I've been here twice now and had great experience both times! The portions are huge and the food is always tasty. We've tried the mixed grill plate, the seafood risotto, lamb chops, and pasta. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu here. They also have great cocktails I love the ambiance - dimmed lights and soft music is always playing. It takes you away from the hustle and bustle of Lakeview east. In the summer, they sometimes have live music. read more

I love black caspian I've been many times. I live in Lake View. What I don't appreciate is the rude waitress with short curly hair who told us we had to leave to make room for other reservations. First off no one has been that rude. Number two I had half a glass of wine because I'm at a wine bar so I'm drinking wine. If you have a table reservation for X time you need to list it on the company website and at the table on paper. If not, 90 min at a table is reasonable. Shame. read more

Black & Caspian - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Salmon tartare (GF) So good! Really great intimate vibes here. Extremely affordable for how upscale the restaurant felt. Waiter was super nice! Didn't get a pic of it but the baklava trio was amazing! Everything we got we loved read more

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Meh. We had really high hopes for this cute little restaurant. The ambience is great and the music is FANTASTIC. The woman playing violin was the highlight of the night! Everything else was sub par. Our server was very slow and we often had to flag her done to ask for things we needed. Multiple times she forgot to put in our order for wine and our food came out completely wrong. Everyone at the table agreed the food was massively under seasoned and lacked a wow factor. To survive as a restaurant in Chicago, you not only have to have a great space, but have amazing food. I hope we just went on an off day, because this place has lots of potential and is in a great location. Although I can't recommend the food, this place would be nice to have a glass of wine on a date, and then go elsewhere to eat. read more

Black & Caspian - Dining area - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

food top notch staff was incredible, waitress with purple hair (mer) was so nice! ambiance was a vibe 10/10 would come here again read more

I stumbled upon this place walking to find something to eat. IT IS AMAZING. Such a hidden gem, and I've lived in Lakeview for 5 years. TRY their sole fish, SO good. My friend got the tangine on suggestion and also loved. Do not miss this place! Also service was so kind and helpful. The guy working was friendly and gave good suggestions. read more

Was visiting Chicago with some family members and we wanted something close by so we could walk. We chose this place because the menu looked good. It turned out to be a great choice. When we arrived we were seated right away. We ordered some cocktails off the menu. The old fashioned was particularly good and arrived with a lid and some smoke inside, which was very much appreciated. All the cocktails were well made. We ordered a charcuterie plate as an app for the table and it was excellent. A couple meats and cheeses including a nice buratta. The presentation was very nice. The dinners were excellent as well. The lamb shank was "fall off the bone" delicious, the salmon was cooked perfectly, and the surf and turf came out in a sizzling platter and was delicious. The place has quiet music playing and allows for good conversations to take place. The waiter was super attentive and we later found out his mother is the cook and owner and he is the main waiter. The place was not crowded on this Wednesday evening, but it was really good and we felt like we had uncovered a local gem. The neighborhood tends to have more casual and quick food, so maybe people have not discovered this place yet, but it's only a matter of time. Great spot! read more

The food was wonderful and the service was spectacular. It was a great spot for a date and I think it's highly underrated. We will definitely return. read more

I am so happy that I finally made it to this fantastic establishment on Mother's Day. I can't say enough about the service, the amazing food and the fantastic wine. I was originally discouraged because they were still working from the brunch menu when we got there. However, as soon as they realized that I was there for the dinner menu, they checked with the chef and we were able to order anything we wanted. I will return here over and over again. The food is authentic. The flavors are amazing! The tangine dish had so many wonderful fruit and spicy flavors, it will excite your mouth. My family and I could have stayed all day, because the people there make you feel so welcomed. read more

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I highly recommend their Salmon Tartare!! The salmon was fresh and refreshing. The sides consisted of an arugula salad and bread and complemented the smoked salmon really well. As for the entrees, I personally enjoyed both the Caspian platter and creamy chicken curry (that came with rice). The only reason why I put 4 stars instead of 5 is because the room that day was SUPER hot and humid (they didn't turn the AC on) so it was quite difficult to eat. I ended up losing most of my appetite. I would come again though, when the weather is cooler! read more

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Great little neighborhood spot. Delicious hearty food. We'll go back. Wish the charcuterie could have a few extra goodies on it, but service was great. read more

We went to this place because we were in the neighborhood and they had availability to seat us. The atmosphere is good and a bit vibrant with good amount of energy, but not too loud. The decor is good. Bathroom cleanliness is so so. The food was just meh. We had an octopus (great) beet salad (OK), chicken curry (good), caspian platter (meh), beef tangine (meh) and gnocchi (OK). The beef dishes were all consistently tough. I'd stay away from beef. Caspian platter seem to be mashed potatoes and pepper steak (but too tough) with way too much pepper. Ended up paying $160 for all this. We will probably skip next time. read more

Love the atmosphere here! Very cozy and intimate, with some nice outdoor tables in the summer. Great wine selection, good food options, including many vegetarian/pescatarian/gluten-free choices. I thought the sole fish was amazing and I enjoyed the Malbec wine, which pairs well with any dish. The service is also great! Very nice staff and usually pretty quick service. Also, you can bring your dog if seated outside. I highly recommend if you were interested in trying Turkish or Mediterranean food! read more

Nice small restaurant with live music ( I believe nightly) and good vibrant atmosphere. The restaurant also has a small patio. The owners are couple from Turkey and Azerbaijan so the menu is homage to their home countries. We met the lady, one of the owners, and she left us a very good impression. The wine list is pretty solid. I would suggest trying some of their imported wines ( pomegranate wine anyone? ). The food was good too. We had the calamari, soups, mix of grills, lamb shank and tiramisu. I usually don't like lamb because of the particular smell it has. I've tried it many times in different restaurants( what can I say, I'm not giving up that easily on food), but always ended up leaving the plate or switching it with someone on the table, however, the lamb shank here is something that I would highly recommend. The meat was falling of the bone, the mashed potatoes were delicious...my mouth is watering right now when thinking about it. It was the star of our meal and something that I would get next time only for myself, no sharing:) Some of the meats from the mix grill were bit dry, but the rice and the veggies were superb, and they give you sauces with the meats so can't really complain. That's the Turkish style. Service was good and attentive. They messed up one of the orders, one of my friends ordered vegan soup, instead she got soup with cheese ( it happens sometimes), but the server apologized and quickly brought her another (vegan) soup like she ordered. No big deal. Music was so good, contemporary songs backed with viola, and it was so cozy that it was probably the longest I've sat in a restaurant. Luckily they had no wait or other reservations after us so we took our time. Definitely going back here again. read more

Black & Caspian - Lamb shank - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came to Black and Caspian for a Tinder date, and I was blown away. The vibe is immediately semi-romantic, but wasn't overboard considering it was a second date. There was a live violinist doing covers. She played the Games of Thrones theme song, and I loved it. The food was simply amazing. We had the grilled octopus and the gnocchi. Both were exceptional. The cheesecake was very inventive. The portion sizes are very generous. With two appetizers, we were pleasantly full. We were so enamored that we couldn't stop talking about what we'd get when we came back. You must go!! read more

Black & Caspian - a table and chairs in a wine shop - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best wine list in East Lakeview. excellent cocktails too. And if you were here over a year ago then you need to come back as they have a new chef now who has elevated the taste profile. Every dish is so flavorful and well executed. The Apple Gorgonzola salad is the perfect blend of acid, sweet and salty. servers are so attentive and professional. Love having this fine dining option in East Lakeview, there really is no comparison to what they offer. read more

A friend and I have always wanted to give Black and Caspian a try, but unfortunately it ended up being during COVID and I guess the staff was just over life in general. We made reservations for brunch. This was during the summer when only outdoor seating was permissible. Despite the fact that we were seated right by an alleyway with a large dumpster on the side, this isn't the restaurants fault and we completely ignored that. The issues we had with this place began with the fact that it took them well over 15 min to bring us the menus. I had to get up multiple times to ask a sever for a menu. When we finally received our menus, we had to wait another 10-15 minutes for the server to come back. Again, I had to get up myself and let them know that we are ready to order. There were about 4-5 other tables so it wasn't as crowded as you'd think to justify the slow service. Not to mention, we both wanted the Lox Benedict, however, the server forgot to mention that they were out of salmon when I got up to get the menu myself. We ended up just ordering whatever else Benedict they had. Surprisingly, the food came out at a decent time, however, my English muffin was burnt and the potatoes were leaking with oil. It wasn't the best experience to say the least, but I understand everyone is just over 2020 at the moment and maybe another dine in experience would change my view on this place. Till next time! read more

Black & Caspian - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food was really good, reasonable priced. Kevin was great at explaining the menu and was super personable. The vibe is really mellow and inviting, great for conversation and spending time with your people. Definitely coming back. read more

We enjoyed our evening at B & C. The restaurant is a quiet little place with friendly service and tasty food. We tried the gnocchi appetizer, the marble steak, sole fish, chicken kabobs, chocolate cheesecake, crème brûlée, Riesling, and Heineken. Everything tasted great! The prices are reasonable too. read more

My daughter and I had reservation to dine outside. Unfortunately it started raining and we had to move indoors. I was very nervous to do so as I haven't dined inside since February. Our server reassured us there was only one other table seated and we would be sitting far apart. However, there also was an employee sitting at one of the tables working on her laptop and not wearing a mask. This is very very small place, so I felt it was risky to the customers. Once inside, I had to ask our server to pull up her mask as she kept pulling it down, completely exposing her mouth and nose. I was concerned that our server was running food and clearing plates, but not washing hands in between. The few restaurants we've been to always have separate food runners and busers to clear so to not cross contaminate during covid. As for the food, we had the gnocchi appetizer which we enjoyed. The bread and butter was delicious, but server had to replace our butter as the dish was filthy- we didn't even ask her, she just happened to notice as she set it down. For main entrees, the tagine and steak dishes were under seasoned. For the price point I expected more. Our meal with tip was $100, (one glass of wine). read more

Delicious food & great atmosphere. Had the appetizer of beef kabob & it was like having my main course but it was delicious. Surf & turf was good. A lot of food for good price. Great wine choices as well read more

Come see Kanin in this wonderful little venue and experience his phenomenal service and attention to detail! The food and wine is amazing also don't forget the original cocktail The Queens Rose! read more

Great restaurant with amazing food! Service is fast and waiters are extremely polite! Live music is also provided. What an amazing experience we had with my boyfriend! read more

I went here for the first for Valentine's 2021. It was my first time sitting at a restaurant in 2021 and it was a night to remember. My date chose this place because he walked past it and thought it was romantic. And it was. They only hand a handful of couples and we all had way more than 6 ft in between the tables. I loved the vibe. They had a live violinist playing the most romantic songs including Moonwalk Get the marble steak! It was the best and way more impressive than the Caspian Platter. The marble steak was so good. My date got a different steak - Caspian Platter and didn't like it as much as mine. Also dessert was amazing - I've never had cheesecake this good. Also for appetizers- we wanted the octopus but they were sold out and got the calamari. The calamari was just ok. Service was so nice. Enjoy :) read more

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Had high hopes for this restaurant but unfortunately had a pretty bad experience. To give them some credit, it was during the summer with COVID as places were starting up again after lockdown part 1. We came during "Dine Out on Broadway" and were seated pretty quickly at a nice table outside. We sat for about 30 minutes before finally waving someone down to ask for a menu. She replied "oh ask your server to bring you menus" and we explained that we had been sitting for quite a while and no one had come by with menus. She grabbed us a few. Then another 30mins passed before we could get a drink and appetizer order placed. And hour later, the apps came- ezme and the octopus. We were so hungry at that point. They were honestly both very delicious but I probably could've eaten a flip flop and thought it was good because we were so ready to eat! We ordered our entrees, which again took another hour to arrive. They informed us that they "ran out" of rice for one of the dishes so they gave us salad instead. I had the sea bass which was just ok. Not a ton of flavor and had an off texture. The other person had a stuffed chicken dish that was pretty good. By the time we finally finished our meal, we had literally been there for 4 hours! It was insane and pretty ridiculous! They were nice enough to comp us a glass of wine but it was not a great experience overall. read more

Make sure you reserve online. Don't call. Classic Seinfeld face palm. I planned my valentines dinner with my partner here and called about 12pm. They said they could take us at 730 pm. Showed up all fancy and dressed up. No table. Very disappointing. I won't be coming here ever now even though the reviews were promising. I guess I should've used the internet to make a reservation. Well I'm using the internet now! read more

This was definitely a one time visit. Bland food and wonky service. Started with our server bringing only 3 of our 4 drinks to the table and walking away (maybe he's fetching the fourth?). When he came back to take our order, we asked about the fourth drink. He said something like, "it's being made" (it was wine from a bottle - the only one of us who didn't have a mixed drink)..... he stepped away and then asked "what was it again?" It was clearly forgotten, so why not just lead with that? They were out of so many different menu items, which is mildly irritating but we were able to find alternatives. One of the dishes ordered is described as including mashed potatoes.... which were absent from the dish when it arrived. When the missing potatoes were brought to the server's attention, he said, again, we're out potatoes. My friend pointed out to him that it was the reason she actually ordered the dish and he should've pointed that out then. Long story boring, he said he'd get potatoes for her (???) and he showed up 20 minutes later with potatoes which were 100% instant potatoes. Sooooo, that was the experience. On the plus side, it's a cute, cozy space and the music was good. read more

So good!! Popped in randomly for a date night and we were absolutely blown away. Appetizers, entree, dessert, drinks-the whole meal was fantastic. Unique flavors, great cozy ambience and wonderful service. 10/10 read more

Their food was amazing. They have great service, food and outdoor dining. The live music was a nice touch. Nice wine menu and their food was fantastic. A great new addition to the neighborhood. read more

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We had dinner Saturday night, 8/20/22. The service was excellent. We love the space, as we were patrons of Troy when it was there. B&C have elevated the space, it's even nicer now, and has great little space in front to dine outdoors as well. Started with the Salmon tartare and the Grilled Octopus. Both were outstanding. The salmon was smokey and delicious, and the octopus was the most tender I think I have ever had. The entrees were fantastic. The three of us had the Lamb Shank, Lamb Chops and the Caspian Platter. We will be back, and if you haven't been, and especially if you are local, please support the little gem in Lakeview. Ample street parking if you drive! read more

The food is amazing! The ambiance is amazing! The service is wonderful! The music is beautiful! It's a great place for a date, inside or outside. I've been twice, and I'll continue to patronize Black & Caspian, for sure! read more

I REALLY hope tonight was just an off night. I was very excited and had high hopes for the restaurant. The restaurant is beautiful and live music is a nice touch. They were out of multiple dishes I wanted to try, which we only found out about as we tried to order. We both got the lamb shank--our third choice. It was tough yet somehow the vegetables were raw. Like, I spit out one of the vegetables thinking it was platic only to find it was a barelycooked brussel sprout. My carrots and zucchini were crunchy. The glaze and potatoes were just ok--not much flavoe. What really made this a bad experience was the service. My server was just--well, off. Not really any energy. Not checking in on us. Not telling us about specials or proactive about things they were out of. After she cleared our plates, she disappeared for 15 mins. We were ready to go but just kept chatting waiting for her to come back. We finally had to get her attention to ask for the check. As soon as we closed out, before she even handed back my credit card she tells us "You need to leave right away. There is a group outside waiting for this table." That was rude and uncalled for, especially since we were only there literally one hour and waited on her for the check. She was apparently so frazzled she even cut in front of me as I was trying to walk out the door to let others in the restaurant door, which was blocked off by a chair in the doorway. If you really want me out so bad, wouldn't you let me leave instead of cutting me off as I leave? I hope my server and the kitchen just had an off night. The restaurant is beautiful. The menu looks great. I hope I have a great experience here in the future. read more

We were walking through the neighborhood and stumbled upon this cute little place. Another couple was dining outside so we decided to stop and eat. The brunch menu isn't huge but has some great and unique options. I got the avocado toast (which came with potatoes) and my boyfriend got the ego eggs. Both were delicious and way more gourmet than we were expecting! They also had a great wine list, although we didn't order drinks. It looked like someone at another table had a mimosa, which looked great. We did order 2 iced coffees that ended up being $5 each -- the coffee was particularly good, but not sure if I'd order again at $5 a piece. The dinner menu looks amazing, we can't wait to come back and try it! read more

Black & Caspian - Avocado toast (brunch menu, $11) - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a hidden gem. Definitely recommend it. Food was excellent. Service very accommodating. Ambiance, not fancy. Pleasant enough, however. read more

The vibe is wonderful and we loved our waiter. The food was just ok. If you want a low-key, intimate space for some light fare and a glass of wine- this place checks the boxes. read more

This place is a straight up VIBE. The ambiance inside is amazing and the food is great too! Loved the tagine chicken and the chicken kabob was great too! Would highly recommend for date night read more

Came here for a birthday dinner with friends and had a nice evening! They had people outside playing music and that was lovely! They have an extensive wine list that my friends enjoyed. I got the Chicken Verdura which was heavy so you'd definitely have leftovers! I really enjoyed it and would get it again. I also tried the seafood risotto which was good, along with the Caspian Platter which was also good/just okay. I give this place 4 stars because I'd recommend it for others for a nice night out with good food but nothing out of this world. read more

First time here and had a lovely evening. Clean, cute and intimate space, very friendly and hard working staff. Food had layers of flavor... our table particularly loved the zucchini pancakes, salmon and chicken kabobs. No room for dessert but will definitely try it next time! Fast service but no pressure to rush the meal. Super yummy smells throughout. read more

I've been dying to try this place ever since it opened. It's such a cute establishment, especially with the sidewalk/outdoor seating and live violinist(s). It's a fantastic date spot but also great with a group, which I encourage so you can order more menu items. There are so many great options!! The menu at the place has so much more than their website. They started us off with some bread, which was warm, soft, and just the right amount of toasted crust. They provided butter, which was hard, cold, and not the best for smearing, but we managed. We asked for olive oil for dipping and was provided something even better with some spice to it. I can't remember the name of every appetizer, but we started with the gnocchi, octopus, feta cheese and cracker tray, and something else. It wasn't the best gnocchi I've ever had, more dense than soft and melty, which I prefer, but still good. Octopus weirds me out, but I still had a bite because there was also a lot of other things on the plate to compliment the pus so all the flavors combined were pretty good! We ordered a few entrees to share, and the best was the Chicken Verdura followed by a close second, the Seafood Risotto. Get the Chicken Verdura!! Everything about it was delicious, buttery, savory, ugh I want to go back for more. We washed all this down with a few bottles of good, white wine. They were even kind of enough to bottle up the remainder and send it home with us and our leftovers. The cosmo I had was alright, but after all, this is a wine bar. The staff was so friendly and nice. Very attentive. We will be going back to say hello to them again. Check out this place!! Decently priced too. We ordered A LOT , and it was about $50-ish per person. Enjoy! read more

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Do not recommend. The food was just ok and wildly overpriced. Bread tasted stale, my lamb chops were cooked to death, and overall just no value for what I got. read more