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    River North Bistro

    4.1 (59 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

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    RIVER NORTH BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - River North Bistro

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    Reviews With Photos

    Rie U.

    TLDR: service was good and food was solid but it's a hotel restaurant prices for sure. Also, some of the breakfast items look identical! We ordered the American Breakfast, Avocado & Goat Cheese, and Wild Mushroom Toast and they all came out looking like the photo below. We were so confused for a second! Apparently, bc the egg goes on top of the toast with stuff on it, everything looks the same lol. Anyway, our food was pretty good but portions are smaller (compared to other brunch places). Service was spot on. It's definitely hotel restaurant prices, imo.

    Expresso
    Danielle M.

    Loved the pancakes here! After yoga on the rooftop, we came down for brunch and drinks. I was surprisingly pleased! We did not expect to enjoy such a flavorful meal! The eggs were good, loved that salsa that came on top! Pancakes were to die for! Fluffy and delicious! Tequila expresso, was one of the best I've ever had. Took one star because the service was a bit slow; found ourselves constantly looking for our waiter, initially and at the end of our meal however I will say, once we ordered, that food came quick! I'd definitely return! Waiter was helpful and easy on the eyes! Good space for everyone!

    Corn & Cheddar Fritters
    Jacqueline L.

    The place was empty at 5pm on a Wednesday. Servers were nice. The happy hour menu seemed like it was geared more for summer and had not been updated for the fall/winter season. (Aperol spritz was one of the drinks featured) The food left much to be desired. Very mediocre. Nice place, cute decor, good service, but the food and drinks need improvement.

    Croissant Sandwich
    Erin D.

    Came to breakfast as it was included with my hotel reservation. Seated very quickly, orange juice really good and fresh! Croissant sandwich was good, would've liked more bacon/meat. Pairs well with the garlic aoli sauce. Potatoes cooked very well and seasoned! Indoor and outdoor seating, very nice and quiet ambiance.

    Truffle & Wild Mushroom Scramble
    Annie K.

    Good service, cute outdoor patio. The patio was quite full so it seems business has picked up, but we were able to be seated right away. This was my second visit for brunch. The first time was several months ago when I believe the restaurant was fairly new. At that time the restaurant was pretty but the food was great and also very reasonably priced. This time, however, the food was just ok - the house potatoes were great but the granola tasted slightly overtoasted and our scramble a bit dry/overcooked. If I remember correctly, it seems the prices have increased as well, though I can't say for certain. Hopefully next time, the food will be as good as we remembered it being the first time we went, because we could always use more good brunch options in the neighborhood!

    Side of Avocado
    Kate N.

    Walked in on a Sunday at noon and was able to snag a table inside. Tomas, the manager, was quick to greet us and make sure we were spoken to because the hostess had stepped away. Although they seemed understaffed a bit because he also had to take our orders and seat us- we would've never noticed! He was quick to take orders, refill drinks, and bring our check. All around great service. As for the food, we were very happy with everything we ordered. I had the Ham & Swiss Omelet with avocado on the side and my friends got Steak & Eggs and the American breakfast. The Ham& Swiss omelette was a great size and delicious- and the breakfast potatoes were just as good. The avocado was fresh and an appropriate amount for a side order. My friends both loved their orders and said they would definitely order the same things again when we come back. As a plus, the interior was nice, modern, and very clean. Will definitely be back!

    The Doctor and GM Tomas
    Denyce M.

    Came here for brunch, stayed for the bottomless mimosas. At $22 a pop, this is a very good deal for a downtown location. I was happy that they allowed you to select the juice of your choice (OJ, cranberry or pineapple). Food was good, Lake Benedict (smoked salmon, poached eggs, béarnaise, house made biscuit). This also came with potatoes, which were nicely seasoned. Biscuit was nice and tender and the béarnaise sauce was very good. I also got a "side" of pancake, which was one....should have gotten a full order as it was very good and my daughter dipped into it. The cake was nice and fluffy and the coloring was great. I am picky about pancakes and like a certain brown coloring for them and this one was perfect. My hubby go the steak and eggs and said it was nicely prepared. My daughter got the Truffle and Wild Mushroom scramble with potatoes (scrambled eggs, truffle oil, sautéed wild mushrooms, sautéed leeks). She cleaned her plate, so you can say she enjoyed it :-) She said that the flavors were light and the dish itself was just the right amount of food. Service was great, with the server being attentive. He kept those carafes of mimosas coming. The time limit for mimosas was 1.5 hours, but we were not rushed or stopped from our quest to get hydrated. We also met the GM, Tomas, who was also very nice and helpful, doing things in and outside of the restaurant. There is a lovely covered outdoor seating area. Would have sat out there as it looked inviting but the wind was too crazy that day. We will definitely be back as they offer a Happy Hour from 4-6 pm, Sun-Thurs. Happy Hour on a Sunday? Count me in.

    Egg Scramble
    Faheem A.

    After checking out of our Hotel Eurostar we decided to try River North Bistro. We tried the Hot Honey Chicken which was pretty standard- though we didn't really taste any "heat" or any honey. This dish was still acceptable as it was crunchy and had flavor. Our second course was the Egg Scramble which was pretty good.... We should've added some sort of meat to it as that's all it was personally missing. The service was superb. We didn't wait long for anything and they extremely quick with everything. I will definitely be back to check out more of their menu.

    Unsweetened TeA
    William P.

    Came here for a nice afternoon brunch with my two best friends. Seated quickly without a reservation, served water promptly. We all ordered the American Breakfast, came with Cholula and ketchup. The eggs were perfectly scrambled. Potatoes were well seasoned and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I got the turkey sausage, it was juicy and slightly sweet. The bacon was well cooked and crisp, you get 3 per order. The ice tea was really good, unsweetened but had flavor to it that made it just right. Staff will attentive, took a bit of time to get our check. The ambiance was fresh and modern.

    Bacon & Swiss Omelet
    Josh F.

    Great little place for breakfast! I had the bacon and Swiss omelette. It was delicious and huge! The potatoes were also good. And, coffee was delicious. The wait staff was very attentive. Inside it is very classy. In total, the bill was around $30 with tip. Not too bad for a sit down restaurant right off Michigan Avenue. I would definitely eat here again.

    Ham & Swiss Omelet
    Allison J.

    Great brunch spot! We ordered an omelette and the mushroom toast and both were really good. The bottomless mimosas were a great value, and they made sure to keep them coming the whole time. The server was super nice and made sure we got everything we needed. The outside seating was super cute and perfect for a summer morning.

    Nice ambiance
    Rafael S.

    Went for breakfast. Nice welcome, good solid tasty food. Try the Truffle & Wild Mushrooms Scramble, also the Croissant Breakfast sandwiches. Could improve in having better coffee though. Efficient service although the server was alone. Still was nice and timely. Quiet airy ambiance with lots of natural light. Would definitely return.

    Truffle Seared Chicken Breast (subbed for Whipped Garlic Potatoes!)
    Jesus C.

    Stopped by for an early dinner this Sunday and was immediately impressed by the decor and ambiance of the place. We were immediately greeted with friendly smiles and attention. Our server had some great recommendations on the menu and was very knowledgeable. Once our food arrived, there was no conversation at our table die to us digging right in! Everything was SO delicious! Thank you for such a wonderful experience!

    bottomless mimosas

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    Photo of Ally B.
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    6 days ago

    The brunch here is incredible. We loved our server Rus. The food is delicious and it's such a beautiful location!

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    4 months ago

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    Tomas Z.

    Thanks for the awesome review!

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    8 months ago

    It wasn't crowded when i went. Food selection was good, quality, taste, presentation, and service were all very good. I'd go back again.

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    1 year ago

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    Thank you for your great review!

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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Great Happy Hour menu here. We sat outside at their nice patio. And Kevin took care of us!

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    Thanks for the love!

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    3 years ago

    Food was good ! Service was fast & efficient . Nice music playing in the background & beautiful greenery if done outside !

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - River North Bistro

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    Step off the streets of Chicago into a beautifully dimly lit fondue experience is so cozy inside…read morewith the music of a live Spanish guitar that really create a private magical experience. All the premier dinners come with salad, cheese, fondue, and the chocolate fondue - You are just choosing what protein you would like. The Prince Geja combination has a little bit of everything. However, we most liked the seafood which includes lobster and the scallops were to die for! Also the beef also cooks well. Favorite dipping sauce included the pimento mayo, chimichurri, and garlic butter. The cheese fondue is quite rich and the bread is quite filling so maybe get as much cheese as you can on each piece of bread. The chocolate fondue, I think is actually the best course as the Belgium chocolate melts so well and has a decadent but not overly sweet flavor. It pairs well with all that is provided for dipping, which includes poundcake, rice Krispies, strawberries. They also have some liquor that they light on fire at first so you can roast the marshmallows. It is such a well thought out experience. Service flows very well from two waiters who take your order set up your fondue pots for each course, but be prepared to spend at least 2 hours on this experience. Check out the Groupon but also I read a review that they just tack on the extra $50 so it's not really too much of a savings. Not sure if this is true.

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    As a Gemini celebrating my birthday season with other Geminis, it only felt right to celebrate at…read moreGemini! When we arrived, I was a bit concerned because we hadn't received our menus. And that's because the menus were being printed with a personalized birthday message! Our server was attentive, knowledgeable, and struck the perfect balance of checking in without being overbearing. The mussels (provençal-style) were delicious and enough to share among three people. The truffle-parmesan fries: We couldn't tell if they were too salty or just salty enough, but somehow we couldn't stop eating them! I ordered the baby wedge salad with chicken, and while the chicken looked small at first, it ended up being a large enough portion to last the salad. We were also surprised with complimentary desserts: the Chocolate Chunk Cookie Skillet and Buck Russell's Cake. Though I'm not a sweet person, my dining companions thoroughly enjoyed them.

    Over all this place was okay, and when I say okay it was mediocre…read more How ever I would like to point out that the staff and I repeat the staff was very friendly not to mention very welcoming. I came here with three others and we all ordered different things from the brunch menu along with a few drinks. The atmosphere here is open, modern, and pretty eye catching, we all heard a few negative comments about brunch here and rather than just taking words of advice we came anyways. To be honest we should've went elsewhere, the only thing about the food that actually seemed to have any flavor was the fries and even they were a little salty like my wallet when we left LOL The Jumbo (not so much) Lump Crab Benedict at $25 was honestly boring lacking any flavor also it didn't even come with potatoes I ended up sharing my Lincoln Park Turkey Club that was good but even it was pretty basic at $21, the Burger at $21 literally looked like something off the kids menu the bun was bigger than the patty LOL and the Blackened Chicken Caesar at $19 was more like an appetizer size and the chicken at least it was juicy not dry. Other reviews about brunch here seem to be about the same and honestly I think it's funny they don't even try to elevate their food when so many say about the same things. I think the only reason why people come to this place is 1. It's located in Lincoln Park and 2. that makes it a trendy spot to eat. So why bother fixing anything when it's just trendy and flavorless Their brunch is mediocre but apparently dinner is where it's at. However after the experience with brunch I'm not even sure I would even go back. Come here for the staff eat at your own expense maybe your food will have flavor or not but honestly do what you want and keep it trendy

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    4.0(154 reviews)
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    My rating of a 3 is specifically for the Restaurant Week menu though I'll say it definitely didn't…read moreinspire me to come back. I really wanted to like it; this was a nine-year anniversary dinner. Service was really attentive and friendly and I did appreciate that they brought out specific utensils for me as a left-handed person, never saw that before! The restaurant felt a bit bare and sterile, I think I was maybe expecting a little more decor on the table for a Michelin star restaurant. To echo several of the reviews below, the salad was awkward to share and scanty, the soup was good but the bread served with it felt like an afterthought, the sturgeon wasn't anything special though the sauce was quite good, and we are pretty sure the cut of beef was not wagyu or if it was it was not cooked the right way. The beef was the most disappointing part, I couldn't even chew through all of it. The add-ons were the best part - pasta was great and our dessert was delicious. But the rest of the meal was unfortunately mediocre. Hoping that others have a different experience with the regular menu!

    This review is for Restaurant Week!…read more I really like Esmes vibe overall. It's chic and minimalist. I love that the tables are widely spaced out so you don't feel like you're on top of another party. I loved the bowls everything was served in, and the silverware was unique. And the service was great. I appreciate when they left everyone finish before they clear the table. While I thought all the food was good, I think it overwhelming fell flat flavor wise. I don't think anything blew me away like I was expecting which was disappointing. We had the caviar supplement, which they accidentally gave us two of (amazing), which was good but also didn't blow me away. I wasn't the biggest fan of the flavors of the soup but that's probably a personal problem. The sturgeon and wagyu were alright. I wish I left being amazed but I left thinking I wouldn't come back, not even for RW again. I think my favorite bite of the night was the sticky date cake. I think it was the most flavorful but it wasn't the best dessert I've ever had. It lacked SOMETHING but I couldn't tell you what.

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    Dearly Beloved - A SHEEP IN WOLF'S CLOTHING - the miracle berry pixi stick transforms sour into sweet.

    Dearly Beloved

    4.3(133 reviews)
    0.5 miNear North Side
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    Genesis was our server and she was absolutely amazing and attentive. She offered great suggestions…read morewhich we adhered to. Smash burger was . Caesar salad+ shrimp was a hit too. Fried chicken was crunchy and good. A touch sweet for my liking but very good. Truffle fries were a big hit. Also had warm crab dip wish had quite a few shells/cartilage but flavor was good. The drinks were all very good too. Music was nice. You good hear it a vibe to it but it was too loud. We didn't have to yell or talk loudly. We were were celebrating all 4 of our upcoming June/July birthdays and she treats us like rock stars. Great job Genesis

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    Life of the party

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