Finally made it Trivoli Tavern to catch up with a friend. Luckily we snagged a reservation for an…read moreearly Friday dinner because it was fairly packed. Everything we ate was great and would could out with impeccable timing. The butter with the rolls was not as truffle-y than what I read about. The spicy tuna roll was in point and the drinks strong but hitting the spot. We tried the pork chop and while great we would opt for something more savory next time. The vodka rigatoni was great but again I have other items on the menu to try. We closed out with sticky date cake which was a bit sweet. I took a few bites and ended up sharing the rest. The service was amazing and the restaurant itself gave off old school meets modern vibes.

Had such a great night out with my daughter at Trivoli Tavern. From start to finish, everything was…read moreoutstanding. We started with the artichoke gratin and the salmon Caesar salad, and both were absolutely unreal. The flavors and quality were next level. My ribeye was cooked perfectly -- an incredible char on the outside, medium rare inside exactly as ordered, and seasoned unbelievably well. The mushroom casserole may have honestly been the best mushrooms I've ever had. My daughter's vodka rigatoni was top notch and packed with flavor. We finished with the sticky cake for dessert, which was the perfect ending to an amazing meal. On top of all that, our server Jenna was a total pro -- attentive, knowledgeable, friendly, and made the whole experience even better. One of the best dinners we've had in a long time. Can't wait to come back.

I think im no longer a fan of burgers so I cant review based on the burger alone but it was cooked…read morewell. Both the bone marrow and rootbeer were fantastic and the savory salty slightly acidic jam really elevated the dish.

Au Cheval is a rusty diner that serves a good burger. What makes their burgers unique is the…read morepeppered bacon: it's hand-cut in-house and is as thick as their burger patties. Their "single" cheeseburger is actually a double cheeseburger, and their "double" cheeseburger is actually a triple -- makes no sense, but that is their naming convention. Bacon is extra. Fried egg is extra. Even fries is extra. I got a "double" cheeseburger + bacon + fries and it ended up being $40, which is a lot for burger and fries (1 star off). I enjoyed my bacon burger, but probably would hit another delicious and heart attack-inducing burger joint next time given the hefty price tag here. Need to save enough money for that cardiac bypass.

Last night, after a genuinely frustrating experience elsewhere, I walked into Bar Siena not…read moreexpecting much (if anything), just hoping for a reset. When I asked about the wait time, the host joked that it was two hours. Under normal circumstances, I would have laughed and played along. Given what had just happened minutes earlier, it did not quite land... but to their credit, the moment I explained the situation, everything shifted. They sat me promptly and turned what could have been a lingering bad night into a completely different experience. Julio, my server, set the tone immediately. Julio was professional, attentive, and generous. He brought out meatballs on the house, which were excellent. I ordered calamari, rigatoni alla vodka with shrimp, and what I believe was a chocolate torte for dessert (also on the house, which I was not expecting). Everything was spot on. The rigatoni in particular stood out. It was made in house and had the kind of texture and quality you notice right away. The Manager (Lance) also stopped by, having been present when I explained what had happened earlier. That kind of awareness and follow-through matters more than people realize. It what separates a place that serves food from a place that understands hospitality. By the time I was finishing dessert, I found myself watching pizzas go out to nearby tables and immediately reconsidering my menu choices for the evening. That's usually a good sign. The host who initially joked about the wait time also came by at the end of my meal. She was polite, thoughtful, and clearly intentional about making sure the experience landed well. I appreciated this gesture. When the bill came, I asked what the total would have been without the discounts and complimentary items. Once I had that number, I tipped Julio the difference. It felt like the only appropriate way to reflect the level of service and generosity I received. I'll be back (for the pizza). Overall: Food (yes) Service (yes) Ambiance (yes)

(Kari's Rating 8/10)…read more TLDR: -Attentive Staff -Smaller portion sizes -Dark atmosphere Came here on a weekday with a friend and had a reservation for Monday at 7:30pm. We had to wait a little bit for a table so we sat at the bar because my friend and I aren't drinkers. We just had glasses of water while we waited for our table. Once we got seated, our server took our order relatively quickly and we ordered the House made for Kasha with a goat cheese and honey topping, the grilled octopus appetizer, and because we were enjoying our conversation so much we ended up just skipping Wright to dessert and ordering the gooey butter cake. For a light meal, this was relatively satisfactory. Our server said they come to the octopus because we waited so long, so it was nice that the staff was acknowledging that we waited a little bit for our table and we're willing to compensate us. As someone who lives in the river north area, I have actually been here, probably a dozen times, and it's always a good little spot but a little bit pricey for what you're getting. I would still probably come back with some friends, but I wouldn't go on my way to come here if I was bringing people off from out of town.

Came for a quick bite and sat at the bar. Great service. They had a shot wheel which was a fun…read moresurprise. Tried the sliders, well prepared version of an old school style burger. Crispy edges on the meat was nice. They also have a reward program which sounded great as it included many local restaurants

I love Bandit! Great location in the west loop. I love the atmosphere. It has 2 levels with the top…read morelevel that can turn into a club during the weekend. My favorite part of bandit is the bathrooms which are decorated with pictures of Britney Spears plastered all over and also Justin Timberlake. There is also one that has the spice girls but I have not seen that one yet. It's awesome they have $10 well drinks and a shot wheel you can spin and which ever shot you land on the bartender will make for you for just $5. I've also come here for brunch during the weekend when they have $35 bottomless mimosas. The best bartender there is Nate! He is so attentive and nice. I can't wait to go back to Bandit!

We had Sunday brunch and were seated quickly. The…read moreatmosphere was warm, staff were quite busy but attentive. We split 2 meals between 4 of us because we k ew portion sizes would be just the right amount.

The burger is the softest, juiciest, tastiest burger I have ever had. I also had the pork ribs…read morewhich were delicious. Great service too! I like that they validate parking in the garage nearby. Awesome! The only negative is the additional surcharge a lot of restaurants keep adding to the bill these days. I find it quite annoying. Just increase the prices instead. I'd respect that better. Otherwise a pleasant experience.

Everything we ordered was delicious!…read more I hosted my visiting colleagues for dinner here. The ambience was great and intimate, and we didn't have to yell to be held. Always a plus! Service was attentive enough - not overbearing while not feeling ignored. We started with the salmon crudo, octopus, and baby beets to share. The first two were amazing. I'm not big on beets in general, so I could have done without the third appetizer, but they enjoyed it. My entree was the spaghetti à la chitarra. It was good. My colleagues had chicken sandwiches and a burger. We shared all 3 dinner sides: carrots, potatoes and broccoli. I'd have all 3 again. I had a warm, spiked drink. I can't remember the name of it...maybe a cider (in May), that I very much enjoyed.

Food was just fine here. I ordered the salmon crudo for a light dinner before going out with…read morefriends. The salmon itself tasted great, but I thought the puffed rice was too oily and took away from the fish. Given the price point, I expected better quality. Service was quick though and I did enjoy my espresso martinis.

Great night! John sat us at a great table on the main level. We were 7 people, but sat in curved…read morebooth which was perfect because the conversation was great. Gigi was an our server and she was attentive and informative. For food we ordered a variety, cucumber salad, the burrata, fried artichoke, French onion bread, octopus, hamachi, rib eye, filet and ravioli. Everything was amazing!!!! It is a small menu, but so many amazing options, you can't go wrong. We then went to the night club. Gina was our server and she was amazing also. Everyone had a blast Venue is beautiful, food is great, staff and vibe made the whole night!

I would come back here, but it isn't high on my list. The food was overall good, and the menu is…read morevery creative and diverse! Even so, it wasn't enough to necessitate the price tag, which all of my friends and I were surprised by when we paid at the end. The cocktails were outstanding - we all enjoyed our choices. For some of us, they were enjoyable enough where we got the same one more than once 0:) Our server was not very friendly - she does not need to act like our BFF or anything like that, but she was cold and seemed annoyed by our questions and such. She also had no idea about the wine, so my friend just rolled the dice on what she wanted without knowing much about it. She wound up liking it - but more clarity would've been helpful (or even seeking out someone else working there for more info!). Minor environment note: The largest artwork there is a triptych of photographs - three famous women: Princess Diana, Sharon Tate (I think?), and Marilyn Monroe. There is a horizontal band going across where their eyes all line up, and the band replaces their eyes with cartoon eyes, likely of Disney princesses. It is supposed to be quirky but I found it creepy, especially since it featured three famous women who met untimely ends.

Finally got to check off my bucket list!! Want to start off by saying overall this experience was…read moreOUTSTANDING. Would give it 4.5 stars due to a couple minor things, but the food and drinks were AMAZING Watched the head chef Stephanie I. on Top Chef and loved her! After trip to Chicago for a work trip brought me to the Windy City I was able to finally go! Started off by ordering drinks. LOVE LOVE the creative drink names. (You can see on picture of menu later the full list) We ordered 2 different drinks. First (the shorter Yellow-colored drink) was called the *mai chai-A rum drink with fenugreek almond, orgeat, turmeric, lime and plum bitters. VERY unique and great flavor. Also ordered the *i don't want no shrubs- Vodka, basil-berry shrub, Cocchi Americano Cardamaro, lemon and transatlantic bitters. (this smelled like a fresh strawberry in a cup) Smooth and fresh! For our first course we order the Goat Empanadas (Pictures on cutting board) The crisp on the outside paired with the mouthwatering and melt in your mouth tenderness of the goat was so tasty. They came on a bed of spring onion pesto and pickled spring onion queso fresco. Perfect size for two to share for an appetizer and was simple yet heartwarming and absolutely delicious. We also shared the **sauteed green beans with a creamy fish sauce vinaigrette and warm cashews. The were cooked perfectly, tender yet with a lite bite. Although delicious was our least favorite of the three items (Which isn't saying much since these were also good!) And lastly the Sticky Glazed Pork Shank. WOW! Cannot say enough about this dish. The ABSOLUTE BEST PORK i have ever eaten. It fell apart with a fork and butter knife with hardly any effort. It came with a cucumber chili crunch salad, a strawberry herby chili, and hoisin may and a hot mustard mayo with lettuce and homemade pita. The hot mustard was the favorite aside from the sticky glaze. Now for the bad part. We weren't even 2 bites into dinner when we were interrupted by the server delivering out dessert menus and telling us what we should order. When I'm not even close to finishing eating this just feels like I was being told to hurry up and leave which is why I would've preferred to leave 4.5 stars vs. 5. Either way this place did not disappoint and would HIGHLY recommend. The restaurant was warm and stylish while also have a bit of the modern.

Finally got to try Girl & the Goat, and it lived up to the hype. The atmosphere is chic and rustic,…read moreand the place was packed on a Tuesday night. They also have outdoor seating, which is a nice option, but sat inside bc it was too cold out, in May if you could believe that. The menu is unique and wanted to try it all, so we shared a few plates. The poke was fresh and tasty, but the green beans were the star. I have no idea how they make them, but they were absolutely delicious and there's a reason they're one of the most popular dishes. We also had the bass and the shank. The bass was good, but the shank was incredible. It was so tender it practically melted in my mouth, and the flavor was amazing. If you're going here, I highly recommend ordering it. The only downside was that the shank came out last. By then we were already pretty full from the other dishes, and this was actually one of the larger plates, it could easily count as two dishes by itself. Looking back, I wish we had ordered only three plates. Our waitress was attentive and recommended we stick to four plates, which we appreciated. Overall, a great experience and it's easy to see why this is one of Chicago's must-visit restaurants!!!

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 have never written a Yelp review before today, but I had to leave my first one because of how…read morepleasant my experience was here. I came here over the weekend with my family to celebrate my graduation, and the server named Cat was AMAZING! She made me feel so special at my graduation brunch through her hospitality, witty remarks, easy-going humor, and attentiveness to her clients. If I were her manager, I would give Cat a raise because of how much she elevated the experience and excels at what she does. Additionally, the food was fantastic! The pull-apart bread was so delicious and something I would 100% come back for, as well as the short rib hash, which was flavorful and tender. The ambiance was perfect for a sunny day with a mild temperature, making it the perfect brunch spot. Once again, I cannot emphasize enough how much Cat made our time at Oakville so special. Thank you, Cat, for being so wonderful at your job and going above and beyond to make my special day even more special. 10/10 would definitely come back!!!

I actually come to Oakville pretty often and every time it's amazing!…read more For this visit, we just did a few apps: fries, tostadas, and spinach dip. All were good but i will say that the dip was missing a little extra flavor (we added the lemon to elevate which helped). The truffle fries dipping sauce is next level & in my opinion a must try for all. The staff is always super welcoming and kind! Plus now that the patio there's not a bad choice for seating inside or out. Additionally, I attached a photo of the tuna poke bowl from a lunch visit. Easily my favorite lunch menu item they offer.