This is a great Mediterranean place with amazing food! Just about everything we ordered was very tasty! The focaccia we ordered was very memorable & makes me want it again! I described this place as a fancier version of Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba & everyone in our group agreed. The decor was quite interesting, but had a very open kitchen & open space kind of vibe. I liked how it was a very welcoming space. The service was kind of slow, but we just about ordered everything on the menu so it came out as it was ready. They forgot the seafood pasta we ordered, but didn't charge us for it & the desserts were all very yummy too! We went there to celebrate my Mom's Birthday & they got her a free dessert! Highly recommend if you like small plates you can share with people! read more

Came here after my husband had a real good experience at AVEC. I can totally see him giving this place a 5 star, but their strong spice and sodium level is way beyond my comfort zone. Not sure if I can ask to reduce the amount of spice/salt, but if they can, the food will be fantastic. Dates seems to be one of their to-go appetizer. Really like the idea of using chorizo to stuff dates. Steak was tender and juicy! Will be 100% of the crust wasn't loaded with salt/pepper... Maybe I should have ordered more drinks lol read more

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The chicken shawarma sandwich is excellent. Order it, be happy, and stop reading. The "publican quality bread board" is a disappointment. The bread has award-winning pedigree and it shows, but the hummus has an unmistakable peanut-butter note and the olives came from a supermarket tub. Nothing on it commands the premium price charged. Printed on the menu in a font requiring a loupe: "To help One Off Hospitality provide staff members with wellness benefits and health insurance, a 3.5% Hospitality Supplement has been added to your bill. We believe everyone deserves affordable health care." Grudgingly disclosed, at least. The outrage is the last line. Your beliefs come out of my pocket, not yours - you've billed me for your convictions. That's not generosity, it's a collection plate with a mission statement. Hate to break it to you: this is a restaurant, not a church. Believe what you want, but my conscience isn't your line item. Fold the surcharge into the menu price and insure your people. read more

Went here after a weekend of Lollapalooza with some friends! We came here for lunch and the interior was very clean, spacious and modern. We ordered starters for the table, but we over-ordered and were full off of hummus. I would get 1 for every 3 people at the minimum and would highly recommend the short rib hummus. I went with the lunch prix fixe menu, and got the roasted seasonal vegetable soup (which was asparagus at the time). Really tasty and comforting. For my main, I went with the braised short rib sandwich which is more of a pita taco IMO, but nevertheless, super delicious. To end the meal, I had the rolled baklava. It had a fig jam filling with crushed pistachios and is divine paired with a cup of coffee. Fantastic experience! read more

We ordered the hearth baked calamari, lamb neck pasta, and bread. The calamari wasn't how I expected, good but more spicy than I thought it would be. Lamb neck pasta was wonderful. Not too saucy. My friend and I ordered bread, thought 4 pieces would be fine. When we got it the bread pieces were HUGE! We could have just had 1 piece. 4 was entirely too much for us. It was like we got a whole loaf. When we got the bread we told our waiter we don't need 4 and we could just take 2. He said "enjoy it, don't worry about it!" We asked him to take it back and he didn't. We didn't touch the 2 pieces that we said we wanted returned. Still charged us for 4 pieces.. The restaurant will also charge you an additional hospitality fee, but you can ask for it to be taken off. Restaurant was beautiful. read more

Avec River North - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I returned to Avec a year later and all is still great . I always sit at the bar to enjoy the service, atmosphere and food . Tuesday is half off bottle wine on Tuesdays - my luck! So my dinning companion & I enjoyed a Spanish wine from Penedes to accompany out calamari & pizza . Port & sorbet for dessert was perfect . Thanks again . Hopefully I won't be a year before my return. read more

Vibes were really nice. Dim lighting, high ceilings, and all the plants made it feel like I was in a Mediterranean spot. 8.5/10. It did get pretty loud though for such a big space. Service was great. Our server was super attentive, kept refilling our water, checked in after each dish, and even switched our plates which was a nice touch. 9/10. Food was simple but done really well. The calamari was super unique. Loved the breadcrumbs and the sauce, definitely not your typical fried version. 8/10. The berbere spiced chicken was the standout. Perfectly juicy, super flavorful, and the creamy sauce tied everything together so well. 9/10. Overall, a great spot to come with friends and share plates. read more

Avec River North - Half Chicken - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Super neat modern twists on classic Mediterranean dishes. Very nice atmosphere and friendly staff. My favorite dish was the chorizo stuffed dates. They were unlike anything I have ever had and filled with so much flavor. read more

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Great experience at Avec!! We went on a Friday night, so the restaurant was really busy (definitely recommend getting a reservation ahead of time). For food, we decided to share 2 small plates & 1 large plate. We tried the apple & endive salad, stuffed dates (their signature fish), and half berbere chicken. They were all tasty & portion sizes were larger than expected. Overall, highly recommend checking out Avec for solid Mediterranean food, perfect for a date night or happy hour with friends. Food: 4.5/5 Service: 4.5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 read more

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I was meeting a friend for dinner on a recent trip to Chicago, and she recommended Avec for Mediterranean food and its ideal location in River North. I was able to book us a reservation a day in advance, and the restaurant was located a short walk from the Magnificent Mile. After perusing the menu, my friend and I decided that shareable small plates was the way to go because everything sounded delicious. We split the hummus with radish, poached asparagus, green garlic pizza, and pappardelle with lamb neck. The hummus was brought to our table first, and this was served alongside a fluffy piece of pita. The hummus, topped with chopped radish and feta, looked beautiful on the plate. The actual amount of hummus seemed quite thin, though, and the radish slices were larger and more raw-tasting than I was expecting. The asparagus was brought out next, and despite the simplicity of the dish, this was by far the most elevated asparagus I have ever tasted. Cooked to a perfect tenderness, the asparagus showed no sign of toughness or chewiness - I could even cut it with my fork. The creamy stracciatella was so refreshing, and I scooped it up with the remaining pita that was served with the hummus. The green garlic pizza may have been my favorite dish. The roasted tomato-infused ricotta paired excellently with the garlic sauce, and the crust was light and fluffy. We may have gone a little overboard with the ordering because I was almost too full when the lamb pappardelle arrived. The lamb sauce was very hearty, and the noodles tasted fresh and handmade. Our dining experience at Avec felt very upscale yet cozy, and there were so many dishes on the menu that I want to try on my next visit. read more

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Went for restaurant week 2026 and this was such a good deal!! 5 course meal served family style, two people share one plate. These plates were GENEROUS and I was so stuffed by the third plate of pasta. The decor is gorgeous, and definitely a much bigger and more elegant space than their west loop counterpart. Our server was genuinely the most kind server I've ever had in my entire life! I think his name was Alan? He was amazing! You're started with the cured ocean trout crudo, which is served with a picked chanterelle mushroom and toasted sesame tahini. This was good!! Didn't love how pickled the mushrooms were, but the fish was super fresh. Second course was a marinated kale salad with satmusa orange. The kale was definitely well massaged without much bitterness, and the black garlic romesco was quite addicting. Third course was a Campanella pasta - this was a generous portion of pistachio pesto, jalapeño, and rapini - the Campanella has a bunch of ruffle edges which holds the sauce so well. Jalapeño was deseeded and not spicy at all!! This was def my fav! Fourth course was an entire wood oven roasted Cornish hen with chickpea hummus. Some parts were a bit tougher than others, but the drums were so juicy. This was a massive plate and I was soooo full by now! Final course is an individual portion of sahlab rice pudding with citrus flowers and pistachio crumbs. read more

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Came here with Dad for lunch. Beautiful setting and the food was very good. We came at 11 and were seated immediately (we were the only ones). Our server wasn't the friendliest. Doesn't give you the warm and fuzzies and wasn't the nicest about my inquiries about ordering items from the dinner menu for lunch. In his defense, he was attentive, knowledgeable, and provided adequate service. A few small issues I had: -the menu had titles crossed out. I guess it's a style point but it's a stupid and confusing one -we ordered the trout crudo and they subbed it for salmon. didn't tell us until we asked -lunch menu is okay but dinner menu looks incredible. We regret coming for lunch -service friendliness We should have come for dinner and next time I hope we get someone nicer. read more

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Will return: yummy food It's humming at 10:30 on a Saturday: young crowds are energetic, setting a lively mood. We've - pita chips fattyeh - shakshuka Each ingredient offered its own distinct taste and texture, coming together as a symphony bursting in my mouth. Complementing the food, the space features a high ceiling, an open kitchen, earthy tableware, and even bar counter hooks underneath--nothing to dislike. It's a very social place. All in all, I'm glad we didn't have time to use the airport lounge before takeoff; otherwise, we wouldn't have discovered this little gem. read more

I absolutely love Avec's West Loop location and was so excited to try this second location! Like its sister restaurant, the meal was excellent. At 5:30 on a Friday, it was not too packed and easy to snag a spot. The staff was kind and very attentive throughout the meal. The spot has an excellent happy hour, so I tried the bartender's choice cocktail and zaatar pizza. The cocktail (similar to a negroni) was just okay for me- the flavors weren't too special and it tasted a bit watered down. The rest of the drink menu looked great and very unique though. The zaatar pizza, however, was outstanding! It was baked fresh in their wood-fired oven and loaded with high quality olive oil, herbs, spices and garlic. The stracciatella cheese was smooth and generously applied. I absolutely loved the autumnal touch brought by the roasted delicata squash. The dish was fairly large and definitely enough for another meal. Would absolutely order this again. Overall, I absolutely recommend paying a stop and look forward to trying more of the menu! read more

Avec River North - Zaatar Pizza - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The restaurant is a much larger space than the west loop location, saw a few birthday parties as well as business meetings when I walked in. My friend and I were sat by the open kitchen in front of the pizza over which was super cool! We ordered: - short rib hummus (MUST ORDER!!! Get extra pita too) - cod tagine (flavorful and tender, went great with the bread) - zaatar pizza (a little too oily for our liking) service was solid, very professional, checked in regularly. pretty easy to get a res so would recommend for a last minute dinner spot! read more

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I thoroughly enjoyed my brunch experience at Avec River North! While vacationing in Chicago, we wanted to have a fun Sunday brunch somewhere near our hotel, and Avec looked like a lovely spot to try out. Spoiler alert: I was not disappointed!! Service was friendly and attentive throughout our dining experience, and I enjoyed the fresh, flavored mimosas - especially the peach & strawberry flavors! They also have a bottomless option for mimosas during weekend brunch, but we arrived towards the tail-end of the brunch period and so just got two mimosas each instead. As for the food, we decided to try out the Lamb Kefta Burger and the Pita Chip Fatteh. Both dishes were very creative with great textures and flavors. The Fatteh was solid overall, although I personally found the heat in it a tad bit distracting from the other flavors of the dish. But that's mostly a personal thing! Now, the Lamb Kefta Burger was DEFINITELY the stand-out dish!! Everything on it just went together absolutely PERFECTLY! I loved the fresh crunch of the cucumbers, the saucy/slightly tangy aioli, the egg it's topped with, and the soft/fluffy brioche bun!! The indoor space was also very expansive, airy, and bright. Overall, everything about the experience was wonderful, and I would definitely come back again! read more

Avec River North - Lamb Kefta Burger (my favorite!) - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Avec was good and unique, but not sure if it's worth coming back to, especially for the price of the dishes. If you come, I would recommend the short rib hummus. The meat is cooked perfectly and it comes with a super fluffy pita bread. Also, if you come with a larger group, I would recommend the pork shoulder plate as it comes with a surprisingly large portion of meat. However, the pork dish was a bit on the saltier side for me. read more

Had a company dinner here for about 20 of us and the overall experience was great! The service was fast and the food was amazing. We had a pre-fixed menu for our group and literally every dish that came out we loved! The cocktails were also great. I got the ibisco d'amorita and it was so refreshing but also strong. Ambiance there was great and we loved the open kitchen. read more

Came for happy hour! Great deals on cocktails and wine. First time trying the pizza and wowwww I was blown away! Highly rec'd! read more

Avec River North - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a staple in Chicago! Can't believe I've never been here for dinner! Came here for a double date and ordered about 8 items for the 4 of us. We could've kept eating but there was definitely more than enough food. We loved the olives, the Mexican prawns, and the short rib hummus. Although it was really weird that they gave us a literal hunk of bread without a knife or anything to cut it with the olives. I liked that they put the short ribs on the side for us for the hummus, bc we did have a pescatarian in our group. The ravioli and the mushroom pasta was phenomenal, as was the slow-cooked pork shoulder! Definitely get the pork shoulder. I would definitely come back here for that! :p The server was friendly, and even tho she was super busy so tending the bar, she was efficient and fast. read more

We hosted our holiday party here last night and I couldn't be happier!! I was on the planning committee and working with Avec was so easy and seemless! The river north location was the perfect buy out for our 150 people and the inside was dimly lit, cozy and warm in this chilly weather! The food was to due for! We got to do a tasting before the big event and were able to choose the best of the best items! The hamachi crudo still stands out to me as the perfect dish! The drinks were also amazing but my favored by far was the side by side, smoky , stunning and refreshing! Couldn't recommend AVEC , Danielle and her team more!! A perfect night! read more

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First time coming here. I've previously been to the smaller ?original one in west loop. But we had a larger group and this place was able to accommodate. Very nice ambience with high ceilings and open kitchen concept where you see the pizza ovens at work. This is more of a shared plates type of restaurant which is great to allow you to try a bit of everything. We tried nearly everything on the menu. The standouts for me were the short rib hummus, the deluxe focaccia, bacon wrapped dates, and the prawns. The pastas were good too but on smaller side to share. For the mains, we tried the whole fish, grilled chicken, and the roasted cauliflower. I thought they were ok. Chicken was cooked well but not particularly memorable. Fish was good, it was a branzino. Drinks were delicious and if you are looking for low abv, they have a selection of non alcoholic cocktails that are not on the menu, but the staff gladly explained what was available. read more

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Outstanding! Perfect spot for our work dinner, but would recommend for a date night 100%. All of the shareables were delicious, but the surprise standout by my entire team was the endive salad. Crazy good. read more

This is a perfect example of a place that can feel upscale without being too stuffy or expensive. We came in December and the interior had a genuine winter charm. Great service and really fun atmosphere. And the focaccia bread was simply amazing. read more

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Avec delivered solid food for lunch and was a very pleasant place to dine. My favorite was a small plate which included hummus, fresh pitas, and delicious short rib. This was a good amount to share with my group of 3, but more expensive than the sandwich entrees! The sandwiches were just alright. We got braised short ribs, which was definitely redundant and included smaller chunks of meat than the hummus, and the whitefish, which was a bit messy and not the most flavorful. We got an endive and apple salad which was also a good portion. The sandwich prix fixed is a great idea for only a few more dollars, you can add a soup and dessert. The baklava was just okay, which tasted a bit burnt. We got a few drinks too which were yummy. Overall it's a beautiful place for good food, but maybe not worth the price for some of the small plates. read more

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Michael was our server and he was amazing. His personality and recommendations were top tier. Definitely would come back again whenever I'm back in Chicago. Food was incredibly delicious. Spacious and lively area. read more

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Avec appeared on many to go lists for Chicago but it seems to be talking about the more well known West Loop location which does have a better more delicious sounding menu. But beggars can't be choosers as I was only able to make a reservation at the River North location. It is large and does have an open kitchen which surprisingly didn't seem too busy given how small it looked with 5-6 cooks for the size of the entire restaurant. We got the charred sweet potato which was ok. We shared the spinach and ricotta ravioli topped with some fried artichoke. The artichoke only tasted of grease which triggered my heartburn. Lastly the whole branzino was topped with too much currant and also fried with a greasy taste. There were also a bit more bones than we expected. Overall, if I come to Chicago again, I should try to go the original West Loop location. Looking at the menu now already revealed way more options I would want to try. read more

Avec River North - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We went as a group of 5 and honestly--not a single bad dish. The focaccia and cheese dish was heavenly. Everything we ordered was shared and every plate delivered. (Also, note that the menus pictured here on Google by users are outdated.) The atmosphere is great--warm, lively, and genuinely hospitable. The staff was amazing. Impressive wine selection, too. The whole experience felt like a blur in the best way--we just kept ordering, sharing, and enjoying. Nothing missed. Great location. Couldn't have been more impressed with the cuisine. Wow. Just wow. read more

Absolutely phenomenal experiencing dining at Avec. The food and service was truly exceptional; the waiter and staff were so thoughtful and attentive throughout the meal. The medjool date was a lil' flavor bomb, perfect with the sauce and bread slice for dipping. The cod tagine came with the dreamiest pillowy pita bread on top and a dipping sauce to cut through the richness of the dish. I'd only had such pillowy pita one other time and never thought I'd be able to encounter it again. Would definitely love to return again! read more

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An absolutely unique experience. We started our meal with a phenomenal glass of red wine recommended by our waiter. We had the peach endive salad which had flavors I've truly never had before including a dried chili. The spring pea pizza was fresh, light but somehow jam packed with flavor and that dough is exquisite. The dessert was also so unique, burnt honey crisps with an almost bread pudding consistency to the cake, chocolate and dates. Everything in the meal was perfection. For two vegetarians this was heaven, trying new flavors and combinations were never had. The restaurant was cute and busy for a Monday and will definitely be coming back. read more

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I had a quiet lunch with my partner, and it was an overall decent time! We ordered the chicken shawarma, bread board, and the endive&peach salad. The sourdough from the board was nicely toasted and oiled, pairing great with the olives and dips served. The shawarma was a hefty portion and the zaatar fries was a great addition to the dish. Everything was seasoned nicely and felt fresh. The service was good, with the waiters not being a huge distraction, but still being accommodating and knowledgeable about their menu. Would definitely return to try their dinner next! (dined 9/18/2025) read more

Avec River North - Bread Board - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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So so good! Love this restaurant. Everything is so innovative, flavorful and tasty. The tallegio and truffle flatbread is like my heaven. Paired with the endive and olive and pistachio salad, or with the bacon wrapped Spanish dates. SO DELICIOUS. One of the best restaurants in America, in my opinion. Just go!! read more

Avec River North - The legendary taleggio and truffle flatbread - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Omg, glad I'm wearing stretchy clothes! I only ordered a date appetizer and the fish cod tagine. Lucky for me the waitress told me they offer half orders of the dates appetizer! Appreciate it so much bc with that I basically was so full bc I had eaten everything, no room for dessert or breathing afterwards. Although I did have a glass of rose. The dates were different stuffed with cheese, I think I will try something different next time. The cod tagine was the first time I've ever tried it was like a cod curry Indian style very tasty and they give you a side of fresh big naan it was so good but I was unable to finish the naan - you could have easily shared this with another person but I was determined and didn't like to waste! The waitress was super cute and attentive. Very noisy inside so be ready for that and can't wait to return! read more

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Group of 6 for dinner based on local's choice of restaurants in River North. Open and modern interior, we were seated right away. Ordered cocktails and decided on shared plates for table. We had 2 orders each of short rib hummus, shrimp that was roasted with tomatoes & other things and dates stuffed w chorizo. Lots of pita bread and we all dug in. Everything was great but in order of best to good: short rib hummus (lots of tender boneless toasted beef), shrimps, & dates. Dates sounded so good but the sweetness of the dates seemed non existent and was missed. Popular spot and solid meal. read more

Avec River North - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been to Avec a few times. I generally enjoy it. This time I went for lunch. As usual, the food was quite good. We ordered far more than two people could eat. The dates, papas fritas, and hummus were incredible. However, service at Avec can be hit or miss compared to other restaurants of their level. That theme did hold true on this trip. At the end of the meal, we only ate half our food. I went to the bathroom and left the food on the table. When I came back, they threw it all away. Literally tossed out half the order. And it's not as if I snuck off. I asked the guy cleaning tables which way the bathroom was before going. So, you'd think they would have known. Still while careless, it was an honest mistake... But there was no meaningful apology, no attempt to accommodate, nothing at all. So I waste half my money. They shrug shoulders and keep going about their day. At other restaurants, I've forgot leftovers at a table, walked outside, and staff has run outside to catch me. But the bar for service at Avec just isn't quite the same as other nice places. And that's a general theme I've seen across the times I've been. read more

Top notch service through and through! I visited Avec with a few friends who were visiting Chicago. Despite arriving half an hour late (due to rain) they graciously held the table for us. Service was incredible. The whole vibe of the place is classy, inviting and on the high end. On one of my Yelper friend's recommendation we started off with espresso martinis. It was absolutely delightful and might I add, it left us craving more and more so we went for the another round. For the apps we had focaccia and cheese plate which was absolutely divine. The cheese and richness from truffle were in perfect balance. The chickpea hummus with roasted kale and fried shallot was also quite yummy in taste. The apps portion size was huge so for the mains i just went for red lentil soup with turmeric, ginger and lemon (bowl): not much to rave about because compared to the apps, it couldn't really hold its own. I also ordered falafel seasoned fries with harissa aioli which tasted just like peri peri fries which was average. That being said, I will go back to try more dishes from their menu. Definitely a top 10 brunch spots in Chicago! read more

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My party of 10 came here on a Saturday night for dinner and had an amazing experience here. Good food with good service. We decided to share all our dishes and eat family style. We had the house marinated olives, hamachi crudo, herb falafel, Mexican prawns, chorizo medjool dates, tagliatelle, ravioli, focaccia, pork shoulder, and whole roasted fish. Every. Single. Dish was perfect. My absolute favorites were the medjool dates, herb falafel and crudo. Each small plate serves 4 people. Ordering family style here to share is honestly the way to go so you can try a little bit of everything. Everyone in my party loved the food and left stuffed. The drinks were also very good. They have a great variety of cocktails and mocktails. I definitely will be coming back. read more

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We were here for a private event but will gladly go back again on our own. First, the restaurant is very spacious, clean, and has a great decor and ambiance. Our service was great for the private event. For food we had a number of main items and some side courses. First we had a sweet roll with cream cheese frosting. Then they brought an endive salad with green olives, shaved apples, and pistachios on a yogurt sauce. It was fantastic and a strong recommendation. Next we had the potatoes brava, and they were perfect potatoes. They were crushed and crispy with a great sauce, in a word, they were just perfect. We also got sausages served with a maple syrup glaze that were absolutely delicious. I ended up filling up on the sides as they brought them all out first and they were really good. The shakshouska was the only main dish I had room to try. It was good but not what would be my go to with the other scrumptious items they brought us. read more

Avec River North - shakshouska - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The best meal I've had in Chicago! The food was perfectly cooked, seasoned and portioned! The black cod entree and the basque cheese were 10/10! read more

This place was recommended by my fellow Yelper friend from Chicago and it totally lived up to our expectations! We made a reservation for Friday lunch for 4 of us. When we were running, we called and informed them and they were able to hold our table for us. The ambience is cozy and inviting. We started off with the espresso martinis, they were delicious! We got the focaccia and hummus. The foccacia was so light and buttery. The hummus was very flavorful too. The portion sizes were pretty huge. I got the freekah salad, which was so fresh! All the portion sizes were big, I would recommend going with a bigger group so you can try more things on their menu! read more

Avec River North - Foccacia - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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