My friends and I went here to celebrate a birthday this past week and it was truly delightful. I was impressed with every aspect of the experience. The service was spot on and thoughtful but not invasive. When we asked for recommendations they really came through and they were very accommodating to some dietary needs as well. The vibes are great here including the decor. It's a beautiful, intimate space that's clean and vibrant. Comfortable, elevated, fun. The drinks were solid. Two of us did a wine tasting and we were really happy with the selections. The food was fantastic. The burrata appetizer was so good we ordered a second one. The short rib my friend ordered was solid. The real star though was my venison dish which was one of the most delightful and memorable dishes I've had in many months. It was expertly cooked and the flavors were perfectly balanced. Really a treat and nothing I would ever have made at home. The menu has lots of surprises and twists while still being extremely accessible and just 100% dependably Delicious. Great place for dinner with friends, a lovely date, or to take your parents when they're in from out of town. I would also come here for a more social work dinner. read more

Special shout out to our server, Sarah, who took such great care of us!! We loved our experience at Alpana, which came to us through a work recommendation. Highly recommend the whipped feta and truffle honey, which is a great shareable dish. We got it with the prosciutto but still great without. However you decide to build your bite will work. The butter chicken meatballs were piping hot and so full of flavor. The sauce was perfect. I'm a sucker for anything mushroom on the menu so the ravioli was amazing. The pistachio pesto was fresh and so delightful. The strawberry shortcake sundae was the perfect way to finish our meal. We will definitely be back! read more

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An incredible dining experience. The ambiance of the restaurant is great: warm lighting, funky wallpaper, and lots of plants. This would be great for a date night or celebration dinner. We were seated on the heated terrace, which was still lovely and intimate. Although it was a blustery cold day in Chicago, the heat on the terrace was nice and still felt like we were inside a restaurant. Our server, Sarah, was great and fun and contributed to the welcoming vibe of the restaurant. The food was stunning. We ordered the brussels sprouts crostini, tagliatelle verdura, squid ink campanelle, and key lime pie for dessert. The crostini was flooded with roasted brussels and the bread was soaked with a delicious sauce. The pastas were decadent and deliciously creamy. The key lime pie, sourced from another pastry chef/bakery here in Chicago, was tart and a nice way to end the meal. I would highly recommend the crostini + the pastas. The portions were also generous here. For example, they definitely did not skimp on the crostini! You will leave the night feeling nice and stuffed. read more

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Went for restaurant week and by far this was the best place we went to! The polenta was my favorite and the pastas were really good too. Cake could have came with ice cream or been a little more special but overall amazing experience. Ambiance beautiful read more

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The moment you step inside you're enveloped in an atmosphere of pure comfort and style. The beautiful decor creates an ambiance that's inviting and sophisticated. We started with the blueberry cheesecake french toast, and split the short rib benedict and brunch burger. Every bite bursted with flavor! To top it off, our server Lisa was warm, welcoming, and on top of everything. Service is what changes a restaurant from good to great. We need more Lisas in this world! read more

Alpana - Brunch burger & short rib benedict - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We came to Alpana because we've always loved Alpana on "Check Please." Let's begin with the decor - stunning! It's very quaint and charming, and absolutely beautiful. We all opted for the Restaurant Week menu, so we started with the House-Baked Focaccia with Sun-dried Tomato Dip and Herbed Butter. The bread was so soft and delicious. The dip and butter were the perfect condiments. For the first course, we tried the Plum Salad, Crispy Polenta & Mushrooms, and Burrata with Pears, Onion Jam and Sourdough. While we enjoyed all of them, the polenta was definitely the star. Having the focaccia and sourdough back to back was too much bread, but they were both good, so it was worth it. For the second course, we had Wild Mushroom Ravioli, Faroe Islands Salmon, and Braised Short Rib. The short rib was so tender; it fell off the bone! The ravioli was so buttery and decadent. I wanted to sample the salmon, but by the time I was ready, it was all gone. I guess it was just that good! The third course - the dessert course kind of seemed like an afterthought. The Salted Caramel Sundae and Oreo Sundae were a bit of a let-down after such an enjoyable meal. It's not that they weren't good - they were basic. The Au Levain Chocolate Cake was incredibly rich, but as a chocolate lover, I didn't mind. I added a bit of the salted caramel sundae to it, and that made it really great! All in all, we had an enjoyable dining experience. I will definitely return. #ImNotAFoodie #ImJustAGirlWhoLovesFood read more

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Phenomenal!! Came here for my birthday dinner and so happy I did! We had a group of 7, the staff was amazing and attentive and gave great recommendations, and the food was delicious!!! I have thought about the short rib bucatini everyday since I first ate it. The pistachio pesto was great too, as was the squid ink pasta and the Mac and cheese. We had lots of apps and everyone was happy with their meals. The ambiance was awesome, very beautiful inside. Get the chocolate mousse dessert! Definitely recommend, Can't wait for my next meal back at Alpana! read more

Alpana was amazing! The food was phenomenal - we had the focaccia, burrata and golden beats, kale and farro salad, squid ink pasta, sea bass, and pistachio pesto pasta dish and they were all delicious. But my absolute favorite was the puppy chow ice cream sundae for dessert - the ice cream was so creamy and the crunch and flavors of the "puppy chow" was perfection. We were celebrating a friends birthday so the restaurant had a special note signed by Alpana and a "happy birthday" chocolate disk on top of my friends dessert - she chose key lime pie, which was also very good. Our waiter was very good and we really appreciated that he came back to get the bill before we paid because he forgot comp my friends dessert for her birthday! The ambience was very dimly lit and cozy and chic at same time - the artwork in the women's bathroom was entertaining. I will definitely be back to Alpana! read more

This restaurant is gorg with very chic vibe. Service was wonderful but food was a little hit or miss. We had the special short rib croquettes which were out of this world but then the steak tar tar was just okay. Highly recommend the pastas though they are incredible. We were a little sticker shocked when the bill came as everything is quite expensive so be prepared to drop around $100 per person if you're getting a drink. read more

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TLDR - most of what we ordered was fantastic! I started my night with a Dirrty Martini which lived up to its name, while my partner had a really well-balanced Boulevardier. To start, we ordered the Butter Chicken Meatballs which were very tasty, especially with some buttery "naan" (which I thought was more like pita). The pomegranate seeds added an interesting mouthfeel to the dish but the burst of tartness in between the rich buttery flavors was a nice surprise. We also had the Fresh Figs & Burrata with Prosciutto. I gotta say it wasn't very flavorful especially after having the meatballs but the fig chutney was lovely on the sourdough. For our main, we shared the Pistachio Pesto, which was not quite pesto but more of a casserole with overcooked pasta and green beans. We really wanted it to be good but the pasta had the same consistency as the mushy green beans. The Short Rib Bourguignon was fabulous tho, and we came so close to ordering another one! The red wine jus was so delicious with the mashed potatoes! That Bourguignon alone would make me come back again. Our server Todd was friendly and attentive. Definitely 5/5 stars for his service! We sat out on the heated patio and we were plenty warm! Definitely enjoyed the calm ambiance for date night :). read more

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Thoroughly enjoyed our meal here. Loved the decor! Service was friendly and helpful! Every single appetizer sounded amazing ! We ordered the whipped feta with truffle and honey ... it was outstanding! Mushroom Ravioli was my entree and that was fantastic too ! Can't wait to return! read more

Alpana - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Loved it! Sit inside if you can - the space is gorgeous and love the homage by way of photos to Alpana's role models - was glad to see the cast of 9-5 and Audrey Hepburn on there :). Highly recommend the wine even if you're not too much into it regularly. Since it's Alpana Singh you can rest assured that everything on the wine list knocks it out of the park. I tried the rose partly because I don't normally love it, so figured if I didn't like the one here then I really don't like rose. Spoiler alert I love it! It was a generous pour too. For food I tried the creste pasta (as others have noted highly recommend), side of Brussels sprouts (also excellent) and crispy polenta & mushrooms. Everything was awesome! We didn't have room for dessert but I'm betting that is good too. So glad I got to try it! Highly recommend. read more

Alpana - Brussels sprouts - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Maybe too hyped? Lot of press on this opening with Alpana Singh. Bottom line is that the decor was the most impressive in the first minute and the prices aren't too bad so this was rounded up to 4 stars. Yep very well appointed interior, friendly and helpful service. To start the drinks just missed. We got: - Kavorka - too bitter - Down in Kokomo - meh - jalapeño Business - good Maybe the bartender needs some more training? Food to start was good: - creamy polenta and mushrooms - great - squid ink campenelle - great Mains: - short rib - good but nothing special - sea bass - dry, watery sauce and not recommended Everything came out within about 10 mins so a little too quick. Perhaps a bit too prepped too. (6 pm ressie) Dessert - cookies and cream sundae - huge and amazing! Yeah so decor, starters, dessert, service was good. Mains not so much. Which is pretty important so could have been a 3 but with decent prices, we can round it to 4. Go if your up for something different in the Gold Coast. read more

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Came here again and service was extremely subpar. Waiter was hostile and did not check up on us at all, and was also the bartender despite that fact that we had made reservations. read more

Alpana - squid ink, rigatoni - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here on a weekend and of course made reservations over a month in advance. We got very lucky to find street parking which of course you have to pay for thanks to the city of Chicago. It was a great evening for weather so all of the doors and patio windows were open allowing for fresh air. You will be overwhelmed by the incredible tasteful decor. Which makes for a very pleasant ambience. The server was very friendly and kind and patient. The menu is pretty straightforward I look forward to it perhaps changing up with the seasons and availability of ingredients as well as perhaps even expanding. There were still lots of choices and a diversity of options that allowed our party of three to enjoy several dishes. The food experience overall was absolutely incredible with portion sizes being a little more generous than I expected considering the price point and the location. It was also great to see Alpana walking around and actually carrying boxes all throughout our meal. She even stopped by some tables that I believe she knew the patrons. I have previously met Alpana over 10 years ago when she first opened Di pescara. Upon leaving our Father's Day dinner my dad asked if Alpana was still around as he would like to meet her. The host was very gracious to find her however returned and said she would not be coming out because she was too busy. While the overall food experience was impeccable as always with all of her venues my dad was disappointed that she was too busy. This is also coming from a man who has met other world renowned chefs who have taken the time to meet him, these include but are not limited to the late Charlie Trotter Thomas Keller and Nobu San. read more

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I went here for the first time to celebrate a friends birth and everything was amazing. The restaurant has a cool ambiance- tropical wallpaper, photos of our favorite queens on the walls, and other cool / tasteful decor. The food was amazing- we had a fennel salad, pasta, short rib, and a couple appetizers. Highly recommend everything on the menu. The menu has an extensive and thoughtful wine list, which makes this a great pick for a wine enthusiast. The service was top notch- friendly, present, and despite being the last table before close it was never rushed. The location is very good as well. An easy walk to the Gold Coast, River North, and Michigan Avenue. This is a great addition to the chicago food scene. read more

I went to Alpana with a big group so between all of us we experienced a lot of the menu. First of all, the decor is amazing. Inside feels like an enchanted forest, round tables make for a lively dining experience and the service is incredible. They have a focus wine region if the month, when I was there it was Mt. Aetna, and I never new how much I needed volcanic wine in my life! :) Our waiter gave great recommendations, including the wine he described as a red wine with the soul of a white wine -spot on! We ordered several appetizers and everything was amazing. I opted for the short rib bourginon and it was incredible. Others in our group loved the salmon, sea bass, and squid ink pasta. I will definitely return when next in Chicago. Alpana would be great for a date night or a girls night out and if you have friends who need gluten free - they have a full gf menu! read more

We had a lovely brunch here. The service was really great. The croissant veggie sandwich was a hit as were the fries. The veggie omelet was good and had great potatoes. read more

Alpana - Veggie croissant - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Love the vibe here! First things first, I was very impressed with the service here. Our waiter was super friendly and did a fantastic job checking up on us throughout our meal. For cocktails, I had the jalapeño business - which basically was a spicy marg but I asked for mezcal instead of tequila and it was delicious. My husband got the Moira rose (what a great name for a drink). Their wine selection is also amazing. We ordered the kale & farro, pistachio pesto, and creste di gallo alla grappa (+ fennel sausage) to share. I really enjoyed the salad, great start to the meal - came with apples, roasted squash, parmesan, and miso vinaigrette. Both of the pastas were fantastic. However, I ended up liked the tomato grappa one a bit more. The shape/texture of the pasta was perfect with the sauce. Packs in a bunch of flavors. The fennel sausage was a nice addition but the dish would still be good without. Overall, everything was delightful from the food to the ambiance - this is definitely a spot worth checking out. read more

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Our server Eric was amazing. Great atmosphere, service, and of course food. Will definitely be coming back!

I was in Chicago for visit and stopped in Alpana for dinner. Alpana has cozy, outdoor sidewalk seating when the weather is permitting and an elegant dining room and bar. Since I was dining alone, I opted for a seat at the bar. The bartender was quick to greet me and shared the beverage and food menu. He gave me some time and asked me if I had any questions. I opted for the steak tartare and frites with a glass of pinot noir. The atmosphere was very chill on this Tuesday evening, with most guests occupying the outdoor seating. My food arrived quickly and was everything I had hoped it to be. The beef for the tartare was perfectly chilled and seasoned. The fries were warm and crispy, served with an aioli. The portions for both were very generous. I enjoyed my quiet dinner at Alpana and would definitely go back on a future trip to the windy city. read more

Food, service and atmosphere were phenomenal! Had a great experience with our large group, including a vegan guest. Quality all around. Will be back time and again! read more

We ordered: 1. Creste Di Gallo Alla Grappa - tomato grappa sauce, calabrian chillies, pangrattato 2. Squid Ink Campanelle - rock shrimp, saffron chile butter, tarragon, pangrattato 3. Cookies N Cream Sundae 4. Braised Octopus - urfa biber, crispy fingerlings, salsa verde 5. Elote Corn - cotija, ancho, cilantro, lime, mayo 6. Crispy Polenta & Mushrooms - black truffle parmesan fonduta 7. Faroe Islands Salmon - edamame, cippolini onions, wild mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, agrodolce jus 8. Key Lime Pie There wasn't a single dish that disappointed, to be honest. Elote corn was rich and fresh. Octopus and salmon were tender. All the appetizers and entrees had great flavor, including the pasta. Desserts are must-get. Key lime pie was perfect balance of creaminess, sweetness, and tart. My Kokomo cocktail was delicious. Service was subpar. Waiter was presumably hard of hearing. Neither friendly nor engaging. Did not check on us after entrees. We waited for the check and eventually had to ask for the check TWICE. Still giving 4 stars because the food was so good and other staff who brought the food and changed out our plates/utensils were good. But if I come back and service is subpar again, will have to lower the star rating. read more

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Best food and wine ever! We want to go back as soon as possible! I lived in Chicago in the 00s and was so happy to see who owed the restaurant and it did not disappoint! Highly recommend! read more

Found the great reviews for this place just a few blocks from our hotel. Looked like they had availability (on a Thursday at 7p) and saw a creative menu we wanted to try, so we walked over. Good choice! We asked the very nice server how much would be "just slightly too much food for two people" and decided on 4 plates (which was, in fact, more than we could eat but a fun way to try more things!). Our favorite was the chicken. We asked our server between the chicken and the venison loin which we should get and he said both were great but that the Roasted Half Chicken was his #1 reco on the whole menu. And he was RIGHT. 24-hr marinated for a succulence I wouldn't have the patience to create at home, with practically confit'd chunks of potato (very Tuscan style). They serve it with gravy (yummy) and aji verde and oh my LANTA that green sauce is good. Also, the kale-apple-butternut-squash salad with plentiful parmesan and a miso vinaigrette was perfectly balanced. The small chop on the kale is key for an approachable and easy to love (and easy to save leftovers for later) salad. We also loved the Squid Ink Campanelle in saffron chili butter heavily performed with tarragon and topped with little nuggets of rock shrimp. Very good. The fig and burrata appetizer was good -- buttery charred bread -- but not as rich or impressive as the rest. Fresh figs are lovely but needed the help of either sweetness or salt. (We did add the prosciutto which helped.) Oh and all 3 glasses of wine were excellent. They had a Super Tuscan that was a show stopper with our entree. And the pours were generous (worth the $20/glass price)! The decor was immaculate: almost like it was built for looks instead of food, but man... the food (and lovely staff) deliver. read more

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Great indoor atmosphere & dinner spot. Not too expensive and the wine selection is fabulous. Was hesitant and my expectations were low because of some of the Yelp reviews, but we were pleasantly surprised. All 3 courses of food were delicious - temperature was perfect, and most notably, the creste di gallo alla grappa was fantastic. You don't need to get the fennel sausage - it was great without it. Would say if you are eating outside to note that you are in a busy area with tons of sirens and motorcycles. Just be wary! Would sit inside next time around. Between myself + my husband we split a bottle of wine, a starter, a pasta, and an entree. Only critique is I felt a swarm of people trying to clear plates and refill water to the point of it being uncomfortable - Not a huge deal, because I get running a tight shop, but it felt rushed (especially needing to split a bottle, if we didn't order alcohol I could see it not being an issue). read more

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I can't say enough about the incredible dining experience that we had here last night! We saw a piece about Alpana on CBS Sunday morning and knew that when we visited Chicago we had to go. The food and wine did not disappoint. The pasta main dishes were phenomenal and the appetizers were out of this world! The vibe is so inviting and I absolutely love the decor, especially the portraits around the restaurant! Can't wait to visit again! read more

Great new spot in River North! Was excited to try this restaurants after seeing Alpana Singh on "Check, Please" and seeing the menu. Came here with a friend at 8:30pm on a Sunday and the dining room was pretty full. Service came slow at first and it seemed like our waitress may have forgotten about us without taking our order but she later apologized and service was great the rest of the night. We ordered: - Braised octopus w/potatoes: Definitely heavy on the potatoes and the octopus was quite small but the flavor was great and I loved the parsley based sauce. - Squid Ink Campanelle: Great pasta with squid ink which gave it a bit of a briney flavor topped with delicious shrimp. - Cresti Di Gallo Alla Grappa: Delicious! This was my favorite dish of the night. The sauce is super yummy and packs a bunch of flavor. The shape of the pasta is perfect to pick up a ton of sauce which is similar to a spicy vodka sauce. We also ordered the supplemental fennel sausage (+$3) which was good but not necessary and was overshadowed by the pasta. All in all definitely worth checking out! I can't speak to the main entrees but the pastas are amazing and would definitely come back for them. read more

Alpana - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We have been longtime customers and have enjoyed our experience here In the past. Tonight however was a total train wreck. They had only one server working the entire room as well as outdoor patio. It took us 20 minutes to receive our drink order and 15 minutes to get a menu answer. Totally absurd. Hire some staff! read more

This is our third try and they continue to miss the mark. It's a shame because the service is very good and the setting visually nice. Of course the wines are worth exploring like the white Rioja I tried. Except for the ravioli the rest was a disappointment. The tuna crudo was tasty but the big pieces of fish needed to be cut up into more manageable chunks. The octopus was mushy and not very good and had more potatoes than octopus. The melon prosciutto was sliced to thick and made the meat chewy. The sea bass was mushy and the salmon so so. I expect better for a close to $300 meal. The one delight was the caramel sundae which comes in 2 sizes. We chose the large for the 3 of us and left us feeling somewhat better! read more

Went to Alpana for our Valentines dinner. It's a very nice place with friendly service and a very cool atmosphere. Unfortunately that's where the good stops. The food was poor, I understand that it was a set menu due to Valentine's Day, but the food was poor tasting and uninspired. I paid extra for the filet and left a fair portion of it on the plate at the end of the night as it was a poor piece of meat and was badly over cooked. I would not recommend this place, the staff is very good and the place is nicely appointed, but the food is garbage. read more

Not gonna lie - when I booked a reservation at Alpana I expected it to be mid because it's one of those cute/vibey places that people on TikTok hype up a lot so I assume the food doesn't measure up. HOWEVER I was wrong because this meal was delicious. The menu vibe reminds me of Rosemary in that it's sort of Italian/Mediterranean inspired but with the influence of other flavors. The star of the show was the whipped feta & truffle honey (without pistachios because I am very allergic) and the squid ink campanelle but I think anything you get here will be good. I'll be back to try some wine pairings. read more

Alpana - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Had such a fantastic meal here! Ordered the focaccia bread as an app and the amazing mushroom ravioli. Our server was wonderful and attentive. Definitely would go back to try out their other stuff. read more

We sat outside on the patio and the service was great- the food came out coursed with great timing and we enjoyed the night. The dishes weren't outstanding but It was good enough for the night and glad I tried the place. From all the dishes I ordered my favorite was the Beet Mezze. The beets were really sweet and it was great to pair it with their extra salty olives and warm pita bread. The Kale & Farro salad was fine- I thought it could use some more dressing and the roasted squash didn't really add any flavor to the dish- I think it needed more farro and more crunchy apples I love a great burrata dish and I always say the bread needs to be perfect to help highlight the cheese. The toast that came with this dish was overly buttered and way too flimsy. The butter on the bread overpowered the tomato peach jam and the burrata so I had to eat the dish on its own. Maybe a nice hearty baguette or thicker toast would have been nice. I did try it with the grilled bread that came with my steak tartare. Fries and truffle aioli- this side dish is basic I know but I love me some good fries. For $7 the fries came out luke warm and soggy so I asked them to double fry it. After the second time the fries came out crispy and hot- Tagliatelle verdura- I thought the noodles were perfectly cooked and the components worked well and it's a great summer pasta. If you're not a fan of lemon then skip this since the sauce is lemon and it's strong. read more

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The atmosphere, food and service was absolutely amazing. Will definitely go again. We had brunch, but I really would love to go back for dinner. read more

The ambiance was pleasant, and the food was pretty good too. Nothing life-changing, though. read more

Alpana - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I wanted to love this place so much more. Unfortunately, we sat down and waited 40 mins for our server. Apparently there was miscommunication on who our server was. We flagged down a server assistant to let them know we haven't had a server stop by. Good came pretty fast but waited another insane amount of time for the check. In total we were at the restaurant for 3hrs and 25 mins. No complaints about the atmosphere or the food just needed better service to have a better experience. read more

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This currently has my favorite polenta and focaccia. Haven't had a bad short rib yet! Was not particularly excited about the chicken. The burger is a solid option (but why get it when you have so many other options?). Service has been very good when I've gone, but I wouldn't expect to get RPM level fuzzy feelings here... They're efficient and polite. read more

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Came here for Valentine's Day and they did not disappoint! The ambiance and decor are absolutely gorgeous and make me want to decorate my apartment like it. The food was delicious- my favorite bite being my boyfriends short rib. Super tender and juicy. Service is great minus the host who clearly looked like he hated his job. He had the most annoyed look on his face (maybe someone broke up with him on Valentine's Day) the entire night but that's ok because overall I had a great time and recommend Alpana for any special occasion. read more

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I dined at this restaurant a couple of times 2 1/2 years ago when the establishment first opened and I absolutely loved it. I moved away for a year and a half and couldn't wait to come back. Unfortunately, it was quite disappointing. Service was courteous at best. Food was completely unremarkable and greasy. We ordered the octopus however the bartender put in a ticket for hamachi, insisting that's what I had asked for. We did get the octopus which was gelatinous, brussel sprouts were greasy and submerged in sickly sweet apple vinegar reduction, the chicken was meh. I politely shared my experience with a staff member, not expecting anything and she sent us a cup of ice cream which I didn't eat because I'm lactose intolerant. read more