A beautiful, eclectic coffee house just outside of Chinatown, La Malinche was the perfect place for…read morea casual late breakfast. With a cozy locals vibe, there was a mix of young professionals on laptops and families starting the morning. The bright aesethics of Mexican heritage and decor celebrating local artists make the space inspiring and energizing. The coffee was great. I got the horchata latte, which tasted even better than I hoped. I also ordered a El Chavo Torta, a deceptively simple sandwich that was incredibly delicious. I don't know what they put in the bread or what magical place they bought the cheese from, but my mouth is watering just thinking about it. When I'm in Chicago again, La Malinche is on my list of must visit spots.

Stopped by La Malinche Coffee & Tea House in Pilsen to try something new. Place is nice and quiet…read more Bright pink walls, little decorative hearts, alebrijes all around and full piano in the room. Felt cozy right away. The staff were really welcoming, for an early morning. I got the hot chocolate. Honestly that's exactly what I needed that morning. It had that real Mexican chocolate taste. Thick, creamy, smooth and rich. The cinnamon came through warm but not too strong, plus a little extra on top that hit your nose before the first sip. Sweet and it almost had this slight earthy note too... hard to explain but good. It even had that little design on top, like the ones they do on cappuccinos. Didn't expect that but it was cool. I finished it slow. Didn't wanna rush it. Just sat there taking small sips and enjoying it while it was still hot.

Really enjoyed Solette for Happy Hour with some work friends! The food was fresh and delish! And…read morethe drinks were yummy! Our server was kind, funny, and made sure we were taken care of despite a busy restaurant! The restaurant was busy but had a manageable level of sound, and would be a great spot for future work happy hours. The restaurant is located in a very central place and reservations were easy to make! Definitely going to add it to my go to spots for happy hour after work!

I had been meaning to come to this place as it's located near my job, so I finally did for lunch…read moreand this is what we thought. Even though is a pretty space, is way too loud ( people literally have to yell to have conversations) and is not because of music but because of everyone talking at the same time. Service was not the best, we were not greeted upon arrival and that's not a good start. The hosts booth is located in a weird place to begin with. Food was good but nothing that will blow your mind, however is a place that we could potentially recommend and visit again in the future

We visited Bar Sotto during Chicago Restaurant Week and had a really enjoyable overall experience…read more The space has a cozy, dimly lit, intimate vibe perfect for a date night or a relaxed dinner with friends. It feels upscale but still comfortable. Service was attentive and paced well, especially considering it was Restaurant Week and fairly busy. The Restaurant Week menu offered a great variety. We started with the crispy arancini, which were perfectly golden on the outside and creamy inside with a rich glaze that added a nice depth of flavor. The wild mushroom risotto had great earthy flavor and was very rich, definitely a heavier dish but satisfying if you are in the mood for something indulgent. The gnocchi were soft and pillowy with fresh basil and roasted tomatoes that brightened the dish nicely. For entrées, the filet mignon was cooked beautifully, tender and medium rare with a flavorful sauce that complemented it well. The chicken parmesan had a solid crisp and good seasoning, though it leaned more classic than standout. Portions overall felt fair for the prix fixe price. Dessert was a sweet finish. The tiramisu was light, creamy, and not overly heavy, which we appreciated. Overall, 4 stars. Great ambiance and solid execution across the board. While nothing completely blew us away, it was a well done Restaurant Week experience and I would definitely come back to try more from their regular menu.

Came here for a martini with the girls. Such a cute space!!…read more We both had vodka dirty martinis with blue cheese olives and they were very very good. There was also a wine tasting going on which was a fun activity. The service here was great and this atmosphere is unmatched. I'd never expect a place like this to be tucked away in the loop! We didn't eat here but I would come back to try the food. We just ordered the olives off the happy hour menu which were the perfect little snacky item.

I loved Oliver's!!! The front seating area is super bright, lit with tons of natural light & has a…read morebeautiful bar. There is also a huge back dining area as well. We loved everything we ate! I don't think you can go wrong. The salad was super flavorful and I loved the stracciatella toast. I recommended making a reservation but I don't think you need to do it that far in advance. We came before a concert at solider field and it was about a 25 walk to the venue so great place to come before going to solider field!

Well color me surprised by the discovery of this hidden gem. We were at the C2E2 convention for…read more2026 at the McCormick Hyatt and we always like to have a nice quiet dinner on the Thursday after we check in. I always look for something nearby, and Oliver's popped up. The front of Oliver's is unassuming, but when you walk in, you are greeted by a lovely bar area and small two seater tables in the window. The dining area is down a corridor from the bar area. The decor is quite cute and elegant, with the overall vibe being quire chill. As this was our first time at the restaurant, Aidan explained the menu to us. We started out with the caviar service (Osetra noir caviar, crème fraîche, oyster chicharrón). Ok I love caviar but this is the first time I have had it with chicharróns, and that they were made with oysters. Traditionally, chicharróns are made from pork, but these blew me away to the point that I asked for an additional serving. Highly recommend this starter. We also got the Toast Royale (beef fat griddled sourdough and caramelized shallot butter). This was also yummy on its own and with the caviar. Be warned though, this is a huge serving of bread. I needed up taking half of it home. In addition to these two starters we got the Truffle Gnocchi (comté, aged parmesan, and burgundy truffle). The truffle was extra at $29, but was worth it for me. We also got the charred octopus with preserved peppers, fennel and a Szechuan chili oil. The octopus clocked in at $42, but again so worth it for me. It was prepared perfectly, the octopus was tender and melted in my mouth. For dinner, The Doctor and The Queen got the Black Cod with vegetables and they split the cucumber salad. I got the cheeseburger. They both liked their dishes as there was nothing left on their plates. I am not a fish person myself, but they both stated that the fish was well prepared. For me, the cheeseburger was very good and so were those fries. While there are other dinner items on the menu, that burger was giving life and I would definitely get that again. Although I will say I saw a table order the half chicken and that looked really good. I would consider that as a possible entrée as well. For dessert I got the coconut key lime pie to split with The Doctor and The Queen got the malted milk & cookies. I am a sucker for coconut and key lime, but together it was kismet. And we also got an order of the warm chocolate chip cookies on the house. Those were very good and I am saying so as I am not a big fan of cookies per se. Haley and Aidan were the folks that took care of us and they were so nice. They were very attentive and genuinely seemed happy to be working there. Oliver's was a great dining experience for us, but I will preface this review with some of the dishes are on the pricey side, but I can live with that because I simply want what I want. For the quality of the dishes, I felt it was worth it.

Such a beautiful, well designed space. Plenty of seating--choose between served seating or self…read moreseating in a separate room with real books on shelves. The service was ok for the most part. One day I ordered a breakfast sandwich and it was prepared incorrectly twice. I only sent it back once and it was quickly fixed. I didn't bother correcting them again. The potatoes had no flavor and were advertised as hash browns, but they were surely closer to smothered potato with peppers (no onions). If they were drained of oil better and/or seasoned at all, I could've given a better rating. Drinks were good. I don't know if I'll return for the food, but the restaurant is a nice touch to the hotel.

I love Hoyt's! The food, the service - wonderful! As a guest of the Royal Sonesta, it's so nice to…read morejust walk downstairs and have a delicious meal with friendly service.

Fantastic experience. We ordered almost all items on the menu for the table to experience all…read moredishes. Great service and even better food

Visiting my son and we came here for lunch. We are a party of 5 and had reservations. We were…read morepromptly seated and given menus. Since this was our first time dining here (my son has been here many times), we took a bit of time trying to decide what to order. We decided to try the Smoked Ribs, Pike fish and chips, New England Lobster Roll and the Warm Parker House rolls. Our waitress asked if we wanted the appetizers to come first - since we were sharing we said to bring it out whenever it's ready i.e. no specific order. The ribs and fish and chips entrees were the first to be served. We had also asked for some ice for the table. We waited quite a while before we inquired about the bread and the Lobster roll. Our waitress at this point had not come to check on us - it's about 15-20 minutes since our food arrived. She also forgot about our ice request (We never did get it!). The fish and chips were delicious - crispy on the outside and tender flaky fish on the inside. It was also not greasy and tasted delicious. The chips (fries) were also well done; howeveer, it was a bit on the salty side. None the less it was delicious. Took a while to get some ketchup and "tabasco" (they do not have tabasco but did have crystal hot sauce). The smoked ribs was excellent. Nice smoky flavor and meat was tender. Portions were very generous. As to our missing food order, she was apologetic and informed us that the Lobster roll was made in another kitchen and she had to go and check on it. Not sure what happened there but the rolls turned up really fast. The parkerhouse rolls, on the other hand, did not show up. We inquired again and she was surprised and said "You still want the bread?" and went ahead and placed the order. We surmised that she probably forgot about the order in the first place! The lobster roll was delicious. It came with chips not fries. The chips were also salty. The Parkerhouse rolls finally turned up with the black truffle honey & grass fed butter (5/5). The butter was sooo good - well worth the wait. We were rather stuffed by this time but managed to eat 2 of the 4 rolls! Took the other 2 home. The restaurant manager came over to our table and was very apologetic and informed us that she took care of our table as she felt that the service we received today did not reflect their usual level of service (My son also commented that he's never had poor service here). I appreciated this gesture and feel that restaurants should own up when they fail to provide the service expected at a reputable restaurant. For this reason, I did not ding them any stars. The food was really good and it was unfortunate we had subpar service when we visited. The restaurant was cozy - they have a few outside tables but we sat inside. There are booths as well as tables. The tables are a little closer and the seats are very comfortable. Would definitely come back and try other items on the menu next time we are in Chicago!

This is hands/down one of our favorite restaurants in the U.S. ! You heard that right! IN. THE…read more UNITED STATES! Chef Stephanie Izard is a food genius! The winner of Season 4 of Top Chef and the first female winner in the show's history, she has built a restaurant that continues to impress us every single time we visit Chicagoat. Be sure to make your reservation in advance because you will not be seated without one due to its popularity among both locals and tourists. We come here every time we visit Chicagoat. The food is absolutely amazing. We had the following dishes: 1. Roasted Pig Face Straw fries topped with roasted pork face, a sunny egg, and a collection of magical sauces that somehow transform into pure comfort when mixed together. I don't even know exactly what's in the sauce, but I don't need to know. This dish is divine and an absolute must-order. The crispy fries, rich and tender pork that practically melts apart, silky egg yolk, and savory sauce create a dish that is indulgent, comforting, and ridiculously delicious 2. Green Beans Not featured in the photo because we ate them too fast. Enough said. Get them. 3. Goat Mousse The menu changes periodically, so this was a new dish for us. The goat mousse was creamy, rich, and surprisingly light, served with sweet jam, crumpets, crackers, pickles, and giardiniera. The contrast of sweet, tangy, creamy, crunchy, and savory flavors creates a little flavor party in your mouth. Every bite can be customized differently, which made this dish especially fun to share. 4. Pork Belly & Watermelon Perfectly cooked pork belly with a crisp exterior and rich, savory flavor, balanced beautifully by refreshing watermelon cubes and fresh greens. I don't know how healthy it is, but we aren't here for health. We're here for flavor. We're here for comfort. We're here to be punched in the soul with food that we will never forget! The sweet, juicy watermelon cuts through the richness of the pork belly and creates a combination that sounds unusual but works incredibly well. 5. Halibut with Thai Sprouts A beautifully cooked piece of halibut served with Thai sprouts, miso marcona butter, and blueberry fish sauce. Yes, blueberry fish sauce. And yes, it works. The fish was flaky, buttery, and perfectly cooked. The savory umami from the miso butter paired with the subtle sweetness and acidity from the fish sauce created a combination that was balanced, and memorable yet surprising to me. The restaurant itself has a dark, energetic atmosphere and is always packed. The tables are definitely close together, but given how popular the restaurant is, I understand why they maximize the space. Absolutely recommend coming here. Your tummies won't regret it.

I had a splendid dinner at Girl & The Goat. Was seated promptly when I arrived for my dinner…read morereservation and my seat had a view of the kitchen. It was so fun to chat with the chefs and watch them prepare dishes. I ordered the roasted "pig face" potatoes and the famous sautéed green beans. While waiting for my food, the chef surprised me with complimentary chickpea fritters to try. All of the dishes tasted incredibly delicious and this was the best restaurant I ate at during my trip. The atmosphere was cozy and romantic. I would definitely dine here again the next time I am in Chicago.

I've heard of the Dog Haus establishment, but never thought to try it til now! It's more of a…read moremodern take on the hot dog (not mad at that). The hot dogs my husband and I had exceeded our expectations especially their sides. We both got sweet potato fries and onion rings. Really good!!

This was the first time I had a hot dog outside of a baseball stadium and I was pleasantly…read moresurprised! My friend raved about this placed and suggested we eat here before heading back to my hotel. They have several options to choose from including chicken, eggs, sausage, etc! I went with the build-your-own beef hot dog with cheddar cheese; a side of their spicy tots, and a chocolate chip cookie. The dog was good but the cheese was questionable. I was expecting it to be solid and not runny, so the texture threw me off. The tots were good and well-seasoned. Id say spice wise they were mild, which I can handle but I appreciate them having seasoning in general! The chocolate chip cookie was my favorite out of everything because it was soft and a well-made cookie! Overall, I was impressed with everything and would def come back next time I'm in the area.