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    The Graceful Ordinary

    4.3 (281 reviews)
    PriceyNew American, Bars
    Closed 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    The Graceful Ordinary New American Restaurant Photos

    THE GRACEFUL ORDINARY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Classy
    Upscale
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - The Graceful Ordinary

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    Reviews With Photos

    Ribeye with potatoes and peas
    Caron C.

    I had heard great things and it didn't disappoint! I had the ribeye cooked perfectly and the Brussel sprouts side! It was my birthday and waiting at our table was a card signed by staff. A nice touch. It isn't for the faint of heart regarding prices but worth it. It was a bit noisy but the space is beautiful so it offset the inconvenience of the noise. But if you have someone in your party who struggles with hearing, you may want to ask for a corner table...they also have a nice balcony with seating when the weather permits

    Food menu
    Cady D.

    My first time visiting The Graceful Ordinary and it was amazing. Immediately we were welcomed in by the friendly hostesses who opened the door for us. Claire at the bar was also very kind and made us feel welcome the entire time. The cocktails were delicious and some of the best I've had in the area. We tried the TGO Clover, Orchard's Bounty, and Swim the Tide. The TGO Clover was fruity and refreshing, the Orchard's Bounty was sweet reminded me of autumn, and the Swim the Tide was tangy and spicy from the Thai bitters. For my entree, I got the cider glazed pork belly, and for dessert we got the butterscotch pot de crème and samoa ice cream. We left so full and satisfied. Will definitely have to go back to try everything that we didn't get this time! Great restaurant for a romantic date night or celebrating a special occasion.

    Suzy S.

    What a beautiful restaurant lit by real candles (as opposed to battery operated mini lights.) We had a great meal with amazing service. We will definitely be back!

    Steak and eggs
    Kim M.

    Update: This place really frustrates me. While their brunch is by far my favorite in the area, and the mussels are the dinner standout here - outside of the collaboration a few years back - i can't get a steak here cooked to my requested temperature for the life of me. Medium rare almost always comes out more medium well, and ordering rare to try and get it closer to medium rare is more like raw. The service however, also almost always on point. So will continue to go for the brunch and the mussels, but never again for the steak. Not after that many times, for that price that's a gamble on being cooked as requested.

    PEI Mussels small plate- delicious!
    Lindsay B.

    We had an incredible experience at The Graceful Ordinary for our friends birthday- I can't wait to go back. The vibes inside the restaurant are impeccable, and they have lots of outdoor space for when the weather is nice as well. Service was top notch from the hostess to our server to the sommelier- everything was perfection. The food and cocktails were also incredible. I had the Le Granda cocktail which was tart and refreshing. We started with the octopus carpaccio and the bone marrow- plus fresh baked bread. I ordered the mussels small plate (which was not small) and it was fantastic- covered in crispy frites. I want to go back and have it again soon. Others at the table had scallops, steak, and duck- and all seemed very pleased with their entrees. For dessert, they had a cocktail on the menu called the song of the South- a sweet potato based beverage- it was fantastic and a great way to end the meal. I'll be back soon for another special occasion!

    Pam K.

    From the time you walk in greeted by the wonderful hosts until you leave it was amazing. Food is outstanding. Service by Tiffany is above and beyond. Decor is absolutely beautiful. Highly recommend!!

    Inside
    Lexi M.

    This was a locally recommended spot, so I made reservations and met the rest of by team there. We started with octopus carpaccio and a bottle of great wine for the table. The space was extremely charming sitting right on the river. The decor was very modern and fresh and was the perfect spot for date night! I can't wait for my next time here so I can try all the other dishes I wanted to try.

    Bone Marrow & Garlic Bread with Bread service & a dram of Locals Only
    Donna F.

    The venue has no strict dress code, but since it's classy, consider dressing up a bit for the occasion. When my party of two arrived without a reservation, we were informed of a 15-20 min wait. However, we ended up being seated within just 10 mins. The restaurant was not very crowded on a Thursday night. We understand that the restaurant employs staggered seating to avoid overwhelming the kitchen. We decided to sit indoors, facing the open kitchen, which provided a captivating view of the culinary action. I managed to capture some stunning photos showcasing the venue's exquisite decor and the refined ambiance in the indoor and outdoor dining areas. Every dish we tried was delicious and had a unique flavor profile. We look forward to returning to sample more items from their enticing menu. Our waitress was both amiable and accommodating. While some might prefer frequent check-ins from the staff, I appreciated that we were not interrupted too frequently during our meal. We got a friendly hello from the executive chef/owner and a takeaway red chimichurri from the host - such a nice surprise! In general, this dining experience has truly raised the bar.

    Mint julep sundae
    Lisa S.

    What a fabulous spot overlooking the fox river in St. Charles to enjoy a fabulous meal and devine cocktails. The space is gorgeous - every detail carefully planned including screens for the patio to eliminate pests. Service was unobtrusive but always readily available. My favorite cocktail, the sazerac, was actually on the menu, and it was delicious. Not too many bars stock absinthe so i was surprisingly pleased with their l fantastic variety of libations. The food was phenomenal from the complimentary bread service to the appetizers (frisee salad was amazing!). My husband and I decided to split the Halibut, and they plated that for us. It was plenty of food and probably one of the best Halibut dishes I ever had. The mint julep sundae was the perfect ending with just the right combination of flavors to be decadent but not overly rich. Nearly 2 1/2 hours were spent enjoying the dinner, not because service was slow but rather we didn't want the experience to end.

    Beautiful ambiance off the river
    Ashleigh L.

    What a great place to dine. It's right off the river and has a beautiful patio to observe the sunset and enjoy the mild weather. We sat inside and while it was a little loud, the place was very nice and the service was incredible. Many craft drinks and unique dishes to choose from, I ordered the scallops and with fried oysters and fingerlings. The flavor was outstanding and went well with the cheese bread. We ended with desert, a tasty mint chocolate cookie sundae that is worth having again. Great place for a special occasion!

    Exhibition style kitchen

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    1 month ago

    Worst restaurant I've ever been to. Serves terrible. Food below average. Priced to high for what u get

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    1 month ago

    Prices are city prices not suburb prices. Food is average to good. Ambiance is great! Location is superb! Service is great!

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    2 months ago

    Food and drinks were fantastic, make sure to make a reservation tho! Location was close to the theatre.

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    Ask the Community - The Graceful Ordinary

    Is there any Gluten Free options?

    There's not a designated gluten free menu. I am gluten free but not celiac. They were able to make everything we ordered gluten free to accommodate my dietary needs.

    Are walk ins available?

    Yes, but location is still very popular and you'll probably have to wait for a while. I'd recommend making reservations. Or there are many other places in the area if you choose not to wait.

    Do you have valet parking available?

    Yes The parking lot behind the restaurant does have the option to valet

    Hi my friends and I (party of 13) were wondering if the check can be split 13 ways?

    Just have one friend pick up the tab and Venmo/Zelle them what each person owes. Much easier than having a busy server do the complicated splitting. And one friend gets to enjoy all those extra points on their CC

    View All 5 Questions

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    Atwater's Restaurant

    4.1(117 reviews)
    1.9 mi
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    We went to dinner at Atwater's, one of my favorite quiet and elegant restaurants in Geneva. My…read morehusband and I brought our friends for their first time dining here. Our server was Val who was so delightful and engaging. We started with a delightful walleye ceviche on a blue corn chip for the amuse bouche. Perfect bite. The four of us shared the steamed Prince Edward Island mussels and the artisan charcuterie board as starters. The muscles were a generous portion and the broth was so flavorful. I always love Atwater's charcuterie board. It's has a generous portion of Humboldt Fog cheese, which is one of my favorite cheeses. For dinner, I opted for the roasted butternut bisque and caramelized apple & kale salad. The bisque was smooth and silky and the salad bright, crisp and fresh. Hubby had the blackened swordfish and loved it. My friends had the pork and lamb chop entrées. They really enjoyed their food. I've had the lamb chops before and they're excellent. The food at Atwater's is full of flavor, beautifully presented and delicious. Our server Val surprised us with a little taste of olive oil ice cream for a sweet treat to end the meal. I was so happy that my friends loved this restaurant as much as we do. If you haven't dined at Atwater's, you're missing out on a tasty hidden gem. You'll find the restaurant overlooking the Fox River in The Herrington Hotel.

    We came to celebrate my grandma's birthday and it was the perfect spot. It's very small and…read moreintimate which was perfect for my grandparents since big crowds and loud venues can be overwhelming. The wait staff was also very patient and helpful. The food was delicious! Our meal started with complementary dinner rolls with butter and a selection of jams. We also ordered the charcuterie plate to share. For my meal I had the salmon which was absolutely delicious! Everyone's dish looked delicious too!

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    Preservation - Steak skewers

    Preservation

    4.1(428 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    A nice spot to grab a drink on a nice weather day - the outdoor patio is fantastic!…read more The fellas and I grabbed a round of brews here while roaming around downtown Geneva and we had zero complaints. It was really nice out so, naturally, we were at the outdoor bar/patio. What a delightful space: open, airy, ample seating, great staff. The biggest bummer is navigating inside for the bathroom but everything else is top notch. We're fans and will return again!

    I'd love to share my full experience at Preservation but alas, there isn't much in the way of food…read moreor drink I can report on. The service however, is a different story. My friend and I arrived around 7:15pm this evening, Tuesday night, a weekday. We were greeted by a hostess in a full winter jacket and completely empty front room. She gave us the option to sit in said empty room or to follow her back to a "cozy heated area." We couldn't decide so we asked her to choose, and she led us down a long, narrow hallway to the back. There were three parties total in the indoor patio--us, another table of 2 and a large party of 8. Their outdoor patio was open, and with a view of it from the cozy room. The outdoor patio was festive with holiday lights, heaters and perhaps 3 people sitting at the bar. Many employees bustled back and forth through the door linking our two spaces. Our waitress brought us two glasses of water and food menus, pointed out the QR code menu on our table and walked away. That was our ONLY interaction with her. We proceeded to then sit for 15 minutes, watching our waitress, along with 3 other employees walk back and forth, attentively serving the large party, cleaning up a recently vacated back booth, chatting with one another and even saw another employee take a moment to vape inside near the POS system. We were ignored. No eye contact, no smile, no acknowledgment. It's as if we were not even there. For a slow Tuesday night, with ample staff, this was unacceptable. It grew so uncomfortable that we gathered our jackets and began to walk out. As we made our way back down the long hallway, the hostess, carrying a tray of waters, thanked us for coming in. Clearly there is a lack of awareness--or attention to detail. In what world would we have been able to order drinks, eat and pay our bill in less than 30 minutes since you seated us? But Finally! Someone noticed us. Too bad it was too little too late. We walked a block down to a different restaurant, and had an amazing time, spending more time & money than originally anticipated at that establishment, as a direct result of the poor hospitality and lack of service received at Preservation. Their loss was the Alchemist's gain.

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    Preservation - Pretty storefront for the "Front Lounge". Rest of place is more open air concept but with class!

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    Pretty storefront for the "Front Lounge". Rest of place is more open air concept but with class!

    Nobel House - Half 1/2 Chicken

    Nobel House

    3.8(387 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    A group dinner at Nobel House left us hungry for more (in a good way!)…read more This is a pretty sizable restaurant with a bar along half of one wall and plenty of tables of varying sizes that can accommodate whatever you throw at them. There is ample lighting and the staff is welcoming and friendly. The food is BBQ and they have a little bit of everything to offer. That is great, but makes it hard to choose what you want! We certainly had that problem but ultimately were very happy with our meals. They pretty much cover all the bases as far as BBQ and the sides. The flavors were very tasty! Having one in Glen Ellyn won't have us running back to this location but that is only on account of circumstance.

    Thought we give Noble another shot, post visi from anniversary where we ordered drinks to start and…read moredidnt know if we were dining or not, was asked a few times in the case of dine or leave attitude. Today, 5/30, we had a large part celebrating a birthday. Resturant half empty. Kelli our waitress, not the most pleasant. A toddler spilled water and ice, the eye rolling and the other waitress gossip while looking at our table. Not appreciative. To flag Kelli down, was a full time job. I understand serving others, but if we have to get up to chase you down, it becomes a problem. Food overall was fine, prices seemed increased, burgers use to be larger, lastly the drink department. Yeungling flight, $8 draft for 12oz, yikes. End all, wont be back. We are from St Charles, plenty of options that have better service and great food for a night out. Sorry Noble, but step up.

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    Nobel House - Smoked Cubano

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    The Graceful Ordinary - newamerican - Updated June 2026

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