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

Shallots is way over priced, and the food was not very good. They are horrible people! They are the rudest most inconsiderate staff at any restaurant I have ever been to. Stay away from Shallots. I hope they go out of business! read more

Pros: Some of the food is quite good, nice atmosphere Cons: Extremely poor and indifferent management, very slow service, very expensive, no kitchen coordination; spotty food If you keep kosher, Shallots is really the only restaurant in Chicago for upscale dining. They have a large menu, especially specialty sushi, and many of the items are actually quite good when properly prepared (which, unfortunately, isn't always). Its a nice looking place and generally fairly quiet (I suspect most people don't want to bring children because of the prices and wait times). Service can be very slow, especially if the restaurant is busy, It is not unusual to wait 10 minutes or more for a waiter, bread, drinks etc. that seem to have nothing to do with the kitchen. The prices are really outrageous (they have a captive clientele who don't really have a choice). For that price, I would have thought they would hire more staff, especially in the kitchen. Perhaps the oddest part is the lack of coordination. The sushi is made at a sushi bar and the rest of the food seems to come from the kitchen, The two don't coordinate so if someone at your table orders sushi, they may very well get served 5-20 minutes before, or after, the other people at the table. Even if everyone orders from the kitchen, food is often brought out at different times or some of the food may be cold (clearly having sat waiting for other food for some time). Furthermore, it is a rare occurrence when the kitchen gets everyone's order correct. The last time I visited, three (of twelve) orders had to be sent back (after having waited over an hour). One hamburger was under cooked (and cold), one was way overcooked and one order of such was on the wrong rice. But for family members who insist on eating there, I would NEVER go back, read more

Super expensive......decent food....service is hit or miss. Happy that they are open.

Amazing kosher menu and staff always remembers me and my boyfriend when we come and dine. I love love love their lamb, but it's a bit pricey for one meal and I find it tacky that the receipt TELLS you what to tip.... read more

We went with my partner's brother and sister-in law right after Rosh Hashana, maybe that was why there was no one there? The food? Not so good. Knowing that it is the fanciest of the kosher restaurants in Chicago I will admit, my expectations were set very high and not met. We started with the potato mushroom soup, it was very thin and not as potato/mushroom-y as I hoped for (the waitress said it was "excellent" although she said that about EVERY dish was asked about!). Someone else ordered the tuna tartar, it looked amazing, very contemporary, she loved it. I ordered a pasta dish with fish and garlic, I requested it without the capers but, sure enough, it came with the capers. The waitress begrudgingly took it back to the kitchen and took all the capers out by hand - I know this because it returned to me in a different dish and lukewarm. The fish was dry and in odd sizes - it seemed that it was leftovers from days past. My partner's brother ordered the duck which came with rice and 3 stalks of asparagus. That's it. For $35 we all expected more than rice, the waitress brought him a side of mashed potatoes. Additionally the decor was garishly done, the women's bathroom nearly knocked me over. For all the time and energy they put into placing the tchotchkes, they could have spent on developing better dishes. We all went home a little hungry and disappointed. Thank goodness we enjoy each other's company or the night would have bombed completely! read more

Wow! Not had a meal at a kosher restaurant any better than this! Ambiance, menu, food, service, Top notch, all the way. The dining room is lovely and BIG, so plenty of room between tables, not like on top of each other in a NYC restaurant (where you can overhear others' conversations). Harvey, our server, was dressed immaculately and among the most professional servers, I've encountered. Charming, smart, but deferential, as the best wait staff should be. Huge menu, almost overwhelming number of special entrees and sushi options, too many good options to choose from. My only wish for the menu would have been at least one grass-fed steak option, but I tasted my companion's steak and it was among the best corn-fed beef I've tasted. Pricey, but quality costs $, especially with big portions. Had very good caesar salad (properly tart dressing, and with anchovies! a rarity at kosher places, but keep in mind, a kosher meat place has no cheese or other dairy), great "Las Vegas Roll" sushi (just enough spice to appreciate the heat without masking out the delicate tuna flavor), and an entree of the Pomegranate Rack of Lamb. Great lamb, tender, cooked properly... only downside was the pomegranate demi-glace was a little over-the top sweet for my taste, verging on cloying, but still very enjoyable and allowing the subtle difference between lamb and beef to be tasted. Overall, kosher dining at its best, if you ware willing the pay the prices. read more

Spacious, with diverse menu. Food was good, as was service. We even went back for a second time during our vacation.

I go here quite a bit for business meetings and family dinners....really solid food but on the pricier side, and that was even prior to them recently raising the prices. However, and this is true especially if you keep Kosher like I do, this is the only solid kosher restaurant in the city if you're looking for an upscale dining experience. Excellent drink menu, delicious sushi and a few really good steaks (I'm a big fan of the Jalapeno Steak)....you can't go wrong. For desert go with the Strawberry Shortcake, it's a beautiful dessert and tastes amazing. Thei new manager, Erez, is awesome, by the way. read more

If I could give "zero" stars I would. I couldn't believe the nerve of the prices for such terrible food. Never have I had to saw through a medium rare filet mignon. In addition, i've never had a filet seasoned with oregano. Service was very slow and not attentive. We wasted our money, never going back. read more

I don't frequently visit kosher restaurants unless I am going out with a co-worker who follows kashrut rules. Gotta tell you I had one of the BEST meals EVER at Shallots last night. The sushi bar served some of the most outstanding and fresh food I have ever had. RUN don't WALK and experience this place. AND ask for the Toro sushi roll. Its amazing! read more

Shallot's is great. Even better if you are looking for kosher food. They are a bit on the pricey side but worth the splurge. The wait staff is very knowledgeable and knows exactly what to recommend. read more

Fine food. Service is best from Russian youngish lady. Stay clear of thinnish Asian server at all costs. Ambiance is impeccable.Food is fantastic. If you are looking to impress, look no further. read more

Excellent ,creative food. The service goes above and beyond. Between the delicious food, great ambience ,awesome staff keeps me coming back for not just dinner but an experience Chaya read more

Great kosher food and nice atmosphere, but soooo expensive. High point was the Asian beef skewers (perfect - to die for). Moroccan cigars had good flavor, but the eggroll skins were unevenly cooked and tough - these are much better at Taboun. Tunisian steak had great flavor but was cooked too long. Kobe BBQ ribs had great flavor and were falling off the bone, but the portion was small for the $55 entree price. The dessert was a disaster. It took a long time to receive the pear and almond tart, and it was clear that it had been recently defrosted. Although it was served warm, the inside was cooler and the almonds on top were soggy. My wife bakes pareve French tarts and Italian cheese tarts all the time, and could teach these people a lot. I know kosher meat is expensive, but food cost is normally a small part of the total. But here it appears that the price of everything has been scaled up to match the higher meat cost. If you require kosher food and can ignore the desserts, Shallots is an elegant place for dinner. But only the Rabbi can afford it. For the rest of us, there are better options out there. read more

This is my favorite sushi place. The sushi chefs (may be a rumor) are from Japanaise. The best ever rolls are red crunch, spicy escolar and mexican. The red crunch is sweet, crunchy goodness. I absolutely love it! The spicy escolar is yummy. The portions are a good size. I always order too much but it's a great experience. The mexican is fresh, light and just the right kick of spice. The atmosphere is elegant. It's just a great spot and I always leave happy. Great lunch spot too! read more

3 stars because the food is good. However the service is spotty and the prices are way too high. They are too sharp as well..meaning the staff especially the managers are pushy and unfriendly. You really deserve 2 stars but the food is okay so thats your redeeming factor. But if you like good service, i think you should go elsewhere. read more

Is this a top-shelf fine dining experience? Those who think so, obviously have little experience on which to base their assement. Those with more experience will certainly find this establishment marginal in food quality, service and overall attitude and as a result, absurdly over priced. After our party of six was seated, it took at least ten minutes for our waiter to appear despite the fact that the room was at approximately 30% capacity. When the waiter did arrive, looking more like a Secret Service Agent in a simple black suit and tie with a transparent ear phone, he took our drink orders and then disappeared for a full 15-minutes. Meanwhile, a fellow arrived with a basket of not so fresh bread and two dips in mi nature sugar vessels. The $9 cocktails were very poorly mixed and didn't fill the glasses. The $19 glasses of wine were under chilled and once again, were undersized. Although the menu was well designed and ample in its offerings, the steak and fish entrees were inexpertly prepared and accompanied by greasy frites that caused stomach pains for four out of six of our diners within 30 minutes of the meal. Given the Kosher prohibition on dairy, and the necessary use of substitutions, most of the desserts were unsatisfying. As mentioned, the service was inattentive at best, and the waiter and/or kitchen staff managed to mix-up the steak orders, preparing a beyond well-done steak for a diner that had ordered medium-rare, and an undercooked medium-rare steak for a diner that had ordered medium-well. The salad presentation took place a full 15 minutes after our orders were taken and the entrees arrived approximately 25 minutes later. Our water glasses were not refilled until the very end of the meal with dessert and then only two of the six glasses were refilled. Odd, we thought, given that the establishment had only 30% of its tables occupied! As we were leaving the establishment, we filed by the front counter attended by what appeared to be the manager who said absolutely nothing - no thank you, no hope you were pleased, not a thing. And, NOT a fine dining experience! read more

Haven't been to Shallots since they moved (I know, it's been a while) and loved it!! Sushi was great and new location is so much better than the old one. Definitely going back. read more

The food was excellent my 3rd visit. I was, however, very nonplussed by Nick, the manager, who came over to our table no less than 4 times during our meal. I brought a friend with me so we could have a good meal and good conversation. Nick kept interrupting our meal wanting to talk with us and, at one point, actually sat down to talk with my dinner companion while I was in the restroom. Highly unprofessional and I will likely stay away from there in the future because Nick was hitting on my dinner companion almost the entire time we were there. read more

I'm a big fan of Shallots. The menu gets better and better. My favorite thing to do is to hit up the front Bar area. They have a Bar Menu that is a bit more affordable and the area is a bit more relaxed. The service is great! We have never had a bad meal and have been frequenting Shallots for almost 10 years... read more

An unexpected gem! Don't be mislead by its unassuming exterior. This is not another generic chain restaurant in a strip mall, Shallots delivers a complete fine dining experience. Our party included vegetarians, fish eaters and meat eaters. The menu boasted choices for everyone. Savory mushrooms, garlic, spices all shining through, without over powering the meat and vegetable ingredients. The amazing fresh fish dishes were our favorite courses. A sushi special perfectly blended three types of fish with unexpected accents to create a masterpiece in the mouth. We fought over a sea bass appetizer, which was delicately seasoned and cooked to perfection. The beef entrée was equally amazing. We decided to share dessert including a rich, but not overly sweet hot lava chocolate cake creation, complemented by an assortment of made-in-house, sorbets with flavors like passion fruit, guava and citrus. We all agreed upon leaving that we will definitely be back to further explore the menu. At Shallots the staff in every role were dedicated to providing a seamless, positive experience. An equally wonderful wine list was available. Overall this entire experience was five stars for sure. read more

I had dinner ... Was great food and excellent service... Thanks.. And thanks Zalman for the suggestions...

They say it's the best kosher in Chicago. It probably is. My steak was outstanding, heavy and drenched, but still one if the tastiest steaks I've ever had. However, the joint is quite expensive(like new Prime Grill in NY expensive), but it's ok because of how delicious the food is. My only problem is that the place really feels like an Applebee's that was converted to be a refined Steakhouse. This leaves it feeling very open and cheap non-kosher looking, so it throws off your dining experience. Otherwise, this place is a must in Chi-town! read more

This a wonderful steakhouse with a great ambience and great service! They offer a great menu of sushi, appetizers, entrees, and desserts. The lion king sushi roll is my favorite sushi and their ribs are so soft they fly right off the bone! They recently started selling chili fries which were amazing so I recommend those as well. All in all, Shallots Bistro is a restaurant for a date night or formal event. read more

Ordered beef Wellington today at the urging of my waiter. Charged $90. Meat was dry and mashed potatoes tasted like the microwave variety. Service was also abysmal. Very disappointed. Will not be back. read more

Love the food at this place. One of few fine dining kosher options in the city. A little too expensive though. read more

i had a great time, the staff was amazing and the greeter hana mad me feel like a vip, the server zalmin was smart and very helpful, the food was amazing, and the bill was high. 1) ask for the warm bread when you are seated, because it can take as long as 30min before you see food. 2)order the chicken nugets with some bbq or sweat and sour sauce both ways it is amazing and this will come out before your food so it will help with the hunger pains. 3) the wait staff can be very bussy and forget some of your items so if you feel you have been waiting to long ask about items like sushi because it is a bit detatched from the kitchen. 4)the black hat is only good for desert if you are lactose intolerent 5)yes 18% seems like a lot on a 500$ bill but the wait staff work hard read more

Very good food. I only eat kosher and this is the only really nice and classy kosher place in all of chicago. It is very expensive but your paying for more than just good food. Your paying for a real classy dining experience. read more

Best restaurant in town, the food is great!! The dish that I liked is the Signature Collection Del Monico- highly recommend!!! read more

I was twice the service was great and food was taste and fresh I recommend on the simple burger it is great!!

Service could have and should have been better. Tip to staff- fries and onion rings should always be hot when brought out to the table, NEVER room temperature. And do not bring stuff like that out without bringing out Ketchup. If a patron has to ask for ketchup for their fries or onion rings, you have already failed. Seriously, and don't even like ketchup. And btw, tomatoes do not belong in a Caeser Salad, no offense. They don't. Ask anyone. So there were some obvious fails, which I'm pointing out given the high price. Otherwise, the food was good and I had a good dining experience, just not one that aligns with what they are presenting themselves as (i.e., an amazing dining experience). read more

I never write reviews, however, this restaurant definitely deserves one. I ordered my food with grubhub only to have the driver cancel. One of the workers personally came and delivered my food. Not only was the food delicious but the staff is dedicated to great service! I will be a returning customer in the future!!! read more

It all comes down to it being a kosher restaurant. Sushi is excellent irrespective of it being kosher but prices are a bit on the high side for sushi in the suburbs. Steaks and other meat dishes are good for kosher but I can see how anyone who is able to eat non-kosher cuts of meat would find them to be fair and pricey for what you get. Nicest kosher atmosphere in the Chicago area with a reasonable bar. read more

I've had several good experiences here. The ambiance is beautiful and the food is exquisite, but on several occasions I have found the wait staff to be rather aloof or rude. Still though, I recommend it because it's the food I come for, not to make friends with the staff. read more

I was charged $16 for a glenlevit 12 year neat... Extremely over priced. I will never go back. They should drop BISTRO in the name.

Warning: Do not read this review unless you want to be disgusted. We had an awful experience at the restaurant. The family (party of 11) wanted to celebrate my mother-in-law's 92nd birthday. She is a Holocaust survivor; both food and family mean a lot to her. The short story is that our service was terrible. One example: We waited almost an hour for one dessert! The restaurant was almost empty, why make us wait? But it's much worse than that. Our entrees arrived at the table in stages. My brother-in-law was served first: steak bordelaise. He began eating. Others' food arrived in succession. After a few minutes, the waitress appeared and said that she had served him the entree that my 19 year-old daughter had ordered. He was eating her steak florentine. The waitress took the partially eaten steak from in front of him and GAVE IT TO MY DAUGHTER! Then she gave him the steak he had ordered. That is completely unacceptable! In any restaurant, kosher or non, fancy or simple. How many sanitation laws were broken? We did not know what to do, since we did not want to embarrass my elderly mother-in-law by making a scene. I wrote to the restaurant but I have received no response (it's been 2 weeks!). Lessons learned: the food might be good, but the service is terrible, management doesn't care, and you might be eating food that someone else had already tasted. Yuck! read more

I went to Shallots a couple weeks ago on a Monday night with some friends that frequent this place. I had high expectations for my first visit and I was not disappointed!! I moved to the Chicago area about a year ago from LA and have had a hard time finding GOOD sushi. Well Shallots is the place to go. We ordered two rolls from the sushi bar and both were DELICIOUS. They are a bit more pricey then we could afford to enjoy often, but definitely a nice treat. I ordered the Chicken Fricassee and it was perfect. The chicken was so tender. My husband ordered a steak dish, I can't remember off hand which one and it was good as well. The deserts were amazing. We tried the peanut butter pie, a chocolate lava cake and baked Alaska. Each was better then the last. Now, I am neither Kosher, nor have a need to keep dairy free and this food was amazing. I wouldn't have even known this food was dairy free had I not been told. read more

First of all, the food was fantastic. Their hush puppies; jalapeno peppers stuffed with cornbread encrusted with pastrami were knock out delicious. Beef minestrone soup was excellently flavored and filling. The sandwiches were also a perfect choice. The black hat dessert was a perfect ending to our dinner. The most memorable part of our evening, was our waiter Joey. Not all waiters seem happy about taking your order and serving your food. This waiter was genuinely happy to make us--his customers--happy with our experience at HIS restaurant. All together this was a positively memorable experience. read more

Overpriced mediocre food. Had dragon roll sushi, supposed to be crispy, it was soggy served on some old wilted lettuce. Rice was old and mushy. Service was poor, but don't blame the wait and bus staff, they were trying to keep up with the tickets. Ambiance is nice, but in terms of value, this is a want-to-be four star place. read more