Great steakhouse experience! Great food! From steak, to chicken, to dessert, to appetizers and…read moresides! Great value for the price! Wife and I had an amazing anniversary dinner! Great service and management! Good volume level and welcoming and romantic ambiance. Highly recommend!

This was our first time in Hawksmoor, and the experience was fabulous. Our server Tiara was…read moreextremely knowledgeable of the menu and various pairing options. Definitely recommend stopping by if you're interested in a great experience and great service, and top notch food. Try the Vietnamese Oysters... they are delicious.

Hide+Seek was pretty good! Came here for dinner on a work trip and had the Parisian Gnocchi ($27)…read morewhich has lobster in it. The portion size isn't huge but there's a LOT of fat in this so it will make you feel full! I had had a drink beforehand too so I wasn't "starving," and I left pretty comfortably full. I was seated upstairs at the bar (there's an up and a downstairs bar) and the bartender was very nice, they served me pretty quick. I didn't hang about long but there were several couples clearly on dates, and I would say it's a nice spot for that -- not the fanciest, but certainly more upscale than casual. Bathrooms were immaculate too! Of note, I didn't have a car but saw metered parking directly out front and along the whole street there in shopping area. It was VERY packed but there was a lot of turnover so I imagine if you drove you wouldn't have to circle too long before finding a spot.

We came to Hide + Seek for a friend's birthday. There were three of us, and one person in our group…read morehas been sober for over a year. Two of us ordered cocktails, while she ordered a soda water with lemon and lime. Our server even confirmed, "No spirits? No alcohol?" We all said yes. Service was already slow, but when the drinks finally arrived, my friend immediately knew something was wrong after taking a sip. I tried it myself, and it was very clearly a vodka soda. Instead of taking the situation seriously, our server became defensive and insisted she had rung it in correctly. She took the drink to the bartender, and they stood a few feet from our table tasting it and debating whether there was alcohol in it. It was obvious there was. Eventually the manager brought over a replacement soda water with no apology. We had to explain why this wasn't just a wrong drink. A person who has been sober for over a year had just unknowingly consumed alcohol. The response was a barely audible apology before she walked away, and no one checked on us again for over 20 minutes. We were there from about 8:30 to 9:15 and never even ordered food because no one came back. I finally flagged down our server for the check, and she responded with visible frustration, saying all of her other tables needed her. To make matters worse, after all of this, they marked our group as a no-show on OpenTable, and I had to follow up with OpenTable to explain what actually happened. It felt like an unnecessary final insult after everything else. They comped two drinks, but that completely missed the point. Mistakes happen. What I can't understand is how the server, bartender, and manager all failed to take ownership of such a serious mistake. The complete lack of accountability and genuine concern was far more disappointing than the mistake itself. Seeing my friend's face after realizing she had unknowingly consumed alcohol was heartbreaking, and I'll never forget it.

Tuesday I went to the Blue Door Kitchen and Garden Restaurant at 52 West Elm Street for the first…read moretime. I expected great things from this place and I was not disapointed. From the minute I walked in I was greated by a pleasant staff and was happy to see that this beautiful place was elegant and yet relaxed. I felt at home. We went to the second floor privated room and I was in awh at the wonderful flowers and decorations that adorned the after Wedding lunch. The 25 people in our party were all impressed and relaxed. We were given several options from the menu. I tried the butter milk fried chicked breasts eggs benefict. This was so crispy on the outside yet tender on the inside and was adorned with hollandaise sauce. OMG just perfect. All of this was made possible by one of the best servers I have every dealt with. Her name is Marija who made the whole event flow perfectly. Great management. I intend to return here and let others know.

This place is adorable! We got to sit on the patio which I adored. Looks perfect for a bridal /…read morebaby shower brunch. I had a Cobb salad which was delicious, just the right amount of dressing, it was so fresh and perfect on this hot day. My hubby had the omelette which came with a little side salad of greens and apple slices. The service was good, food was good and ambience was good. If you're looking for a cute brunch spot in the area I'd check it out.

We've been in Chicago for three days and, until now, hadn't found a restaurant we could honestly…read moresay was truly delicious. Café Ba-Ba-Reeba finally changed that. The patatas bravas were flavorful. The garlic shrimp was cooked perfectly. The fried calamari was the only dish that missed the mark for us, as it was a bit too greasy. The highlight of the meal was the seafood paella. Both the shrimp and scallops were cooked perfectly, but what really impressed us was the rice. Paella can be difficult to get right, and the rice had excellent texture and flavor, making the dish a pleasure to eat. We ended with the butterscotch custard which was perfect and the almond caramel bar. After several disappointing dining experiences during our short trip to Chicago, Café Ba-Ba-Reeba finally delivered a meal that left us satisfied. The service was great. She was attentive and efficient. We'd gladly come back.

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba is a famous tapas restaurant in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. Is it the…read morebest tapas I've ever had? No, but it's pretty damn good and doesn't disappoint. Highlights included the deviled eggs, bacon-wrapped dates, and tuna tartare. All very good! The layout itself goes very deep and is decorated very fun, plus it's in a great neighborhood with lots to do. For sure recommend stopping by here.

Great food and service. Bar tenders are great, Managers are…read morealways checking in. Fantastic ambiance. Great experience

My husband and I had a really nice dinner at The Alston. We decided to sit at the bar as we…read moresometimes find the service to be faster as we have small children at home. Our bartender was attentive and our service overall was perfect. The restaurant is dark, romantic and moody which I loved. Everything was clean and well maintained. The food was overall good, but I wouldn't say "Great". We each got a filet and it was cooked the perfect medium rare that we asked for. The tuna crudo was a fantastic appetizer and our favorite bite of the night. It does pack a little heat at first which we weren't expecting but it was super flavorful and fresh. We also split the truffle baked potato and the creamed spinach which were both just OK in my opinion. When I go to a steakhouse, usually the sides are the stars of the meal and these were not bad but also nothing exciting to either of us. The truffle potato lacked a bit of flavor which surprised us and the creamed spinach also could have used a little extra something. I will also mention that as a staunch researcher of menus before I eat anywhere, the menu online is very outdated compared to what was presented to us in the restaurant. There were a lot of items I wanted to get that weren't being offered anymore. Overall, it is a very nice restaurant but for the cost I couldn't say it's my favorite.

I have dined many, many times at La Storia, which is housed in a lovely historic two story…read moreVictorian house with two patios located in the Gold Coast neighborhood. Zone in the front and the other in the back. First off the staff are friendly and professional and provide too notch service. Sometimes when dining out, if you're lucky, you will have an experience where a staff member makes the experience because of not only their service, but because their charm, personality and clever conversation made your evening so much better. Danny, the bartender is that person, and bonus, he also makes great cocktails. The ambiance of the cozy and upscale with a fireplace and the most comfortable bar stools that I ever sat on. On Saturday I met at friend for Brunch. Our server Allie was attentive and delightful. I didn't drink, but my friend had a few Aperol Spritzes which they said were excellent. To start out with we shared the Mediterranea Salad with arugula spinach, sliced peaches, bite sized fresh mozzarella pearls and walnuts with a balsamic honey dressing. It was so fresh and tasty. It comes highly recommend. There are two Eggs Benedict on the menu and my friend had Benedict Pugliese which is two fried eggs on toasted grain bread with arugula, basil pesto and cream buratta with a drizzle of saba which they enjoyed immensely. I had the Benedetto Prosciutto which is two poached eggs on top of sautéed spinach with shallots, prosciutto, a toasted English Muffin with hollandaise sauce and a side of tasty breakfast potatoes. My dish was fabulous with everything cooked perfectly.We did not have dessert, but I have had most, if not all of them. The gelatos are made in house with the flavors being chocolate, vanilla and blueberry. Incidentally, the blueberry gelato is the perfect foil for the lemon olive oil cake. The tiramisu strikes the perfect balance of mascarpone to chocolate, sweet but not cloyingly sweet. Last but not least is their chocolate cake, not too heavy and rich, but perfectly balanced to cap off your evening. The dinner menu is not overwhelming. I feel there is something for everyone on their menus. The provide freshly baked plain foccacia with extra virgin olive oil for the table. As far as appetizers are concerned, my personal favorites are the Arancini, Beet Salad, Salumi Plate, Polpette(meatballs,) and Roasted Octopus for an appetizer. The Bolognese Lasagne and Paparelle Alla Bolognese are my favorites of the traditional pastas. However, if you are feeling adventurous the Malloradeus Chingale is outstanding and is not an easy dish to find elsewhere. The Branzino Livornese is the best Branzino I have ever had so it is a top favorite for me. Some other dishes that come recommended are Spalla Maiale(pork shoulder,) Costelette di Agnello(rack of lamb,) and the Filetto Mignon. So if you're seeking excellent Italian cuisine, with a classy ambiance in charming historical house and fabulous service you cannot go wrong with La Storia.

A little underwhelming for Brunch. It's a condensed menu with only one pasta option. We tried:…read more- Polpette - Burger Mediterraneo - Benedict Pugliese It was all just fine. It tasted fresh, but not like anything that couldn't be made at home. It's not a slam but it just didn't really drive that I want to come back feeling. The atmosphere was great and the service was phenomenal. I was just left wanting something more. It sounded like Brunch was just happening again and they are usually focused on dinner, so if we come back it will be to try the dinner menu

This was my second visit. They redeemed themselves with me because I wasnt rushing to come back…read more Definitely better than my first. I feel like the menu is super limited. The avocado hummus was good but needed a bit of salt. I think I would like it better with crispy pita raher than the corn tortillas. My frozen paloma was awesome. The curry meatballs was delicious and moist. I tried the brussel sprouts and Caesar salad last time the sprouts were great salad was lacking flavor. Overall I recommend and would come back. The service was just okay. I would love to try the brunch. Ive never been lucky enough to sit on the river side outside would love that. I think the ambiance is lacking. The music selection could be better it seems pretty dead.

Came here for a quick trip to meet hubby while he's working in Chicago. He wanted to bring me…read moresomewhere I could appreciate the food and atmosphere. He looked this place up and made a reservation the night I got in. Let's start with the ambiance... BEAUTIFUL! Absolutely loved it from walking in, to going all the way downstairs to be seated facing the river. We started at the bar while waiting for the rest of our party. Hubby ordered his limited edition tequila winter blend, and of course I had to order my Yamazaki. Yes we know our taste in liquor is not cheap, and we don't drink cheap alcohol. So spending over $100 for two drinks we're expected and was ok with that. Bartender was a cool guy. Now here is where and why I'm giving only 3 stars. There were 6 of us dining. The husband told everyone to order whatever they want. Also ordering a few rounds of his tequila for everyone. We all ordered fairly quickly once we sat because we were all so hungry. Food took about an 1.5 hrs to come out. We ordered the octopus hummus and avocado hummus as well. They didn't give us much pita so we had asked for more. That took 30mins to get extra pita. Then I ordered another Yamazaki. That took 40mins. For what? Idk I drink it on a solid cube so no need to shake, stir or mix anything. He said they had to get it from the bar upstairs. It's wasn't like upstairs was 16 floors up. My husband wasn't happy about keeping me waiting. We understand it was packed. But that's mostly every night my friends said. They need to do better. Now the for the food? Absolutely delicious!! Everything except the lamb. My friend barely made a dent she said it was over cooked and dry. She didn't want to order anything else because she didn't want to wait another hour. Would we come back? Yes, to give it another try. Hopefully timing of delivery will be better.

Stylish Fulton Market Brunch with Great Food and Service…read more Booked brunch for two on OpenTable at Aba in Fulton Market, and it's easy to see why this spot is so popular. The space is beautiful--open, bright, full of natural light, and stylish without feeling overdone. We ordered the Short Rib Shakshuka, which was flavorful with just a hint of spice and a generous portion size. The warm, soft pita served alongside was perfect for dipping. The Steak and Eggs was also excellent--the steak and eggs were cooked perfectly, and the fried potatoes were a standout: crispy on the outside while still moist and tender inside. Portion sizes were just right. We also tried both of the recommended brunch cocktails, and they were strong, flavorful, and well balanced. Service from Mike was great--friendly, efficient, and attentive throughout the meal. Overall, Aba delivered a polished and enjoyable brunch experience. Highly recommend, and based on what we tasted, I'd absolutely come back to try dinner.

It was our first time dining here, stopping in on a Saturday for lunch. We managed to snag seats at…read morethe bar, but if you plan to visit, I'd definitely recommend reserving a table. We ordered the grilled chicken kebab along with the tuna and watermelon. The chicken was moist and well-cooked, but the tuna and watermelon dish was disappointing. There was no watermelon at all, and the seasoning was overwhelmingly salty. The cucumber and mint spritz was refreshing, but the bartender was new and not very attentive. Overall, the experience fell short of expectations.