First time at Verve and went for their Burgers and Burgundy night. Wasn't really sure what to…read moreexpect here. The menu had a few more items than expected so we each got the Ilixr burger and split some Gruyère fries. The burger was decent, but a little pricey for a pretty basic à la carte burger. I also wasn't a huge fan of the sauce and probably should've asked for no pickles. The Gruyère fries were also nothing special. Luckily we got the giardiniera on the side because it was pretty spicy. There were 4-5 wines to choose from and we both really liked the ones we picked! Would go back next time for just the wine and maybe to buy something or go to an event to learn more about wine.

My bestie and I came here just on a whim, this is a cool establishment, complimentary tasting on…read moreSunday. We had champagne and Chianti.

Love this spot for an intimate date night or wine night with girlfriends!! I've been here a few…read moretimes with different crowds and it's always a hit. The cheese board is great and the cocktails are so fun. I really like the Dragon Lady cocktail and my bf likes any of the whiskey ones. The espresso martini is also great. There's a DJ on Friday nights which is fun!! It can get crowded on the weekend so I'd definitely get there early or make a reservation. I've been on the weeknights too and it's pretty quiet them. Overall, I'd definitely recommend if you're looking for a fun spot to grab a drink.

Intimate room with a bar and tables and couches. Interesting list of cocktails and variety of…read morewines. Was a little surprised when I asked the bartenders for wine recommendations; had expected wine bar folks to be a little more knowledgeable. Was also a little disappointed when I asked for a cab on the menu and was offered a different one ... menu wine wasn't available....guess that happens, though. Cheese board was good and ample but not huge size. More crackers than cheese... Generally nice spot, reasonably priced, cool and cozy room ...but still needs a little work.

I really like this place! The vibe is very cozy, especially on a winters day. They have little…read morefireplaces in the back that are nice to sit next to. The wait staff was also incredibly nice. I really enjoyed our charcuterie board, especially the two meats. The cheese we chose was good as well. I look forward to coming back!

At J9, the server was super great and friendly, he recommended us the wines. I like sweet white…read morewine, so I had a Riesling. My friends like dry red wine, they had a Cabernet. Also, one of my friend at the table was pregnant, and the server recommended a zero-proof wine, which I didn't know existed until then, and we all took a sip and we could not tell it was a zero proof wine, it was amazing! The ambiance was lovely, with some Jazz music playing. Would love to come here again!

In an area packed with casual food spots, Figo is spicing things up! It's upscale but not…read morepretentious- perfect for meeting up with friends when you want to feel a little fancy without going through hoops getting ready. The staff was super attentive and kind, checking on us frequently. My friend and I stopped by for happy hour, and this should absolutely make it onto the list of the best in town. They have delicious wine, cocktails, and bites for nearly half of the regular price. I opted for the happy hour prosecco to drink, which was light-bodied and not too sweet. We split the meatballs and dates for bites and both were outstanding. I was super impressed with how tender the meatballs were, and they did not skimp on the flavorful marinara and cheese! The dates, which were topped with a white wine cheese sauce, were mouth-wateringly delicious and a must order. There was also complimentary focaccia with olive oil, which was greatly appreciated. With sea salt on top and a crispy exterior, I could easily have eaten a whole loaf. The only note I have is that the portions are small, so if you don't come during happy hour the prices are a bit steep for what you get. Will 100% be back soon to try more of the menu and highly recommend making the trek over here!

everything we had here was f-ing delicious. a perfect spot for dinner before a show at the vic. I…read morewill definitely be returning!

One of THE most amazing dinners I've ever had! Our daughter…read morehad been here & really wanted us to go on a recent visit. Got our reservation, studied the menu. You have to order with the hostess at the door, unusual, but don't panic--it works well. And you can always add dishes or drinks from your table. We ordered a number of dishes to share, one better than the next. It was a great experience. We'd love to go back.

TLDR Vibe: let's cosplay rich in Lincoln park but also try some good quality food while we do it…read more With the recent James beard awards I wanted to start making my way down chicago's Michelin list. John's is Michelin recommended so I said- sign me up. All I knew going in was the accolade and that the chef preferred to do hyper local- which im all about. The vibes are perfect IMO. Cozy, clean, organic shapes with that bar (see the featured photos). It also has a relaxed enough vibe that despite the prestige it is truly a more formal/casual vibe- being there on a sunday I saw a handful of small groups come in no res just looking for wine. The food itself was pretty good. I thought the pork collar was cooked well and they did what I was hoping a hyper local produce focused place would which is not over cook the vegetables and let them shine. One note: assume way more complexity than the menu displays. The pork itself for example is listed as just the pork veggies and with its sauce so my expectations were hesitant - but what made the dish great was the tang that comes from the seasoning/marinade. What really stood out to me though was the staff- it could be that I was there in a dead hour but everyone put me at ease as a single server at a table (v bar) and my server even gave me a taste of their amazing bandaged cheddar - which as a huge foodie really made my experience great. Because theres no way im easily grabbing that cheese. SO as well to their wine director Felix especially. He and I connected over the ceramics they feature (Monsoon Pottery- check her out) and when I spilled some sauce on my white shirt he was quick to get me some soda water and I heard him asking around for some shout. So- formal/casual place but I felt treasured. Which tbh is really what makes good restaurants different to me when youre hitting this price point in chicago. Plenty of POS fine trendy places down town.

Happy Hour Monday through Friday from 4-6. $2.50 for any of the 12 drafts and $5 for any glass of…read morewine or cocktail. We had a beer here during their opening week and the bartenders were very pleasant although they were still learning their jobs. The bar seats about a dozen people at the bar and another 20 or so at tables. The beer selection was a good selection with 3 local beers and a nice range of beers and a draft cider.

Great bar inside Mariano's with GREAT happy hour specials - $2.50 pint drafts and $5 wine. The bar…read moreitself is a little cramped and they should get rid of a few seats to be more comfy. Adding to the ambience, nob's has a turntable and spins old records. COOL. I counted at least 8 draft beer handles plus they have bottles which the bartender says will change regularly. Loved the vanilla porter I had. They seem to be pretty generous with the wine pours from observation. nob's also has 6 or so booze slush machines with different libations that I can't wait to try.

Overall , excellent . Absolutely adore their sister restaurant, Galit, so went in with high…read moreexpectations. The restaurant is lovely and the meal didn't disappoint . Great service. Our group of 5 shared everything which is the way to go. Here is a rating of each item we shared: Salade Verde - A minus Yaya Fries- B - be warned the word fries are misleading as they are actually potato wedges Caramelized Onion Miso Labneh- A Sweet potato harissa chilli crisp - A Big sis lamb burger - A- we split it by 4 - pretty great Ricotta Gnocci - C minus - pass on this dish - we didn't like the sauce/ flavors . Feta fig flatbread - A . This was delicious and the best thing we ordered We ended the meal by sharing " This Week's Sundae " which was an A . Great place for a girls night out , or date night . Recommend !

Wasn't sure what to expect at Cafe Yaya, and was impressed. The menu is interesting,…read morerecommendation to share plates. A French/Mediterranean feel with lots of good choices. We started with the salade verde, which was very nice and fresh, along with their asparagus dish, which had a creamy sauce and some pickled onions. A unique and tasty flavor. For main dishes we split their fig, caramelized Onion and feta pides. They call it a flat bread, but it is more stuffed. It was delicious, and the arugula on top was a nice fresh addition. We also had the mussels, which were delicious. The mergez gives it a little bit of spice, and the broth is definitely worth soaking up. We were stuffed from dinner so didn't try the desserts, but there were some yummy looking options. The service was very good. Our server was friendly and knowledgable. Would love to go back and try some more.

This place is awesome. Incredible beer and drink selection with some hard to beat deals. It has a…read morepunk-metal atmosphere that's super unique, bartenders are all very friendly and attentive, and the pool table upstairs is always a great time. Sometimes they play some pretty weird movies on the TV and I'm here for it. Also Bills games here go hard. I'm not even a Bills fan and I was having a great time.

Came here on a saturday with a large group of friends and had to leave after 30 minutes because the…read morespace was so small and packed you couldn't really move. Id recommend coming with one or two other people if you'd like to stay a while. My only complaint was standing at the bar for over 10 minutes waiting to get a drink and kept being overlooked or ignored. The drinks were okay, I got a high noon so can't really go wrong with that but I heard their mojitos are good.

Chicago Restaurant week. I reviewed various dining options in search of a good place for dinner…read more Reddit gave me some ideas. I'd never been to Willow Room and liked that they had a four course dinner menu, with items I liked. I was able to make a reservation for a Saturday night at 8:15pm. PARKING Parking on Halsted on a Saturday night can be a nightmare, and it did take a minute to find street parking. North of the 1800 block is busier because there are several restaurants within a two block radius. Side streets are permit parking after 6pm. Meters on Halsted are $2.50/hr. ATMOSPHERE Willow Room was pretty packed. We had a reservation for 8:15pm and my party of two was seated right away. The restaurant features a full bar, dim lighting and is nice and roomy. They have banquette seating around the perimeter, in addition to tables in the middle. SERVICE Our server, who was very nice and accommodating during our dining experience, came by and gave us our menu's. I had already decided on the RW menu and after review, my friend was interested in the Beef Wellington (not on RW menu). Our server informed us that normally the whole table had to order off of the RW menu if one person does, but said she would check with the kitchen since this was the last day of RW. Luckily, we were able to proceed with ordering from different menu's. FOOD I ordered a raspberry Cosmopolitan. I'm a Riesling/Moscato girlie, but I tasted the Riesling and didn't like it. RW dinner was priced at $60. I ordered: First Course: Caesar Salad (Typical salad, was good) Second Course: Mussels (Tasted fine, came with a baguette) Third Course: Short Rib (Could've been slightly more tender and better seasoned. I've definitely had better. Wouldn't order again.) Fourth Course: Orange Ricotta Donuts (Donuts were very good. Three were served, a few more would have been more filling.) My friend ordered a glass of Pinot Noir and: Truffle Fries (Fries were very tasty. I would order again if I went back.) Beef Wellington (The breading was buttery and very good. The beef could've been more seasoned. I wouldn't order.) Key Lime Pie (Was not sweet and had no taste. When our server came back and saw it was uneaten, she offered to take it off the bill. It should be removed from the menu altogether.) The busboys and server were very attentive. Our water glasses were always filled. OVERALL The atmosphere was nice, our server was great. Of all the food we ordered, I would order the truffle fries and Cosmopolitan again. I did leave full and did take my leftover Short Rib to go. Main dishes needed more seasoning. I would dine here again and try a different menu (brunch/lunch), or Happy Hour if they offer it.

Loved everything. Delicious really great foods. Group of four, zero complaints. The service was on…read morepoint. Nice wine pour. Bright fun atmosphere. I thought for the quality and portions and fair prices this is a really great choice. Looking forward to returning.

The service is just incredible. That's what stands out the most. We came after having a superb…read moredinner at S.K.Y. and out waitress transferred us to Le Mistral for dessert as we were hoping to end the night with another cocktail. The transition was seamless, the walk through the kitchen was very cool, everyone was very friendly and excited to see guests. Our dessert came quickly to Le Mistral instead of S.K.Y. and was superb. Our waiter at Le Mistral was very friendly, gave some good advice on the cocktails, and was consistently attentive. My cocktail was just OK - sherry-based martini. I don't normally like a martini but all the ingredients actually seemed very much up my alley - the sherry, benedictine, rose vermouth. But the olive just overpowered. And definitely not worth the price of $24... Would definitely return and try the food next time as well.

We popped in on a Monday night for a nightcap after finishing up at Mon Ami Gabi across the lobby…read more Our experience was meh. I don't know if every Monday is Metal night, but it was that Monday - Black Sabbath, Nu-Metal, everything but the live goldfish. Perhaps they should advertise "Monday Metal at Mistral" if that is to be a regular thing. It does flow off the tongue. To be fair, there was a full house and the other patrons did not seem to mind. We were not looking to feel the noize, however, and so stayed for just one cocktail. Mine was a Sazerac adjacent mix, and it was very high quality. The decor is very low light, but the vibe is pretty basic - more Paint Your Dorm Room black than Parisian Opium Den black. A bit of a missed opportunity for romance.