Overall experience was great! Made a reservation online and sat at a shared table. Went for a mid-week lunch date, which was a really nice and easygoing experience. The entry door is a little fun, just push where the pig is. The hummus is an absolute must. We got an extra pita (one per person) and I would recommend getting the extra. For the lunch menu -- the prix-fixe is a really great option. It's only about $26 for the stuffed date, sandwich & chips, and rolled baklava. Service was great, our server was amazing (thank you Marlee)! Waters were consistently refilled, timing was great, atmosphere was enjoyable. Will be going back! read more

See all

I went to Avec for my birthday and from food, service, and ambiance the entire experience was a disappointment. The endive salad was warm and not cohesive at all. Nothing really went together and it was warm, which didn't make sense and made it worse. The steak was cooked how I asked, but the sauce was extremely oily and had this strange burnt flavor which likely was from the onions? The onions were extremely burnt, nothing like a typical caramelized delish onion. The chicken had the same issue, everything had that same burnt tasting oil and the chilies sitting in it just made it more intense. It was honestly just edible and nothing I would come back for or recommend. I love middle eastern food and know that even with a midwestern there are some considerations to take with the flavor profile but the burnt onions, burnt spicy oil in the chicken, and a warm salad are all indications for poor execution. As for the actual ambiance and experience it was my birthday and there was no acknowledgment at all not even someone to check in on whether the food was okay. I did not want to order a dessert after the salad, steak, and shawarma all missing the mark. The seating was very uncomfortable. It is cramped and communal and at this price point I expected a much better experience. Will admit I should have looked into the actual dining set up before booking a late night reservation but even still there are so many better places in Chicago where you can get better food and actually feel comfortable. Overall it just was not worth it. I would not return or recommend this spot. read more

See all

I finished work early and wanted to find a spot where I could have a light bite and drink to unwind. I remember seeing an Avec in River North, but my office was near West Loop so that made this location more convenient. I made a reservation for myself as I wasn't sure how busy the place got. Hospitality was great right off the bat. My reservation was for 5:30pm, but I arrived early and was offered a seat at the bar immediately. My hostess asked if I wanted to have my jacket held at coat check, which I was much obliged to maximize my space at the intimate bar. I got a Last Frontier, a gin-based cocktail that was sweet, slightly tart and refreshing. It was well crafted and hit the spot. I loved their Potato and Salted Cod Brandade. Talk about stick to your ribs! The brandade's warmth, thick texture, and rich flavor made the dip oh so comforting. Perfect for the blustery weather. I'll be back to try other popular items from the menu! read more

Avec - Chicago - The last frontier - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Tight seating but pleasant space. We cane for breakfast and it was very nice. Coffees and lattes are very good. We had the chorizo stuffed method dates, fantastic! Grilled shrimp yummy. Deluxe focaccia very good with smoked salmon. Spiced tomato shakeups was outrageous. French toast excellent. We also had the donuts which were quite good. Nut butter square was tasty. Delicious meal. I would come here again without question. read more

See all

Wife and I had a great time at Avec. Reserved a dinner for two before seeing a McCartney concert at United Center. Very busy place and there is seating at tables and at the bar. We were seated on stools at the bar. We were able to get in before happy hour ended (3:30-5:30) to get some appetizers and drinks to start. Chickpeas hummus platter and a selection of marinated olives with ciabatta. I enjoyed my crisp and refreshing local draft beer Kölsch beer by Dovetail Brewery Service was friendly and they took the time to explain how dishes were prepared and what was in them if you had any questions. My rotisserie chicken shawarma with pickled peppers, charred lemon, fermented chili sauce, garlic toum and hearth baked pita was excellent and delicious. Definitely would order it again. There was enough left over to take home also. read more

See all

Avec offers a small, curated menu that does exactly what a good brunch spot should give you just enough variety without overwhelming you. The family-style setup made the whole experience feel communal. The standout for me was the pork belly. Glazed, incredibly tender, and practically melted the moment it hit your mouth. The donuts were another highlight. Great chew, and that salted finish was the perfect counterbalance to the sweet glaze. Simple but executed really well. Service was attentive and friendly. Fair warning it does get tight inside, but once you're settled in, it's cozy rather than cramped. Looking forward to coming back for dinner to see what they're doing on that side of the menu. Highly recommend if you're looking for a brunch spot that keeps things focused and delivers. -Mr. read more

See all

Gosh I wish I took more photos because this place was flavor town. The pizza carbonara was out of this world as well as the short rib hummus. Even this blueberry corn gelato was outstanding. Definitely do your tastebuds a favor and try this place. It's kinda expensive but worth it. read more

Avec - Chicago - Blueberry corn gelato - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came for a Sunday brunch early in the morning -- Overall experience was good, service was friendly and the ambiance was cozy. It is not a huge place so reservation is definitely recommended. The portion for the plates are pretty generous, great for sharing and trying several of them. Highlights of the meal: Chorizo stuffed dates was delicious, love the sweet and savory combo! Sumac glazed pork belly was tasty, although I would have loved them to be fattier! Grilled butcher steak was perfectly cooked (medium rare) and flavorful. Lowlights: the seasonal apple cranberry brioche was just okay, tasted like a store bought pastry, nothing special. The deluxe focaccia had good flavor but not worth the $24. The brunch ended with the affogato, which was wonderful! There were many other items on thr menu that looked good. I would definitely return to try more! read more

See all

Went to the recommended West Loop location. I was looking for a great restaurant to be my last Chicago dinner. Originally wanted to try out a steakhouse and saw a post of someone comparing this particular steakhouse and Avec. What they wrote made me ultimately choose Avec: "You can find a steakhouse anywhere, but Avec is only in Chicago." Well, after eating at Avec, I can say that was such an exaggeration. Ordered the "deluxe" focaccia (taleggio cheese, truffle oil, fresh herbs) and the grilled butcher steak (burnt eggplant, sungold tomatoes, shishito peppers and za'atar). Saw posts saying the focaccia was ''INSANELY GOOD." I have no idea why people made it seem like this focaccia was going to make me rethink everything in my life. The steak was fine. The eggplant in this dish does not pair well with steak in my opinion. The place itself looked nice though and service was good. The food just wasn't to my taste. read more

Avec - Chicago - Butcher steak - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Absolutely loved that we could make reservations for a weekday lunch; as a group of 5, it can be a gamble trying to get a table large enough at some of the other amazing restaurants that don't do reservations. while the Senior area isn't very big, it's pretty neat that it's quite communal and intimate. Every single thing we ordered tasted amazing, the flavors were perfectly balanced, and the quality exceptional. Our server was quite lovely as well, attentive and able to get us what we needed when asked. Every single thing we ate was good, you really can't go wrong. I love that their menu isn't extensive because it allows a focus on quality. We had a kiddo with us and she ended up just getting the lamb burger with this jam on the side so that it wasn't too spicy and it was perfect. This, coupled with the lunch prix fixe, rewards program. and the fab cocktails means that we will be back! read more

See all

I was really excited to try this place, but unfortunately it didn't fully meet my expectations. My brother and I came for brunch during Restaurant Week. We both ordered the raspberry rose brioche bun, and while the flavor was pleasant, it ended up being quite dry and felt comparable to a grocery-store pastry rather than something special. The Restaurant Week menu itself was fairly limited, but the lamb burger stood out to me so I gave it a try. The flavor was good overall, however it was overly salty, as were the chips that came with it, which was disappointing. On a positive note, the service was very good. They checked our coats before seating us, and our server was attentive throughout the meal. The restaurant is smaller than I expected, but it's a nice, cozy space with beautiful wood details. I probably wouldn't recommend this spot specifically for Restaurant Week, but I'd be open to giving it another chance and trying something different on the menu. Part of me feels like I may have just ordered the wrong dish. read more

Avec - Chicago - Raspberry Rose Brioche Bun - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Wow Avec is so impressive!! I get why it's so popular, and I genuinely found every dish sooo tasty. Please note that all the tables are communal, and we were sat incredibly close to the people next to us. But perhaps this adds to the atmosphere and vibe! But don't expect your convos to be completely private. Chorizo-stuffed medjool dates - comes with bacon and a piquillo pepper tomato sauce - loveddddd how flavorful this was and the rich contrast of the slightly sweet dates with the tangy tomato sauce and the salty chorizo. We got the half portion which comes with 2, and these genuinely were so surprising!! Potato and salted cod brandade - comes with garlic crostini and chives - the garlic crostini was soo flavorful and just so crunchy even after sitting out for a while. This brandade was like a rich potato soup with a hint of cod, I couldn't stop eating it. Grilled butcher steak - loved the Brussels sprouts, but the steak was a bit too chewy. Coal roasted cabbage (half portion) - the basmati rice and black lentil combo was quite good. The cabbage itself was very moist and juicy with a rich yogurt. Whole roasted branzino - GOSH SO GOOD!! This was slightly fried and served with fava beans. This was the most perfectly cooked fish I've had in so long - which is crazy because branzino overcooks so easily. Overall, this was actually amazing. Bravo!! read more

See all

Went here with a group for bunch, so we sampled a lot of items. The lamb burger and shakshuka were favorites, but everything was good. It is a small place, but we didn't feel crowded or rushed. Nice choice for a different brunch. read more

Amazing experience at Avec. Came for restaurant week brunch and every single thing was a hit. The service was excellent our server was attentive and helpful. Each course was delicious starting with the brioche, then tried the dates (not on RW brunch menu) but came recommend by our server and it was incredibly flavorful we left the restaurant still talking about those dates! The mains were also great, the lamb burger was so fresh (did not taste lamb-y if you know you know) and the polenta and grilled shrimp were equally delicious. The restaurant was clean and minimal, they did a great job optimizing the small space. Loved everything about Avec! read more

See all

Small, fun restaurant. Great Mediterranean food. Lots of small plates and yummy large plates. Yummy, unique bread served with nearly everything. Great desserts. Cushions provided to make seats more comfortable. Friendly staff and reasonable prices! Great place all around read more

I enjoyed the atmosphere and impeccable attention to detail. I enjoyed a lunch which included soup that was delicious and not overwhelming in size finishing with baklava. Definitely will return to try dinner. read more

See all

Very cute and cozy spot set away from the craziness of the loop -- stopped by for dinner with a friend and loved everything we ate. The service was prompt as well. The restaurant inside is super loud, so wouldn't recommend for a first date or something along those lines, but great just for the ambiance or girls night. For the food, we had the hummus & pita (which isn't served with enough pita bread but that's a small gripe), the chorizo dates, chicken shawarma and the cheese plate. For the serving sizes, I did think it was a little overpriced. But overall would go back. read more

See all

Even though, I live a stone's throw away from Avec, I hadn't eaten here in many years and certainly not written a review from when I used to dine here regularly around 2010-2012. I am so glad I got to eat last night. I attended a private dinner in their upstairs space (just the opposite of the communal dining experience downstairs). We had our own very knowledgeable bartender and server from Greece who was a lot of fun to engage with. We also had Chef Flavio who prepared all our food by himself in their upstairs kitchen. So impressive. Thank you both for a great meal. Now on to the food. Our host had picked out all the food in advance and we got to try their hummus & pita, the endive salad, the steak, the prawns, the lentil rice with cabbage and the whole fish in coconut and tamarind sauce. See my picture of our menu for ingredient details of each item. There wasn't one thing that our table didn't enjoy. We also had some younger dining guests joining us and there was also pizza (off menu) for them that I got to try and even that was so good. read more

See all

It's been a few years since I've been back, I'll need to eat here waaaaay more frequently. Just had an amazing birthday lunch experience at the counter. I'm still dreaming of the gelatos and perfectly textured flat bread. The setting is the og space, intimate but vibrant and lively. It was packed for weekday lunch, luckily I had made a reservation. Service was attentative even though it was slammed, a few minor missteps and the food felt like it took a little longer than it needed to. But then again, we were starving and our sense of time and space might have been warped. When our first dishes arrived, our taste buds were warped back to ecstasy after the first bites of hummus with that airy, chewy, yet delecate and creamy flatbread. We also ordered the salmon tartine, butcher steak with eggplant, and the stuffed dates. The salmon was amazingly prepared, I need to know how to cook my salmon well done but also maintain a creamy, moist texture. The bread, I assume from Publican, had a nice crust, balanced texture, and played well as robust sandwich to support the salmon. I loved having the hummus to add to this. Lentil side salad was also a solid partner in this dish. Butcher steak was perfect medium, and the eggplant/babaganoush was excellent. The flavors of the dips and sauces from our meal actually made the steak seem pedestrian in comparison. Still excellent. The dates were another highlight. We ordered them last minute after seeing diners next to us eating them. So glad we did. These baddies hit so many flavors, savory, spicy, tangy, and sweet. Plus the thick, smooth texture if the date, with crispy charred bacon, and chorizo played together harmoniously. The breads were great for soaking up that sauce too. This is a must order every. Our dessert was the seasonal blueberry corn cookie gelato, peach cardamom marzipan gelato, and nutter butter squares. The squares were like elevated butter fingers, took me a minute to nail that down, so tasty. The gelatos were so amazing. My wife commented that a new part of her brain was awoken, not too bad. We loved the flavors immediately, plus the dough pieces gave us a hefty textural element for interest. Also a must order. Definitely need to circle back soon. read more

See all

Impeccable meal and service today! Party of 4, and the place was packed. I would recommend reservations. Food in order of the table favorites: Short rib hummus (small plate) Prawns (small plate) Branzino (large plate) Steak (small plate) Chorizo Dates (small plate) Mackerel (small plate) We would go back ! read more

It's a great brunch, but not the best. I think the portion sizes are a little misleading. The small plates are huge. The sides are great, but there were so many potatoes. The pork belly was amazing with the sauce. Donuts were salty. Some bites were super salty. Affogato was good. The French toast was a pass. Steak was also good but probably would have tasted better with the pork belly treatment. I think one small plates and a large plate is plenty of food. It is very tight here with long benches and a countertop and it can get cold. Service is okay. Our server was kind of all over the place but the busser was fantastic. It's a nice spot for larger groups, maybe 4-6 people. read more

See all

Made a reservation online. Got a table for 2. The service is top top notch. Some of the best. My water was refilled 8 times during my meal. We asked for tonic water and they provided that for us. Chorizo stuffed medjool dates with bacon $20- one of the most popular items. Get this! The flavors are immaculate. With chorizo comes saltiness, the dates has sweetness, it's subtle mixing. The bacon is cooked with enough crispiness and flavor. The tomato sauce is excellent. I do think the tomato sauce and dates don't really match. Charred sweet potato with jalapeno feta $20- great flavor, the char has a hint of flavor and not overly burnt. The jalapeno feta is fluffy. Hummus with short rib $34- the short rib had a sweet caramelizing flavor. The short rib by itself was excellent, soft, some texture. The hummus was also excellent, smooth, nice. The combination was odd because when eating together, the sweetness of the short rib disappears. Nutter butter square $3 each Strawberry negroni sorbet $6 Sandia Sun $17- tequila, mezcal, watermelon, black lime- was so good and can't even taste the alcohol Golden hour $18- Gina, yellow chartreuse read more

See all

Might look familiar if you've watched The Bear. Avec specializes in Mediterranean-inspired food and has a warm lively atmosphere. I absolutely loved the chorizo-stuffed dates and the hummus with fresh pita was equally as great. Cocktail menu had a variety of spirits and options depending on what you like. Staff was knowledgeable and friendly and helped recommend options that paired well with our food. Would recommend coming here to anyone. read more

See all

Love this place! From the service to the atmosphere and of course, the food, it is a great spot for an intimate date night or group dinner. We made it in for happy hour which was such a pleasant surprise as they had some great options on the menu that were half price. We ordered several dishes and had plenty leftover to take home! Chorizo stuffed bacon wrapped dates- an Avec classic and for good reason, sweet, savory, little spicy, tons of flavor and lots of meat. Love the bread that comes with the dish Bread and Spreads- I believe these change seasonally but we had a corn raita that was delicious and was similar to an Indian spiced elote, poblano and honey labneh- super thick and creamy with the subtle pepper taste, loved it, sweet potato tahini spread- least favorite of the three but still a nice deep flavor, the bread is Publican and always great! Cod Brandade- rich and buttery and very comforting but could only have a little, loved the toasted bread that came with the dish Grilled broccoli- loved this, amazing charred flavor with a slight crunch and lots of pips of flavor from pomegranate seeds and eggplant spread, one of my faves of the night Spring pea hummus- amazing, best hummus I have had, so creamy and flavorful and loved the crunch of the snap peas and the homemade pita to dip Butcher Steak- very good, tender meat and nice flavor from the sungolds and shishitos Portions of everything were very generous especially for happy hour. The service was great and I will most definitely return soon to try more! read more

I went here with friends that wanted to celebrate my (belated) birthday. Fortunately this is one of several restaurants that opened on Labor Day and it was fairly busy, so reservations are recommended. We were 30 min early but they happily accommodated us. The space is long and narrow so it can feel crowded, so it is not ideal for a more relaxed formal meal. I'd say you're here more for the food than the ambience and service. We got the following - Chorizo stuffed medjool dates - my favorite dish. This dish is small but hearty. I love the chorizo and the texture, balancing with the sweetness of the date and the spiciness from the sauce - Short rib hummus - amazing. The short rib is sweet and crispy; it was very well executed. The hummus itself is good but not outstanding, but the short rib definitely upped the flavor - Sweet corn pizza - what is this??? The pizza was haphazardly cut and the toppings felt like they just toss a salad and placed on top. It's still delicious but messy and confusing to eat - Slow roasted pork shoulder - good but too heavy and the pork is a little dry. I liked the clams and the rice, but the main highlight of the dish - the pork - was just decent - Burnt honey cake - a recent replacement to a chocolate cake dish so I guess we are one of the newer customers to try it. It was okay. A bit too dense for my liking, and I'm not sure how I feel about eating a burnt layer. Also, my friend secretly told the waitress it's my birthday so they added a birthday candle as a gesture, but they dig the candle deep that when I blew it out, wax spilled over a good amount of the cake that it was a bit of effort to take it out after cooling. Service is okay. Water refills were frequent which is appreciated but when I was seated in the aisle I found it annoying the servers lacked space awareness so they bumped into me a few times. Not ideal. It also feels interesting that we started the meal with such mind blowing delicious food but the progression of each dish got worse in quality (still delicious!) but psychologically doesn't hit right. read more

See all

Side of bacon is HUGE. Three fatty slabs sizzling in sauce. Lamb burger is smaller than I expected, but also more filling than expected. Juicy party, seasoned and salty chips on the side. read more

Avec - Chicago - Lamb burger: $20 - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

An intimate Mediterranean tapas spot serving up delicious bites -- this was easily one of my favorite meals during my trip to Chicago. The space has a mix of long, narrow tables and bar seating. I definitely recommend making a res in advance, since it gets packed. The restaurant was briefly featured in 'The Bear,' so it was fun to see it IRL! Every single bite was delicious -- my personal standouts included Grilled Calamri, Oyster Mushroom Pizza, Mexican Prawns and Chai Gelato. The food came out quickly and the service was fantastic. I appreciated that they staff made great recos about what to order and the amount of food to get. I'll be back on my next trip! read more

See all

As my first restaurant week stop of 2026 I was impressed with the quantity of courses. Avec does not offer options for the restaurant week menu, but there were a variety of courses and they were able to accommodate a food allergy in the group by serving them a separate serving. there were four people in my party and courses came out in pairs, so there was enough on each plate to serve too. The pacing of the courses was really good as they waited for us to finish before bringing out the next and we were very full by the end of the meal. The tables were a bit more communal than I would prefer so we were seated on a table of eight as a party of four next to another party of two there was room for two more in between our parties and they tried to see someone there at one point, but they asked to move. The seating doesn't detract from the experience as it is still pretty roomy, and you can hear your party around you without hearing much of other conversations. My favorite course was the dates, and I wish the paella had a little bit more balance of the proteins. I definitely would recommend this as a stop for restaurant week. read more

See all

My wife and I stopped here for lunch after a massage at the Godfrey. Food was amazing!! We really enjoyed the flavors and our waiter was very nice. He gave us insights on what to try. We were very impressed with service and food. Very nice atmosphere. Would love to go again sometime! read more

See all

Love a restaurant that encourages sharing during restaurant week and doesn't make the whole party do the set menu! One of us did the RW menu and the other ordered à la carte. We shared everything though. The RW menu was a good variety and would have been plenty for one person. The crudo was the perfect light start to the meal, and the salad was interesting and fresh. Those two dishes came out fast but then there was a huge gap when no food came out. We were hangry :( the short rib hummus was excellent and melted in your mouth. Hot take on the dishes Avec is known for: the ratio on the bacon wrapped dates was off. Way too much chorizo in the middle. I couldn't taste any of the date, and minimal bacon too. The focaccia was executed well but fell a little flat in my opinion. Maybe in comparison to other dishes it lacked flavor and impact. I did like it better the next date leftover. Add the honey on top for sure! I liked the paella okay but wanted more rice. My friend wasn't wowed by it and said the chicken was dry. Desserts looked better than they tasted. The seating is a bit different (communal bench tables) and the space is one long, narrow room. Service was decent but that attentive. I'm glad I came & would come back someday, just not rushing back. read more

See all

The food was absolutely delicious! We ordered around 2 large plates and 4 small plates for 5 people and we were absolutely stuffed. Every dish was amazing. The potato and salted cod brandade was my favorite-- so creamy and not as heavy as it looks! The slow roasted pork shoulder was also perfectly cooked and so tender. For food alone, I would absolutely recommend! Price is not bad either, we spent ~$225 for our group of five (and everyone got drinks). Our server was extremely sweet and helpful, but there was another server who was rushing us a bit to finish which was a little awkward at the end, since we still had some dishes we hadn't finished. One thing to note is that the restaurant doesn't have a lot of seating. We were sat at a bigger table and ended up sharing our table with another party of 2 people, which was no problem at all~ read more

I've been to both the River North & West Loop locations. For some reason I remember not being a fan of the west loop but after coming to the River North location, I'll have to give West Loop another try. The food here was all delicious and so many great options. For some reason we had in our head. this might be tapas style so we wayyyyyyyy over ordered, but it was a nice way to try multiple plates. read more

See all

Avec has been on my list for a long time, and I was super excited to finally try it. The entrance of the restaurant was a bit hard to find. I love the warm, wooden interior and the natural light shining through. The menu does not have too many options. Our waitress recommended three dishes to share between the three of us; however, we felt that it wasn't enough food. The portion sizes are small, and wished we had ordered more. We ordered: * chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato - this is a MUST!! 10/10. The saltiness and savoriness from the bacon and chorizo combined with the sweet dates and the kick from the piquillo pepper!!! Such a great mixture of flavors and textures. * charred sweet potato with whipped jalapeno feta, ponzu and roasted cashew dukkah - 5/10 half of the sweet potatoes were undercooked * grilled butcher steak with charred radicchio, marcona almond and chili-sesame - 2/10 five bite sized cuts of unseasoned butcher steak for $28... the side salad was bitter and did not complement the steak Overall, beautiful plating but the food was very underwhelming. read more

See all

I've always wanted to go here based on several reviews. Got that chance this weekend when friends visited. Arrived there when they opened on Saturday, walked in, and able to secure seats. There's a public parking a few doors down or there is metered parking on the streets. So plenty and close by!! Space inside the restaurant is tight and communal seating due to space constraints. Bathroom was immaculate . Wait staff very attentive and service was quick. Food was exceptional except the Mexican Prawns and Char-Grilled Butcher Steak. It was perfectly seasoned but overly cooked. Tough and meat adhered to the shell because it was overcooked. Steak was cold and tough even though medium well. A bit pricey but the small dishes we ordered were just enough to satiate our appetites. Will definitely come back for more. read more

See all

Ever since we finished watching 'The Bear', Avec was high on our to visit list, so we made a reservation for our anniversary! Now the interesting part is the west loop avec is one long communal table of sorts. That was a fun little surprise. Maybe we should have looked that up before making the resy for an anniversary. But once the food came in we quickly forgot about that, because it was fabulous. The mejdool stuffed dates with the chorizo were fabulous. The spiciness of the chorizo, paired with the sweetness of the dates and the crispy bacon exterior was a party in our mouths. This flavour funhouse unexpectedly topped by the short rib hummus. The short rib was melt in your mouth stuff and the hummus with sumac was the perfect partner in crime! For dessert we got the cheesecake, which was great but to pair with the ginger and pear jam was a culinary masterpiece. They were sweet to give us an helping of the chocolate gelato on the house which was a perfect way to end the evening! We plan to visit the river north branch to sample the rest of the menu which we couldn't because we got too full. Highly recommended! read more

Stopped by Avec in need of a little dessert. With no reservations we knew may not be possible. They managed to get us in after a little figuring out. Great set up and busy Mediterranean place with a great vibe and atmosphere. Service is slow but they get to you eventually . Great varied menu but as we wanted dessert that's what we focused on but we managed to get an appetizer too! A little bubbly to drink started us off. We couldn't not get the wild Mexican shrimp app, which was really good and huge shrimp! Great tomato base sauce and a nice warm pita with it. Hearty dish. We chose the cookies and cream affogato. Yum this was insanely good . The espresso so fresh and strong blended well with the ice cream. Little chocolate cookies served with it were a good crunch. I love a good affogato . Even if it's a little untraditional. We also had the caramelized banana pie . Not my type of dessert but the girls loved it. With chocolate and sesame seeds also caramelized on top . Unique and different and an eye pleaser for sure. Great food for what we needed. Great gathering place too. read more

See all

For the year and a half I lived in River north, I would always walk past avec, and would always want to go check it out. The warm, Mediterranean interior was so inviting, but for some reason this restaurant escaped me. I went for the first time last weekend to check out their restaurant week menu. Cheese danish to start. Coffee on the side to help wake me up. I had the maple sausage scramble. A sausage scramble is always the best way to start the day, and Avec nailed it. Crispy potatoes, well cooked eggs, sweet maple saisage, and they even snuck pork belly in here. It tasted like bbq burnt ends. Ugh. So good. I tried the French toast too. This French toast is a marvel to behold. How they managed to get such a perfect texture that is both moist and spongy, but retains structure. You know the food is good when you commit to going to a valentines event there with your girlfriend, just to try the food they'll be serving. Should be a blast and delicious as ever! read more

See all

We came here for a special dinner and the experience was mostly positive. The service was good. The staff were attentive and managed walking through the narrow space very well. Our sever described the dishes and recommendations were spot on. We were seated at the counter about 10 inches from the hostess. The space isn't very large, and it's a bit narrow. The hard wood seating wasn't the most comfortable since the stools did not have any backing. Which might be an issue for prolonged dining. We started off with some olives and bread and a mezcal cocktail. The olives were good, but the bread wasn't very flavorful or warm. The cocktail was well balanced and delicious. We then had the prawn dish which was extremely hot temperature wise and a bit over cooked. The seasoning of the shrimp was really good and garlicky. So a bit of a mixed bag. We then had the roti chicken dish with hummus and fresh pitas. The pitas were like pillows, and the hot steam from them would burn your hands. The chicken was awesome, as well as the hummus. So good. We ended the meal with their signature nutter butter squares. A large bite of sugar heaven. We left very happy with the meal. read more

Avec - Chicago - Mezcal cocktail - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Truly amazing flavors! Our only tiny criticism was that the roasted cabbage, though delicious, was really tough and hard to eat. Everything was full of spice and flavor and fun! That focaccia is deadly good! read more

See all