Amazing experience here last night. A huge rush of people right when they open @ 6 so it took about 20 minutes to get seated and ultimately 2 hours to get all of the food. The smoked olive packed a nice punch of chili. The grilled oysters were delicious. The burger was great; the dry aging of the beef was pronounced. The lacquered duck might have been the best duck I've ever had. Crispy fatty skin and super tender meat. The white and dark meat played like two totally different meats. We were first seated out back on the patio but we were moved into the counter for the end of the meal. This truly is one of the best restaurants in Chicago. read more

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We showed on a rainy Sunday evening at around 10 min before 6 and managed to squeeze into the first seating! The menu looks like it changes daily, so everything was incredible and fresh. We had: - ocean trout: clean and velvety - foie gras ganache: decadent. my favorite of the night. i am not a huge fan of foie gras to begin with, but this was incredible. - pickled mackerel: tangy and spicy. the guajillo was a perfect compliment. - buttered pasta: rich and savory. my husband's favorite. we could have eaten a tub of this - grilled scallops: cooked to perfection! - dry aged burger + fries: didn't taste this, but the fries came with a delicious onion sauce The service and ambience were absolutely perfect. We had a phenomenal meal and will definitely be back! read more

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Overall (8.538/10) rec(maybe?) vibes(9/10) vtm(6/10) Warlord has a rotating menu with a primary focus of food on their grills which are prominently part of the ambience of the restaurant. Service was great with a darker more punk feeling atmosphere that paired well with the food. The duck we had was among the best I've had lifetime when we went. They do not do reservations so be prepared to go early to either get first seating or to do something else after you put your name down. Another forewarning that there have been online allegations about regarding leadership at the restaurant, so we will be likely awaiting things to be addressed before considering dining there again. The food does impress though. Drinks: (90/100) No.1 91 Wind of pain 89   Food: (92.75/100) Foie Gras Ganache 95 Smoked Scallops 92 Grilled Turbot 88 Roasted Fatty Duck 30 day 96 Scores weighted (50% food, 10% drinks, 20% value to money, 20% vibes - service/atmosphere/bathroom etc) read more

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Warlord is relatively new and it became rated as one of the best restaurants in Chicago. The hype was so big at opening that there was a line down the street and the wait is usually ridiculously long (like 2+ hours and I read an article where the wait was up to 7 hours one time). They do not take reservations and they are only open Friday-Monday from 6pm-2am. I believe they do take your number so you can go elsewhere while you wait. I visited Warlord last Friday with some friends on an extremely bitter cold night in Chicago around 10:30pm after drinking at Revolution so we needed some food. I was fully expecting it to be full and we would have to wait, but we were seated immediately as a table of four. I think the cold/holidays/time drove away many people as there were people there, but they were nowhere near full. The place is small and I read where it only seats 45 people. There is a coat check at the front desk. The vibe is intimate as it's dimly lit and contemporary, which is very similar to Gretel, Valedor, and Schwa. The music felt clubbier and it was not overly loud. Overall an extremely cool vibe! When we sat down we were welcomed by our waiter, Todd, and waters were filled up immediately. He explained the menu and confirmed that the menu does change daily with the burger being the staple and he gave us some suggestions. He told us how most of the menu items were to be shared. We decided to go with the East Coast oysters, warmed tuna belly, maitake mushrooms, two orders of fries, and all of us got the burgers. This was the perfect amount of food for four hungry people. The oysters were small, but they had excellent flavor. They had a ton of brine, which was extremely cold and they were very salty, just like I like them. The Maitake Mushrooms had excellent flavor (sweet teriyaki) and I thought they were very good even though I am not a huge mushroom fan. The warmed tuna was tender; however, it definitely lacked flavor IMO. This was the only miss on the menu for me. The burger was very good overall and I see why it is highly rated. The bun was a tad dry and the worst part; however, it held together quite well as the patty was extremely juicy. If it was better, this could be a top ten in Chicago. The patty was cooked to medium rare perfection. It was so juicy and you can tell that the flavor of the meat was high quality. It had an explosion of flavor. The toppings were very good as well. The charred onion gave the burger some extra flavor and the mayo mixed well into the burger. This burger was very similar to Owen & Engine (RIP) and Table, Donkey, & Stick. The fries were so simple and I wouldn't be surprised if they were actually Ore-Ida fries. However, they were perfectly crispy, greasy, and extremely salty, so they were excellent. The garlic aioli was amazing as well! Bun: 5 Burger: 10 Toppings: 8 Overall: 7.67 Fries: 9 For drinks, I had an Old Fashioned and a Gin & Tonic. The Old Fashioned was very good and well crafted; however, the rock was too big for the glass so I always got a big piece of ice into my lips when I drank it, which wasn't ideal. The Gin & Tonic was very good as well and they are a great cocktail bar. Our waiter Todd was excellent as he was friendly and knowledgable of the menu and the food came out pretty fast. Prices are definitely pricier, especially for the neighborhood, but the food quality was higher quality and worth it. Overall, I thought Warlord was awesome! I wouldn't wait 3+ hours for it unless someone really wanted to go, but I would go again if the wait was reasonable. Warlord is an excellent restaurant and definitely worth the trip out to Avondale! read more

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100% worth the hype!!! I almost didn't want to go given that they don't take reservations and wait time is uncertain. The plan was to go put our name on list and then venture around the area to get some drinks. We arrived at 5:45 pm and there was a line already. We didn't make the first seating; however we are able to get a seat in the covered patio to get drinks and appetizers. It took about one hour and a half to get transferred to a seat in the dining room, but we were perfectly happy to enjoy cocktails and we ordered all of the bites except for the fries. We loved the olive assortment with the preserved lemon. The tuna was incredibly fresh. The oysters were just average, so I would skip this next time. Our favorite appetizers of the night were the Délice de Bourgogne with the shaved truffles and the foie gras! Seriously decadent! From the dining room menu, the angel hair pasta was absolutely fantastic. The scallops were out of this world fresh. The ribeye steak was cooked a perfect medium rare. We had to add the blue cheese supplement, of course! The dessert sounded surprisingly simple, but given that we enjoyed everything so much we gave it a try. The sticky brown sugar cake with fresh cream was delightfully light and satisfying! From start to finish, the food was outstanding! Service was excellent both in the outdoor patio and the main dining room. We got some great recommendations for wine and cocktails throughout the evening. The vibe is sexy and dark with the hearth fire in the middle. There are candles everywhere. Yes, your clothes will smell upon leaving from the live fire, but the experience was worth it! The menu changes frequently, so cannot wait to come back for the next experience! read more

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We showed up 30 minutes before opening on a Monday evening. I definitely think this was the right way to go, since the 30 minute wait did not feel too bad and we were seated with the first wave. The interior of the restaurant is very dark, with warm lighting and candles. I liked it a lot! The music was loud and punk, which I didn't mind, but this would not be a place to come to if you're trying to catch up with someone. We were seated at the bar, and both our waiter and bartenders were very attentive, clearing our plates and refilling water as needed. Food: - Triple cream cheese with foie gras ganache: the bread with the honey slathered on top was the stand out for me. As a whole, the dish was a bit salty for my taste and the preserved apple a bit too sweet, however it all worked together. I recommend splitting this with three people, since between the two of us we were given 5 slices of bread. - Figwood smoked octopus: perfectly cooked, charred octopus. The flavor was super savory, with the black garlic. This dish was also a bit salty for me but still enjoyable! - Angel hair pasta: the pasta was cooked perfectly, and the balance between the truffle and parmesan was delicious. A surprising favorite, despite being more of a 'boring' dish compared to the others. - Dry aged burger: the star of the show. Great bun, great meat, the flavor of the sauce and the caramelized onions carried the burger for me. - For dessert, we got the whipped chocolate: a decadent mousse with tart cherries in the center and topped with something reminiscent of brownie brittle. A chocolate-forward dish, perfect for chocolate lovers. Overall, I would love to come back in other seasons to try other seasonal items! Although nothing was mind-blowing to me, every dish was enjoyable and I had a pleasant experience. read more

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There's a wait but it wasn't bad, we went to the Sleeping Village for a drink while we waited and it worked out perfectly. The steak with blue cheese was amazing and cooked perfectly. We also had scallops and oysters which were shared. All said and done the bill was around $200. Host, bartenders and servers were all friendly. They worked well as a team. read more

Warlord has a fairly small kitchen, which results in the restaurant seating people in batches. They don't take reservations, so people tend to line up outside of the restaurant prior to it being open. We got our names in at 6:45pm on a Friday and were able to get into the second round of seating (8:00pm), but seating after that takes place around 10:00pm. We walked down to Mother's Ruin on Milwaukee while we waited, highly recommend their cocktails! Plan accordingly with timing and weather. The restaurant is fairly dark with loud music, so again, be prepared for that. Service was great, waiters were helpful on what they recommend and how to order. Remember, seating happens all at once, so put all orders in at the beginning because kitchen will get backed up with influxes of orders. We ordered the raw ocean trout, oysters, burger, pasta, fatty duck, and the butter cake. Everything was delicious, but if I were to go back, I would get appetizers to split and a burger as an entrée. Overall, it's a fun place to go if you have the time. read more

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There's probably not another restaurant in this city that has generated the amount of buzz Warlord has in the last year. The dark and moody atmosphere coupled with high quality food from a menu that changes daily, has piqued the interest of local dining enthusiasts. Since its opening, Warlord has received critical acclaim from various critics and food publications. And as a result, this has become the most hyped up restaurant in Chicago. After dining there for the first time last night, I can say with the upmost confidence that the hype and acclaim is more than well deserved. Warlord is owned and ran by three chefs who initially met while working at Art Smith's Table 52. They went on to work at highly regarded restaurants before opening Warlord last year. This spot has been on my radar ever since I first heard about it, but the potential of a long wait time has made me reluctant to stop by. This is mainly due to the unpredictable weather which has been terribly erratic in recent months. But after enduring what has been an incredibly tumultuous month for me, and seeing that Warlord was voted best new restaurant from Chicago Magazine, I figured there was no better time to check it out than now. My party and I were the first ones to be seated after waiting a little under a hour before opening. I had seen pictures and videos of this place before, but they do not do the actual space justice. The overall ambiance and music here is absolutely incredible. Maybe because this kind of vibe is right up my alley, but I hadn't seen anything quite like this before. Loud music (but not too loud), moody lighting, the dry aged meat locker near the entrance, and the live fire made for a stunning visual. We ended up ordering the olives, fries, foie gras ganache, embered scallops, carmelized foie gras, buttered pasta, the aged ribeye, two dry aged burgers, and the whipped delice. The olives came with some chili oil and they were super tasty. And the foie gras ganache was legitimately one of the most delicious things my party and I had ever tasted. We looked at each other with pure astonishment after the first bite. Just the bread alone was the best I've ever had. Also, the scallops were the finest I have ever eaten. At this point we were pretty blown away by our experience so far. Our server, who happened to be an old friend of mine, brought us an Atlantic halibut that the chefs prepared for us! And this was by far the best fish I have ever tasted. It came with wilted spinach and some sort of miso sauce. This was shaping up to be one of the best, if not THE best dining experience we've ever had. And we have dined at some high caliber restaurants throughout the years. The buttered pasta came with spring onions and this delicious sauce and we were once again taken aback by the quality of the food we were receiving. And the carmelized foie gras was awesome, as well. Our burgers and fries were up next. I had just eaten at Au Cheval for the first time last time last week, and I gotta say, I personally preferred this burger over theirs. Good lord, that was the tastiest and juiciest burger I have ever had. The sauce that came with the fries was fantastic, as well. And the ribeye! I have had a lot of steaks over the years, but this...this was something else. Absolutely delicious. Our dessert was a whipped delice which was almost like this custardy cheese with these delicious crumbles on top. It was the perfect way to end the meal. My head was spinning after leaving here. We were so unbelievably elated from our experience. The food, the ambiance, and the service was top notch. And even the chefs were super nice to us during a few quick interactions. This was a perfect dining experience. I know the long wait time to get in can seem pretty daunting, but I implore you to go out of your way to eat here. Arrive early and have plans in place in case you have to wait awhile. Warlord is one of the best restaurants in Chicago and the hype is only going to get bigger while the chefs rack up more accolades and acclaim. This is a phenomenal restaurant and I will soon be a regular here. read more

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Long line on a Friday night but was able to make the first sitting. I got there at about 5:40 and was already about 35 people waiting in line. Cool vibe inside, but as others have stated, the music is very loud. Went with a friend and sat at the bar. We split a number of dishes, including Foie Gras, Grill, octopus, pasta with king, crab and uni, Fries and the burger, which was the star of the show. read more

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Dang, wanted to go 5-stars but had to make it 4. Got there on Saturday night around 8:45 and the wait was 90 minutes but they had spots on the patio immediately so we chose to sit out there. Walking through the restaurant to the back- it's sick. Just. A beautiful spectacle of dark coolness. However, when we go the back patio, it was small and had no ambience whatsoever... none. Like 5 tables on a patio. So the ambiance in the patio is why I couldn't go 5... it was pretty bad. However, I am not gonna go less than 4 becuase the food was kick ass, as in amazing. We got burgers, which were the best Ive ever had. Got a dozen oysters which were good, and someone got the octopus that they loved. The olive starters were nothing like anything Ive ever had... they were amazing. Out waitress then accidentally ordered us the duck which came out to our table, and we agreed to take since it looked so good, and holy sh#t, it was bursting with flavor and crispy-ness and was a 10. We tried to move inside, but seating never opened. Would be nice if they stepped up the patio even a little to resemble the inside. When we got out there, we all looked at each other and kind of laughed because you walk through the restaurant that which is a 10, to the courtyard which is like a 1, and it was a little surprising. All in all, they need to step it up outside but the food was amazing and cant wait to sit inside next time. read more

I've never met a hamburger I couldn't finish! It is a standing joke among people who know me; I've polished off every and any hamburger put in front of me. Starting with two Orange Julius burgers when I was 10 years old, to last weeks Red Hot Ranches burger. Granted, I've never been challenged by a Man vs. Food sized hamburger. But, your run of the mill, normal as hell burger, I can devour one with no effort and sometimes two if I'm hungry. Well, that (shockingly) changed last night at Warlord's restaurant in Chicago's Avondale district. As terrific as Warlords hamburger was, and make absolutely no mistake about this - it was terrific, I couldn't eat the last bite; I was flabbergasted. My perfect "Run" was over! That got me thinking, how could that possibly happen? Then I realized - it was the meat. These nice people use meat so good and so high quality and so marbled with this delicious fat, it's just down right rich. By "rich" I mean: Heavy flavor - for sure Robust - completely Full - no doubt about that Preparation - a lot goes into this masterpiece Concentrated character - yeah, a lot I know this sounds like I'm critiquing a Vincent Van Gogh painting, but something happened last night that's never happened before. This $18 beautiful hamburger that was put in front of me was something very special! Least me not forget, that Warlord did one of the most deliciously "Taboo" things with a hamburger, no restaurant in America does; they gave me a perfectly cooked, medium rare hamburger. That's just how confident Warlord was about the quality of the meat they are using. The French fried potatoes we ordered were great. The octopus starter we ordered was equally as delicious. My Hefe Weizen beer worked beautifully with my burger. The ambience here at Warlord is dark (in a good way), loud in a not so good way (it's a young crowd here and I'm not so young) and the team here at Warlord were superb. I positively Loved This Place and am coming back soon to erase last night's Faux Pas with - My Last Bite. read more

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The service was very Good, the food took a little while, but it was delicious! The dry aged burger was perfectly seasoned. read more

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We had a great time here! Warlord has no reservations, so you should expect a 1-2 hour wait. Luckily they have a nice patio in the back where you can order appetizers and drinks to pass the time. I've been told that Mondays usually have the longest wait time. We asked to sit at the chef's counter which was very cool. Most things are cooked over coals or smoked, and it was nice to see it live. We got basically every item on the menu, and it was all pretty good. Some highlights were the salmon, Dungeness crab pasta, and mushrooms. One of my friends saw that a chef plated one of the fish heads hanging over the grill for another table and asked about it. The chef ended up making one for us too! It was surprisingly tasty after being slow cooked over the grill for hours. All the servers were pretty nice and attentive. The space inside was dark and moody, and the music was on the slightly louder side but not too loud the have a conversation. read more

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Service and vibes are amazing. Sitting at the counter is the best experience. Went with a friend and we ended up ordering most of the menu so we could try everything. We had a longer wait but we were able to do drinks and apps on the back patio before being seated. read more

This restaurant has ambiance and great food . Very hard to get in but worth it . A lot of places that are hyped fail to deliver . Not this place . Do everything you can to get in . Everything was great read more

First off no reservations, so be prepared to wait even on a weekday as this is a trendy new spot. The interior looks super cool with a dark or gothic aesthetic. You get to see the cooking magic up close and overall appreciated the decor because it elevates the dining experience. With that being said I'm not sure if I had my hopes up too high but the menu was quite short and while all of what we got was good I could not rationalize the steep price points. I will say the burger was the best item and I felt like I should've paid more for that honestly. Drinks were not pictured but they were mediocre at best. The cocktail list was four-drinks long when we went, and one of them was a gin & tonic. Wait time was also very long. While I understand that this place is popular, this is definitely notable. read more

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Spend your money somewhere else. Look, I understand that they don't take reservations and one has to typically wait a long time for a table to dine there but I sent them 2 separate emails weeks in advance asking them for some general dining advice as I was hoping not to have to stand outside the restaurant in freezing temperatures for hours waiting for a table. I was wondering if they took names and numbers and texted parties when their table was ready, etc. I did not receive a single response. Maybe they are too full of themselves to provide general customer service or maybe its something else but I'll be spending my money someplace more customer service friendly. read more

Really cool eating experience! Got there 10 min before opening and was able to get a seat at the table where we got to watch them make and plate the food. Server was nice and super attentive. Rotating menu was cool, loved our items. The angel hair pasta with salmon roe was probably our favorite. The dry aged wasn't my style but definitely tasty - I might've enjoyed it more cooked medium instead of medium rare as recommended. Overall, definitely would recommend going! And sitting at the kitchen table is where it's at. read more

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We finally made it in this past Friday night. It was our second attempt - the first time we were told there'd be a 2.5 hr wait so we left and this past Friday we were told it'd be 1.5 hrs after which we left our names and came back. Unfortunately they are currently only open Fri-Mon and do not take reservations so plan accordingly. We are walking distance so it wasn't a big deal for us to come back. It was 90 degrees and humid af so when we were seated in front of the wood burning stove, we weren't as appreciative as we would have been if we weren't dripping sweat. Staff came by and gave us water right away but there was no ice so i ordered a drink w ice and slammed it and even dumped that ice into my water but that melted quickly so we got right to ordering. We ordered the tuna belly ($23), steak medium rare ($60), fries (which we never got but didn't ask about bc we were too hot) and got a red ($60). The tuna was good but we order oturo/chutorro sashimi at sushi restaurants weekly so we thought it was fine but pricey for the portion. The steak was nice and smokey and cooked well (medium rare) with a peppercorn crust which was a bit overpowering for my taste, especially when eaten with the garlic greens. All in, the total came to just under $185 - which seems to be pretty standard lately but I still think its kinda pricey for what we got. Overall I think Warlord is a very cool restaurant and great addition to the neighborhood which is why I'll def give it another shot, but the next time would have to be on a cooler day bc the temperature did not allow us to be comfortable - more AC (including in the waiting area) and ice water would have helped. The wait situation was challenging too, I understand why places don't want to deal with reservations but as a patron, I prefer having a set and planned time - if we came as group, it would have been a longer wait and we would have had to find something else to do while we waited. read more

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The food was great! We surprisingly got right in and sat at the bar. We loved the salmon, scallops and burger. Nice date night spot

Absolutely incredible food, service, staff and ambiance. The saffron pasta was delicious. The barely wilted spinach had great flavor and was exactly as described. I was able to go and do work at the back bar, while enjoying incredible food and drinks two nights in a row (I had to come back a second night to try out the oysters and the burger- both were *chefs kiss*). Also the back bartenders are incredibly kind and friendly. Love this place and will be a repeat customer! read more

Warlord - Hemingway Daiquiri Everything on the menu is amazing! I loved the saffron pasta, wilted spinach, and fries. Very cool vibe and ambiance! - Specialty Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Disappointing. Cool vibe and music. Food was mediocre. Service was straight up awful. Got our food 2.5 hours after sitting down. Very small portion sizes. Extremely overpriced. $600 for 4 people read more

Best vibe in the city, best food in the city. No question. Everything is so thoughtfully crafted and their use of ferments is what makes them unique. read more

Had to wait only 20min for a table, went late on a Monday night and was seated pretty quickly. Had an amazing server, great menu knowledge, and had wonderful commentary. The atmosphere is to die for, open hearth kitchen so you can see the chefs and line staff work together like a dance. Love seeing the masters at work. The food was delicious but some points were missed for us. The scallop crudo was delicious, but was missing just a pinch of salt, or smoked salt to cut through the fattiness. Due to no salt or acid it just tasted like oil, and texture was just not appeasing. The foie gras was delicious and paired well with the accompaniments they chose for that day. The duck was perfectly cooked and succulent, with a crispy skin that was to die for, however was so overly salted that it burned your mouth after awhile it was hard to finish eating it. The wine was amazing and cocktail menu was so fun. The burger was just a burger, it was very good, but felt it was over hyped by most of the locals, but admittedly I'm a burger snob so don't take that as an excuse to not order it and try it yourself. The aging cabinet was so cool to see in the middle of the space, and was an amazing experience. Would definitely try every time we come to Chicago to try the ever revolving menu. Can't wait to try it again. read more

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Overall my experience at Warlord was very enjoyable. Great ambience, good music, attentive and friendly service, and even better food. Stephen who served me was more than attentive and hospitable. Please do order everything all at once since cook time could vary depending on how busy it is. But believe me when I say it's worth the wait (especially the burger). Don't be shy and try new things you're not familiar with because Warlord takes the unexpected and makes it delicious read more

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The duck is phenomenal. Fries are a must. Service is solid. Warlord - it's got (haha) a Games of Thrones vibe. It's dark, it's loud, if you're not trying to have deep conversations, it's great. Not a large wine list, just FYI. read more

Not sure how to explain my visit here but bear with me. The place has potential however right now it seems like it's a stoners labyrinth. I say that because it's definitely the funky brainchild of someone who's thinking out of the box however some things seemed unnecessary & the final product seemed more of an experiment than a well executed dish. A honey butter donut with sea urchin & caviar was a welcome surprise however it seemed like twas a lightning bolt of creativity versus a life altering confection of unpaired elements. Beet & foie gras dish was good. Texture heavy to say the least but the flavor was overpowering from the beets & a sweet glaze. I think the place has tons of potential but right now it comes across as an overpriced albeit funky science experiment. In closing, don't wear anything super expensive because your clothes will reek of smoke if seated near the candelabras or the kitchen. On the flip side idk anywhere else in the city to obtain foie gras or caviar at midnight read more

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This review is purely based on the burger. I had heard the lines at Warlord were long, so I decided to try eating here for the first time during the Super Bowl. I arrived a little late, just after 6, but managed to get into the first seating at the end of the bar. If you're lucky enough to get seated in front of the fire pit, you can watch the chefs in action. I knew what I wanted, but it did take about 10 minutes until I was able to place my order. It then took about 25 minutes for me to get my fries and burger. The burger is SO good. Ever since moving to the Chicagoland area, I've been on a burger hunt. This is now in my top 2 burgers. There's no cheese. It's just dry aged beef, caramelized onions, charred bun, and mayo. Medium rare. I suppose the burger could be juicier, but I was busy admiring the flavor of the beef. This burger is meant to let the patty shine. It came with half a radish. I thought this was an odd pairing, but it did help to cut through the heaviness of the meat. It's just...why just half a radish? Alternatively, some pickles would be nice too. I did get fries, which came with what I think was caramelized onion mayo. A bunch of them were soggy. Not sure what was up with that. The couple next to me also got the fries, and they looked crispier than mine, so it might have been a fluke? Their non-alcoholic offerings were decent. The non-alcoholic beer was one of the better options you can get, and the 2 mocktails looked pretty interesting. The rest of the menu was intriguing. I would have loved to try more, but I was trying to stick to a budget that day. The burger and fries together were $26 without tax and tip. The burger is filling, but I definitely could have finished an appetizer or dessert on my own. One day I'll come back when I feel like splurging (and have the time to stand in line). I love menus that change frequently. I tried to come back here recently with someone from out of town. It was a Sunday, and we accidentally arrived a few minutes after 5:30pm. We didn't make the first seating, and my friend didn't want to wait 2+ hours, so we went to our backup plan. Heads up to anyone coming on a Sunday, I think we should've arrived around 5:20. Since this place is so popular with no reservations, the lines are long and I think the kitchen struggles to churn out dishes in a timely manner. However, if you've got time to spare, I would encourage you to at least try this place once! read more

Warlord - Burger - Specialty Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great unique food, loveddd the duck! Very moody vibes in there. The burger is so juicy you'd think there was cheese on it!

Menu changes this night we had the foi gras,, the duck and the pasta. Eb y thing was great! read more

Warlord - Everything is great!! - Specialty Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ordered: Ocean Kiss Oysters Raw King Kampachi Angel Hair Pasta and King Crab Dry Aged Burger Fries Drank: Angel slide (don't quite remember the name, it was a forgettable cocktail) Ideal Move: Take no more than a party of two here as a pitstop before starting your night. Arrive half an hour before it opens to get in line. Split a burger while sipping a beer at the bar or chef's table. Enjoy the vibes and above average burger than head out. My experience: Warlord is definitely working out the kinks of being a new(er) restaurant. We arrived 30 minutes before opening and our party of 3 was sat in the first wave with no additional wait time. The best part about the place is the atmosphere. Loud, familiar rock plays while the open kitchen concept gives you an inside look into how the food is made. The space is ideal for smaller parties with not many options for a group larger than 4. The food was slow to arrive. What we ordered took two hours. Couple this with a slim and underwhelming cocktail menu. This made it seem like we made the wrong choice to do a full dinner. I would not order the kampachi again. The angel hair pasta was deliciously rich but did not justify the price. The burger was really well balanced and melted in your mouth. One of the better burgers in the city and the only reason why I would go back. The rhythm of the meal was definitely thrown out of whack by having to wait a long time between plates. We were also charged for something we didn't order which makes me think some new restaurant wrinkles still need to be ironed out. read more

Warlord - Angel Hair Pasta and King Crab - Specialty Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went to Warlord on Saturday at about 9pm by myself. I live near Avondale and hopped on my first chance to try this place. I got there and was quoted a long wait time--1.5 hours-- but was about to be seated after only about 10 minutes at the bar due to another solo diner coming in at the same time. The host was really nice to get me in like that! At the bar the service was spectacular: I had a great wine and ordered two dishes. I had the cheese appetizer and the mushroom plate, pictured below. Both dishes were incredible. The mushroom plate tasted like the best backyard bbq steaks from your childhood. The cheese plate was simple but elegant, very reminiscent of Rootstock. The ambiance was moody and dark. The music upheld the warlord name and created an almost spooky but inspiring and witchy vibe. I will say, it's pretty loud so maybe not the best place for someone who is hard of hearing. Overall great experience! The bartender gave me a shot to round out the evening. Great for groups or solo. read more

Warlord - Mushroom dish - Specialty Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Been here more than once. Never had a meal that would justify the price or the wait. Extremely slow service and extremely mediocre food for the price. read more

Epic spot. A meal that won't be forgotten. Food is made with love and fire. We tried more than half the menu (it's small and changes daily depending on what protein is best that day). The whole place feels like a very authentic, dark , romantic ode to chef-dom and the craft of cooking protein in the most authentic ways. The food/vibes had the sensualness (and more) of an amazing steakhouse of downtown, but without any of the pretentious bs. Dark atmosphere is just amazing. Loud intense music (which added to ambiance). Maybe not the best place for conversation especially in a group setting, but for 1 on 1 date we had no issue communicating. Cocktails were adventurous, maybe a little more so for our taste, but they accommodated when it wasn't hitting the spot. Excellent service all around. We showed up at 11pm and had no wait and took our time until 1. Service was great the whole time . If you have the chance, sit at the kitchen bar to view the show and maybe even engage with an occasional question if they're slow enough. It definitely adds to the experience. Ask about off menu protein cuts/options. You may be rewarded at a very reasonable price. read more

There aren't a lot of places I would wait outside in the cold and rain for over a half hour for- this spot I would, over and over. When we went it was back in March, so slightly different menu than currently. Fantastic food: we had the raw scallop, burger, and fresh onion pasta. Everything was wonderful, the drinks were delicious, and the vibes of the place were on point. They are doing something truly special here. read more

I went there for my birthday and everything was amazing! The food was so good and was plated really well. The staff was kind and attentive.

How can you make something taste so good?? Yes, the wait is outrageous but I can guarantee you this is the food they would eat in heaven if they could get a reservation. I placed my name on the list around 7:15pm, went home, showered, mowed the lawn I don't have, then got back around 8:15pm. By 9:15 I was snapping pics of my food but not in an influencer obnoxious way, I only asked them to adjust the lighting once. Anyway, I flew solo and got a burger and fries. Baby, thee best burger I ever had (don't tell Small Cheval). Each bite was flavorful and packed with tiny angels singing Christmas carols, I almost cried tears of joy. For drinks, I ordered the old coke, it was manhattan-esque, and wasn't for me. The cherry was the best part. The second round, I ordered a lemon drop which is going on my top 10 list. By dessert I was stuffed so I took it to go. Once I got home, I was like let me sample this which led me to writing the first line of this review. If War Lord was actually going to battle, I would be on the front lines. Gots to save, the burgers and chefs and good ol Will. Honestly just drag your significant other, they will thank you later or just fly solo like me, which in this case thank you to me. read more

Warlord - Specialty Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Burger was killer loved it. Might be the best French fries in the world. That onion aioli, so good! Oysters were great too, no complaints. Cocktails, chartreuse & service was all great. Took our server a bit to warm up to our vibe / personality but she was smiling and telling some stories by the end of the night. Loved the place! Great lighting, candles, wallpaper, exposed brick, chill design vibe but perfect. Definitely would return. I heard some mixed reviews but honestly, for us it was a good night on a busy Friday. Didn't wait too long, and we enjoyed our evening and Chartreuse! The end read more

Probably the best restaurant in Chicago that's not a tasting menu, though their new tasting menu concept might just put them in the lead there. Far and beyond doing some of the most interesting cooking in the city, with great cocktails to match. Get there early, or late; just don't whine like a bitch when you have to wait. The food is worth it read more