Great place, kosher, beautiful interior and great sushi! The short ribs, rumaki and gnochetti were awesome as well as the sesame chili cauliflower read more

Had dinner here recently for a family event. This place's reputation for overpriced food and extremely slow service is well-earned. Also, our server seemed to be having a rough night, because he spilled various things on us twice during the evening. In Shallots' defense, they comped us some dessert to make up for it. The food here is a perfect example of why I don't eat kosher anymore. I ordered a simple guacamole burger, because it was one of the less insanely-priced items and seemed hard to screw up too badly. It arrived dry and somewhat puck-like, with "guacamole" made by someone who had no idea what guac is supposed to taste like. I've had better burgers off the Wendy's dollar menu. Pretty sure the french fries were of the frozen variety. The aftermath: I compared notes with my brothers the next day, and learned that all three of us got sick from the food to some extent. Basically, we paid over $400 to get mild food poisoning. I'm dumbfounded that the kosher community continues to support this place after all these years. read more

Needed Kosher food for some friends at a special event. Food was tasty but definitely very pricey. I needed it and found all restaurant choices to be expensive. Our friends enjoyed the food though so that was important. Just should reduce their delivery charges and at least include a salad with the entree! read more

13May19 @ 6pm Large room with a lot of tables and a smaller room at one end for larger parties. We were a larger party of about 20. The service was quick and friendly. We started with some sushi that looked and tasted good. Everything was presented well and looked nice on the plate. The fish dishes were good but a couple were partially over cooked. The 7 oz sirloins did not appear to be sirloin steaks but some very thin cut from some cut of meat. A steak should be: "While 1 inch is a good starting point, the best steaks, especially when it comes to premium cuts like ribeyes and strips, are around 1.5 inches in thickness. A 1.5 inch thick steak - the size you'll find from most premium butchers or wholesalers - is where steak excellence really starts to happen." The fries that came with the sirloin steak were unremarkable and not worth the calories. The desserts were tasty. This restaurant is very expensive. read more

When I am given the opportunity to eat copious amounts of sushi, steak, lamb, a hamburger, and drink Maker's Mark - I NEVER say no. There are some negative reviews on here that do not make any sense, stop eating. Everything served here was on point. Coming from a goy perspective, I do not care about the Kosher aspect but my Jewish colleagues were happy. Each sushi roll was handcrafted and fresh. I haven't ever enjoyed sushi that close to perfect. The lamb was the best lamb I have ever eaten - not overly gamey and seasoned perfectly. Both cuts of steak were cooked medium-rare and did not disappoint. The hamburger was there just because I have an issue with overeating and had to indulge. The server remembered my drink (Maker's Mark, two ice cubes) and did not hesitate to refill my glass. I will return here to eat and drink, even without my Jewish friends. Baruch HaShem read more

Well. Two stars is enough here. I was going for 1, but the sushi was decent and the manager was nice enough to say, "it's on the house". Where to start? Ah yes. Edamame. Soy beans. Takes 1 minute to steam, waited 15 minutes to arrive. I ordered some rolls that were gigantic but good. My hubby got a burger and asked for medium cooked. My sushi arrives, no wasabi, no ginger, no soy sauce... Did I mention my food came before my husbands food? 10 minutes before? At such an upscale place, both parties dinners are served at the same time, no? His burger arrives. It's so well done that its hard...I tapped it with my knife. Rock hard... Sorry but never again. read more

It must be really expensive to make kosher good because, for the price you pay, the quality you get is outrageously poor. Even my orthodox colleague who was the only reason we are there commented that he felt bad that he dragged me all the way to skokie for this. The hostess was unpleasant, the server I'll informed, the dips and bread practically in edible. The alleged wagyu beef probably has a cow in osaka rolling in its grave. I actually stopped at the hot dog stand down the street for dinner afterwards. I grew up in NYC and have had good quality kosher food. This place gives kosher cuisine a bad name. read more

This is the Chicago area's kosher fine dining establishment. Some of the items are standout, while others are just mediocre. Be aware that you will probably pay considerably more here for your entrees than you would at other comparable places. There are a few things I love about this place, like the commitment not to use "substitute foods" like margarine that is so prevalent in kosher establishments. For instance, The gorgeous foccaccia that is brought to the table is accompanied by really nice olive oil as well as a tahini/asian sesame oil spread that is beautifully presented in a Chinese soup spoon. With such amazing accompaniments, you completely forget that in this restaurant, dairy is strictly verboten and there's no butter or parmesan available, even if you were to ask for it. The last time we were here, we ordered the tuna tartare appetizer. I almost wish that we'd gotten this as a dessert instead of an appetizer, because after this, dinner was almost anticlimactic. The tuna was super fresh and very tasty, served with a few cold barely steamed green beans, a potato galette of various colors of potatoes (including purple), a couple of grape tomatoes and a single quail egg dusted with chili pepper. It was really among the best food I've ever eaten in my life. For entrees, my husband ordered osso bucco, which came with a really yummy saffron rice, and was as tender and yummy as you could ever imagine. I ordered duck with bulgur pilaf. The pilaf is studded with beef fry (a smoked beef product similar to bacon), which perfectly accompanies the seared breast and leg confit with rhubarb glaze. I regret to say that I noticed a very slight "defrosted" taste to the duck this time, and the confit was a bit overcooked. They've recently changed chefs, and I just don't think it was as good as it used to be. The duck breast was still seared to perfection, though. Either way, we left happy and too full for dessert. I'd definitely go back in the future when I'm ready for another splurge. read more

I had read good and bad things about Shallots and was intrigued to try this restaurant to meet a colleague for a drink. Fortunately I did not have dinner here. I had a fat tire (a huge one that was about 2 times the size of a normal beer). My drinking companion had a Jack and coke (about 1/2 Jack and 1/2 coke) and we split an appetizer of stuffed mushrooms. The three mini mushrooms were good but nothing outstanding. The atmosphere was alright. However, I was quite shocked to see the $40.00 bill which didn't even include tip. It was quite a rip off. I think I would expect to see this Nine downtown but not a little place in the burbs. I don't even recall the wait staff saying good bye to me and I would not go back here. Try Zhivago, or if you keep Kosher Taboun Grill is a must. read more

I've heard amazing things about Shallots, but I wasn't overly impressed. Don't get me wrong, it was good. It just didn't quite live up to the reputation. I'm not sure if it was that I chose the wrong sushi rolls or what... Since it is a kosher restaurant, yes it is a little pricey....but it's not insane or anything considering it's sushi. read more

It struck my friend and me as we drove away from Shallots that people who rely on Yelp will never go there, and people who go there probably don't use Yelp that often. I think there's some value in maintaining the separation of these two groups. The service wasn't bad, it was just indifferent and kind of sloppy. Exhibit 1: we had a very large group. Two extra people showed up. We told the staff there were two extra people. The restaurant could not have been more than 50% full, and there was no one sitting near our group. Still, it took several tries and manager intervention before we got our table extended (it required them to move a 4-top and set it for two). Exhibit 2: You would not think it possible to mess up a cucumber roll, which has three ingredients: cucumber, sushi rice, and seaweed. Well, "mess up" is probably too harsh, but of the six sections of my cucumber roll, two fell apart instantly upon being touched by chopsticks. For this privilege I paid $6. Yes: SIX DOLLARS for a cucumber roll. Exhibit 3: Miso soup, ordinarily provided free or for a nominal cost, cost SEVEN DOLLARS. Exhibit 4: I had the cutest little salmon roll I've ever seen, all five sections of it, with salmon (I think) hidden so well inside the rice that I may have eaten some. This, also, was SEVEN DOLLARS. So we're up to $20 for a bowl of miso soup and two small, poorly-constructed, not-really-that-tasty basic maki rolls. Why am I not giving this place only one star? Because, for all that I wouldn't ever recommend anyone eating here unless you had no alternative--which, if you're Orthodox and keep strictly Kosher, you may not have, but that's your choice--they still didn't do anything actually rude or unsafe. read more

The fish was delicious, the rest of the food was just ok, but the service was wonderful! Olga was an incredible server, we would come back just for her!! read more

In terms of Kosher Restaurants....I've ate at virtually all of them in Chicago. I was back home in Skokie, and I was hungry. My father and his wife keep Kosher, so they recommended Shallots Bistro. I had never been, but I'm always interested in new restaurants and actively want to help out the local economies. We got there right before the dinner rush...and I was impressed. When we first walked in, I was immediately impressed by the host wearing a suit and all the staff was very well dressed. Even the cooks were very sharp in their chef outfits. We were seated right away and greeted by virtually the whole staff. The waitstaff was very friendly and super helpful. I asked the waiter if they had any "English Style Ales" and he said he didn't know but he'd check it out. That was nice. He came back with a beer that wasn't on the menu but they had featured it in a beer tasting the day before. It was a good choice and I didn't mind him checking with his boss because he was truthful and for his sake the beer tasted great. My father and his wife ordered two orders of the Spicy Tuna Rolls. I tasted it and was a fan right away. I especially liked the strings of sweet potatoes on top of the rolls. I ordered the Veal Burger, which was very juicy and tasty. The homemade french fries were delicious and really, really, good. Overall, the food was very good. The staff was very nice and accommodating. This is definitely a place that a family could come to and have a nice meal at and also a place where you can bring business clients to and have a steak and a nice glass of Scotch. Well done, Shallots Bistro. read more

I really liked the ambience, service and food. Spacious and expensive, well worth it. French American kosher eatery with Moroccan twist. Great appetizers and entries. Large sizes too. Drinks are freshly made and delicious. The waiters and waitresses are phenomenal too. read more

Shallots Bistro - Awesome trout - Kosher Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

They used to be really amazing!!!!!! Great service, fast, and treated people nicely. Since they switched out manager it's been terrible service!!!!!!!!! They leave you on hold forever or look at you when you come in like you are disturbing them. A look like"seriously you want to sit down and eat HERE" No sure what is wrong with them you would think they would want people coming to eat it is a restaurant after all. It use to be my favorite place to go. Everyone used to be so nice me and my husband use to have dinner there at least twice a week for date night--forget it now. I have no interest in going to a place were I am treated so horribly.It is not a cheap place and if I am spending the money I was service and people to be polite. They defienetly corner market on nice restaurant that is KOSHER but I would much rather stay home then pay money for rude behavior. BRING BACK OLD MANAGER he set a beautiful tone for restaurant that people really appreciated and loved. You can only treat people badly for a short time and they will eventually just stop coming to you. Chicago restaurants close down all the time and main reason is they just think they can be nasty and we have to put upowith it since we keep kosher well YOUR wrong we have other choices...Milts Metro Club Taboon and others who will appreciate us as customers. read more

Wow. What an experience! 1st off, I'll begin by saying that I'm a New Yorker and have been to almost all of New York's (kosher) steakhouses... That being said, let's just say that this place outshines almost every NY joint except for maybe Reserve Cut which is probably unanimously the holy grail for kosher beef. The aesthetic at Shallots is elegant and chic, yet so cozy and laidback. It was truly refreshing coming from NYC where steakhouses are usually jammed and noisy etc...At Shallots, it's mostly full but there's this calm and chill vibe about the whole place. Now for the real good stuff: The food. It's simply delectable. Delicious dishes with a huge variety, all cooked to perfection. The sweetbreads are also awesome! And a huge plus is that the portions are so generous. You really get your bang for your buck. Desserts were also very tasty and funky looking. The service is impeccable too. Staff is super friendly and attentive. Douglas the manager is a delightful guy, that walks around making sure everyone is happy. We enjoyed a lovely chat with him about kosher cuisine and he was super knowledgeable about the whole industry in general...A must-go if you're in Chicago for a visit. It's not cheap, but hey, neither is a Mercedes. ;) Also, remember that kosher restaurants must charge more money simply because 1) Kosher meat is much more expensive 2) They need to have a full time "mashgiach" ensuring that all the food and ingredients are kosher in accordance to all the proper guidelines. read more

Okay, so I'm from NYC. Perhaps I expect a lot. Feel free to take my review with a grain-of-salt. For starters, when we arrived the hostess said, "oh I didn't know if you were coming" Interesting, why didn't she call? We're seated. I choose a sushi roll that seems interesting, the rolls all seemed very unique. The server returns to inform us that the sushi bar is closed. Hmm... What time do they usually close, he responds they're supposed to be open. If the sushi bar closes early why wasn't I informed about that when I made my reservation? Anyways, we proceeded with our order, appetizers came, alls good then they brought my main when I wasn't done with my appetizers. Are you rushing somewhere? That felt very off. Service: I did like that the server was very honest about which foods are popular and didn't give me the generic "they are all good." He was friendly through the night. It was a very pleasant experience. Food: The food was somewhat excellent somewhat ok. I had the veal sweetbreads it was too sweet. My husband had the tuna steak appetizer that was delicious. I had the lamb chops and steak combo the steak was delicious, soft and juicy. The lamb chops were way to sweet. My husband had the prime steak - excellent, again very soft, juicy, and well spiced. Overall: It was a nice experience, the decor was cool, the vibe was relaxed, we enjoyed. read more

This restaurant surpassed my expectations - the best Poke bowl I have ever had! Absolutely delicious, fresh, flavors were bright and distinctive. I had never eaten at a kosher restaurant before - and if this is indicative of kosher quality it will be my new standard. Yummo! read more

Great service, great food, very clean restaurant, & ask for Andrew. He has the best recommendations and takes care of his patrons. Also great place if you have dairy allergies. read more

I have never felt so ripped off in my life. service was pretty slow and food was overpriced. 105 for a "USDA Prime Certified" Delmonico steak which I ordered medium rare. What I got was a thin chewy steak steak with connective tissue and large chunks of gristle around the outside. The steak was a deep purple color almost completely throughout, not medium rare. My dirty martini was 16.50 which is extremely overpriced. After I finished my overpriced meal and gave the waiter my card he brought me back my card and told me there was no need to sign the bill and that there was 20 percent gratuity automatically added to my bill, this was for a small table of 2. read more

5* all around. Sushi is the real deal here. And people complaining about the price, it's not like they're in NY where they'll be maxed out every night, well worth it for people who appreciate great food, service and a upscale spacious steakhouse. read more

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i love this place. The food is always good when i have been there. the appetizers are great as well as the steak! The sushi menu is yummy and interesting... very enjoyable! read more

Ah, how I remember the day of yonder when I strolled into Shallot's Bistro with a lovely woman on my arm and a coupon resting comfortably in my right hand. As we bustled in, I was blinded by the dim lights and stone arch walls, which seem to hold up the building. An enthusiastic waiter kindly showed us to our table, as we had made a reservation merely 120 minutes prior to our entry. A delightfully awkward moment boldly presented itself when the waiter keenly discovered my coupon, which I had attempted to camouflage in my napkin. Seconds later, we were munching happily on crisp slices of bread along with two delicate, deliciously dense dips, which tickled us with their soft fall colors. The soup was hot, the salad was cold, the bright glow of a rainbow shined upon our faces only the day before. Upon reviewing the terms of our coupon, I made the life-altering decision of choosing short ribs over salmon. After all, a cow would surely flatten a salmon in a fight to the death. As for my lovely lady, she decided to throw in the napkin, and feast upon a perfectly grilled feathered friend. My short ribs expanded slightly as I ate my short ribs. As we dove through our grub, we overheard the soft trickle of conversation escaping from tables around us, including everything from stocks to socks. At one point in the night, as I sat there, preparing to pop my puffy beef into my mouth, I was greeted with the sight of a smiling waiter towering over me. "Is everything good here?", he asked, as barbequed ribs hung from my fork, suspended in air. Needless to say, I responded in the affirmative, declaring my allegiance to the fantastic aura in which I had so quickly found myself surrounded. We wrapped up our free dinner with a meticulously wrapped paper bag, containing scraps of evidence from our salad. As my lovely lady licked the strawberry sauce off her shortcake, I was left to ponder the existence of an extra fork resting 6 inches from the edge of our table. An hour later, we sat in my automobile, attempting to realize how marvelous a free dinner can be. You may be wondering, "would you dine here again, without a coupon?" Well, my dear reader, such a question is irrelevant, for I have another coupon. And I'd like to see the salmon knock the sauce off the short ribs. read more

Food and service were outstanding and worth the high price. Less impressive was the decor which is still in the middle of renovations and took away from the ambience. read more

First time at Shallots with family visiting from out of town. Good food, bad service. Waiter ordered and served me the wrong sushi roll, charged me for the roll I did order (more expensive) and rather than be apologetic, the server made a snide remark. As we were exiting, I said "thank you" which was met with a "bye". Beware of bad service and inconsiderate waiter w/ponytail. read more

Went there for lunch and ordered a steak which was the lunch special with rice. When the bill arrived they charged $85 for the steak which is way more than at any traditional Chicago steakhouse like Gibson's. read more

Chef Justin, the sushi chef is incredible! I highly recommend the omakase; he prepared for us beautiful sashimi, nigiri, and rolls, all so fresh and delicious, top quality fish. Get the omakase, or just pick out various sushi dishes from the menu; Chef Justin won't disappoint. read more

My wife and I hosted Sheva Brachot for our son and daughter-in-law on Monday night. Despite having communicated the final headcount clearly, the room had 2 fewer seats than guests which led to embarrassment of my guests. Rather than acknowledging the error in their count, the catering manager told me that it was my fault and that I had extra people. Only after I made them count did they bring in extra seats. They also did not have bread on the tables or dips that they were supposed to have per contract. I was told that there was a bread shortage, but after pushing them, they did finally bring out cut up brioche buns, but still no dips. The waitstaff stopped serving wine in the middle of one of the tables and my guest called me over to complain. I engaged the catering manager and she told me that there were staffing shortages and was very belligerent. No soft drinks were offered and that was also in the contract. I said that I expected a reduction in the bill and was told that she would call the authorities if I didn't pay in full and I am not welcome to host other parties in the restaurant! This is customer service? If you can't handle the crowds because of food and staffing shortages, don't book the parties. I was blamed for being confrontational, but in my opinion Bea should be FIRED. These are stressful times indeed, and we are trying to support our local places, but to have such poor service and very belligerent conduct by management when I am spending thousands of dollars has made be irate beyond belief, especially when they add a 20% gratuity to the bill. I don't blame the waitstaff-- I blame the management. Stay away from this place. I know I will. read more

Jon, Mario and Geo were excellent in their service! This is the best high end Kosher restaurant in Chicago. Best food, best service and best ambience! They even bring you bread for hamotzi! Come here first before anywhere else! read more

What a great Dining experience, the food is perfect and the service was out standing, we told the waiter that we are on the way to catch a flight and they served us very promptly, I also appreciate their portable chargers they loaned us while dining, we had Filet Mignon with grilled artichoke both were just perfect and juicy, I live in NYC and I would fly in just for the dining experience, I have to get some excuse for my business, SEE YOU AGAIN read more

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I always wondered why there are very few cars in the lot, so last week the wife and I decided to find out. First, the dining room is wide open and the hostess asks if we have a reservation, which we do not, so she escorts us to the tiniest table in the back corner of the place. We ask to be moved and are. The prices are very high, so we expect an excellent meal. Boy are we dissatisfied. We both order $45 steak plates and everything is ala cart. The first dishes come out stone cold and we send them back. The second steaks look like they came off a bad Chinese buffet line. I ask the waiter if he would pay $45 dollars for these plates and he confesses he would not. To be honest you wouldn't pay $8 for these grizzle patties. So the manager comes over and starts to make excuses for those pathetic steaks. That was it. I asked him to go ahead and comp us out of there. The decor is nice and they served a good drink, so I might consider giving the bar menu a try, but I don't know when that could be after this experience. Go at your own risk. read more

Great food, ambiance, and service but it's definitely expensive. While Kosher Sushi is a great option it's a bit on the ridiculous side. I realize the undertakings of having a Fine dining restaurant that abides by Kosherate Law is Very expensive but $26 for a salad? Otherwise the place is Great & Food is exceptional it's just the pricing that rubs me the wrong way..of course a Jew complaint about prices is incredibly Ironic but it goes with the Territory lol read more

I have eaten at Shallots a few dozen times. Sometimes my experience is out of this world and other times it's satisfactory. This review has nothing to do with the food. Yesterday I purchased $115 worth of sushi to be picked up; when I got there they gave me the sushi as well as one small cup of spicy mayo and teriyaki sauce. I had such a large sushi order so I requested a few more cups. If this was ordered in restaurant a server wouldn't hesitate in bringing more upon request, however, yesterday I was told that I would have to be charged for the "extra" condiments. I didn't fight with the lady working there, I just paid and left. I just think that something like this speaks volumes about a restaurant. Hopefully Shallots Bistro will do some reevaluation on their spicy mayo policies. read more

The service is so bad I didn't even get my food. I went to Shallots Bistro for an office lunch function. We got there at 11:30AM. The place was empty. The waiter started taking orders around 11:50AM. Out of the17 of us, I was maybe the 4th or 5th person to get an order in. I got something simple because I was in a hurry. So I ordered the classic burger medium well. The person next to me also ordered the same thing but with modifications. So it's now 12:20PM and I'm still waiting for a simple burger. The person who ordered after me was almost done with their meal. So I asked the waiter if I can get it to go and I was still waiting for another 10 minutes until I looked around and saw everyone was either done eating or getting ready to go. There was a number of people who ordered a burger of some kind, yet mine never came. I just got up and left and didn't even bother waiting anymore. I know this might sound like overreacting but maybe Shallots Bistro do not serve black people. All I can say is before I went there I was hungry, and after being there I lost my appetite and didn't even eat anything. read more

Easily the best kosher restaurant in Chicago, but also the most expensive. The sushi is also easily the best kosher sushi in town. To save money and have a great meal, sit at the bar and get the mushroom burger - fantastic and under $20. read more

The gem of Skokie. It is a mix of the upscale and the downhome. I don't know how they do it but they do. The food is great and the service is fantastic. You can trust it is kosher and trust you will get great food. read more

Food was fair at best.....overpriced....waiter was extremely rude...will not return

Have only ordered delivery from them so this review is strictly for that aspect. Delicious food, and when they overcooked my hamburger the delivery man apologized and gave us a discounted bill. I am usually wary when I hear a restaurant is kosher cause it usually translates to not very good, but Shallots is amazing. read more

I went to Shallots with admittedly high expectations. Many of my kosher friends have gone before and raved about the cooking. I have met former-chef Laura Frankel and have her wonderful cookbook. But Laura Frankel is not at Shallot's anymore, and maybe that's the problem. The service was decidedly casual to the point of rude. We were ignored for at least 10 minutes after we seated. The busboy did drop off somewhat stale foccacia bread with 3 dips and water, but none of the wait staff came by. I finally had to ask one of the waiters if he was taking care of us. He was amiable enough, but still, this is not what I would expect for a fine-dining experience. At each stage, the service timing was off. Our appetizer plate arrived 2 minutes after our salad, and was served at the same time. Our dinner plates must have been sitting about 10 minutes waiting for service to clear them. It took another 10 minutes to get a check. As for the food, well, if the food made up for the service, I would be more generous with the stars. My husband's peppercorn steak was nicely cooked and flavorful, but the pommes frites tasted frozen. Ken's Diner has better fries! My braised beef ribs were decent but nothing subtle or unusual about them. The Caesar salad did not taste like it had a fresh dressing. The nicest course was the arugula salad with shaved fennel. I noted that the menu was still titled "Spring 2008," which I thought was odd. Did they skip "Summer 2008" entirely? We did not sample the desserts, as our pocketbook was already groaning. While we might return to this restaurant to treat kosher-observant friends to a fancy meal, we will stick with Taboun and Mizrahi Grill for our kosher meat fix. Fancy is one thing, but when you don't get the value in quality or service, then it just ain't worth it. read more

This place is ridiculously overpriced. Our group of 4 had the Bistro Steak, Steak au Poivre, Endive Salad, Potato Dumplings and Salad Nicoise. The steaks were average and quite salty and the salads were not very fresh. The tuna in the Salad Nicoise was clearly not fresh and not of high quality. We visited on a Saturday and were dismayed that a number of the menu items were not available. For the high price, you do not get a lot of food and unfortunately, the food you do get is not that good. We had high hopes for enjoyable kosher/french cuisine but were greatly disappointed. read more