First time at Verve and went for their Burgers and Burgundy night. Wasn't really sure what to…read moreexpect here. The menu had a few more items than expected so we each got the Ilixr burger and split some Gruyère fries. The burger was decent, but a little pricey for a pretty basic à la carte burger. I also wasn't a huge fan of the sauce and probably should've asked for no pickles. The Gruyère fries were also nothing special. Luckily we got the giardiniera on the side because it was pretty spicy. There were 4-5 wines to choose from and we both really liked the ones we picked! Would go back next time for just the wine and maybe to buy something or go to an event to learn more about wine.

My bestie and I came here just on a whim, this is a cool establishment, complimentary tasting on…read moreSunday. We had champagne and Chianti.

Intimate room with a bar and tables and couches. Interesting list of cocktails and variety of…read morewines. Was a little surprised when I asked the bartenders for wine recommendations; had expected wine bar folks to be a little more knowledgeable. Was also a little disappointed when I asked for a cab on the menu and was offered a different one ... menu wine wasn't available....guess that happens, though. Cheese board was good and ample but not huge size. More crackers than cheese... Generally nice spot, reasonably priced, cool and cozy room ...but still needs a little work.

I've now been to Barrel Wine and Cheese twice. The first time was such a bad experience I swore I'd…read morenever go back, but I was invited out the other week so I did try again. My first experience the place was empty and we asked the waiter for a wine recommendation saying that we liked XYZ. He suggested a bottle and we looked at the menu (there was only one bottle available in this varietal so we assumed it was the one on the menu) and it was around a price we were willing to pay. Later when we got the check we learned he suggested a different bottle that we did not see on the menu and was twice the price. It was weird and made me leave annoyed. My experience the other night was good tho. It was crowded. I don't think it blew me away but the glass I ordered was what I expected so that's good.

Space is lowkey and cozy especially on a chilly winter evening. Comfortable chairs and various set…read moreups depending on your party size (tables, couches, high tops, bar area, etc.). We had a bottle of wine off the Monday Clear Out list - 25% off select bottles 4-11pm Mondays. Our waitress was super kind with our indecisiveness and helped us find the right bottle for us (a really good Australian light red wine as it turned out)!

I really like this place! The vibe is very cozy, especially on a winters day. They have little…read morefireplaces in the back that are nice to sit next to. The wait staff was also incredibly nice. I really enjoyed our charcuterie board, especially the two meats. The cheese we chose was good as well. I look forward to coming back!

In an area packed with casual food spots, Figo is spicing things up! It's upscale but not…read morepretentious- perfect for meeting up with friends when you want to feel a little fancy without going through hoops getting ready. The staff was super attentive and kind, checking on us frequently. My friend and I stopped by for happy hour, and this should absolutely make it onto the list of the best in town. They have delicious wine, cocktails, and bites for nearly half of the regular price. I opted for the happy hour prosecco to drink, which was light-bodied and not too sweet. We split the meatballs and dates for bites and both were outstanding. I was super impressed with how tender the meatballs were, and they did not skimp on the flavorful marinara and cheese! The dates, which were topped with a white wine cheese sauce, were mouth-wateringly delicious and a must order. There was also complimentary focaccia with olive oil, which was greatly appreciated. With sea salt on top and a crispy exterior, I could easily have eaten a whole loaf. The only note I have is that the portions are small, so if you don't come during happy hour the prices are a bit steep for what you get. Will 100% be back soon to try more of the menu and highly recommend making the trek over here!

Very cute spot right off the Belmont stop. We were able to take advantage of happy hour deals and…read moresat right at the bar. However, the bartender was not very nice, and we saw her stick her hand in someone's glass to get something out before serving it... Other than that though the hh glass of red, complementary bread with olive oil, and hh Brussels were all great!

One of THE most amazing dinners I've ever had! Our daughter…read morehad been here & really wanted us to go on a recent visit. Got our reservation, studied the menu. You have to order with the hostess at the door, unusual, but don't panic--it works well. And you can always add dishes or drinks from your table. We ordered a number of dishes to share, one better than the next. It was a great experience. We'd love to go back.

This restaurant made my husband's 40th birthday truly unforgettable. I flew in his best friend as a…read moresurprise, and from the moment we arrived, the staff went out of their way to keep the secret and pamper us along the way. Every interaction felt thoughtful and intentional. When his friend finally arrived, the staff was just as excited as we were--they made my husband feel incredibly celebrated, which meant the world to me. That kind of genuine hospitality is rare. And the food... absolutely incredible. Every dish hit: the oysters were fresh and briny, the clam pasta was rich and comforting, and the duck breast was cooked to perfection. Not a single miss. The cocktails were delicious and well-balanced, and Wine Director Owen truly spoiled us with thoughtful pairings and top-tier service. From start to finish, this was a 10/10 experience. If you're celebrating something special--or just want an amazing meal with exceptional service--this is the place. Highly, highly recommend.

Happy Hour Monday through Friday from 4-6. $2.50 for any of the 12 drafts and $5 for any glass of…read morewine or cocktail. We had a beer here during their opening week and the bartenders were very pleasant although they were still learning their jobs. The bar seats about a dozen people at the bar and another 20 or so at tables. The beer selection was a good selection with 3 local beers and a nice range of beers and a draft cider.

Great bar inside Mariano's with GREAT happy hour specials - $2.50 pint drafts and $5 wine. The bar…read moreitself is a little cramped and they should get rid of a few seats to be more comfy. Adding to the ambience, nob's has a turntable and spins old records. COOL. I counted at least 8 draft beer handles plus they have bottles which the bartender says will change regularly. Loved the vanilla porter I had. They seem to be pretty generous with the wine pours from observation. nob's also has 6 or so booze slush machines with different libations that I can't wait to try.

First things first, cafe yaya is by the same group that operates galit and is literally right next…read moreto galit! So if you aren't able to get a reservation at galit, cafe yaya is a great option to consider. Cafe yaya was a great experience for us! We had a prior reservation and came here for brunch. We ordered a bunch of things for the table, including the Yaya fries, shakshuka, veggie bowl with sweet potatoes, mushroom, some more veggies with a side of some slaw and a sauce, lamb burger, pistachio rose bun and a veggie twist (this was at the cafe counter). The food was good but for me he standout was the pistachio rose bun. Omg it was to die for, it was not overly sweet, very decadent and had a great amount of pistachios and rose flavor in it, YUMM! The veggie bowl and the shakshuka were decent. My friend loved his lamb burger. The veggie twist was ok, and our server had forgotten about it for a while so we got it late. Overall, the service was great! The server was super friendly, explained everything really well to us and even offered a replacement when I spilled my coffee. Very hospitable staff overall! The ambience was great! Felt like we were in a Mediterranean cafe.

Tried a grain bowl recently for lunch, as there are no vegan breakfast options from what I could…read moretell (disappointing but I'm used to it), and it was alright but the upcharge for tofu was ridiculous. $6 tofu upcharge. Tofu is less than $2 per 14 oz pack and this is a lot less than a block. This may still be a fine price to pay for someone prepping my food were it not a miss. It feels like miscellaneous vegetables thrown together without much thought or anything to tie it all together. There's also completely random unadvertised services charges? Wtf? There's barely any service! The atmosphere is nice but the entryway is always crowded and chaotic, it's confusing when you enter the building. Overall disappointed. It's cute but really felt like I was getting charged nearly $25 for beans and rice. Wanted to like this place as it's near where I live and looked promising.

Amazing booze selection. Mike the owner is a great guy. I will be a returning customerread more

Came here on a saturday with a large group of friends and had to leave after 30 minutes because the…read morespace was so small and packed you couldn't really move. Id recommend coming with one or two other people if you'd like to stay a while. My only complaint was standing at the bar for over 10 minutes waiting to get a drink and kept being overlooked or ignored. The drinks were okay, I got a high noon so can't really go wrong with that but I heard their mojitos are good.

Great dinner here tonight - had the mussels, burger, and octopus. All were exceptional. The drinks…read morewere also very good, and the service was awesome. Great meal overall.

Chicago Restaurant week. I reviewed various dining options in search of a good place for dinner…read more Reddit gave me some ideas. I'd never been to Willow Room and liked that they had a four course dinner menu, with items I liked. I was able to make a reservation for a Saturday night at 8:15pm. PARKING Parking on Halsted on a Saturday night can be a nightmare, and it did take a minute to find street parking. North of the 1800 block is busier because there are several restaurants within a two block radius. Side streets are permit parking after 6pm. Meters on Halsted are $2.50/hr. ATMOSPHERE Willow Room was pretty packed. We had a reservation for 8:15pm and my party of two was seated right away. The restaurant features a full bar, dim lighting and is nice and roomy. They have banquette seating around the perimeter, in addition to tables in the middle. SERVICE Our server, who was very nice and accommodating during our dining experience, came by and gave us our menu's. I had already decided on the RW menu and after review, my friend was interested in the Beef Wellington (not on RW menu). Our server informed us that normally the whole table had to order off of the RW menu if one person does, but said she would check with the kitchen since this was the last day of RW. Luckily, we were able to proceed with ordering from different menu's. FOOD I ordered a raspberry Cosmopolitan. I'm a Riesling/Moscato girlie, but I tasted the Riesling and didn't like it. RW dinner was priced at $60. I ordered: First Course: Caesar Salad (Typical salad, was good) Second Course: Mussels (Tasted fine, came with a baguette) Third Course: Short Rib (Could've been slightly more tender and better seasoned. I've definitely had better. Wouldn't order again.) Fourth Course: Orange Ricotta Donuts (Donuts were very good. Three were served, a few more would have been more filling.) My friend ordered a glass of Pinot Noir and: Truffle Fries (Fries were very tasty. I would order again if I went back.) Beef Wellington (The breading was buttery and very good. The beef could've been more seasoned. I wouldn't order.) Key Lime Pie (Was not sweet and had no taste. When our server came back and saw it was uneaten, she offered to take it off the bill. It should be removed from the menu altogether.) The busboys and server were very attentive. Our water glasses were always filled. OVERALL The atmosphere was nice, our server was great. Of all the food we ordered, I would order the truffle fries and Cosmopolitan again. I did leave full and did take my leftover Short Rib to go. Main dishes needed more seasoning. I would dine here again and try a different menu (brunch/lunch), or Happy Hour if they offer it.

The service is just incredible. That's what stands out the most. We came after having a superb…read moredinner at S.K.Y. and out waitress transferred us to Le Mistral for dessert as we were hoping to end the night with another cocktail. The transition was seamless, the walk through the kitchen was very cool, everyone was very friendly and excited to see guests. Our dessert came quickly to Le Mistral instead of S.K.Y. and was superb. Our waiter at Le Mistral was very friendly, gave some good advice on the cocktails, and was consistently attentive. My cocktail was just OK - sherry-based martini. I don't normally like a martini but all the ingredients actually seemed very much up my alley - the sherry, benedictine, rose vermouth. But the olive just overpowered. And definitely not worth the price of $24... Would definitely return and try the food next time as well.

We popped in on a Monday night for a nightcap after finishing up at Mon Ami Gabi across the lobby…read more Our experience was meh. I don't know if every Monday is Metal night, but it was that Monday - Black Sabbath, Nu-Metal, everything but the live goldfish. Perhaps they should advertise "Monday Metal at Mistral" if that is to be a regular thing. It does flow off the tongue. To be fair, there was a full house and the other patrons did not seem to mind. We were not looking to feel the noize, however, and so stayed for just one cocktail. Mine was a Sazerac adjacent mix, and it was very high quality. The decor is very low light, but the vibe is pretty basic - more Paint Your Dorm Room black than Parisian Opium Den black. A bit of a missed opportunity for romance.