This mini grocery was my father's favorite store because of a different variety of liquor including…read morewine and beer. The liquor shelves were fully stocked and organized well. They also have fresh veggies and fruits. Also if you're looking for a good quality and local coffee Garden Gourmet has.  I bought four bottles of different kinds of wine and a dozen of beer that I will give to my father. He also asked me to buy him a Montrose because he hasn't tasted it yet. And I'm sure he loves it because the owner of the mini store described to me what it tastes like. Owner also recommended the Rose wine Underwood and I bought also this.  And also if you are looking to cater your party they have a service. You can see the photos of their food in their business photos. I highly recommend this mini grocery if you're looking for a different variety of liquor.

One might wonder how does a market almost a block away compete with the Jewel grocery, but it does…read morein so many ways. First when I walk in I do feel transported to a market that I might wander into Smyth travels. It has a little bit of everything along with quality products, and during a time like the pandemic one can appreciate it even more for all the clutch things you need. I appreciate the variety and the staff is helpful without being overbearing. Prices are reasonable.

If you're looking for authentic tacos, this place is absolutely worth the trip. Between the…read moreincredible Selena mural outside and the fact that it's tucked inside a liquor store, the whole experience feels like discovering a hidden gem. I eat a lot of tacos, and this was, without question, the best pollo (chicken) taco I've ever had. I was expecting the usual dry, bland, or overcooked chicken, but instead it was incredibly juicy, packed with flavor, and generously loaded with meat. Every bite was outstanding. The only downside was the wait time, but once the food arrived, it was easy to see why people are willing to wait. If you're a taco lover, this is a must-visit. I'll definitely be back.

This is a small liquor store that also sells tacos. The tacos were good and had plenty of flavor,…read morebut the service was extremely slow. There were no other customers, yet we still waited about 20 minutes for only two tacos. The food was worth trying, but the wait time definitely needs improvement.

One of Chicago's many virtues is its sandwich game, and L&M sits at the top of the short list!…read more The shop doubles as a specialty foods store selling hard to find items, with a standalone station carving up fresh meats and assembling the sandwiches. I appreciated that they have ample seating room for eating them at maximum freshness. We ordered the turkey & Brie and roast beef sandwiches. The bread was super fresh with the perfect crunch and chew. No ingredients were skimped upon with the perfect balance of flavors. I loved how the crunchy apple contrasted the slab of Brie on the turkey sandwich, and the roasted garlic aioli brought a great savory balance. The roast beef sandwich was pretty spicy and I loved the slight smokiness of the provolone. We left very satisfied and with leftovers. I would 100% stop by again in a heartbeat and absolutely recommend paying a visit!

Located right across the street from Wells Park sits an unassuming deli, and hidden gem in the…read moreRavenswood neighborhood. I stopped in here after seeing posts on social media and I was not disappointed. I ate two of what quite possibly may be some of the best sandwiches I have ever had. The turkey and brie sandwich is out of this world. It has a smokey taste to which is supplemented by the subtle taste thinly sliced Granny Smith apples. The porchetta sandwich is perfectly salty and has perfect portions of meat, greens and fried capers. Both sandwiches are served on the default, fresh ciabatta bread. A true hidden gem, though likely not for long.

Still an amazing spot! We came here on an afternoon and enjoyed quiet bar service. We went with 3…read morecheese and 2 meat build of our charcuterie board. Loved all the cheeses and they were complimented with fig, strawberry and a citrus butter that was mesmerizing. I also can't say enough about the friendly service. The staff made great recommendations and answered all our questions.

Second time here! We thought of this place because we wanted to get some cheese for a picnic. This…read moreis one of the few fromageries in Chicago. They sell almost everything you need to create a charcuterie board: fresh cheese, meat, chocolate, jams, nuts, pickled veggies, etc. We chose three cheeses and the amount we wanted. I do wish they had some little descriptions about the cheeses on their name cards. It also seems like they eyeball the amount when they cut it, so you might get more or less of what you ask for even though the price depends on the weight because that's what happened to us. We also bought some cornichons, malort pickled tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and fig jam!

My daughter told me about this place that's down the street from her apartment. In my mind, I…read moreenvisioned it as a typical mall type food court. I couldn't have been more wrong! So many unique food options - Korean, Italian, Cuban, Hawaiian, a bakery, a produce market, and a mini mart. I chose Firenze based on my daughter's recommendation, and it was delicious. I will definitely be visiting again. Great lunch option, and I'm sure it gets plenty of foot traffic around the train schedules.

The market itself is on the smaller side, but it's a cool concept with a mix of local vendors and…read moredifferent cuisines all together. It has that casual food hall feel and is easy to walk through quickly. I stopped by a Turkish dessert spot (Vertige) and the service stood out right away. The server was super friendly and offered samples of everything, which I loved. The caramel tres leches was really good, definitely the highlight. I also tried the beef börek, which was just okay. I wish it had more filling and was a bit crispier. Overall, a nice spot to explore if you want to try a variety of foods in one place.

On a recent work trip to Chicago, I had the chance to experience all of Eataly's offerings. During…read moremy first visit, I picked up some sweet treats to enjoy after dinner. First, I explored the endless snack aisles and selected a bag of chocolate-hazelnut biscuits to take home. I couldn't resist the gelato and tried the pistachio flavor (yum!) On my next visit to Eataly a couple of days later, I ordered a cappuccino, and while my beverage took a long time to prepare, the espresso tasted very high quality. The pastries looked stunning and decadent, and I imagine they'd pair wonderfully with espresso if you have time to linger at the cafe (I was in a hurry to get to a work meeting). The next day, my team and I visited Eataly's restaurant for lunch. I selected the anchovy toast as my starter and the gnocchi for my main as part of the lunch special. The toast consisted of two slices of sourdough bread topped with creamy lemon spread and anchovies. The contrast of the bright lemon flavor with the ultra-salty anchovies was tempered by the creamy butter - these all paired together quite well. The gnocchi, on the other hand, was underwhelming. The gnocchi was much too soft (it had the texture of mashed potatoes), and the red sauce was bland. All in all, visiting Eataly was a cool way to experience gourmet Italian food.

We have never been here before and saw they offered a summer Fridays tasting event. The event…read moreitself I wouldn't recommend - they give you tiny sample portions of preselected items on paper hotdog containers. Considering this place is supposed to have some class, we were pretty appalled that they seemed to do the bare minimum for this event. I felt very deceived by how this event was advertised online vs in real life. It seems they intentionally left out details and was marketed as five tastings at five counters, but we receieved barely a sample at each sation. The website said 1. house made pasta - you have one option and it was three bites, no vegetarian option 2. roman-style pizza - only thing I won't complain about although still a small portion 3. Curated drink from Caffe Lavazza - this was a dixie cup portion of a blended Frappuccino 4. house made pastry - they gave you the option of literal bite sized dessert, not a whole pastry 5. the artisanal salumi and formaggi - pathetic, literally 1 piece of meat, three pieces of the same type of cheeses, three olives, and dry stale crackers. Honestly for what they offer this was a slap in the face and from a consumer perspective Eataly's attempt at a summer money making scheme. I would find it hard to believe anyone who rave about this event, in fact I imagine most left very underwhelmed and still hungry. Eataly itself might be a great experience but we did not have the opportunity. We enjoyed the spritz drinks we ordered for their $9 summer special but this event did not make me want to return at all. It unfortunately dangled everything they could have offered in front of us, but then gave us the lowest tier. Driving in traffic to do this was not worth the time, gas, parking or inconvenience and the best part of our city night was when we stepped out of Eataly.

Logan Oyster is amazing! I had the opportunity to try them out at a pop up during the fall. Oysters…read moreare my absolute favorite and Logan Oyster didn't disappoint. The oysters are fresh and flavorful and honestly simple amazing. I highly recommend 10:10 and follow them on social so you can catch them in the city. The owner is amazing and super friendly and go above and beyond to ensure you have a great experience.

Saw Rickie's booth at a Vibes on Logan and I was intrigued. Got some oysters and I was delighted.read more

Such a cute little market. Many options I have not seen at other stores. Also a lot of gluten-free…read moreitems which makes me very happy. The checker was very friendly.

I love this place! I've been shopping here for 5 years now. I recently moved out of Bucktown/…read morewicker park and over to west loop but still make it a point to come and shop here. It's one of my favorite spots. Very ambient vibes however they recently changed the music up, not sure how I feel about it. Otherwise, it's great, affordable and the staff are always so pleasant.

Super cute little cafe! Nice amount of seating available. Loved they have a great variety of…read moredrinking chocolates and truffles. Also love that you can get a drinking chocolate flight. This comes in a set of 3 mini sizes. Staff was super accommodating and very patient with my decision paralysis of trying to choose flavors. They had great recommendations and our order was up quickly. Tried the hazelnut, semi sweet, and cardamom rose. Really enjoyed it! The marshmallows are also house made and were delish! Tried the truffle of the week, Baileys and they also had a line of brewery inspired flavors, so I tried the Clementine Cider. One also random star of the show is the well stocked washroom! Equipped with ample space, changing table, baby wipes, diapers, sanitary pads and tampons. Kudos for being well stocked for all the ladies and mamas out there! Can't wait to come back to try the other drinking chocolates!

This is Review: 1234 - couldn't resist!!!!…read more Stopped into this establishment after Diva Dance to celebrate one of our members birthday. We grabbed some divine hot chocolate. I opted to try the goat cheese walnut dark chocolate while they prepared my drinking chocolate. My candy was delicious and goat cheese pair well with the chocolate. For my drinking chocolate, I got the Koval Bourbon Drinking Chocolate with Salted Caramel Marshmallow. It was fantastic and a nice warm up to frigid temperatures outside. All in all, a good way to warm up. Lots of options for food. On this occasion it was pretty packed but everyone was in jolly moods considering the holiday season.

Everything about El Mercado makes me so happy. The vibes, the family who owns it, and of course the…read moredelicious empanadas. They are made fresh everyday and are my favorite in the city. The corn and cheese empanada is will change your life. If you come here, do yourself a favor and get it. On my most recent visit I also tried the pepperoni which was also fantastic. El Mercado is cash only, and owned by the amazing folks from tango sur -- the delicious Argentinian steakhouse next door!

BEST empanadas I've ever had. You can find them right in front of the store. There are so many…read moreoptions to choose from but my favorite was the corn and choose. You can get everything heated up and they're made fresh in house. Cash only! There is a deli in the back and the convenience store itself has all the essentials you need to make some great food. Service was fantastic and I think everyone needs to experience their empanadas!