Happy hour is totally worth it! Fun drinks and even yummier food. Staff is excellent and the location is very nice!!

In Chicago for a few days and relying on Yelp to take us to new places. Nora was 2 blocks from our hotel. This place is all about service. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted and escorted quickly to our table outside. Mirco was our server and we asked him for recommendations. He was so spot on it was amazing! We started with 1/2 dozed oysters and Tuna tartare. The tartare melted in your mouth and had a mild flavor. You could taste everything from the capers to the lemon in each bite. I'm not a huge oyster fan but my fiancé seemed to love them. Mirco recommended the Sardinian style ravioli filled with melt in your mouth short rib smothered in a rich mushroom and truffle sauce. Heaven!! She ordered the beet salad with salmon and gigantic grilled shrimp added. She just raved about it all. I appreciated great food but great service is what makes it a memorable experience. This checked all the boxes. 5 stars! read more

See all

the appetizers were better than the mains -- we tried the fried calamari, wagyu carpaccio, and burrata, which were all delicious. in terms of the mains, the steak and lamb shank were way better than the pasta dishes. the steak and lamb were pretty tender and flavorful! unfortunately, the short rib ravioli's pâté filling was grainy and felt dry. the oxtail rigatoni was pretty bland and not enough oxtail read more

See all

Fun place for Italian food The cheese was outstanding The prices for downtown Chicago were great. Good wine selection Great service read more

See all

wonderful happy hour! Great mules and spritzes, the pesto burrata and oysters were delicious! And even though it's super close to the hospital, the ambience isn't really affected because the patio is cute and the food is so good! The bartender made it a 5 stars though because he was so attentive ! read more

Nora Restaurant - Mule Happy Hour - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Was in Chicago for the first time and I always use yelp to find new spots. This was close to our hotel and looked pretty good so we decided to try. Unfortunately, the entrees were mid and not worth the price point. I got the Malloreddus and genuinely couldn't finish they had fun drinks and good service though read more

Nora Restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food and outdoor seating area were both very nice. Service was good, but could be slightly more attentive. Members of our party would recommend the Pizza, the beat salad and the carpaccio! read more

See all

We initially went to Volare but they had a long wait, about 1 hour. It was a busy weekend. They directed us to go to Nora Restaurant which they said that there will be no wait and the food is similar. We took our chance bc we didn't want to wait since we have a toddler with us. There was no wait at Nora's and we're glad we dined here. We were seated outside under heat lamps and it's covered. It was quit stuffy and hot due to the covering. We sat in the back. Our dining experience was ok due to our impatient toddler. We ate quickly. But we ordered the grilled octopus, beet salad for apps. The octopus was delicious. Highly recommend it. For my entree, I got the oxtail rigatoni and my husband got the Malloredus pasta. It was all really good. My pasta was extremely rich, so I ordered wine with it. My husband enjoyed his pasta and we had some leftovers . It was a busy place but still had seatings. Servers were nice and understanding to our situation. read more

See all

Saturday night in the city can be a dicey prospect for dinner with no reservations even as a solo traveler. While Nora was busy I was able to find a seat at the bar. Staff was attentive but not overbearing and knowledgeable of wines. She offered a couple of options and tastes of the wine as well. The malloreddus pasta was nothing short of amazing. It made me wish I had a bigger stomach. The bread was fresh but a little oily. I definitely want to try more selections! read more

See all

The service was really cute here!! The waiter was so kind. And the decor of the restaurant is quite nice, I requested for outside seating as you are sitting on a very lively part of Chicago. I got one of the pasta and thought it was so delicious! read more

Ordered oysters, veal and the tuna appetizers. All great except oysters didn't come with cocktail sauce, lemons or horseradish. read more

See all

On a recent trip to Chicago we selected Nora for my friend's birthday dinner. We were able to snag some reservations a few days in advance. The inside is pretty cute with a nice size dining area and bar seating. The menu is supposed to be Sardinian food but it definitely leans more in the general Mediterranean direction. They have house made dips that you can even order as a sampler. We ordered the red pepper-based dip with pita and veggies so I could enjoy it gluten free. The dip was just OK - it needed a lot more salt, red pepper, and garlic and was too watery for my taste. The octopus was really delicious though with a nice sauce and perfectly cooked potatoes. We also got the pork entree which was supposed to be a Sardinian specialty. It was a little strange but still okay. They had gluten free pasta too but I didn't get to try any this particular night. I stuck with wine but my friends seemed to like their espresso martinis. The service was friendly and fast and at times we even had two servers helping us. They also sent out a nice dessert with a candle for my friend which was really nice. Overall this place is pretty good but I'd probably try somewhere different next time I'm in Chicago. read more

See all

I thought for sure I had written a review about Nora, only to discover I had not. This was our second time at Nora while doing a staycation at The Ivy Hotel. This location use to be a Southern restaurant before COVID, and for the life of me I can't remember the name of it, but remember these amazing blueberry biscuits that the chef brought out to us. Nora I will not forget based on their calamari. That was so tender and delicious! I was told that the chef bakes it in olive oil, then grills it. The texture of that is crazy good, soft where you don't need a knife to cut it, but so flavorful. The two times we dined here were very nice. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the food was very nice. The décor inside is charming and their outdoor area is also very nice. For starters we got the tuna tartare, which for me is always a winner. It came with this crazy black lace, which reminded me of the "charred lace" in The Menu for the film's amuse-bouche, with compressed and pickled cucumber melon and milk snow. For dinner I got the Rigatoni alla Norma and The Doctor had the Orecchiette. Both dishes were very good, with the pasta being cooked just right, with that little bit of give in the texture. The last time we were here they had this lovely Braised Beef Short Rib Ragu with Pappardelle (me) and a Seared Ahi Tuna (The Doctor) ...wouldn't mind seeing those dishes again on the menu. We didn't do dessert because we had something waiting for us back in our room, and honestly have no idea what they offer for dessert. But I would say Nora is on our rotation for places to eat. read more

See all

We stopped in here for lunch after a day walking around in downtown! Three of us got paninis and one got the risotto. They were definitely lunch sized portions, but very good! The chicken panini was a favorite, though the prosciutto was tasty as well. There was a lot of pesto was, so I'd choose something else if you don't absolutely love pesto. The mushroom risotto was rich, creamy and cooked perfectly! The service was prompt, and the ambiance was nice for a quieter, upscale place after a busy day of shopping and walking around. read more

Nora Restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

VERY unique cuisine. Purposeful and honoring the true flavors of the Greek region. The bartenders were kind and helpful with the menu. Delicious meal, appetizing and calm setting at the bottom of Hotel St. Claire. Will come back to experiment with more of the menu. read more

See all

We researched on Yelp and chose this restaurant. Then it happened to be next to the hotel we were staying. Convenient, for sure. But beyond that the food was incredibly good and the service top notch. Thank you Nicolas for such wonderful attention to ensure a great dining experience. We will be back!! read more

Came here for a Friday date night with my wife; very charming placing, with warm modern decor. Food was excellent and unique to Sardinian Italian cuisine. The traditional Carasau flatbread was excellent and I had lamb ragu with homemade pasta which was perfectly cooked. I Recommend trying this place if you want to branch out from classic American /Italian fare. read more

Nora Restaurant - Grilled Pecorino Cheese - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

A nice restaurant with flavorful dishes. A very attentive wait staff. They have outside seating and offer price-friendly dishes.

How can this be? I had such amazing hopes and was so excited to have a dinner at Nora... We ate outside and it was such a lively area. The waitstaff was great. The special Red Snapper was to die for. Every bite was wonderful. One member of our party had stuff shells with salmon and the other had a tuna appetizer as the main dish which both were excellent. The issue was the appetizer. None of us liked the 3 sampler dip. Beet, hummus and red pepper. All three just weren't right. The Sampler looked amazing but no taste... read more

A cute interior, attentive service, and good food made Nora a solid 4-star experience for my group of 4. There was no wait at 5pm on a Saturday - my group was one of three tables in the restaurant. The waitstaff, which seemed to all work together to serve my table, made sure drinks were constantly refilled. Portion sizes were on the smaller side, with my culurgiones only consisting of 5 pieces, which I didn't anticipate - though I now understand that this seems to be typical for culurgiones. Charcuterie was a little forgettable and came with four chunks of toast which, which tasted great, but weren't quite enough. Everyone left happy and I'd return again, but I'd probably pick a different menu item since other pasta dishes my party ordered seemed more substantial. read more

See all

We stopped by Nora for a late weekday lunch/snack during a recent trip to Chicago, and it was a fantastic experience. The restaurant has a beautiful bar space that's cozy and elegant. Since it was a quiet time of day, w had the chance to enjoy a relaxed meal with great bartenders who were so friendly! We shared the spread sampler and tuna tartare, both were great! The beet hummus was my favorite of the three. The wine by the glass list offered some good options, and the bartenders were quick to poor a taste to help us decide. Definitely looking forward to coming back for a full meal next time! read more

See all

The Nora Restaurant has a great cozy feel and I loved the bar area. Service was efficient but some staff were much friendlier than others. I ordered the Oxtail pasta which overall was a disappointment for the relative cost. I could justify an almost 30 dollar entree if it had handmade pasta but my noodles were reminiscent of what you could buy from a grocery store box. The Oxtail meat was relatively sparse. The outside seating is nice and I enjoyed the olive spread with the bread but overall I doubt I would return. read more

See all

I loved the house prosecco and the octopus was fantastic. Ambiance is wonderful! Stands out on the mag mile. read more

Nora Restaurant - Pulpo a la gallega - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped in for a drink and an appetizer. The drink was a side car, perfectly prepared. The appetizer was Vitelli Tonnato, so flavorful. The veal was tender and tasty and the sauce was incredible. I live in the neighborhood and if you do, you should try Nora Restaurant. It's cozy and romantics inside and a wonderful setting. Servic by the bartender was excellent. read more

We were visiting Chicago and had dinner at Nora's, which is a Mediterranean restaurant. It has that classic restaurant feel. Service was very good throughout the meal. They have a nice wine list (particularly heavy on Italian wines--we had a couple of nice bottles of red. They provided focaccia bread and an olive tapenade that everyone liked. We were a large party and had the charcuterie plate and hummus. The charcuterie plate was great, with a nice mix of cheeses and meats. I am not an olive fan, but people loved those. Then I also really enjoyed the hummus--it was there version, nice and fresh. For the main course, I had a special which was pappardelle with mushrooms. The pasta was nice and fresh and the flavor was excellent. Others enjoyed the culurgiones (which were shells stuffed with cheese), the beet salad, the pork loin and the linguine. Everyone loved all the pasta, really great. I was too full for dessert, but the baklava gelato sundae was a really big hit. Nora is definitely worth a visit. read more

See all

Nora is a beautiful restaurant located just off of Michigan Av (directly facing the Hyatt). We stopped by for an early dinner with the kids and ordered: -agnolotti - linguine vongole - 2 kids butter + Parmesan pastas - Caesar salad They forgot my Agnolotti and I had to remind them halfway thru the meal. No apologies, nothing by to make up for it. Ok fine. Linguine vongole was good, needed a touch more salt but I understand it's hard to gauge how salty clams are sometimes. Caesar was decent but the croutons were stale and hard. All in all, not a restaurant I would go back to and definitely not one I'd recommend. It's beautiful and a great location but not for me. read more

Nora Restaurant - WOW be careful ordering for kids... $21 for each plate of plain pasta w/ butter and parmesan is highway robbery. - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My colleague and I stumbled across this restaurant while trying to find a place for dinner. Like most restaurants in Chicago, they were fully booked for a Thursday night but had space at the bar. The restaurant has a wonderful atmosphere with Mediterranean decor. Service was fast and very attentive-- I think we got our orders in as soon as we sat down. We ordered two pastas-- the oxtail rigatoni (pictured below) and the agnolotti truffle oil pasta. The oxtail rigatoni was just okay. The other dish smelled amazing and seemed really unique. Would like to come back and try more of the seafood dishes. Great restaurant! read more

Nora Restaurant - Menu - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Was visiting my wife in Chicago as she was working there for week and we walked to this venue for drinks and dinner. I really liked it as it had outdoor seating as well as inside and the food was amazing. Had decent drink menu as well. Had a huge wine list and many different liquors too. My server was super friendly. Would definitely go back next time as well. read more

Great food, top notch service, chill and beautiful ambiance and the music is good too! Bananas foster French toast and an espresso martini (with real espresso) was a great start to the day! read more

Great experience at this Italian restaurant. The octopus was phenomenal. The pasta with seafood was cooked perfectly. The service was excellent! Two ladies working at the bar area were very friendly and helped with my dinner selection. Highly recommend and I will definitely be back next time when I am in Chicago. read more

Nora Restaurant - Octopus was absolutely delicious! - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I came for an early dinner, but I saw that as it approached closer to 6pm on a Thursday night, it seemed to get busier and busier. I didn't realize they had a happy hour menu until I got there. I went with the calamari and the meatballs. I really loved the marinara sauce of the meatballs but the meatballs were okay. The meatballs itself were pretty bland, left with that beefy aftertaste, and was so firm that I needed the knife to cut them. On the other hand, the calamari was wonderful. It was crisp, tasty, and the octopus was tender. The only thing I wasn't too fond of was their dipping sauce for the calamari. I ended up dipping it in the marinara sauce from the meatballs lol. I think I would like to give this place another shot and order from the main menu. Overall, the place makes great for a romantic and intimate setting, whether it be for a small group of friends or a loved one. read more

Nora Restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

The food was good. The wait staff was slow and not thorough. Seemed confused about the wines, and didn't offer a side salad or any other options or ideas about the menu. read more

Amazing food. The octopus was tender and perfectly cooked. My husband ordered the meatballs and they too were amazing. And the cocktails were top notch. Will definitely be coming back read more

Referred here from a sister restaurant down the street, and we took a chance after seeing the great reviews. Food was decent- fried smelt was crispy and the marinara sauce has a nice spice kick. I got the special linguine with clam which is good size portion but could use some more salt to bring out more flavor and is slightly fishy. We also got the lamb shack which was also good. Would be nice to have steak knife instead of regular knife for this dish because the meat is difficult to cut. FYI- we were asked if we want sparkling or still water and we said we would like still water, meaning regular water. Somehow this was translated into water from a bottle and this showed up as $7 on the bill. We would've appreciate more transparency rather than sneaky upsell tactics. read more

Great happy hour at Nora's! Enjoyed a $10 Orosei spritzer and $16 house burger. Sat at the bar and watched bartender make more spritzers--they were popular. And refreshing. Just a 5-minute walk from Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile. Way better vibe than hotel. read more

Nora Restaurant - House burger on HH menu - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I'm confused by the reviews. This was easily one of the most bland, uninspired, flavourless meals I've ever had. The hummus was chickpea paste, almost no taste at all and the panini I had was not better than a hot sandwich from 7-11. The side salad was iceberg, three cucumber slices and 2 halved cherry tomatoes. Even the Olive tapenade was dull. On the positive side it is cute and our server was professional. read more

Walked here and the ambiance was amazing. We got seated and our waiter was amazing. He was so quick with taking our orders and waiting for the food was not long at all. I ordered the hanger steak which so tender and good it had a side of potatoes and arugula salad. You could pour the gravy on top of the steak which was also given on the side. The drinks here was so good. And very pretty presented. Our waiter recommended the burrata and it was so fresh and good. There was also complimentary bread service as well. Really enjoyed this place which was literally across the hotel we were staying at. read more

See all

We went here for a friend's birthday. Service was very good, food was great, dessert was FANTASTIC! Highly recommend the lentil soup and the lemon tart read more

Nora Restaurant - This is on a 12 inch dinner plate! Nice and tart Lemon Tart - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped in for a cocktail. Nice service and pretty interior. Low key spot off Michigan ave. Only reason for 1 star ding was glasses were a bit water stained and could have been polished- seems petty but it's all in the details! read more

See all

My mom and I ate here and it was is amazing. The service is some of the best I've ever had. They asked me if I wanted a refill of my drink when it was empty. The inside is festive for Christmas but not over bearing like most places and a plus for me is that they weren't playing Christmas music. The food my mom and I had was amazing so delicious. My pasta was perfectly al dente and very flavorful. read more

See all