Last night my wife and I stepped into The Dearborn and had an amazing dinning experience. It was an…read moreatmosphere of comfort and charm. The service was outstanding. Our dinner guide, Nicholas, was superb. Very knowledgeable about the menu and suggested two perfect spirits from the bar. My wife had the Irish old fashion which was excellent. I had a vodka Gimlet, which also was superb. Palate pleasing! The meal was absolutely enjoyable. I enjoyed the Curry Chicken. The thigh meat was tender and succulent. The curry was sweet and creamy. It came with pita bread which added to the dinning experience. Just wonderfully enjoyable. My wife enjoyed the Fish and Chips which beat Bobby Flay. True words from the menu. Wife said if was the best fish and chips she has ever had. Then came the dessert. Now I asked Nicolas and he suggested Pavlova and Blood Orange. Which lead me to survey Margaret and she suggested Sticky toffee date cake. After a friendly jostling back and forth of desert knowledge Greg the Maitre-d made also suggested the Sticky toffee. Both came and to be honest both were outstanding. Excellent choices. All and all this was a great dinning experience from beginning to end. We will return next time we are in Chicago.

Absolutely delicious! I went with friends to celebrate my birthday and had a wonderful time. We had…read morean assortment of appetizers, drinks, meals and desserts and everything exceed our expectations. Everyone was beyond friendly and the food...sooo good. I shall dream about their chocolate cake. Definitely recommend you give this restaurant a try- you won't regret it!

Fantastic experience. We ordered almost all items on the menu for the table to experience all…read moredishes. Great service and even better food

Visiting my son and we came here for lunch. We are a party of 5 and had reservations. We were…read morepromptly seated and given menus. Since this was our first time dining here (my son has been here many times), we took a bit of time trying to decide what to order. We decided to try the Smoked Ribs, Pike fish and chips, New England Lobster Roll and the Warm Parker House rolls. Our waitress asked if we wanted the appetizers to come first - since we were sharing we said to bring it out whenever it's ready i.e. no specific order. The ribs and fish and chips entrees were the first to be served. We had also asked for some ice for the table. We waited quite a while before we inquired about the bread and the Lobster roll. Our waitress at this point had not come to check on us - it's about 15-20 minutes since our food arrived. She also forgot about our ice request (We never did get it!). The fish and chips were delicious - crispy on the outside and tender flaky fish on the inside. It was also not greasy and tasted delicious. The chips (fries) were also well done; howeveer, it was a bit on the salty side. None the less it was delicious. Took a while to get some ketchup and "tabasco" (they do not have tabasco but did have crystal hot sauce). The smoked ribs was excellent. Nice smoky flavor and meat was tender. Portions were very generous. As to our missing food order, she was apologetic and informed us that the Lobster roll was made in another kitchen and she had to go and check on it. Not sure what happened there but the rolls turned up really fast. The parkerhouse rolls, on the other hand, did not show up. We inquired again and she was surprised and said "You still want the bread?" and went ahead and placed the order. We surmised that she probably forgot about the order in the first place! The lobster roll was delicious. It came with chips not fries. The chips were also salty. The Parkerhouse rolls finally turned up with the black truffle honey & grass fed butter (5/5). The butter was sooo good - well worth the wait. We were rather stuffed by this time but managed to eat 2 of the 4 rolls! Took the other 2 home. The restaurant manager came over to our table and was very apologetic and informed us that she took care of our table as she felt that the service we received today did not reflect their usual level of service (My son also commented that he's never had poor service here). I appreciated this gesture and feel that restaurants should own up when they fail to provide the service expected at a reputable restaurant. For this reason, I did not ding them any stars. The food was really good and it was unfortunate we had subpar service when we visited. The restaurant was cozy - they have a few outside tables but we sat inside. There are booths as well as tables. The tables are a little closer and the seats are very comfortable. Would definitely come back and try other items on the menu next time we are in Chicago!

This restaurant is awesome! The service is amazing and Manny is great. Very great happy hour and…read moreawesome vibe!

Went here for their daily happy hour which includes weekends, 4-6pm. Was happy with our drinks, the…read moreespresso martini was a highlight loved the little toasted marshmallow. Fries were also delicious and the 1$ oysters were a good deal, not the best oysters but for a dollar I was happy. Burger was also good. Staff were very nice and attentive. The host was sweet and sat us right was and our server was amazing. Constantly checking on us and was so friendly. Very cute vibe on the inside, nicely decorated a lot of seating. Honestly a little pricey but the happy hour made it worth it.

I come here often. The service and food are outstanding. But what keeps me away is the music…read more.. awful!

This is the kind of place you can count on to have a fun night out! With a lively atmosphere and a…read moredelicious menu with something for everyone, what more could you want? The interior was classy yet unpretentious with a beautiful patio perfect for enjoying the nice summer weather. The cocktail list had some intriguing options and they had a quality beer selection. Our server was very professional and attentive throughout the meal, making for an all around great experience. For food, we ordered the prime rib french dip sandwich with fries and the turkey burger with coleslaw. The beef was super tender and not at all overcooked. I especially loved the flavorful horseradish and crusty yet chewy bread. The fries were just okay for me- I felt they could have been crispier and arrived a bit lukewarm. The turkey burger may have been one of the all around best burgers I've ever had. The meat had a perfectly crispy char while still being incredibly tender and juicy. I absolutely loved the spicy Asian-inspired slaw, which was both fresh and spicy. The side coleslaw was also excellent. The veggies were shredded super finely and soaked up the delicious slightly sweet dressing really well. Overall, we had a great visit and will 100% be back to try more of the menu!

I've lived in Chicago for over a decade and somehow have never made it to River Roast!…read more Decided to grab brunch outside on the river. Even though it was rainy, the patio is covered and there are large umbrellas shading you from sun or rain as well. Such a nice touch! Food was great, we also had pomegrante mimosas which I thought was different but delicious. To eat, we split the chicken and waffles and the french toast. The chicken and waffles could have been a larger portion, but it was delicious! Overall would love to come back here for dinner to see the river lit up!

Overall: A great option on the river with plenty of seating, hopefully making it easier to get in…read morethan some other nearby spots. The good: As others have mentioend, the rolls are incredible and worth all the hype. Burrata was another good pick, as were the golden gobbets. Great vibes, especially if you're lucky enough to get on the water (we weren't but still enjoyed the inside). The not-so-good: The pork belly bites were a bit of a let down and not substantial in size. Overall the meal was a little more pricey than I would've expected Food/drink: 8/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Service: 8/10

Stopped here after dinner for some drinks in their downstairs lounge. I've never gone downstairs…read moreand when I entered it gave speakeasy vibes, I loved it. I had one of the best espresso martinis here and enjoyed sitting on their cozy couches while chatting to my friends. The atmosphere downstairs was really calm and relaxing. Service was quick and our server was very polite.

My friends and I have started a burger crawl throughout the city, and we had to have Gretel on the…read morelist! First time here for all of us, but definitely will not be our last! We started with a bunch of cocktails (I wish I remember the names.. but they were all so good!). Food to start, we ordered the Charcuterie, and the House Made Pretzel. We were obsessed with both! The charcuterie did not skimp out like some cheese/meat plates do.. it was a satisfying amount that we kept going back for more. The pretzel was outstanding, twisted and hot, perfectly soft and salty. To eat, I split the Gretel Griddle Burger and the Fried Chicken Sandwich with my friend because although we were there for the burger, I kept reading about the chicken sandwich being fantastic. Booyy they were not wrong!! As much as I loved the burger, the chicken sandwich was my favorite! Perfectly crispy, with this sweet and spicy glaze and the crunchy Asian pear slaw... OMG. I'm still dreaming about this! One thing we were excited about were the Elote Riblettes.. but I wouldn't order these again. I accidentally bit the whole thing and didn't realize they kept the core in, and I had to spit it out. And even after eating it properly it didn't feel like I got enough of it from those little bites. Loved the fries though! We didn't see a dessert menu but we would have definitely been interested in that. After all the drinks apps and the chicken sandwich I was feeling so full so I couldn't finish the burger so I got it wrapped to go. But let me tell you even when I reheated that burger the next day.. it was fantastic!! Overall we may have been the loudest and most obnoxious group (we get a bit excited haha) our waiter and the vibe were all matched! Genuinely loved this place, and looking forward to coming back soon.

Really loved this little bar! Great food! We didn't realize we were there for Happy Hour or we…read morewould've honestly ordered way more. I loved the cider I ordered and I would go back just for that. We loved the other people we talked to there. The ambiance was incredible. The only outlier was the bartender seemed to be having an off night, she just wasn't super attentive with guests. But it wasn't so terrible that it tainted an otherwise great experience. I would definitely return to this place!

We stopped in for a night cap and a snack on a Friday evening! We sat at the bar and I liked how…read morebig and comfy the chairs are. We also had front row seats to watch March madness, and more importantly the beer filling mechanism that fills glasses from the bottom! Kinda fun to watch. The bar also has purse hooks, which I am always grateful for. The food came out pretty quickly and was super fresh and delicious. The bartender was sooo sweet, very attentive and quick, and made sure my soda was always topped off. I loved the vibe and the moody lighting! The menu is definitely River North prices -- nothing terribly surprising bht on par for the neighborhood. At the time of our visit, cocktails were $15+ and the fry basket was $10. Again, not terrible but definitely paying to be in River North. If you're in the neighborhood, definitely worth it!

This is hands/down one of our favorite restaurants in the U.S. ! You heard that right! IN. THE…read more UNITED STATES! Chef Stephanie Izard is a food genius! The winner of Season 4 of Top Chef and the first female winner in the show's history, she has built a restaurant that continues to impress us every single time we visit Chicagoat. Be sure to make your reservation in advance because you will not be seated without one due to its popularity among both locals and tourists. We come here every time we visit Chicagoat. The food is absolutely amazing. We had the following dishes: 1. Roasted Pig Face Straw fries topped with roasted pork face, a sunny egg, and a collection of magical sauces that somehow transform into pure comfort when mixed together. I don't even know exactly what's in the sauce, but I don't need to know. This dish is divine and an absolute must-order. The crispy fries, rich and tender pork that practically melts apart, silky egg yolk, and savory sauce create a dish that is indulgent, comforting, and ridiculously delicious 2. Green Beans Not featured in the photo because we ate them too fast. Enough said. Get them. 3. Goat Mousse The menu changes periodically, so this was a new dish for us. The goat mousse was creamy, rich, and surprisingly light, served with sweet jam, crumpets, crackers, pickles, and giardiniera. The contrast of sweet, tangy, creamy, crunchy, and savory flavors creates a little flavor party in your mouth. Every bite can be customized differently, which made this dish especially fun to share. 4. Pork Belly & Watermelon Perfectly cooked pork belly with a crisp exterior and rich, savory flavor, balanced beautifully by refreshing watermelon cubes and fresh greens. I don't know how healthy it is, but we aren't here for health. We're here for flavor. We're here for comfort. We're here to be punched in the soul with food that we will never forget! The sweet, juicy watermelon cuts through the richness of the pork belly and creates a combination that sounds unusual but works incredibly well. 5. Halibut with Thai Sprouts A beautifully cooked piece of halibut served with Thai sprouts, miso marcona butter, and blueberry fish sauce. Yes, blueberry fish sauce. And yes, it works. The fish was flaky, buttery, and perfectly cooked. The savory umami from the miso butter paired with the subtle sweetness and acidity from the fish sauce created a combination that was balanced, and memorable yet surprising to me. The restaurant itself has a dark, energetic atmosphere and is always packed. The tables are definitely close together, but given how popular the restaurant is, I understand why they maximize the space. Absolutely recommend coming here. Your tummies won't regret it.

I had a splendid dinner at Girl & The Goat. Was seated promptly when I arrived for my dinner…read morereservation and my seat had a view of the kitchen. It was so fun to chat with the chefs and watch them prepare dishes. I ordered the roasted "pig face" potatoes and the famous sautéed green beans. While waiting for my food, the chef surprised me with complimentary chickpea fritters to try. All of the dishes tasted incredibly delicious and this was the best restaurant I ate at during my trip. The atmosphere was cozy and romantic. I would definitely dine here again the next time I am in Chicago.