We had a group of 3 for food and drinks on a Monday evening. We first sat in the lounge and had the wings as a starter and drinks. Our waitress was Bee and she was fantastic; professional, yet friendly and explained everything in a very competent manner. She transferred us to the dining area. There we had Josh as our waiter. He was also very professional and knowledgeable, helping us by recommending our sides. We had a very pleasant evening and will definitely go back. read more

Food was good everyone had a different dish and confirmed it was good. I went for dinner but also went for breakfast. Would definitely go again. Just wish the dessert menu was a little more appealing read more

Mesler is awesome! The food, ambiance, decor, location- they all work wonderfully for me. Reasons for the 3 stars is largely due to the first greeting- which comes from the hostess. She either doesn't hear well or understand but it seems to always be some type of disconnect with her. She's a little rough around the edges which is the exact opposite of the Mesler. Perhaps a few good hospitable tips on how to greet and approach guest can better the overall experience! read more

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!!. Since this was my first dining experience at this restaurant I asked my waiter for his opinion on the 5th Burger versus the Spicy Chicken sandwich, he replied the spicy chicken was a 4/5 out of 10. I'm more of a chicken person so I ordered the chicken sandwich. I was surprised when my meal arrived as it looked as though the cook poured an entire bottle of hot sauce over the chicken. I cut off a tiny edge to taste my sandwich and it was way to hot. I couldn't locate my waiter so I becked for an employee who was walking through the restaurant and asked her to get my waiter. She stated her name was Rosie and she was the Restaurant Manager. I explained to Rosie the conversation that me and my waiter had about the Spicy Chicken sandwich and asked if I could send my meal back to get another dish? Rosie responded yes but I would still have to pay for the Spicy Chicken sandwich in addition to a replacement meal; I was baffled by Rosie's response. I explained to Rosie that my waiter stated the spicy chicken was a 4/5 and it's not it's more like a 15. Rosie responded it's a Buffalo Chicken sandwich and I went onto to tell Rosie your menu states Spicy chicken sandwich not Buffalo Chicken. Rosie started to quote the restaurant policy and I stopped her mid sentence as I did not need a lecturer on the restaurant policy. I have dined at the finest restaurants, which includes Ralph Lauren, Chicago Firehouse, McCormick & Schmick's,, the Signature Room, Cite' and so forth, which means I am very familiar with restaurant policies. I have never sent a meal back in my entire life and would not have done so this time if my waiter stated it was really a Buffalo Chicken sandwich instead of a Spicy Chicken sandwich; there is a difference. Perhaps Rosie should focus on revising the menu to reflect Buffalo Chicken instead of quoting the companies policy to a customer. I am certain the restaurant purchases all of their food in bulk, which means the price I paid for a chicken sandwich actually paid for a box of chicken patties and the restaurant would have not lost anything. It's apparent that Rosie doesn't have the mental capacity to understand that you never quote a restaurant policy to a customer as it's just unprofessional and tacky... plus Rosie lacks customer service skills. I will never dine here again as Chicago has an abundance of palatable restaurants to choose from why would I patronize a restaurant where the Restaurant Manager quotes their companies policy, especially when their menu does not give a correct description of the meal. read more

This is the second time I've been to Mesler, and both times the service was awful. I was excited to try a new Hyde Park bar, and the atmosphere is great. But my goodness! The wait time for a simple drink/appetizer is way too long. Additionally, the waitress, who was the same both times I came, has a pretty poor attitude. So much so that our table had to speak with the manager about her behavior. A hamburger took 40 minutes to come out and we canceled the order after being ready to leave. The waitress came out with it anyway and we said, we are actually ready to go, might you be willing to take the burger off the bill for the long wait? She responded, if you're going to eat it you're going to pay. As we looked at her in a bit of disbelief, she added, let me know if I should take it or leave it, with a scowl on her face. Needless to say I'll be taking a break from this establishment! It's unfortunate since there are not many places like this in Hyde Park, so hopefully management gets things in order quickly! read more

Attentive and prompt service! I had the shrimp n grits with pancakes, eggs and bacon. Each dish was great in if of itself. Shrimp n grits savory and filling. Presentation of food is appealing. Entire atmosphere of the restaurant was elegant, chic, yet not pretentious. Will definitely return. Definitely make reservations if you are not going early. Was there for an early breakfast after church and it was filling up fast towards the end of our meal. read more

The ambiance, the atmosphere and the Manager, Ryan made for a very pleasurable experience. I will return soon!!!

3.5 stars would be more accurate for the overall experience. Checking in for a table was a ridiculously confusing situation. Considering it wasn't busy we couldn't understand why it was so confusing and were told it would be 45min. Regardless, we sat in the lounge area which on a humid 95 degree day had the fire place going. We found that odd. Fortunately, the wait was more like 20mins, so we didn't have to sit in the toasty lounge for too long. The dining room is lovely; warm and inviting. Decor was beautiful. Lots to look around at and appreciate from the art on the walls and fixtures to the selection of books. Our waiter, and his name fails me was nice, just attentive enough and seemed well versed on menu items. Now, for a few negatives...nats in the dining room. They were out of the appetizer that we chose, food was lukewarm and dessert was dry. I ordered the market fish which was halibut with black rice, and my companion had the bucatini w shrimp added. Both dishes were quite tasty, unfortunately just not hot. Felt like they may have sat too long before being served. We decided to splurge and order dessert. My friend had the seasonal tart. I opted for the almond cake. She really enjoyed the tart, being the tart that she is. I, however have had a better almond cake at maggiano's. This cake was less dense and just heavy and dry, like a doorstop. I would have choked on it if not for my friend sharing her vanilla bean ice cream w me and washing it down w black coffee. We both walked away saying the food was good but overall the experience would definitely not bring us back. read more

Our waiter was incredibly nice, but the meals were horrible. Everything was oddly bland, and poorly prepared--especially considering the exorbitant prices. I was prepared to pay extra for a really nice meal, but everything was disappointing. They charge $1 for the saddest little dinner roll I've ever seen. The waiter actually recommended it to us, but it looked like a hawaiian roll that you buy by the dozen for $2--only this one wasn't as fresh or tasty. It's as if the restaurant exists in a tasteless vortex. My friend and I both had the seafood pasta, which had very little flavor. The pasta was rough and seemed as though it had been reanimated from a frozen state. I will stick with Virtue (across the street), where the food is delicious and much less expensive. read more

Breakfast is decent. Good wait time. Parking is so so. Staff is friendly, but slow. Sone inconsistencies with the food. One friend ordered the greens and they were gritty. read more

The food is decent. The ambiance is cool. The service sucks!! From the moment I stepped inside of the restaurant, I had a horrible customer service experience, from the bartender, to the hostess to the waiters. I know the restaurant just opened but they clearly still need to train the staff. I was very excited about the new restaurant coming into Hyde Park, but I can surely find other places to spend my money. Not only was the service very slow, I felt the hostess and the bartender were rude! Maybe you should give them a few more months to work out the kinks. read more

The food is very good; it's a lovely room. But as people commented on this list 2 months ago, the service is friendly but incompetent. It took an hour and 25 minutes after we were seated to get our entrees. Twice servers tried to deliver dishes that we had not ordered. We had to ask for small plates to split a large (and delicious) appetizer. I was brought a steak knife and small fork for pasta (also delicious) and we had to get silverware off of a neighboring table for our desserts because our waiter was involved in a 15 minute conversation with a table of people who were SO interested in his MA studies. I'm sorry, when you're a server, it's NOT about how fascinating you are; it's about serving your customers. This place will burn its bridges with everyone if they don't get their act together. They need a manager to train and supervise the staff and the kitchen-staff work flow. read more

I've been here 3 times since they opened. Twice within the first week and the last a couple of days ago. The restaurant servers are very friendly and tried to keep their cool because they were understaffed and didn't have a clear system in place. The bar area on the other hand is a shit show. The import from Nashville with the handlebar mustache has NO clue how handle a bar in Chicago. My husband and I waited 28 minutes and 46 seconds (Yes I timed him) before being able to order while sitting at the bar in his face. He was consumed with small talk and taking pictures for social media. When a friend of mine asked if he could order, he gave him the most disgusting look for interrupting his conversation with another guest. We finally got our drinks (after the bar back asked if he could make it) and seated ourselves in the beautiful outdoor area. Our server Darryl was so kind and tried his best to provide great service while working the dining room, lobby and the patio. I decided to give them a try during lunch earlier this week and it was noticeable that management paid attention to the feedback. The server was great, the food was good and it was very peaceful. Unfortunately, I sat in the lobby after my meeting to catch up on work and have a cocktail. The "mustache" bartender had began his shift and the energy shifted. He may have missed the updated training because he still sucked. Thankfully, there was a very friendly lady bartender whom I chose to work with. This was a very long review but I wanted to be fair. This is a great addition to Hyde Park and I will definitely be back. read more

We had a celebratory birthday dinner on a quiet Sunday night. The main dining room is beautiful and the noise level very conversation-friendly. Service was excellent. Among the four of us we had 2 different steaks, roasted chicken and the salmon, plus some sides. All were excellent and nicely plated. The menu is quite compact but there are solid options for everyone's tastes. The cocktail menu was also very nice. We will gladly go again! read more

My wife and I were so excited to try this place when it opened in our neighborhood. We found a babysitter as soon as we could and then headed over for a few cocktails. When we had a seat we noticed that we had a beer and wine list but no cocktails. I asked our server and he told me that they had received feedback from the community and decided to pull their entire cocktail list and were only serving beer and wine for at least the rest of the week. We felt really disappointed, but fine, we decided to order a beer on tap. Except then our server told us they didn't have any beer on tap and wouldn't for another couple of weeks. I began to wonder why exactly they had decided to open if they didn't have anything to serve. We should have left, but instead we ordered two overpriced cans of beer. As we were drinking them we noticed everyone else around us seemed to be drinking cocktails. I don't know what's going on, but we wasted a rare date night to drink overpriced mediocre beer out of a can. I doubt we'll return. read more

As hotel restaurants go this one is above average. It has a very well thought out-and well tied together-design aesthetic. It is a good place to take a date, or to meet a client for business. The food is fancy and overpriced, but that comes with the territory. read more

Where do I start with this place. We made a reservation for 6pm we got there the host said it would be 5 mins for our table, 25 mins later we had to remind her that we were still waiting she said "oh yes you're right let me check on that". Meanwhile we at the bar which was the worst bar I had ever been in Period. The bartender gave us drink menus but there was no cocktails on the menu. She said they didn't have a drink list at the time because they had to re-do it. We proceed to order cocktails an Old Fashion and a Martini and it was like watching a child play with a toy. The bartender had no idea what she was doing, spilling everywhere, not measuring properly because she didn't have enough drinks in the tin to fill 2 glasses. It was so unorganized and unprofessional the most of the guest at that side of the bar were in shock. I decided to just order a beer and continue to wait for my 6pm reservation by now it was 6:45pm. We finally got seated in the dining room that you could see from space because it was so bright I couldn't believe it I thought they were about to close it was so bright. After seating the server came over about 12 minutes later, I didn't understand why it took so long for them to come over considering that every server, food running and busman had on radio's as if they worked for secret service but could remember that they had guest sitting at a table. We order the really expensive chicken and the sausage rigatoni and we wait. As we were waiting we noticed the decor of the restaurant was really nice and artwork was awesome because it was so bright you could see down the block. The food finally comes there was a huge hair in the pasta I flagged down the busman to take it back to the kitchen because I couldn't fine the server. No came to apologize for the hair not even the manager I waited for 15 mins for the next plate to come out then the manager came with the food and asked if I wanted a drink I said sure Ill have a whiskey. The whiskey comes we ask for the check, I placed a bet with my date that the whiskey and the pasta would be on the bill she said no needless to say I WON. I asked to server to remove the whiskey from the check and I will pay for the rest. I want to say to the management staff, bar staff and the entire staff at Mesler "DO BETTER" , train your staff, make sure people know what there are doing before you hire them, know the meaning of Hospitality, feature out what fine service is before you open a restaurant, this was absolutely gross and you all should be ashamed you have to perfect opportunity to be the best restaurant in your location and I would rather eat at the burger shop across the street. read more

Came for a weekend brunch. When we arrived, there was no host when we arrived. We had to walk around the hotel looking for someone. Then when we sat down, nobody served us for about ten minutes. Then throughout the meal the service was genuinely terrible, our meal took twice as long as it should have as a result. Wait staff frequently flew by our table when we tried to get their attention. The food was ok, but nothing special. The service was just so bad and frustratingly slow. Will not be returning. read more

Get the chicken & waffles... you won't regret it!!!! Seriously my favorite brunch spot in Hyde park!

My experience here was amazing! Our server Olivia was very sweet and gave great recommendations. I ordered the greenhouse drink and lobster roll and my friend had an old fashioned w the 5th ward burger. I'll absolutely be visiting again. read more

OMG. My first time here and definitely won't be my last !!! My great friend and I celebrated our 60th Birthday there this past Saturday. The atmosphere and ambiance was so contemporary, yet welcoming and calming both inside and outside. I can't wait to sit out on the Patio which looks amazing and comfortable yet private with the Green Tree Wall lining and away from the main street. The staff were wonderful, friendly, professional, and sang our Happy Birthday song well after surprising us with a delicious FREE colorful ice cream treat. Our server Lisa was quick and efficient but not overbearing. Even the busboy Brandon was wonderful to make sure I was comfortable after arranging for a ice bag for my painful knee in a brace and I was seated in an area that could accommodate my disability. The recommendation to tray a drink that was totally new (Beer like) was absolutely rich and delicious. The meal was absolutely delicious with good serving size and the presentation was delightful. Can't wait to go back this Friday to celebrate my birthday again with another sista friend. Congratulations and I might even decide to stay over at the awesome connected Sophy Hotel as a treat with my Honey Hubby of 30 years...we need a change of pace in the neighborhood. Love and Hugs and Bon-A-Petit, Linda "Too Tall" Spears, of Hyde Park/South Sider :) read more

My husband and I came here the first week they opened and we're unimpressed. Last night we decided to try it again and everything from the atmosphere, drinks, food and service went above and beyond expectation. Get second experience! Our server Lamar was knowledgeable about the menu and made great recommendations. Definitely check it out. Only downside is the limited menu on the patio read more

My first experience at Mesler was just ok. I went back and forth with giving a 2 star rating and a 3 star rating, and decided to give a 3 star rating for the atmosphere and service. The atmosphere is really nice, especially the lounge area with a fireplace. Mesler does not offer complimentary bread and butter, which the nicer restaurants offer. We were a party of two, and for cocktails, had a long island ice tea, which was really good ($15.00), and a drink that had blueberries in the name ($15.00), that was also good. For our meal, we both ordered the Seafood Casarecce. While the meal was flavorful, it was a bit salty, and other than the shrimp, I barely recognized mussels, lobster and scallops, because they were tiny. For $24.00 I expected a bigger portion and visible seafood. We asked for bread and paid $3.00 for 3 dinner rolls. After dinner, we sat in the lounge area, had more cocktails, people watched, and stayed until closing. Overall, the experience was pleasant - everyone that we encountered was nice and attentive. The service was fast and the food was hot. I will definitely go back to Mesler, but only for cocktails in the lounge area. read more

Great drinks , great food, great ambiance , a welcome addition to Hyde park!! The burger is awesome and so are the chicken wings!

This place is very fancy it has a nice ambiance and is a good lounge spot. The bartenders are nice and funny. The crowd is pretty chill, and there is a fancy chess board in the back area. This is a good spot to get drinks on a date, or meet up with friends.I have had the brunch which was decent. I never had dinner here, but the food always looks and smells amazing. read more

Not only is the food fantastic, the service is exceptional. Daniel assisted us with food... he is funny very engaging and knowledgeable. And Chris gave us a wonderful drink recommendation and it tasted fantastic! read more

My friend was visiting from Los Angeles. We decided to have drinks and dinner at the Messler in the bar. We had a wonderful experience, Chris was our bartender and he was very informative on the different drinks. He made the best drinks for us and was very accommodating. I would highly recommend this spot for good conversation and excellent food and service. Thanks Chris for being so friendly. read more

I've been here a few times, and every time I stop in Darryl is a highlight of the night. I appreciate his professionalism, personable nature, and great sense of humor. The food is good, the ambience is great, and the drinks are always wonderful. I'd stop in before 6 or after 7:30 most days, at it's typically less busy. read more

The service was horrible. This is my 3rd visit and the service has be horrific. The cocktails came to the table with the food. One of us received our plate 20 minutes before the others. The worst was when the waiter accosted us at the exit as we were leaving wanting the merchant copy of the bill. We explained that we left it on table. He proceed to louldly aurgue with us rather reprint the bill. Note - they had already charged our credit cards. It's a shame because Hyde Park really needs a fine dining restaurant. The Messler has a long way to go. read more

This place is at the level of the best restaurants in the West Loop or Midtown Manhattan -- with an authentic, local twist. From the interior design to culinary experience, the excellence is such that I still marvel at the fact that my beloved Hyde Park has reached such heights. Last but not least, don't expect to pay the obscene prices for food or drinks that similar places charge, at least not in Chicago. read more

I have been to Mesler four times since it opened in October. It is really a great restaurant. The menu is smallish, but everything is excellent. Have the bavette steak, it's great. In fact all the food is first rate. Of the four times we've been there (all for dinner), three of our servers have been first rate. One, early on, seemed new to the food industry, but since then, they have all been great --- knowledgeable, helpful, etc. The hotel and the restaurant are beautifully designed. This is really a first class restaurant. read more

My new favorite restaurant. They nailed it. From service to ambiance and of course cuisine, this place knocks it out of the park. Way to go Mesler! Already planning my next visit. read more

Friendly but poor service. Salads came overdressed with dressing even though we asked for the dressing on the side. One had 3 prawns added for $10.50, but they turned out to be medium, overcooked shrimp. They weren't busy, it was 4pm, but doubt we will try them again. read more

Today the service was embarrassingly terrible. I've been to the Mesler several times; however, I took a friend there to grab a quick meal and had noticeably different service. The bartender, tall brown skin man behind the bar who was also responsible for checking in with tables did a great job checking in with larger parties; however, outside of taking our order, he did not deliver anything else to us, including our request to have the table cleaned, water, or silverware. Another server brought the food out, we asked him for water, his response was dismissive saying that "someone would bring water," but insinuating that it was not his job. In addition to that, we never received condiments we asked for. Compared to the people sitting seats down from us in the same bar area, we felt invisible and unattended for. We wanted to order more food and cocktails, but simply could not because no one came to check in on us. In the lounge area, I do not expect first class dining service, but I do expect and deserve the same treatment as other customers, and basic attention to simple requests like water. I do not recommend engaging with the Sunday brunch staff in the bar area. read more

Came here for drinks on a Friday night. There was no employee near the entrance, and we had to hunt for the hostess while loitering waiters eyed us like they were offended we were in their restaurant. We were told we should seat ourselves in the lounge area, and we were then ignored for 10 minutes. The room was hot and muggy, yet had a large fireplace that was burning for some reason. A waiter wandered past and dropped off a couple of surprisingly tattered menus, which did not include cocktails. Everything looked laughably overpriced. We waited another 10 minutes, and after no one came to take our order, we decided we were tired of being sweaty and ignored, and we left. Get your act together, Mesler. Hyde Park deserves better than this. read more

I really wanted to like the Mesler more than I did. I was so happy to see more upscale dining moving into the Hyde Park area, and the Mesler was a beautifully designed addition. I selected the restaurant for a 14 person party which required me to rent out their event room. The space is lovely and private, but it is a bit difficult to chat with the spread out seating arrangement. The food was very good, exactly what you would expect at this price point. That beings said, the service was terrible. As the person who selected the Mesler and arranged the event I felt terrible every time our waiter disappeared or messed up someone's order. The dinner took over three hours to wrap up because of all the waiting for our server to pop up again. I also have to mention that I was very unhappy with the $2/per person charge to cut and plate the birthday cake we brought with us. We spent almost as much on this as we did on purchasing the cake in the first place. This charge seemed extremely unnecessary for a meal that already totaled around two thousand dollars. I hope to see the Mesler take a note from some of the other high end dining experiences in Chicago and add some focus to customer satisfaction. read more

I was excited to try the new restaurant in our neighborhood so went to Mesler last night with my wife and son. I usually don't write reviews but felt compelled because I would like to see this restaurant succeed. First of all, it's a beautiful place, with cool lighting, comfortable seats and tables and excellent artwork. Whoever designed this restaurant really knows what they are doing. It's attached to the Sophy Hotel, which is also full of great art and looks amazing. For restaurant ambiance, I give Mesler a "5". The staff seemed a bit inexperienced, but they were trying hard and will probably learn quickly, so for service, I give it a "4". The problem was the food. The menu is limited, the dishes are expensive and the quality and portions are just okay, which is never a good combination. For example, I ordered the roasted chicken; it came overcooked and with a small serving of braised greens - no starch or anything else to balance it out. It was bland, except for the salt, and it was $26. This means with tax and tip it was about $33. That's a lot of money for a so-so chicken dish. My wife ordered the roasted carrots. They were fine, but definitely not worth $21. My son had the pasta, which he liked, although the portion seemed small to me. Therefore, for the food, I have to give Mesler a "2". Having a restaurant in Hyde Park is tough because it's mostly locals and a University crowd, and they are not inclined to pay a premium for less than outstanding food given the other options in the neighborhood. A10 had this struggle. Although it was a very nice place to eat with a great bar, they never figured out the right menu mix for Hyde Park (too expensive and limited) and recently closed. I hope Mesler learns from A10 and makes the necessary changes so they can not only survive, but thrive. Hyde Park is a great neighborhood and we could use a stylish place like Mesler as a local go-to spot for a good night out. read more