Happy Birthday to me! I made reservations for 8:00 pm Wednesday and let me just say how absolutely beautiful this place is! It's so warm and inviting walking into this establishment. I especially appreciated the use of plants. My partner and I were sat right away and our server (Edgar)greeted us shortly after. Let me just say, our server was so knowledgeable and so friendly . I greatly appreciated his advice . For instance, there's no variations to the menu. Especially the drinks which I was little miffed by in the beginning but after tasting it ... it made so much sense. I'm a lemon drop connoisseur and I always get mine made with tequila instead of vodka because I'm just not a vodka girly . However, upon arrival this lemon drop shook me in the best way! I do believe it's my #1 fav. It has Sobieski vodka, yuzu liqueur, simple syrup, sea salt and lemon juice. Omfg. You guys know when it's good I have to sit back and close my eyes so I can take all the flavors in. I wanted like, 5 of these but I controlled myself lol. For my main, I ordered the branzino and my partner ordered the prime french dip. Both dishes arrived looking beautiful as ever and it was everything I expected and more . The branzino is served with veggies and a bearnaise sauce. I appreciated how well thought out the flavors were . It's a simple dish but those are the easiest to not get quite right. That wasn't the case here. Everything was so fresh and so good. I 100% was in the clean plate club (I love my fish) From what I tasted, the prime french dip was incredible. It's neave farm prime rib, calabrian chili oil, Gruyère and a horseradish cream. Once again, every ingredient I stood the assignment. The bread was sturdy and not soggy. Each bite was manageable and you didn't have to worry about it falling apart . This was served with fries and a garlic aioli. Super yum. For my second drink I told my server to surprise me and he brought me a Paloma I do believe. 100/100. This drink tasted like the time I wanted to have lol. It reminded me of summer vacay and the beach. I also wanted 5 of these lol! Everything was incredible start to finish . I do believe the total was 151ish without tip . Thank you guys so much! I will definitely come back to try more things . Especially the cocktails. Thanks for a memorable dinner. You guys are doing so great! read more

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I visited Carpenter Street for the first time during lunch. Most of the tables were occupied as it was rush hour for lunch, but we were able to get seated right away. I ordered the Carpenter Griddle Burger w truffle fries. My friend ordered the Prime French Dip w fries. Our food came within a few minutes of ordering. I was ready to dig in so didn't need remember to take a picture until a bite in! The burger was delish with patty being nice and crispy! The truffle fries were great as well. I definitely will be back to try other items on the menu. read more

Carpenter Street - Carpenter Griddle Burger and Truffle Fries. I was soo hungry that I took a bite before snapping a picture. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place reminded me of whiskey and cigar lounge inside without the whiskey and cigars. Dark, beautiful decor, clean bathrooms, and inviting staff. Greeter was very kind. Happy hour is only at the bar. Reservations are ideal as the space is smaller but warm. Everything I ordered was delicious. 4-Cheese artichoke dip nice warm and flavorful, mussels and sausage were in a great wine broth and the perfect size, deviled eggs (3) with steak and avocado were delicious we had two orders. My coworker had a chicken sandwich and really enjoyed it. The branzino dish was excellent the crisp on the skin was perfect with the zucchini and carrots. The sauce on that dish was perfect as well. We had wines, beer, mimosas, and carajillo drink was good. The carajillo drink was exceptional in my opinion as the licor 43, cold brew, tequila, and flavors were very well balanced. This drink is labeled as a dessert drink but I believe you can enjoy this with a great rustic pasta or steak as well. Happy hour is 4-6 I believe and includes drinks martini, wine, beer and various small appetizers cheese dip, mussels, chicken sandwich, and others. Street parking metered. read more

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Lola's was great! Everything we had was delicious. The truffle fries were COVERED in parmesan and I loved it. The carpenter street salad was huge (definitely enough to share) and had a super light and fresh dressing. The cornbread croutons were very crunchy and the goat cheese added a little bit of creaminess to the salad - it was so good! My boyfriend said the burger was good, but "not as good as culver's." The atmosphere inside was very ~moody~ and felt fancy. It made for a great date spot and would also be a good place to bring someone who was from out of town. Worth checking out if you need a new dinner spot!! read more

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Really good spot over in my hood that has been open almost a year and a half maybe. Its kinda low key and you dont hear much about it, but its a dope joint. I stopped in shortly after they opened in 2023 with some friends on a Saturday afternoon, hoping for brunch. They told us they do not serve "brunch" on Saturday but they have lunch. Very well...lets go with it! Menu looked good and the Crispy Chicken Sandwich looked good. Its basically buttermilk brined chicken sandwich with garlic mayo, and pickles...its a nice size and really good! Washed it down with a couple of espresso martinis lol! Took me over a year to return for some reason as I walk by all the time. Decided to stop in for a lunch date and it was even better than I remembered. First off, our server Olivia is awesome and spot on with all her recommendations...never steered us wrong! I started out with a very delicious Cherry Cola Old Fashioned...pretty damn good! We then got the Brussles and sweet potatoes. I loved that dish and could not stop eating. Its a very nice size and shareable...I could eat this everyday! It came with a mustard cream and togarashi...I dont remember what that was but it was damn good! We then shared the Lola's chopped salad which seemed very popular as we saw it at other tables as well. It was very good and shareable due to its huge bowl it comes in. Washed it down with a mezcal (oaxacan) old fashioned Seems like a nice biz lunch type of place but has a coolness to it with the murals on the ceiling. Staff is really nice. I highly recommened Lola's! read more

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We last minute got a dinner reservation on a Saturday and were all very pleased. This was definitely a good spot to share a bunch of dishes as the portions were fairly big for the most part. Drinks were great too - I got the passion fruit margarita and also tried the lemon drop martini with tequila. Both were tasty and sweet. The carpenter street salad was huge and delicious. The Brussels were also a huge dish and a crowd favorite. The rigatoni was another bigger portion with great flavors. The pasta #12 was super tasty but slightly smaller. The truffle fries were another great shareable. The Mac and cheese were the only small dishes, so we had to get two for our group of 6, and we really didn't like the noodles they used (kind of like spaghetti-o's). Finally, for the birthday girl they brought out a cookie skillet, which was delicious as well! Very sweet of them to do this. Overall, we had a great impromptu dinner and would recommend as a crowd pleaser safe bet in the west loop. read more

Carpenter Street - Mac and cheese sides and lemon drop martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Loved our happy hour here! I had walked past the sign outside advertising their specials many times so it was fun to finally make it in here. To drink, I had a lemon drop martini. My friends had spicy margaritas, a cosmopolitan, and a cherry cola old fashioned. I thought the happy hour drink menu was very substantial and liked the variety of options. My only issue was that the mocktails were the same cost as the martinis even though they didn't have nonalcoholic spirits in most of them. My group didn't order the mocktails but I found it to be an odd way to price things. Food was yummy. The whipped ricotta hit the spot-- it was creamy and topped with honey. This was complimented by the slightly toasted baguette. We also got the truffle fries which were not a happy hour special but were so worth it. The bowl was huge-- we devoured every last crumb. I think that this would be a great spot for a girls night or a date! read more

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Great happy hour with wonderful bar service! Happy hour begins at 4 PM and currently they are doing specials on Tuesday and Thursday for love Island, where happy hour extends to 9 PM. Great tasting cocktails- I had the sangria, and a wonderful vibe for chatting with a friend or on a date. I also love their salads! The jalapeño vinaigrette is to die for on the one salad! I will definitely be back. read more

Very strong 4/5. Good concepts, well executed, upscale but not super fancy vibe and service. Didn't get a drink but they looked good. Came with a toddler right at opening on a Saturday and it was still nearly empty when we left - they have high chairs. Carpenter Street Salad - 4/5. How can a $24 salad feel like a good deal? Massive portions, generous heaps of chicken, dates, goat cheese and cornbread croutons. I didn't taste the jalapeno in the vinaigrette and cornbread croutons just tasted like croutons, but a fun and tasty salad I could only eat 1/2 of. Strawberry waffle - 3.5/5. Simple done well. Balanced waffle texture, pearl sugar is a nice pop of sweetness and crunch, maple syrup to finish. House breakfast sausage - got this for our toddler and it was surprisingly tasty read more

Just came for a drink and it was happy hour. Got a stiff but yummy happy hour. Restaurant is very cool vibes, owner and bartender very nice and great service! read more

Carpenter Street - Espresso martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had the best time at Lola's. Staff was very warm and friendly and they had the best service. The place is very cute on the inside and they decorated it very nicely. It has an upscale dinner vibe to it. We stopped here before we had reservations at Monteverde. We will have to come back and eat here for dinner since it was delicious! They have a full bar and the drinks were good. If you like espresso martinis with more of a creamy base these are for you! The food was delicious. The brussel sprouts were amazing and the chicken kebobs with hummus were to die for! Lola's is one of my new favorite places in Chicago and I'm glad we discovered it! read more

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Stopped in for brunch because Lola's was recommended by a friend who lives in the area. My friend and I split a Caesar salad and shrimp cocktail. The salad was huge and plenty for two people. I loved all of the fresh dill, and their homemade dressing was delicious. I loved the shrimp cocktail because I love horseradish. My friend isn't as crazy about it, and wished the sauce came on the side instead of the shrimp being tossed in it. They had a drink special on Spritz when we visited and I'm glad our waiter let us know! read more

Not a must visit restaurant but great happy hour deals and service. Three of us shared a hamburger, a chicken sandwich, and the four cheese dip & house chips. Each was $10 along with my $10 espresso martini. Street parking was easy on a Tuesday for happy hour. read more

Lola's is the perfect restaurant for an after work dinner. The west loop has so many restaurants to choose from and Lola's is definitely a good choice. I really loved the dim lighting and intimate atmosphere it made for. Our servers were friendly and enthusiastic about serving my cousin and I. At the table we had our choice of still or sparkling water. I chose sparkling and I felt fancy since it came in a wine glass. For drinks my cousin got the passion fruit margarita and I got the clover club. Both were good drinks. For our appetizers I ordered curried cauliflower and my cousin had the house meatballs which she thought was filling. The curried cauliflower was so good. This can really be an entree if you like to eat light or eat vegan. Then came the main meal. We both ordered fish, only I got the white fish and she the salmon. We enjoyed both our fish. I liked how the white fish tasted with the cherry tomatoes and the salsa. My cousin liked the salmon and only wish she had more of it to eat. I would definitely take an out of towner here to introduce them to the restaurant scene and have a nice chat to catch up. read more

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I had family in town and decided to drop in on a Monday. The restaurant was not busy and we easily got a reservation. This is a really cute spot and the drinks were good. The food was just okay to our party. While the presentation was great, the taste was lacking. Both chicken dishes the pan roasted chicken and skewers were both bland. The best thing was the fries and the papas bravas. The rigatoni was too missing some flavor. I don't know if we came on an off night, but these price points feel too high to have this type of hiccups on the food. The best thing was the meatballs and they did not seem to be blended well. Service was decent, a little slow, but the food came out fast. read more

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Terrible service extremely overpriced $26 for a shrimp cocktail that included fouraverage size shrimp had a Diet Coke for six dollars as for a refill was charged another six dollars have not had that at a restaurant in years restaurant was only about 20% full food was not bad but nothing special in Chicago don't think a restaurant this overpriced can last much longer read more

Came here on a Monday, there was probably only 3 people seated. The severs took awhile to give us our food and drinks. Waited some more when I asked for pepper and Parmesan cheese brought chili flakes instead of pepper.. I would totally understand if the restaurant was busy.. but no ones here! To end off they charged our card to the wrong bill. Would not recommend this place. read more

$29 for this tiny bowl of pasta and $14 for fries. Their online ordering is also sneaky with how it defaults the tip for carry out orders. There is no "no tip" option and I was naive to assume the +/- button would default to $0 but nope! It defaults to 20% and the price is grayed out. I'll take responsibility for being careless but it's absurd to be tricked into a $8 tip for a carry out order this abysmal. read more

Carpenter Street - Pasta #12 carry out. Tiny. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Attentive and engaging staff, pretty drinks, and nice vibes! Love that they have a "girl meal" special. The happy hour had some great deals for both apps and drinks. All around good time. Check it out! The pasta was really good with adding a meatball recommended (both options of rigatoni and #12 pasta!) and drinks were good and strong, especially for the price. read more

Carpenter Street - Lola's Martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Phenomenal brunch this morning at Lola's! You should definitely all check out the "badass brunch" on Sundays. Don't miss out on the avocado toast and house made sausage, although everything on the menu is very good. Service is lovely, welcoming, and very gracious. read more

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Ambiance : Lola's exudes a warm and inviting atmosphere that strikes a perfect balance between modern sophistication and rustic charm. The dimly lit dining room, adorned with tasteful artwork and cozy wooden accents, creates an intimate setting that is perfect for a romantic date night or a special celebration. Service: The service at Lola's was impeccable. From the moment I was seated, I was greeted by a friendly and knowledgeable server who took the time to explain the evening's specials and answer any questions I had about the menu. Throughout the meal, the staff was attentive without being intrusive, ensuring that my dining experience was top-notch. Cuisine: Lola's menu is a true gastronomic masterpiece, featuring a diverse range of dishes that cater to a variety of tastes. The fusion of flavors and ingredients was simply outstanding. We started with the whipped ricotta which was melt in your mouth fantastic. We also decided to get the Lola's salad. The salads are huge and tasty. For the main course, I opted for the Lola's filet mignon, and it was cooked perfectly (medium). My dining partner chose the cheeseburger, which was juicy and flavorful. The cocktails were really good too!! read more

Carpenter Street - a plate of salad - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came and had the smoked white fish Caesar salad. It was the best Caesar salad I've ever had! I loved that the croutons were crushed up so you didn't have giant chunks all over. The waitress was also very helpful and sweet. Great place! read more

Carpenter Street - Smoked Whitefish Caesar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food was very good. I had the steak frites and a lovely glass of wine. I ate at the bar and Ricki was so helpful. I couldn't decide what I wanted and his guidance was perfect. I did have a strange moment when the bill came. Evidently, patrons are now being charged a surcharge to pay for full time employees dental, vision and medical coverage. Only for full time employees, which BTW, I never saw one of those. So now we're expected to pay for medical coverage for employees. When I questioned it , a lovely manager (didn't get her name) said she would take it off my bill. Please, please don't pass those costs onto unsuspecting customers. You're running a business and have to cover that as a business expense. Other than that, a lovely evening at Carpenter street. Just be careful and watch your bill!!! read more

Way overpriced for what it is. Maybe worth it for the happy hour. I'm not sure how this place is going to survive. It's like a first time restaurateur runs it. read more

The service and vibes were great- love coming for drinks. I've been here a couple times for food when they first opened and it was great, but we went Friday and it was different. The deviled eggs were hard boiled eggs with guac on top, and the burger is no longer a juicy smash burger. Maybe they did not have the right supply that day but hesitant to go back to eat now and am sad because I truly enjoyed the food the first couple times I went over summer read more

A gem!! One of my favorite bars in Chicago. You can tell they really care about their craft and I can totally appreciate it, I mean look at these drinks!! Not only are they stunning but they taste like magic and yes you can eat the flowers and yes, they too taste good! Didn't snap any pics of the food but it was awesome. Best shrimp cocktail sauce. Love the ambiance of the place and how caring the staff/bartender are. read more

Carpenter Street - Clover Club - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food was terrific... the service was impeccable. But the climate (especially the temperature (something so easy to control) was ridiculously COLD. And it wasn't even during one of Chicago's cold snaps. I suggest if you go here that you wear your heaviest jacket and plan to leave it on for the entire meal! Otherwise, a great place! read more

The food and drinks were good. Very disappointed in the surcharge added to the bill and will not return because of it. It's the only business in the world where the patrons are expected to pay for the employee. It's not enough we have to tip them to make up for the salary the business owners don't pay, but now we have to pay their medical as well. I understand the food cost. Really it should be higher. We all go to the grocery store, so we know what the cost of groceries are. At a restaurant, we expect someone to buy it, prepare it, and serve it to us. We should pay high prices for that. What we should not pay for is tips and added surcharges because the restaurant owners are choosing not too. They are your employees, take care of them. I pay enough for my own medical, dental and vision. And it was never even mentioned. Just added. Ridiculous! Do better for your employees!! read more

Dear Lola, I don't know what is happening in the kitchen, but the pan-seared chicken should be an easy plate to make. It was swimming in a thin sauce, which was bitter. The chicken was seasoned incredibly heavy with pepper and tasted like it was marinated in a rosemary vinegar compote. Fresh tomatoes were added, which should have been either grilled or sauteed with the dish or, more importantly, not present at all. Let's discuss the lighting - there is ambiance, and then there is sitting and eating in the damn dark, and that is what Lola provides. I have never seen more phone lights and candles held up to see a menu. We also ordered drinks, and the martinis arrived with more rim than liquor, so we switched to wine, and it couldn't have been more than 4 oz. in the glass. My friend had a Diet Coke, and the waitress brought a can and poured it at the table. Is that supposed to be fancy and upscale? Bartender do better! After a night of half-filled, subpar drinks, and dishes that were less than average at best, we paid the $322 bill (that included a generous tip for a less-than-attentive waitress) and vowed never to return!! read more

Has a good happy hour, but otherwise for regular dinner definitely overpriced and overrated food is mediocre, a friend loves the place but he is a drunk and goes more for the drinks ......there are better places ...has a stupid woke surcharge. Better places to get good food. read more

The decor is intimate and cute, the drink menu options were carefully crafted, but the dinner menu was underwhelming. I had the salmon and it was prepared well along with the ravioli special of the evening which was an interesting paring or sliced almonds, evoo and ricotta. read more

I SO wanted to love this restaurant. It is new and in the location of the old La Sardine, which was a favorite. When we arrived for dinner, we were seated immediately--the hostess was not able to answer our question as to whether it was the old La Sardine (we looked it up after) but she was lovely and we had a great table. The room is fantastic, restrooms were clean and single room style. Drinks were fantastic. The menu was meat heavy but with fish options. I asked for a description of the seasonal fish and was told it was a smoked branzino. I've had branzino several times and never was it smoked. When I asked for more details, the server stated she was new and that's what the kitchen told her. We asked another server (I believe it was the manager--more on this later) and received a better description. In the end, I ordered the smoked whitefish caesar salad with a side of mushrooms. When the mushrooms arrived they were heavily sauteed with onions (not listed on the menu) and the whitefish was not in pieces but rather shredded so small it was invisible in the salad and a heavy dressing. My companion ordered mashed potatoes (she's a vegetarian) and they arrived covered in gravy (also not mentioned on the menu). When I asked a server to send over a manager. I think the second server we had asked earlier was, in fact, the manager, but he never identified himself. He did pass by and ask if everything was okay and our sides had been replaced without onions and without gravy. Not knowing he was the manager, we said everything was fine and thanked him. We never had a chance to explain that more menu details would be really helpful and more staff training as well. The first few bites were wonderful, however, the mushrooms and the heavy dressing on the salad made the overall meal too salty. I didn't finish either dish and left still feeling hungry. The room and the ambiance is great, cocktails were exceptional and staff was friendly. More training for staff and more details on the menu would definitely help this restaurant make the grade. read more

Great service, wide variety of food options, very much a "girls night out" type of menu and vibe. The Greek salad, burrata, and turkey sandwich were delicious. Randomly, there's even a ribeye steak on the menu... I don't see that being a big seller with the amount of steakhouses we have for options. Creative cocktails too, and very girly. read more

Carpenter Street - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great food. Great atmosphere and even greater drinks and service from our bartender Evelyn. She was very attentive and the drinks were amazing. By far one of the best old fashioned I've had. Will definitely be back again. -D. M. Houston read more

The food was overcooked salmon. Salads came out late with the food didn't get any dressing, and there was only six couples in here. Service was horrible in the salad. There were two tomatoes. There was no onions. There was no croutons. There was no dressing for the salad. NOT HAPPY AT ALL.......... Not coming back read more

Context: A friend invited us to check out a new spot, in the West Loop, I can see this place being a go to after work hours for craft cocktails and American style cuisine- with "Lola's" personal spin. Commends: WE went in on the menu! Shout out to the Mixologist, yes a real one. Smoke boxes, fresh fruit juices, edible flowers, the whole nine on display! I had an old fashioned, cherry flavored at that. I don't rock with cherry or old fashioned's - but when it's cherry Mexican cola Japanese plum whisky- say less! Other favorites below: - Lola's Cheeseburger- I ordered two of these mfs! We split the first, had one to go. The Chef opened AuCheval in NYC - say less. - House Meatballs - A non-wise man once told me, "when you see meatballs on a menu, order them." He ain't missing - Tropical Tumeric & Ginger Old Fashioned Zero Proof Cocktail - No typo! These have no alcohol but who's said you can't add it?! Remember fresh juices, edible flowers...do it! *Add Tequila - Lola's Shrimp Cocktail- Now these hit different, not like hot hot but clear your sinuses upon impact hot. Cut in bites, if you wild eat the whole thing! I dare you! - Honorable Mention, Classic Hot Wings - Unique smoked flavor if you rock with pork most def check out Recommends: I want to know more about Lola! She's seems like a person to know. Overall/Value: 4.5/5. Going 5 for the vibes from the staff, overwhelming helpful and fun! Perfect for after work drinks or food, and picky eaters can go crazy. read more

The food was not very good at all. The ambience was ok but the lighting was a little too dark and it was very cold where they sat us. The server seemed really confused, she barely had any knowledge about the menu. The food could have prepared better with more flavor and season...I had to send my pasta entree back because it was very disappointing, I ended up goin to another restaurant after to eat there. The drinks were fairly good, but I have no desire to return. read more

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Food was decent. Not great. The lighting was so dark on the restaurant that I had to borrow candles from a few other tables. Also was surprised when our reservation was for 8:00 that we had to clear out at around 9. Most people were gone by 9/9:30. read more

I might be hanging myself here but what inspiring style/space I melt when I see the attention to the detail. Sprouts and sweet potato delicious. Really nice ambiance . What a gem. read more

Everything was good. I've been here twice and the food service and price are fair. It's a diner type of atmosphere with good comfort breakfasts/brunch for my sleep in day! read more