7 staff members and 3 tables of diners but we were basically ignored for almost the entire experience. Drink order was wrong and the waitress seemed annoyed from the beginning. I understand it's a scratch kitchen but 40 minutes to get an entree with a restaurant at about 15% capacity at the time is a little crazy. Food was good, but not that good to have subpar service and expect repeat customers. read more

Was there on a Saturday night. It was 44 degrees out and the restaurant was about 55 degrees. Ordered the special which was halibut. Halibut is expensive but received about a 3 oz portion with 2 pieces of asparagus after waiting over an hour for our food, after we ordered. Food was cold half way through this kids meal. The $39 dollar special was just a small piece of fish the 2 pieces of asparagus and nothing else. No soup or salad, not even a cracker. First and last time we will be in this restaurant. . read more

My girlfriend and I tried Main + Lincoln about a month ago and I was very impressed and will definitely be returning for another delicious meal. The menu is limited but I actually prefer restaurants with small menus because that gives them the opportunity to use fresh ingredients and focus on perfection. When a restaurant has a menu the size of a small novel, the food is most likely pre-made and reheated which is a turn off to me. As far as portion size goes, I was satisfied but not stuffed which is what I prefer. I don't mind paying more for excellent food and I don't expect (and really don't want) a portion big enough for three people. I had decided that I was going to have the swordfish and asked the waitress what beer would pair well. She wasn't sure but she said someone would come out to make some suggestions. Well, out came the chef himself to make some recommendations from their very nice list of craft beer. The fish was delicious, cooked and presented beautifully and the suggested beer, a saison, paired wonderfully. My girlfriend ordered steak, which was a little undercooked for her taste but cooked the way a steak should be cooked, in my humble opinion. She did enjoy the French Martinis that she had. The chef even came out again to see how everything was and how I liked his pairing suggestion. Since the entrees were excellent and I had noticed the desserts offered, I just had to try some. Unfortunately, the dessert I had my eye on had changed from blueberry to peach so I went with a lemon tart, not that I don't like peach but I had my heart set on the blueberry. It was quite yummy and since they were out of the blueberry dessert I wanted, the waitress brought out their orange granita free of charge. It was also very good. Light, refreshing and a perfect dessert for a warm summer evening. Because of the prices and my dining out budget, this will be more of a special occasion restaurant but I would definitely entertain the idea of stopping in for a drink or two and maybe an appetizer. If you're looking for a nice place with great food, a good selection of craft beer and cocktails and friendly servers, I definitely recommend Main + Lincoln. read more

Main + Lincoln - A beautiful and delicious swordfish dish. - New American Near Me - Valparaiso, Indiana

Took my wife there for our anniversary, and it was absolutely fabulous. She ordered filet and I had the bone in ribeye. Both were prepared perfectly. The sides of mashed potatoes, green beans, and spinach were excellent compliments to our meals. Started with the stuffed mushrooms and clams/mussels appetizers and the were very good too. A touch of red wine to round it all out and I was in heaven. Finished with the lemon tart that was compliments of the house due to our anniversary! Very thoughtful. My compliments to the chef and his staff! Best meal I've had out in a while and we dine out a lot! Been here several times and they're always on point but last night was exceptional! Thanks again! read more

We had 6'30 reservations last night 1-7-23 Was not a good time. Terrible service. 50 minutes for a a few beers. We left after that, walked down the street to another place. Much better. Why we love Valpo. Lots of choices. We will not be going back, the place didn't even offer to make things right. Very dissapointed patron. Will make sure I tell our friends and neighbors. read more

Classy looks, and fine wine selection boxes checked. Service was friendly but understaffed. Rarely came by to upsell drinks or fill water. Cook was flying solo so meals were 2 1/2 hours in. We selected the gourmet burgers. They were good but was under flavored. read more

Just walked in to an empty restaurant. Every almost every single table and booth were empty. Asked for a table for a party of 5 (two were under 21) and were told...it will be a 30m wait, do we want to come back? If you have maxed out in reservations then put a sign on the door that you're closed. Maybe hold a couple tables for walk-ins or state "Reservation Only" We won't be back. read more

We are very disappointed by our experience. We had been looking forward to trying M & L for a very long time. I had heard such wonderful things about the hamburger and the place overall. My partner liked his salmon but that the portion was small. We also thought the service left a lot to desire. We looked for the waitress for quite a long time because we waited for food forever and I really think they forgot to make it. At one point I even saw her look at her table and notice they didn't get their food. And when I did eat most of my hamburger she didn't question was it not good. With the upscale kind a restaurant like this I expected a lot more. We really did enjoy the mac & cheese and I have a quite extensive beer and whiskey selection. read more

Went for dinner the food was PHENOMENAL.... But it took insanely long for a glass of wine.. like 20 minutes. The bartender could only apparently pour the wine because my server was so nice and understanding of the situation. I thought maybe at first it wasn't a big deal.. but I kept drinking the same wine and time after time took WAY too long for a glass of wine. I've never made a yelp review before because I was that annoyed w the bartender. I give the food 5 stars. Bartender 1 star. read more

The drinks here are excellent. Honestly, just sitting at the bar is an experience of it's own. The drink menu is spot in and the bartenders are great at crafting drinks even if the menu. You've gotta try the Buck if you like old fashions. As for food, I've tried most of the appetizers and a few dishes and never been let down. read more

Hadn't been to this restaurant in years. We were out on a busy Friday in Valpo and thought we would give it another try. We were impressed! Friendly and attentive service from the team. We were seated at the bar and watched chef George work his magic. He is a machine! We had the salmon tartare appetizer, which was excellent. My wife had the salmon dinner and I had the amazing pork chop. Everything cooked to perfection with really interesting sides. The food and menu layout reminded me of the old Valley Restaurant, which was one of our favorite. Will definitely be back. read more

The chicken piccata was excellent! It's expensive but so worth it. The wait staff was friendly and attentive.

Best restaurant in Valpo! While the price isn't cheap, we always have a great meal and delightful service. We love that the menu is always changing too. read more

The single most unexpected meal/experience of my epicurean life. 6 stars out of 5. I travel the country and only eat local...if you don't dine here you are missing the shining star between Chicago and New York. Scallops were breathtaking, Puerco was ridiculous and the Amish chicken was glorious. Our server Melonie was lovely, attentive and very knowledgeable. Dessert was wonderful...lemon tart and chocolate mousse+espressos. Thank you for the experience. read more

... I am not happy M+L, not happy in the least. I had the unfortunate naivety to suggest you for dinner. None of us had been to your establishment, and I know one person from our party who never will again. Eating at your establishment, left me with such a bad taste in my mouth (this is in reference to your food as well) that I have serious reservations (none at your restaurant) about ever giving patronage to your business again. The reasons? Sever: nice but overly attentive. I think it's kinda counter productive to ask "how is everything?" 2/3 times while we only had water and beer. He also seemed rather flustered Service: here's a reference http://youtu.be/VMJqIyW849s P.s. it's a drunk sloth Do you think it's appropriate to wait 10+ minutes for a bowl of mushroom soup? How bout close to an hour for medium temp steaks, a burger, and scallops? Food: aaaaaaand here's the kicker. I don't mind overly attentive severs, I don't even mind waiting a while for good food, but let's pick out the important words of that phrase..."GOOD food" don't be amazing,don't be perfect, just please be good. So allow me to make a comparison. If Mt. Everest is the best, sea level is average, then your take on Ribeye steak is taking an auger to the Marianas trench to dig itself a grave. Sitting in a pool of blue cheese sauce which totally overwhelmed the taste of beef, which in this case was welcome as the beef was cooked to point of being horribly charred on the outside. Typically when I order prime cuts of beef, I tend to dislike it when it tastes like licking an ashtray, I don't know, I might be going through a phase though. Price: As illustrious political figure Jimmy Mcmillan would say "The price of this food, is too damn high!" Not even for the sole fact that a 12oz ribeye starts at 35 dollars but when it takes almost an hour to come and when it does, you literally have to choke it down because you're so hungry, is sad. There is absolutely no reason for you to come here when the Valley is right around the corner, enticing you with actual pleasure inducing edible food. I will say that the atmosphere was quite nice. Modern and minimalistic, beauty in simplicity. Next time I come in, I'm gonna sit down and order a water and just look at your building so I can waste your time just like you wasted mine. FIN read more

Can't I activate a 6th star just for this one, please? O.M.G. One of the best meals of my entire life! Andrew was our server, and top notch at that. Food: we had the manchego cheese and jamon serrano--which, lemme tell you, I lived in Spain for a year and never had such a good one! Light, delicate and a lovely little starter. Mains: I had an unfriggin believable scallop dish on a carrot puree, with some shitaki mushrooms, I believe it was--just an amazing flavor combo. My fella had the spaghetti with prawns--the spaghetti was PERFECTLY al dente, the flavor was layered and with some kick (which we both appreciate) and the shrimp was cooked perfectly. Dessert: the panna cotta with orange slushy stuff and white chocolate strings. Dear lord, was that amazing. The strawberry crisp (?) was also dreamy, and evidently with locally sourced strawberries. Love that they were so conscientious about local sourcing. Forgot: the salad was also locally sourced. The staff was lovely, decor was lovely, and the option to sit outside was also quite nice. Cannot WAIT to go back. If only Indy could get one of these! Yum yum! read more

Unless you're from the Region, Main + Lincoln may not be on your culinary radar. But it should be. Because it is fantastic. Who would have ever imagined that the best meal I'd eat in 2014 wouldn't be in New York, London, or Chicago, but rather in my quiet little hometown of Valparaiso, Indiana? But it's true. Situated on the main drag in downtown Valpo, M+L occupies a sharp-edged, yet inviting space, with large windows spilling warm light onto the sidewalk. Inside, the dining room is exposed brick accented by bright wooden floors and tables. The small bar sits in front of the kitchen, which is more or less exposed, putting the preparation in plain view of most of the tables, which are widely spaced from one another. An open kitchen is a dicey proposition: when it works, it allows the diners to gain a better appreciation for how their food is prepared; when it doesn't, it can just put dysfunction and conflict on display. Thankfully, at M+L, it works, with nearly half a dozen people sharing the space in a manner that almost seems choreographed. I was with 3 friends, so I had an opportunity to sample several dishes, and without exception, all of them were spot-on. We started with some oysters on the half shell, yellowfin ceviche, and the salmon tartare. The presentation of each was beautiful, and the shaved horseradish root that accompanied the oysters was a nice touch, and a welcome alternative to the pre-fab mush you often see at even the nicest of seafood restaurants. But what impressed me the most was how fresh the fish and oysters were. I didn't think that was possible in a land-locked Midwestern city. All of the appetizers had a tremendous flavor and texture, and the oversized croutons that accompanied the salmon and yellowfin were great, providing a nice savory flavor that didn't overpower the fresh fish. For my entree, I got the skate, which was served on a bed of what I believe was creamed wilted spinach, with a hint of saffron. The skate was incredibly tender and richly-flavored, and the accents of what I think were small shavings of pickled onion added an unexpected tang to a few of the bites, keeping the dish interesting from the first to last bite. I also had some of my friend's pork, and--I hate this description, but I don't think I have a choice--it was literally melt-in-your mouth tender, with a flavor that was hearty, yet somehow still delicate. Really quite good. I also tried a side of the mac and cheese, and was treated to shells dripping with a creamy and rich white cheese sauce that I wish I would have spent more time savoring so I could figure out what blend of cheeses was in there. But I couldn't help myself. I've had great schmancy mac and cheese before, but as simple as it was, it was every bit as good as other top restaurants' take on comfort food. Once I sampled a bit of my friend's pasta with sausage, and tasted that delicious melding of crumbly pork and fennel, I knew what I would be having for dessert. At the end of the main courses, we were all stuffed, but I don't think anyone was ready for the meal to be over. My sensible friends elected for tea and coffee with some chocolate mousse. But my other friend and I asked the kitchen to prepare a more savory dessert: mac and cheese with some of that sausage on top. I'm glad the kitchen was willing to humor us on this one, because it was an awesome combination, and we enjoyed this perversion of the dessert course unapologetically and without shame. If there's one thing I can say about the entire meal, it's that the chef/owner and his kitchen staff seem to have a real appreciation for texture in addition to flavor. Pretty much anybody can follow a recipe and create something that tastes good. But, it takes a truly talented team to create something that feels good as well, and these guys nailed it on every single dish. Add to the mix some excellent service and equally excellent pacing, and you have an experience that is worthy of every borderline-hyperbolic bit of praise I can lavish upon this place. Is it pricey? Maybe by small-town standards, but you certainly get what you pay for, and then some. I only wished I lived closer. I guess I'll have to start coming home more often. read more

Food was delicious ...service was good. However....$150 for dinner WITH NO LIQUOR and my 17 year son left hungry after an entire appetizer and entree. Very small menu and even smaller portions. Unfortunately...there are several other establishments within walking distance that have food that is just as good (if not better) and you are actually full after spending $150 for dinner. This will probably cause us not to come back. read more

Delicious!! My fiancé and I dined here on a Friday evening and we were both blown away! We had the tuna ceviche to start which was so, so fresh! Large chunks of bright, beautiful tuna with avocado, cucumber, radish,and the most delicious sauce, served with baguette crisps! The tuna left us eager for our main dishes. We had the linguine and the Amish chicken. Both dishes were so delightful but I must say, the chicken was mind-boggling good with a perfect, crisp skin and a juicy interior. The cheddar grits served with the chicken were sooooo smooth and creamy I wish I could eat them every day! Grapefruitini and aviator cocktails were great as well. I can't wait to come back, definitely recommend main and Lincoln! read more

Main + Lincoln - Local honey glazed Amish chicken. - New American Near Me - Valparaiso, Indiana

The food was amazing! Friendly service, perfectly seasoned food, and the best cappuccino I've ever had on this side of the Atlantic. Be sure to get a cappuccino with dessert, they use Intelligentsia Coffee and it pairs perfectly with their chocolate mousse. I can't wait to go back and try out the rest of the menu! read more

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We didn't have reservations, so we had a 30 minute, even though 2 five top tables remained empty the entire time we were there. Ordered our appetizers, raw oysters and a bowl of potato soup. Then placed our dinner order. Our son received his dinner order first!! Before his soup appetizer. He was done with his dinner before we received ours. And we had to ask about his soup. While the dinners tasted ok, our sons was only like warm and we should have sent it back. My wife's was only hot in spots, like it was partially microwaved and the chicken was dry. My dinner was the only one very hot. I'd recommend the raw oysters, but the rest of the menu wasn't anything great, especially for the money. read more

We had reservations. Seated immediately. Excellent server, Andrew. From another, now closed, restaurant in Valpo and was a favorite there. So glad to see him at M+L. Knowledgeable, friendly, professional. Made great suggestions. We started with the Vidalia onion rings. Mouthwatering. Perfectly cooked. Not an oily mess. Wine suggestion was perfect. Two in our party ordered the hanger steak with mushrooms and mashed potatoes. Amazing. I had the leftover pieces the next day and cant wait to go back to order it. Perfectly prepared. I had the M+L burger, medium rare. It was prepared as requested, medium rare. Doesnt always happen, even in good restaurants. Carmelized onion, tomato. Requested no brioche bun and, again, as requested, no bun. Hamburger was delicious. Service above and beyond. We will be back! read more

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This is an amazing restaurant. The food is so fresh and innovative. The chef studied in France and New York. I used to have another favorite in Valpo, but if you want a service staff with a passion for food and the entree's they serve and would love to have the best hanger steak, scallops or salmon---enjoy this bistro with a Chicago flare and your Indiana hospitality. read more

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I waited for a while before stopping in for dinner, because I had heard a few bad reviews. Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised. It is upscale without being stuffy. The decor is clean and calm. We arrived without reservations on a Thursday night. While there were a good amount of patrons we were seated immediately and drink orders were taken and delivered quickly. They were great with my infant and I was able to put in an order for some tomato sauce just for her. They make their sauce when it is ordered, so they were happy to add or subtract any of the ingredients, to make it suitable for my daughter. We told them what was in it, was fine. When it came to the table it was so delicious, that I ordered the spaghetti and sauce for my meal. Other folks with me had burgers, scallops and chicken. Everyone at the table was impressed with their food and would definitely return. The only small complaint that I would have is that the wait to get our food was lengthy. Other than that; the servers were lovely, the cocktails were tasty and the food, delicious! read more

Delicious! My husband and toddler and I had a great meal here! We started off with the salmon tartare which was super fresh and light. They also brought out her mac n cheese right away which is great because toddlers get antsy and take forever to eat. We were able to feed her while waiting for our entrees. Her kids meal was tasty and we definitely sampled more than we needed to. I ordered the salmon and it was excellent. I asked for it medium rather than the recommended medium rare and it was perfect. Super crispy well seasoned crust and moist flaky interior. It was on top of a bed of potatoes and beans with a light sauce. It was on the smaller side for an entree but the quality and attention to detail made up for it. My husband got the pork belly entree and that was a good size portion. Would have been too much for me. To finish it off we had peach crisp and mint chocolate chip ice cream. It was good, not great but it finished off the meal well. Service was fantastic (Our server was Alyssa and she was super nice and attentive). Bonus is they have a changing table in one of the bathrooms. They also filled up our daughter's sippy cup with water. I would definitely come back if I was in the area. read more

Main + Lincoln - Mmmmm that crispy well seasoned crust. Made just right! - New American Near Me - Valparaiso, Indiana

So disappointed tonight. Let my 15 year old pic the restaurant for his birthday. He wanted to go here. We usually love this place. We sat down and didn't have a waitress for about 20 min. They only had three tables with people. There were only two servers the whole night we were there and they got busy. We had to go to the bar to get our drinks. I don't blame the waitress. She was doing her best. They were terribly understaffed especially since the beer fest in Valpo was going on. Let me give advice to this place....if you want to do well with high prices on the menu....STAFF THE PLACE. No one wants to pay $36 for a meal with crappy service. Positive....waitress was beyond friendly and food was good. Just had to wait waasaay too long!!! Hire some staff!!!!!! read more

Went for dinner the night before New Year's Eve with a friend. Only a couple tables were occupied and we sat right up against the floor-to-ceiling windows, which gave us a nice background of Valpo's Christmas lights. Small menu. Maybe 8-10 dishes to choose from. And pricey. Not OVERLY pricey, the food is very good (see below), but just a word of caution if you're looking for a casual night out. But expect $20-$30+ a plate. For me, that's a dining event, but that was the point of this particular excursion and M+L fit this perfectly. All the dishes looked fantastic on paper. I got the salmon over some couscous and my friend got the roasted chicken over sweet potato purée and both were VERY GOOD. The wine pairings were excellent, as well. Thoroughly enjoyed my meal -- the food, the big windows, the brick walls. I'll be back the next time I have someone visiting and want to treat them to something upscale-y within Valpo. read more

Phenomenal. Scallops are the quality I used to get in Connecticut. My wife ate the Ceasar salad with Amish chicken breast. Wow! I love scallops and I was almost jealous of her salad! Valparaiso has great restaurants and this is one of the absolute best. Not just in Valpo but of anywhere. Give this place a run and you will run back. read more

Staff was just fine and I appreciate their efforts keeping customers safe during the pandemic. The food overall was pretty terrible and the wait time was pretty long for a restaurant that only had 3 tables seated inside And 2 outside. Few couples at the bar as well. I started with a beer salad which was ok (I ate all of It) my wife got chicken piccata which was just ok at best .our kid got buttered noodles which she liked but it's hard to do wrong there. I got the pork chop entree which was flat out terrible and a major misuse of what looked to be a quality cut of pork.the pork was moist but had no seasoning at all. It was fatty and bland while slightly undercooked. The pork chop came served on a plate with a lemon wedge . My sides were Mac and cheese which was cold and doughy and garlic butter green beans which were also bland (no garlic taste at all) our tab was $100 with tip and we did not have any alcohol . There are many better options in the area for that kind of money. I'd normally give a restaurant a second visit but with such limited menu we don't see ourselves coming back. I mentioned It to a friend who works in a restaurant in the area and they wished I had asked first as they had a similar disappointing experience recently as well. read more

This is probably on the higher end of restaurants in town. You really do get your moneys worth. The salmon is to die for. They have good drink and beer selection even the burger was good. If it wasn't so expensive I'd probably be a regular. read more

Creative menu with a lot of well balance flavors. The menu rotation and simplicity makes it a pleasure to dine at. Greet ambiance and service. read more

Went there for the first time last night with a large group and everything was perfect. We had several of the apps and they were all good. My steak was done perfectly and it's probably the best in the Region. Also, not sure how he makes the mashed potatoes, but those things were bad ass. I'll certainly be back whenever I'm in town. read more

Had a fabulous dinner outside. Salmon cooked perfectly and the chicken was amazing. Great service as usual. Thanks M&L!!!!! Great to see you back!!!! read more

Returned on a slow night. Chef was not there. It showed. Ribeye was breakfast thickness. Otherwise, unremarkable. Returned on what should have been a busy night; place was nearly empty. We went elsewhere. read more

The food was delicious but we left slightly hungry after our entrees and an appetizer. Price was a tad high but it wasn't unreasonable for the quality of food. No complaints with service. read more

Great atmosphere, great service, well prepared (yet slightly bland) food, absolutely glacial speed. The first time I went I thought it may have been a fluke, but after three visits it doesn't seem to matter whether or not the place is packed or empty: expect to wait at least a full hour for your food to show up. Overall, a good foundation with progress to be made. read more

Never again. First time here, our food took over 40 mins for two burgers and we are 1 of 6 groups here. Not an exaggeration. After realizing I've been sitting I back tracked time to see how long we have been waiting. Also attached is a photo of the middle of my medium RARE burger. Turns out that means well done. It was still a tasty burger, but I won't be returning. read more

Main + Lincoln - New American Near Me - Valparaiso, Indiana

This is the best restaurant in northwest Indiana period. The food if fucking phenomenal.

Revisited M+L because a family member gave me a gift certificate for $50. I met up with 2 friends there. The 2 friends ordered 1 cocktail each and I had 1 local craft beer. The gift certificate did not cover our bill + tip. The drinks were good, but come on!!! This restaurant should be listed as $$$. We did not stay for dinner, because there are equal or better offerings in Valpo for less or equal money. read more

I was so excited to have another new restaurant in Valpo and after hearing good things from friends, my husband and I decided to stop in. We were so disappointed!!! Let my start with the good: the room/ambiance is great (until more than 5 tables are seated). The wood floor, brick walls and metal ceiling are beautiful, but once it starts getting noisy it becomes uncomfortable really fast. Our service was great too - very nice staff, accommodating and friendly. Now the not so good. The food was absolutely mediocre (and that's being generous). We tried the chicken croquettes and they were nothing but bland pieces of shredded chicken in what I think was a panko breading. No peppers, no spices, no flavor. The sauce would have been good, but it was already skinned over when it arrived at the table which made it look really unappealing. For dinner I had the salmon over squash puree and pearl couscous. I was shocked at how little flavor it actually had and that the entire plate of food had the same mushy consistency - again no texture, no buttery salmon goodness, no seasoning. My husband tried the scallops as they were recommended by our server to be "huge scallops that melt in your mouth". Sadly, they were smaller scallops that did not melt, but the curry sauce on the place was delicious. Add one glass of the recommended red (not very good) and we had a bill that was over $100 including tip. We were both still a little hungry and really disappointed with the night. I don't mind spending money on a good meal, but $100 for 2 people to eat food that was marginal at best was frustrating. We won't return...and based on the number of empty tables we have seen through the window, and the 4 different couples who walked in, looked at the menu and left while we were there, M+L needs to rethink their food and pricing. Try one of there other great places in Valpo before heading here. read more