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    EL Ideas

    4.5 (407 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndNew American
    Closed 6:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    EL Ideas Photos

    Business Info

    EL IDEAS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - EL Ideas

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    Reviews With Photos

    Jeannie Y.

    El Ideas is torn between two extremes for me. On one hand, I personally didn't like it at all. On the other hand, I can see how it might be perfect for someone with the opposite taste, because the effort and the service were excellent. The first thing that struck me was the appearance of the employees. They looked too casual, and the overall space felt more like walking into a warehouse than a restaurant. It didn't feel inviting, and at times I found myself distracted, thinking about whether hair or other things could end up in the food. That sense of "chaos" took away from the dining experience. Another part I didn't enjoy was being told what to do by the chef. We were instructed to eat certain plates without utensils and even walk around the kitchen to watch them cook. Personally, I don't like being directed on how to eat during a meal. At a restaurant, I prefer to relax and enjoy without following orders. The food itself also wasn't to my taste. The flavors didn't land well, the textures were tough, and while there seemed to be some Japanese influence in the dishes, it didn't feel authentic. The final dessert especially felt childish, as if I wasn't being respected as a diner. On the positive side, the workers were very friendly and attentive, which I did appreciate. However, the location itself looked sketchy and didn't add to the overall impression.

    French fries and ice cream
    laurence h.

    We have eaten numerous times at El Ideas over the last decade or so, every meal has been memorable. Last nights dinner was very good, everything tasted great and the chefs were particularly engaging. BYOB makes El Ideas (along with Schwa) the most cost effective Michelin restaurant/tasting menu in Chicago. That said, I was hungry when I got home. Maybe its my imagination, but it seemed like there was less courses than in the past. There just wasn't enough food this time. We will return!

    Beautiful soup
    Susan W.

    Way off the beaten path, genuinely warm service, casually comfortable special evening ambiance and food that is playful and elegant ...all while you think it tastes like things you've had before, but realize you haven't had anything like this. We loved our special evening here. It started with a shot shared with the other diners and staff poured straight out of the bottle without chasers. The ability to BYOB made for the perfect occasion to crack open a hoarded bottle. All of the food was excellent, but our favorites were the soup, tartare and bread with liver mousse. My descriptions do not do any course justice, but instead of reading this review, get yourself to this restaurant! Chef and team are to be applauded for keeping it about the food and hospitality and not about glitter and hand waving. Thank you! An evening to remember.

    Kelly D.

    Very unique experience with a fantastic staff!! The food makes this experience worth every penny but the staff sure does go above and beyond to make it worth even more. Intimate quiet setting makes it also great for a special date night or a celebration

    Interior
    Jim D.

    I quite enjoy these off the beaten path, relaxed & inventive one Michelin star restaurants. Of course there's faults but I can count on one hand how many flawless restaurants I've been to. One fault is the price. Tbh the price is two or rarely 3 Michelin star territory. secondly they literally kick you out to prepare for the next seating. Parking can be tricky but doable. Loved the fact that twas byob & they offered to change glassware as well as produce aerators for wine or ice buckets for champagne. Biggest compliments go to inventive dishes such as the French fry frosty, pasta dish & the fact that you're able to literally go into the kitchen & converse with the chefs during service

    Nick P.

    This was a unique Michelin restaurant. Parking can be limited if you decide to drive. When you walk in, it's not luxurious or sumptuous looking, this makes you feel like you're at a friend's house. You're just hanging out, letting your friends cook for you. They took my coat and hanged it up for me. Seating is limited. Food was very creative, innovative, and tasty. The menu changes so it'll never be the same as the past year's except for the shake and fries course. That one will always stay on. Dress code is casual/dressy but at least make yourself look presentable. Definitely do better than a t shirt. The staff was very friendly and service was great.

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    3 months ago

    Affordable prices with high-quality food. Loved the ambiance and the tasty menu options.

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    8 months ago

    Delicious! Some of the best food we've had and such a great vibe. Truly an exceptional meal from exceptionally talented staff.

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    Page 1 of 11

    Ask the Community - EL Ideas

    I can't see anything about the menu. How do I see what they serve?

    It's a chef's menu, you don't know what will be served until you get there.

    Can a vegetarian (lacto-ovo) option be accommodated?

    You can email them, they're quite nice about this stuff

    Do you leave the restaurant full or are the portions too small?

    You'll leave full

    Is there a minimum age restriction for guests coming to this place?

    I've heard 25 but don't quote me

    View All 5 Questions

    Eden - seasonal dinner dishes

    Eden

    4.5(456 reviews)
    5.6 miAvondale
    $$$
    Locally sourced ingredients
    Vegetarian friendly

    What an amazing place! We were a party of six celebrating a few birthdays and everyone enjoyed…read moretheir meals. They were very sensitive to my gluten-free needs. Some people had brunch and some enjoyed lunch. I had the green coconut curry, and it was amazingly delicious. Just the right amount of heat. The fruit salad side dish had a very good variety of different fruits. Everyone loved the potatoes. When I asked if they were gluten-free, they informed they were not but they'd see what they could do. They came out later with a huge bowl of gluten-free potatoes. So delicious and they really went the extra mile. Other things I love about this restaurant is that they use local produce and I believe they have their own garden as well. They also had a meal that day that you could order and would benefit a local nonprofit. Highly recommend this place! Not only was the ambience great but they have several rooms, two of which you can reserve for a private party, and they also do weddings in a larger area on the property. Leslie, if you go to the back where they have one of their bathrooms, they have several small gift items available.

    We were touring a venue nearby and smelled some yummy food and decided to swing by to try…read more Their vegetables are all sourced or grown in their green house. The arugula salad (esmee) is very good as well as the hummus with pita. I was disappointed with the burger since it had too many ingredients clashing with one another for attention. The service was really good and ambiance was very nice for a date night.

    Photos
    Eden - Roasted Duck Lasagna with
béchamel, ricotta, cara cara, pear saba, and pecorino jus - featured in our Chicago Restaurant Week Dinner Menu

    Roasted Duck Lasagna with béchamel, ricotta, cara cara, pear saba, and pecorino jus - featured in our Chicago Restaurant Week Dinner Menu

    Eden - Short Rib Pastrami Reuben 
with swiss, sauerkraut, spicy remoulade and housemade rye country bread - featured in Chicago Restaurant Week

    Short Rib Pastrami Reuben with swiss, sauerkraut, spicy remoulade and housemade rye country bread - featured in Chicago Restaurant Week

    Eden - Roasted half chicken

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    Roasted half chicken

    Daisies - Stracci

    Daisies

    4.3(802 reviews)
    4.3 miLogan Square
    $$

    for all the attention & awards, I thought daisies would be so much more expensive than it was…read more - the establishment is very farm to table energy but with Michelin recognition. our waiter was incredibly laid back and advised us on the specials based on fresh produce - for a starter we went with the onion dip because how can they really make that classy? ill tell you how: homemade chips that dont taste like dirt or burnt kettle crisps. thick cut yet still snappy and crispy wavy chips with enough oil to crisp apart on your tongue. I am a salt girl but even without clear shards fo salt on each chip these were the perfect amount. the dip was cool and creamy, more of a tzhaiki like coolness than a zingy guilt ridden onion dip - I tried the Agnolotti purely to eat purple pasta. the inside was filled with beet puree and ricotta making the dish hearty and filling. it was slightly earthy as the beet flavor powered through more than just the light sweet sauce. the roe on top miraculously made the dish slightly fishy everywhere to the degree where I asked the waiter if there was fish inside the pasta.....I loved it - the Cappellacci was a flavor rollercoaster. right away you taste the sweet summer squash, a warm and comforting taste. as you swallow your throat is punched with a chili kick. all on top of cloud like pasta pieces - the Pappardelle was about the pasta, the al dente thick cuts showcased the housemate pasta. maintaining an al dente doughy goodness with the quality of the ingredients keeping the pasta fresh and far from what comes in a box.

    Daisies has been on my Chicago food bucket list for the longest. We finally decided to go to…read morecelebrate our anniversary. This had me feeling like a kid on a milk carton because I've been missing out! The service was exquisite. We were greeted and wished a happy anniversary upon checking in. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and helped us understand what we might like based on our preferences. This spot had more seating than I anticipated and there are tables that can accommodate large groups. The aesthetic was giving industrial whimsical bookstore. They also had the jams pumping but not so loud that you couldn't have a conversation. Now for the food: - Homemade ruffles and sour cream and onion dip: This was a must get in my opinion. - Simple green salad: I feel like I can trust that Daisies doesn't source their produce from Taylor Farms, so we felt safe ordering. Man oh man I didn't know how much I needed this in my life. The dressing and the cheese were unmatched. - Mushroom Tagliatelle: Thebomb.com. You can taste the freshness in the pasta and the ragu was so savory yet not too heavy. - Summer seasonal pasta with sweet corn, jalepenos and cheese. The pasta was stuffed and had a delectable cream sauce. It was simply perfection. -1/2 chicken: Simply put this may be the best damn chicken I've ever had in my life. To think we were almost going to skip a protein and get another pasta but this was so good. I don't think words can do it justice. We had to get dessert because we knew that their pastries get a lot of praise throughout the city and beyond. We ordered the sourdough waffle topped with peaches and pecans. In the word of Foxcito.....FathaGawd!!!! Like Steph Curry...just don't miss We will definitely be back there are so many things we want to try.

    Photos
    Daisies - Nice ambiance

    Nice ambiance

    Daisies - Pappardelle

    Pappardelle

    Daisies - Late Summer Preserves (Clarified) peaches, brandy, maple, lemon, amaro, milk, fizz

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    Late Summer Preserves (Clarified) peaches, brandy, maple, lemon, amaro, milk, fizz

    Tala House - homemade focaccia baked daily - served with salsa macha, chili oil & manchego cheese

    Tala House

    4.7(117 reviews)
    7.7 miAndersonville, Ravenswood, Uptown

    Amazing hospitality and ambiance at this Andersonville gem! Each of the dishes are packed full of…read moreflavor and the menu is amazing for sharing with friends! Tuna tostada & watermelon salad are great starters to share and all of the mains are excellent. Pro Tip: patio does not take reservations but WORTH the wait!

    It wasn't until Ash said it that I realized it had been 20 years since our days at Children's…read moreMemorial and Zig Zag Kitchen! So when I needed someplace fabulous to celebrate my daughter's birthday, I immediately thought of Ash. Over the years, we worked together on parties, luncheons, and fundraisers. It was such a fun time in my life, although I had some very demanding people I had to answer to! No matter what I threw his way, Ash made me look good every single time. Twenty years later, he did it again. I made sure to take pictures because hopefully I can post them! I had the Halibut Scottato, and it was outstanding. My daughter had the Aleppo Chicken. I rarely eat chicken, but hers looked so good I had to have a bite. Excellent. Then there was the focaccia bread with this special oil. Oh. My. Goodness. It was so good that my daughter was hoping her entrée would hurry up and come because she wanted that bread all to herself! She kept talking about how good it was in her Oprah voice: "I LOVE BREAD!" And we can't forget the lavender lemonade--so good! Even the cheesecake at the end of the meal was superb. The food was phenomenal, but somehow, the service was even better. One piece of advice: make reservations. It may not look crowded when you first arrive, but that changes very quickly. You can tell Tala House already has its loyal customers--and after this experience, we're adding ourselves to that list. Walk in? No. We're not doing that. When you find a place with beautiful ambiance, great décor, phenomenal food, and exceptional service, you don't just visit once. You become a regular. Thank you so much to Tala House for making my daughter's birthday so special. She loved everything about the experience, and that made this mom very happy. And Ash--20 years later, you're still making me look good.

    Photos
    Tala House - Inside/entrance

    Inside/entrance

    Tala House - Filet Mignon with green beans

    Filet Mignon with green beans

    Tala House - Homemade labneh and shishito peppers.  BFF #1 left no crumbs behind

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    Homemade labneh and shishito peppers. BFF #1 left no crumbs behind

    Boka

    Boka

    4.3(1.9k reviews)
    4.1 miLincoln Park
    $$$$

    We planned a family dinner at Boka, and this was one of those meals that was worth every penny…read more We sat outside, which was much more casual than the intimate atmosphere inside. The patio did come with a couple of uninvited guests - mosquitoes, and at one point a spider stopped by my plate. Thankfully, these visitors did not dampen our overall experience. We started with cocktails and tried the Avant Gardener - gin with sorrel, bay leaf and lemon - and the wonderfully named You Go Glen Coco, made with rum, ube, coconut, lemongrass, cacao nibs, honeysuckle and ginger. Two very different and creative cocktails that fit nicely with the experience. We tried quite a bit of the menu. The dry-aged duck was my favorite. The beef tartare was incredibly tasty, and the scallops and Boka's signature roasted chicken were right up there as well. Presentation was clearly part of the experience - every dish arrived looking as carefully thought out as it tasted. We finished with dessert, and the Sweet Corn Custard was the winner for me. Service throughout the evening was good and attentive, and we walked away with a highly satisfied experience. Next time, though, I'm choosing a table inside - and leaving the spiders to enjoy the patio.

    Boka and Alinea are perhaps the most iconic Michelin star restaurants in Chicago, and it would be…read more"embarrasing" that a person who visited Chicago for over 15 times has not try either one. So, I finally made a reservation for Boka. There are several reasons that Boka looks attractive to me: a fine-dining restaurant opening on Monday, creative New American dishes, and importantly, they allow customers to order à la carte. I went there at 7:45pm on Monday and at that time the restaurant was about half-full. I tried the following dishes: 1. Bluefin Tuna Tart. A bite size app. The tart was filled with cherry puree/sauce, finely "minced" tuna and yuzu jelly, from bottom to top. Very rich in texture, and had a good balance of flavors. 2. Tortelli. Italian Dumplings filled with ricotta+tarragon, cooked with maitake and sweet corns, and topped with shaved goat gouda. The dumplings came with 6 pc, all generously filled with cheese. There was also lots of shaved goat gouda. These absolutely made the dish very rich in flavor, but a large amount of cheese also means it could be salty. The corns, luckily, added some refreshing sweetness to it. 3. Black Truffle Chicken. I ordered it mainly because I wondered how well a Michelin star restaurant cooks chicken, which could easily be made too dry. Surprisingly, the chicken was so tender and juicy that it required little effort to slice it! Moreover, interestingly, the chicken breast was stuffed with some sausage (the layer you see between the skin and the meat). Unfortunately, the dish was too salty for me: the chicken was brined, the sausage may had been cured, the jus and zucchini puree were also salty. I tried to finish it but could not, so I asked a bartender to send it back to the kitchen. 4. Roasted Hokkaido Scallops. Another creative dish. The seared scallops were paired with pickled & grilled cucumber slices, diced seaweed & radish, cauliflower puree, perhaps some puffed rice, and garnished with tarragon infused oil. I really liked the smoky and sour cucumber slices and the umami seaweed & radish. The puffed rice added some delightful crispiness to the dish. But the taste of cauliflower puree was more or less over-shadowed by the other ingredients. 5. Dinner rolls. Potato rolls with sunflower seeds. Served with fennel pollen+sea salt butter. Bread service was free. Service was, overall, top-level. I was greeted warmly by the reciptionist and the bartenders (I sat at the bar). The staff all had a good knowledge about the ingredients in the dishes, as well as how they are prepared (actually it seems that they had a book to record these, because I saw two of them reading and discussing such). When I complained about the chicken, they apologized to me and offered to cook something else for me for free. I might come back in the future if I see something interesting on their seasonally changing menu.

    Photos
    Boka
    Boka
    Boka - Chocolate Angel Food Cake

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    Chocolate Angel Food Cake

    Maxwells Trading - Clay Pot Mushroom Rice - Yamagata koshihikari, shiitake, maitake, chestnut & blue oyster mushrooms

    Maxwells Trading

    4.5(217 reviews)
    2.1 miNear West Side, West Loop

    I genuinely think Maxwell's Trading is officially my favorite restaurant in Chicago. I had been…read morewanting to try this place out for the longest time and was so happy to come in on a Friday evening for a celebratory meal. We went with some of their classics, specifically the French Onion Dip, Japanese Sweet Potato, Flank Steak, and Butter Cake; we also got the Green Bean Salad. Genuinely, I loved every single thing that we ordered--every bite was amazing. I loved the pillowy softness of the bread for the dip, as well as the textures of the bruléed sweet potato. The flavors of each dish were so complex and cohesive. I truly have no thoughts on improvements. I wish I could eat all of these again! The environment was very intimate with dark lighting, which was perfect for a date night. The service was solid, but I think our waiter I was absolutely blown away by every single dish and truly want to come back to try everything else on their menu. Truly recommend this restaurant a billion times over.

    Very creative menu and interesting choices Vegan options…read more Excellent - knowledgeable, prompt service The homemade bread for the dip was really something special. I really love the fish that was served with a very light sauce the vegetarian meat and broccoli, tofu Dish appetizer. The small plate idea is really good And let you select many options and shared along the table The only thing that wasn't wild about was the short ribs because I found them to be fatty. Overall very happy with this meal and would definitely come. We sat outside and we're not bothered because there was no street traffic. It was also much quieter than Inside

    Photos
    Maxwells Trading - Bar and seating area

    Bar and seating area

    Maxwells Trading - Basque cake (w/ pineapple) - highlight of my meals!

    Basque cake (w/ pineapple) - highlight of my meals!

    Maxwells Trading - Interior

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    Interior

    EL Ideas - newamerican - Updated August 2026

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