I have to share an amazing experience I had yesterday at Allegory. I am currently in a leg brace and on crutches so my mobility is limited. The host staff and server went way beyond to ensure my comfort and that my dinner experience was memorable. The food was fantastic but the staff truly elevated the experience. Thank you so much and I will make Allegory a regular dining destination. read more

Straight to the point, I ordered an Amaretto Stine Sour and a Honey Bee. The Sour was delicious 5/5. Extremely delicious, probably the best I've ever had. The Honey Bee was a new drink I've never had that I saw on Google: white rum, honey, lemon juice, and water. The bartender nailed it! The atmosphere is classy, clean, and not overly noisy. We walked by and decided to come in. Although they do take reservations, we found seats at the bar. Highly recommend. read more

Allegory - a shot of a margarita on a bar counter - American Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

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I've wanted to try Allegory for awhile, and I'm glad I finally got to go because it was a fun and tasty experience. The ambience felt very intimate, and it's definitely a nice spot for date night. It was pretty packed, but we didn't have to wait too long for a table. I got a tuna melt and fries, and it was a decent elevated version of a traditional tuna melt. The portions were also good. I would come back to try their other menu items as it's a great option for a nicer evening out. read more

I usually go into "American" style restaurants that also serve cuisine fusion style food with low expectations since I haven't had too many places that really impressed me. Allegory, however, was a surprising hit of the California "farm-to-table" movement serving great food. Besides the hilarious dish names, there are just so many options and proteins that you'll find something for everyone. * Belly Slide: 7/10 - very fatty pork meshed with Asian flavors makes this a surprise hit, though the sauce is a little too sweet * Chef's Never Bored Board: 9/10 - surprise hit with our table, has a wide variety of fresh, sweet, and savory goods * The Not So Short, Short Rib: 6/10 - the meat was falling off the bone, but the sauce was just a tad too salty for me read more

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Hello Allegory! WOW! This is my first five star review in a WHILE! Everything about this place is exceptional! The moment you walk in you are surrounded by a warm ambience and friendly staff. The decor perfectly compliments the "farm-to-table" style! We had reservations for a party of 8 and sat at two four tops. We were taken care of by the WONDERFUL Lucy! She was accommodating, friendly, and overall wonderful to chat with! Choosing from the menu was so hard because EVERYTHING looks delicious! We started with their house charcuterie and devoured the entire setting! Don't be afraid to try new things- everything that Allegory has to offer is DELICIOUS! For my main course, I had the pork sliders ("Belly Slide") and truffle fries ("Fries A-La Truffle"). I will absolutely be returning to Allegory, as there is a LOT I want to try. (Note: My sister got the Chicken and Waffles and they looked INSANELY GOOD!) Thanks for everything, Allegory! And a big thank you to Lucy for making our night so awesome! read more

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We came here to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday and it was amazing! We had a reservation and didn't have to wait at all for our table when we got there even though they were exceptionally busy. We ordered the steak and the fried chicken sandwich. They were so flavorful and you Cna tell the ingredients were very fresh. Overall it was an Amazing experience and we will definitely be back again read more

Allegory - Steak - American Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

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Had the best time at this amazing restaurant! We loved everything in this place. The food, Drinks and Service was great. Only one note Their Spicy carrot soup is super SPICY read more

This place is great. Yes you should go here. We went on. Friday evening and it was only a 15 minute wait for 2 people. Service is friendly. It has a classy casual feel. We shared the four items ordered : pork belly sliders, Apropos salad, Fish Fry, and cheesecake. All of the food ordered was fabulous but to me the The pork belly sliders were in a league of their own! I can't stop thinking about them. Such a bold and powerful flavor, with just the right amount of spice. The pork was tender. I would go just for those. The apropos salad was also great, I do wish it had more apricot in it. One of the best fish fry I have. It was not heavy and greasy, it was light and crispy. The cod was tender and juicy, excellent flavor and cooked to perfection. Cheesecake is always a good option. This was served in a dish, and not a slice of cheesecake, it was lighter like a mousse or a pudding. The graham cracker crust was good but I could have used for of it. Fantastic place, I highly recommend. read more

Allegory - Menu - American Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

I tried a couple menu items here and everything tastes fresh which is nice. The drinks are ok but on the pricier side. Quality- the burger I got was supposed to be medium rare but came out almost blue. It was definitely not cooked right so I had to eat around the blue parts. The fries were good and I didn't get a new burger because the waitress was too busy. Quantity- generous portions. Big burger and lots of fries. Atmosphere- very packed even on weekdays. Long wait and bar is all full. Service- very slow read more

Allegory - Dad bod burger - American Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

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We love coming here. This was first time we've brought our kids, two boys, 11y and 9y. Service was great. We got the Quiche, Reuben and both the boys got Here Chickee, Chickee their chicken and waffles dish. They LOVED it. With both of them being so picky with food I was worried. But hearing my 9yr old constantly talk about how good it is, was awesome to see. There's so many options in downtown Naperville, and this continues to be a bright spot. Also, got lucky and was able to park, literally steps away from the door. read more

Allegory - American Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

Food was terrific, we had the Ruben so delicious also we had the pork tacos very delicious

Such a cute atmosphere. Their mocktails were delicious. The Geisha Salad and the charcuterie board were delicious. Service was quick and our waitress was very friendly. read more

After two visits, I feel confident giving this place a solid 4-star review. The food has been consistently delicious -- the first time I had the black cod, and the second time I had the short ribs with garlic mashed potatoes. Both meals were so good I scarfed them down before I could take a photo! Who doesn't love a good farm-to-table restaurant? The missing star is mostly for the ambiance. The tables are a little too close together for my liking, and the vibe leans more toward a dive bar than a relaxing restaurant experience. That's just my two cents -- but overall, the food makes it worth a visit! read more

Allegory is consistently good, farm to table food, with a solid drink menu and good service. The most recent visit was a food highlight with 3 dishes shining: 1. 14 oz. Ribeye with green beans, pancetta and honey. 2. Phill (E) Cheesesteak was excellent-every ingredient was tasty and the right amount of hearty/savory with some spice in the form of giardinera. 3. Never bored cheese, meat, etc. board-a charcuterie all star lineup that was a bit light on cheeses but still enjoyable. read more

Allegory - "Phill E" cheesesteak with hand-cut fries - American Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

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It is always a little hard to park in Naperville but I found a spot a few blocks away. Of course, I had chosen a busy time of day on a Friday night, so partly my fault. We secured a table right away, which was awesome! The server was great! Ordered a beer and the keg just ran out, but tbey got a new keg right away. It was Friday and fish fry night. Honestly, the fish was delicious! It came with yummy brussel sprouts. read more

Their fish fry is amazing. Loved everything I had at this place, including the drinks, love the dark ambience, and the service was excellent. read more

Interestingly, I returned three days later. I had to have the same thing. Service was good but not as perfect, and the quiche I ordered seemed to be the same quiche from 3days earlier - it had age cracks and the crust fell off - it was okay - I was surprised how I could get an average experience after ordering the same thing 3 days later than my 5+ experience read more

I have been waiting to go to chef-owned Allegory in Naperville for years. They are a scratch kitchen. We finally made it yesterday for a delicious late lunch. They had funky decor, vibrant staff, and incredible food. I can not say enough about the great vibe this place offers. We can't wait to go back. Mismatched places, pleasant lighting, incredible eats. Please take special note of "Boaris" dressed in some fine St Patrick's Day duds. Drinks: Cranberry hibiscus fizz mocktail and a gin-based seasonal cocktail called Lucky Charms (both refreshing, and we plan to recreate the fizz.) Starter: Belly Slide Braised Pork Belly Sliders (2). Sticky-Soy Glaze. Nori-Apple-Cabbage Slaw. Siracha-Crack Sauce. (Delicious, sticky, drippy, and tender. I miss them.) Mains: Here Chickee, Chickee Fried Amish Buttermilk Chicken Thighs. Griddled-Cake with convenient syrup holders (alright, fine, it's a waffle). Maple-Bourbon-Brown Butter. Hickory Bacon. (Fantastic chicken, that's some of the best we've ever had. Bonus - it came with a veritable mountain of bacon.) Fishy, Fishy My homage to a Wisconsin Fish Fry. And not just on Fridays. But waaaaaay better. (Sorry, Sconnies) Creamy Slaw & Tartar, of course. Lemon. Brussels. Fries. (I am literally eating the leftovers for breakfast, and I'm thrilled.) read more

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Friday night in Naperville, and this place was hopping, good, and fun.  And at 5:50pm already!  I called ahead 30 minutes earlier to see if we needed a reservation, but it really wasn't needed as 2/3 of the place is left available for walk-ins I was told, and the only reservation left was at 8:30pm??  Anyway, we walked in at 5:50pm and just about got the last table.  The bar area was filled, pop music was playing, and there was a great lively vibe going. As far as food, wife had their Wall-eyes on Me walleye dinner for $29.  I had their Winner Winner fried chicken dinner for $18.  Our outing was fun and the food was good, but it wasn't 5 star good.  I go with 4.49 stars here rounded down to 4.  The two little food issues holding the rating back were that 1) the walleye was a bit oversalty on the crust and 2) my chicken was tasty but it would have been better if served hotter.  We were quite happy with the outing and maybe we'll get to try some other dishes someday. BTW, we have eaten in this location many times in the past when it was a Heaven on Seven (well over 4 years ago), and that was a good restaurant too.  Allegory seems to have put in more tables and the vibe is upbeat, lively, and loudish and mainly driven by the music I think.  Susan was our server and she and all the staff were attentive and friendly.  Big thumbs up and thank you for the first Naperville dinner we've had in 8 years! read more

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My waiter, Dan, was engaging and had recommendations for me. He was well spoken and polite. The food was outstanding. I had the small plate Mac and cheese with blackened shrimp. It was divine and filling. read more

Allegory - Mac and cheese with added protein. Per the recommendation of my waiter, Dan, I chose blackened shrimp. - American Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

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Food: was great! I got the Mac n' cheese and the SWOAN salad with chicken. Very tasty! The rest of our group liked their food besides the charcuterie board that was sub par. Service: Went with a small group of 7 people on a Sunday. We waited nearly 40 minutes just for our mimosas to come. Our waitress did say it was her 2nd day, so we cut her some slack. I would come back again and give their service another try because their food was good. Side note: their menu online is not updated and they don't have a few menu items in the restaurant. read more

Allegory - SWOAN Salad with chicken - delicious - American Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

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Always a great time at the Allegory! Cute hole in the wall burger place with vegetarian options. I was lucky enough to be serviced by Dan recently, who is always a delight to see and provides great service! :-) read more

Allegory - Bottom: Portabella mushroom burger Top: Dad Bod - American Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

They could definitely UPDATE the menu online (on their OWN website) as to not mislead perspective guests. And then IF someone is seated solo, greet them within 2 minutes if possible as 7 plus minutes makes one feel ignored... I watched my server walk past at least 5 times before she stopped...she is young and learning so hopefully some one teaches that read more

Amazing farm to table restaurant with generous portions. They use fresh ingredients and don't slack when it comes to presentation. Serving staff is always friendly and helpful, making your decision from the wide varietied menu easy. The short rib and scallops are by far my favorite and the atmosphere is dark and romantic. Thai is my favorite restaurant in Naperville by a landslide. read more

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I love their food and the service is consistently great! They change their menu seasonally and offer many options even for the fussy eaters in my family. read more

The quiche is perhaps the best quiche I've ever eaten. And I've eaten many quiches in my life. It's a tall slice too. So big I couldn't even finish it. And the crispy potatoes that came with it were pretty much perfect. I've eaten quite a few things at Allegory over the years since they opened. None that I love as much as the quiche, but everything has been either good or great. Everything is grown locally except for the grapes for the wine. -I'm not a wine drinker, but I can't imagine IL would produce any wine worth drinking. ;) The service I really love. This is an extremely friendly and welcoming business. It's evident that they must enjoy their jobs and I assume they like management. I've had dinners with girlfriends here, mother/daughter lunches, and date nights. It fits the bill for all occasions. read more

Allegory - Cherry on Top - American Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

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Had a really nice meal here! Our waitress was friendly and helpful. Seating is a bit tight, but it felt cozy and casual in a good way. I started with the "Star Bright," one of their "lie-bations" (mocktails). As a pregnant woman, it was nice to see several mocktail options on the drinks menu. The drink was good and surprisingly not overly sweet, considering it had a sugar rim. My husband had the Allegory Old Fashioned, which he said was good, though on the sweeter side as far as old fashioned's go. The "Not So Short, Short Rib" was outstanding! My husband ordered it, and thankfully gave me a few bites. The sauce was so decadent. Loved the mix of mushrooms and gnocchi. We'll definitely be coming back for that dish! I ordered the "Fan Fave" seared scallops, which were also good, though not as delicious as the short rib. The risotto wasn't as flavorful as I would've liked but still a good entree. All in all, a nice, farm-to-table neighborhood spot that I look forward to returning to. read more

Allegory - The Not So Short, Short Rib - American Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

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Shrimp and grits I have been craving and Allegory has been on my list for awhile now. I finally made the trip in there and it was so worth it! Absolutely the best shrimp and grits I've ever had! read more

Allegory - Kiss my grits - American Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

One of my favorite places to grab dinner with my husband. Service is wonderful, waitstaff is friendly and helpful. Food is absolutely beyond expectations! Will continue to show up and support this business. Also they got lots of plants! Love the atmosphere here. Easy to bring a date here because of how intimate the space is and not super loud! read more

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Great atmosphere and the food was good. The shrimp and grits appetizer is delicious. I would have rated a 5, however the skirt steak was buried under a mound of brussel sprouts which hid the skirt steak (would recommend something else). Still a great experience. Enjoy!!!! read more

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Speakeasy I stopped in for some drinks. I don't remember if I ordered food or appetizers, but I do remember getting drinks at the bar. One of those kind of nights. Sitting at the bar felt cool. It feels a bit like a speakeasy. The bartenders here are really good at whipping up concoctions that require a higher level of bartending. They have a lot of good ingredients and they hand craft every drink individually. The drinks were really good and I'm sure the food is too. read more

Food is above average and some dishes are unique. Bar drinks are great. Prices are quite high so would need to be special occasion for me to go back. read more

One of the worst dining experiences I have ever had...and I have been going to restaurants for over fifty years. I know something about restaurants. I am a partner in two of them where I live (Bay Area, California). Recently, I was in the Chicago area for an event. A local resident recommended Allegory. Nine of us went there for dinner. We placed our orders. I ordered a chicken sandwich and French fries (an $18 meal). About twenty minutes later, eight dinners were served. All except mine. I was told mine was "on the way." Five minutes went by...then ten...then fifteen. Everyone was asking why I had not ordered dinner. After fifteen minutes, I asked to speak to the manager. She was very apologetic, and told me she would find out what happened and get my dinner ASAP. She promised I would not be charged, that the full cost of the meal would be comped. Five more minutes...ten more minutes. Everyone else is finishing their meals. They bring me my meal. It is packed in a to go box, as everyone is getting ready to leave. I have an hour drive to where I am staying. I will have a soggy, cold chicken sandwich and French fries. I'm not happy. But they again tell me I will not be charged anything; my meal will be free. We get the bill. Everyone is now running late. I start to look at the bill, but there is no time. Everyone needs to be elsewhere, and soon. When I have a chance to look at the bill, I am stunned. My chicken sandwich has been divided into two parts. There is ".75 Yum Yum chicken " at $13.50 and "1/4 Yum Yum chicken" at $4.50. The $4.50 was then comped. Not the $13.50. With the automatically applied tax and tip, I am charged $18 for my soggy, cold "free" meal. I am angry, but it is too late. As we are walking to the car, I show the bill to a friend of mine. He notices that he was charged for two beers. He only had one. Another $12 charge in the restaurant's favor. The total bill was over $400. I have no idea how much was legitimate. read more

Allegory - The bill, showing just 25% of my meal actually comped. - American Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

I've always been struck by the exterior and ambiance of this place as you walk by, but I had never been inside so my friend and I decided to finally try this place out. Gotta say - I'm so happy we did!! Located conveniently in the heart of downtown Naperville, this is a great family-friendly spot for brunch, drinks, and dinner for various occasions. As you walk in, their lights are so beautiful and would really make an ideal date night spot too! We ordered a variety of drinks and dishes so we could try as much off the menu as we had room for. We started off with our drinks - they were both delicious and worth the money in my opinion. I would definitely opt for their libations over their wine/beer selections (but that could just be my personal preference ;D)! The Chop Shop salad to me was the stand out of the meal. It was SO yummy and felt healthy and filling. It's probably because the ingredients are so fresh that I felt so satisfied with this dish. It struck a perfect balance between sweet and salty. We weren't particularly the biggest fan of the mac n cheese option they had - it was almost too thick? I wasn't the most unique in flavor and I tend to prefer a spicier, sharper mac n cheese. The truffle fries, though, were really well done, thin and crispy. I love truffle anything, so I'm usually a harsher critic, but these were amazing with a super strong truffle flavor!! Must say, what really stood out were the portion sizes for all our dishes. They are so generous!!! I think what really stands out about this place also is their farm-to-table theme. If/when they switch up their menu, I would definitely come back to try their new options. I would even come back with the current menu and definitely order another salad. I highly recommend!!! read more

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My husband said farm to table and I was excited to try it out. We ordered a: App platter - Yes Please! Entree Salad - Under the Tuscan Moon Naan and this really good maple bourbon butter - which is good enough to eat on its own. Good light meal to that point. We didn't come in super hungry so I'm thinking we missed the mark with these starter and light dishes as I'm sure Alleghory is well known for their heartier entrees. I really wanted the reuben or fried chicken. I couldn't eat an entire entree so I got a side of veggies and rice - kinda lame but I was eating light and I shared some of my husbands salad. So what killed it for me were the side of rice and veggies. They were drenched in so much butter (there goes trying to eat lighter). I took a few bites and left it alone. I didn't understand what happened there. Maybe we'll give it another go with other entrees but I just left feeling a little disappointed. read more

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Wow! Such a delicious place for a relaxing lunch. The atmosphere is top notch. Comfortable yet a bit bougie. The food was amazing. My shrimp and grits was right up there with the best I've enjoyed. Creamy and flavorful grits with perfectly seasoned blackened shrimp. Although it was an appetizer it was more than enough for lunch. My son had the Magic Mushroom Burger. Grass fed, fresh and loaded with toppings. With truffle fries and aoli on the side it was right up his alley. Well worth a stop if you are in Naperville! read more

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Service was good. The place is small and loud, if you're ok with that. Some of the foods were a bit salty or too saucy. But this was our first visit so we haven't tried everything. read more

Plenty of seating inside. I heard they have big portions in general. I got the prime rib sandwich ($19). It was a very large portion. Fries were delicious. I thought the sandwich itself was okay. But I also ate it with a fork and knife because I had no idea how to eat it without it being a messy disaster as a sandwich. It might have been better if I ate it as a whole sandwich and while it was still hot (it was luke warm by the time I finished eating the fries). Maybe when I air fry heat my leftovers, I will change my mind and say it was really good. Will update later! My friend got the scallop dish ($36)- portion looked average, mostly rissotto with 4 scallops but he enjoyed it. read more

We went there for mother's day! We liked this restaurant a lot. The food was awesome the atmosphere was just ok. Great food though! would definately go there again read more

I went there with my son visiting from California. Had the scallops and mushroom risotto - best risotto ever! Our server was excellent - very personable. read more