I like this restaurant--not my first time as I am often at the McCormick Convention Center for meetings and am looking for something within walking distance but also a little bit removed. The staff are friendly and attentive; the space is appealing--bright and simple. At the time of my visit, which was at opening for lunch at 11:30, it was quiet, but was more lively by the time I wrapped up. I had the blue crab bucatini and loved it. My only complaint that I could have eaten twice as much as the portion (which was reasonable, though). read more

I was trying to decide on a final location to dine at for restaurant week and happened upon Apolonia. Made a reservation and was seated right away on a Sunday for brunch. I loved the modern interior and child enjoyed the fuzzy, soft undersides of the tables. I ordered from the restaurant week menu and had the following: warm seafood salad (calamar, octopus, lemon vinaigrette), cacio e pepe' polenta (brisket ragù, sunny egg), and cinnamon roll. I didn't care for the warm seafood salad as it was overly oily and passed it off to hubby to finish. The cacio e pepe polenta was good but the portion size was so small I finished it in like 3 bites. I was excited for the cinnamon roll but it was a letdown. Our friend who dined with us described it as the "driest cinnamon roll he has ever eaten." I ordered the frittata Española (potatoes, fontina, piperade) for my child which was pretty standard. There was maybe a 30 minute delay between the time we finished each dish and when the next one would appear. The restaurant wasn't terribly busy but there seemed like there were only 2 chefs working at the time. read more

I had a great lunch at Apolonia! From my conversation with the waiter, their specialty is their homemade pastas, so I knew I had to try one. The location is right by McCormick Center, and the restaurant itself is bright, modern, and sleek. I made a reservation for a weekday lunch, but there were a decent amount of open seats. I got the blue crab bucatini ($24) - the pasta was cooked perfectly, and it came in a wonderful crab sauce with a decent amount of crab and asparagus. I thought the portion was a little small, but the dish was really really tasty. Dinner prices looked a bit higher, but consider Apolonia a great choice for a nice meal out! read more

Apolonia - Receipt Nov 2025 - Modern European Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went here for restaurant week and thought the food was really good! I especially loved the hummus and thought the tiramisu was really unique. It didn't taste like tiramisu at all, but was still very good. Overall, I loved the food! read more

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Tried here for the first time and the space is so nice and classy. It was open concept with a modern feel and an open kitchen so it kind of looked like an LA mansion haha! One funny thing I noticed was that every plate had a little chip in it. At first I thought it was part of the aesthetic but I asked the waiter and he said nope just a coincidence. The waiter was super friendly but I do wish he checked in more often. It was hard to flag him down when we wanted to order more or grab another drink and it wasn't even that busy. We were there during dinner and there were maybe 7-10 people total in the restaurant. The food was great!! Highly recommend the fluffy bread, octopus appetizer (so buttery and yummy), any of their pastas, and the pistachio dessert!! I would definitely come back to try the chefs tasting menu! read more

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My first time trying this restaurant. My girlfriends raved about how good the food is and it does not disappoint. I'll be back again! My favorite is the truffle pasta, branzino, the octopus is delicious as well! read more

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TLDR : lovely meal! A must visit in Chicago. I made a reservation on a whim while trying to find a nice meal for me and my team visiting the convention centre for a conference. How lucky for us! The place is nice and inviting with simple, nice interiors. The servers were super nice, ready with recommendations and just generally pleasant. I started with a spirit free drink : the honeybee. Honestly, one of the better non alcoholic drinks I've had in a long time. The tartness of the olives combined with yuzu was just weird but delish! The team and I shared a bottle of wine, and the food kept on coming, each dish better than the one before. We tried the : 1. Gambas al Ajilio: ooof, what a delicacy! Brought me back to my time in Spain! 2. Black truffle puff bread: another great item. The bread was fluffy, the crust wasn't too hard and the loaded black truffle on top was just phenomenal. 3. Yellowtail crudo: melt-in-your-mouth goodness. So simple, nicely seasoned. 4. Kale and Brussels sprouts salad: had to add a 'healthy' item and everyone loved it. 5. Slow roaster pork collar: I usually try to avoid red meat, so I just had a couple of bites and I wasn't disappointed. 6. Confit chicken thigh: nice and juicy meat, gnocchi and veggies were a nice addition. Huge portions! We tried the tiramisu and a couple gelatos as well. All in all, lovely food! read more

Apolonia - Gambas al Ajilio - Modern European Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A really beautiful restaurant with some cool ideas that unfortunately didn't live up to the hype flavor-wise for me. I tried the mushroom bed which was covered in a truffle sauce. Which yummy I found it a bit oily and heavy. I then had the short rib pasta which was filling up lacking the richness I was anticipating. The standouts were the desserts. My friend and I tried the pistachio ice cream which was yummy and lightly nutty alongside the lemon cheesecake which was the perfect balance of sweet and tart. A great spot for dessert and wine! read more

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Stopped here for brunch and the food and service was impeccable. The portions are huge and if you live in Printer's Row, South Loop or Bronzeville this is a neighborhood gem so please Come in and support! Also love the minimalist Scandinavian interior and laidback ambiance. read more

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When you walked in, you are stunned by the beautiful, modern simplicity of Apolonia. After only the truffle puff bread and the mussel toast, my friend and I declared that we would definitely be returning to Apolonia because w-o-w that was a flavor explosion. We shared the bronzino and saffron pasta as our entrees. Both were delicious! Charred fennel with the branzino was unique and tender yet crisp, and a great compliment to the flaky fish. The pasta was very fresh and had a bright saffron flavor. Next time I go back, I look forward to trying more small plates and desserts! read more

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Food was decent. The tasting menu definitely worths the price. My favorite is the mussel toast. The garlic bread is soaked with the tomato/onion sauce, and with the mussels, so tasty! I liked the slight spice added to it, kind of opened up your sense of tasting. One thing to be noticed: the seasoning style from the chefs are on the sour side (which I personally enjoy) and also each dish (except the dessert) contains a tiny bit of spiciness (which I also personally enjoy). I may have some "bias" based on my personal taste for my following comments. The sauce on salmon crudo actually tasted very much like a Chinese sauce - the red oil sauce on Sichuan chicken, if you know what I mean. Especially with the peanut crunches lol. It's a bit weird but actually tasted ok. The texture of the pasta was actually some of the bests I have had in the Chicago area, very well al dente. (Most of the Italian restaurants in the area either have it too soggy or too chewy that's almost half-raw. ) Sauce was fine. Branzino was good. I liked the sourness of the green olives mixed with lemon juice. I was surprised by the fennel! It was so good, like its natural aroma mixed so well with the char and the sauce. I think the pistachio flavor was rich for the dessert. There's a certain taste of almond syrup (?) that's kind of strong which I didn't personally enjoy, but if you enjoy Marzipan chocolate, you probably will like it because it's the same flavor of the filling of Marzipan. I ordered honeybee as a non-alcohol drink. It was fresh! Again I like sour flavors, so. Service was very attentive and they changed cutleries for each dish. Water was filled several times and the plates for hot dishes were warmed. I came in around 5:45pm at a Saturday night. There weren't many people at all. It did get a little more crowded but I don't think you definitely need a reservation unless it's a large party. I personally like the ambiance a lot. The music choices are light but relaxed, so I think it's a good dating spot or if you prefer somewhere chill but not too "clubby". read more

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Amazing experience on Valentine's Day. The food was great I would highly recommend you get the black truffle puff bread. The gnocchi was next level good. The ragú sauce was so hearty and delicious. The gnocchi was long which added a fun texture to the dish. The steak was delicious as well, cooked to a perfect medium rare. The sauce was bit overpowering when paired with the streak. Not in a bad way, but if the streak was smothered in the sauce, I could only taste the purée. Desert was the highlight of the night. I highly recommend either the chocolate tart or the baklava cheesecake. Both my boyfriend and I agreed that this was some of the best desert we have had in a while. read more

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Shakshuka Danish 5/5. Perfect croissant texture. Buttery and flaky, it would be wonderful on its own. But an egg and lovely tomato filling put it over the top. Artichoke hummus - 3.5/5. Well executed dish I could see others loving. But on the bitter side for me. Potato Rosti - 4/5. Lovely textures. Surprisingly tangy sauce. S'mores Croissant - 3/5. The only poorly executed dish, wish the dough a bit heavy and less flaky. Nice chocolate. read more

TLDR: food was good, service was confused and coursing was terrible. Food 4 1/2 stars, service 2. If you don't mind eating everything you ordered at once, you'll be fine. We were told to eat here by a food-loving Chicagoan. He was right about the food. Except for some minor issues, the cocktails and the food were excellent. Our server was new and could not answer even basic questions about the menu. We finally just asked other servers. Even though the restaurant was half empty, the cocktails took a good 20 minutes to arrive. The truffle puff bread was like crack. Whatever they put on top was delish. The kale and brussel sprout salad was nicely balanced with texture and flavor, though it could have used more grapefruit. They seem to have forgotten to marinate the harissa lamb. All three of those items came at once. The calamari calamarata was interesting with pasta and calamari cut to look the same, and charred allium on top. But we had only had one bite when they brought our entrees. No one seemed to notice and our server did not even check until more than 10 minutes later. The table was crammed with food and we could not enjoy any of it as flavors clashed. It seemed they wanted to rush us out, but really I think they were just clueless. The steak was well cooked with a flavorful sauce and the branzino was as good as everyone says. If they had coursed it out and let us take our time, we would have ordered dessert. But since they forced all the food on us in an hour, nope. Hopefully just an off night for service. Edit: the restaurant reported us to Open Table as a no show. Thankfully we had pics and a review (and a large check) to demonstrate otherwise. But seriously. What is going on with front of the house there? read more

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The warm seafood salad offered on Saturdays is excellent! I returned on a weekday and enjoyed the yellowtail crudo, prawns in oil and the pistachio ice cream which were fresh and delicious! read more

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I made reservations from out of state for my executive leadership team last night (a Sunday) at Apolonia Chicago. I haven't been there myself to be able to discuss the ambience, although from what the website shows, it looks very modern and unfussy. The menu was appealing to me for high caliber food and a broad selection without an overwhelming number of items from which to choose. The feedback I received from my team was so glowing, I wanted to post it here. "THANK YOU FOR THE RESTAURANT - it was amazing. The team was beyond impressed.... Thank you for finding a real gem." "Thanks for setting up dinner for us last night. Might be the best food we've ever tasted. Incredible. Keep that on a list for next time we come back for sure!" "It was amazing!!" And my personal favorite, "If they were open for breakfast, I would be there right now!" They are open for brunch if you happen to be in Chicago over the weekend. Huge thanks to Jacy for taking and adjusting the reservation, the entire crew at Apolonia for taking such great care of my leadership team, and Yelpers for their helpful reviews! read more

Oh my god, I cannot say enough about this place! The food is so good. The ambience is amazing. The service is like top notch! Words cannot describe how much I love this place! I immediately wanted to go back the next day and order the same stuff! Everything was perfect and I couldn't ask a better anniversary celebration! The pasta wasn't heavy at all and if anything, I felt like I could eat keep eating even though I was stuffed! The lamb skewer was just bursting with flavors paired with the amazing tzatziki sauce. My partner and I were shook at how the branzino was so crispy on the outside but so soft/smooth no the inside. The pistachio dessert was freaking amazing and a must order if you see it on the menu! This place is such a hidden gem. I plan on taking my parents after they're back from vacation. I've told friends about this place and they also agree that the food is insanely good at a super reasonable price. This place literally became one of my top restaurants in Chicago after one visit. read more

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Came to Apolonia to celebrate my graduation, and the experience was exceptional! For starters, our table shared the black truffle puff bread and lamb skewer. The puff bread was nice and crispy and had a generous amount of black truffle. The lamb skewer was nice and tender paired nicely with a tzatziki sauce. My mom and I each got the crispy chicken confit. It had a nice crispy top with juicy and tender meat. The sauce was very flavorful and brought the whole dish together. The potato gnocchi was soft, with the sauce being well-balanced. The slow roasted pork collar was nice and tender, and the strawberry sauce surprisingly complemented the dish well. , For dessert, our table shared a few desserts, and the Pistachio stood out to me the most, it had the perfect sweetness with a wonderful flavor. My sister has a sweet tooth and loved the sticky toffee pudding. The limoncello pound cake had a strong lemony flavor and was my dad's favorite. Our server was well-attentive to our needs and ensured that we all had a good experience. The dining experience was exceptional, and the food did not disappoint. read more

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Our first time dining at Apolonia, and we had the Restaurant Week dinner special. We enjoyed our meal and ended it with a sweet dessert. We would definitely come back to try other dishes--great spot to try during Restaurant Week. read more

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I enjoyed Apolonia so much the first time I ate there that I went back in the same week. Placed a to go order on a Monday and enjoyed the food so much I had to return to experience the restaurant ambience. Was not disappointed and will definitely return. read more

As expected, the food was outstanding, the service flawless, and the ambiance effortlessly soothing. read more

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Came here back in February to try. I was always intrigued since it looked like fine dining. The ambiance of this place is calm and relaxing. It's a great place to have dinner/lunch with friends. The service was quick and attentive. They clear off plates and refill your drinks quite fast. The food was amazing of course! I don't remember the name of it but I have a picture uploaded... this was so good! The ingredients blended together so well and created a symphony in my mouth. read more

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How doesn't such a beautiful restaurant offer a gift card? It's absolutely absurd and sad. Paid for parking walked into the restaurant only to be told they did not offer gift cards!! It would've been a big one guys very sad about it read more

I stopped by on a chill night for a late evening dinner. I had a wonderful time! I started with delicious puffy crispy, salty black truffle puff bread. Amazing! I had a skewer of harissa spiced lamb chunks on top of a bed of tzatziki with a slice of lime. And last I had Fritto Misto - tasty tidbits of vegetable and squid, battered and fried, garnished with mint and slices of red chili, surrounding a white creamy yogurt. My service was good. The interior was bustling and busy and happy, even later night. What a great place. read more

Apolonia - Black truffle puff bread - Modern European Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food? Excellent. The Roasted Mussel Toast was a buttery, chili-spiked bite of heaven, and the Grilled Branzino with olive sauce was the kind of dish that makes you pause mid-chew just to appreciate it. The decor is modern and understated... very "cool without trying too hard." The service, on the other hand, felt like it was moving in slow motion. We finished all our starters before anyone circled back to take our wine order. Not exactly the pacing you hope for at this price point. Also, not loving the surprise 5% "employee benefits" fee tacked on at the end. I'm all for supporting staff, but maybe just fold it into the already upscale menu prices instead of springing it on me with the bill. Overall, a tasty meal, but next time I might opt for takeout and my own wine pour. read more

The dishes at Apolonia sound amazing on paper and are plated tastefully. However, I was let down by the flavors and textures in the pastas/entrees. We also had some issues with pasta being undercooked and incorrect charges on the receipt too which may have added to my overall disenchantment. I will say that the dessert was fantastic so we did end off on a good note. What we got: Fiorentini al Sugo: 8/10; smoked tomato, catalpa grove sausage. Grilled Mediterranean Branzino: 6/10; marinated olives, dill, caramelized fennel. It was cooked well but kind of one note. Also a pretty small portion given how expensive it was. Black Truffle Puff Bread: 9.5/10; crunchy herbs, toasted garlic. THIS. This dish was the reason I came here and it did not disappoint. Shellfish Tagliolini: 7/10; blue crab, bottarga. Very generous amount of crab. Harissa Spiced Lamb Skewer: 8/10; cucumber tzatziki, lime, dill The Pistachio: 9/10; pistachio done three ways in a dessert (crumble, cake, and gelato?) read more

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I've been to Apolonia a few times and have always enjoyed the food. It's located in the south loop with ample of street parking. The space itself is large and very open with floor to ceiling windows letting in a lot of natural light and you're also able to see the hustle and bustle of being in the city pass by as you dine. You can see the chefs cook while you are seated which is really unique for an upscale place. The staff are always friendly and helpful when explaining different menu items. Being a vegetarian and having so many dishes made from scratch they were able to modify things to better suit our dietary needs. Coffee is always a good idea here. We got the black truffle puff bread, fiorentini al sugo with mushrooms instead of meat, ricotta bombolini and a cheese and mushroom tart. Every single item was beautifully crafted, tasty and coursed out. This was very important because you could enjoy each dish without having 5 dishes come out all at once. The place is family friendly and they went the extra yard by making a fruit bowl for my kid. The staff also gave him a kids cup a which was sweet. It was my husband's birthday so they gave a scoop of ice cream on the house. read more

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Beautiful organic decor and pleasing ambiance, food was 10/10 , presentation, taste , the best food I have had in Chicago so far . read more

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Was in Chicago for a conference, so was stuck around the convention center due to schedule. The restaurant is nice, open space, nice design. The service was good although a bit slow. The menu is modern med. greek, italian inspired. Descriptions sounded good and interesting. We were a partynof eight so everyone pretty much ordered different starters and entrees. I had the paella pasta for entree and octopus to start. We also ordered the bread because the server raved about it. The bread was nothing special. I dont know why he hyped it up. My octopus was decent but nothing special. My paella pasta was interesting but again nothing special. One thing is the portions are tiny and I was starving after. My colleague had the hanger steak and it was the smallest portion of steak, I've ever seen. The price was not worth it. I actually went back to my hotel and ate at the bar after. read more

Apolonia - octopus drowing in presto, oily - Modern European Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We went to Apolonia for the second time the other night. The first time was for brunch over a year ago, which I didn't enjoy very much, but this review is for their dinner... which we loved! We had the black truffle puff bread, roasted mussel toast, fiorentini al sugo, and the branzino. Every dish was wonderful. The truffle bread and mussel toast were really interesting and unique. Great flavors, textures. The mussel toast flavors were complex and the calabrian chiles gave it a long flavor profile (front, middle, finish). The pasta was cooked perfectly and the sausage was nice and crumby. The branzino was very good too! Grilled nicely with a slight crisp. The accompanying sauce paired well and I felt like it was appropriately portioned - everything on the dish was meant to be eaten together. I'm really glad we gave Apolonia another chance and I would definitely come back for dinner. It's fine dining, that is approachable and delicious! I'd recommend getting everything we ordered. My only complaint is that it was cold in the restaurant, so bring a jacket. read more

Made a reservation for 11:30am on a Monday and we ended up being the only ones dining there at the time. We shared the black truffle puff bread and fiorentini al sugo. The black truffle puff bread was definitely unique and very flavorful with good texture. But it lacked a bit on the actual truffle flavor. The pasta was pretty good too and I liked the burrata on top. Our server was very friendly. Pretty good one-time experience! I loved the decor and ambiance inside - minimalistic and japandi vibe. read more

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Food was good and service was snappy, though that's about all that I would give the stars for at this establishment. While it might be the restaurant's policy to only seat customers in the dining room if they have a reservation, it's a bit ridiculous that it is still a requirement when the tables are 90% empty. Upon being told that my only option was bar seating, I opened up Opentable and made a reservation on the spot and showed it to the woman at the front, who scoffed at me but allowed me to sit at a table in the (mostly empty) dining area. During my meal, I noticed several more people being diverted to the bar or made to wait until their exact reservation time before being seated, even though by the time I left there were only two groups (pictured) in the entire dining room. Both the tartare and crab bucatini were good though. read more

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This restaurant is gorgeous. Service was good, but it was quite a wait for the food even though the restaurant was pretty much empty. I'm actually surprised there were only 3-4 parties during dinnertime on a weekday. The fiorentini al sugo was delicious! I would order this again and again. The shellfish arrabiata bucatini was okay, not memorable. Also tried the mussel toast and black truffle bread, both of which were pretty good. The drinks were a huge miss for me. I didn't like the first two I ordered (barely drank them and I don't remember their names), but the third (desert rose) was good. I think their drink menu is always changing, so I guess it is hit or miss. read more

Apolonia - Modern European Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Just go here. You will win. If you like dessert, get the pistachio dessert. If you don't like dessert, get the pistachio dessert. If you're allergic, I'm sure the staff and ambiance will cure you. Go here. read more

Apolonia - Skirt Steak 10/10 - Modern European Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Absolutely outstanding chef's tasting menu. The highlight was the mussel toast. Sat at the bar, the bartender Isaac was super knowledgeable about both the menu and the drinks. Two snaps up for sure, highly recommended! read more

Apolonia - Tasting menu - Modern European Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ate here while at a conference. It is a very pretty restaurant and nice concept. The service is on point. The food was okay but a little sparse, especially for the prices they are charging. We had two drinks, two entrees, and two desserts and came away with a bill of $220 - it was good enough, but not that good. read more

Came here for lunch with a group. All of the foods we ordered were yummy! I loved the mushroom puff one the most. The staff was a bit slow, and it did take a while to get the check. Food came out at a reasonable time though. There were plenty of seating, and the interior was new and minimalistic! read more

Good service. Nice location for conference center. The calamari dish was a bit oily.

One of the best meals I have enjoyed in a long time. Unique menu and flavors. I will be back tomorrow for another selection! Wait staff was kind, fun and knowledgeable. Paid attention to my allergies. But most of all THE FLAVOR! Bravo. read more

I'll start off by saying my dish came out with a very obvious black strand of hair right in the center of it. When I told the waitress she was initially confused but then asked if I wanted it replaced. That aside, there wasn't as much of a selection available as I would have expected. I ended up ordering the Shellfish & Safron Malfadine because it looked interesting and the description said it had flavors of paella. When I think of a pasta dish I consider three aspects - noodle, sauce, occupying meats. The Malfadine noodles were too hard, flavorless, and very dry with little to no sauce coating. There was some oil at the bottom of the dish but it left a bitter after taste. The best part of the dish was probably the seafood - there wasn't much of it but the one piece of octopus was tender and the shrimp wasn't overcooked. There were some shell pieces in the mussels but I guess that's occasionally the case with that type of shellfish. Overall service was relatively quick but the piece of hair definitely took a chunk of my appetite. The appetizers were okay but the toast was a bit hard and cold. It would have tasted better warmer. For the price, I had higher expectations :( I would recommend the pistachio ice cream for dessert, that ended my experience on a higher note despite the rest of the night's details. read more

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