If you're coming here for drinks, it's probably a great vibe, but if you're coming for food, I…read morewould recommend elsewhere. I want to preface my review with the positives, Londyn was our server & was truly so kind, thorough, and friendly. The restaurant itself is clean & all tables have clear views of the TVs on game days. Now for the room for improvement- the food was very underwhelming. Being from the Chicago area previously, I regularly advocate for the Chicago food scene, and this unfortunately did not meet those standards. We ordered the Brussels sprouts, buffalo cauliflower, wings, and sesame ginger salad: -Brussel sprouts: tasted like they weren't seasoned just air fried and drenched in balsamic dressing -Buffalo cauliflower: soggy, unseasoned, runny buffalo sauce -Wings: PERFECTLY CRISPY, but no flavor (we ordered lemon pepper & buffalo) -Sesame ginger salad: sloppy mix of vegetables tossed in an overly sweet sauce with no sesame or ginger flavor in sight If you're not going to eat, this is probably a great spot, but from a food standpoint, there is room for improvement.

Great place for late dinner (kitchen open until 11pm on weekdays). I was in the mood for some…read morechicken wings and yes, No Vacancy for the win. Good draft, liquor and can/bottle selection and great menu for food. Buffalo style wings were suberb!

Overall: Now one of my favorite spots downtown!…read more The good: The food is absolutely amazing. We splurged on the decadent truffly mozz sticks, which were as amazing as they sound and a meal themselves in terms of portion sizes. The house made pasta was all fantastic, as was the dim-lit speakeasy atmosphere. Plenty of drink options and the service was friendly and attentive. The not-so-good: Can get quite busy and hard to get a table. The prices are pretty high ($20+ for aforementioned mozz sticks), though it's elevated food and atmosphere. Food/drink: 9/10 Atmosphere: 9/10 Service: 9/10

We got the Tenderloin Steak Tartare for appetizer and Vodka Rigatoni & Roasted Chicken Frites as…read moreentrees. These portions are huge! The food is amazing and flavorful. I highly recommend the steak tartare and the vodka rigatoni. The chicken was good as well, but the main highlight was the garlic aioli sauce that came with the entree. It is a big portion and I recommend sharing. What stood out the most was service. Luckily we were able to do walk-in bar seating for the Library area on a Wednesday evening. Bartender was very attentive, got us new plates after we finished appetizers, and they boxed up our leftovers for us. The Library area was definitely more quiet than the main seating area. It is downstairs. It has a dark and moody atmosphere. If you have trouble reading in the dark, it might be hard to read the menu in the dark lighting though. There is also a photo booth tucked in the side of the hallways downstairs before you enter the Library area. $5 for 2 prints. A cute souvenir for your experience dining at Gilt Bar. Price wise: look to be spending $20-$30 average per each item on the menu. But worth the price for the food, service, and atmosphere you are getting. Definitely worth the visit.

We ducked in here for a drink and were very pleased with our experience. The bar staff were…read morefriendly and very attentive. Great selection of wines here - and a natural wine is really something to be tried if you have never had it. The look and the feel of the place reminds you of something you would find overseas. They also offer beer and cocktails, but their wines are the highlight. Highly recommend.

Good Funk was the kind of unexpected gem that completely transforms an ordinary night--exactly what…read moreI needed while on a business trip in Chicago, the night before my birthday. I wanted nothing more than to ring in year 45 with a great glass of natural wine... and I walked out having had a 7-glass flight and one of the most memorable evenings of the trip. The bartenders deserve their own star. They weren't just knowledgeable--they were genuinely fun to talk to, the kind of people who make you feel like you've been coming there for years. We went from discussing funky wine profiles to diving deep into '80s horror films, which is absolutely my idea of a perfect tangent. Their enthusiasm and curiosity made the whole experience feel personal and spontaneous. As for the wine: unique, surprising, and delicious, even the pours I didn't expect to enjoy. Good Funk leans into exploration in the best way--nothing feels generic or predictable. Every glass had its own personality, and the flight felt like a curated adventure rather than a lineup. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, stylish without being pretentious, and perfect for either a solo wind-down or a lively night out. It's the kind of place that encourages you to linger, taste one more thing, have one more conversation. Good Funk turned what could've been a quiet, forgettable evening into an unforgettable birthday-eve celebration. If you're in Chicago and love natural wine--or just love a spot with genuine heart--don't miss this place.

We love Arbella!! Atmosphere inside was great, really large space! We sat at the bar, the…read morebartenders were super friendly and attentive easy to talk to and order from. LOVE the $6 cocktail of the day happy hour (M-F 4-6pm) . Our cocktail of the day was a watermelon lemon drop which was delicious!! Will be coming back next time in Chicago! My local friends new favorite staple bar.

(Kari's Rating 8.75/10)…read more Came with a friend late on a Friday night after dinner time We were able to be seated almost immediately at a nice little private Cove table. We ordered a flight of whiskey sours, which contained whiskeys from Japan, Vietnam, and Wisconsin. I also was able to order an amaretto sour, which they made with freshly hand beaten egg whites, which was a nice cherry on the top. As far as the whiskey flights go, I think the best one was the Vietnam flight because it had a slightly lemongrass twang and was a little bit lighter than the other two. The heaviest one was the Wisconsin which came with a little bit of a bite at the end, but it still wasn't bad if you're trying to blackout on a $15 budget. I would definitely come back with a larger group this seems like a great place, but is a little bit loud- so if you be prepared to yell or wear earplugs. The bathroom took my a second to find, which should have been intuitive considering it was on the opposite end of where you come in. I blame the lighting as things are already pretty hard to find in the dark, but eventually I made it there-Pat myself on the back.

Was gifted the wine tasting and tour for my birthday which was a very fun experience. Great deal to…read morebuy wine after. I preferred the whites and was disappointed by the reds. We had the date package and ate at the restaurant after. I recommend the pork schnitzel and pierogis. We ordered four shareables but weren't blown away by the butternut squash fondue and gougeres. Loved our hostess for the wine tasting, but wish there was more guidance on tasting notes and wine terminology. I'd recommend though to any wine lovers, I still learned a lot!

I stopped by Chicago Winery on a Wednesday early evening solo and was able to sit at the bar…read morewithout reservation. I was blown away by the ambiance and decor. Chicago Winery prioritizes upscale and intimacy but their service is personable and friendly allowing you to feel right at home. On Wednesday they offer a Happy Hour special, $5 off a tasting and $10 wine by the glass. The server as extremely kind, and was able to offer me some suggestions based on my personal palate and wine interests. I landed on the Winemaker's Tasting, which included 4, one ounce pours, including Blancs de Blancs, Albarino, Barbera and Merlot. I paired the tasting with the a BYOB board. From their menu I picked the olives, Afterglow, and the Tempesta Guanciale. The server was educated on the wines was able to walk me through the tasting and pairings but gave me independence and autonomy to enjoy at my own leisure and pace. I highly enjoyed my visit and absolutely will be returning to dine in, as well as to get a winery tour!

Excellent dining experience. We were able to squeeze into a last minute late dinner reservation…read more The service was excellent, our waitress was helpful with the menu and was kind enough to bring us a little extra treat since we were celebrating. The food was all so good. While some of it didn't sound like something we'd jump to order, we were glad we gave everything a chance! Would certainly go back here!

Took my wife here for her birthday and had an excellent experience. A great bistro style French…read morerestaurant tucked into River North. We started with the gem salad which was super fresh, full of flavor and a great dressing to match. Very shareable for 2 people. I went with the Corn Dog as my main and it was gimmick. The full flavor of the foie gras came through and mixed perfectly with the cherry compote. My wife had the duck breast that she absolutely loved. Service was excellent and our waiter made great recommendations. Loved the FPA beer he suggested with my dinner.

The food was absolutely fantastic. The service was quick and our server was really sweet. My only…read moregripe was just how loud the room was. I could barely hear my date, we basically had to shout to hear each other and we were at the edge of the room.

First dinner in Chicago after happy hour. Came on a Thursday evening without a reservation but the…read morewait was still only 30 minutes and was able to order a drink from the bar while waiting. Food wise everything was really good. The calamari was fried perfectly and loved the aioli sauce. For the lasagna, I could not stop eating it that I was so full by the time I was done.

My best friend was dying to show me this trendy and cute rooftop bar. I'm so happy we checked it…read moreout. It was exactly what we were craving for a summer outing. This would've been a 5 star for me, however, I couldn't help like we were being rushed. I would've understood if it was busy, but there were a lot of empty seats around us. Ignoring that, we had a great time. We were seated at hightops with lovely views of the city. Since it is a rooftop, you are greeted by a host downstairs that calls an elevator for you and then by a host upstairs. It's mainly outdoor seating. They offer some food, but if you want something more substantial, Avec downstairs is your best best. Our server was fun and guessed what drinks we would like most based on our vibes. I was happy when he said mine because I was already between two drinks and he picked one of those! I loved the Side to Side cocktail. My bestie wanted more from her Golden Oldie. It's a pretty spot.

The vibes here are immaculate. You walk into a building and check in and they send you up in an…read moreelevator to the roof. It's so iconic. Every server was kind, but we lucked out with Ingrid who was extra special! Quick and the drinks were very good. The food was just amazing. We got so many things I didn't get pics of. These dates wrapped in bacon were a highlight. Honestly you couldn't go wrong with anything you try here!

Much too expensive. Prices are way out of range of anywhere else of similar quality. The staff are…read morevery helpful and nice but the prices they charge are ridiculous

The experience there was great! The atmosphere was very nice and elegant. The presenter was very…read moreknowledgeable about the different wines we had during the tasting. There was outshines to join tHw wine club although suggested if we wanted to. This was an experience I would do again. It was a good pre birthday event.

This is such a great spot for anyone who genuinely enjoys wine. The selection is extremely well…read morecurated, with unique and interesting bottles from all over the world, not just the same producers and labels you tend to see everywhere else. What really stands out, though, is the knowledge behind the selection. Whether you already know a lot about wine or are just looking for something new to try, you can tell there's a lot of experience and thought behind every recommendation. It's a great place to discover wines you probably wouldn't come across on your own. I also love that it's both a wine shop and a lounge, so you can pick out a bottle and actually sit down and enjoy it. Another huge plus is that you can bring in your own food. There are plenty of restaurants nearby, and one of my favorites is Pizza Amici, just make sure to order ahead because they can get busy. Great wine, a relaxed atmosphere, and a really unique concept. Definitely a place worth checking out if you enjoy discovering good wine.

Grand Cru has quickly become my favorite wine shop in Chicago. A place to hang out with friends,…read moretake classes, try new wines at happy hour, grab a favorite bottle for a night in, or get a food pairing recommendation for BYOB. Matt is very knowledgeable and has curated a great selection at any price point.