Delicious! Servers were wearing masks and gloves, diners were spaced out, and umbrellas were even available for the patio on a drizzly day.

Three words...awesome, awesome, awesome. Friendly staff, great food. We walked in a couple minutes after our reservation and were promptly seated in a booth (we later realized that the setup of this row of booths is meant to simulate a dining car from the overhead luggage to the picturesque views out of of the "windows"). We were here on Valentines day which is also really close to Mardi Gras so most of the staff was decked out in attire for each holiday (i'm looking at you cupid). Their was a fortune teller of sorts walking around and offering good luck beads along with a short "fortune". I found this very fun and not invasive by any means. Apparently I have some money coming!! They offered a special Mardi Gras New Orleans style menu special in addition to the regular menu but I went with the standard menu. My meal: Grilled Norwegian Salmon, Fig Chutney, Grilled Asparagus, 10-Year Balsamic, Fingerling Potato, Cipollini Onion, SO GOOD! read more

I liked this place despite the name. Had I just heard the name and not had the ability to look up the place I would've assumed it's a kitschy train themed place. But I'd be wrong, it's not. The Chew Chew (seriously, it makes me cringe just typing it, we'll just call it "this place" from here on out) is a nice upscale casual (is that a thing?) place serving American food with a slight twist here and there. The food was good. I had a burger, fries, and pickled zucchini. All were really good, the fries were very good. I hear the pasta was good too, but I restrained myself from stealing any of it. They serve wine either by the bottle or by the 1/3 of a bottle. A little odd if you only want 1 glass, but the prices were about what I'd expect to pay for just one glass. The decor is nice, it looks like it's pretty newly decorated, a fresh and clean look throughout. The train theme isn't as striking as I would've expected for a place with such an unfortunate name. It's subtle, and well done. It's subtly well done. The service was so so. Our waiter had a, a, an odd way about him? I can't quite put my finger on it but something about him left me not too impressed. One thing I didn't love was sitting across from the kitchen serving window. While I do prefer a booth to a table, I'd rather have sat *on* the bar to eat my dinner than 4 feet from the kitchen serving window. It was loud and distracting. And let's be serious, I'm already easily distracted by loud shiny things, we don't need to make it any harder on my tiny little brain. I'd go back to This Place. Would be a good spot for a casual dinner with friends, girls night out, date, or casual celebration (is *that* a thing?) read more

Automatic one star reduction for no longer offering a vegetarian entree. Our last trip was quite a disappointment. We arrived without a reservation and were told it'd be a short wait. It was Friday, that was fine. We sat at the bar and had a drink. About 10-15 after whatever time they told us we'd need to wait until, they seated us upstairs. It was practically empty, and I hadn't seen any large parties leave. At least 2 servers were working the small area, so I don't know what the deal was. The lack of a vegetarian entree was pretty annoying to me, but "their salads are all available without meat". Now, I know lots of people think vegetarians like salads as all their meals. But we kind of like meals with real substance too. Something that isn't a portabella mushroom sandwich (which is on the menu here - a vegetarian cop-out in my opinion). I was pretty irritated. I ended up with a salad. It did have a very good flavor, but was a bit overdressed. One time when our water was being refilled I asked for more bread. He said "Definitely" and took the basket. We never saw him again. By the time the saw the server, we were done with our dinners. We wanted to split a dessert, and the husband wanted key lime pie. Key lime pie isn't my favorite, but it was pretty good. I don't know how many times you can update a review. I hope some day I'll be able to update this and, at a minimum, give them back the 4th star... read more

Bleh. Mediocre at best. I do not understand how this place has such good reviews. I personally think it's because people are lazy and do not want to travel very far to get real good food. They have a good selection of wine and decent drinks, that's what the 2 stars are for. The food is just awful though. I have been about 5 times and each time I am extremely disappointed, to the point of not planning to ever return. Even the things that are supposedly their specialties are just not great. The atmosphere is nice, the wait staff is pretty on it, but the food is just not good. Save your money and travel a little further to the city or even Oak Park. read more

Got the wrong dinner and the waitress never came back to check on us, nor stopped when we tried to flag her down. She never brought the right order and then tried to charge us for the wrong item that she brought. No apology, nor attempt to rectify this huge mistake. Other dinner that the other person ordered, brick chicken was grizzly, tasted bad and had a tiny portion of mashed potatoes with it. When we asked for more potatoes, we got charged $7 more. Terrible and super expensive dinner! read more

I have fond memories of the Chew Chew of my youth, back when it was on the other side of the tracks and it served up an affordable lunch, even for a kid like me and his friends. I'm not all too enthused about the revamped Chew Chew with overly jacked up prices. I think it's gotten a little too big for its britches. I've been here several times when my parents want to have a "nice" dinner and I've found it to be a-ok. The food isn't something I would go out of my way to get and I think the prices are way too high for what you get. The Chew Chew has Chicago prices, which makes no sense to me because the rent is cheaper here than the city and the food is of lesser quality than many city places. I've ordered a handful of dishes here in the past and there hasn't been anything that really stood out to me. Every time I've seen the final check here, I've always cringed internally because it just seems way too high. All of that being said, it's great that there's a restaurant of higher quality than the average in Riverside. I do like supporting local businesses. I've been to a large share of high quality restaurants in Chicago, many of which have out-of-my-budget dinner entrees. What's cool is that a lot of those places have equally good food available for brunch/lunch for a way more affordable price. My suggestion for Chew Chew is to offer weekend brunch again. I'd imagine ingredient cost wouldn't be high. Riverside could use a solid brunch place and this could be it. read more

Oh my, where do I start? Everything was fan-friggin-tastic! Thank God for Groupon because I would have never found this place, a mere 4 miles from my home. Simply decorated. High celings, wink racks on the wall, big front windows, small bar in the front section. The menu looked so good it was really hard to decide on what to order. I finally landed on ORECCHIETTE with spicy sausage served in a broth. The broth was a nice break from a red sauce. I mmmmd and ahhhhhd all the way through my meal including the dessert. Oh, the dessert! Chocolate velet cake with salted caramel and toasted marshmallows. They give you two huge pieces of cake; thick and not too sweet. The caramel is homemade as well as the marshmallows which are shaped like bars and toasted. I was really impressed. Get there before 6 if you dont want to make a reservation. After 6 it fills up fast! No doubt with it being the best place around. read more

This was my first time here with my family and we are definitely coming back! All of our food was amazing! The service was excellent - always being checked on by waitress and workers always cleaning the table. Excellent experience. My favorite was the Creme Brûlée for dessert. read more

This restaurant never disappoints. The service is wonderful, the drinks are incredible and the food is amazing! It is definitely a five star restaurant. Everyone working there is very service orientated and friendly. Money well spent. They have a great Happy Hour! read more

I am having a love affair with The Chew Chew's seared Ahi Tuna, and I don't foresee it ever ending.... I was introduced to The Chew Chew earlier this year, and it was love at first time,courtesy of my friend Alex!! I can honestly say I have never finished a meal, but this is one meal that I will completely indulge in, savor every bite and will leave nothing behind!! Everything about this dish is just to die for!! From the mouth savoring Ahi Tuna with the combination of they soy sauce with the wasabi aioli (which I get extra on the side...I have an obsession of the two mixed together) to the sides...puts me in pure delight!! I substitute the rum-mashed sweet potatoes (which I am sure are outstanding, but my taste buds do not like sweet potatoes) for the roasted yukon gold potatoes which are very tasty and I think compliment the meal perfectly. I had no idea what the vegetable was, to my surprise, the bok choy became a new favorite of mine. Scrumptious to say the least!! I am a girl that could just eat vegetables all day long...so this was a great addition to my palate of vegetables that I love!! I don't keep up with all the proper pairings of drinks with food, I tend to go with what I am thirsty for. So on that note, I chose their Sangria...which is a favorite of mine in summertime!! Love the fresh fruit with the mix of flavor is simply perfect!! When I am feeling like satisfying my sweet tooth, I indulge in their creme brulee and practically fall off my chair in pure happiness!! A fan of creme brulee I am and their's is just like a bowl of heaven!! My friend Alex is a lot more adventurous than I am, as when I like a dish...I usually get it every time and cannot part with the thought of trying something different!! I have seen many of their other dishes, from their hamburger (um HUGE) to steaks to many other...which all looked and from what I hear...delicious!! So summary.... I swear I dream of The Chew Chew and when my next visit will be!! I clearly am obsessed with the whole package of The Chew Chew!! Did I mention the ambiance is so warm, welcoming yet so trendy!! When I become rich and famous...I plan on eating there daily!! A MUST try restaurant indeed....I know anyone would love!! read more

I've never had food I didn't enjoy at The Chew Chew, but today I'd like to send a special thank you to Scott. Last week I called, explaining my Mom's 85th birthday was coming up and how I really wanted to treat her to a lobster tail for her special day. If you don't ask, you'll never know, right? He graciously agreed to special order and add it to the menu. She loved it...and the chocolate lava cake presented to her for dessert. We had a wonderful evening! Thank you! read more

The Chew Chew - From burgers to lobster, the food at The Chew Chew is top notch! - American Near Me - Riverside, Illinois

This neighborhood gem is just that. My husband and I used to frequent this place more often, but as "old farts" we sometimes found it too noisy. I don't blame the restaurant... We were seated next to some LOUD gals and it drove me nuts. Onto last night's dining decision.... A friend flew into town and we needed a place to take her. We were happily surprised that The Chew Chew was open on Mondays. It was rather slow (not unexpected). The Brussels Sprouts appetizer was yummy! Charred edges with candies pecans... bitter, sweet and some citrus. We ordered the half-pound burger, macadamia nut crusted chicken and the wild boar/short-rib pasta. YUM YUM YUM. I had the pasta. The sauce was rich and meaty and they surrounded the plate with a drizzle of pesto. Oh lordie! The vanilla boulder dessert capped off the night with decadence. We're glad we found out they're open on Monday and are even more happy that we got reintroduced to their menu. :) read more

We went to the Chew Chew for a Valentine's dinner. This was our first time there, but we heard great things about it from watching "Check Please!" The decor was nice, the service was excellent, and the food was great. We had the Mezze plate to start, which had really tasty asparagus, olives, zucchini, cheese, hummus. It was almost a meal just by itself. My wife had the spinach and tomato flatbread as her entree and I had the "cabo style" fish. Can't recall the name of the fish, since they rotate it, but it was white, flaky & not fishy. It was served with chorizo, some kind of corn salad, and tortillas. I didn't even use the tortillas because the fish was great on its own. The night was capped with a key lime pie, chocolate velvet cake & cappuccino. We loved every part of our meal. The waiter was very knowledgeable, friendly & attentive. The only negative about the night was the two "ladies" we sat next to. You would be hard-pressed to find a fouler-mouthed pair of wenches. Every other word was an "F" bomb, and not in a discreet manner. A few times it was loud enough where people sitting several tables away turned their heads to look. We were trying to ignore them, but the epic "F" bomb complaints about the husband/boyfriend/boss in their lives, who apparently wronged them something fierce, was hard to ignore. They actually paid and left the restaurant for a few minutes, then wandered back in and sat at the bar right next to the host...poor gal. Apparently hadn't fully aired their grievances, or they weren't drunk enough. I don't blame the restaurant for this. All of the other clientele appeared to be civilized. We would definitely go back to the Chew Chew. read more

We've been going to the Chew Chew since it was in the old location and would follow them anywhere. So welcoming for families, groups, couples...anyone! Their recent menu re-vamp has me in love with the duck breast and mushroom risotto (paired with a Chew Chew Blue extra dirty martini, of course). Also, be sure to visit the Chew Chew's taco tent during Riverside Cruise Nights over the summer. Ah-ma-zing. Don't tell my car-geek husband, but I go just for the tacos. read more

I had never been to this place and we were looking to try something new for dinner. The avocado salad is not to be missed and we really enjoyed the shrimp cake. The mahi-mahi fish tacos (with very very bitter cabbage slaw) was good, not great. Service was attentive, though if you're looking to order the special - in this case the rainbow trout, order ASAP before they run out. Bummer. The chocolate cake with marshmallow and caramel & chocolate sauce was delicious as well. We decided that we like the ambience of this place and would probably come back in another six months or so to try some new items from the menu, but it's not anything totally amazing. But it was great to try something new and different! Great cocktail list. read more

What a gem! Four stars because what we had was not complicated. I really wanted soup, they regularly offer French Onion and a special, it's rare that I'll order French Onion (although I like it when a good bowl is served to me) and the second soup was Mushroom... I despise mushrooms to my very core.. it's personal with me. So, no soup for me this day. However, Lisa LOVED the nasty mushroom soup, absolutely loved it! We had a terrific and reasonable New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with our meal. Lisa had the fish tacos (not breaded like many) and thought they were up there in quality with Two Brother's (that's a really good thing!) I had the Perch, It was delicious, the broccolini cooked perfect and the Yukon gold potatoes just right. The service was good. The room is excellent, it's a real surprise based on the exterior. I would like to go back and try something more complicated for dinner because I get the feeling that The Chew Chew doesn't disappoint. read more

I came here with a friend after using a living social deal at Quincy Street Distillery about a block or so away. We came here later on a Friday night, and well basically closed the place, so that late. We sat outside, and at this time there was plenty of seating both outdoors and inside. The menu is very decent - lots of different items to cheese from. Decent drink menu too, $6 sangria on special on this particular Friday night and that was pretty tasty as well. My friend and I both ordered pasta dishes (we also got bread on the side) so needless to say it was a tasty carb filled meal! The thing that annoyed me was our waiter - who SHOULD be making eye contact with all people at the table, there were only two of us but he spoke TO my friend every time he came to the table. I only had this happen to me once before at Cabo Wabo in Las Vegas and I am not going to compare the two but HELLO two of us are eating and paying here!!! Very annoying. When I handed him our bill upon paying I got a "have a good night" not a "thank you" soooooo minus the two stars for that stuff going on. read more

My boyfriend lives kind of above this restaurant..so he eats here A LOT. Now he brings me here. My first impression was very nice...we walk in, the host/manager knew said boyfriend by his name, walked us to a nice table, and we had a nice server promptly speak with us. The decor is nice(a tad modern for my taste, but I'm the classic sort), the bar looks inviting, and I loved the large windows. On to the food... APPETIZER: P.E.I. Muscles....unbelievably WONDERFUL!!! Honestly...the bacon really made the muscles pop! Loved it. ENTREES: He got the Penne Pasta. I guess this is one of his standard dishes. It was very very good. I got the Prime Skirt Steak as I wasn't too hungry...but in the mood for meat! BEWARE!!!! This steak was the worst one I have ever had in my life. Overcooked(ordered mid-rare, came out mid-well) and the saltiest thing you could imagine. Boyfriend suggested I go with a better cut next time and tell them to leave the salt to a minimum. I will do this. The second time he took me here we actually got take-out. APPETIZERS: He got the fries with beer and cheese fondue. Ok, I wouldn't really call it 'fondue', more like a runny syrupy concoction. Not good. I just got the fries themselves with roasted pepper mayo. Not a fan of the mayo at all. loved the fries. ENTREES: He got the Ahi Tuna Fillet. He had never had bok choy and decided to give it a try. It was delicious and he ate every bite. I got the Santa Fe Salad. It was absolutely everything I wanted at that moment. A HUGE salad so I had plenty left over the next day. I highly recommend it. I am definitely looking forward to going downstairs for many more trips to the Chew Chew. A cute place, great service, great wine, good food. I just know better than to get the skirt steak. Next time...bring on the Porterhouse Steak baby!!! read more

We were looking for a place to eat after spending the day at the zoo and found this restaurant through yelp. Small menu but great selection and good looking daily specials. We opted to having only salads and they looked and tasted grear. Outdoor seating also available. read more

Overall, really liked this place - I'd have rated 5 stars if they had a vegetarian entree or two. Since there wasn't, I had the mezze plate (hummus, tabbouleh, olives, feta, flatbread, and the INCREDIBLY addictive zucchini pickles) as my entree, along with a small baby greens salad. My friend had the burger, which can be customized kind of endlessly with cheeses, toppings, veggies, and sides. Tasty, fresh, reasonably priced... and not a suburban chain! The restaurant itself is totally charming, not too loud, Christine was our server, and she did a nice job of checking in just often enough, very friendly. We'll definitely be back, probably starting with brunch! read more

My wife and I went there on a $40 Groupon and I have had colleagues mention how good this place is. It is right in downtown Riverside. We entered for our reservation and the place seem crowded. It was very appealing to the eye with a comfortable decor referencing dining car atmosphere. The bar was crowded as well. We took a couple of seats there, with my wife ordering a martini (French) and I ordered a draft stout. We were seated quickly and we had a nice booth seat. When my wife asked me to taste the French martini, I almost choked on how full of alcohol it was. Not well prepared at all. After looking at the menu, my wife went with the chicken Diane and I decided on the Big pork chop, especially based on a Yelp photo I saw, with a quartino of chianti. The wait was not bad for the food. The quartino never came until we had asked again after our food had arrived. In looking at the dishes, there was nothing that stood out. The chicken was a slighlty grilled breast with "Diane" sauce over it, slightly blanched asparagus. The pork chop was a large cut with a creamed like corn and sweet potato. There was nothing outstanding with either dish. The dijon mustard with the chop was a jarred mustard ladeled with the chop, nothing more. The Diane sauce was mediocre at best, with no ingenuity to any of the dishes. You get what you get, and you don't get upset, as my kids would say. With all the reviews the place gets, you would think I has something that people rave about. As avid diners who look for a place to impress them, this place has nothing. Bad drinks, complacent meals, and a primp atmosphere set for a Loop steakhouse with the taste of a novice in the kitchen. read more

Dear Chew Chew - you could do no wrong. We brought my in-laws here and they loved it! My brother in law with his wife? Loved it! Our friends? couldn't stop talking about it! Let me tell you, whatever you're in the mood for, Chew Chew will probably have it. The service is polite, not too pushy, and paced-just-perfectly. The portions are huge with very very affordable prices. The ambiance is cozy, the decor is simple and modern, and a bit upscale with no need to dress up. I have yet to have a dish there that I didn't like. For some entertainment, sit in the booths by the kitchen, so you can see what's goes on in there. You'll be amazed how quiet it is! Whenever we feel like going out to dinner but don't want to research a new restaurant - we go to Chew Chew. We've gone there with and without reservations and never had to wait for seats. Oh! They also do Sunday brunch. read more

As the 3 stars mean--This place was A-OK. Although I had a reservation, we still had to wait 10-15 min for our table. We ended up waiting at the bar and the bartender was great. Finally were seated and the waiter was attentive. One thing I hate is having to ask for refills and he was on top of his game. We ordered the baked Goat Cheese, Wild Boar & Short Rib Bolognese, and the Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast and it was all delicious. I wouldnt mind going back here to try other items on the menu! read more

Had a stupendously delicious meal here with some friends over the weekend. The menu was not expansive but instead offered the things they were great at. We did oysters on the half shell, muscles, the wedge salad with rare steak, delicious fish tacos with corn and chorizo, the seared tuna, tasty flatbread, freshly made key lime pie and some crazy chocolate dessert too... a few drinks too and some fresh baked bread with homemade herb butter and best of all, our server was OURS. She was ON IT! Made sure everything was just right... never left us alone for too long... she was super attentive which to me seems uncommon at a restaurant at this price point. She was fantastic! A great meal for four that didn't empty our wallets. Can't wait to visit the Chew Chew again! What's funny is my wife and four year old son recently visited the Choo Choo out in DesPlaines... it's one of those old 50's burger places where the food is delivered to your table on a model train. Also, very fun! Yay for both Chew Choos! read more

Nothing special and just ok food. Service can be better also. Location is great and plenty of parking nearby.

This is a tough one. On the surface and conceptually, this place is hard not to like. And from their catchy, cool and sleekly designed website, you really want to like it a lot. First impressions: - Unique and impressive layout, decor matching the themed namesake, derived from location - This architecturally striking split level gem has the ability to touch off the perfect balance of modern and throwback with beautiful wood lines and stainless which flows throughout - Diverse, eclectic menu allowing for a lot of sharing with bar snacks, interesting flatbreads, salads, burgers, tacos, pastas and a variety of entree options including duck breast, crab cakes, Scottish salmon, steak frites and much more. Hard pressed not to find something for everyone. - Arrived five minutes prior to our 7p Rsv for two, place appeared to be about 3/4 full on a Friday. In a word. Disjointed. - Sat about ten minutes later after a bit of convoluted and harried discussion, running to and fro from an unsure, newbie? hostess and, by all appearances, seasoned floor manager. Secondary commentary: - Landing at one of the five booths along side the open view to the kitchen gives a first hand look at how good or bad things can go with a busy restaurant on a Friday night. - Our server came in a timely manner but it was clear pretty quickly, while not in the weeds, seemed to either be close to it, fleeting, or just not all that personable or attentive. - Drinks a bit meh and dare I say, watered down? I hate that term but really it's immediately what comes to mind. - BC Wedge, always a hit, this one no different, great. - Seasonal Squash soup. Good but as with so many soups, heavy handed on the NaCl - One main an absolutely outstanding, perfectly cooked Scottish Salmon on a bed rice and asparagus spears with a horseradish crème fraiche. Here's the deal here though...bc of our vantage point we could see our dishes waiting in the window for a bit and when they were served it was evident, esp the salmon entree. But STILL, this dish killed! So good with an intense grilled flavor to both the salmon and asparagus. Well done. Just not well "timed". - The other main pulled Chicken Mole tacos. Good, not great, but they're tacos, akin to that pizza and sex truism. Final Cut: - Belgian Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Gelato and Blood Orange sauce. Ommagawd. Done. Did. Out. With such cool atmo and impressive menu..... [X] Will likely be back at some point read more

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We hadn't been to Chew Chew in years, and drove an hour from the city to get there. Completely worth it. They were in full Oktoberfest regalia. The onion soup was the best we've ever had. Short ribs, burger, German beer cheese, bread, all outstanding with high-quality ingredients, prepared perfectly. And each dish seemed to have a secret ingredient that put it over the top. Isaac our waiter was fantastic, and the owner really knows how to look after his employees and welcome his customers. A breath of fresh air. We will be back. As frequently as possible. read more

Perfect! Service is attentive, precise, friendly, yet not overwhelming. Decor is simple yet warm and you have enough space between tables to carry whatever conversation you may want to have. Beer, wine and drinks list is adequate. The food is perfect. Whatever you pick from the menu: fish, meat, pastas, I seriously doubt you'll be disappointed. We ordered the fish tacos which were fresh and great tasting and the filet mignon which melted in the mouth. And yes, save space for dessert, the pecan pie was amazing. Make sure you make reservation (they are on open table) as this place is always up to capacity since you are guaranteed a perfect experience. read more

I have struggled in writing this review. The food here is wonderful. The staff is extremely professional and accommodating. However, In recent months the clientele ChewChew has attracted has been a bunch of demanding pseudo foodies. I have eaten at this restaurant for years and the food has been fresh and well prepared. The staff strives to make it a pleasant experience, but when another diner ties them up for upwards of 10 mins with their opinions or complaints, things can't help but get backed up. My advice, go at a less busy time and truly enjoy your meal. Otherwise, you will be waiting on the whims of other diners. read more

Both times I have been here, the food has been great! I would say the price is a bit steep for what you get, but they're trying to cater to a certain clientele for sure. My salad with chicken was about $15 (yikes) and although it was super delicious, I could make the same thing at home for a fraction of the cost. The menu is fairly eclectic, and the food has always been very fresh. If you want a fancy dinner out in the suburbs, it's definitely a good choice overall. Make reservations! We waited about 10 minutes on a Friday night for a table because I had reserved one, but they were telling others approximately a 45 minute wait. read more

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Great place! The atmosphere was lively but still at a decibel it was easy to have a nice conversation. It was very welcoming for kids too which is always difficult to find. Overall the food was good and we will be back but there are a few things I'd hope they would change. Pros: Family friendly Outdoor seating Brick chicken (huge portion) Salmon Kids' pizza Cons: Margarita was definitely just a mix. Mashed potatoes taste like boxed potatoes. read more

I have been here 5 times now and it has ROCKED every time. I highly recommend this place. The variety is fantastic; if you are in the mood for a substantial meal or a lite bite, if you have a group with meat lovers and vegetarians - it will work! Also, they have an amazing drink menu (I recommend the mango mojito). They always have a few super unique items on the menu and the wait staff is usually very enthusiastic about the menu and telling you about what is fabulous that night or about the featured items and specials. The last time I was there we tried just about every appetizer and they were all fantastic. I also had the almond crusted rainbow trout with pesto, which was out of this world good (it came with julienne vegetables and basil rice that was to die for). read more

I jumped on the Chew Chew bandwagon when it was at its former location and was heartbroken when they closed. Needless to say, we RUSHED back when they reopened down the street. The service is always top notch. The staff is attentive and knowledgeable. We've always been impressed with their wine recommendations and the pacing of the courses is always satisfactory. Their steaks are always savory. The fish tacos are inventive. Appetizers are varied so every visit has a fresh new twist. My husband typically orders sambuca, which they didn't used to have in stock. Scott (the owner) had a premium bottle specially ordered so that my husband would have his favorite night cap the next time we dropped in. That is what I consider a personal dining experience. Per the usual, I MUST make note of the decor. This is a beautiful space with that modern-meets-vintage motif that is hugely popular right now. The train theme is carried out in a subtle way while the lighting is romantic and the furnishings are chic yet comfy. We'll continue to recommend Chew Chew to friends and is a great date night destination. read more

This restaurant does a lot right. They have raw oysters for a dollar, they pour very generous glasses of wine, the food is consistently excellent and the atmosphere is great. Some favorites include the fish tacos, the duck confit appetizer, the soups and the pulled pork sandwich. The burgers are probably the only disappointment, but with such unique menu choices - why pick a burger anyway? The staff are personable and helpful - I particularly like to sit in the bar as it is lively without being overly noisy. The Chew Chew has become such a favorite local spot! read more

Wasn't too sure about this place based on the name, but so glad we went. Excellent service, nice atmosphere and very unique menu. We started with the mezze plate that featured some homemade pickled zucchini, feta, hummus, etc. It was a great starter. Everything on the menu was very tempting. I had the smoked gouda penne with chicken and my husband had a German sausage platter that was one of the evenings specials. The only downer for me was that virtually every dessert had nuts, which I can't eat, so we passed on dessert. Very lively bar area and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Looking forward to a return visit. read more

Best dinner in a long time! At the last minute I made reservations here on a Saturday night. The BF did not feel like Indian food (my original plan) so a friend really pushed this place on me. I am so thankful we ended up here! I ordered the fish of the day that was served with rice and veggies. Everything was perfect! I actually ate my leftovers 2 days later and it was still fresh and amazing. The BF went with the surf & turf and ate every single bite. He let us try a tiny piece of his lobster and it was a great choice on his part for sure. His daughter ordered the chicken Diana? I had a small bite and the flavors were great as well! You could really see the quality in every aspect of every single dish we were served. All of our drinks were amazing as well. They were doing mixed drinks and martinis. I stuck with wine. The wine list is great! Service was patient and friendly even when we were indecisive. I cant wait to come back! read more

Don't you hate when you check into a place, and then month's later, think about writing a review only to find that you've completely forgotten what you wanted to write? With the only simple memory of... wow, this place was good. And it was the perfect inbetween spot for a double date with our friends in the city. Originally started as a coffee shop, they've really stepped up their game since their early days and have a full menu of drinks and great food (surprisingly!) that aims to please. Another suburb find that's surprisingly excellent! Verdict: Will definitely come back as a double date spot for future get togethers! Note: My apologies for the lack of depth in this review compared to my norm... all I can remember is that all four of really enjoyed the meal here! read more

I've been here many times with my family. The servers and staff all have great customer service skills. The servers are very knowledgeable about their wines and the menu. One of my favorite dishes is the Linguine with Tiger Shrimp and Mussels. The sauce is a bit spicy, but the dish has red peppers and goat cheese in it as well. It's sooo good! -1 star for the fact that there are no restrooms actually in the restaurant itself. You have to go into a hall to use the public restrooms that are shared with other businesses. read more

This was a great place to meet up with a friend coming in on the train from Chicago. Its nice, laid back, and has a pretty decent beer menu. We ended up ordering several small plates - most of them specials - and enjoying all of them! The stuffed dates were just fantastic. The staff was very accommodating and friendly. I was happy when we wanted to order the ridiculous children's dessert (ice cream loaded with different types of candy and a fudge sauce) that said it was only for kids 10 and under and the waitress was more then fine with it. I always get upset when they won't let you order something like that from the children's menu. It basically means they are more concerned with their tip then they are with your experience. Not this waitress, though, she admitted she orders it all the time as well. I'd definitely recommend this for a relaxing dinner or even just a few drinks! read more