Joe's Seafood in Chicago has an unusual amount of personal history for me. It opened as a…read morepartnership between Miami Beach's iconic Joe's Stone Crab and Lettuce Entertain You, bringing South Florida to Grand and Rush. I first went when it was still a huge, buzzy Chicago spot, and one of my most memorable dinners came after my high school graduation in 2003. I even got a speeding ticket on Lake Shore Drive with my grandmother in the back seat on the way to dinner, which still makes me laugh. Chicago was an especially fun place for Joe's to arrive. Open outcry trading was still a force, and the wealth creation around it was wild: people who had dropped out of high school could become millionaires in their twenties, while math PhDs from the University of Chicago could make fortunes in the same ecosystem. It was a golden era for hustle culture, when commerce idolized Tony Montana in a way that today is more likely to idolize Jamie Dimon or David Solomon. Death Row and Bad Boy ruled the airwaves, while Michael, Shaq, Kobe, and Allen Iverson defined the NBA. Basketball was so dominant in Chicago culture during my coming of age that I still map other things, including restaurants, to NBA teams. Joe's felt like the Miami Heat coming to Chicago in much the same way Smith & Wollensky represented the New York Knicks: each brought a recognizable piece of its hometown culture into another major city. Joe's brought real South Florida sizzle to Chicago, and it landed at exactly the right moment. Going there felt like an occasion. Florida took longer for me to understand in full. My family has roots in the state going back decades, farther north along the Atlantic coast, and I didn't visit Miami until March 2007, when my sister started graduate school in Coral Gables. That trip began my love affair with Miami and helped me understand why the original Joe's was such an institution. A close family friend's father spent time around Miami in the 1960s and 1970s. He knew local fishermen who caught stone crabs, which gave me an appreciation for the older South Florida culture around the food, separate from Joe's own history. Another Joe's memory captures an entirely different moment. Looking through my OpenTable history, my July 31, 2008 reservation at Joe's in Chicago is the earliest reservation I can find at a restaurant that is still open today. I was 23, working at UBS, preparing to move to New York while the firm was already on fire from its mortgage losses, and Lehman would file for bankruptcy just weeks later. I was broke but wildly aspirational, dreaming about dinners at Balthazar, begging my way past the doors at Cain and Tenjune, hoping to drink for free, and trying to meet women comically far out of my league. Through all of those memories, the restaurant itself has been remarkably consistent. The stone crab claws are incredible, the seafood is excellent, and Joe's holds its own among Chicago's serious steakhouses. The room has traditionally felt a little more formal than Miami, with bow ties, polished service, and a darker old-school steakhouse rhythm, while still being genuinely welcoming. Finish with the key lime pie. Years later, my wife and I held our wedding reception at RPM Seafood, another Lettuce restaurant, then ate at the original Joe's during our honeymoon in Miami during COVID days later, which felt like a fitting circle back. In sheer range of venues, repeatability of quality and atmosphere, and consistency of hits, Lettuce is the gold standard in Chicago, with some of that same reach in Vegas and DC. I've been extraordinarily privileged in my exposure to hospitality, and I still repeatedly admire Rich Melman's model, taste, and execution, now carried forward by the next generation of the family. Joe's is a prime example: world-class, durable, unmistakably Chicago, and absolutely somewhere I want to return next time I'm in town with some dough to spend. While Joe's may not be French, this place still earns my highest marks: très bien!

Had dinner at Joe's last week...service is still excellent and the restaurant is still great…read moreoverall, but the food has definitely declined in quality unfortunately. The baked potatoes and other sides were still delicious but the steaks came out dry and overcooked. The quality was very much lacking. Our waiter was kind enough to remake both steaks, which was very much appreciated and the second round was better but still not as good as we remembered. We'll likely return ... hopefully this was just a one time problem?

great service the workers help out a-lot good music nice prices the well recommended best in townread more

A fun place to get some seafood after work…read more Tuna ceviche, Asian taco, Salmon, Sea Bass. It was all good. The salmon was some of the best I've had, not overcooked at all. The taco in the Asian taco is seaweed. Its a small dish, but tasty. The ceviche was also excellent. The wine list is pricey but there are some values off the beaten path - the Bibei Lapola white from Spain pairs well with seafood. We passed on dessert but were generously comped the Key Lime Pie. It was deconstructed into piles of crust, merengue kisses, and foam. It was good. Service is friendly and professional, the space has an upbeat energy without being too loud, and the two story glass walls make for great viewing of the River and skyscrapers. Extensive outdoor space, but our visit corresponded with one of this summer's many heat waves, so we ate indoors.

Setting can't be beat, food was reasonably good, but WOW not for the price. If I had to do it…read moreagain, go get a drink and take pics on the terrace, than just go somewhere else and eat food as good or better for 2/3 of the price. And funny enough, the menu states they add 4% to every bill to cover costs so they can keep from increasing the price! Stop the BS and just put the real damn price.

food & views are great. l love the vibe of this restaurant-fun spot to take out of town guests.read more

Everything! The food the service the ambience. Everything. Even the music was cool. You can have a…read moreconversation and hear music. Acoustics were perfect.

Bavette's Bar & Boeuf -- Chicago…read more Fantastic dinner tonight at Bavette's in downtown Chicago. The atmosphere and service were outstanding, and the food absolutely delivered. We tried the fried chicken and potatoes, both excellent--but the star of the night was the burger. Easily one of the best burgers I've ever had. Perfectly charred, incredibly juicy, loaded with flavor, and just an unbelievable burger from start to finish. Bavette's definitely lived up to the hype. Great food, great atmosphere and a fantastic Chicago dining experience. #MarksBiteReviews #Bavettes #ChicagoFood #Burger #BestBurger

Kari's Rating TLDR…read more -CASH ONLY (atms on site) -Outdoor seating -Downstairs is divvy

I had such a great experience here and will definitely be back! The seafood was incredibly fresh…read moreand delicious. Nothing tasted fishy at all, which is always a good sign when it comes to seafood. Everything tasted clean and high quality. The staff was one of the highlights of the experience. Everyone was so kind and worked together seamlessly to keep everything running smoothly and efficiently. They were incredibly attentive without being overbearing. I was extremely impressed which how they cleared empty plates almost immediately, which kept the table clean throughout the meal. I highly recommend sitting outside if the weather is nice. The patio has such a fun atmosphere which made the experience even more enjoyable.

I had the pleasure to dine at Penumbra on a Thursday evening. We were celebrating a graduation and…read morethe staff were very welcoming when we arrived. I was visiting from out of town and was not familiar with the parking around the area. I asked one of the staff members and immediately they reassured me that the side street would raking was totally fine to park just so long as it wasn't the front of the building where you have to pay. The food started with a complementary potato soup which was flavorful and lovely. We got a round of drinks and one of our party didn't care for her drink and it was replaced no question. We had the flat iron steak, the chicken, and the salmon and each entree was wonderful. The proteins were all very tender and juicy. I was also very pleased with the salad that came first which was lightly dressed and very seasonal. We finished our dining experience with a slice of cheesecake. It was a nice cap to the end of a wonderful meal. I would recommend this restaurant for any occasion - I would love to come back and try some of the other items on their menu.

**Hidden gem!!!**…read more Penumbra is SUPER sexy and low-key elite. This is one of those spots that will make you look like a total restaurant pro if you take someone there or recommend it. The ambiance is intimate, romantic, and just feels exclusive without trying too hard. I took my girl there for her birthday and she absolutely loved it -- which is always the real test. We had the ribeye and the Rotini Bianco, and both were excellent. The ribeye was cooked perfectly, tender and flavorful. The Rotini Bianco was rich, creamy, and done just right. Every dish felt intentional and well executed. Don't hesitate to book. If you're trying to impress or celebrate something special, this is the move.

As someone who has been to the original Wabash location and the Chinatown location, I must say that…read morethis one is -- MY FAVORITE LOCATION OF THEM ALL! I love the NOLAadjacent theme of the restaurant and the service is always great. I normally do one of the specials with the crab and shrimp, adding extra eggs because I love a good egg with my shrimp lol. I also love that their hottest is really hot! The drinks are amazing too. AND THEY OFFER WEEKDAY SPECIALS ALL THE TIME! I have to get in there and try their smash burger next, even though that's a funny menu option for a seafood spot, I'm sure it doesn't disappoint!

This place has been on my list for way too long. Decided to finally try it on Good Friday!! Was a…read morelittle nervous about parking since its in a busy area but we easily found parking right in front. They don't take reservations so it can get busy quick. You browse the menu at your table first then go up and order at the counter. For 2 people, we shared the Double Double and beignets for dessert! The big back in me didn't think it would be enough food for 2 but I was so wrong. The combo comes with shrimp, 2 snow crab, 2 corns, potatoes, and 4 pieces of their delicious cornbread! The everythang sauce was banginnnn. Warning - your mouth will taste like garlic for 2-3 days after! It was my fiance's first time having seafood boil and he loved it! To end the meal, we couldn't decide on the fried oreos or beignets but ended up getting the beignets. So good!

Supporting this local Chicago AAPI women owned restaurant! Love the seafood boil here! When you…read moreorder veggies they do not skimp with the boil. This is unique because I've actually have not ever had broccoli or green beans with my seafood boil and I would definitely have it again in a heartbeat. I'm in love with the garlic noodles and fries besides the main seafoods. They have so many different deals and promotions, high quality, friendly service! The spot is pretty roomy and can accommodate a variety of different size groups. I also enjoy they provide gloves, a bib, and a sink outside of the bathroom to wash your hands. Hooray for my crazy messiness! Cant wait to go back! Parking can be a challenge but is available in an around the neighborhood.

This was mine and my friends first time here and I'd love to give it 4 starts but there's a few…read morethings I had an issue with. First, the service itself was good, we were seated right away with no reservations, but upon entering the restaurant has a very strong almost mildew like smell. Our server let us know right away that they were short staffed in the kitchen and therefore orders were taking 45 minutes to an hour to come out. Not a problem, we understand and ordered some apps to get us by. The food is why I'm giving it 3 starts. We ordered the calamari, which was soooo overcooked it was tough and chewy, I couldn't even swallow it. We ordered the cajun fries too and they were okay. My partner and I both ordered king crab legs with the house cajun sauce. Let me just say the sauce itself was amazing! Super delicious and tasty, not too salty, very flavorful. But both of our king crab legs were way overcooked, to the point where the meat seemed shrunk, it was very firm and rubbery/gummy. Unfortunately for paying such a high price for 1lb, this was extremely disappointing. Being that 3 seperate dishes were overcooked, I personally wouldn't return for this reason alone. Very disappointed but I feel like this issue can easily be fixed! Hoping to return one day because the flavors were definitely there, but unfortunately not anytime soon.