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    The Smith

    4.2 (827 reviews)
    ModerateNew American
    Open 9:30 am - 11:00 pm

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    THE SMITH ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Romantic
    Classy

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    Salt and vinegar Martini. Happy at happy hour.
    Heather D.

    Sat at the bar which was fine for one but if you have more a table is probably a better option for service and dish clearing. Enjoyed the happy hour options and got a salt and vinegar martini - which was very unique, a half dozen oysters which were very good and lastly the spicy tuna tartar that was spot on. Good ambiance and has a little something for everyone.

    Maddy M.

    I really wanted to like this place, as it's a truly beautiful space. Super chic and spacious. We came here for a group brunch right when they opened and it was kind of a mess from the moment we sat down. Booth was super cramped for our party of 6, water glasses were dirty, sparkling water was flat. Our waitress was super super kind, but boy was service slow. Our oysters came out before our drinks did. The coffee was so bitter and did not taste good in my opinion. The oysters and the crispy breakfast potatoes were the best part of the meal. I ordered the Benedict Johnny as my main, but the cornbread was so dry I did not enjoy it. They did have a kids menu and the french toast was super yummy. I wish the kids meal came with some bacon or fruit or something other than just the french toast. I had to order all that on the side. Overall, food was OK, service was friendly, but very very slow. It wasn't even busy when we came in at opening time.

    Gabriel H.

    Oysters flown in daily, elegant American style cuisine and ambiance, polite and informative service, and the eggs alla vodka was a first time try for me, it was spectacular. Thank you The Smith team!!! Our waitress was wonderful.

    Mckenzie J.

    I was on my friend's bachelorette trip to the city, and we came for dinner. To start, we decided to just enjoy the complimentary bread and butter, which we enjoyed. For my entree, I decided to try something new and so I got the short rib mafaldine. It was very good, and I would order it again. The cosmo was also great! As for service, our server was very kind and accommodating to dietary needs. That being said, service was a bit slow. Overall, I really enjoyed this restaurant!

    Benedict Johnny
    Penny B.

    Best mac and cheese I've ever had!! The rest of the food was also wonderful. The parmesan truffle fries are a must order. The service was alright. Got a little slow at times but overall, it was good. The food came out quick for a Saturday afternoon. The location is amazing, close to the river. The restaurant is bigger than I expected it to be so it was no problem getting seated without a reservation.

    Burrata
    Chris P.

    I had dinner at this place and enjoyed it. The menu was arranged before the group arrived. I love this because I get to sample far more on the menu than if I were to attend with my spouse or friend. The meal began with burrata. I love this cheese and know that it can swing in presentation from very watery to dry. This seemed to hit the perfect middle. Light flavor, not too watery or dry, and dressed with a bit of pesto and accompanied by garlic bread that was fantastic. The Caesar salad was good. Crunchy parmesan, which is always a nice treat on a Caesar salad, is enough to make me want to not share this family-style dinner. The dressing was near pefect, but given family style servings, seemed to not be enough for me. The roasted fingerling potatoes were divine. They were prepared with a lemon aioli, chile crisp, and topped with scallions. This was so good that we asked for another serving. Roasted brussels sprouts resting on an avocado base and pink peppercorns. They were nicely prepared and glad that others at the table did not care for Brussels sprouts. That left more for me. The Rigatoni alla vodka with delicious stracciatella cheese was a wonderful touch, and I was thinking about having that as a separate dish for dinner alone. Now, I am not a fan of poached salmon, but typically, the broth used to poach the salmon seems to be no more than salt, pepper, and sometimes, rosemary. I had instant regret once I tasted it, and it reminded me why I only pan-sear or grill salmon. One thing I loved about some of the places I ate in Chicago was the style of the steakhouse.

    Bob R.

    Fantastic food, service, and ambiance! We went for a birthday dinner. Having been to The Smith in New York, we assumed this would be the same. But their Chicago location has its own feel. Our server was excellent. He explained the menu and listened carefully to food allergies at the table. They are very sensitive to food allergies. The manager is required to stop by the table to verify what is needed, and to ensure the kitchen paid attention to the instructions, any food for someone with allergies is labeled with a red flag. The food was great. We started with an order of Brussel sprouts and some oysters. (The oysters were from me. I'm not a lover of Brussel sprouts.) They had several types of oysters to choose from. I asked the server what his favorite was and he said it was their special - an oyster from Virginia called "Chuck-cago." They were outstanding. For our meals we had a variety of things. Everyone was pleased with their entrees but other than presentation I can only speak to the bar steak. The bar steak is a flat iron steak which came our medium rare. I had it with the chimichurri sauce. It's served with sauteed spinach and fries (pomme frites). I also had their old fashioned. They use walnut bitters which gives the old fashioned a little different taste. There are two things that could be improved: (1) the chopped salad is colorless. They have apples in the salad - I suggest that they keep the skins on so the salad isn't just a pale green. (2) it is very loud, so much so, it was hard to hear people talking at our table. Regardless of those two items, our experience was wonderful and we do plan to visit again.

    Caesar Salad with Salmon
    Marisa H.

    I love the Caesar Salad with Salmon here. I recommend it to all my friends. I was pleasantly surprised to have gone recently and saw Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna on the menu. Always a good time here and great service

    Kari O.

    (Kari's rating 6/10) Came here for a quick bite and I've been to the Smith a few times before, but this was the first time I'd come in for brunch. The servers were really sweet, they checked in relatively often and gave us both sparkling and still water. She was relatively attentive and checked in the perfect amount. The bloody Mary was OK, a little bit fishy, not very spicy and came with a pepperoncini and an olive. The breakfast sandwich was next which came with an egg, almost like a hollandaise sauce on a brioche bun. The bun was very light and fluffy, a little bit sweet and overall pretty delicious. As someone who lives not too far from the Smith, I wouldn't necessarily come out of my way to come here, but it was a nice upscale brunch place.

    Carly M.

    This has to be one of the top burgers I've ever tried. Period. Although on the pricier side, the burger is filling and even comes with a side of delicious, perfectly salted, crispy fries. I get mine in medium rare and the burger melts in your mouth. I think the couple times I went, it is on the juicier side (this is no where a dry burger)! The Smiths is one of the places I recommend my friends if they're looking for a good burger spot. This place never disappoints. Service was amazing and attentive which is always a plus. The vibes were really chill and casual!

    Adorable red bow on the outside
    Raleigh D.

    Our server, Aaron, took wonderful care of us at Brunch today. His suggestion to share French Toast as an appetizer was genius- tasted like eating dessert first. My friend described it as "divine". We both got the shrimp and grits. YUM! Love the texture of the potato strings on top. Delicious coffee and cocktails. Just perfect!

    Spicy Shrimp Scampi
    Sammy W.

    I want to start off by saying the food from this place was absolutely delicious. We each had a bite of the other dishes ordered and I can confidently say they all were amazing. I had the shrimp scampi and it literally melted in your mouth with a crunch from the toasted bread crumbs which was an excellent touch. A tad on the pricer side for the portions but maybe I am just a hungry gal. The drinks were also a bit pricey for the small size but hey it's Chicago. They have a cute photo booth downstairs that gives six poses which was a great addition to this place. One thing I will say is that when I read this place was quite loud I didn't realize it was as loud as a busy bar. It was extremely hard to hear my friends and we would have to lean it close to hear what we were saying. If you're looking to catch up with some friends this might not be the best place. I also want to mention that this was my birthday celebration and saw that the table next to us had a small cake with a candle but our server never had any birthday treat. Not too mad just a little salty as she kept ushering us to get a dessert and I thought this was because of the birthday and was a complementary but it was included in the final bill.

    Charisma H.

    I've only come here for brunch so can only speak to that. it's been stellar every time. The smoked salmon with potato and poached egg is my favorite but everything has been good. I think the savory items have been a touch above their sweet ones though. The service is speedy and they keep your coffee cup filled up.

    Little Gem Caesar Salad

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    1 month ago

    Great burger and calamari. Everything seemed fresh. Service was ok. Bathroom was super cute. Kid friendly

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    4 months ago

    Liz is the best -- so nice, thoughtful and had the best recommendations. I would come back to The Smith just for Liz! Promote her!!!!!!!!!

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    2 months ago

    Went for Thanksgiving. We enjoyed everything on the menu. Portions were generous. Great food, great service. Great, great, great restaurant.

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    5 months ago

    Very tasty. Fun place very lively. Staff is on point with service. Royale burger, French dip, salads and apps, all very very good!!

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    Page 2 of 21

    The Smith Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Smith

    What time does brunch end on Saturdays?

    Brunch is served on Saturdays & Sundays until 4pm! - The Smith Team

    Do they have valet?

    No, they do not.

    Do they serve breakfast in weekdays?

    Yes there is

    Is there a happy hour?

    Yes! They have $1.50 oysters and some happy hour priced drinks. Must order at bar.

    View All 7 Questions

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    The Franklin Room - Branzino (special)

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    Beatrix - Whipped Feta

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    The Smith - newamerican - Updated August 2026

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