Great coffee & healthy food options. Incredible management. The pastries are also fantastic.read more

My husband and I dined in during a busy weekend and although BlackBerry Market was crowded, the…read moreservice was speedy fast! This fast casual cafe offers indoor and outdoor dining. It is located in downtown La Grange and while parking can be tricky, there is plenty available. It might just take a few extra minutes to find a spot. We both ordered sandwiches and liked em. We shared the caprese panini and the chicken avocado club sandwich. Both were delicious. The caprese panini was full of flavor and toasted to perfection. The chicken avocado sandwich had multiple layers which provided different textures. If you're in the area and looking for a quick meal, I highly recommend Blackberry Market.

Stopped in on a Friday for a quick working lunch - very nice environment if you ever need the…read moreopportunity to do so. (and forgot to snap a picture!). I had the red pepper and cheddar quiche -- delicious! It was light and fluffy and came out in great timing. The salad was crisp and fresh, and the dressing was light -- just enough. Service was great and the entire staff was super friendly. I will definitely be back!

First and foremost - everyone I interacted with was SUPER KIND, and I really liked some aspects of…read morethe experience. But for a premium price, I expect premium product, and this place is rough around the edges in ways that feel easy to fix. I'm pointing them out in hopes they'll be corrected. First the positive - the food was pretty good. Not great for the price, but pretty good. Drip coffee was better than most diners/cafes in the area. The ambience was pleasant. Here's the issues. 1. The furniture needs a refresh and I don't think the place has even been open that long. The side tables by the window are losing their finish - a fragment of wood got caught under my finger nail as I was sitting down and just lightly grazed the table with my hand. I also brushed away a few additional flakes coming up. The chiffon curtains are charming until you look closer and see they're speckled with food from past diners. A moss ball decoration in the bathroom is missing half its moss. It's little stuff, obviously, but when I spot things like this at a place otherwise charging a premium partially for cute aesthetics, I always get concerned that the lack of attention detail might also be getting reflected in the food. 2. Value for money and food quality are also an issue. $20 for one slice of sourdough cut in half, a rather overdone French omelette with sour cream on top (not mentioned on the menu and a weird choice) a bowl of fruit I wasn't interested in rather than a choice of free side, and sausages I paid extra for, is not good value to me. The bread was good! The omelette was mediocre. The sausage was very solid, had a slight funk to it that I liked and suggested to me it was made in house - but 7 dollars for two sausage patties is absolutely wild. I would suggest Milkstop rethink the combos on its menu to include more and be priced a touch more transparently. 3. Finally, service. Everyone was VERY KIND, again, want to stress that, but service was slow and rather inattentive for most of the meal. The place was only half full, but water and an initial drink order were slow, and I waited for a while for the check while the staff chatted amongst themselves in the corner of the room. Not trying to be a dick, the life of a service worker is tough, but the place was mostly empty and I noticed they already charge a 3% service gratuity on your orders, so I'd expect a little better. Basically this place has a very charming surface with some wonkiness around the edges. I will definitely come back again but guys, come on - ditch the gross chiffon curtains, for both our sakes.

Kind of a La Grange Central Perk. Food and speciality coffee drinks any kind…read more There are also several smoothies available as well. The place was packed at two in the afternoon. The drip coffee was decent. The two young ladies working there are pleasant. I'd go back.

Went for the first time last week with a friend, ordered a pistachio mango w/ oat milk cold drink…read morethat was *amazing.* Together with my friend's latte, the total was about $16. I had part of her banana bread, which was fine. Nothing special. My daughter went a couple of days later and got two small pistachio lattes with oat milk.Total was almost $20. Not great. For the price, I expected far better. So... very very expensive. Inconsistent results. Cute place, great location.

We went to Wooden Paddle for the first time with a group (including a toddler), and it ended up…read morebeing the perfect setting. It's a shareable, tapas-style dining experience, which makes it ideal for groups. We ordered the Fried Mozz Brick, which was good but didn't quite wow our group. On the other hand, I really enjoyed the Caesar salad, always a go-to for me and this one met my expectations. For pizzas, we tried the Pepper Only, the Sausage Fest, and The Original Mr. Beef, and that one ended up being my favorite. Definitely the star of the night. The drink menu is also great. Lots of options depending on what you're in the mood for. And as a mom, I have to mention the bathroom situation. Although it's downstairs, it's clean, spacious and private, and they have a changing table, which honestly makes such a difference. Believe it or not, not every place thinks about that, and it's always appreciated. Overall, a great spot for groups with good food, good drinks, and an aesthetic interior that left me wanting to go back for more.

Great food, amazing service, and a family friendly dining room! The menu is full of amazing Italian…read moredishes - you truly cannot go wrong! I've eaten here with both large parties, and with just one other person at the bar, and all experiences have been great! The "fried mozz brick" and "really good bread & butter" are my favorite apps. The "buzzkill" pizza and the "basil pesto pappardelle" are my favorite dishes. I highly recommend sharing a bunch of different plates!

Was in the area so my friends decided to stop in to get some food. It was pretty quiet and empty in…read morethere so we got seated extremely fast. The staff was nice and pretty attentive. My friends got I think it was a pizza and then a beef or something taco. Since I'm Vegan, it was nice to see that they had a vegan item on the menu though I didn't like the black bean burger from what I tasted but the potatoes that came with it were extremely good and fulfilling so I wasn't complaining. I did send the black bean burrito back, cause it wasn't up to my standard of what I thought it would taste like. So if I go back, I'll probably try The. Fried rice that they have that can be vegan. But my friends really enjoyed their food. They said it was really good very tasteful. If I lived in the area, probably a place I would come and work during like a lunch hour if I had spare time if it was as quiet and empty as it was when we went in. Overall decent experience.

I wasn't really thrilled with their food. Service was good,…read moreI might say. Ambiance was also ok.

Finally made it to try Swansons on Saturday. It's a small spot located between the movie theater…read moreand BBQ joint in hothead heart of La Grange. Although there are no tables, there's a ledge by the window with some stools if you want to "dine in". The guy running the place looked young but was super friendly and seemed genuinely passionate about the deli. He told me they make their meats and soups in store. It was a cold day so I opted for a small size of each of their soils that day- chicken noodle, cream of chicken, and roasted stuffed peppers. Everyone in the family had a taste of each and we all had different favorites so I will conclude that regardless of what you get, you will enjoy it! My husband also had their chicken pesto panini while I split a ham and swim with my son. Good flavors and fresh ingredients. Also excellent proportions. We will definitely be back!

I really liked this spot. The place has the old-school rustic look.. The staff were super friendly…read moreand made conversation, which you don't get much anymore. I got the Italian sub, it came with mortadella, hot capicola, Genoa salami, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, oil, and vinegar on Italian bread. First bite, I was like yes... this is it. The flavor just hits right, salty, tangy, and a little spicy from the capicola. Bread had that perfect chew, not too soft, not rock hard. Maybe could've been a little toastier but that's just me, but honestly, it was solid. We also got the Turkey Cobb. Roasted turkey, blue cheese, and applewood smoked bacon on thick sourdough with avocado. That one was so good. The blue cheese really stood out, packed a flavorful punch that tied it all together. Portions were generous too, I didn't even finish it all in one go. I'd definitely come back and try the other sandwiches.

Fantastic counter order cafe with great service and outstanding Greek food. We came for a late…read morelunch and ordered a few things to share. We had the chicken and artichoke sandwich. It was phenomenal, we also had the portobello mushroom sandwich. It was equally delicious. The sandwiches came with a side each, so we tried a small village salad and they serve served it with fresh bread and butter and we also got them lemon chicken soup and it was very delicious. 10 out of 10.

Excellent food and service. Will be back for sure. Loved the bread, sandwiches, salad and dip…read moretrio. Great spot for a quality lunch.

I've been wanting to try The Elm for quite a while now since I've heard so many good things. So I…read moredecided to stop in during lunch and wow, I was impressed. From the atmosphere, to the decor to the food, everything just felt right. They currently have their winter menu right now and I ended up ordering the Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wrap with sweet potato fries. Definitely a healthier bite on their menu but it was still packed with so much flavor and the perfect buffalo kick. For appetizers I ordered the Tempura Shrimp and I really liked that ALL the food came out steaming hot. I didn't catch our waitress's name but she was informative and kind from the beginning. She even told us they host comedy shows there, which is such a nice touch. I will definitely be returning, especially once warmer Chicago days arrive and their patio can fully be enjoyed.

Came here on a weekend night with a reservation and was originally a bit worried as the table was…read morein the rooftop patio, but the area turned out to be quite warm. - Baked Crab Cakes - I really enjoyed these crab cakes especially because they were very well moisturized and not too dry. I also liked the vinaigrette and the corn on the side which went very well with the crab meat. - Salmon Wontons - I was actually not a big fan of these wontons as I thought the salmon didn't have a lot of flavor and was quite fishy. The other ingredients on top of it unfortunately didn't help much in covering the flavors. - Seared Scallops - I haven't had scallops in a long time and I thought these scallops were absolutely delicious. The scallops themselves were semi-raw in the center but seared to perfection on the outside with a bit of a sweet char. I also loved the root vegetables sitting over the pilaf as it soaked in all the seafood flavor. This dish was also humongous and definitely left me very full afterwards. Solid dinner spot in La Grange!

Everything went well last night for dinner. It was a friend's selection for our monthly girls…read moredinner, and bonus it was La Grange Restaurant Week. The menu was phenomenal, the server had a great wine selection and the ambiance was so cozy and inviting with beautifully lit tables and a peach color rose bud on every table. Table service was also on point with the server keeping our wine glasses filled and the busboy making sure our flatware was replaced and fresh dishes were added. We each ordered from the RW menu, we got the pistachio crusted lamb, blackberry sage coulis duck breast and halibut and gulf shrimp in a coconut lime sauce. Can't wait to go back to this great find again.

We enjoyed the restaurant, but not sure it would entice me to go again. The inside was very nice…read moreand our service was quite good. The bar had a very nice selection of cocktails and we got the pisco sours - which were mixed well. For starters - we got the grilled spanish octopus. Any place there is octopus, we order it. Marco's octopus was definitely a shining star. We thoroughly enjoyed it and despite not being eggplant fans, it was a great pairing. We also got the grilled romaine salad and Soubise soup (french onion) and while I loved the soup (especially on a cold day) - my husband thought the salad was just okay - nothing that would entice him to order it again. For entrees - I got the filet gorgonzola and he got one of the seafood specials - I think it was salmon. Both entrees were fine - and my filet reheated nicely the next day - but nothing outstanding. Overall - a good restaurant - but again - nothing outstanding.

Chef Beau prepared a Christmas dinner for a party of 10 family members. He was prompt and came…read moreprepared to cook a fantastic meal. Dishes came out at just the right pace and he never hesitated to answer our questions as he cooked. The food was delicious! Chef Beau was very personable and stayed around to chat and enjoy a drink. I would recommend Chef Beau to my family and friends, and we will definitely be hiring him again soon!

I thought I would try the service for healthier options. When I picked up the food, Chef Beau to…read moreme, "we're running low on containers so we charge a deposit." Deposit was $150. I had no issue with that as I'm sure it makes people return the containers. We did not care for the food and chose not to try the service again. When I returned the glass containers (admittedly a few months later, but they were returned) I was informed that you have to use their service eight times to get the deposit back. This was the first I heard of it because I would never have agreed. Why would I agreed to use a service for eight times before I even know if I liked it?! Chef Beau said that the policy was explained to me in a "myriad if ways". This is simply not true. He is now refusing to return my $150 deposit even though he has his glass containers back. This is theft of my money as he has his property. It's simple - you charge a deposit for an item, the item gets to return you give back the deposit. Do not use the service!