My friend took me to Avec on my visit to Chicago. He called it one of the more forward-thinking restaurants in the city. I immediately loved the space when I arrived. On a wintry day, the sauna-like wood made it feel warmer! I like the communal style seating. We had a great time chatting with others around us... we even had fun commenting on the awkward date that was going on right next to us. This was probably some of the best food I've had in a while. I loved: - chorizo-stuffed dates (of course) - wood oven braised pork shoulder (I'm salivating right now..) Try it out! read more

I tried very hard to not like this place so that I could stand against the many 4- and 5-star ratings that Avec has received. I also tried not ordering their most popular small plate - their dates (no pun intended, although my friend thought waiter was pretty cute). But the bacon-wrapped part lasso'd me, and then the chorizo-stuffed part pulled me in. fast. Small portions, yes, but huge flavor. Chorizo juices flowing out, and then the sweetness of the dates mixed with the salty bacon, all in one bite (may want to take several to savor it as long as you can). It also comes in a delicious red tomato base that is perfect with the bread that comes with the dish. Another must-try: focaccia flatbread, not only laced taleggio and ricotta chcese, but drizzled to perfection with truffle oil. I pretty much ate the whole thing myself. It melts in your mouth and gives it flavors you didn't think was possible in just a flatbread. We also tried the wood-fired squid, which was on what I think was a bed of noodles / pasta. Each bite burst with flavor, and the squid was grilled to have the perfect crunchy firmness to it, married by the soft al dente noodles below. This was almost a 5-star, except I wasn't too impressed with the desserts. We had the homemade nutter butter (total of 3 small pieces, but honestly would rather have the real Nutter Butters for 85 cents in the vending machine). The chocolate budino with oloroso cream tasted too much like an Irish Car Bomb to me - which I don't not like, but wouldn't have liked it as a dessert. A little bland on flavor, and texture was quite fluid. Overall, good atmosphere, can get pretty loud during busy times. Don't be afraid to sit at the bar, because not only do you have to usually wait longer for a table, but they will most likely seat you at a table with another couple/party touching your knees. Potential awkward situations. read more

Avec is the cream of the crop. A perfect place for tapas style dining. When it gets crowded, the sound level is a little too high, but the food makes it worth it. The chorizo stuffed dates might just be the best thing I've ever tasted in my life. I also think it's great that they have reasonable wines, like a delightful Portuguese Vino Verde. I'm going to have to figure out how to make those dates in Houston! read more

So after the fire, the tragedy, and the delays, Avec has risen from the ashes. I suppose this was a blessing in disguise, as it gave the kitchen some time to sort of re-concept, and introduce new and old dishes. It's been 2 nights since i was there, and i can't stop thinking about the pasta. Housemade Black Pepper and Porcini Pappardelle with Braised Lamb's Neck sugo with Feta and Mint. Thick and wide ribbons of perfect pappardelle, with specks of aggressive black pepper and porcini throughout. In and of itself, i'm already reminded of pasta cacio e pepe. The lamb sauce just blew it out, way out. Rich, meaty chunks of lamb. Some had crispy, seared edges. Flavorful crimini. The feta and mint asserted that lamb is Greek, and Greek is lamb. Greek... Italian... Meditteranean. All 4 different parties at our table that night got this dish. Just absoutely amazing. On another note, and i probably should not write about things that i have not eaten, but...Now on the menu, there is whole roasted lobe of foie, with accoutrements. I'm rounding up people to start the feast! read more

This spot is great for shared plates! With two of us, we shared three small plates - beet salad, bruschetta, and chorizo stuff dates - and one large plate - the paella. All were really fantastic. Wine list was extensive and our waiter brought me one to try. Not bad, but a couple things to know... it's community seating. They first tried to sit us at a table where we would have been in the middle seats of a long rectangular table. The people dining would have had to get up to let one of us sit in the booth. A little awkward, as they didn't seem to expect that coming. We ended up at the bar. Also, they won't see you until your entire party has arrived, which is somewhat common but good to know. read more

I had great time at Avec. The food was simple and delicious. My absolute favorite was the chorizo-stuffed madjool dates. You have to try them! Marinated hanger steak - excellent. I loved the radicchio and orange gremolata pairing with soft and juicy streak. The wood-oven braised pork shoulder was a nice winter comfort food. It's rather heavy, therefore a great dish to share. Now imagine everything above plus some other plates from the menu, paired with great red wine and a political discussion about the benefits of saving brown mice and you have the recipe for an excellent evening. read more

Best dish of '09 alert: La Quercia Prosciutto with grapefruit, mint, cucumber, onion, and gin vinaigrette: If not the most out-and-out delicious bite of the evening, certainly the most playful dish on the menu right now: I can't tell if it's riffing on crudos, smoked salmon, or even cocktails--probably all of the above, right? The Prosciutto was silky and, yes, lox-like, and the accompaniments added sweet and herbaceous notes; I loved how the gin in the marinade was just visible, adding depth and background to the whole flavor profile. Genius and novel. Worth the $21 just to think about it the day after. As much as you want to hate this place for the waits, for the horrible backless chairs, Koren's cooking is brilliant. read more

Great Chicago foodie experience! After a couple more formal, high falutin' meals, I was ready for a change and Avec provided the perfect foil. We had the amazing good luck to show up at 7:30 and get seated right away. The service was warm and welcoming. The communal table was a great part of the experience - we chatted with our friendly neighbors and even joined in a round of "happy birthday" with them. Based on everyone's recommendations, we obediently ordered the dates, and we weren't sorry. One of my favorite dishes ever. We moved on to the flatbread (I could live on that crust for a long time) and the pork shoulder, which is brined for several weeks (or, at least, a really long time) and actually does melt in your mouth. This place is a must-visit when in Chicago, although it loses a star for the totally unnecessary, egregious blaring of loud rap music - haven't we all learned that playing music so loud that diners can't hear each other isn't "cool," just annoying? Nevertheless, the food, great service, and fun, casual atmosphere, make it well worth the trip. I will definitely be back whenever in Chicago (but maybe I'll bring earplugs). read more

Tapas restaurants are huge in Chicago and Avec takes it to a new level. The plates are small enough to sample many but so tasty you won't want to share. The decor is very new age in all wood and stainless steel. There is no waiting area so ask for a drink and wait at the tables outside. And if you're shy, be prepared to be seated right next to a stranger, the seating is tight. I found that enjoyable though to chat with others about what they ate and compare tastes. read more

Avec is my favorite restaurant in Chicago. From the classy yet friendly communal seating, to the fresh, innovative, share-able and utterly devour-worthy menu, Avec is worth going back to again and again and again. Highlights/tips: + "deluxe" focaccia with taleggio cheese, ricotta, truffle oil - woahmygod so good, and huge, so be prepared to either split between 4 people or take some home. Tip - if you are ordering something flavor-punched like the bacon dates, I would suggest eating the focaccia first so that your palate doesn't get too overcrowded to appreciate the taleggio-truffle awesomeness. + chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon - this version of bacon-wrapped dates will pummel the *** out of any bacon-wrapped date you've had elsewhere. Really, it's like a chorizo-date-meat-heaven-ball wrapped in smoky bacon bathed in tomato-pepper sauce. 4 generous portions, you *could* split between 4 but really, you'll want 2 to yourself. + daily antipastos usually feature a nutty grain (think farro, wheatberry) with grilled vegetables and other tasty add-ins. Nice dish to lighten things up after the 2 aforementioned stomach and taste bombs. + get. the. chocolate. crisps. I don't care how full your belly is with focaccia and dates and pork shoulder. You will see the heaping plate of chocolate crisps coming your way and think, oh my god who in the world would eat that much chocolate? no way! and then you will sprinkle sea salt on the chocolate. and then you will eat every single last chocolate crisp until the plate is spanking clean. Go on an off night (e.g. Monday) if you hate waiting for seating. Street parking outside. Push to open the inner door (you will empathize with my confusion if you've seen the door). Get a bottle of wine and enjoy your company. Get ready to have Avec's dates and focaccia dancing around in your dreams. You won't be forgetting Avec anytime soon. read more

Let me start out by saying I wanted to love Avec. The no reservations thing doesn't bother me, seeing as I live one block away. We went on a Tuesday at 7:30 and actually only waited about 10 minutes to be seated. Good timing. On to the food. I wanted to be wowed. Instead, "overhyped" came to mind at the conclusion. Dinner tomato salad - meh. salmon - my favorite of the night. chicken - this was also pretty good, but it's chicken and rice. foccacia - the much hyped foccacia was okay, but strange. I wish it was a small plate size. It's just big and it came out last (i.e. me not so hungry anymore) Dessert nutter butter - I like peanut butter - alot, but again, this was just ok. nutella cookies - they underestimated my love for hazelnut chocolate goodness. Just not enough in these bad boys. There are SO many good places to eat on Randolph. I don't think I'll be running back here anytime soon. read more

Avec is the perfect place to wine and dine. You can save or splurge accordingly bc their wine list ranges from $25-to the upper 100's. Yes, $25 FOR A WHOLE BOTTLE of vino and champagne starting at $35. The bacon-wrapped chorizo stuffed dates were even better than how I remembered them. If there's one dish you have to try, this is it. The dates were bigger than golfballs. It was the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy. The taleggio foccocia reminded me of a gourmet grilled cheese. The metled cheese had the consistency of hot cream cheese, but there's something different about the flavor. It went sooo well with the wine & dates! The pork shoulder was good, but not as good as the other dishes. It was extremely tender, but lacked flavor. I think I would have preferred the sauce from the dates. The hearty dish was bathed with tripe, beans, and mussels. We're not the biggest tripe fans, but Avec has a way of transforming organs into really appetizing dishes. After 2 small plates, 1 large plate, and a bottle of wine, we left stuffed. I think the bill including tax/tip was about $100. You're going to wait, so go as early as possible. But the food is worth the wait. read more

Mr. Kahan exceeds all expectations! First walked in and instantly loved the atmosphere - the all-wooden interior makes the place feel like an upscale boxcar, and you almost can't notice the unthinkably small kitchen behind the bar. Waiters are clad in soccer polo shirts with "avec" written on the back, which I personally found interesting. A truly sleek restaurant. The food was, for the most part, delicious - bacon-wrapped, chorizo stuffed dates may be the best bites in Chicago, the brandade was delectably fishy and creamy, and the braised pork shoulder was almost impossibly tender and juicy - like love in meat form. The signature focaccia (served Ligurian style with ricotta in between two layers of flaky crust) was a nice dish, although I'd only advocate ordering it in a group of 4 or more people, as we thought it was a little overwhelming. The octopus with chickpeas was perfectly seasoned and very unique; I found the chickpeas undercooked, but I confess that this is likely due to my hummus fanaticism. The tomatoes in the heirloom and white anchovy salad were multicolored and perfectly ripe, although some in the party thought it contained too much fennel and not enough anchovy. However, I loved it. The service is five star service, if not six star service. One member of our party was about an hour late, and while they obviously couldn't seat us before our party was complete, the hostess made an extra effort to get us seated as soon as he arrived, and the bartender (although I'm sure she was miffed in actuality) displayed no disappointment when we sat at the bar for an hour and ordered 2 drinks in total. Once seated, the waiter was informative, and attentive without being overbearing. The meal felt relaxed despite the somewhat crowded and chaotic atmosphere. Pricing was appropriate - this was very high quality food, and we certainly paid for it, but it definitely didn't break the bank. We ate more food than recommended and got out for around $35 each, (sans alcohol, including tax and tip) In summary: Avec deserves its reputation as one of Chicago's finest options. Well worth a trip! read more

I hate waiting for a table. I also hate restaurants that don't take reservations. Mostly because I don't want to wait 90 minutes for a table. I go out to eat when I'm hungry and in 90 minutes, I'm probably about ready to punch someone on account of my hunger. I threw all that away and decided to eat at Avec, drinking beer to abate my angry stomach's rumblings. And I'm really glad I did. The food was awesome. We sat down and told the server just to start ordering us food. He only asked if we had any food allergies, and I kid you not, the dude ordered everything I was eyeing on the menu. That'd be unremarkable if it was 2 or 3 things. We got 8 or 9 dishes. The food was all incredible. The wines he selected for us were also top notch. Five stars for the food, and five stars for the awesome service. read more

OMG this was so good. From top to bottom, just awesome. That's the 2 sentence review for those who don't want to read any further. For those of you trying to sleep, I offer you the following long-winded review. To start, we got there and there was a 30 minute wait so we put our name in and went for a quick walk. 10 minutes later we walk in and suddenly we have a seat. Both people working there that we talked to were super nice, very friendly even though the place was jam packed. We ended up sitting at a table of 10, which consisted of 4 groups - 3, 2, 2, and 3, with the 3s at the ends and the 2s in the middle. So we ended up talking to the other 2 (we were 1) and one of the 3s. Both parties were very friendly, and made the experience better than it would have been otherwise. Yes I know this is luck of the draw and has nothing to do with Avec itself, but it counts. As they say, lucky beats good. The waiter, a friendly guy, suggested a bottle of wine that was dirt cheap (well, by comparison with the others) and was very smooth. Something from France, merlot/cab/malbec combo I think. Anyway, wine good, service good, The food, in order of appearance... 1. Brussels sprout panzanella. We got this because Andy knows I like brussels sprouts and we wanted to give it a shot. It was fine, good and all. But of the 5 things we got this was the least impressive of them all. For me, and Andy agreed, it really had no core taste of the sprouts. Brussels have a very distinct taste, which I like. It seems like they did all they could to remove that taste and just use the sprouts as a color, more than a flavor. Fine, but I would not get it again, really. 2. Werp farm greens. Of the things we got, this was the one I was expecting the least from. But once it hit the fork and my fork hit my mouth, wow. Just wow. This was possibly the best salad I've ever had. The combination of greens, dressing, mini potatoes, and peas was just lights out. I think maybe this is just right up my alley because I couldn't get enough of it;. Every bite was fantastic. 3a. Chorizo-stuffed medjool dates. This came with the Focaccia, thus 3a and 3b. When we sat down to order, the waiter told us this was their signature dish. When the people to our right then proceeded to have it placed on the table in front of them, that more or less sealed the deal. It just looked & smelled stupendously good. And it came with a small hunk of bread that looked perfect. We each got 2 of these since the dish came with 4 pieces. They were good, succulent, dates filled with chorizo and wrapped in bacon. Yes, this does sound incredibly overindulgent in a typical American way, but they were actually most excellent. 3b. Focaccia. This too is apparently a signature dish and is always served with the dates above. The people next to us had gotten this, and they dipped the focaccia pieces in the sauce that came with the dates. This was good, and had a hint of truffle oil that gave it such a sweet, yummy aroma that I was forced to cram every last piece of this massive dish into my mouth by the end of the night. It was worth every single bite. 4. Chicken liver crostini. Yes, by this time I was stuffed and had absolutely no need to eat anything else. But this dish is effectively fois gras with bread (did I mention the bread was awesome? No? Well, it was) and some other stuff that I put on top and crammed into my mouth. You know, no matter how full you are, when the dish comes out and it's fois gras, how do you let that go? We were in the hotel for the night so it's not like we were going to bring it back with it. We did it, forced ourselves to eat it, and it was very good. I don't think this was "holy cow" amazing. It was good, not great. I'd order something else next time. Ok, that's enough. If you're not asleep by now, at least pencil in your trip to go here. it's worth it, every last incredibly over-indulgent bite. read more

I came here last Sunday with a couple of out of town friends for brunch. We made sure to be one of the first ones there (got there at 10:15am) because we know how waits for brunch at these places in Chicago can be. First off, this space is so poorly designed and cramped. Everyone gets seated at either communal tables or at the bar. Out party of four were seated at one of the communal tables. Throughout our meal we were constantly shuffling around or getting bumped into due to neighboring patrons that needed to use the bathroom, new patrons getting seated, baby strollers getting through the aisle, waiters moving around, etc. Hardly a relaxing way to dine. Second of all, I'm pretty fed up with these trendy restaurants serving up "tapas" style meals meant to be shared. Our waiter had informed us of this, but it was clear by the way out table ordered that we wanted to order separately. What if someone just doesn't care to eat as much and would just like to have a small bite with the rest of the group? I would hope that my preference on sharing would be respected by my waiter. We had dishes ordered by separate people in our group to arrive at very different times, which obviously created very awkward moments of waiting for each other's dishes to arrive. Our waiter noticed us waiting for our dishes to arrive and again insisted on their establishment being "meant to be shared." I just don't get why they can't get over that we were ordering separately. We waited and waited and waited. And the half order of paella came out as a full order. They reassured we'd only be charged for a half order. And we waited some more until we asked about our undelivered pizza for the third time. We asked to have the pizza canceled since by that time, I had been taking bites from my friends. They ended up packing up the pizza and comping it. They food was pretty good, but it was the most unenjoyable meal I've had at this level of dining. I could never go back to avec or recommend it to anyone. read more

Yum yum and more yum!! We got there around 7:30 on a Saturday, and the hostess took our name and number and told us it'd be about 30 minutes. No problem, so we went had had a drink at Mejji. We had just finished our glass of wine, when she called us. I wasn't sure how I felt about communal seating, but we lucked out with a really nice foursome, including a guy who knew a chef. We had a great waitress who had previously worked at Bin 36 so she was extremely knowledgeable in helping us choose a wine pairing with our cheese tray. We had a Sav Blanc/Chard blend with 3 goat cheeses. I always enjoy giving a waitress/waiter a little guidance like 'We don't want anything stinky' and they provide us exactly what we want! We had the Crostini, Bacon/Chorizo Dates, Flank Steak, and the Cherry Polenta for dessert. I cannot say anything, that once again, has not been said before. All were excellent choices. The Chorizo dates were a little spicy for my taste, but nonetheless, amazing. Ambiance get's a 2 big thumbs up. They were playing Cut Copy, !!!, The Decemberists, and even a little Wilco. They also participated in Earth Hour so for a while the whole place was lit up by candles and outside street lights which just added the overall effect of awesomeness. Great place for small groups of less than 6, and the hostess and entire staff did a great job of making this a truly great dining experience! Can't wait to go back! read more

It's with equal parts pride and shame that I can say that the manager (Liz) knows us by name. At this point, I have tried most of the menu. The large plates and bruschettas change with seasonal ingredients, but the staples and stars of Avec's menu are the "'deluxe' foccacia with taleggio cheese, truffles, ricotta, truffle oil, and herbs," and the "chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce." Drooling yet? Me too. My friend took a bite of the foccacia and literally screamed with delight. That is the appropriate response I now expect from everyone who tries this for the first time. If you just want to wrap up the night with some tasty snacks, I'd suggest ordering some wine, the foccacia, and the chorizo-stuffed dates. If you're going for dinner, then also order a seasonal salad, bruschetta, and the pork shoulder. The atmosphere is pleasantly relaxed despite the upscale food. It's also a fun place to eavesdrop or be eavesdropped on since everyone is seated at a table that is nearly continuous from end-to-end of the restaurant. But rubbing elbows with strangers doesn't bother me when my mouth is full of delicious. read more

We got here early and were sat immediately. Chorizo stuffed dates - These are awesome. The sweetness of the dates perfectly complement the chorizo stuffing. When I had originally read about it on the menu, the dish seemed heavy. I was surprised when the chorizo came out shredded, almost like the consistency of good pulled pork. To top it off, the sauce is great with the bread that they serve. Ricotta flatbread - Not much of a looker but I found it to be a great light snack. The tiny hint of truffle oil didn't overpower the dish at all. Pork Shoulder - A little disappointed with this dish, I found it to be a extra-sweet version of a classic cantonese braised pork belly with not quite as much balance in the flavors. Papperdelle - Expertly made pasta but the flavor was not too memorable. Pine nuts really saved this dish. read more

SO. GOOD. The most sophisticated party for your taste buds! I'm a vegetarian, but having options was not a problem at all. Our waitress recommended a bunch of great things: 1) Royal Jamaican - Ginger beer [$5] -- On the (much) sweeter side with a strong ginger taste, but a pretty solid drink if you have a thing for ginger. 2) Charred corn - tabbouleh with peach, freekeh, parsely, radish, olive and tahini [$12] -- FREEKEHN GREAT. It is enough for two people probably, but I sneakily pecked at it all night long, till it was gone. Smoked, spiced, and seasoned just right. 3) Burrata Pizza - with charred eggplant, cherry tomato confit, basil, and calabrian chili honey [$18] -- Heaven....Is it sweet? Is it savory? Is it spicy? Is it herby? Is it soft? Is it crispy? Is it awesome? YES, to all of the above. I used to be an Eduardo's Enoteca pizza fanatic....but I think this one has won me over! 4) Chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce [$14] -- My brother, who loves his meat, got this...Couldn't stop raving about it the whole time he was eating it and saying "you wish you weren't a vegetarian right now" ...He finished the whole thing..alone.... Having stuffed our faces, we didn't have room for dessert, but it definitely looked good. So maybe just share a bunch of little portions and then end with something sweet, because chances are, its probably amazing! One little thing - You do get seated really close to each other, enough to have the side of your arms touching the person next to you sometimes. But it's loud enough for you and your party to have your own conversation (perhaps having to lean in and repeat yourself a few times to hard of hearing people like me). Overall, the crowd is friendly, the service is solid, and the overall ambiance is perfect for essentially any event. Definitely worth a 2nd trip (and maybe a 3rd, 4th, and 5th too). read more

AMAZING!!! We loved the food!!!!! The atmosphere is so European and friendly. If you haven't been there....GO! Only downside is that the waitress was not as active. She just took the order and never came back to check on us, but the busboy was running around and making sure that we have everything we need... Overall atmosphere and great food will for sure bring us back here again! read more

Oh.my.god. I have seriously never tasted anything as delicious as the food at Avec. The flavors were absolutely divine--it was less like eating and more like experiencing food. My mom, sister, and I somehow managed to get a table right away without a reservation. I can't remember what all the dishes were called, but we had an app that consisted of corn puree on freshly baked bread (which was amazing) the dates stuffed with chorizo and wrapped in bacon (which came highly recommended, but actually wasn't my favorite--although my sister loved them) an entree with pulled pork and chorizo that was unspeakably good. I worked in a Puerto Rican restaurant that was famous for it's pulled pork, and Avec's was definitely comparable with its melt-in-your-mouth meat. ...and finally... the flatbread with ricotta and another cheese I can't remember the name of. This was maybe the best thing I've ever tasted in my life. Holy shit. We also had tea and little peanut butter, chocolate pastries for dessert. Mmmmmm. I'm getting full just thinking about all that incredible food. The service was great, our server helped us pick out a fantastic wine to match our food. Just a phenomenal experience. We will definitely be back. read more

I had to try avec before I left for law school because I had heard such wonderful things. All in all I had a pretty good experience with one letdown. Service wasn't amazing but it wasn't bad either. I've noticed that service can be a problem at these communal table type restaurants, very busy and workman-like. However everything came out correctly and there weren't any egregious waits so it was fine. My friend and I ordered the chorizo stuffed dates wrapped in bacon, the whipped brandade, the pork shoulder, and the chocolate praline soufflé cake for dessert. The food was mostly a hit. I absolutely adored the dates and the brandade. Amazing dishes not to be missed. I thought the pork shoulder was cooked perfectly but didn't love the sauce. However, I feel that was more that it wasn't a taste I prefer because my companion loved it. My main problem was with dessert. I have high expectations for restaurant desserts because I can cook pastry pretty well and avec just didn't cut it for me. The soufflé cake was cold and fallen, which I had been warned about. I didn't object to that but the sauce wasn't very good and the berries didn't appear or taste transformed in any way. All in all it felt like an afterthought and I didn't bother finishing it. Still the dates and brandade made up for the letdown at the end mostly. I'd return, but wouldn't order dessert again. I'd much rather go to Hot Chocolate after my meal or get a dessert in mk's lounge. read more

Wonderful restaurant! Food: The food was all delicious. I've been twice and both times the chef made identically perfect pork shoulder stew and dates with bacon/meatballs (a must have). The cheeses we selected for a plate delivered on their description. The sausages left a bit to be desired given a lack of seasoning, but the food here is killer all around. Service: For a constantly busy restaurant the staff does a nice job of serving drinks to those waiting (no reservations), although this could be a bit more consistent. The waiters seem to be a little stretched, but the bus boys make up for this. Decor: What a cool space! I'd come here just for the beautiful architecture. Wall-to-wall-to floor wood. A very Scandinavian look executed perfectly. read more

I went here for a dinner by myself and to understand what's the fuss about. Their signature date dish is really worth it. The aroma of bacon and chorizo sausage with the tomato gravy is fulfilling, the dates add a good twist but I wish I could avoid the tad bit of sweetness and just could enjoy the pure bliss of sausage bacon bread and gravy, but not complaining. The only reason I am giving 1 less star is because I could have had much more to my pasta that I ordered. Refrain from ordering this bougatini pasta from appetizer and try something else, it would be worth it. read more

Avec - Chicago - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Simply put: Avec lives up to the hype. I had heard all the wonderful things about Avec ("Get the dates! You MUST get the dates!!!!) but I did not have the opportunity to personally partake until this past Thursday night. The fiancee heard some good news on the work front so we decided to heard to Avec to celebrate. When we arrived at around 6:30 PM, we found out (much to our pleasant surprise) that there would be no wait. What? No wait on a Thursday night at Avec? Sweetness. Right then I knew the stars were aligned for us tonight so we were undoubted going to have a most excellent meal. The meal itself was terrific. Service was friendly and pleasant and we lucked out in sitting next to a family visiting from Dallas. (On a side note: how many tourists do you know go eat at Avec? Color me impressed.) But to be honest, it was the food that won us over. Our feast for the evening: * Salumi Assortment - Three slices of four different salumi's. I don't recall exactly what we got but it was excellent, especially with the awesome Avec bread. * Turkey and Guanciale Meatballs - If you haven't heard of guanciale before, it's basically pork cheek. And as we all know, any sort of cheek (beef, cod, etc) is bound to be tasty. These meatballs were no exception to the rule, as they were absolutely juicy and flavorful. * Chorizo-Stuffed Dates - Ah, the infamous dates. The first thing I noticed was how ginormous they were. By my guess, one date was the equivalent of a child's fist, which sounds small until you try to put one in your mouth. Ok, that sounded slightly disturbing but you catch my drift. Anyway, the dates were as good as advertised. Stuffed with chorizo AND wrapped with bacon -- come on. How can you go wrong? * Braised Pork Shoulder w/Clams and Tripe - Believe it or not, I actually liked this dish better than the dates. Perhaps it's because I'm a sucker for anything braised. Seriously, braise any type of meat and I'll happily eat it (same goes for deep frying). While the shoulder was moist and tender as expected, the real surprise was the tripe. I like tripe at dim sum and in pho but that's about it. However, the tripe that came with this dish was wonderfully prepared and absolutely delicious. In conclusion: Avec is as good as people say it is. For reals. Hands down one of the best restaurants in Chicago. So go already. read more

I admit it. I've been unfaithful - I've fallen victim to the flashy ways of many a restaurant and sampled their goods, but like every good hound dog that finds its way home, my culinary compass keeps pointing me back to Avec. If you could strip away all the showy pretenses of what makes a fabulous restaurant, you'd probably find a place like Avec at the core. The interior is modern and humble. A long rectangular concrete space is softened by the clean lines of wood panels. A long communal dining bar commands one side of the room with a row of tables on the other. It's what an Ikea design on a diet would look like. In other words, it's setup for the primary purpose of the enjoyment of food. The wait staff is professional and friendly and again enhances your culinary enjoyment. The food, my friends, is where all the magic happens. My fellow Yelpers have already waxed poetic on the food so I'll just say two things - dates and pork shoulder. There are too many other fantastic dishes to mention. I will say that every dish brings a delight for the senses. The food is fresh, inspired, and flavorful. There are numerous other notable restaurants to visit, but Avec is the one place I always return to when I think of amazing cuisine at its simplest and finest. If you're honest with yourself, you may come to realize Avec is also your one true love. read more

I came here early on Friday afternoon when they opened and sat at the bar. I ordered the chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon in the piquillo pepper-tomato sauce. AMAZING! I also ordered the pork shoulder. I thought the pork shoulder didn't live up to the hype that I'm seeing on Yelp. Was kind of disappointed actually. It was good, but not great. I would definitely come back just for the dates again. read more

Pure deliciousness! Avec completely lives up to reviews and expectations, despite the cramped venue and the fact that they don't take reservations. The communal dining was actually a blast - we made friends with both of the other parties at our table, and wound up sharing tastes of some of the things we ordered. Our waiter had great wine suggestions, and our party of three split a number of delicious menu items. The deluxe focaccia with ricotta, taleggio, and truffle oil is a must-order, full of melt-in-your-mouth goodness that will drip all over your plate. Mmm mm mm. The chorizo stuffed dates wrapped in bacon were good, but not particularly memorable. The quail was beautifully presented and fell right off the bone. I love the selections, I love that the menu changes regularly, and I love that there's ample parking nearby. I'll definitely be back. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. It is small, and there is usually a wait to get a seat, but the food and ambiance are great. It is communal, elbow to elbow seating so don't go for the privacy, but the wait staff is excellent, as is the limited selection menu. Avec was originally supposed to be a wine bar with some food selections, but they just made the fod too darned good. It still sports a good wine list, and the staff is very helpful. read more

This is a very modern, clean looking restaurant, although quite narrow. Our party of 3 arrived at around 6:30 on a Saturday to a very full restaurant. The wait was about 30-45 min which was not as bad as we imagined. Since it was such a small space, we did have to wait outside in a little area they had sectioned off. Now on to the food. We ordered everything to share. Small Plates: Big eyed tuna crudo: 3 pieces of fresh, delicious fish. There was a nice smoky chili flavor to the sauce. Burrata with marinated tomato and pork bits: The burrata was so creamy and buttery. The tomatoes added a very nice texture to it. Chorizo stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon: Perfect blend of savory from the chorizo, sweetness from the dates, and smokiness from the bacon, along with a slight kick from the chilis Crispy redfish with watermelon, onion, and tomato relish: The skin had such a nice crisp and flavor to it. The fish was soft, warm, and flaky..well cooked. The relish added a nice freshness and texture to the dish. Large Plates: Squid ink pasta alla chitarra with corn, fresh cayenne pepper, mint breadcrumbs and rock shrimp - Nice earthy flavor. Pasta was perfect al dente. The shrimp were well cooked, but I have to deduct half a star because they were not deveined. :( I expect that from a place like this. Otherwise I really enjoyed the dish. Wood-oven roasted pork shoulder with braised flageolet & romano beans, PQM kielbasa, and pickled banana pepper relish - If there were a bone it would have the melts off the bone effect. Very tender and flavorful meat. The relish added a nice briny flavor. Because of the size of the restaurant, the seating is limited. They have a communal table concept...A long table with one side being a bench and the other side chairs. It's very cramped and a bit awkward because you have to get up to let other parties in and out if you are sitting on the ends. It's cool if you are sitting among friendly cool people, but I could see how it could be bad if the other people were obnoxious. I deducted another half a star for that. All in all, I really enjoyed the meal and was very pleased with this restaurant. I would definitely come back the next time I'm in Chicago. read more

They are not kidding about the dates. I want to be stuffed in one and eat myself. Easily one of the coolest dining rooms I've been in. The cramped linear seating encourages talking and sharing your meal with strangers. It also has this odd matrix feel to it. Can't wait to come back to Chicago and return to Avec. read more

Avec does not take reservations. We went on Saturday night. The wait time is about two hours. My suggestion if you plan to sit at 8:00 pm. Go to the restaurant to put your name down at 6:00 pm. They will take your name and number and call you within 1.5 h - 2 h! Setting: The space is a long rectangle shape filled with three long light wood communal tables, open kitchen with bar, birch color wood walls & ceilings. Extremely busy & shoulder to shoulder atmosphere! Bar: "Old man's bar" meaning one type of vodka, brandy, tequila, whisky, and gin. None of that fancy, crafty, pineapple cocktails. Although, I have to tell you my order of dirty martini was by far one of the most well balanced dirty martini in CHICAGO and they do have stuffed blue cheese olives. Food: 1. Baby octopus with squid link linguine, pepper sofrito, butternut squash and chorizo breadcrumbs 2. "Deluxe" focaccia with taleggio cheese, ricotta, truffle oil and fresh herbs 3. The famous chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce. Loved the squid link linguine and could really care less for the other dishes. This place was more of a tried it once and I'm over it. read more

Donnie Madia and Ricky Cooper. Hot food, close quarters, beautiful music. Swoon. read more

THE FOOD: I hate to join the bandwagon, but unless you are a vegetarian (or don't like meat), you must order the chorizo stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. This $9 dish comes with 4 large chorizo stuffed dates wrapped in bacon and a loaf of bread on the side. It's definitely worth the price and filled me up! I also ordered the tuna tartare, which was mediocre, especially compared to the chorizo dish. Unfortunately, I was not able to try out any of the wine. To avoid waiting, we arrived promptly at 3:30 PM (when they opened) and, being an out-of-towner, had a lot of places to see afterwards. Not to mention, I went in July, when it was scorching hot! THE ATMOSPHERE / SERVICE: I'm upset that I forgot the woman who served us, but she welcomed us so warmly and was very attentive, even when the place was getting pretty packed. Furthermore, all of the chefs were professional and very meticulous on their food. Although my friend is not a fan of the whole "green movement," I loved the decor, the clean environmental feeling and even took a picture with the wine bottle wall. All in all, I have to owe a big thanks to my friends who recommended this place to me. Is it bad to say that this place was one of the highlights of my stay in Chicago? read more

During a recent trip to Chicago my boyfriend and I stumbled upon this gem of a place. Little did we realize that we happened to hit it just as they opened (right about 4pm) and made it in with no reservation and no waiting, which I hear is very unusual. Before we were done and gone there was a long line out the door with a good number of people waiting on the porch area. I must say that this place is an overall experience. You get wonderful food, plated in the perfect order by the knowledgeable staff, wonderful wine and liquor selection with talented bartenders, and an unusual social atmosphere in a well designed space. The first thing that struck us (having no clue other than a few reviews what we were getting in for) was the setup of the seating area. You are sat at a table that seats about 10 people, and you are sat with complete strangers! At first this was incredibly intimidating to a typical American with personal space issues, but after a glass of wine it turned out to be an amazing experience. The couple next to us were regulars and shared insight on the menu, wine, and the restaurant in general. They were so much fun to talk to! I was happy in the end about the unusual setup. It made great food and drink even better and more memorable. If Chicago didn't have so many great places to eat I would want to come here every time I visit! The food...oh the food. We have a wonderful selection of tapas. Every morsel was well cooked, and tasty. About 4 plates was perfect for the two of us and left room for wine and drinks. I'm not sure I was a huge fan of the spicy date dish, but it wasn't bad either. Just compared to the other great things it was so-so. The couple next to us had the whole fish, which they said was a different fish cooked in a different style every time they came. they said it was always good and it looked wonderful. They also have a nice cheese and olive selection if you are just looking for something to accompany conversation and drinks. I had a great experience here. The staff was great and knowledgeable, the food and drink was amazing, and the social atmosphere was incredible and led to a wonderful night and memory. Highly recommended! Don't be afraid of the seating arrangement. It really turns out great since everyone is there for the same thing! read more

Every 5 star review is true. Granted, I may be biased. I was in Chicago for work and arrived with a coworker at the most serendipitous time - no wait, and we were seated at the chef's table. The pork shoulder comes in a large ramekin and is so tender that it is served with a SPOON, and freshly baked loaf of bread. Quite simply the most wonderful dining experience I've ever had. read more

Chorizo stuffed Medjool dates wrapped in smoked bacon with piquillo pepper tomato sauce - Just WOW WOW WOW. If there's one thing I remember eating in Chicago, it's this. Wood-fired pizza with salumi toscano, marinated broccolini, parmesan and gorgonzola creme fraiche - How could you not like this pizza? Baby octopus with squid ink linguine, pepper sofrito, butternut squash and chorizo breadcrumbs - Killed it with the chorizo once again. Pork shoulder in a pot of cous cous, carrots, almonds and raisins - I pray everyday to be able to fulfill Dan's fantasies and cook pork as perfectly as this one day. read more

Am I the only one that found every dish here way too salty? We ordered the dates, calamari, and pork shoulder, and all three dishes were way too salty to enjoy. This was my second time here, and I wanted to like it, but again, like the first time I came, the salt overpowered any other flavor. Service was fine but not overtly friendly. It's less busy when you come for an early dinner. Overall, I still don't get the hype of this place... read more

Not an ideal place for an out-of-town party of seven. We know that, but with half our foodie party from SF we know small, swank restaurrants like Avec can accomidate. This was not the case. Put our name down at 6:20 and at 8:30 the unfriendly and unaccomidating hostess told us that the guests at our table were going to enjoy their seats until their train left 45minutes after 9:00 with no desire to gently encourage them to leave so other guests can experience this place. Famished, we left and headed to another place where we were warmly welcomed and were able to enjoy our meal. And to the Japanese restaurant two doors down from Avec, especially the manager Herb, thank you for being great hosts while we waited for over two hours to try that place. If we didn't have sushi virgins with us, we would've ordered everything on the menu. Aurevoir, Avec. read more