Stumbled upon this gem on Valentine's Day and I lovedddddd every bit of my experience!…read more For starters, they had cute valentines themed drinks and they were so tasty! They also decorated for Valentine's Day and it was soooooo aesthetically pleasing, great picture props! The music was also a viiiiibe -- whoever was DJing understood the assignment that day! Our server's name was Alon, and she was amazing! Very attentive, sweet, and informative. I told her I needed her name so that people would know who to look for when they visited next lol. She maintained great service, even when it got busy and she had to help others! Now, let's get to the part that matters most: the food! My best friend and I both had their burgers -- so fillingggggggggg and the house made aioli chefs kiss! We already decided we'll be back to try the tacos bc Alon said they're fye and I trust her judgement! The drinkssssssss -- honey listen, the champagne drink was a cute starter bc that margarita definitely didn't come to play! Also -- we didn't have reservations and still were seated in a timely manner with timely service! I'll be revisiting them for sure!

I'm not sure what I was expecting but the restaurant fell flat for me. The staff were very nice…read moreand responsive. The restaurant itself is big very large but it's popular & busy. The extremely loud music made it hard to have a conversation. We were there during happy hour and enjoyed the Mexican candy shooters. The margaritas drinks were ok and the food meh. The boneless buffalo wings were just something defrosted fried and covered in sauce. Perhaps I ordered the wrong thing (beef & chicken sliders) but overall the restaurant wasn't appealing enough to make me want to return, especially because the bathroom smelled like urine. It may be a vibe during brunch or something but it just was not for me.

We love Arbella!! Atmosphere inside was great, really large space! We sat at the bar, the…read morebartenders were super friendly and attentive easy to talk to and order from. LOVE the $6 cocktail of the day happy hour (M-F 4-6pm) . Our cocktail of the day was a watermelon lemon drop which was delicious!! Will be coming back next time in Chicago! My local friends new favorite staple bar.

(Kari's Rating 8.75/10)…read more Came with a friend late on a Friday night after dinner time We were able to be seated almost immediately at a nice little private Cove table. We ordered a flight of whiskey sours, which contained whiskeys from Japan, Vietnam, and Wisconsin. I also was able to order an amaretto sour, which they made with freshly hand beaten egg whites, which was a nice cherry on the top. As far as the whiskey flights go, I think the best one was the Vietnam flight because it had a slightly lemongrass twang and was a little bit lighter than the other two. The heaviest one was the Wisconsin which came with a little bit of a bite at the end, but it still wasn't bad if you're trying to blackout on a $15 budget. I would definitely come back with a larger group this seems like a great place, but is a little bit loud- so if you be prepared to yell or wear earplugs. The bathroom took my a second to find, which should have been intuitive considering it was on the opposite end of where you come in. I blame the lighting as things are already pretty hard to find in the dark, but eventually I made it there-Pat myself on the back.

The vibes were nice. Lighting wasn't too bright, a dressier atmosphere, and definitely felt like a…read moregood spot for drinks and dinner. Service was fine. Our server was nice and water refills came at the right times. The burger was honestly pretty mid. It tasted fine, but our server said it was one of the best burgers in Chicago and I definitely wouldn't agree. 5/10. The salmon was tender and had a really interesting crust. It wasn't charred like I expected, almost had a rubbery texture, but I actually enjoyed it. The lemony miso sauce was delicious, the pickled cucumbers added a nice crunch. 7.5/10. The prime bone-in ribeye was fine. Good flavor, but nothing really stood out about it. 6.5/10. Dessert was the highlight of the meal. The chocolate crunch dessert was sooo good. Loved the marshmallow pieces and all the different textures from the crunchy mousse. 8/10. The salted caramel gelato had a great texture, but it was way too sweet for me. It tasted more like straight sugar than salted caramel. 6/10. Overall, a solid last-minute date night spot with good vibes, but the chocolate crunch dessert was definitely the standout.

Loved the vibe of this place. The wait staff was immensely friendly and knowledgeable…read more The mussels app was to die for and they were great about bringing bread out to soak up all the goodness. The scallops were delightful. Drinks were delicious. Will definitely be back.

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!

The next brunch spot you have to try in Chicago is The Dearborn! The aesthetic here is upscale…read moreIrish tavern, with amazing vibes and service! I came here for brunch & most definitely need to come back for dinner! Their fish & chips beat Bobby Flay, & it's no surprise they did! This dish is perfection! The cod is fresh & flaky, and the batter has just the right crisp. The dish itself is huge & all the accompaniments are exactly what you want. The beignets are so fluffy and great for sharing a sweet treat to start or end your meal. The corned beef hash is packed with traditional Irish flavors and tastes delicious! You need to come here asap!

Absolutely incredible from start to finish! Every dish was outstanding. The burger was perfectly…read morecooked--juicy, tender, and full of flavor. The handmade gnocchi was phenomenal, with a delicious smoky flavor that made it unforgettable. The croquettes were unbelievably mouthwatering and absolutely delicious, and the burrata was simply to die for. On top of the amazing food, the restaurant had great music, a wonderful atmosphere, and a staff that was welcoming, attentive, and genuinely friendly. This was an exceptional dining experience, and I can't wait to come back. Highly recommend!

Wow, those fish tacos were incredible! Absolutely packed with flavor and easily the highlight of…read morethe meal. The atmosphere was fun, welcoming, and relaxed, making it a great place to sit down and enjoy a meal. The location is also very convenient, especially if you're visiting the nearby hospital. I would definitely recommend this spot and will be back again.

Our family really enjoyed this restaurant. Good service and a menu with something for everyone…read more Okay, the kids were just excited about the pastries at the coffee bar, but my wife and I enjoyed our dinners. We would definitely go back on our next trip to Chicago.

We found Ema on Yelp. Ema was busy and we didn't have reservations, but we were seated immediately…read more We enjoyed a delicious kebab and a kafta entree. The star of the meal is the Crispy Mushroom appetizer. Great lunch experience. I highly recommend Ema! Service was fast, friendly and efficient.

We had a fantastic experience at Emma after exploring downtown Chicago. We made reservations inside…read morebut decided to sit outside because of the weather. Heads up - you're basically sitting in the road on some of these patio tables. We had amazing service walking through and explaining the menu. The food came out at a good pace and we genuinely enjoyed each bit. With so much great food in Chicago it's hard to commit to coming back to any one place but Ema deserves a spot on the list. Best bites - hamachi and roast avocado

Recently, my husband and I celebrated the anniversary of the day we met. We don't always mark the…read moreoccasion, but this year it was a milestone worth celebrating. We chose to dine at Girl & the Goat in Chicago, a restaurant we had never visited before. The acclaimed restaurant by renowned chef Stephanie Izard truly lived up to its stellar reputation! One of the first things we appreciated was the convenience of the restaurant's valet parking, located right by the front patio. At $22 for up to four hours and $26 for four to eight hours, the rates were quite reasonable for the area. As soon as the three of us stepped inside Girl & the Goat (we had made a reservation for 6:30 pm on a Friday), we were warmly greeted by one of the two friendly hostesses, and were promptly led to a comfortable four-top table with a banquette and two chairs along the wall. We felt fortunate to have one of the better tables in the dining room, as some of the others were positioned very close together. The nearby two-top tables, in particular, were quite small and placed only a short distance from ours. The restaurant's rustic-industrial décor was dark but trendy and stylish, the lively and vibrant vibe was warm and welcoming. However, I have to mention that it was really loud in the dining room, as guests seemed to be enjoying themselves and talked loudly.  It was hard to hear our server and the staff who delivered and explained the dishes to us.  Our server, Yazmin, was extremely friendly and attentive.  It was very sweet of her to wish us a happy anniversary both in the beginning  and at the end of the meal.  She also checked in on us several times during the evening.  Now, on to the food and drinks. I started with a glass of the NA Sparkling Rosé ($17), which was light, crisp, and quite refreshing. My husband ordered a glass of Le Colture Prosecco ($18), while our daughter chose the Sun Kid ($18). She enjoyed her drink, although she felt the portion was a bit small, as the glass was filled with a lot of ice that took up much of the space. Since the restaurant offers small to medium plates which are shareable, Yazmin advised us to get 5 to 6 dishes for 3 people to share.  We decided to get 5 savory dishes and 3 desserts to share: Savory dishes: - Chickpea Fritters ($20), goat yogurt, green chutney, sev spice crunch, pickled rhubarb. - Pan Roasted Halibut ($37), miso-Marcona almond butter, spring onion blueberry nuoc cham. - Roasted Pig Face ($28), sunny side egg, tamarind, cilantro, red wine-maple, potato stix. - Goat Empanadas ($24), smoked tomato-corn salsa, roasted poblano crema queso fresco. - Confit Goat Belly ($38), strawberry goat braise, smoked yogurt drizzle, pickled strawberries. Desserts: - Vacation, Please! ($16), toasted coconut crunch, lemon passion fruit sorbet, rum-soaked pineapple cake. - Berry Yummy Par-tea ($16), earl grey soaked sponge cake, yuzu curd, spiced blackberries. - Chocolate Basil Brownie Bash ($16), olive oil semifreddo, chocolate fennel crunch, basil granita. The meal was just phenomenal!  All the savory dishes were cooked perfectly with bold flavors; the meats were tender and full of flavors.  There were dishes that we normally would not have ordered if we saw them on menus of other restaurants.  Here, we tried them and were delighted that we did!  Our consensus is that Roasted Pig Face is our most favorite! It is everything we love in a comfort dish -- crispy on the outside, meltingly tender inside, and packed with rich, balanced flavor.  We will definitely order this again!  The Confit Goat Belly is a close second, with buttery, fall-apart meat and just the right balance of richness, acidity, and crunch. For dessert, "Vacation, Please!" is the one that we will always come back for. The toasted coconut crunch adds texture, the lemon passion fruit sorbet brings a refreshing tang, and the rum-soaked pineapple cake ties it all together with just the right amount of sweetness.  The other two desserts that we ordered were also very good.  The staff even brought out a scoop of Chocolate Ice Cream on the house, with two lit candles to celebrate our anniversary - a thoughtful touch that made the evening even more memorable.  This dessert spread was the perfect ending to an incredible meal. I'd like to mention that the restaurant added a 4% surcharge to the bill, which the customer may request to have the surcharge remove if you choose.  We let them keep it. We spent about two hours at the restaurant. The savory dishes came out very quickly, the pace probably was even a tad too fast, but the desserts made up for it by taking a longer time.  We did not mind as we were still full, and had time to enjoy the ambiance more.  I would say it is a restaurant great for group gathering and celebratory functions, but not so much for intimate romantic date night.  All in all, it was a wonderful dinner, we look forward to returning again.

I was there the other week (I've been here at least five times before), and a busser--not our…read morewaiter--started clearing both of our plates before we were finished eating. We each only had a couple of bites left, but it definitely gave off an "okay, you're done now" vibe. Then he went to take the green beans (arguably the cult classic on the menu), and we still had more than half of them left. I had to stop him and say, "Yeah, we're not done with those. We paid for them. Can you put them in a to-go box instead?" For context, it was about 20 minutes before closing, but we ordered with plenty of time and were already eating with a "get in, eat, and get out" mindset. I've just never had someone at a restaurant start clearing plates while we were still actively eating--without asking, "Are you finished?" "Can I clear this?" or "Would you like a to-go box?" It was just... "You're done, these are leaving now." We were there for less than 45 minutes, left about 15 minutes before closing, and spent over $200 (not including the tip). With so many options in Chicago, I don't see myself coming back here.