The food was awesome. My wife had the white fish and I had the duck. Blue point oysters were clean and tasty. The crab cake was ok as it had a lot of filler. The craft cocktails were plenty but I didn't have time to try them all. I had the Manhattan noir and a goose martini. Don't know if our server was new but none of the specials were gone over or the desserts. It was disappointing when we heard the specials explained by another server. We will definitely be back. If you check in on Yelp Sunday through Thursday there is a coupon for 15% off of food. read more

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Had an early birthday brunch!!! Was wowed by atmosphere. Cozy comfortable and service was great. It was a great meal, I had my favorite dish on earth escargot and the fresh made bread, then I had the crab cake Benedict on top of asparagus hollandaise was on point. Definitely going back!!! read more

Discovered this place when visiting the Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio just a few blocks away. We went early and had wonderful corner seating near the windows; it was boyfriend's birthday, so it was especially nice. Our waiter, Axel, was extraordinary. He knew the menu completely and his service was attentive, but not obtrusive. I had the oysters of the day and my bf had the crab cake. I highly recommend both. Our entrees -- the duck and the steak au poivre -- were amazing. The creme brulee was also very tasty; however, it could have been a little more dense overall. This is definitely a hidden gem in a very upscale neighborhood. We're looking forward to going back for what would appear to be a very plentiful and well done brunch at an affordable price. read more

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Love this place when we visit Oak Park. The oysters were great. Tried the Shrimp appetizer and fantastic. Never had been Wellington before and it was great. read more

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This place is everything. The ambiance right away sets the tone then followed by the service. The food is just amazing. I highly recommend to eat here. From date night to a large family dinner all of the food hit every taste bud on every plate. Like to wow a date this is the place to eat. This small restaurant packs a huge punch with an official menu selection. Will be back for sure and will be a regular. read more

Very disappointed I get that Tuesday night they don't have their A-list chef... But when you plop down $150 for dinner for 2, it should be a good meal. Neither me or my mom liked our meals... they were terrible. She had the scallop dish, which was tasteless and bland. I had the rabbit on spaetzel, also bland and the spaetzel was basically paste. The dog wouldn't even eat the leftovers! read more

This restaurant is definitely a great find and definitely worth the short trip out to Oak Park. As soon as one walks in, there is definitely a strong feeling of being in a French Bistro. Everything from the music to the decor is French, and leads to a very cultural feeling for the diner. The service is excellent, and the waitstaff is very attentive. The food itself is one thing that had a small area for improvement. The bottle of wine we initially wanted wasn't available (although the alternative Bordeaux was excellent). Also, the potatoes au gratin weren't available as a side order to my main course. The dessert selection was excellent. Overall, I'd say this is a great restaurant that I will be happy to return to. read more

For over 20 years this has been one of my favorite French venues and my absolute favorite Oak Park restaurant, that's what makes this review so difficult. Unfortunately the restaurant put a child in charge of the host stand, our experience was unbelievably rude and childlike, she literally told us to go sit down when we asked about our reservation. Someone should take the time to explain to this young lady what it takes to be successful in the hospitality industry. I will not be back..... read more

Great service and the food is spectacular. The wine by the glass was reasonably price and a nice touch. A very nice quiet atmosphere. Had a a great time, highly recommended. read more

Good food, warm and welcoming place. Food was slow but you know what the music was phenomenal. Very warm in temperature, loved it. But my French toast was very pasty and soggy, and felt raw read more

Our friends took us here for bunch today and we enjoyed the place, but pricey. We were not paying so I cannot say much, other than I would go to others restaurants first. The service here was amazing and our server was very good at entertaining us along with taking our orders. The lox on buffet we're very good and just ask for cream cheese and I was set. Shrimp were overcooked and I know my shrimp as I make them from raw every time I have shrimp at houses. We would go back just not often. read more

Despite a few visits to this local eatery, my most recent experience reminded me that sharing is caring. Sunday brunch is offered for $36.95 which features live jazz and a glass of champagne, tea or coffee. The food items include a variety of AYE cold food items, including smoked salmon, quiche, mussels, raw oysters on the half shell, fresh fruit and shrimp. In addition to the cold items, you can select a hot item of your choice. After finishing our hot items, we decided to linger and enjoy the music, and have another drink. What I did not expect is was the end. Interestingly, we both ordered mimosas. I requested more orange juice than champagne. Upon having a sip, I was not very impressed and decided against finishing it, leaving the glass 90% full. Our waiter, returned to bring another at my friend's request, but never asked if I would prefer something else or liked his pour. While I can appreciate it was his first day, the experience is the reason I am deducting a star from what would have been a four star rating. All in all, a good option in the area at a decent price point. ....... if having brunch, one glass is free. Each additional is $13. read more

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My niece and myself have been trying to go to Hemingway's bistro for the last few years. Well, we finally went today to celebrate my birthday I was so excited because I love French onion soup. in a French restaurant. It's gonna be great. It was the worst French onion soup I ever ate in my life the French onion soup tasted like onions with water. The cheese was just thrown into the soup half melted , and we also each ordered a small salad both had no dressing just greens. We ordered a crabcake to share for an appetizer and they brought us out a piece of toast. I think it was lobster toast so I had to send that back so-once the crabcake finally came so did the soup and the salad at the same time, I will not be back. Very disappointed.!!! read more

A tasteless clam chowder, served not-hot A thin broth with overcooked vegetables and no seafood taste, and certainly lacking in clams. The entree duck leg confit was tough, dry and tiny. Shoestring fries, over fried. Best of entire order was the flavored mayonnaise. A long wait for entrees to arrive. After more customers arrived, no water or bread was provided. Most in the group paid in cash to avoid the 3.percent credit card surcharge. I used a credit card then had to find the cashier who had trouble finding my card. Thank God for the pleasant company. The rest, not good. $43 with a twenty percent plus tip. Would you return? read more

Classic French bistro food seldom disappoints, and often has something special on the menu.

Tasteful restaurant. Impeccable service. Sat outdoors. Burger perfectly cooked. Plenty of fries. Next time I'll try a specialty meal.

Was recommended we check this place out as a brunch spot - such a disappointment from start to finish. We did the buffet brunch, which lets you eat from their buffet as well as order a main, they also include a house champagne. The buffet was ok, fresh fruits, a quiche, some pastries and a seafood bar which consisted of shrimp and oysters that ended up making both of us sick (we did let the staff know the oysters were bad but did not hear back about them). The service was an attempt at subpar. We should have enjoyed more drinks then the first ones we ordered, but couldn't find or flag down our server before the main showed up. I ordered the eggs Benedict, which arrived through a totally different server overdone and the sauce had curdled from apparently sitting for to long. My partner ordered the chef's omelette which was watery. We saw our server to order our drinks, order our main, and never again. We had to go to the bar to pay our tab. All in all, we are the right demographic for this place, but with MUCH better options all over the area, we won't be returning nor recommending this place to anyone wanting a decent brunch for two, especially at the cost of over $140. read more

Had dinner here with couple of my friends. Loved their appetizers. We ordered shrimp cocktail and oysters. it was really fresh. The place was packed but very clean. Loved the atmosphere. read more

Hemmingway's Bistro - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Hello Foodzies, last night we went to Hemmingway's Bistro at 211 n Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park. The restaurant is located on the first floor of an old hotel. Once inside it's an older atmosphere, sparsely decorated with neutral colors. Classical music playing softly. Our server was Juan, he seemed like all business, maybe because we we dressed casually and not in our evening ware. Regardless, we started with an order of escargot, they were good size but slightly chewy but there was a nice butter garlic sauce (which we sopped up with the warm sourdough bread). For our entrees Glenda went for Duck a l'orange it came with braised cabbage, domme dauphine (a deep fried mash potato ball) not very tasty, it had an offsetting taste. The duck was served in a grand marnier sauce. The duck was juicy served as a half portion which required you to dispatch yourself. Not an easy task. The skin could have been a little more crispy for my taste, which would have rendered more of the fat out. I decided to go with the Indiana Rabbit Ragout that was prepared with wild mushrooms, peas and pappardelle pasta (wide flat noodles) in a sherry cream sauce. The rabbit was cooked perfectly, noodles needed a couple more minutes in the water and the peas were under cooked. I would have liked a little less sauce. It was nice to try something different, not sure we'll be returning though. I give this restaurant 2 1/2 stars, but don't take my word try it yourself and let me know what you think. Ciao Ciao for now. read more

Hemmingway's Bistro - Interior - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

We decided to dine here for a family get together. Personally I would give it two stars but for the one vegan entrée that our resident vegan ordered and raved about. The vegan entrée is a portabella mushroom steak that was perfectly seasoned and really hit the mark for her. Everything else was really only just okay to sub-par. I ordered the steak frites. the steak came out gray. Truly unappetizing. Also it had no seasoning what so ever on it. I never put salt on my food but I looked on the table for some. There wasn't any. I just ate what I could. Anther in our party ordered the scallops. The flavors were fine but not enough food on the plate to even come close to filling him up. I dislike when you pay a decent price and still come away hungry. The biggest flaw though, was the service. It was glacial! I think we waited for over a half hour for our server to come by the first time. Then it was a really long time for our food. And again to get the check. This would not be my fist choice for dining again in Oak Park. read more

My son and I stopped in for lunch today and thoroughly enjoyed our experience. The restaurant is down a few steps in an older hotel (The Write Inn) with a cool, vintage European vibe. The dining room is really bright and sunny. It was decked out in an Easter-theme today. Attentive and knowledgeable wait staff took extra care to ensure allergy precautions for my son who is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. Thank you! Our meals were delicious and a good size, plus complimentary fresh bread and chilled butter. Two meals and a Diet Coke was $39 plus tip. This would make a cool date night spot. There is a full bar and the space has a really sweet, romantic feel to it. read more

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Had an early dinner at Hemingway's and it was a very enjoyable experience. Our service was outstanding and Axel, our server, was extremely professional and delivered preeminent service to us. Best server we have had in a long time. The bread was excellent which is a must for a French bistro, pate great and generous cocktails. We had the halibut which was delicious and the lobster which was okay. A bit inconsistent , part tender and part tough but this can be expected. Great crème brûlée. We will go back and make the drive from Evanston to eat here. read more

This is an amazing gem with great food, impeccable service and the quiet interior very well appointed with white table cloths and beautiful flowers both on the table and at the windows. We happened upon this bistro after touring the Frank Lloyd Wright houses and could not have been more pleased with this restaurant discovery. My family and I would go there all the time except we were visiting from Los Angeles. We still talk about it! read more

Excellent food and superb service. Went for group lunch and really enjoyed it. Would go again.

We cannot say enough great things! What a treasure! Service and food were both outstanding and the historic charm just hits in all the right places. This place was so wonderful that we are already planning to take out of town guests coming in a few weeks! Do not miss the chocolate mousse. I've lived in France and this is the best I've ever had in my entire life! read more

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Absolutely perfect dinner. Glorious inventive cocktails. Superb food. Grace attentive service. The lobster special is extraordinary- flawless preparation and beautiful. presentation. Artfully cracked to afford access to the sweet lobster meat. read more

Always a good option in OP. Great menu and delicious French fare. The cocktails snd wine list is expansive. We enjoy the cute ambiance of a bistro feel. read more

This is not a kid-friendly restaurant. There is no kid's menu; no kid-size cups or utensils. Ever seen a three-year old eat breakfast with a fork the size of her head? Not pretty. I can't lie - my friends and I had a less-than-spectacular breakfast. First, even though we were the only table seated when I got there at 930 a.m., the table service was a mess. We had no idea who our designated waiter was and he didn't know either. I had to ask someone to take our order, which was puzzling because they appeared to have a lot of guys in white shirts and ties. Perhaps the weakness here in the morning is that everyone comes for brunch and they can't handle traditional breakfast orders? Check-in on Yelp and save 20%. That may have been the only saving grace. The food was good, but not great. The bread basket was crazy hot, which made us think it was simply nuked before serving. One of my friends had the Lobster Benedict but there was barely any lobster on the dish. My other friend enjoyed his omelette with salmon and brie, and my salmon plate was good. read more

Sides and appetizers were great. The main dishes disappointing. Beef Wellington - soggy, bland, and poorly cooked meat. Bistro burger- bland Chicken - dry White fish- ok The highlight of the day was the French onion soup. The price does not match the quality and taste of the food. read more

The worst experience ever. Stinky oysters, salad arrived with no dressing The whitefish and spinach entree as ok but a small piece of oyster shell in the first bit of spinach. Very slow service. I dined there once before and had great experience but will never go back. read more

Overpriced and lacking flavor but there aren't too many options within a close distance to the Frank Lloyd Wright house open on a Tuesday morning. The interior of the restaurant is painted a sunny yellow and has lots of windows, so you kind of feel transported to another time and place. It has that going for it. I would say the crowd is mostly over age 60 so that might explain a few things about the food. At least they know their target market? The free bread is really delicious, but I found a hair in the butter they served with it. I'm not afraid a little hair but it does start to make you question everything on the table. I had the chicken pot pie and my husband had the cassoulet. Both of these should have lots of flavor but didn't! They were large portions so that was nice for the price if you only care about putting nutrients into your body. Also the dishes came out of the kitchen very hot. Even after waiting 10 minutes for a cool down, I still managed to burn the roof of my mouth. Please note this establishment is inside of an inn and you will have to go down some stairs to reach it. You also will have to find street parking, which most of it is metered. read more

This place makes me incredibly happy! My only disappointment is that I have lived in Oak Park for a few years and only just went to Hemingway's Bistro for the first time on Saturday. I went with a friend for brunch. I had French toast with Fresh Berries, sausage, and 1 ok 2 mimosas. My friend had ham and cheese quiche and a mimosa. Although this restaurant is in a busy area, you would never know it - it's attached to an inn and is peaceful. The decor is beautiful, it feels like you are sitting in a European cafe. My food was excellent. The service was beyond outstanding. The servers went above and beyond to be helpful. I couldn't believe how kind they were. I'm definitely going to be returning- if the brunch was this good - I can't wait to try the Duck l'orange. read more

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I came here for a Sunday brunch during summer months. I highly suggest making a reservation. The ambiance was spectacular. Super cozy and slightly romantic with a jazz band playing softly on the background . I almost felt like I was on a dinner date rather than a brunch date. You pick one entree from the menu and then can pick from the buffet as many times as you like. The buffet was very European inspired with cheese, meats, rolls, salmon, shrimp, mussels, oysters and some danishes. You also get a class of champagne with the brunch. Overall, this was a scrumptious brunch! read more

If I was only rating on the food, would be 5 stars. Like french onion soup, you should try only place I made better was in Montreal. A broth that took time to build in flavor an few over caramelized, yet still great. The mushroom soup was also rich and flavorful. My guest enjoyed the foie gras, the acid from apple cut the richness, but I just thought it was ok. The oil, with puree and onion was not a exciting balance and foie gras was not creamy. The scallops were cooked perfectly, not a drop of anything left on the plate. The steak was well seasoned, cooked to my liking and larger than I expected. Some of the best creamed spinach I have ever had, touch of garlic with out over taking other flavors, nor hiding others. Highly recommend. I wish they had chocolate soufflé, raspberry was the choice, so went with chocolate bourbon pecan tart. At first glance, to much crust, yet when you bite in, it is light, butter and balanced. Service is good, but often had to get server to order, get something else and even waited while to get the check... may have been off day as there were regulars and were off to the side. Will try again. Nothing was wrong, just different experience. read more

Hemmingway's Bistro - New York Strip - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Went Sunday may 21. From beginning to end it was phenomenal. The host was welcoming and friendly. Our waiter Darren could not have been more accommodating. Let us take our time. And the food was some of the best we've ever had. The beef wellington perfection. It actually reminded us when we were on the Amalfi Coast I think Capri. Best food ever. Anyway we definitely will be back. I won't eat so much this time so I can try the raspberry souffle. Thanks muchBeef Wellington read more

A diamond fully polished. Fine, delicious food. Classy decor. Old-school elegant music. And Tom is simply the best! Our brunch couldn't have been a better experience. Hemmingway's Bistro is the place to go when you want to feel like a Queen. read more

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The best meal I've had in Oak Park since I moved here. You'd think you were in Paris by its ambiance. Great music. Welcoming owners and great waitstaff. I will be back and bring my extended family with me! read more

Theoretically, people come here to celebrate the milestones in their lives, but hubby and I came, with no intention (well, my boss told me to go and have some nice dinner today after I got off work). I guess I was a good listener and followed her instruction. We browsed through the menu, and "the classic" caught my eye. This is a giant seafood platter shared between two (2) people. I decided on it immediately. Well, that was easy since I am a seafood junkie. Hubby concurred as well. The presentation of the "the classic" was a showstopper, at least it caught the attention from the adjacent table. The picture I took did not do the justice at all; the tray was too large to fit my camera screen. If you are a raw seafood lover, this dish will be right in your alley. Hubby and I blissfully munched the lobsters, crabs, mussels, clams, oysters, and jumbo shrimps. There were also three (3) types of dipping sauces: vinegrette, cocktail, and garlic. They were also very bold in flavors, so I made sure I did not over-dip so that it did not overpower the natural flavor seafood was supposed to render. Everything we had was very fresh. I especially enjoyed the jumbo shrimps. They were ones of the best I ever had. The overall service was quite attentive. We really did not need much from them since we did not order any wine to pair with our dinner. The ambiance was intimate, so if you are looking for a place to celebrate some accomplishments in your life or simply wanting to impress someone who means a lot to you, this place can potentially be it! read more

Hemmingway's Bistro - it was delivered to us like this...so no basket? - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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Anytime we want to have a wonderful brunch we come to Hemingway's Bistro. The food is Amazing. We had a party of Six today and they were all impressed as we always are. Tom was our server he is always a Wonderful Man we have had him a few times and we so enjoy him. Beautiful music is played and just a beautiful place. You can not go wrong. If you can't find a reservation on line just call them direct I did and fit us in. Thank you for a Wonderful Brunch Day! read more

Been twice for lunch and the food and service was excellent. The neighborhood is full of great architecture and many local restaurants and cafes. read more