Went here last week and food was awesome! My favorite was the ceviche squid tostadas. I wish there was more on the plate! They had a guest bartender and he was great too. We sat at the bar and chatted it up with him. He shared recipes and favs off the menu. I would definitely go back for more! read more

Mfk - Seared Corn with cotija cheese, whole octopus, jumbo sea scallop, guest bartender drink menu - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Walked in during Sunday brunch and sat at the bar Ambience was nice, reminded me of small cafes in NYC and Europe.... The boquerones and Spanish tortilla were amazing Will return read more

Everything was so delicious! I can't wait to go back and order more of the menu. We tried the boquerones, whole octopus with gazpacho sauce and avocado, the snap peas with feta, and the dessert cake. We finished everything and we're pretty much licking the plate. They were out of the prawn heads and we weren't hungry enough to try the stew, but we'll definitely come back for those. Great atmosphere, too. Reminds me of a beach house or something. read more

See all

This was a fantastic meal. The remarkable think was how uniformly good every dish we ordered was (sardines, ceviche, shrimp salad, corn, zazor clams, whole shrimp). They have clearly worked hard to source excellent seafood. The preparations were not overdone, but instead were carefully calibrated to allow the excellent fresh seafood to shine through. The basque cake to finish was a perfect capper, especially when paired with some of the awesome mezcals as digestifs. As to the complaints about the pricing, I don't agree. Super fresh seafood can be expensive. Even so, I thought MFK was fairly priced given the quality. Aside from the terrific food, the space is bright and airy and a pleasant place to be. The service was exceptional, perfectly attentive, from beginning to end. We will be returning often! read more

We had a great meal at mfk! A friend lives right next door, so we met for dinner. We were a group of five and it didn't take long for us to be seated. The wine list there is fantastic--I wanted to try everything! It's been a while since we dined at mfk, but I remember having tempura avocado (delish), delicious scallops, AMAZING shishito peppers, shrimp with green papaya, and half a chicken. It was a VERY tasty meal and we all really enjoyed the entire experience. read more

I decided to give this new place a try, since I am always looking for some good seafood. And on that end, MFK. definitely did not disappoint. I had their clams, shrimp and tempura avocado and all were really delicious. Not to mention the service was attentive and welcoming. However, my biggest problem with this place is the prices and the portions. For two people, spending around a hundred dollars (with cocktails) we still left feeling like we could go enjoy an appetizer somewhere else. The clams were awesome but they gave us maybe 8 or 9 (for $18) and a half pound of shrimp just turned out to be 6 shrimps (for over $20). And all this is coming from someone who generally does spend $100 on a night out (with drinks), but I almost always have leftovers. If this place had bigger portions for their prices it would easily be a five star review, but don't go there expecting the amount of food you get at pretty much any place around here for a cheaper price. read more

We went to this place a few months back. I started looking for a place to go this evening and remembered what a lackluster experience it was and felt the need to write. First we went with our 11 yo twins. The service was nice and the waiter was very attentive but that was the extent of the good. The place is really small. Tables small, chairs really uncomfortable and floors uneven so the tables rock a lot. We ordered over 90$ of food and pretty much went home hungry. So much so that I made us a pot of pasta when we go home. We would have order more food if it was good but it was pretty much meh.... So at those prices some home made pasta was cheaper and more satisfying. We went only because of the reviews and it was close to home. Could not have been less enthused. They seem like nice folks so I hope they change it up but most likely not going back. read more

Loooove it here! Second visit last night, great new dishes in the menu, cod, cobia, seafood etc. amazing great elaborations. Make a reservation before heading here! Space is very limited. This place it's so far in my top 5 for Chicago dining experiences. They got it all right! We'll keep coming! read more

Mfk - Yummy - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

One of my absolute favorite restaurants in Chicago. The menu changes often, but anything on there will be fantastic.

It's been ages since I've written a review. I've been dormant for many reasons... Pregnancy made it difficult to fully enjoy trying new restaurants - staying away from so many foods (I missed sushi so much) and trying new cocktails is a huge reason I love going out. Having a newborn is a whole different story. Also, I haven't felt strongly about a business in a long time. Well that changed once I stopped by mfk for Sunday brunch a few weeks ago. Sitting outside with my little girl enjoying a stroller nap and soaking up the late summer weather was heaven. The service wasn't fast, but we were in no rush and the servers were excellent. My mom and I split some sort of fancy omelette with potatoes and greens on top - yuuuum. mfk's take on shrimp and grits was rich and insanely delicious. Apparently this is a new dish that's just being offered at brunch. The poached shrimp salad with sugar snap peas is a staple menu option and I definitely know why. Light, flavorful with the perfect consistency. I cannot remember the name of the cocktail I had, but it looked like a Thailand sunset and tasted better than a vacation. The icing on the cake is that this place is in my neighborhood - joy! I can't wait to head back for their Monday oyster special :) read more

Everytime I'm here I fall in love all over again...everything is fresh, new and so darn good! I have yet to ever have anything I don't like...we always get the poached shrimp; it's ridiculous good! The half chicken is amazing, and ceviche is such a yumm-o starter! Please try the rabbit (a new dish, most likely a limited one as their menu changes with the seasons), as it is heaven...I love me some mfk!!! read more

See all

hands-down my favorite restaurant in Chicago. flat-out delicious, fresh food. ingredient-centric food with graceful execution. neighborly and intelligent service. they've only got one dessert, but it's better than basically any dessert I've ever had. I hate writing Yelp reviews, but places like this keep the world from falling off its axis. read more

My brother-n-law took me to MFK. while visiting from Miami. I do have to say, MFK. is now in my top 5 favorite restaurants. The service was great, and food was amazing. We ordered almost every item on the menu, and not a single dish let us down!!! We were there even after closing, and not once were they pushing us to get out! I will be back next time I am in town. MFK. whatever you are doing, keep it up because you're doing it on point! BTW, you have to try the ceviche!! read more

We had been planning on coming here for a long time, and finally did for our anniversary. We were a bit confused because some aspects of the meal were great, while others were a bit disappointing. The service was perfect and drinks were delicious. We did the tasting menu, and overall did not enjoy many of the dishes. We loved the croquettes and the succatash, but felt that a lot of the shellfish and fish in the other dishes tasted way too fishy. The prawn heads were an interesting novelty, but were completely tasteless - it was just a crunchy snack. And the basque cake was tasty but was so dry; we would have loved it if there was some ice cream or sauce with it that made it easier to enjoy. We were glad we tried this place, but we would not go back. Too many dishes were unenjoyable. read more

Hands down one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. I actually don't want to post this because I love how Lo-key amazing the food is here.

Good atmosphere, the decor makes it feel like you are at the Mediterranean. The place is very small but feels cozy. Food is decent and comes in small plates. read more

See all

Went here on a Wednesday night. Got a table inside (instead of outdoors). First time. Food was quite good. The croquettes were light and flavorful as were the sweet corn risotto fritters. The crispy shrimp heads (sorry, they were not big enough to be called prawns) were crunchy like potato chips. So yummy (wish there were more in the order). We also had the octopus dish and the mussels, both of which were well prepared and so good. I had a couple quibbles with the place. The main dining area is small and the wall are all brick, so all sound is amplified. Between the loud rock music and loud conversations (people had to shout to hear each other), the noise level was to the point of being uncomfortable. They played loud rock music which, in my opinion, is inappropriate for their style of menu. It also seemed like they turned up the music volume as people got louder, so people got even louder, and then they turned up the music even more. I could not hear the person across from me talk. If you like a nice quiet dinner, this is NOT the place for you, unless you eat in their outdoor patio (as we will next time). I recommend they change the music, turn down the volume so people can talk normally, and hang some rugs on the walls to deaden the sound reflections. Music in restaurants is for BACKGROUND ambiance. It's not a night club. It's more important that people can talk to each other without shouting. Also, the portions were very tiny, barely enough for two people to share. I've been to other Spanish tapas-style restaurants and their serving sizes, while still small, was nearly twice what is served here. After five dishes, the two of us were still hungry. Be prepared to spend a lot if you and your party are really hungry. In summary: Food is great. Portions need to be a little larger. Needs to be quieter in the main restaurant. read more

Fantastic small plates and excellent service. We loved everything we tried. It's a very small room, so I strongly reccomend making a reservation! read more

We had a great evening out and the food and service were fantastic!! Our server Kayla made our evening fun and she made good suggestions as to what we should order. Her suggestions were right on the money!! The ambiance was comfortable and relaxing....perfect for conversation and a relaxing evening out with friends. I will defintitely be back!! read more

Just came here last week for dinner because it was on the Michelin bib gourmand list and we're making our rounds. We were excited to come here for all the seafood options. Overall, we were disappointed and left feeling underwhelmed, despite having paid a pretty penny for the experience. We ordered: Ceviche - nothing out of the ordinary Escargot - not an appetizing preparation for snails. Breading tasted off. Boquerones - fennel taste wasn't coming through, not too inspired, tasted like run of the mill bruschetta with an anchovy thrown on top Octopus - Actually enjoyed this dish, well done Scallops - didn't feel like the dish came together very well. Restaurant smelt off, like body odor. Service was fine. The female bartending was rather unfriendly, but my husband and I don't drink, so had limited exposure to her. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant and wouldn't come again. read more

What a charmer. Great food with little bites and/or larger portions. Plus a great, changing wine selection. Check roses before the end of summer. Friendly, accommodating service with chef often bringing you the food personally and bar server suggesting some excellent wines or cocktails. Among great surprises: white and traditional sardines, shrimp heads, razor clams and a tremendous fish collar dish. I believe the shrimp are sourced from a local, yes local, provider who is also at the GreenCityMarket. I could sit here for hours at lunch (and I have) and try numerous dishes on the menu plus a glass or two or three of wine. Go for lunch -- is is increasingly challenging to fine such a great location open for lunch these days. read more

Date night with the lady, we sat at the bar and Roger clearly knows his menu and took great care of us. Food was unique, interesting, balanced and delicious. Squid and shrimp ceviche and the octopus were both awesome. read more

Food was delicious, although I was turned off by the prawn heads, my boyfriend loved them. We sat outside and it was kind of romantic. Service seemed really slow however, and there weren't many other people there, so that was confusing. Out waitress was really sweet though, maybe she had her hands full elsewhere. The drinks were good, I recommend the walking spanglish read more

See all

Absolutely a must do!!! Sari brings a new melt in your mouth innovation to everything on the menu!!!.... The chicken dish is so savory you can't put ur fork down , the shrimp heads are worth fighting ur date to get the last one ... (I m checking if I can get them shipped to me daily via fed ex!!!)... The drinks are mixed with fresh and original flavors perfectly blended .Last , however most of all , save room for basque cake .... Basque cake basque cake where for art thou basque cake , desert that can put a smile back into any day. ... read more

Mfk - Great place for food first and add some great memories - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Freshest, most creative seafood based small plates in the area. A really, really adorable spot for a date night. Don't go in without a reservation though - the space is tiny! The menu is always changing but be sure to order the ceviche. Never disappoints. PS this place is pricey so make sure it's a 2nd or 3rd date you plan here ;-) read more

This has to be the best restaurant I've eaten at in the past year. I absolutely LOVED everything I ate here. Every bite was so fresh and perfect. Wow. So happy. Thank you, mfk!! read more

Food is what this place is all about! The corn dish was ridiculous! (So good!) We also had cerviche and octopus.... Did not have room for more, otherwise would have tried several other tempting dishes!! We shared a beer and a glass of wine...enjoyed the setting and food immensely! This is a foodie's delight The cacti are beautiful part of decor and loved the yellow accents everywhere. It was raining, so we did not dare venture to the outdoor seating. Outdoor seating was an adorable area. The bathroom could use redesign, it has potential but was unfinished looking and quite dirty looking also. Also, could see into the kitchen and first thing there is....a garbage can. Would love to see curtained off. read more

We dined here for a New Years Eve meal and it was amazing. Every bite of food was incredible, the staff were super friendly, the place is very cozy, and the drinks were incredible (especially the cocktail with mole and reduced port which was absolutely extraordinary). We will definitely come back and recommend this place to our loved ones! read more

Atmosphere smaller than expected but cute. Had many small plates. Crab croquettes were delicious! All in all good experience...until...we are about to get bill and someone comes over to tell us a new reservation needs our table and we need to leave. Totally understand concept of turning tables but this was a bit aggressive. Especially after we were spending $100 a person. read more

MFK is a fantastic neighborhood restaurant tucked into a cozy basement space. There are only 8 tables, but there is plenty of additional seating along the prominent bar. A wonderful bartender served delicious and unusual craft cocktails...I especially liked my Mary Francis Kennedy...named after the restaurant's namesake (a preeminent food writer who the owners revere). Food standouts were the cerviche, pork/veal meatballs and boquerones. Everything was delicious and the service was attentive and friendly. I will definitely be back! read more

This restaurant is insane! Great food awesome service. This is a must try. We had 4 dishes all exceptional. Nice ambiance and good music. We went on a Sunday and there was plenty of tables with no wait at noon. read more

Lovely little below the street level spot; bright and airy. Well thought out dishes expertly prepared. read more

Spectacular. Every bite was perfect, and we had 8+ dishes for them to potentially mess up! The bakery breads are simple and crusty and perfect for the sardine butter. Highly recommend the savory sour notes and crunch of the haricot vertical, and the beets salad cannot be missed. The white anchovies crostini with peas was another hit. The albondigas over grits were great, but the tomato relish steals.the.show. the octopus was fabulous, but didn't quite knock me out. That said, if you love octopus, they do it right here. If you are a fan of som tam (Thai green papaya salad) you won't be disappointed but there spring pea salad with cucumber, green papaya, and poached shrimp. Finished off with the basque cake (so nice we ordered it twice) there's a reason they only have 1 dessert on the menu! read more

Went for the first time last night and it did not disappoint! We went on the early side (6:30ish) in hopes we could get in without much of a wait. After a call to see what we were in for, they actually offered us two seats at the bar that were still open. 10 minutes later, we were in them. It is teeny tiny but you somehow don't feel cramped. Fun, loud but not overwhelming music, intimate atmosphere. The cocktails were great, the wine was very good and incredibly affordable. I think all bottles were $30-$50. Mostly whites and rosés and a handful of reds. The food was fantastic - standouts were the ceviche, whole shrimp in chili oil, meatballs and Brussels sprouts. Our very helpful and friendly bartender also talked us into the one dessert of the night - an almond cake that I think was about 90% butter. So....it was awesome. Would love to go back again very soon! read more

Spectacular fine dining in East Lakeview. I love this place. The device is friendly, the food interesting and fantastic--with a heavy emphasis on seafood. The ambiance is casual. Nothing to dislike here! This is my go-to place for high quality food and casual attentive service. read more

When I hear a new restaurant has opened and the owners inspiration was Barcelona; it's immediately a must visit. Barcelona is a food mecca haven and the seafood there is out of the planet. I was undoubtedly very excited about MFK. I am going to give this restaurant another chance. Our first visit was however a bit underwhelming food wise. The interior is small, yet intimate and inviting. No reservations allowed. Most of the food served at this restaurant is meant to be paired with rose or white wine. We selected the Ameztoi Txakolina Rubentis Rose which has just a tad of effervesce and was completely delightful. At only 11.5% alcohol, this is a fabulous wine to sip with or without food. I overheard the owner discuss the restaurant Cal Pep in Barcelona as the inspiration for MFK. I was instantly smitten. We had a phenomenal lunch at Cal Pep and words cannot describe the revered institution it is. Our food order included the following - salt-cured anchovies on buttered bread, tortilla de chicago cold egg omelette, manchego cheese & speck croquettes, seared corn, and the 1/2 lb fresh whole shrimp. The restaurant believes in clean and simple flavors. The anchovies were good but the ones I had in Barcelona were more memorable. I'm used to a heaping of salty anchovies on bread; at mfk you get a tiny serving on each piece of bread. The cold egg omelette was a bit lacking in flavor although the fluffy cod brandade made up for it and just melts in your mouth. I probably could have used about 3 more scoops of the brandade. Croquettes are bite size and flaky delicious when dipped in creamy aioli. My favorite dish was the seared corn; the smoked paprika gave it an interesting twist and I loved the cotija cheese mixed in it. Cheese mixed in corn! I like it! Just wish I had more of this dish. The main course of the night was the plate of whole shrimp; once again I found myself comparing it to the prawns I had at Cal Pep. This is a simple dish, the shrimp are sautéed in chili oil and brings out the flavor of the seafood beautifully. Remember - the entire shrimp is to be enjoyed.... My favorite dish of the night had to be dessert. Portions at MFK are small so we were up to getting dessert and not sharing. There's only one dessert - the basque cake and it is fantastic. It's like pound cake and buttery, crumbly, salty, and dreamy. Our waitress paired it with a orangey liquor based drink called shrub rocks which totally "rocked". Overall, a nice dining experience. I'll probably be back sometime to try out the other dishes but not very soon. This is an expensive restaurant. read more

It should be noted that I am not a seafood fan. That is until I stopped by mfk. The menu emphasizes small plate options that are meant to be shared, and the results are truly impressive. Word on the street is that mfk does not have a walk in cooler, meaning they get a fresh shipment of seafood on a daily basis. This is how seafood is meant to be consumed. As good as the flavors - specifically the Scallop dish (OMG) - taste, the service was the shining star. This is a very small restaurant, but the team is graceful, and fun. They are welcoming, giving of an intimate vibe. mfk offers some of the best seafood in town, with a staff that follows suit. read more

I have this list of restaurants that won 2016 Bib Gourmand awards from Michelin. My girlfriend and I paid this one a visit on a Saturday night. It's a modernly decorated place, with peaceful and romantic atmosphere. Space was a bit tiny inside and it's summer time so we moved to outside seating. My advice here is do not pick the two-people seat in the middle as grass leaves would poke right in your face. The menu had 4 sheets, food on the first one and alcohol on the rest. It was not a hard decision to make since Papa Midnight serves two people as described on the menu. The drink was served in a Pineapple gold tumbler. The one you could buy at Bed Bath& Beyond. Two pieces of small bread were lit in half lime and floating on top of the ice. With all this fancy stuff, to me, the drink tasted like ordinary vodka mixed with lemonade. We ordered three courses. The oxtail & potato croquettas was the best. I have never thought oxtail would be cooked so well with fried potatoes. It's crunchy (croquetta) and chewy (oxtail) at the same time. The other two courses were Cauliflower and Seafood fideous. Mentioned by other reviews, the size of the courses were small. we got three florets. Seafood fideous included two pawns, three mussels and two clams. We were only half full after the dinner and my girlfriend was even researching burger places near by for us to fill up the rest of our belly. Cauliflower was OK. I haven't had chilled cauliflower before but now I knew I would prefer it roasted. Seafood fideous was supposed to be their must-try but it was too salty. Everything came with a huge price tag which they probably did not deserve. read more

See all

In the front window they have a sign that reads "girls just want to have fundamental human rights". While I was dining with my son on their patio today (on a particularly warm June afternoon) a slightly disheveled man sat down across the patio from us that seemed like he would not be able to afford lunch. I was very curious to see how the staff would respond seeing that sign in their window. True to humanitarian form, the server told the man he could sit there and brought him out some water as well. Being in the industry, I know it's normally very often that we ask those down on their luck that cannot afford a meal to kindly leave the premises. The server's small and simple actions actions today proved that this business has a heart, and truly cares about its fellow man. Oh and the food was pretty darn delicious too. Kudos mfk! read more

Absolutely incredible food and lovely little space. We had many dishes and were sitting at the bar and our bartender Jason was full of amazing recommendations. I had the evenings special (a whole sea bass). Perfectly flavored and cooked. Other highlights were the croquettes, civeche, and anchovies and literally every cocktail on the menu. Cannot wait to return. read more