Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Nic + Junior’s

    4.2 (37 reviews)
    Open 4:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    Nic + Junior’s Photos

    Business Info

    NIC + JUNIOR’S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Intimate
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Nic + Junior’s

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Brazilian cheese fritters
    Haley K.

    Really cute space with a happy hour and a Girl Dinner special! Brazilian fusion (Pao de queijo was so good) with a super knowledgeable server. Located right along the river while still feeling tucked away. We had a group of 7 and felt nicely attended to! I will be back!

    James R.

    This little place is intimate and worth your time. Perfect venue for a great conversation over a good meal.

    Foie gras pizzelle
    Lilian T.

    I personally think they have a potential to take a Michelin star someday. If you're curious, go try their tasting menu now. Nic + Junior is a new spot tucked into a garden near the river in downtown Chicago. We came in a sunday at 5pm and it's pretty empty. It's got a quiet, intimate vibe, especially in the tasting menu area, which is separated from the à la carte section and feels a bit more private. You can even watch the chefs in action there. The tasting menu follows a progression of small bites, then a few composed dishes, then dessert. The overall flavor direction is clearly Brazilian & Italian combo, pretty rare to taste. Small Bites: * Wagyu tartare was my favorite -- juicy beef with black truffle. The use of shiso was brilliant. The balance was just right. Rich, but still fresh. * Snow crab claw -- chilled and fresh. Clean, simple. * Dadinho -- a Brazilian crispy rice snack, tasting like a fried rice cracker to me. I liked it. * Foie gras pizzelle -- fine, but didn't leave a strong impression. * Crispy potato with caviar -- really well done. Golden crisp shell, fluffy inside. A great little bite. I loved the concept of these small bites. They were great for conversation, easy to pick up, and fun to explore. Cold & Hot Dishes: * Smoked scallop with coconut + dende -- interesting flavor, though not a standout for me. * Branzino with prawn cannelloni -- excellent. The sauce worked beautifully with the fish, and the shrimp had that nice springy bite which went well with the al dente wrap. Loved the Italian-Brazilian fusion here. * Garganelli with octopus -- great texture again. I think it used the same sauce as the branzino? * Spaghetti alla Chitarra -- my friend swapped this in for $20, found it a bit heavy to finish, but I had a bite and really enjoyed it. Probably because I'd just had two very sour dishes in a row. * Rohan duck -- juicy meat, crispy skin, nicely done. But this was the third dish in a row with the same sauce. And at that point, it started to feel a bit repetitive. A Note on the Sauces and Flavor Profile: The chefs definitely lean into a bright, sour flavor profile, especially in the Brazilian-inspired dishes. I actually enjoy sour flavors, but even for me, it started to feel like a lot, like really really sour by the end of the dining. Scallop, branzino, octopus, and duck all used a very similar yellow sauce (which I think had dende oil). It's a beautiful color and tasted great at first, but after a few dishes in a row, I found myself wishing for more variation. Maybe a little more of the Italian side to balance things out. That said, it's clear the chefs are thinking deeply about flavor, texture, and originality. It's not like I got blown away by every dish, but the creativity and intention behind the menu did stand out. And when a restaurant makes me try something totally new and it works, that's a good sign. If they rotate and adjust the menu, I'd probably come back. Extra shout-outs: * The pacing of the meal was perfect. Smooth, unhurried, and no conversation interrupted. * Our server was lovely! He's warm, attentive, and he seemed genuinely happy about we liking the food. His good energy really added to the experience. The tasting menu is $185 per person excluding drinks, tax, and tip. I'm glad I caught it early.

    Arancini
    Khadijah H.

    I hope hopes of enjoying the dishes from here as it was raved about on an Instagram reel. A group of friends and I came on a Thursday afternoon to indulge in happy hour (HH). We ordered all the entrees from the HH menu minus the burger and we ordered some drinks: espresso martini, boulevardier and a rose. Our server: She really should inform herself better with the menu. She didn't know how to pronounce the name of the bourbon drink I wanted. She barely tried any of the menu items to provide recommendations and she didn't check in as frequently. I'm not sure if she was new or just had a bad day so we gave grace but I do believe that she should work on that. Our food: It's really sad to say this but the food was horrible. Absolutely disgusting. I'm really baffled that no one has given critiques to the chef. I love food and I'm aware that many people cook and season a certain way. Unfortunately, the food was dressed and plated in a beautiful way that just didn't meet taste requirements. The Caesar salad was watery. The dressing was at the bottom of the plate. The arancini bites didn't taste like anything. I felt I bit into air. The ingredients chosen in the fritters didn't pair well and I slightly tasted cheese but nothing more. The rigatoni was the best dish but overly salty. I wouldn't return as I'm not confident I'd enjoy my dining experience.

    Rigatoni Vodka
    Aaliyah L.

    The one star is for the drinks and decor. We went during happy hour and we all enjoyed our drinks, I especially loved my espresso martini. On to the food, an absolute no. Everything was either too salty, or had absolutely no flavor and it was very disappointing. The most edible item was the rigatoni vodka, but still very salty. My kohlrabi Caesar salad was resting on top of a puddle of water & dressing, 0/10. We tried every food item on the happy hour menu except for the burger and needless to say, I won't be back. Lastly, the server knew very little about what was happening on the menu. Any question we asked was either met with "I don't know" or incorrect information. Maybe she needs more training since the restaurant seems to be new.

    Espresso Martini $7
    Vanity H.

    Came here with 3 other Yelp Elite ladies and we unfortunately did not enjoy our experience nor our food. 2 of the ladies arrived before me - I bought a spot hero across the street (right next to dunkin donuts). Wow was it difficult finding this place based on the direction maps gives you! I had to call my friend and she came out to get me and explain directions. The 4th did the same exact thing I did haha so it's not the easiest place to spot. The 2 stars I gave was for the espresso martinis as they were good and fairly priced for happy hour at $7. The food was a DISASTER! The arancini's were filled with a taste I can't explain but was not expecting - I shared this with my friend and she instantly said it was disgusting upon taking a bite. The tomato sauce was decent though but it still didn't mask the weird take of the balls. The fritters inside had a weird texture that was not appetizing. One lady got the caesar salad and it looked like wet paper - I wish I had a photo but just know she was disappointed. The last person ordered the pasta and instantly said it was salty- i tasted it and can absolutely attest to this! Service was mediocre as our waitress did not know what things were on the menu and you could tell she just did not want to be there. The decor gave hotel front lobby. Overall I don't think I'd return.

    Grilled short rib
    Brandon L.

    Enjoyed checking out the newer spot Nic & Juniors. Sat in the bar area to enjoy the open windows and atmosphere, but there also is a nice dining room. The food was all excellent, I usually never waste space on focaccia, but the girlfriend insisted we order it and it was actually worth the price and calories. The stracciatella was amazing and I'm very glad we ordered it. Definitely will go back and even consider the tasting menu.

    Kim B.

    Really nice first time visit at this new neighborhood spot. Kenneya gave great service at the bar and the food was very good. Look forward to coming back.

    Jessica O.

    Went for a Birthday celebration. The coursed meal was superb and the staff were fantastic- friendly - delectable food and great ambiance. Cocktails were also delicious. I've been to almost every whispered or talked about restaurant in Chicago by now and this one is top 3 instantly!

    Our vanilla ice cream with olive oil, drizzle, and chocolate shavings.

    See all

    Photo of Doug M.
    288
    30
    59

    4 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jane B.
    0
    35
    89

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Haley K.
    131
    79
    171

    9 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of James R.
    4989
    1270
    4656

    3 months ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 6
    Love this 11
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    11 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Ryen B.
    216
    1062
    3759

    6 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Kim B.
    16
    82
    53

    11 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Maria S.
    137
    22
    1

    1 year ago

    Amazingly delicious food and such a fun vibe! Great location too! Highly highly recommended!

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Thank you for the kind note! We hope to have you in again, soon.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of W R.
    0
    87
    7

    9 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jen S.
    0
    47
    5

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Thank you Jen for the praise! We hope to see you again soon.

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    I did the tasting menu. The service was top notch. The food presentation, flavors and quality was PHENOMENAL. Five-star experience.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    I loved this place. Pasta was very fresh and meals tasted very good! The tiramisu was the star of the show. I will go back for that alone.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    The atmosphere and whole vibe was excellent comfortable service. The food was incredible. Incredible blends of flavor.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of R W.
    0
    2
    0

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Serge G.
    67
    304
    1152

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Matt L.

    Matt L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Nic + Junior’s

    You might also consider

    The Gage - Apple Pie Basque Cheesecake ($14) - creamy cheesecake, spiced apples, butter streusel. Too sweet in my opinion.

    The Gage

    4.2(3.7k reviews)
    0.6 miThe Loop
    $$

    I got the strawberry Negroni drink and loved it! Very smooth and flavorful. They have good non…read morealcoholic options as well. I enjoyed all the food we received, it was tasty, warm, fast, and you get a good portion. The lobster roll was good, the lamb was good and the zucchini was as well! We got Brussel sprouts for the app and those were my favorite. The dessert was also very delicious and I would get again! They validate parking if you park in the north parking garage for $13. Make sure to bring your ticket with you! More details are on their website. The service was great and the place was clean. I loved the aesthetic!

    We've been to The Gage many times over the years since it's one of our top sit-down spots near…read moreSymphony Center before or after concert. Our favorite dish is definitely the PEI mussels. The broth is the kind you want to keep dipping bread into and practically lick off your fingers afterward -- flavorful, savory, and a little briny without being the heavy creamy type of sauce that some places do. Very comforting but not overly rich. Honestly, I don't even remember all the other dishes we've ordered over the years, but our experiences have consistently been good. Service is polished, the space feels classic Chicago, and it's a great place to relax before or after a performance downtown.

    Photos
    The Gage - Ambiance in dining room. Outside seating available

    Ambiance in dining room. Outside seating available

    The Gage - Guinness Braised Short Rib ($42) - colcannon potatoes, pearl onions, roasted carrots, Guinness gravy

    Guinness Braised Short Rib ($42) - colcannon potatoes, pearl onions, roasted carrots, Guinness gravy

    The Gage - Blueberry French toast

    See all

    Blueberry French toast

    Cindy's Rooftop - Prawns Nayarit

    Cindy's Rooftop

    4.1(2.8k reviews)
    0.6 miThe Loop
    $$$

    Late night dinner and sips after the ghost gangster tour around Chicago! We picked Cindy's…read morerooftop at the Chicago Athletic Association on the 13th floor for stunning skyline views which was the perfect spot to just unwind from the busy day. Though we couldn't see much of Lake Michigan, we knew it was just right there. We enjoyed the fresh Caesar salad, creamy Rigatoni alla Vodka, and warm bread with herbed butter. , and an espresso martini and a glass of prosecco. For dessert, we ordered the baked Alaska (So good), and coffees which ended the night with perfection. Service: Cheers to Anthony for the wonderful service and great menu suggestions!

    We visited Chicago and we looked forward to every single meal we made reservations for, and both me…read moreand my husband agreed Cindy's rooftop is the top among all the restaurants we visited. We went on the memorial weekend, and we didn't know we are getting the brunch intead of the lunch menu. We were so gonna get that fish and chips equivalent, so it took us some time to finally decided on the meal choice. My husband got the breakfast with chicken sausages, while I got the burger. Their burger is great with two thin patties. The veggies and pickles with it is delicious. The bun is pretty good. The fries was decent. His breakfast is so much better than mine though! I tried everything on his plate and it was good! After we finished our meal, we also took some nice pictures at the balcony which you can see all the way to the Field Museum area on a nice weather day. The restaurant is conveniently located near the Grant Park area. We actually visited the cloud gate, fountain, The cultural center, Target/5 below, comic stores, route 66 sign, Chicago stock exchange arch, and the art institution all in that trip. Very convenient! Their reservation opens 2 weeks before. If we ever go back to Chicago, we will definitely visit them again. Hopefully I will complete my Invisalign treatment and can actual eat more food! The elevator is very "vintage" btw. We tried both the express and regular elevators and that was an interesting ride...

    Photos
    Cindy's Rooftop - Espresso martini also #basic but also good.

    Espresso martini also #basic but also good.

    Cindy's Rooftop - Pink Moon Oysters* (Half Dozen)

    Pink Moon Oysters* (Half Dozen)

    Cindy's Rooftop - Heritage Brick Chicken

    See all

    Heritage Brick Chicken

    Nic + Junior’s - brazilian - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...