Flowing Tide opened its seventh location—and fifth in Reno—during the pandemic in May. The new dining room signals the second South Reno location of this local staple, as FTP seems to be taking over.
As a nod to the South McCarran location (3372 S. McCarran Blvd.) in Monte Vista Village welcoming guests as of May 9, serving up the same menu as the eatery’s other six Northern Nevada restaurants, I’m revisiting one of our favorite local spots. If the address sounds familiar, that’s because it was once home to Hellfire Saloon and, before that, Porky’s Restaurant.
We’re sure you’re familiar with the fare here. The long menu focuses on pub food with a healthy array of seafood classics and elevated bar grub, plus every location features a full bar. This is the spot to gather for game day and eat easy breakfasts at 10 a.m. during football season when the home team is playing on the east coast or for any other sport you want to catch on the TVs (No. 7 is open 24/7).
While FTP offers a little of everything, my favorite things on the menu—and some of the more surprising items—are the oversized salads. FTP wouldn’t have been my first thought for a healthy, light lunch, but when someone told me I had to give their salads a try, I decided why not? And while the fare is pretty straightforward like much of the menu, they do kick their salads up a notch with more creative combinations than just a load of greens covered in ranch.
In addition to the house salad, Flowing Tide serves six other options including an Apple Gorgonzola Salad, a Mandarin Chicken Salad, and the very popular Tide Cobb. Each one is served in a giant bowl, and the long list of ingredients is packed in tight. Top it with your choice of dressing—ranch, bleu cheese, honey lime vinaigrette, red onion vinaigrette, Italian, white balsamic vinaigrette, honey mustard, bacon vinaigrette (yes, you read that right), or Caesar—and dive in.
If you’re looking for something a little heartier, order up the Taco Salad. Featuring your choice of chicken or beef, this “salad” is served in a tortilla shell with a heap of fresh greens, refried beans, olives, green onions, tomatoes, cheese, fresh guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. It’s basically one really big taco over extra greens.
The seventh location stays true to the design and vibe that seems to permeate all FTP restaurants (we haven’t been to no. 6 in Las Vegas, yet). Inside the large bar is the centerpiece awash in dim lighting. The new location—like all other locations—has also debuted standalone slot machines to allow for social distancing and gambling even when mandates close the bar tops that house video games like poker and blackjack. It also features a Time Englehart mural, just like the Vegas location, for a little extra pizazz in the dining room.
Details
Online: https://flowingtidepub.com/
In Person: 3372 S. McCarran Blvd.
Call: (775) 971-4151
Hours: Open 24 hours, 7 days a week
