Apolonia
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Once again discovered a restaurant in Chicago that I know I'll be returning to. Apolonia was a delightful meal with a curated menu at a great price. The calm, bright Mediterranean interior welcomes you into what feels like a cool summer day. Started with the black truffle puff bread -- felt like eating a cheese pizza with anchovies, deep and umami and honestly some of the best bread I've ever had. Would come back just for that alone. The tasting menu delivered from start to finish. The Manchego cracker came out crispy with a light creamy interior from the cheese and a hint of saltiness from the ham on top. The roasted mussel toast was next abundant mussels paired with Calabrian chili butter that took it over the edge, one of my favorites from the meal. The pasta was fresh and light with a deeply flavored sausage that complemented it well. The prime picanha closed out the savory courses perfectly tender, juicy, and the romesco sauce alongside brought a nice lightly sweet and smoky balance. Dessert was the pistachio which I don't typically gravitate toward but this one was well balanced and a nice finish to a great tasting menu. Shoutout to my server Peter who doubled as the bartender exceptional service throughout. -Mr.
The food here was excellent. Lunch did take two hours in total so this isn't a speedy place to go. The staff were nice but seemed overwhelmed. It's a cool vibe.
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!
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!
I was in the area for a convention and saw that they had a chef tasting so I gave it a try. I was able to make reservations on Open Table which was much appreciated by the staff since it was a very busy Saturday night. I was seated by the kitchen so I was able to have their "kitchen table" experience and I enjoyed seeing the chefs preparing all the food. It was a five-course tasting and every bite was delicious. I really liked that they had this offering because it was a great way to experience their menu and what Apolonia is all about! The room was nice and open with soft lighting. The staff was wonderful despite it being a very busy night. I had been on a Manchego kick so was very pleased that the first course was Manchego! It was unique and I liked the flavor combinations. The smoked oyster course was also very delicious. Their pasta course was probably my favorite savory entree. The sauce was tasty and the pasta was cooked to perfection. The picanha was another great course. It's hard to say no to steak. The meal ended on a very high note with their pistachio dessert. That was so good; I know I will be thinking about that dessert course for a while. It was a pistachio cookie topped with pistachio ice cream. It was incredible! This spot is definitely worth a detour if you're in the area.
Modern Mediterranean vibes. Simple ingredients with complex and beautoful flavors. Gin Tonica was refreshing on this summer afternoon. We started with Red Prawn Carpaccio, Mussel Toast, Black Truffle Puff Bread and Brussel Sprouts Brava appetizers shared between five of us. For our mains we had Grilled Branzino, Alaskan Halibut, Yogurt Harissa Chicken and Blue Crab Bucatini pasta for our mains. The portions dont seem like it, but there was plenty for all of us to dine family-style. Musts: Gina Tonica, Black Truffle Puff Bread, Mussels Toast. Of the mains the favorites were Yogurt Harissa Chicken (this sauce with properly prepared chicken were a great flavorful combo), Grilled Branzino (say less! Order 2! Delicious!). The other dishes were delicious, but these mentioned were the super stars! We closed with Tiramisu, Sticky Toffee Pudding & The Pistachio. Hands down: Sticky Toffee Pudding was just excellent!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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".
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.
1 year ago
4 years ago
Holy moly how have we not eaten here before? This has been on my list for a few months now but I regret not going sooner. The food was spectacular, the vibe / ambiance was perfect, the service was impeccable and the drinks were delicious! We went for an early dinner on Friday night and there weren't a lot of patrons at first, but as we were leaving most of the restaurant was full. So make sure to make a reservation via their website. We ordered the black truffle puff bread (my favorite dish of the night, I wanted to order three), Whipped feta spread, Roasted beets, Flat Iron steak and the Fiorentini Al sugo (so?) For two people this was too much food, but I didn't care. It was all so amazing! We ordered a couple cocktails and two glasses of wine as well. I cannot wait to go back! Ps I also loved that they had a changing station for small babies in the ladies room. read more
3 years ago
Visiting Chicago and went with friends to Apolonia. Wow. Wow wow. The ambiance is relaxing and enjoyable. The server Riley is top notch! But the food. The food. Do not miss the truffle bread- so delicious. The roasted cauliflower with capers was also so good. I had the shrimp and avocado salad as an entree. The greens are on top of the shrimp, avocado and mango. At first glance you wonder if it will be enough food or if will be tasty and it was SPECTACULAR. The shrimp, mango and avocado together was such a delicious combination. The dressing was a hair spicy- so be prepared. My friends had the swordfish and pasta both were so good. If you're in the area this is a must try!!! read more
3 years ago
This was the most unexpected surprise. Found this place via a Google search of good restaurants near our conference hotel and so glad we came across this one. One of the best meals I have had in a long time. We started with the artichoke hummus (best hummus I've ever had, so smooth) and the truffle bread. We were truly blown away by both dishes. I enjoyed the tasting menu which is really a steal of a deal. The high quality ingredients and flavor combinations are magnificent. The branzino was probably my favorite dish. I also thoroughly enjoyed the pistachio ice cream dessert. One of my colleagues ordered the chicken entree and she left nothing on her plate. I tried a bite and do understand why her plate was so clean. Our service was fantastic and the atmosphere was upscale but not stuffy. I would come back to Chicago just to eat here again. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
I rarely leave reviews but want to do one for Apolonia because I want this place to stay forever. Every single thing we ordered was delicious -- the cocktail, salad, the puff bread, the halibut, the pasta, the gnocchi.. not a weak link in there. And the desserts -- the pistachio was unique and mind-blowing, and the sorbets were wonderfully intense. Just an excellent dining experience all around. We've been to so many restaurants, including in the West Loop, and few have made such an impression as did Apolonia. read more
2 years ago
Came here for brunch totally on a whim because we were in the area and looked on Yelp for the closest restaurant. Wowee did we get lucky!!! They do a shared plates style brunch, and we tried 5 different things. Yellowtail Crudo - excellent Crispy Potato Rosti - basically a big hash brown stuffed with caramelized onions Fiorentini Al Sugo - clearly homemade pasta with lots of sauce and heavy on the meat! Super good Warm Calamari Salad - very bright and citrusy, the calamari was not fried but cooked perfectly Cocoa Croissant - the best croissant I've ever had. It was stuffed with a sauce that was like a light chocolate pudding. Seriously plate-licking good!! I'm dying to come back for dinner now. A must try in the area! read more
Headline: Apolonia has good food and great service in a Nordic-chic atmosphere! My boyfriend and I haven't been out to dinner in a while and wanted to try some place new from the Chicago Michelin Bib Gourmand list. Apolonia's menu looked exciting and we decided to book a same-day reservation for 9 PM on a Friday. When we arrived it took us back to our trips to Iceland and Copenhagen -- the decor is practical, clean and minimalistic. If you like understated elegance this restaurant is for you. Not to mention the open kitchen where you can watch the talented staff practice their craft. The service was attentive, friendly and professional. The food was also delicious. The puff bread is so tasty and fun, the pastas are flavorful and cooked perfectly and we loved the Bavette beef. We weren't fans of the banana cake but I'm sure this was just personal preference as the banana cake is very dense -- almost like an old English fruit cake. For the two of us, four dishes was plenty to share and we spent just about $115 overall. I definitely recommend for a nice date night! read more
I enjoined my dinner at Apolonia! The restaurant is very open and clean and the food was yummy. The best dish of the night was the Fiorentini al Sugo. The sauce was full of sausage and the creamy cheese on top was delicious. The staff was attentive and the food came out quickly read more
4 years ago
Brunch at Apolonia. Understated (we walked right past the restauranr), but the ambiance was clean and comfortable-- a calm escape from the busy Chicago streets in the South Loop. Everything was tasty, well-portioned, and well-paced! Apolonia will definitely be a restaurant we're keeping in our back pocket! Ordered: Fiorentini al Sugo (smoked tomato and pork sausage-- , al dente, spices, hint of fresh herbs, and a whole lot of YUM), Frittata Española (juicy with zing from the pickled peppers), Black Truffle Puff Bread (a MUST order for garlicky, truffley goodness), Bucatini Carbonara, Warm Calamari Salad read more
5 years ago
Love the restaurant and ambiance! Our waitress was very friendly and helpful with questions on the menu What we ordered: Black truffle puff bread: so delicious! It's just very a well seasoned airy, crunchy and buttery goodness Toothpick lamb: perfectly prepared! I love pairing with the tzatziki sauce Green goddess wedge: very light. The salad is a 10/10 with the creamy, herby fresh dressing Spicy bucatini pomodoro: I love it! Pasta doesn't need to be overly complicated and I appreciate how flavorful the dish is with only simple ingredients Highly recommend this place and I cannot wait to go back! read more
Um- wow. How is this place not packed? Had amazing food with a friend last week. Had a lot of the small plates and shared the fish dish. The tomato salad was heavenly. So damn good. The Branzino was best I've ever had. Seriously. Go. read more
3 years ago
This place never misses. Today was the second time I've visited and when I tell you I was more impressed this time than the first. E V E R Y T H I N G we tasted we thoroughly enjoyed. Do yourself a favor and visit this place. You will NOT be disappointed. Run don't walk!! read more
Was pleasantly surprised with this South Loop spot. Wanted to take my family out for a nice dinner, and Apolonia had been on my list for awhile. I will say it was a hard to find (there is no signage on the outside of the restaurant), and the inside has a very minimalistic vibe. But the food here is really the star of the show. Had to get the truffle puff bread (was amazing , would eat again in a heartbeat!). The pastas here are also all fantastic. Tried the spicy bucatini and the calamarata pasta with calamari & capers (would recommend both). Portion sizes were actually fairly decent for the price (comparative to other upscale Italian in Chicago). Overall: go try Apolonia; they have unique menu items + amazing pasta & a big wine selection. Will need to check out there brunch menu on the weekends read more
3 years ago
My favorite was the arugula pesto tagliolini. Hands down the tastiest pasta I ever had. It's so good. The cucumber and watermelon salad is also good and refreshing. Artichoke hummus was very tasty. The harissa spiced lamb was a little too salty for me. I would highly recommend getting their fish here (roasted cod basquaise and the grilled Mediterranean branzino). Their non alcohol drinks are really good. I recommend their sandi-ahh and it's a refreshing summer drink. read more
Impeccable service at Apolonia. I went tonight with a friend and can say it was just what I needed. Great wine, great food and great company! We started off with a couple of glasses of wine. We then ordered the mussels toast since it seemed to be popular... and I can see why it was. Very tasty! We then shared the lamb loin with veggies. I was skeptical whether this would be enough food for two people but it was perfect. And may I add - the lamb was cooked to perfection. There is alot of space in the restaurant and the tables are perfectly distanced so that you don't feel too close to anyone. Gotta add there are alot of easy parking options around Apolonia! Highly recommend a visit. read more
3 years ago
I had the grilled Mediterranean Branzino and it was YUMMY! Our table also ordered brussel sprouts and garlic bread. Honestly both appetizers were worth it. The Brussel Sprouts came with a orange glazed sauce that added an extra kick. The Branzino came with Fennel. The first few bites of the fish were fishy, but as I ate and mixed the sauce and fennel with it, it because extremely tasty. I also had tea, the table ordered cocktails and wine. Wine was great, but I heard mixed reviews on the cocktails. The Branzino was $32, the appetizers were between $12-17. It's a decently priced place. I honestly didn't feel overly stuffed. The meal was filling, healthy and I felt great walking after. I def recommend trying this place out. read more
Finally tried Apolonia and we were very pleased! The service was great, prices were reasonable for the upscale vibes. We went with the truffle puff bread, which despite being pricey was completely worth it. SOO GOOD. Would get on every trip. For dinner, we split the scallop tagliatelle and the pork confit (both my husbands choices bc it was a dinner to celebrate him). SO given what they were... they were both GREAT. However it's hard for me to give a 5/5 just because I would not normally choose either of those items, if that makes sense. Not a red sauce person or a pork person but I did thoroughly enjoy both! The scallops were cooked perfectly. Next time I would try different entrees just to test something more to my preferences but still highly recommend! Also great rose. The server let me try the orange wine which I wasn't a fan of so I appreciated that. read more
5 years ago
The south loop's not really known for being the hot spot for food, so I was super excited when I saw Apolonia was opening up! Overall, I thought most of the food was tasty and good quality for the price. The restaurant interior is minimalist but classy, but like many others have said the acoustics aren't the best. Only 1 of us could really hear the waitress. However, the good food and kind service are more than enough to rectify the one major issue with this restaurant. The restaurant is meant for sharing, so all the courses come at different time in succession rather than having multiple dishes at once. I'd definitely recommend coming with people you'd like to share with since even the dishes that weren't under the "Sharing" section on the menu came at different times. We ordered the black truffle puff bread, warm calamari salad, and roasted mussel toast to start. The truffle bread was very unique and tasted delicious! The texture was a lot chewier than I excepted, so it was harder to split to share haha but it was still super good!! The warm calamari salad was super good - the calamari was very tender and the light dressing complimented it well. The roasted mussel toast was also pretty tasty and was tender as well. The sauce kind of tastes like Buffalo sauce. For the larger plates, we got the Fiorentini al Sugo, Spicy Bucatini Pomodoro, Grilled Branzino, and the special of the day, which was the salmon. I really enjoyed the fiorentini - the cheese and sausage were delicious and complimented the sauce well. The spicy bucatini pomodoro definitely has a kick to it - I didn't like this one as much but my mom really enjoyed it! The grilled Branzino was another favorite - I hate olives but the way they prepared it was actually super tasty! The salmon was probably the most disappointing one, which is sad since it was the special. The vegetable medley that came with it was decent but the salmon was kind of bland and dry. For dessert, we ordered the peach melba and the pistachio. The peach melba was unique and had a variety of textures. It's a very light, tart dessert - not too sweet, which I enjoyed. Like others have mentioned, the pistachio was very tasty! It wasn't too overwhelming of a pistachio flavor and was a good, simple dessert to end the night. I definitely see myself coming back and bringing friends when they come to visit. The meal was great overall - really enjoyed it! My dad was such a big fan he immediately wanted to go to SKY later that week since it's also Stephen Gillanders's restaurant read more
Came here for lunch with my fiance and had a great meal. Service was super quick and they were on point refilling our waters. We ordered the grilled Branzino and Fiorentini Al Sugo. As a seafood lover I loved the Branzino. The dill/olives gave a nice brine to it that just made it really pop. Not to say the pasta wasn't good as well just the Branzino really popped read more
I was a little thrown by the categorization of Mediterranean for this restaurant. It felt more like Morse en Italian. We'll whatever it was it was DELICIOUS! Starting with the ambiance, it had a clean, classy yet laid back vibe. Somehow casual and boujee all at once. The hostess/waitress was incredibly nice with a wealth of knowledge of the menu, ingredients, wines, etc. she was so helpful in deciding what to order. I came in on Friday around noon and there was only one other party seated. So it wasn't busy at all. I ordered a glass of Pinot blanc which was light and refreshing, just what I was looking for. My waitress was helpful in her recommendations and allows me to taste the wine to be sure I liked it. I ordered the puff bread and the Italian sausage pasta. I couldn't resist as they seemed to be the most popular on the menu. I was tempted by the pesto pasta but the waitress informed me that it is made with arugula and didn't have the same garlic and basil taste as normal pesto. I really appreciated her comments because I don't think I would have liked it. Both dishes were a 10/10. So savory and well balanced. The truffle on the bread was flavorful but not over powering. She said it's a mix between sourdough and focaccia so it has a very unique flavor. Super fluffy and warm. I'd come back just for that! But the pasta was amazing as well. The sauce wasn't too think but it also wasn't watery. It had more of an oil base. You can tell all the ingredients were super fresh and pasta was handmade. The cheese on top wasn't mozzarella but similar. But it was much lighter and didn't compete with the other flavors but complemented them perfectly. Their Italian sausage had a nice kick to it and added a little something special to the dish. I also liked that the portions were decently sized. It was the perfect amount leaving you satisfied but not stuffed like most pasta dishes. I didn't plan to order dessert but after how good everything else was, I had to taste it and I'm glad I did. I've never had another dessert like it. It was pistachio gelato on top of pistachio pastry topped with candied pistachios and pistachio oil. It hag a bit of sweet and salty and then had some crunch from the candied pistachios. It was served in the little dish and was adorable. So unique and so yummy! What a surprise this place was all around. Probably one of my new favorite restaurants. I'm in love! read more
Only came here for dessert after dinner at Proxi and let me tell you. Wow. Just only having two desserts here I cannot wait to come back and try the rest of their menu! The pistachio gelato (there's a reason why it's their most popular dessert). You can really really taste the pistachio and this dense cake thing it sits on. So delicious. Burrata ice cream with Caramel sauce- sweet and salty and ice cream drenched in olive oil. All the sauces intertwining on the plate as you take a bit. So damn good. read more
1 year ago
I ate there three times in one week while staying for a conference at the Hyatt. All of the food and desserts were delicious! read more
1 year ago
The food was exceptional and so was the service! Jane was so attentive and friendly and made our experience one to remember. The ambiance is also so chill but a cool vibe - would recommend to anyone! read more
Upon entry into Apolonia, we grabbed a drink at the bar to start our night. I ordered a mezcal drink with grilled lemon, and the bartender made a 10/10 custom drink with banana lacquer and vodka for my fiancée. It was then that I knew we were in for a treat. We ordered Truffle Bread, Mussel Toast, Toothpick Lamb, scallop pasta, and a chorizo dish. When I bit into the truffle bread, I felt a love and joy I've never felt before. I'd imagine it's just a little better of a feeling than having your first child. Mussel toast came next and didn't disappoint either. When I finished the toast I felt as though I'd fallen from the lucky tree, hit every branch on the way down, and fell into a pool full of cash and sour patch kids and found my old soccer coach, Ted already swimming there. We ended with the Familia de Quagila dessert. Usually floral type desserts aren't my favorite but this was amazing. Crunchy burnt sugar on the outside was a beautiful touch. The only thing missing was I wish I could have gotten a tour of the kitchen. Next time I'm back I'll be sure to ask. read more
3 years ago
There were some bright spots but my experience was overshadowed by sub-par service which included any wait service disappearing for about 20 mins, constant reminders to refill waters, our waiter dropping a knife on someone in my party, and the Brussel sprouts being extremely salty. The crowd favorites on the menu were the the black truffle bread and Fiorentini which did live up to the hype. Other standouts to me were the roasted mussel toast and the galette. Would recommend looking elsewhere to spend a good buck on a nice dinner. read more
2 years ago
This is a lovely restaurant! Overall food was good and the service was great. - Yellowtail crudo: Not particularly memorable. Flavor is okay and the cherry didn't really enhance nor conflict with the yellowtail flavor - Roasted Mussel Toast: Mussel was great on top of the toast, heavy on the tomato-paste flavor but with the bread was chewy and crunchy altogether - Fiorentini al Sugo: Pasta is very chewy and the meat chunks taste like Italian sausage. Also quite heavy dish - Mediterranean Branzino: Fish is very tender and has a crispy layer of skin, very well charred and overall just balanced. - The Pistachio: There's the gooey cake layer combined with the pistachio ice cream and crunches of pistachio nuts, my main thing would be that it's too sweet - Black Truffle Puff Bread: Definitely one of my favorite. Fragrant truffle sauce with Parmesan cheese on top of a crispy airy puff bread - Harissa Spiced Lamb Skewer: Lamb is tender and delicious. The tzatziki sauce has bits of dill and got the perfect balance of acidity and refreshing taste - Octopus de Bourgogne: Amazing flavor, the butter sauce with chunks of octopus that tops the bread is such a perfect combo - Yogurt Marinated Chicken: Love the char flavor and crisp of the chicken and acidic taste of quinoa, but the chicken itself was a little dry read more
1 year ago
Had a really nice meal here with friends on Labor Day. We ordered about 2 dishes per person and tried a little bit of everything. Enjoyed every dish that came to the table, especially the buratta and scallop pasta dish. Ironically the item on the menu that got us here (the truffle puff) was a little intense for our liking and probably the least favorite thing I tried during the meal. Overall, worth a visit if you're in this part of town and looking for something solid but nothing overly pretentious. read more
2 years ago
Stylish, minimalist interior. Food was solid but not amazing. I felt the focaccia to pea salad ratio was off and the crackers that came with the artichoke hummus were mids. The potato gnocchi was our favorite. We ordered one drink and all of our dishes shortly after we were seated, but they all took a long time despite the restaurant being maybe 30% full. Our server was not very attentive. read more
2 years ago
We've been to Apolonia a few times for dinner, and the food was always delish! So we decided to go for brunch after my daughter's college graduation. We enjoyed everything, and the service was excellent as always. read more
TLDR: Service was great. Their minimalist Scandinavian vibes were inviting. Parking is tough in the area on event nights. Get the truffle bread, pastas, and branzino. Avoid the steak unless you like well done - odd that a fine dining place wouldn't be able to make medium rare as requested. (Other reviewers also seemed to have this note) Food: Fancy and small portions that focus on flavor. Recommend: black truffle bread; any of the pastas bc they were delicious; branzino - flavor was great. Would pass: steak was well done even tho we asked for medium rare; brussel sprouts, given the price, the flavors didn't pop for me. Parking: Slim street parking - beware of event days at the Wintrust Arena bc all the garages get full. There's a lot of other events and shows too in the area on weekend nights. Service: Attentive and friendly. Willing to accommodate. My server offered a complimentary scoop of gelato for a birthday. read more
3 years ago
This place is amazing. Decor: simple, understated but modern Service: excellent Must get: black truffle puff bread Burrata, steak tartare, yellowfish crudo all solid. Branzino - perfectly cooked, fresh, and a bit of a kick. The Angus Flat Iron Steak is outstanding - the beef was better than the A5 wagyu elsewhere I had a few days earlier (perhaps that restaurant messed up but still - this was great). Dessert - galette and chocolate cheesecake both good. My husband didn't like the cheese ruffles on the cheesecake. Bonus points: baby changing station in the ladies restroom! read more
2 years ago
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