My birthday was last Thursday and I wanted to try someplace I've never been. Enter Ardor by Chance, which I found... well, by chance. The website gave a great idea of the ambiance in the restaurant - cozy colors, french-inspired decor - and I was like, hell yeah, I'm in. I'm not being hyperbolic when I say everything surprised and delighted us. We started with cocktails: my husband got the Pepper Pop Margarita, and I got the Lincoln Lush. Despite being hibiscus gin-based and full of acidic fruit flavors, the Lincoln Lush was deliciously smooth and almost had a creamy texture to it. Similarly, my husband's margarita was perfectly spicy and not overwhelmed with limeade, as you might get at lesser restaurants. We started our food by splitting a L'Incontro Improbabile pizza, made with prunes and gorgonzola - hardly flavors that I have much experience with, but again, we wanted to try something new, and the waiter suggested it. That dude's taste is impeccable, because it was amazing. We both got Kobe burgers as our mains, though as tasty as they were, we couldn't finish them. We were so stuffed with the pizza (larger than we thought it would be) that we would've been mouth-breathing for the next day. Finally, the waiter surprised us for my aforementioned birthday with glasses of a sort of brandy and a créme brûlée, both of which were incredible. In the end, we had a mighty meal and ended up walking45 minutes home to work through the pile of calories we ingested. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for something that's serene, classy, and delicious. Don't sleep on it. read more

The Doctor and I came with friends to check out Ardor. We were excited at the the prospect of them being BYOB, but they now have a liquor license. You can bring in a bottle, but I believe the corkage fee is either $30 or $35. I was curious about this place because when it was Sojourn, we use to eat there all the time for dinner and brunch, as well as getting carry out for the Davis Street Theater. I am happy to say that even under new management, the food is still very good. Decor wise, they removed the TVs that use to be there and I ain't mad about that. Don't get me wrong, I love watching TV, but sometimes the stuff they had on wasn't always something I wanted to watch. They did keep the same set-up, with the room being split in half by an open bookshelf, but the colors are a little darker and more sophisticated. The entrance that would have lead to Sojourn has been blocked up, so Ardor has its own separate bar area. Normally I like to go to a restaurant's website to check out the menu, but for some reason Ardor does not have theirs on the main website, but did have photos of the menu on their Instagram page I discovered later. Not a deal breaker for me, but I typically like to scope out the selection so I can narrow down my choices. We didn't do starters because we had eaten earlier at brunch, so we stuck to the main courses. The Doctor got the Smash burger and our friends got the Salmon (served with mashed potatoes and broccoli and a beurre blanc sauce). I went for the boneless half chicken with the roasted veggies. Although small potatoes were a part of the selection of veggies with the chicken, I opted to also get a side of mash potatoes because I need them in my life when I have meat or poultry. The Doctor's Smash Burger was HUGE! It looked pretty impressive in size and came with a choice of cheese (cheddar or Havarti) and Cajun fries. The Doctor said it was a good burger and he ended up taking half of it home. The fries were good in the restaurant, nice and crispy, but going home they did not fare well...again not a deal breaker. The burger on the other hand was just a tasty, probably better as the juices had settled and created a new flavor profile. Our friends both loved the salmon and said it was well prepared. My chicken was on total point. Not only was it flavorable, but the whole no bones thang had me tripping! The idea of getting half a chicken with no bones is a winner winner chicken dinner for me. Initially I was thinking about substituting the roasted veggies with the mashed potatoes, but our server talked me out of that and I am glad he did! The veggies were a nice side that complemented the chicken. As I had eaten earlier, I did not finish the meal and took it home. It made for a lovely Sunday breakfast, heating up nicely. Because my one friend and me have birthdays in March, we were treated to a piece of chocolate mousse cake each, which we shared with our menfolk. If you have read my previous reviews, at some point you will see I am not a big fan of dessert, but I have to say that this mousse cake was pretty delish and I cleaned my plate, but did let The Doctor have some. Our server was really cool and attentive, answering questions and making recommendations. Had his name on the receipt but don't have it with me at the writing of this review, but he was charming (blonde gentleman with slightly long hair). There was also another gentleman that checked in on us, had a beard and mustache. Not sure if he was the owner or GM, but he was cool as well. I have to say that the meal was a pleasant experience and I could definitely see coming back here again. read more

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We stumbled upon this restaurant for their soft opening after seeing a movie at the Davis Theater a few doors down. We were drawn in by the beautifully designed, elegant yet cozy interior. The host was warm and welcoming, and we got a cute table for two right in front of the bay windows. We got the steak tartare appetizer, beet salad and gorgonzola pizza to share. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was calm and classy, and it was just an overall lovely evening. We were so sad when Fork closed down a few years ago down the street and have been looking for another New American restaurant on this block with great food, drinks and a good ambiance for conversations and this is it! Wishing this business all the best. Highly recommend for a date night or before / after seeing a movie at the Davis Theatre! read more

Ardor by Chance - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent new place in Lincoln square! Check out the menu. Delicious food and drink. Ask for Erik the bartender. He's a great guy! read more

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Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday. The restaurant was in a soft launch opening. Our server was brand new but was very accommodating. Their menu doesn't indicate anything GF but most items can be made GF. I also reached out on IG prior to our reservation and they said no problem with being GF. They also can make GF pizza with enough notice. I'm hoping that changes once they are fully open. The food was delicious. A few mishaps during service but they were busy and everyone was new. Will definitely come back and try their pizza. The server took celiac very seriously and made sure to check all ingredients with the kitchen to ensure everything was safe. read more

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Food, service, and ambiance was great. Nice date night place! We had wine, crab cakes, the wedge, chicken and the filet. Very flavorful, generous portions and calming dinner experience read more

With less than a month of being open under their belt, they already have so much going for them at Ardor! The restaurant and feel is so cozy and warm. We had the cheese appetizer with pear, the Gorgonzola pizza, the slider dinner with frites and the beef tenderloin! All were spectacular and plenty of food for four. We brought our own wine and finished with crème brûlée and chocolate mousse desserts. Superb! read more

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The owner greeted us when we arrived. The server was very nice. Our drinks took a bit long to arrive, but, they were very tasty! Our appetizers, stuffed mushrooms and beet salad, were also very good. The sauce for the mushrooms had a nice spice kick. The highlight for me was my sea bass. Rather than a smaller thicker cut, this was a larger and thinner cut. The fish melted in my mouth. We were able to bring our own wine. The corkage fee was very reasonable! The only reason I did not give Ardor a five star rating is twofold: Their choice of vodka for our martinis, was either Tito's the house vodka. They definitely need a smoother taste like Grey Goose, Ketel one or Chopin. The second item is very minor. Once it got dark outside, the lights remained very bright. For the food and service, I would return! Hopefully, they get some better vodka choices and dim the lights after dark! read more

We had a delicious dinner with amazing cocktails. Service and ambiance were excellent. Salmon and salad are highly recommended.

Lovely experience! Tried this place for the first time with a friend -- we got their mushrooms, pizza, salmon, chicken, a few drinks and dessert. All the food was delicious, the ambiance was warm and inviting, and the service was friendly yet efficient! Highly recommend. read more

The venue is great, Relaxing wonderful food. Best service I have had in forever!! I'm looking forward to Jazz and old world charm the next time I go. read more

We ador Ardor! One of the best filet mignons I've had in a long time! Great atmosphere, wonderful cocktail menu! We can't wait to go back! read more