steamed clams and fried calamari to Asian (steamed shrimp dumplings), Italian (lobster fra diavolo over linguini), French (lobster bisque) and Moroccan (spiced red snapper with couscous). The result is overwhelmingly American. This is a big friendly puppy dog of a restaurant with pleasant service, large portions and reasonable prices."