Our wedding anniversary place. Can't afford it every week but great for special occasions. And they have Triple Karmelite on tap!

My skate wing was overcooked and the salad that came with it was too complicated but I enjoyed myself and I'll go back so it's only fair that I bump them up a couple stars. read more

Tonight was my first time at Adelle's. We went to hear my guitar teacher (Kevin Brown) who was playing live jazz (every Thursday night, 7-10 pm). We weren't able to swing a fancy dinner tonight so just went for dessert and the live music. What a great date night! We loved the music and got a great table and could just chill and relax. We were treated SO well by Miguel- what a great waiter. We appreciated the attentiveness of Miguel and the hostess too. The desserts were truly top notch. The bittersweet chocolate mousse was the best I have ever had- I loved the combination of the mousse, fresh whipped cream, raspberries, and raspberry sauce. It was delectable. You really need to try it. My husband couldn't pass up the warm rhubarb crisp with the vanilla bean gelato- he loved it and thought it tasted very fresh. We also ordered the warm blueberry buttermilk white chocolate brioche bread pudding that had caramel sauce, whipped cream, and creme anglaise, at the recommendation of Miguel. (Yes, if you're doing the math, we ordered three desserts for two people!) We shared that and really couldn't finish it even though it was very tasty with so many rich flavors. The size of these desserts are generous which isn't usually common at places like this. But all three desserts were truly delicious but in the future we will only order two. :) I've not tried the dinner menu yet but definitely I give Adelle's five stars for the excellent live music, great service, and awesome desserts. read more

DISCLAIMER: I never give an establishment 5 star rating I must begin by saying that this society is plagued by overrated thumbs up! 5 stars! impulsive ratings that make it hard for us truth-seekers to make informed decisions. Adelle's is an extremely safe choice in most areas - charming atmosphere, service and management. Food is a bit overrated but I honestly have to gather from the reviews here that it depends on the night. For example this time around the duck was too rare, stake was OK, but appetizers were excellent. Servers are very attentive considering a fairly demanding crowd and tight space when this place gets full. We're going to absolutely return there, though not our first choice, we'll always know in the back of our mind - there is no way you can get a meal like that under $50/person in the vicinity. So overall, good and safe choice, but unless all you eat is a TV dinner, chances are you've experienced better read more

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Yum. Just yum. This is one of the best restaurants in the western suburbs. Just really fresh, simple, good tasting food. We had the burrata appetizer to start, which went down way too easily. I mean, so fresh, so silky, so good. I also had the field greens salad before my entree. Nothing says delish like goat cheese crisped with bread crumbs. Hubby had the meatloaf which was absolutely ginormous; be prepared. I had the fish special, which was a wild striped bass with pineapple strawberry basil tomato "salsa". I really wouldn't describe it as a salsa as much as just calling it a fruit medley with tomatoes. Still yummy though. Dessert was pineapple upside down cake. I will say I was a wee bit disappointed, as our server recommended this dessert out of all of the amazing looking options on the dessert menu. The pineapple upside down cake was served "deconstructed" style with the caramel portion of the cake, along with whipped cream, served on the side. This was fine with me because I was able to choose how much caramel and whipped cream to add to each bite, but I feel that the menu should have then called it "deconstructed" because it changed the overall concept of the cake. Because the cake was deconstructed, the taste was a bit flat without all of the layers combined together. For example, I noticed that the cake was actually quite mealy and a bit on the dry side, as it didn't have the traditional caramelized pineapple bottom that is typical of quintessential pineapple upside down cake to help moisten the cake. In other words, I've had better. But overall, really good food. Definitely will come back again and again. read more

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We have dined in the past at Adelle's but it has been awhile and since the lockdown we've been trying to support our local establishments when we can. I called to place an order and mentioned that we haven't been to Adelle's in awhile and that it was our anniversary. When my husband came home we discovered (and I called to confirm our order) they gave us a little bottle of moscato as well as two complimentary salads because it was our anniversary! This was beyond generous and kind due to the economic climate. Their watermelon salad is BEYOND delicious. We loved their wedge salad and I ordered their white fish with coconut curry rice and spinach which was amazing! My husband had their schnitzel and they have the perfect kids menu so everyone was happy. I cannot forget their blueberry brioche bread pudding-AHHHHHMAZING! Thank you Adelle's we will be seeing you again sooner rather than later. read more

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Adelle's has a great flat iron steak. Wonderful drinks and nice warm desserts. Though my guests had less than desirable meals of meatloaf, not very good and fish tacos, only so so. I can only recommend the steak, it was really fantastic and the warm bread pudding. read more

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Love the patio. Food is great and staff is always nice. They also donated a wonderful appetizer to a non profit event last October that was a hit. We're also extremely thankful to this locally owned restaurant for all their generous donations to community organizations. read more

Celebrated my husbands birthday here this evening. As always everything was wonderful. I had the pork schnitzel and he had the famous meatloaf. It's always nice to support a small local business with great food and service! read more

This restaurant remains a true gem in the western suburbs of Chicago. Have to say we haven't had a bad meal here yet. Last night was no exception. My wife got the pot roast with mashed potatoes and roasted root veggies. The veggies could have been a bit more roasted, but my wife appreciated the fact that they still were a little al dente. The pot roast was delicious, as was the gravy. The grilled Romaine salad we split was perfect and once again, we have to go home and attempt to make the dressing... My flat iron steak was cooked perfectly and the fries were delicious swimming in the steak juice - who needs ketchup? Beer selection was okay, and I got a chance to try a Penrose I hadn't had before, and my wife's cab was good, as well. This used to seem a bit pricey for dinner, but honestly, given the way other restaurants have jacked their prices up, this place is very affordable -- especially considering the fact that their service is always accommodating and their kitchen is consistent and professional. read more

Nice ambiance and good service, but you come to a restaurant to eat. I found the food very average for the price. The butternut squash soup was very salty. My drink was extremely average for the price, and my main course was a disappointment. I ordered the pork chops with polenta which sounded great. It had mentioned turnips for the vegetable, but it came with them all over the top. I had never tried turnips, but these were awful. They tasted like undercooked rotten potatoes. I mentioned to the server that they seemed undercooked, so he brought them back to cook more. He was very nice, but I had to wait while my husband ate his meal and it was our anniversary dinner, so not fun. When it came back, those darn turnips tasted EXACTLY THE SAME. Horrible and still undercooked. I told the server that maybe I just don't like turnips and maybe they are always super firm. He was nice, but again, we paid way to much money for a meal that was not very good. Sorry, but we won't be back. read more

This is now the third time we've eaten at Adellle's. Been long time customers. For some reason the food is just not very good any more and the service is average at best. My duck came out raw and then it came back within minutes over cooked and cold. I realized all they did was take over cooked meat from a previous order and put it on my plate. My other guest were not fans as the drinks took for ever and food was average. read more

We went there at the last minute last night and it was a great decision. We sat at a nice table in the garden area. I had the Great Lakes white fish which was delicious and my husband had the salmon which was also great. The spicy margarita was amazing. They make their own jalapeño infused tequila. Very refreshing. read more

Went to Adeles at the invitation of a friend on a Thursday night that was having a charity event. The food was very good we had the short ribs a sweet potato gnocchi some excellent soup and also a crabcake as a starter. The food was good but the service was a bit over the top. Not bad mind you just a bit over attentive. We went for a wine tasting and they just kept refilling our water and refilling our wine whether we asked for it or not. I would like to come back and try dinner there with just myself and wife. We didn't order from the menu, so can't comment too much on normal service. For a Thursday night in January, the bar was hopping. read more

Came here for Mother's Day Brunch. The GOOD: Had a reservation so we (party of 10) were seated immediately. A prix fixe menu. Nice ambiance. Small to mid-sized restaurant where a partyof 10 could still hear each talk from both ends of the table. Beautiful patio. Easy parking. The BAD: the chicken tenders in the kids meal were fried way too hard. My 10yr old had a hard time poking her fork into them. All of the entrees were VERY average...bbq salmon, pasta, lamb. The roasted chickes was a little undercooked which was surprising seeing that it was a fixed menu and we could tell the food was prepped in advance because each course was served fairly quickly. The waiter was nice, but very inattentive. The dessert was also very average. The root beer float was too fancy for my 7yr old. The brownie would have been better served warm. The peach cobbler was super average. It was a consensus that we would not return. Waaaaay over priced for average tasting food and average service. read more

What happened to the patio? The patio used to be well taken care of. Now it is full of overgrown weeds and trees trying to grow. It used to be beautiful now it looks like trash. read more

This is a restaurant in Wheaton that my work always has their Holiday party at. Always love their food and service. We all usually hang out around the bar and order drinks while we have appetizers come out to us. The tempuraed green bean and calamari appetizer are particularly good. The dinner options are always amazing and the service is always good here, nice warm and welcoming every time. I would definitely come and check this place out another time of the year if I was in the area. read more

Adelle's - Shrimp Risotto - American Near Me - Wheaton, Illinois

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I recently celebrated a birthday dinner at Adelle's, and we all enjoyed great entrees, desserts, and thoughtful service. Two of us enjoyed the meatloaf, garlic mashed potatoes, and green beans, and we would order it again. It was not inexpensive meal, but everything was done just right, down to the placement of silverware on the table, with thorough but unobtrusive service. A very nice place for a special dinner, like an anniversary. It seems to be more of an adults' restaurant, but if there were kids present, they were very well-behaved. We will go back. read more

I'm so glad Adelle's is open and continues to be an excellent restaurant and place to meet with friends during covid. Practicing hygiene and maintaining highest standards in and out of the kitchen. I can't wait to return. read more

Wow. A hat trick. Most terrible service, most uncooked food, & most expensive! Had their salmon entree & had to send it back TWICE because it was completely uncooked. TWICE. Absolute disgrace of a kitchen. After sending it back twice our waiter said he'd get the manager... 10 minutes later, everybody else has finished their dinner, plates removed, and still no "Todd". "Todd" finally came AFTER our waiter checked a SECOND TIME and "Todd" apologized and seemed like he didn't care a single bit. He said the salmon looked medium-rare and was supposed to be medium??? Pretty sure salmon is either raw, done, or overcooked. I cannot order a salmon medium-rare, nor should it ever be an option. "Todd" made me feel like he didn't know what he was talking about or care an iota about our satisfaction. We still had to pay for the rest of the meal and I will never eat here again and I will tell everybody I know that these folks can't even manage to cook their expensive salmon. An abysmal disappointment. Congratulations on being the single-handed worst restaurant experience I've ever had! read more

Had the new years eve dinner over here, food was decent if lacking in variety, appetizer was mushroom pot pie soup which was very delicious, second course was a salad which was also stellar, third course was where I felt flavor was a little lacking, it was a sea bass in a shell fish broth, I had mentioned that I had a shell fish allergy so they took it out but then I had to eat a sauce-less fish, while fresh was not worth the $100 bucks I paid for the menu, the dessert was chocolate mousse with raspberries which was delicious. I had expressed a desire to order off the regular menu but was told that this is not possible in the dinning area but in the bar area only.. not sure why because I assume the kitchens are the same. Hate to form my opinion on a restaurant based off a limited menu hence three stars, hope to get an opportunity to try their full menu. read more

Reserved a private room for my parents 50th Anniversary and everyone here went above and beyond in in so ways to make the entire celebration absolutely perfect and as stress free to us as possible. Debbie is incredible, she was so patient as I constantly "checked in" and asked for favors several times a week for months. The chef and Debbie worked with us to have several items on own our personalized menu, even items they didn't normally serve or were out of season. They even made extra of half the menu that they just boxed up for us to take home per our requests. Literally every item on their incredible menu is so amazing, all guests agreed this is the best food we have ever had, hands down, absolutely amazing! And the service was incredible, Literally every empty plate or glass was picked up within seconds of finishing, yet they never once rushed us, even when our dinner ran almost an hour late. There are so many personalized details that Debbie paid attention to and did so much extra for us, happily and without any reservation, it's far too many to list but all will forever be remembered. Every guest was so impressed by every aspect of this amazing restaurant! My family and I have never known a restaurant with 5 star food and service, with Debbie's personal touch that truly made my parents Anniversary the night if their dreams. It was absolutely perfect in every way because of their extremely hard work and natural talent at their jobs. We cannot recommend highly enough, we will definitely be forever repeat customers, and we will always be grateful for the astounding above and beyond that made my parents Anniversary and our entire celebration a night each of us will remember forever as absolutely perfect, 1 of the most amazing nights of all our lives. There are not enough words to say how amazing the food is, how incredible the service is, how accommodating and welcoming Debbie and everyone is, and there is no limit to how hard they work to 100% successfully make every person's experience awesome, just completely perfect all around. Whatever you are looking for, Adelle's is the place to go, without a doubt!! read more

Well, well, well; what have we here? A little bistro with elegant food, wine, and desserts so decadent that you feel like a Buddha when you leave. If you're on a date, come here. If you're making up after a fight, come here. If you're trying to impress a client, come here. If you just want a quiet and interesting meal where you and your significant other can simply reconnect, come here. That's what we did tonight and we weren't sorry. This is not a particularly fancy place. But I think it's the entire package that gives it panache. On Tuesday, you bring your own bottle. As to the food, please remove your calorie counters from your computer area, close your eyes, and get into this food! We each had an opener: a mushroom risotto with cilantro, scallops and a warm lime butter (drool); the other was spring rolls with a super sweet lobster. Both were great. We nixed the salad and evilly plotted a shared dessert. There are nightly specials here, but they have a pretty nice standard offering too. I loved the 'am I seeing red hot' seared scallops that came with a sweet corn and yam hash and grilled fennel. My guy had pork that glazed with Bourbon and with a melted cheese pot and swiss chard. Okay, right about then, we were groaning inaudibly. It's not that we downed both dinners, but the food was great enough to savor it nice and slow. Thank God, the coffee came-eth. We nibbled on dessert: blueberry bread pudding; with whipped creme, a little bit of fresh coconut, and pineapple. I'm surprised the suspension in the car didn't give way when we got in. But we have a super care package for tomorrow. This was out first time here; it was lovely and mellow. Our waiter was most excellent. Isn't it also lovely that there are Tread-climbers for nights such as this! read more

I've been to Adelle's many times. My family has come here for holidays, family parties, and just a night out. In all those times I've been to Adelle's, their food, service, and atmosphere have never disappointed. They have many delicious choices on their menu, and they have specials that change daily. I am not usually big on "fancy food", but there are many items on Adelle's menu that I love. They have a great bar too. The best part of Adelle's is that even on a budget, you can have a really nice meal. Recently, I took my mom out to Adelle's to celebrate Mother's Day. We sat in the bar and ordered 3 appetizers and we both got a drink. Our bill was only $50, but we got the fine dining experience. I would have spent the same amount if we had gone to dinner at some crappy chain. The appetizers were very filling! We got the meatloaf sliders, pear date bruschetta, and a salad. They had a decent list of craft beers, and you can make your own flight! I got to try 3 different appetizers and beers all in one night. Perfect for someone who can never decide what to order because too many things sound good! The atmosphere is great too. This place has something for everyone. They had live music in the bar, and they had the Hawks game on. Whether you are just going out for a drink, or you want a really nice dinner, Adelle's is your place. read more

Adelle's is one of my "go to" places. The food is very good and you can have them split a meal and for about six bucks more put extra sides on the second plate. The staff are all professional and good, and the owner is very nice. The ambiance is wonderful and they have a cute patio in the summer. Thursday nights are my favorite as they have wonderful jazz musicians then. read more

I was expecting more for the price point. The ambiance sent mixed signals. Quite clearly, the intention of the dining room was high-style. However, the music, the service, and the menu left much to be desired. We began with two martinis under the blaring speaker which developed sounds from Big Band music to baby cries and crowds cheering.The service was lacklustre. The specials were pre-printed but the server mumbled through them anyway. I chose the lamb shank. Honestly, lamb is one of the hardest meats to ruin, but you can over-cook and then microwave it. Congratulations Adelle's, you screwed it up. The lamb was moist but stringy. ($25) Although plated well, the sides were uninspired with plain mash potates, oyster mushrooms, and steamed brussel sprouts. The greatest advantage was the sprig of fresh rosemary, which had the only pleasant aroma on the plate. (No rosemary was detectable in the lamb.) My dining partner had the Adelle's trio of mini-burgers appetizer for his entree. ($14!) They came with fries, which were horribly over-salty, chewy, and soggy. Clearly, they had not been fried at the right temperature since they were incredibly oily. The mini-burgers were fine, but I've had better in a pub.(at $7) They were topped with noxious mini-gherkins (weird flavor). They came in three varieties. In deference to the high class decor and pricing, they were served with piquant and inventive dipping sauce. Wait, no they weren't. They were served with ketchup. Just ketchup. From a bottle. In short, the menu of Adelle's is totally uninspiring, poorly executed, and not worth the price. The martinis were good. ($10.50/ea) read more

Bruce got tickets to see a play at Wheaton Drama, so we decided it was finally time to try Adelle's, which had been on my restaurant list since it appeared on Check Please. In order to have enough time to enjoy our meal, I made reservations for 5:45 pm. When we arrived, only two tables were occupied in the main room. It looks warm and inviting, with a fire in the fireplace. Through some magical formula, however (maybe it was our age), we were seated in the side dining room, a very dark space, at the only table not under a light fixture. This seating turned out to be a Good Thing, because as the evening progressed and the main room filled up, we could hear it become noisier and noisier out there, while we were isolated in a spot of calm. (Note to other patrons: Do not bring a crying baby to a restaurant where diners regularly drop $100 per couple.) We were promptly brought water and a basket of bread, thin rounds of sourdough that was neither baked on the premises, nor within the last 24 hours. We shared an appetizer of the Portobello Fries (strips of meaty portobello mushroom fried in a crisp batter and served with black truffle aoli) which was excellent and for me turned out to be the high point of the meal. Bruce ordered the cassoulet, which the waiter described as more of an osso buco, a lamb shank served with sausage and chicken bits on a bed of savory beans. It was excellent and would give this review an extra half-star if there was a way to do that. I ordered the Adelle's Meat Loaf, which the waiter noted was a house specialty. I got two slabs of thick, bland meat loaf with a few mushroom bits and a watery sauce beneath. I tried a little of the chipotle catsup and instantly figured out why it was on the plate; while not subtle, it was the only thing that gave the meatloaf any real flavor. What were supposed to be roasted garlic mashed potatoes were thin and bland with no hint of garlic, suspiciously like something my mother used to make with a box of potato flakes. The best thing on the plate was a large serving of roasted green beans, which were crisp-tender and very tasty. The service was so quick (maybe a bit too quick; our entrees came out suspicously fast) that we had time for dessert before the theater. We shared the Blueberry Bread Pudding: very tasty and marred only by a grainy caramel sauce. By the time we left at 7:30 pm the place was packed and the main room was very noisy when we passed through. For romance (and if you don't want to actually see your food), ask for the side room if you try Adelle's. Call this review 2.5 stars, because my husband really enjoyed his cassoulet, the service was excellent, and Adelle's is on Open Table. read more

Wow. Just wow. My in-laws took my husband and I there to celebrate my husband's birthday. My in-laws had dined here before, many times, but my husband and I were newbies. I picked up the menu and while trying to decide what entree to order, my father-in-law suggested that we order a bunch of small plates to share, to try as many different dishes as possible. He said that's what he typically does when he goes, and I was happy to comply. I can't tell you how many plates I tried (probably too many), but I can tell you that every single one was simply delicious. The stand outs in my mind are the portobello fries, risotto of the day (yes, they have a different kind of risotto they feature nightly), and the bacon wrapped scallops. Our server was very nice and was extremely well-trained/familiar wit hthe menu and wine pairings to complement the food. She checked on us often, always making sure we had what we needed, and updating us on when our next plate would be ready. The place is pricey, but I think it's more than worth it. The food truly is wonderful. read more

I'm not sure what it is about this place, but the staff sure thinks a lot of themselves. The food is great however the service is much to be desired. Since they've moved, it seems like it has taken a turn for the worse. The coconut rice pudding is delicious, the beet salad is enjoyable, the watermelon salad offers a nice surprise in your mouth, and the lobster risotto is phenomenal. It's a shame that this place has gone from a great restaurant to a place that I just don't want to go to because of the staff and service. I've dined at Adelle's seven times and I cannot say I will be back for my eighth. read more

Daddy daughter dance night and my husband and daughter went to Adele's for dinner before the dance. My husband stated that the staff was wonderful and attentive to my daughter. Thank you for adding more sparkle to the fun evening. read more

Come early, parking's tricky. The portobello mushroom fries and the duck confit gnocchi were what saved this dinner. The service and the rest of the menu items are nothing of note. It's really too bad, we wanted to like this place. Had a cute little courtyard and the ambiance of the restaurant was lovely. I had the short ribs, my brother had the grilled bleu cheese crusted flat iron steak, and my husband had the grilled beef tenderloin filet. The short ribs and filet were insipid and the steak was overdone. Our server's service started off as promising but he didn't bother to check on us to see if we liked our selections and then pretty much ignored us until the end. Will not return! read more

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My boyfriend and I went to adelles last week on a Saturday. First we had to wait 10 mins for the waiter to show up and say hi and get our drinks. She gave us the menus and then another 20 mins went by , until she came to take out order. We waited over an hour for the food!!!!! That is totally unacceptable. I don't think I've ever waiter this long to get the food. The waiter only came by once to apologize and said the food should be right out. .... 30 mins later and it's still not there. Once it got there, the food was good. Ill give them that much. It was really good. But definitely not worth the wait. I'm not going back there . First and last time. read more

We had a fantastic experience at Adelle's from start to finish. Our good friends are weekly visitors to this Wheaton gem and they raved about the food and staff everytime we got together so we made plans to meet there for a weeknight dinner. This night happened to be 1/2 price wine so we indulged in a few bottles of a delicious and light Pinot Noir. Our server, Johnny was so knowledgeable, very attentive without hovering and gave us some great recommendations on the vast menu. We started with Wasbi Green Beans - one of my favorites and something i have ordered at several other locations but I have to say, Adelle's does the green bean so well - right down to the delightful sauce with a nice amount of heat. And the order was HUGE! For dinner, I ordered the Short Rib accompanied by brussel sprouts and a sweet potato gratin. I'm not a fan of sweet potatoes so Johnny suggested a replacement of mashed fingerling potatoes and they were fabulous with hints of bacon, cheese and sour cream. The ribs were delicious, tender, juicy and generous - I could only eat one of them because I was savoring the brussel sprounts and potatoes. My husband ordered a soup of the day and appetizer risotto that he thoroughly enjoyed. Our friends encouraged us to save room for dessert and we decided on the bread pudding which was excellent. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with ecclectic touches of whimsy throughout - I especially loved the garnet red glass lamps and lampshades in the main dining room - a perfect example of the wonderful suprises that Adelle's has in store for you. read more

We returned with friends for dinner. Huge disappointment. It's always an embarrassment when you bring other people to a place you thought was good and it turns out otherwise. On this trip we decided to skip appetizers so we would have room for dessert. At our table of four, no one was happy with their entree. We had: Wiener Schnitzel ($23) - This consisted of two smallish pieces of meat. The meat was tough and the breading was greasy. Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast ($21) - The chicken itself and the mashed potatoes were OK. The onion rings were greasy and VERY SALTY. The menu said "grainy Dijon mustard cream sauce". We could find none of this on the plate. Fennel Crusted Pork Tenderloin ($23) - There was a strong horseradish taste to the dish. The menu did not say anything about horseradish in the dish. Osso bucco ($26) - This was the smallest portion of osso bucco I have ever seen. The meat was dry and tough. There was a layer of tough fat around the outside. After trimming this off, there wasn't much actual meat left. This came with a small apple bratwurst and risotto. Why would you put bratwurst on an osso bucco dish? Oh, well. We were looking forward to our desserts to save the meal. For dessert we had: Key lime pie ($6) - This was good and the best of what we had. Warm fruit crisp ($8) - It wasn't warm. The person that had this commented that the fruit crisp at Cracker Barrel was better. Warm bread pudding ($8) - This was warm and was OK. Turtle brownie sundae ($8) - The brownie was more of a piece of very hard fudge. It was so hard it was almost inedible. I left 80% of it on the plate. After finishing I noticed a HAIR on the side of the bowl! Yuck. Adelle's was a huge disappointment for all at our table of four. It was a combination of poor food, food that did not match the menu description, confused dishes (osso bucco and bratwurst on the same plate. Risotto with pineapple. Cinnamon with scallops.) Adelle's also feels like it is overpriced for what you get. $32 for flat iron steak! I don't think so. Our server was good as was the food runner. The busser was OK but water glasses were not refilled. Bottom line: We probably won't be back. read more

Like Adele's -- good food, decent prices, nice ambiance. Covers the basics as far as I'm concerned. Their not offering reservations is the only drawback. read more

I've been to Adelle's twice, and they were really different experiences. I've wanted to go since I saw them on Check, Please, and when we closed on a new house we decided we should go to a nice restaurant to celebrate. That first visit was superb. We were served by Sergio, who was attentive and knowledgeable. I had the Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast, which was very good; I've had almost the same dish before when I visited the Improv, so I knew I'd like it. My partner had the Fennel Crusted Pork Tenderloin, which blew him away. It wasn't as expensive as we were anticipating, and had we simply had entrees (instead of wine, soup and dessert) it would have been under $50. That, too, was a pleasant surprise. Fast forward to last night... We made reservations last month to visit Adelle's for my birthday. I was really excited, as I've never - and I mean it when I say NEVER - spent my birthday at a fancy restaurant. We drove out to Wheaton from our home in Ravenswood/Lincoln Square, and were seated pretty promptly upon our arrival. There was a 35th anniversary/60th birthday party happening in the main dining room; I couldn't help but think "Are you serious?" until they took us to the smaller dining room. Ah, peace and quiet in which to enjoy our meal. The food was pretty good. This time, I ordered the Pan Seared Chicken Breast. It was good, but I was appalled when it came to the table. I now understand the difference between the idea of a sauce and gravy (thank you, Flavour!), and how it ideally should look upon being served... imagine my shock when the lemon & caper "sauce" was drowning the entire entree. The amount of sauce that was on the plate almost reached the top rim of the plate (you know how some plates have a bit of a dip in the middle and then the wide flat edge), and that was covering the entire bottom of the plate, as well as poured over the chicken. The presentation was off... white chicken, white sauce, white roasted garlic mashed potatoes.. the only color on the plate was a sprig of rosemary added for decoration with the capers mixed in. Perhaps some colorful veggies with a small bit of sauce would have made it look more appetizing. My boyfriend ordered the tilapia, which I believe was one of the specials, and he was really happy with it. It looked better on the plate, too. Our waiter this time - I don't recall his name, but it wasn't Sergio - wasn't quite as attentive. OK, maybe he was helping work with the big party. Oops! I spoke too soon about the peace and quiet. It was shattered by an obnoxiously loud group of women sitting a couple of tables over. Apparently someone there was having a birthday as well, and they thought everyone else should join in their festivities? I don't know. What I do know is that it was hard for us to carry on a conversation at our own table, where we were sitting next to one another, because of the volume they were at. The table next to these women were also celebrating a birthday (albeit quietly), because when the loud table found out, they cheered again. I'd say about half our meal was spent being unable to enjoy it because of the loudness of these patrons, and I know we weren't the only ones who were bothered by it; I saw the woman in another party across the room, kept looking over at them, and when caught I caught her eye she just shook her head. The loud table also appeared to be rewarded for their behavior, as someone brought out a dessert and they were all surprised and delighted (complete with much shrieking); I guess it was a birthday freebie on behalf of the restaurant. On our way out, the maitre d' asked how our evening was, and my partner said the food was good, but it was really quite loud which impeded our ability to have a good time. He mentioned that it would have been nice (actually, that one of the staff should have) if someone had spoken to that particular table of women and asked them to bring the volume down a bit. The maitre d' said that they've found that only makes people angry, and left it at that. I can't help but be puzzled by this reasoning - either you make a table of rude people, who are bothering numerous other patrons, angry by asking them to desist with the rude behavior, or you upset the other patrons who are simply trying to enjoy their dinner. Personally, I would have no problem asking the rude bunch to quiet down a bit; all Adelle's succeeded in doing last night by putting that table's rudeness and enjoyment above ours was to make me question whether I want to bother with the 1 hour + drive out to the suburbs to visit them again. All in all, it was a really disappointing birthday dinner. I guess I've learned I don't need a "fancy" place to celebrate at. I've left them with 3 stars for the service the first time and the food is pretty tasty, but I think their attitude regarding the comfort and enjoyment of their patrons (as expressed by the maitre d') has cooled my affection for them. read more

"Pork and beans." That's what they call it. 99% of the contents of the can consists of beans. You'll be lucky to find one tiny morsel of pig in there, and yet "pork' gets top billing. Adelle's fare is certainly more upscale than pork and beans, and the three small dishes we ate last night were certainly pleasant, but they weren't what we expected them to be. The Adelle's sign itself smacks of prairie style architecture, and while the inside was pleasant, it wasn't prairie style. They also couldn't decide the level of lighting in the room. Once you got used to the low level, they'd lower it again. Either have good lighting or turn it off, please. Besides, the three small plates we ordered deserved to be seen clearly as works of art. First small plate: the baby spinach salad. What little spinach we received was fine, mixed with spring greens and a orange-thyme vinaigrette. But there was much more: "trio of fresh berries, oranges, toasted almonds, oven-dried goat cheese." The first plate seemed more about the berries than the greens. Not much goat cheese and the thinnest-sliced almonds I've ever experienced. Pretty nice, though I wish some more baby spinach would've been included in the baby spinach salad. Second small plate: cheese and fruit plate. The daily menu lists each of three cheeses, along with a final line about candied nuts, crackers, and toast points with blueberry and honey dipping sauces. What arrives is a gorgeous plate of food, with a few problems. There was little actual cheese. It was decent, though mostly lacking in bite, but the amount itself was very small, especially since cheese got top billing. Two, there was fruit. In addition to what was listed, two slices of watermelon came, and guess what else? More berries! Lots of 'em! Along with many, many grapes. It was an impressive-looking plate, but it was way too busy. Imagine an artist-in-training painting a still life. The teacher wouldn't want so many different types of food as the object, as it can distract from the theme. And the theme was supposed to be cheese. But again, it was fruit. I got a full week's supply of vitamin C and a big helping of antioxidants with all of the blackberries, raspberries and grapes. Third small plate: "Moroccan lamb chops, saffron-preserved lemon couscous, golden raisins, spiced almonds, arugula, Harissa sauce." As you can guess, this plate wasn't about the lamb chops. Though they were delicate and tasty, both of them were small. But there sure was a lot of couscous on my plate, and I can't say that I liked it. It had a different mouth-feel than the couscous I've had before, and had little flavor to it. The few almonds had no spice; the concentrated Harissa sauce packed a major punch. At least there were no more berries. So what I ordered was a salad, cheese and lamb chops, and what I got was berries, a few greens, berries, a little cheese, couscous and a little lamb. Adelle's should either re-think the proportions in their small plates or change the names of them. That's my big complaint. But we'll be back. Why? Because most of what we tasted was quite good. Because they have a large selection of plates. Because we had fun trying to find the one person that was using a black napkin instead of white. (Black cloth napkins are an option, and when asked, our server told me that one person in attendance uses black. So if you were at Adelle's and saw two people glancing at your crotch, nice to meet you.) Why else? Because we received swift service, especially early on. Because the bar looks pleasant and they offer jazz twice a week. And because our small plates were actually reasonable in price. (We chose not to drink, but on Tuesdays, you can bring your own wine without a corking fee.) I look forward to raising the number of stars to four next time, if Adelle's puts the pork before the beans. Or call just it "beans and pork" already. read more

Based on the reviews I was hoping Adele's was going to deliver a little more than the lackluster experience I had. We called ahead to see if they had the baseball game on so we could come in before our reservation to watch a few innings at the bar. We were told no problem. When we showed up it turned out they couldn't get the game after all grrr. Once seated on the nice patio outside I noticed the wine list is fairly limited for the by-the-glass options. They do however have $200 plus Joseph phelps full bottles on the tiny menu? The cheese plate was ok. Nothing very exotic or aged. Just standard cheddar, non aged manchego and Gouda. My other app, bacon wrapped scallop had undercooked bacon and an unseasoned scallop on top a purée of cauliflower with a sauce so sweet it shoulda been a dessert. One of the entree specials was a Monchong fish from Hawaii. I never heard of it but was told it was a translucent very white fish. I'm fairly certain I was served swordfish. My fish was not white and had the texture of tuna fish. I asked a friend of mine who lives in Hawaii if she had ever tried this fish before and was told she never heard of it. Now I know why. Other entrees were the chicken breast; fairly standard with a potent lemon caper sauce. And the sliders which looked ok but I didn't try em. I had heard nothing but good reviews from Adelle's so I was surprised at our less than average experience. Add to that the 1 hr plus wait from app to entree. Overall pretty disappointing. read more

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I'm so pleased that we finally made it to Adelle's! I've been eyeing it for date night ever since we moved to town, but we love movies so much, that often nice dinners are forgone in favor of spending time at the movies. We sat on the patio, and it was such a perfect night for it. Our server (Colleen, I think?) was friendly and attentive. I had the Parmesan breaded chicken breast, which was the tastiest thing I've had in a long time. I will be dreaming about tomato butter sauce for many nights to come. My husband had the bleu cheese crusted flat iron steak with sweet potato mash subbed for the fries, and he enjoyed it very much. For dessert, it was tough to choose between so many tempting options. We ended up trying the peach mango crisp, and I'm glad we did. I wouldn't mind going back just to try other desserts sometime. We also had cappuccino and espresso, and the espresso was especially impressive. My only complaints are: 1. The music was a little loud at our table. Toward the end of our meal, there was some nice romantic music like I'd expect to hear, but in the early part of our dinner, I heard more twangy country than I'd like (unless I'm at a ribfest or something!) and 2. a couple of the servers (not ours, thankfully) were wearing fragrance, and it bothered me every single time they passed by. Yes, I have a very sensitive sense of smell, but they should definitely be trained to be fragrance free while serving food. Pretty good job, Adelle's! We'll surely be back. read more

Not flawless, but very, very good. I would go back for the portabello fries. Dipped in light crunchy breading and not greasy but moist on the inside, they reminded me of the old days when we used to pick and pan-fry fresh morels. So good. The garlic-mayo dipping sauce though was too thick and garlicky for me. I'd have preferred something lighter, maybe a marinara, something with a bit of acid. My green salad was very good, especially with the optional chevre cheese added. My salmon entree was good too, but the fish was nearly raw in the middle. I don't like fish overcooked, but wasn't prepared for sushi either, so I saved it and microwaved it for lunch the next day. That turned out just fine. Although it was too hot to sit outside on this visit, we have enjoyed the patio other times. I'm always ready to return to Adelle's and I love that it has a solid menu that pleases a variety of people. I heard that the restaurant is relocating in the fall and I've got my fingers crossed that they can maintain the welcoming, small-place feel of the current location. read more