Great spot for dinner! Table setup is a little odd but nothing to deter you! Went and saw the menu and the waiter said it was family style. Didn't want the hassle of picking out the food so we went with the chefs tasting. The food was amazing and it was a great amount for the pice. They had this bacon item as well as muscles which were by far my favorite items. We also had their old fashions which were very good as well! For the price and food quantity you really can't beat this place. Will definitely be back! read more

Best meal I have had in several years. Vegetables are fantastic. And I had the best carrot I have ever eaten in my life (BBQ carrots). So why 4 stars instead of 5? Place is just too loud. Very difficult to talk. I also did not care so much for the seating arrangement (long, shared tables). But if you don't need to talk, this is a fantastic place to eat. Actually, the wine and beer selections were also great. read more

I was planing order other dishes (pics showed on Yelp) but 99% of the dishes are no longer available as he said they change menus each month. The one I ended up ordering is delicious and the service is pilot and welcoming. read more

The Publican - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped in at the Publican on a Thursday night and was able to get a table almost immediately which was nice. Went in to try the oysters and they have a lot of choices. We went with the chef selection and had a dozen different oysters that were all awesome. Can't beat the bread here as they have the Publican bakery bread with salt and butter. Awesome! Enjoyed a nice glass of wine, I believe it was the French Maison Pinot noir. Thanks for the hospitality. read more

Excellent food and service. Loved the oysters variety and vibe . Entrees were yummy too read more

Sirloin was excellent, definitely my favorite dish of the night. Barbecue carrots were also yummy. Started with 6 oysters that were quickly finished. Also got the frites with garlic aoli! Service was quick and friendly. It is very loud, which makes sense given the layout of the dining room and many parties sitting together. read more

I've waited since June to post this review in hopes that the Publican would be able to remedy the upsetting and violating situation that I experienced at this restaurant. I write this post as a warning for future patrons to reconsider hosting an event here, as the Publican treats their patrons with little respect and has completely shattered my trust. My friend and I were wedding guests at the Publican in early June. When we got to the Publican we asked the hostess and Publican events planner, Danielle, where the card box was to put our cards in. Danielle responded "I am the card box!" And so we handed our cards over to her as she told us that they would all be given to the bride and groom. I was a bit nervous to hand the cards over, as they contained more than $500 cash, but I unfortunately trusted Danielle. Fast forward, the day after the wedding, I asked the bride if Danielle had given our wedding cards to them. She told us that Danielle hadn't given them any cards, but that she'd follow up with the Publican to make sure that she got them. Several weeks later I again asked the bride if she'd received our cards and she told us that Danielle hadn't given them any cards still. Danielle even told us at one point she gave everything to the groom, but the groom confirmed that he had not received any cards at all. We contacted the restaurant right away to discuss the situation in hopes that they would be willing to work with us to remedy the situation: simply put, we wanted the bride and groom to receive their wedding gift. We spoke with the GM, Oscar, that took the situation seriously and was deeply upset that this occurred. He had us try to work with Danielle to rectify the issue. Upon countless attempts to contact Danielle via phone calls and text messages, she finally called several weeks later and acted like she had no idea what we were talking about, even though she knew all about the situation. She told us that it was "ridiculous" for us to expect that she would be able to do something about our stolen cards & cash that were in her possession. At first, we were hopeful that it was just a mistake. However, the Publican and Danielle continually dodged our calls and messages, leading us to believe that they had something to hide, which they clearly do. This should've been and could've been a very simple situation to find a solution for. Unfortunately, for the past 5 months, we've seen quite the opposite. We have not been unreasonable and in fact, we have offered multiple options for The Publican to make this situation right for us, but most importantly, the bride and groom. read more

Seems like it would be a fun atmosphere once Covid is over - beer hall setting, pig pen swing doors, and good service. The chicken was juicy and tender like everyone says, though a little pricey for what it is. The casing of sausage that comes with it was difficult to chew through. The rest of the meal (spicy pork rinds and rillettes) was heavy but not that flavorful, which is a unique combo. The beet salad was solid - the bitterness of the dandelion leaves balanced the sweetness from the beets, and bursts is always delicious. read more

The Publican - Half chicken - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I didn't know they closed at 2 and made late reservations on Open Table for 145pm for a late late hungover Sunday brunch. Food had to be in by 2pm, but other than that, they were super accommodating! I couldn't believe how nice they were about it! Food was clean, delicious and seemed to be super healthy. Cocktails were also spectacular. I will be back, as the patio is huge with lots of umbrellas. read more

The Publican - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Reserved a table for 2, at 6:15, to celebrate our engagement, we were prepared to go large, champagne etc... we were very excited to come to a well reputed restaurant, and I had had a positive experience before. However, that is where the positivity ends. We were seated precisely at 6:15, despite arriving early and the dining room and patio not being busy, not sure why we were made to wait. A very attentive water server made sure our glasses weren't empty. Our blue baseball cap wearing server came and took our cocktail order (call me old fashioned, but wearing a hat inside like that is simply bad manners). They made no attempt made to make us feel welcome with banter and chit chat. Our entire experience with this server was transactional. At one point I wondered out loud "is this the pot wash they have had to draft in to serving?"It was not a full restaurant, so wasn't like they were rushed off their feet, a few moments of getting to know who they had seated in front of them could have saved the evening. We ordered the $48 full charcuterie board and when it arrived there was no explanation given to what we had in front of us. I'm sure there was a reason it was priced so, but we never knew. The baguette was cold in the middle! When I felt two blobs of dry chewing gum under the table by my knee it was a done deal. We made our excuses, paid, tipped, and left. We were not prepared to give them anymore of our money. Manners cost nothing, being welcoming to a customer costs nothing, the restaurant was not busy, but our server couldn't care less about our experience... in fact, not a single server on shift had a smile or looked welcoming. It sadly took sparkle out of our special evening and we won't be recommending the place. Should have trusted our gut and gone to an old favourite of ours, which we are currently in a cab and on our way to. read more

Terrible service.No hospitality. We booked the weekend brunch and when we arrived we had to wait a lot until seated then waited again for the order...and again when checking out.our server was cold and showed no hospitality. There was a lot of trashes around our outdoor seating. Very, very unpleasant. Our server told us that waffle and schnitzel were unavailable, at the timing of ordering , but he should have informed us before... And food was also average, blunt, no surprise. Just very much pricey for their portion. And they charged us full price though we already put $30 in advance , when we booked online...so we had to ask the server to correct it. Never come back. read more

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Maybe it was because I came here for brunch but I had very high expectations for this place. Due to Covid, we reserved the prepaid seating in the outdoor igloos and had trouble ordering enough to fulfill the $50 each minimum. Each main dish was ~$15. We ordered the chicken and dumpling, publican scramble (spinach, crema, and crispy shallots), and the pork belly hash. All the food were a little too salty and fatty for my taste but the portions were decent. While the food was not very impressive, the drinks were delicious! The bourbon cream coffee and the pear hot toddy hit the spot especially on a cold morning dining outdoors. The service was a little a confusion. The waitstaff seemed to be in a rush, perhaps due to the pre-paid outdoor dining time limit and constantly checked to see if we were done with our food. However, I have heard good things about its dinner options and willing to try again! read more

The Publican - chicken and dumplings - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My husband has been wanting to try The Publican for a while, so I took him here for his birthday. We were pretty excited as this restaurant has great reviews. I was expecting to like it a bit more than I did. The seating at the restaurant is interesting. They have communal tables in the center with more private booths along the side that are enclosed by wooden doors. It's kind of like you are in your own private pin. Since there were only two of us, I was anticipating sitting in the communal area, but luckily we were able to sit in the booths which gave us some privacy. We went a little early on a Saturday (about 6pm) and there was no one in the restaurant. It was pretty bare. Since this is a tapas style restaurant, we ordered 4 things to share. We started with the bread. It came with a salty butter which is probably 60% salt and 40% butter which is way too salty. Next, we ordered the brussels sprouts. The ricotta and almond aillade was amazing creating a sweet/savory dish with the lemon and honey! These had to be some of the best brussels sprouts I had ever had. Then we ordered the porkbelly. I loved the way the porkbelly was cooked. You got good fat and meat which melted in your mouth into savory goodness. The summer squash and pickled fresno had an interesting taste. I don't really know how I feel about it, but the porkbelly was yummy! The same thing happened with our last dish... the country ribs. The ribs themselves were very tender and delicious; however the roasted apples, ramps, and bleu cheese had an interesting and a little unpleasant flavor. The dish just didn't seem cohesive. The meat was good though. We finished our plates no problem. I kind of wish we could have tried the chicken, but we're pretty happy with our choices. We opted not to have dessert because we were planning to go somewhere else, but they had some interesting choices. Overall, I would say it is pretty good. I wouldn't say it blew me away like I was expecting, but they have some delicious meats and literally the best brussels sprouts! read more

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This is never an easy thing to do, write a terrible review. But in charity, it's necessary since I rely on Yelp in making dining choices. Of course I write during the slow Phase 3 opening of Covid time, so it was absolutely wonderful to just be outside. Sadly, the entire evening was left wanting. Dinner for two cost $140 and while normally reasonable, it was a no frills dinner with two beers a piece between me and my friend. There was no wine or cocktails. No appetizer (unless you count bread), or dessert. We started with the bread basked for $16! Yep, $16 for six slices of bread and a cheese spread. The bread was good, the spread was average at best. At $16 it was ridiculously overpriced. We also ordered the pomme frites as a side for the dinner. When you charge that much, you can't call them "french fries." They were extremely over-salted which was sad because they would have been delicious otherwise. The aioli which came with them was just mayo...nothing spectacular. It cut down on the salt at least. The grilled carrots were good. They're served a la carte. No complaints, but they didn't wow me. But good. The ribs which were listed at $32 were AWEFUL. The pork baby back ribs were dry and not terribly meaty and must have come from an emaciated cow from Bangladesh in the middle of a drought. It was served with a miserable piece of cornbread which could double as sandpaper...also dry. They should be embarrassed for serving such food (not the cow...it had no choice). My friend ordered the pork belly which really did look exceptional. It was served with beans, but again, the portion was more of an appetizer than a meal. I'm not looking for "Cheesecake Factory" mega-portions. But there's a clear difference between an entree and an appetizer. Summary; poorly executed cooking, terrible portions, limited menu, and the only thing creative about the entire meal was how they hooked me in to paying so much for so little. It was perhaps the worst dining experience I've had in years. read more

Excellent gastropub with innovative and exciting cuisine. Came in with a work group of nine and were promptly seated at one of the communal tables. We ordered a bunch of beers off the extensive list with the clear favorite among all of them being the Tre Fontane from Lazio. Easily one of the top five beers I've ever had. We split some oysters which were a nice mix of east and west coast. We then did the chef's tasting menu which was three fish, three meat and three vegetable (it seemed like more) that arrived family style for sharing. Amongst our favorites were the snapper crudo, the sous vide/broiled/fried pork belly (which was absurdly good) and the mussels, which were served in a rich broth. Another favorite was the porchetta served over charred bread and miso sauce. This was finished off with house made desserts; cobbler, assorted cookies and a gelato. Service was highly attentive and engaging and made numerous recommendations. We particularly liked the beer-som who commented on our prodigious consumption of our favorite beer which turned out to be his favorite beer. read more

The Publican - The dead soldiers from Lazio. - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If Covid's got you down and you want an excellent date night out with perfect food & beverage, this is THE spot. Safe & socially distant, and the menu is outstanding. They execute to perfection. Since I'm thorough, below is what we had: Two kinds of west coast oysters I've never had from Samich Bay, Washington: Samich Pearl (left) and Penn Cove (right). These are both third best in my mind next to Kumamotos and Kusshis. Loved em! Steak tartare with some seriously amazing *perfect* seeded rye bread, fresno chili dijonaise and fried shallot. Midwestern cheese plate with fresh chevre, brie, and an ash rind gooey cheese, fennel roasted candied cashews, apricot preserves, and sweet cherries. Not pictured, a lovely glass of Spanish cava paired with the oysters and a glass of French bordeaux just because. Plus, my hubby's Westmalle Dubbel beer which was on draft. The place has an extensive Belgian beer list, a well curated wine list, and pretty cocktails. I think the intention there is to go there and stuff yourself full of fresh baked bread, meat, and Belgian beer, but really I felt myself being drawn toward the vegetarian dishes. They looked stellar. Next time! Keep up the good work Publican, your servers are doing a phenomenal job! read more

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This was one of the recommended places to go in Chicago, and I am so glad that we didn't miss it. Pretty cool atmosphere, make you feel like it's almost October fest time. We had oysters, mussels and half chicken they were all super tasty. read more

Vibes: inviting, warmly lit, elegant yet simple dining room with wooden long tables and semi-private booths, bring your friends and family Tasting notes for brunch: -johnnycake: extremely well-caramelized onions and deeply savory and sweet bacon chunks provided the flavor intensity of the dish; the fluffy, slightly crumbly cornbread texture and flavor of the johnnycake along with the airy light eggs were a perfect pair to contrast each forkful of onion and bacon -cinnamon french toast: the thick-cut bread was custard-y in texture and heavenly rich but not too heavy; the brioche crumbles were delightfully crispy and lovely with the whipped cream Other thoughts: -friendly and attentive service -dishes for everyone were brought out at the same time -teas come out piping hot in glass teapots, milk and brown sugar cubes available at the table read more

The Publican - Johnnycake ($16) - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's been 2 years since my last visit to The Publican. My mother and father in-law were in town visiting family. My wife and I decided to surprise them by flying in on their last days in the Windy City. I made reservations here before I booth our flights. I then had to convince my mother in law that I would make them reservations to my all time favorite restaurant in Chicago as they look to me for reservations. Long story short I pulled it off. Now after two years and reading some negative reviews I had some worries. However once inside I realized it was still the restaurant I loved and have taken dozens of friends and workers to. We were stuffed still from lunch but that did not stop us from over ordering. The list consisted of the ham plate, bread trio, gem lettuce salad, bbq carrots, roasted beets, Bavette steak, and two orders of the halibut. Everything was brought out faster than we expected, everything was cooked 100% as it should be, service was spot on and never once did we need to flag someone down. My mother and father in-law were so impressed and could not stop raving about the halibut (that's why they ordered two). I travel the world for work and make sure I visit the best restaurants around. From diners to Michelin star rated restaurants I've been to them all. The Publican truly sits in my top 10 favorite restaurants in the world. They deliver great tasting food, large portions for a reasonable price. I'm my travels I've found many restaurants that obviously purchased The Publican cookbook and try to duplicate. What's the saying " imitation is the best form of flattery". Thank you to all the staff for another great dinner and a night my family will remember. read more

Let's shine a spotlight on another restaurant that has been truly amazing during the pandemic. First, the food is great, even if you don't order pork. The roast chicken is delicious, with a nicely salty sauce that goes perfectly on their fries, and the sides are interesting, textured, satisfying, and creative. I'm thinking of the bbq carrots with ranch sauce, the burrata with tons of veggies, etc. And the desserts - an important and tough test in my household - are superlative. Second, they deliver! To Hyde Park! I don't mind doing some curbside pickup when I have to, but with little kids at home and Chicago traffic being what it is, I award a huge premium to any place that will give me 30-60 minutes of my life back by delivering to my door. Down here in the ivory tower we don't have a ton of amazing delivery options. But Publican is one of them. Third, the customer service goes above and beyond. We had planned out a great spread for a Friday night dinner. The spread arrived, but missing our roast chicken. Hamlet without the prince and all that. Many restaurants would have just apologized and refunded the chicken. But the Publican recognized that without the chicken, dinner was ruined. They rushed the chicken through the kitchen and packed it into an Uber Connect. It arrived before we were done with the first course, and saved the day. And on top of that, they added a loaf of the best Publican bread for free. And they STILL refunded the chicken. When I worry about whether the Chicago restaurant scene will survive the pandemic, I think: as long as places like the Publican survive, we will be ok. read more

While in Chicago, we stopped by this spot for brunch on a beautiful morning. Despite the gorgeous weather, we opted to sit inside. This spot is bright, light, and really welcoming - complete with large paintings of pigs. Most of the tables are long and communal though there are smaller tables and booths along the side. The service was awesome and within seconds of sitting down, we had both water and coffee. The coffee was amazing and I definitely took advantage of it being bottomless! We split a side of the bacon ($7)and a biscuit ($4) along with our mains. The maple braised bacon was hands down the best bacon period. It was crisp, bursting with flavor, and thick. Do yourself a favor and order it, you won't regret it. The biscuit was also delicious and was moist and flavorful. My husband ordered the crab scramble for $16 which was really good. Loads with crab both inside and on top and really good. I got the bread pudding for $15 which was good savory combination though the other dishes were far better. All in all - delicious, flavorful and original recipes combined with great service. Highly recommended for brunch in the West Loop! read more

It saddens me to leave this review for a gastropub I once thought highly of. This location at O'Hare Terminal 3 has a limited menu. On this trip, we ordered some wings which were small, seemed to be coated in panko breadcrumbs and the dipping sauce was not very flavorful. Hope they can bring back the chicharrones and bump up the menu. The wine list is eclectic and we enjoyed the Israeli Malbec. Service was friendly and efficient. read more

It's interesting because when I first stumbled upon this restaurant around 6 years ago (with my undeveloped palate), my friends and I couldn't understand half the menu and promptly left upon also seeing the prices. But coming back now as an adult made me realize what all the hype is about. Service was quick and yes, seating is interesting in a communal style, European-esque setting. It was still a good spot for a casual date though pretty loud. We got some beers and the bread plate to start- an extremely filling appetizer but was delicious to try all the spreads. The two of us only finished half the plate. We also ordered the bbq carrots upon multiple recommendations, and this was tasty. Basically like bbq sweet potatoes. My favorite dish was probably the pork belly, which is usually my favorite. This was super fatty and melt in your mouth delicious. The flap steak was also a delicious meat dish and was a very close second favorite. Flavors were great though portions small for more than two to share. Overall, I had a great experience and loved the interesting atmosphere and just as unique dishes. I would definitely recommend to those with defined palates who enjoy splurging on their foodie adventures. read more

Lucky we were able to reserve a table for dinner a few days beforehand! The restaurant was slightly difficult to find because there's no name outside. Look for the number 837 and the spheres of light coming from within! Ambiance: Modern restaurant with beautiful rows of lights. I like their pictures of pigs and the bathroom was unique. The wooden tables are high rise, shared, or booths. It was packed. Downside was that it was super loud and hard to hear conversation across the table. Service: Our waitress (I think red hair and glasses) gave us good suggestions since it was our first time eating here. Our waters were filled often and dirty plates taken away almost as soon as we were done to make room for the next dishes. Food: Amazing! It's meant to be shared family style and we did just that. Barbecue carrots- (5/5) soft with a nice crunch, great smoky flavor Honeynut squash- (4/5) nice texture Chicken liver pâté- (5/5) surprisingly good flavor, a favorite of the table, bread was also yummy Pork belly- (4/5) delicious and oh so tender but knocked a star off for the portion. One strip for $25? Thank u, next. Tagliatelle (lamb ragù)- (5/5) one of my favorites Country rib- (5/5) flavorful Bouchot mussels- (5/5) big amount and tasty broth, comes with bread My family and I had a wonderful experience. Weill make sure to come back! read more

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Awesome happy hour choices for decent prices! We got poutine, 24 oysters, a burger and 3 different drinks (beer, cocktail, and a shot of whiskey) all under 75$ large space and friendly, quick, efficient service. Highly recommend read more

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delicious food and amazing service !! Was visiting Chicago and made reservations for 4 for Sunday dinner! The restaurant interior is rustic/ barn like -- they have long communal tables (w big chairs) and booths that even have a small door. Noise level is pretty loud. And I like their unique & mismatching dinnerware! THE FOOD !! All the dishes were delicious and thoroughly liked by everyone, the dishes' ingredients complimented each other well. What we got: - a dozen oysters, chef's choice - (fish) OLIVE FLOUNDER CRUDO: the fish tasted so fresh and loved the pomegranate seeds with it - (vegetables) BBQ CARROTS: wow! compliments of the chef/ server (thank you!!!) cooked and smoked perfectly, best carrots I have ever eaten - (vegetables) FRIED CAULIFLOWER: looks like tater tots, fried very nicely - (meat) COUNTRY RIB: with broccolini and cashews; flavorful, some fatty/ burnt pieces tho - not sure what this dish was called but had onion typa rings and a meat? Amazing service from our server! Very knowledgeable about the dishes, gave recommendations, checked up on us a lot, and we really appreciate the complimentary bbq carrots :') A bit pricey, came out to be $200 for 4 people (oysters, 4 dishes, bottle of wine). Same of how much we spent @ The Girl and The Goat, but I liked The Publican more !! (: read more

Really great brunch here! The portions are generous and everything was really impressive. Food is family style and comes out as ready so it was a really quick experience. read more

The Publican - Shakshuka - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I can't think of a meal that I have enjoyed more. We got the beard plate, which was fire. Brussel sprouts that was probably the best I have ever had. One of us had ham and the other a sirloin and you couldn't go wrong with either. Staff was kind and made sure everything was amazing. We even got dessert because we enjoy everything so much. read more

The Publican - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nice ambiance, good drinks/beer selection, and simple, yet interesting meal options. The espresso martini, the sunchokes and the chefs choice of oysters were fabulous. We had the country steak for our meat and it was average, if anything. read more

I went to the Publican on 12/4/2022 around 10:00 pm. I ordered the oysters and the frites with aioli. I found the oysters to be delicious. I have to say they were pretty great. I would recommend oysters from the Publican to my friends due to their great taste. The frites were also fresh and the aioli sauce complemented them well. The decorating of the Publican reminded me of Germany. They also had pig portraits as decorations on the walls. I found it to be a nice touch and I had a lot of fun picking my favorite pig portrait after finishing my meal. The service was perfect! read more

The Publican - Oysters - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The amazing five star reviews I read before coming here that detailed the great food somehow didn't match up to the experience I had. While the majority of our dishes came out pretty fast we ended up waiting a pretty long time for the Half Farm Chicken dish, not sure what happened with the timing for that. When the dish came it just wasn't that good, the sausage was pretty dry and and the rest of the dish was average. Maybe it was sitting out for too long? I was also excited to try the pork rinds but when they came, they had A LOT of seasoning on them. Is that how it's supposed to be? Even when I tried to shake off some of seasoning there would still be a lot left. Seemed like someone just poured a bottle of it on the pork rinds. While the food wasn't that great, our server was still really awesome. The atmosphere inside was pretty fun and the decor was a bit different but I really liked it. read more

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Gotta call in advance and reserve you spot. Decided to check this place out after watching this show called , F*ck that's delicious, and oh my it really is !!!! We ordered the soft shell crab, oysters and pork belly and frites. That was enough for 2 people. Ambience was nice on a busy Friday night During the pandemic.. but they were extra careful and did what they need to do to make sure everyone stays safe. Really love the food here and can't wait to come back. read more

It was a cool Monday night when we entered with an 8:00 reservation. The place was packed and buzzing with rock music blaring from the overhead speakers making any conversation challenging. Van Halen echoed through enough times to made me think that it wasn't a coincidence, someone liked the sound of David Lee Roth. As I walked into the main dining room I noticed the irony of the artwork on the walls. Caricatures of overly fattened swine adorned each wall hinting that either that the restaurant specialized in pig, or you'd feel like one by the time you were done eating. On this particular night both were true. I had a variety of different pork dishes, and walked out feeling sufficiently stuffed. Seating - There's a huge horseshoe shaped table in the middle of the main room, with 4 person booths along one wall. The booths have low doors on them that are reminiscent of farm animal pens, but also provide some privacy if you prefer that over a shared table. Determine ahead of time if you want to be off by yourself or seated next to strangers. Pork Rinds - Not what I would typically order and don't expect these to be similar to what you get out of a bag in a vending machine. These were served in a conical paper funnel and were so light and airy they almost melted in your mouth. The seasoning dust spiced these substantially. Caution - Don't inhale while eating these as you might get a lungful of spicy dust and end up coughing the rest of the night. Vegetables - This was probably the biggest surprise of the night. I went in knowing that this place specializes in high end meats, but had no idea I would enjoy the vegetable as much as anything else. The Cauliflower was roasted until browned and crispy on the edges and only lightly dressed with herbs and cheese. The Barbequed Carrots had distinct grill marks and were sweet and nicely balanced by the dill and pecans. Our Squash dish was cooked soft and sprinkled with feta, pomegranate, and pumpkin seeds. Each single source farmed and all were fresh and full of flavor. Pork Belly - This is a must order and was unlike the Asian style pork belly I was accustomed to. Rather than having to peel off thick layers of fat, the meat was slow cooked and marbled with melted fat. So tender that you could cut it with a fork and seasoned with wild onions and grapes. This is the only pork belly that will literally melt in your mouth. Taste of Three Hams - A sort of ham sampling if you want to do some compare and contrasting. We were given paper thin slices of Kentucky, Iowa, and Spanish hams. All good and all different. If this is your first time at publican or you're a ham fan and not sure what to get, this sampling is for you. Dry Aged Ribeye - Not on the menu so feel fortunate if its available when you order. A solid 22 ounces of buttery Ribeye sliced and served with roasted potatoes. We ordered Medium-Rare and it was cooked just right. A nice dish to share. Dessert - We are too full to order dessert, but couldn't resist ordering a big Cookie Jar filled with surprises. Ours came as a sort of sad bear with a blue bow tie, but inside was a combination of chocolates, chocolate cookies, rice crispy treats, and layered dessert bars. It was fun passing the cookie jar around and sharing with the group and good way to end the night. Service - Our main server Joanna was efficient, knowledgeable, and friendly despite the heavy crown on a Monday night. She gave us good suggestions and complimented us on our broad choice of shareable dishes. In the end there were probably 4 people that brought dishes and cleared our table. Overall, the Publican does some outstanding meats, but don't forget the surprisingly good vegetable sides. Many of the dishes are made for sharing so go with a group, pass the food around, and enjoy the ironic artwork. read more

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wait for one hour after order. No apology, no snacks, no service at all. Very bad tasted food. Will never come here any more. read more

The Publican - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The bread platter is a LOT of bread, make sure you're committed. We had the pimento cheese spread, as well. Really delicious. Then we had the beet dish and mussels, and those were delicious. However, the half chicken was INCREDIBLE. It may be the juiciest chicken I've ever had. Please, get that. It was amazing. The service was great and the restaurant was clean. They also had some great mocktail options. read more

The koiugn amann was our favorite! It taste like a buttery croissant with a little bit of sweet on top... It's delicious! Crispy potatoes are hard to beat and the publican bacon is what it's known for. We also got the lentil bowl if you're looking for something a little bit healthier on the menu. I thought it was very tasty it's just a lot of food. I think between the lentil bowl and the three cheese fonduta...the lentil bowl won. The three cheese fonduta was very good but very heavy. You have to be in the mood for that. Overall very happy with our meal! read more

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An expensive and disappointing meal. Porcetta had maybe 4 pieces of pork in it, the stripe bass and branzino did not taste fresh, and vegetables dishes were a bit lackluster. Definitely will not be returning for the price point and quality. The best thing I had was the bread and spreads. read more

Overall: Quality meats from a Chicago staple. The good: The meats are tender and flavorful; everything from the pancetta and pork belly to the BBQ chicken was delicious. But, I'd honestly lean to say that the veggies were the best portion of the meal - smokey, tender, and divine. The atmosphere is bright and fun yet wholesome and cozy, and the service is attentive and helpful. The not-so-good: The prices are bit heavy, especially since you have to buy a lot with the sharing-is-caring mentality of the restaurant. Food: 8.5/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Service: 8/10 read more

Fantastic food! Every dish seemed very well thought out. The chef, Joe, even came by our table and brought us some fresh sourdough bread. We sat outside so not much ambiance. We felt the prices were slightly more than we would have liked but the quality of the food made up for it. Would definitely return. read more

Had one of the best food experiences yet! Had the honor to accompany fellow friends, who won a raffle/gift certificate for a brunch outing here at The Publican, a special curated menu from the chef! When we arrived, we were greeted right away. We were seated in a boxed booth which at first was intimidating and felt secluded but ultimately we loved the privacy and coziness of the boxed booth. We ordered our mimosas and bloody Mary's (I got a virgin Bloody Mary since I'm pregnant but it was still delish and just enough spicy the way I usually like it :) Food started coming out and honestly we loved everything! From the beSt crispy and airy waffle I've ever had in my life, to the thickest slab of bacon, to the savory toast of apple cherry butter topped with greens and a soft boiled egg, and ending with a jar of oh so yummy pastries.... The Publican definitely delivered an excellent brunch experience ! My Friends and I will definitely be back to enjoy more delicious food! Thanks for a great time! read more

The Publican - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois