I want this to be a 3 1/2 but yelp doesn't do halves. I had dinner here for the first (and maybe only) time last Friday night. The atmosphere is good and the food all sounds good. For the price it didn't quite wow me. I think the thing that actually ruined the meal was that my dessert was sub-par. I got the 3 course meal. The Salmon Rillet was great! The short ribs were pretty good though I wanted more veggies and less meat. The dessert I chose was beignet with ice cream. The beignets were really cold and cold fried dough is just not good. We did order the cheese plate which was great and the wine selection is suitable. I might go back here for brunch as I feel like I might enjoy that more, but I probably will not eat dinner here again unless I am really craving salmon rillet as that was my highlight. I would be interested to try the duck as well. read more

Stylish, good portions, attentive service. When I took prospective clients there the other day they had a large and pretty loud group that would have been better placed in a private dining room. It was pretty expensive and we didn't have any alcohol. I had the salmon salad, which came with a generous portion of avocado! read more

This place really hit it out of the park for us. Everything about the place seemed to be doing it right. It was bustling but not jammed at 8:30 on a Friday night. It is a beautiful space - lighting is glorious. We had to bump into the chef to get to our table - he was greeting all the diners personally and came around again later on. The three course prix fixe meal was splendid. First came an 'amuse bouche' of a tiny bit of braised vegetables and chorizo - it was so tiny and tasty. We had the beef tenderloin & the fish entrees, both were beautiful. The flavors were satisfyingly traditional, yet with some nicely fresh twists in the vegetables garnish & sauces that highlighted the dishes. Our appetizers ( a salad and a diver scallop) were splendid too. The scallop was one of the best appetizers I have ever tasted. Desserts were fine - we were full by this time so I don't know if I was underwhelmed because of that. We had a "baked alaska" that seemed like a good idea, but the spongy cake on the bottom didn't quite make it. This was the only thing that wasn't just excellent. The chocolate pistachio dome dessert was terrific though. The service was great. Our waiter was a young fellow who was knowledgeable; very kind and attentive. We had ordered a bottle of Puligny-Montrachet that turned out to be "corked." (we weren't too sure - it honestly had never happened to either of us, so we were a bit insecure about sending it back, but the waiter had the bartender taste it, and they agreed. We tried a second bottle of the same and sheepishly sent it back too - same problem. We were able to find a good choice, but were pleased by how 'not a big deal' this was for the server and it actually was almost amusing. (though sad to see that much what-ought-to-be good wine go down the drain!) After we finished, we headed to the lovely hotel bar (which was crowded) and after about 15 minutes, the maitre 'd found me to return my hat and umbrella which I'd left under my chair. So I would give the service here a major 5 stars. I wanted to give the place 5 stars, that one dessert was just underwhelming. Bottom line is that this place is great. We eat a lot of good restaurants and have gotten burned a few times lately by following a good review to a place that was just marginal. This place was a delight! read more

The 'executive lunch' for $22 is amazing. The food is presented so beautifully and the flavors are great. The decor, ambiance, and service are all top notch. Although pricey for dinner, this lunch option is great for a special meal (ie: birthday). I felt like it was a good value for all the food I got (salad, appetizer, entree, and two mini desserts). read more

Loved it !!! We sat by the window - amazing ambiance - especially after the sun goes down! All the vegetarian dishes were perfect! There was a drink.... something with grapefruit in the name- delicious !!! Had three. At the end - even though we decided to relocate for dessert, they still brought me a little plate of goodies with a birthday candle, and an older French gentleman sang Happy Anniverseux to me in a low French voice. I nearly melted into the seat. Will def. be back!!! read more

I would say this place is good to try out once but as far as going back there again? no thanks. I wasn't impressed with their lunch menu. We had diver scallops, I believe scallops at the restaurant cross the street is much better...We also had Chicken tartine and Amish chicken with maple whipped sweet potato. The Amish chicken with whipped sweet potato was excellent, and even though I would give it 4/5 points still the experience and the food wasn't impressive enough to draw me back to that place. We have too many restaurants and places to try out. read more

Simply amazing. Went there for our 15th wedding anniversary. We got the prime rib and the pork tenderloin. Both were magnificent. The chef does an amazing job with contrasting flavors and textures. The beet salad and cheese plate were also superb. A true culinary adventure! read more

Came here for drinks and dessert. The Mango Bella was out of this world!!! I also had the Noir Chocolate! Again...out of this world. I highly recommend this place to anyone. I made a reservation. The staff was friendly and actually knew who I was when I arrived. Everyone should go for desserts and drinks at least once. read more

Both the food and the ambience are decent and elegant. Perfect experience. Servers are nice and accommodating.

Just shy of 4 stars. Service was great - very attentive. A must go for the homemade cheeses and meats. If nothing else have that and a drink. I had braised short rib. I little dry but some extra of the delicious sauce helped. The highlight besides the cheeses and meats was the desert. Heaven. Choose the chef's assortment. The only really thing that we did not enjoy was the techno disco music. The music did not pair well with the food. Also, though attire does say dressy, many people came in attired in street clothes. I thought I was back in Califonia. At least no one was wearing shorts. read more

I've only ever dined here for breakfast, but it's a worthwhile experience. This is definitely not your standard breakfast, but that's the charm; they live up to modernism, true to the name, building something different of the food. They can take a waffle and make it better with some vanilla whipped cream and berry compote, and I'll never complain about having a basket full of rolls that goes beyond the common croissant. The staff are reasonably mannered and the sitting atmosphere is bright and chic as can be. When you're done, why not explore the hotel too? It's absolutely worth a look. read more

this is a very nice place the service is very good the prices are not bad I love the atmosphere, a great place for couple to have a romantic dinner or a special date. I will come back read more

I came here during restaurant week, for which they offer a prix fixe three course menu. The chicken breast entree was by far the best chicken I've ever had anywhere. I expected a lot from the desserts here, but the chocolate cake that I had was a bit disappointing and underwhelming. The Cafe des Architectes has a nice atmosphere and decor, and the service was good. I hope to give this place a second try during next year's restaurant week, or maybe go for their Neighborhood Friends menu. read more

Solid 4 stars. Despite being a hotel restaurant, the food is good, interesting and original. The dining room is european-mod. Winter salad was inspired and the arctic char was perfectly cooked. The deserts were amazing as well. read more

We had the five course meal and it was amazing. I have never savored my food like I did during this meal. The alcohol was definitely steep, so we just had water and still an amazing meal. We were greeted by the chef at the end of the meal, not at our request but because the server saw how much we were enjoying our meal. Service was attentive and they were able to anticipate needs. Romantic for two and also pretty good for people watching on the patio. Just wonderful :) read more

We had a truly lovely dinner here on a recent Friday night, with 30% off courtesy of Savored. First of all, the setting is beautiful and tres-urban. Very sleek and stylish--perfect for a fancy night on the town. The crowd is sophisticated and the overall aesthetic of the dining room/lounge just screams "classy." It was great. The food: we both had the tasting menu. My partner had the standard menu, with a mixed vegetable starter, amish chicken, and peach dessert. The chicken was excellent: tender, flavorful, and not the least bit overcooked. I went with the "de-light" prix fixe because of dietary restrictions. I went with a beet salad, a succulent piece of salmon, and a sorbet trio. All were perfectly seasoned, precisely cooked, and beautifully plated. The service: in a word, impeccable. In several words: warm, knowledgeable, and invisible. Each and every person, from our server to the bread guy, was great. Everyone had a smile, and was unobtrusive. When I was ordering my dessert, my waiter actually steered me toward one of his favorites, pointing out that my original selection didn't really showcase the strengths of the chef. I truly appreciate that kind of informed assistance. The wine list was somewhat skinny for a high-class French restaurant, but we nevertheless found a winner of a Bordeaux. read more

I can't think of anything unsatisfying about this restaurant. It is AWESOME!! Food is rich and flavorful. Service is outstanding. Decor is cool. Best of all, you can sit in one of the best neighborhoods in chicago and enjoy the last few beautiful summer days in French style. read more

A pleasant surprise in the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower. We did a business dinner with the 5 course Chef tasting menu with the wine pairings. The food and wine choices did not disappoint! We would definitely keep this restaurant as an option on our list. The Tasting was 75.00 per person and the wine pairings were an additional 40.00. The food was presented well and out halibut and filet were cooked to perfection. Highly recommend! read more

went for lunch with dougie yesterday. we paid $65 each, including tip, and had a bottle of pellegrino, a bottle of delicious white bordeaux, 2 'executive lunches' (four courses, all served at the same time), two coffees. ticket time was a little long, space was beautiful, service friendly but not overbearing, and food was very interesting and tasty. bread basket was awesome....so was the green olive tapenade. one weird thing was the techno music at 230 in the afternoon. a little too much. i'll definitely go back for one of their prix fixe nights/ lunches, etc. it was yummy, and i got to eat quince. i love quince. read more

I went here on a thursday evening and the place was completely empty. Yes, it was a thursday but it was still dinner time for goodness sake. The interior design was chiq and modern, only if the food was such as well. I went with the prix fixe menu. I had scallops for appetizer. The presentation was decent, the scallops were seared perfectly and the sauce wasn't overwhelming. If only there was more than ONE scallop. I feel like this was an in-between restaurant's attempt to seem like fine dining, but it just came across as annoying. Had the beef tenderloin as an entree. This portion was just fine, too bad it was unbelievably salty. It tasted like something from a high school dining hall. Had the ginger souffle for dessert, which was pleasant. It tasted of authentic, real ginger but wasn't overwhelming. Being in the price range between casual and fine dining does not give you the right to have your food have an identity crisis between low and high quality. There are plenty of restaurants in this area that give you a better money's worth. read more

I went here for brunch on a Saturday. The food was actually decent. I had a great salad and my friend had a sandwich. Nothing spectacular, but tasted good. The good part ends there. When we walked up, the hostess was talking to a server. She looked at us I smiled at her, and she went back to what she was doing. We continued to stand there until she finally looked up again and asked "Oh...do you need a table?" Ummm yes. That would be why we are standing here. The server was just as unfriendly and unattentive. He took our drink order and our food order and that was the total number of times he was at our table. He never offered to refill our drinks or ask us how we were doing until we were done with our meal and our empty plates were sitting in front of us. He didn't even clear our plates. The busperson came over and did it 10 minutes later. I know this crappy service wasn't due to the fact that the restaurant was busy - there were only 6 other tables besides ours. All in all, I wouldnt recommend Cafe des Architectes. However, if you do decide to go there and Aramis is your server - RUN AWAY! read more

Last weekend I took my lovely wife for a nice diner. The food was excellent. We ordered the Ahi Tuna Tartare (highly recommended), the Grilled Portobello Mushroom and the Braised Short Ribs were fantastic. We finished with the Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake and if nothing else, this alone will bring us back to the Cafe. The service was great and the location is unbeatable. One of the best diner we have had in a long time. Highly recommended! read more

French? well, once you start with Shepard's Pie at the top of the menu, you should know something's not quite right! a duck confit that was far from the degree of tenderness it required, a steak that was chewy (despite the assurances of the server "it's quite tender!"), a white fish that defined the very category of bland... bon dieu, what a terrible, terrible disappointment! the saving point - the dessert. the floating island - the only thing these "architects" can build to last. certainly, not french. certainly, not "architects" but amateurs trying to build without bricks. read more

Went last week, our second time here. We chose to sit in the bar right off the main restaurant for two reasons: the tables in the restaurant are close together, and the bar area was child-free. We had very attentive, professional service. The food is incredible (I am a new fan of pork belly!). I love the atmosphere of this place. We saw the chef walking around several times. Valet is only $13. This is a place we will be back to! read more

Went there for brunch and really had a great time. The brunch menu had a decent vegetarian selection. I had the Belgium waffles with vanilla whipped cream, berry compote and they were outstanding. The bloody mary was very good too. We also had the A Votre Santé scrambled egg whites, mushrooms, spinach, roasted tomato jus. I would this place recommend this place. Check it out. read more

My wife and I ate here this past Friday night and got the 7 course degustation with the wine pairing. It was great. I didn't want fish and they easily accommodated that and we got different things for most of the courses. Everything was very good to outstanding. Service was very good. Not cheap, but a great experience. The place was surprisingly dead for a Friday night at 7:00 though - only about a half dozen other tables. read more

I really enjoy going to this place. In the summer, you can sit outside and enjoy Chicago downtown while eating yummy food.And when it gets colder, the inside of the restaurant is also very stylish and pleasant. We usually order off the prix fix menu, which changes pretty often (not sure how often). If I had to recommend anything, i would say try their tuna tartar - it's amazing: fresh tuna with guacamole. Sometimes it's not on the menu, but make sure to ask for it as they usually have it available. Check this place out! the decor is very modern and chic, service is great and and food is yummy :) definitely something to check out!! read more

Prix fixe menu is outstanding value and the food is exquisitely flavorful. Everyone at my dining table agreed that the bouillabaisse is a must-try . The maitre d'hote and the waiting staff were very attentive as well. read more

Great presentation at breakfast. Authentic French pastries. Polished, though sometimes slow service.

What a nice experience in the heart of Chicago. Right from the beginning with a very informative presentation by Chef David which just set us up for a very enjoyable meal for myself and two lady friends. We just had fun admiring the presentations and tastes. We all had different selections and were very impressed. Pastry Chef Anne made a delightful display of desserts an inevitable final course, one to remember. One in our party had spent many years living in Cannes Fr. and remarked such a meal would have been hard to equal in Paris. My suggestions would be take advantage of their very diverse menu and absolutely leave room for room for dessert. Thank you Chef David for making for a wonderful meal!! read more

WOW! Truly a Culinary delight. As a Sofitel guest I had the absolute pleasure to dine in CDA for breakfast, lunch and dinner numerous times this past week. All meals and service were top shelf and very professional.So much so that I was very reluctant to dine elsewhere. What is most impressive is that the Executive Chef and his culinary team are making Artisan cheeses in the Sofitel "cheese cave". Equally impressive is the in house Charcuterie program. This is almost a lost art in kitchens of America and this team has certainly mastered the craft. They offer daily tasting "slates" that feature the cheeses , meats and some very well thought out condiments. I would be remiss if I did not mention the Octopus Panzanella Salad with watermelon gelee, quite simply brilliant! Also not to be missed is the Torchon of Foie Gras. Again amazing condiments and a hint of St Germain. I could go on and on , however I think I made my point here. DONT MISS CDA! This is an honest review by a professional chef with no relationship at all with CDA or the Sofitel. So happy I came upon this wonderful restaurant and could not resist sharing my experiences. Bon Appetit ! read more

Excellent brunch. The waitstaff is wonderful. I had such a good meal. Oh and the coffee is great too. Highly recommended.

Finally! A place where you can hear yourself talking while enjoying attentive service (merci Romi et Mehmet!) AND great food... My favorite last week: la mise en bouche with foie gras on toast (I asked for seconds), the plump scallops and the duck, served thick and rare, and the selection of desserts, such a nice way to finish the meal-- the nougat was délicieux and the Paris-Brest sublime! And don't hesitate to make arrangements prior to dinner with maitre d' Paul Lortal if you dine with a group like we did-- he'll make it happen for you. read more

Went here for my B-day and was treated like a queen........this place is amazing. A dream really. Check it out!

It's a little vague, the line between 2 stars and 3 on this site.. what's the difference between "Meh" and "OK"? Either way I was pretty underwhelmed by this place. I came here on a Saturday night for a date at 7:30 for dinner. It was pretty dead when I walked in and remained that way throughout the meal. I thought the restaurant would not only be bigger but laid out differently from the pictures I saw here on Yelp. The table next to us was waiting 45 minutes when we sat down for their credit card TO BE RETURNED TO THEM because of a technical problem after their dinner. I don't think they were pleased. Other than that the service was good, no complaints there really. Not a huge wine list though, this being a French restaurant I would assume they'd have a better offering. I had a Rattlesnake cocktail which I thought would be somewhat manly but came out in a martini glass and was pink... whoops. We started with the snapper and sweetbreads, the former being waaaay too salty and the latter being delicious. I was nice and let my date have most of the sweetbreads while I forced down the salt-lick. For our mains we shared the Rib-Eye and Halibut, again one being delicious and one being terrible. I let her have the rib-eye because I'm gracious and awesome. Her idea of the meal must have been great, mine not so much. We declined on dessert and they brought out the complementary candies with the check which I never understand. I always look at those spreads like I do the bottom of a Halloween bag of candy; the candy corn and butterscotch that nobody ever eats and later eggs the houses of the ones responsible for wasting their pillow case's valuable space.... but that's another topic alltogether. Overall I would say this is a pretty average to below average fine dining establishment and probably won't return. Even if I were staying in the hotel. There are just way too many other great restaurants this city offers right now. read more

Had Christmas Eve dinner with friends, very festive. The food was edible but extremely small portions. The service was very good and accommodating to our group. Great place to hang out for drinks but wouldn't make a dash to go back for the food. read more

After finding this place online i decided to come in for a brunch with my co worker. We were surprised how nice this play is inside and the food is unique and very tasty!!! read more

I see that the Sofitel's bistro has mixed reviews, but frankly, I've had few complaints with my numerous dinners here, but I've yet to have breakfast and lunch here, perhaps it sucks then? Their menu is fairly varied, the French fusiony cuisine is pretty good, and their service is quick. They don't have a whole lot of vegetarian options though. Like any fancy hotel restaurant, it is grossly overpriced, but oh well, it's not like I was paying for it... Oh, the desserts are SCRUMPTIOUS!!! Me likey... read more

A friend recommended this restaurant and we were disappointed. :( 2 of us want to try the duck entree and they were out of duck. They ended up w/fish dishes, yet the fishes were overcooked. I ordered the rabbit dish and there were sand in the vegetables. We ended up paying $80/person (a drink, entree, dessert, tax, and tips). Very disappointed...:( read more

Holy mackeral the food here is phenomenal! I went on a Monday night for their prix fixe. There's about 4 choices per appetizer, entree and dessert which makes it much better than some prix fixes already. My friend and I were treated to a complimentary amuse bouche of beet soup. It was cold, crisp and tart with a hint of sweetness. Although an interesting choice for an amuse bouche, I liked it. To start, I ordered the short ribs on cauliflower puree. SO delicious. The short ribs were not melt in your mouth tender, but that's what made it so delicious. I was able to use it to wipe up all the puree. Definitely how short ribs should be. My friend had the oxtail shepards pie and it comes with a thin crispy crostini. I had a bite and I might have to order my own the next time I go! My flat iron steak entree with parsnip puree, fingerling potatoes and peas forced me to eat beyond regular capacity. Truth be told, after the bread tray and the appetizer, I was 80% full already. But upon seeing the steak, there was no way I could let any of it go to waste. After the delicious praline crunch dessert which "tasted like a fancy, hazelnut filled kit kat" (that's a good thing!) our server presented us with another complimentary dessert! Lemon marshmallow and an apricot jelly candy. AND in the end our server gave us another card for $20 off our next meal there...so I guess there's no excuse not to go back!!! A great discovery and a great weeknight treat! read more