Stumbled upon this gem on Valentine's Day and I lovedddddd every bit of my experience!…read more For starters, they had cute valentines themed drinks and they were so tasty! They also decorated for Valentine's Day and it was soooooo aesthetically pleasing, great picture props! The music was also a viiiiibe -- whoever was DJing understood the assignment that day! Our server's name was Alon, and she was amazing! Very attentive, sweet, and informative. I told her I needed her name so that people would know who to look for when they visited next lol. She maintained great service, even when it got busy and she had to help others! Now, let's get to the part that matters most: the food! My best friend and I both had their burgers -- so fillingggggggggg and the house made aioli chefs kiss! We already decided we'll be back to try the tacos bc Alon said they're fye and I trust her judgement! The drinkssssssss -- honey listen, the champagne drink was a cute starter bc that margarita definitely didn't come to play! Also -- we didn't have reservations and still were seated in a timely manner with timely service! I'll be revisiting them for sure!

I'm not sure what I was expecting but the restaurant fell flat for me. The staff were very nice…read moreand responsive. The restaurant itself is big very large but it's popular & busy. The extremely loud music made it hard to have a conversation. We were there during happy hour and enjoyed the Mexican candy shooters. The margaritas drinks were ok and the food meh. The boneless buffalo wings were just something defrosted fried and covered in sauce. Perhaps I ordered the wrong thing (beef & chicken sliders) but overall the restaurant wasn't appealing enough to make me want to return, especially because the bathroom smelled like urine. It may be a vibe during brunch or something but it just was not for me.

We love Arbella!! Atmosphere inside was great, really large space! We sat at the bar, the…read morebartenders were super friendly and attentive easy to talk to and order from. LOVE the $6 cocktail of the day happy hour (M-F 4-6pm) . Our cocktail of the day was a watermelon lemon drop which was delicious!! Will be coming back next time in Chicago! My local friends new favorite staple bar.

(Kari's Rating 8.75/10)…read more Came with a friend late on a Friday night after dinner time We were able to be seated almost immediately at a nice little private Cove table. We ordered a flight of whiskey sours, which contained whiskeys from Japan, Vietnam, and Wisconsin. I also was able to order an amaretto sour, which they made with freshly hand beaten egg whites, which was a nice cherry on the top. As far as the whiskey flights go, I think the best one was the Vietnam flight because it had a slightly lemongrass twang and was a little bit lighter than the other two. The heaviest one was the Wisconsin which came with a little bit of a bite at the end, but it still wasn't bad if you're trying to blackout on a $15 budget. I would definitely come back with a larger group this seems like a great place, but is a little bit loud- so if you be prepared to yell or wear earplugs. The bathroom took my a second to find, which should have been intuitive considering it was on the opposite end of where you come in. I blame the lighting as things are already pretty hard to find in the dark, but eventually I made it there-Pat myself on the back.

The vibes were nice. Lighting wasn't too bright, a dressier atmosphere, and definitely felt like a…read moregood spot for drinks and dinner. Service was fine. Our server was nice and water refills came at the right times. The burger was honestly pretty mid. It tasted fine, but our server said it was one of the best burgers in Chicago and I definitely wouldn't agree. 5/10. The salmon was tender and had a really interesting crust. It wasn't charred like I expected, almost had a rubbery texture, but I actually enjoyed it. The lemony miso sauce was delicious, the pickled cucumbers added a nice crunch. 7.5/10. The prime bone-in ribeye was fine. Good flavor, but nothing really stood out about it. 6.5/10. Dessert was the highlight of the meal. The chocolate crunch dessert was sooo good. Loved the marshmallow pieces and all the different textures from the crunchy mousse. 8/10. The salted caramel gelato had a great texture, but it was way too sweet for me. It tasted more like straight sugar than salted caramel. 6/10. Overall, a solid last-minute date night spot with good vibes, but the chocolate crunch dessert was definitely the standout.

Instagram sent me, not via an influencer, but a very alluring ad. If I were to book a reservation…read morethen and there, I could get an Old Fashioned made with Colonel E.H. Taylor for a lower price. Sold! I made a reservation and stopped in that week (if not that very day). The Old Fashioned was fantastic! It had strong whiskey notes without hitting you with a wall of spirit the way a Manhattan, for example, does. The other additions of bitters and syrup did a perfect job rounding the cocktail out, adding sweet and savory notes. As much as I love variety, I loved it so much, I ordered two! I can't lie and say this wasn't at least in part due to the reduced price, that notwithstanding, me ordering two of the same is some of the highest, non-verbal praise one could get from me. For a main, I had the opportunity to try the burger, a special only available 5:00 - 6:30, and mind you I eked in by the skin of my teeth. Before I attempt to break this down, though, I need to take a slight tangent: Do any of you remember the quote from The Menu where Anya Taylor-Joy says: "A real cheeseburger. Not some fancy, deconstructed, affluent b***s***, a *real* cheeseburger."? I am pleased to report the burger here was somewhere between Chef Slowik's "very traditional cheeseburger" and the one Taylor Joy describes! In other words, just fancy enough to feel like I am getting a unique, creative, well thought out dish, but without all the pomp and circumstance! There's just one little problem: as soon as I bit into it, the juices erupting from within soaked the bottom bun, and turned it into a fork and knife affair with an unseen level of precision and speed. Very regrettably, this was the burger's undoing. That first, heavenly bite that had angels singing showed what the burger was really made of (and I mean this figuratively and literally). The beef was of the highest quality, well-seasoned, cooked medium and juicy, with a perfect sear that would have Louis Camille Maillard crying tears of joy. Two types of cheese (one being crisp and airy, the other thoroughly gooey and savory), the perfect amount of bacon, moisture and flavor from a tempura tomato, and divine sauces! One of them was a little sweet, which elevated the flavor like no one's business. Together, all these flavors were a symphony that could give Beethoven a run for his money. However, that unfortunate fact that the thing fell apart so quickly meant that symphony was limited to one bite, the rest being encountered piecemeal. I would rather skip fries than skip dessert (which I did), and ordered the Mango cheesecake. Such velvety perfection! Neither the sweetness nor the mango notes were overpowering, and while it didn't have the crust of a traditional cheesecake, the more gentle variant here absolutely works. I also appreciated the tart sorbet to offer some contrast in flavor, temperature, and texture. Now, let me talk about the service. Given that the restaurant was at capacity, the bar service and speed to get my items was reasonable. Could it hypothetically have been just a touch faster/more attentive? Yes, but in practice, when you have a full house, this is as good as it can get before robots take over. Finally, there is the matter of prices. There is no doubt in my mind that the quality is up there, at the same time, the reason I skipped the side of fries was it would have set me back $11. I suppose the real question is whether or not the quality equals the price, and after some reflection, I think the answer is yes, but one must be prepared for the sticker shock ahead of time. That said, the final verdict: The Franklin Room absolutely delivers on an all-around fantastic meal. I think whatever you order will be in the 90th percentile, at worst! However, this comes at a cost. Therefore, I would love to return to the Franklin Room, but it would likely be more a very occasional treat than a place where I'd be a regular.

Great place for late dinner (kitchen open until 11pm on weekdays). I was in the mood for some…read morechicken wings and yes, No Vacancy for the win. Good draft, liquor and can/bottle selection and great menu for food. Buffalo style wings were suberb!

If you're coming here for drinks, it's probably a great vibe, but if you're coming for food, I…read morewould recommend elsewhere. I want to preface my review with the positives, Londyn was our server & was truly so kind, thorough, and friendly. The restaurant itself is clean & all tables have clear views of the TVs on game days. Now for the room for improvement- the food was very underwhelming. Being from the Chicago area previously, I regularly advocate for the Chicago food scene, and this unfortunately did not meet those standards. We ordered the Brussels sprouts, buffalo cauliflower, wings, and sesame ginger salad: -Brussel sprouts: tasted like they weren't seasoned just air fried and drenched in balsamic dressing -Buffalo cauliflower: soggy, unseasoned, runny buffalo sauce -Wings: PERFECTLY CRISPY, but no flavor (we ordered lemon pepper & buffalo) -Sesame ginger salad: sloppy mix of vegetables tossed in an overly sweet sauce with no sesame or ginger flavor in sight If you're not going to eat, this is probably a great spot, but from a food standpoint, there is room for improvement.

Had a reservation with two friends from out of town and had the pleasure of being with Vivian…read more Amazing service, so sweet and funny, very thoughtful. and we got free cookies! we got sat in a little private booth in the back, so quiet. will def come back again and again :)

The next brunch spot you have to try in Chicago is The Dearborn! The aesthetic here is upscale…read moreIrish tavern, with amazing vibes and service! I came here for brunch & most definitely need to come back for dinner! Their fish & chips beat Bobby Flay, & it's no surprise they did! This dish is perfection! The cod is fresh & flaky, and the batter has just the right crisp. The dish itself is huge & all the accompaniments are exactly what you want. The beignets are so fluffy and great for sharing a sweet treat to start or end your meal. The corned beef hash is packed with traditional Irish flavors and tastes delicious! You need to come here asap!

Cute brunch spot! The location we visited is inside the Aloft Hotel, which makes it super…read moreconvenient if you're staying there (great idea on their part). They also have a cute pastry and coffee bar, the ham and cheese croissant looked amazing. I also learned they have three locations around town. The brunch menu has something for everyone, from healthy options like superfood oatmeal to heartier dishes like chimichurri steak and eggs. I ordered the egg white pesto wrap, and it was exactly what I was looking for healthy, filling, and packed with flavor from the pesto and tomatoes. A special shoutout to our server, Maddie, who was amazing and made our brunch even better. And happy birthday to my Leo sister!

nestled at the bottom of aloft hotel, beatrix serves up great breakfast, lunch, dinner, and cafe…read morefare! they have lots of seating and seem to be always busy -- weekends can be hours of waiting! we grabbed an oat latte from the cafe bar alongside the lil breakfast sandwich and lil breakfast burrito. the latte is great, their beans are more smokey and roasted than others. the breakfast burrito was just ok, we liked the sandwich a lot better

The atmosphere was great for our 6 person group for brunch! Service was fantastic…read more A very nice ambiance that wasn't too loud for a brunch at 11am where we could all hear each other, sat at a round table so we could see each other. That part was lovely because often I find that with larger groups it's hard to ensure everyone is able to interact (especially since I was taking my parents) Lamb shakshuka was a winner in my book!! So flavorful and perfect hearty brunch. The skewers my parents got were wonderfully cooked. Others got a more standard scrambled egg breakfast that they said was nothing special. Definitely opt for a Mediterranean breakfast if you're at a Mediterranean spot imo.

I was really disappointed with my experience at Ema. The portions were much smaller than expected,…read moreespecially considering the prices. The biggest issue was that our drink glasses had a terrible odor, as if they hadn't been washed properly. We mentioned it to the manager, who promptly replaced the glasses, and the new ones did not have the smell, which confirmed there was an issue with the original ones. I ordered the short ribs, which cost $35 and the portion was extremely small. One of the pieces was also mostly fat, leaving very little actual meat. For the price, I expected a much better-quality dish and a more satisfying portion. Overall, the experience did not live up to the restaurant's reputation or pricing. Unfortunately, I won't be returning.

We stopped here tonight and I just had to immediately leave a review. Staff was nice but our…read moreserver, Paulo was great!!! Had great suggestions. This meal was 10/10! Everything was SO good. Pita with carrot-tahini & tzatziki dips 10/10 Green beans with fish sauce vinaigrette & cashews 100/10 Halibut with blueberry nuoc cham 7/10 Crispy pork belly 8/10 Glazed pork shank (8/10 but SO much meat) We also got the popcorn situation and berry yummy dish. Popcorn was WAY WAY better IMO. Highly recommend!!!

I came here with a friend and we chose to sit at the chef's counter and do the pre-fix menu which…read morewas $100 per person. We were stuffed by the end of the meal and needed to pack a few things to go because there was so much food. Flavors were bold and complex for each dish. The veggies were all cooked expertly, my only critique is that some of the dishes were on the saltier side, so having a side like rice or a carb might have helped. Stand out dishes for me were the asparagus and the short rib noodles, which reminded me of jap Jae. The meal started off with some bubbles which was a nice touch and the staff had a great pace of the meal. In terms of parking, there's street parking around the area that's around $7 for 2 hours. Bathrooms were clean and had a dimly lit, mysterious vibe. Glad I tried it but it's not my favorite restaurant in Chicago.