Came in here for something new to try for lunch, and the lamb burger is absolutely delicious! Definitely will be coming back!

Great place with a cool architecture, Food is always good, neighborhood feel,. Will go back. read more

Came here for dinner on a Wednesday night. They don't take reservations but there wasn't much of a wait. Ordered the lamb ribs special which was delicious. The meat was flavorful, not too gamy, and fell off the bone soft. Loved the tiny orange tomatoes in the salad and humus mixture that came with the ribs. Also tried the focaccia which was different, thinner and more like a crunchy cheese sandwich snack. Last, we shared an order of the paella. The paella was decent, but the rice was a bit more on the soft and sticky side. Flavorful and the sausage, chicken, shrimp in the dish were all great. The toasted rice on the edges were excellent. Nice relaxed atmosphere, good for conversation. read more

I was lucky to join a newbie to Avec tonight. Although only being here once, I thought I had a good handle on the place. Perhaps I thought wrong. The food is still outstanding and is always fun to share and enjoy with a wonderful friend or even a small group. Penny and I got to sit at the bar, this time. The menu changes slightly for each season. Some dishes get modified, some get changed completely and others remain their tried and true selves. We were able to sample some of each tonight and of course what we had left smiles and happy faves on each of our faces. Starting with a glass of wine from their large and simply jaw dropping wine list, we descended on to the menu. What to get... what to get... we went in on two different rounds and 6 different plates. We went in our first round the chorizo stuffed, bacon wrapped dates, really a must when ever you come here. 4 of these bad boys placed in a roasted red pepper sauce. Amazing stuff. Feel free to take the crusty bread and get lusty with the sauce. I mean that's what it is there for. Then we move on to the prosciutto, pear and manchego cheese. Light with a hint of citrus from lemons, smokiness from the prosciutto, blended well with the sweetness of the pear and the richness of the olive oil and cheese. As well as the deluxe focaccia with taleggio cheese, truffle oil and fresh herbs. Think of it like this. Crispy warm flat bread that nestles and cradles soft warm cheese that just melts in your mouth. It explodes with the richness of the truffle oil and sings harmonic praises of heaven with the herbs. This is my kind of carb loading. Our second round we went with the special of rapini sauteed in olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and a little lemon. The bitterness of the rapini comes toward the middle to the end of the mouthful, as Penny put it, kinda like horseradish, but the olive oil and garlic make the presence known in the beginning. Savor the mouthful. We did since we got one of the last plates of it. Then we got the Avec salad. Butter and red oak lettuce cradles the creamy avocados and roasted tomato dressing, along with red onions and radishes. If you threw some chicken or seared tuna on there I'd be eating that every day. We got a little adventurous and went with the duck dish they had that day. It was a little rich, but certainly our glasses of wine helped to cut through. Slice of warm toasty baguette with a little olive oil, then spooning cool pulled duck, seasoned and filled with the rich duck fat. Certainly this is not an every day dish, but one to savor and experience once in a while. There is the bar and three long tables and that is it, its communal seating. You might be sitting next to a couple from out of town or just down the street. They may have come from the theatre or from the Bears game. If you want privacy, don't expect it here. You should just go, grab a good friend, enjoy the very friendly and on top of their game servers and staff, savor the food and enjoy a great glass of wine. Come early, this place doesn't take reservations, but is so worth any wait. read more

Avec was a definite a "must try" while visiting Chicago. They don't take reservations so we made sure that we arrived. I walked in and loved the look of the place. Given that it was wood panel walls, wooden tables, wooden seats, and just wood everything. It was simple and clean and exactly what I liked. We were seated right away and everyone was really friendly and helpful with describing the menu. We ordered chorizo stuffed dates because we were told that it was very popular, local apple salad, and seared sturgeon. We started off with the apple salad. Now, when I saw apple salad I thought it was fresh greens with slices of apples. So I was slightly wrong. It was a salad of apples. Ok, I was just wrong. I liked the apple salad because I love apples. The salad consisted of green apples, manchego cheese, and apple cider. The apple was tart but sweetened with the cider and I love the nutty taste from the manchego. The dates came out and I didn't even know they were dates because they were huge and stuffed with spicy chorizo. Dates stuffed with chorizo, bacon, and tomato sauce. Really can't go wrong. It was really good. You had the sweetness from the date that paired with a kick of spiciness of the chorizo made it a very enjoyable dish. The seared sturgeon was cooked just right leaving the meat tender and juicy. We finished the meal with chocolate crepes with mascarpone and house made nutella. Very simple and very good. The nutella was a bit runny. I prefer it being thicker so that I can plop a spoon of it onto each bite of my crepe. The overall meal was delicious. Great food and lots of fresh ingredients with fabulous service. I would definitely go back if in town to try something new since the menu changes according to seasonal ingredients. I can totally see Avec being a real success in Los Angeles. Hint hint! read more

Dear Paul Kahan, You may have dissed me (and one of my friends) by totally rebuffing our flirtatious advances at an event (yes, I know you're married), but I still love you. I love you and your food and all the deliciousness you bring to my fair city of Chicago. Love, Angie M. If I can put some advice out there, I would say this: Go to avec with folks who like to eat and will pretty much try anything. If you eliminate something because you don't necessary know what it is (like mortadella), you may be missing out on something pretty tasty. So put on your adventure pants and get ready for some yummy eats by some of Chicago's finest chefs. Hell, if it's good enough for Tony Bourdain, its good enough for me! My party of eight went with, well, pretty much the entire menu. Get ready to get schooled on avec's winter menu! * Whole roasted fish with herbs de provence, toasted rice and charred lemon. If you've ever been to a Filipino party, you know of something called 'community fish' where there's a whole fish and everyone just kind of digs in. This would be the avec version of community fish. The crunchy skin is amazing, but be aware that even though the fish is deboned, there are still SOME bones in there holding it together. * Focaccia with taleggio cheese, truffle oil and fresh herbs. This reminded me of a quesadilla of sorts. The taleggio cheese was so rich and creamy. * Wood-oven roasted pork shoulder with soffrito, fingerlings and pickled garlic. SO MUCH PORK up in this dish! It was so tender it was falling apart. I also may or may not have lapped up the sauce with avec's bread so shamelessly I feared people at the table next to me would start staring. * Whole roasted sonoma valley foie gras with roast pears, candied walnuts and rosemary. You better really like foie gras, because this bad boy will set you back $70. While I don't love foie gras, I did tuck in for a few bites. I had to see what a $70 entrée tasted like. * Chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce. Duuude... EAT THESE. If you can find fault in chorizo stuffed, bacon-wrapped dates, I'd like to know all about it, because I feel this may be the most perfect food around. * Whipped brandade with housemade garlic bread and chives. I'm still a little clear on what this is exactly, but what I do know is that it's some kind of whipped up, cheesy and herby fish that you spread on garlic toast. Very tasty! * Local apple salad with manchego, marcona almonds, celery and apple cider. What? We're at least kind of healthy with this light and fruity salad. * Marinated hanger steak with roasted shallots and brussels sprouts salsa verde. Tied for a close second for "Favorite Dish of the Night" with the pork shoulder, this dish is spectacular. I'm slowly learning to order my steak more on the medium to medium rare side (which is how this is prepared). It makes it so much easier to enjoy when the steak is cooked and seasoned to perfection. * 50/50 sausage with creamed kale, pearl onions and navel orange gremolata. A little rich and fatty for my taste, but a nice concept. * Open-faced chicken sandwich with housemade pumpernickel and squash. My throwaway dish for the night. Nothing spectacular or even very interesting. But I suppose putting chicken on the menu does make your restaurant a bit more accessible for the masses. While the food is great, there are a few issues with avec. 1. No reservations and nowhere to hang out in the restaurant while you're waiting to be seated. Because of avec's popularity, it could be a substantial wait. It's lame that the space is SO tiny. I have to think that if you have such a small restaurant that you'd at least do reservations for larger parties, but alas, avec seems to be functioning fine right now and probably doesn't need to take my advice. 2. avec is literally the most uncomfortable restaurant in Chicago. The tables and benches are hard, boring wood. There's community seating (totes not my thing), so you're scrunched in with total strangers. I know it's all about enjoying food with your dining community, but I totally hate it. In the end... Amazing food. Unamazing atmosphere. The things I'll endure for good food... read more

sunday dinner, 7pm, 2 girls the limited space and wooden benches reminded me a tad of momfuku ssam. it is absolutely beautiful in there. food - we ordered the salmon, pork cheeks, chorizo, and flat bread. salmon - cooked perfectly and the taste of the olive oil in the rice was to die for pork cheeks - so flavorful and the meat was super tender. we loved the the contrasts between the salmon and pork cheeks dishes. they both were cooked perfectly and as boring as their description may sound, the flavors were so unique and DEELISH. chorizo and the flatbread - we didnt care too much for them. the flat bread was too salty for my taste and the chorizo was a little overwhelming. servcice - we sat at the bar so we had 2 staff members taking care of us, it was great. would i go back - yes, yes, YES. would love to try all the other dishes. read more

All our food was either salty or sour. Thought that every dish we were receiving at the table would get better but the sourness was really too much. Sorry Avec. read more

I love when I'm thinking the words as I'm eating and then it's expressed by our waiter! Marcus is as important as the mint and tiny bite of Dill mixed in our entrée. It's like a bit museum and theatre infused dining experience. It's something magical and special happening inside a simple light wood, narrow space and in my mind. I'm thankful for the full but small bites I experienced this evening. I hope to taste again! read more

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I was not happy. The waitress did not explain much about the food. Unless you are pork lover there really isn't much in my opinion to eat. I ordered what I thought was fish as the waitress advised that was the only item I could order that didn't have pork in it. As I started to eat it I realized a piece of bread with a mayo type of spread that included cod flavor and called it a cod sandwich with fish eggs on the side. Really??? There wasn't even pieces of fish in the spread. Even their hamburger was made of pork with bacon, huh? Never go there again. In my opinion the only thing Mediterranean about is the Hummus. I give it one star. The piece of bread was good. read more

Umm so delish. Ate so much. The dates are a must. Small place. Family style. Yummo! Savored each and every bite.

If I have to say one word for this place it is LOVE AVEC!! Atmosphere is very lively and the food is outstanding. Make sure you make reservations as its a small place and is usually packed no matter what time of the day you go. read more

Visited on a Wednesday night around 10 in the evening. There was no wait. We were immediately seated right next to a couple who were on their "official first date." How do I know this? Because you're literally rubbing shoulders with your neighbors..the restaurant has communal table seating. We did not know this until we got there and I thought to myself "how Benihana-esque." It was pretty awkward listening to the guy trying to flirt with his date. He was corny as hell. I mean it was really difficult for me to eat because I was cracking up in my head. Literally, I was snickering to myself, hoping they didn't see me laughing at them. Not to mention, it was difficult to hold a conversation because of the close distance to other people who are holding their own conversations. I wasn't sure if I should have joined the couple's conversation or texted my boyfriend in order to communicate with him. I also wasn't sure if it would have been okay to try our neighbors' food haha. With that said, the place is quaint and simple. You could google image search the place if you wanna see how it looks. It's a small place, almost everything is made up of wood except for the back wall stocked with glass bottles--well thought out touch! You could eat at the bar. The chairs reminded me of kahon drum boxes. The bench was made of wood as well. I think the point is for your ass to be uncomfortable so that you could eat and leave right away since it's a small place and that would shorten the wait lines. I have never dined in a place like this before. I appreciated the design. The food we ordered was excellent! We had the wood-fired flatbread with tuna, mozzarella, tomatoes, and watercress. This was like a pizza. At first I didn't know that it was tuna and thought they were anchovies. The concept seemed similar. However, it was beautiful and delicious! The colors, taste, light and fresh vegetables, and flatbread were spot on! We also had the sunchoke crostini with salmon roe, breakfast radish, and brown butter. This was the highlight of my dining experience. I love salmon roe to begin with, and the only way I've had it was in temaki or sushi. So this was a pleasant surprise for me. I was in heaven for a little bit. It was pretty grand. The presentation, the textures, the different elements, and the overall taste pushed me over the edge. Great plate!!! We also ordered the chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce. I didn't read the description when we ordered. I just saw the words "dates" and "bacon" and immediately nodded. I'm a big fan of bacon-wrapped dates and thought, "Okay you could never go wrong with them." But this placed killed it. And not "killed it" like "it was to die for." I mean killed it as in "ruined the dish" and "messed up my perception of bacon-wrapped dates forever." Honestly, does the recipe call for one whole shaker of salt? The chorizo/sausage/longaniza was ehhh. I felt that the meat and sauce were overpowering. It tasted like salty spaghetti sauce and meatballs. I couldn't take any more bites. I removed the chorizo and sauce off my plate and just ate the dates and bacon. I thought that bacon was supposed to give the "salty" taste on the dish but apparently this was not the case--the sauce and chorizo did. Oh and my boyfriend didn't even know there were dates stuffed in the meat. That's how overpowering it was! And last, we had the crispy whitefish with pistachio puree, marinated beets, and grapefruit. It was a-ok. It was a unique combination of different textures and tastes. I was a bit confused. The whitefish was cooked to the tee. I loved the soft meat of the fish and the crisp outer layer on the sides. YUM! The puree was excellent with the fish! I didn't understand the beets. It brought out a metallic taste and reminded me of canned cranberry. I only had a few bites of that. And the grapefruit was a nice touch to the combination. It had that bittersweet taste and brought out the flavor of the dish overall. Yay! Another thing...I wasn't that pleased with the service. A lady took our order. Another lady gave us our bill. One busboy changed our plates and silverware. Another busboy brought out our food. Another busboy refilled our waters. It's great to see they work as a team but who does our tip go to? I was hoping it went to our busboys because they were really serving us hand and foot, while the ladies didn't do that much work. It seemed like they were just standing around. There was even a time when I asked for something to the lady who was just standing there doing nothing, and she ordered a busboy to do it. =( Truth: If you want privacy when you converse, this is not the place. Also, please don't come here on a first date. It's so awkward for other people to listen to you try and impress your date! read more

Avec is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. Even though you usually have to wait forever for a table, I will always keep coming back. I love this place.. always have. The food is fantastic and service is EXCEPTIONAL. Gaston, our bartender, is a gem. He made sure our glasses were always topped off, and he's uber cute too ;) The atmosphere is modern and sophisticated, but not pretentious at all. I always come for the goat cheese foccacia... my favorite item on the menu. Butternut squash ravioli from the winter menu is also fantastic as well as their beet salad and mussels. Avec has an extensive wine list and the servers are great about pairing suggestions. Great energy, fantastic wine list, and friendly staff! I love you, Avec. read more

Best restaurant in Chicago. The favors are fantastic and very creative. Love the bacon wrapped figs. Order as many things as you can and taste everything! read more

I always disliked communal seating, but now I really despise it. This was my second time returning to Avec, and the food still didn't impress; no need to call out anything specific - everything was just mediocre. Why the 1 star? There were a series of incidents with the hostess who didn't know how to seat separate parties at this narrow restaurant that has communal tables. My husband and I were celebrating something and decided to come here for a date night. We got seated at the last table at the back of the restaurant. I sat with my back against the wall. Later on, a party of 3 got seated at the end of the table adjacent to us, and 1 of the guys was told to sit in the aisle in between our two tables, so I was blocked if I tried to get out. Then a large party arrived and occupied the opposite end of our table, leaving just two vacant seats in the middle of our table next to my husband and me. Near the end of our meal, a couple arrived, and the clueless hostess asked me to move to let them in, but like I said - I was blocked by the guy. What first bothered me was that she didn't notice the guy blocking me, so I had to ask him to move when I feel it should've been her. I looked over at her, and she clearly had this "oops" face. Additionally, I was very pregnant, and squeezing past diners wasn't very easy. My husband and I decided to just ask for the check and forego dessert at that time so we found our waitress who rung up our bill. I waited alongside the counter next to her. Moments later, the hostess returned and asked me if I needed any assistance in an impatient tone like she was trying to move me out of the way. I'm like, "I'm trying to pay, and there's no where to go!" And she's like, oh! My husband was already by the front door waiting for me, and he told me she approached him and told him he couldn't stand there to wait! What the heck? Where do ya want us to go then, lady?! We're trying to leave this stupid place! She single-handedly ruined my night, and now Avec is officially on my shit list. read more

Excellent food and service. High energy place. Communal seating takes a few minutes to get used to but overall part of the unique Avec experience. Must try the chorizo stuffed dates and the pappardelle. Only hiccup was forgetting to get our coffee at the end but our server, Michelle, was very professional and comp'd the dessert and coffee which was very nice. We also appreciated the way she guided us through the menu and helped us order the perfect amount of food. My only very small nitpick was the paella. It seemed to be very popular but to my taste was just...paella. Compared to the other dishes we had, it was just good, not great. Still, its a solid 5 star establishment and plan to come back. read more

I enjoyed Avec a lot more in the summertime than in the wintertime. Both times it was just a pit stop en route to a final destination--in the summer, my boyfriend and I shared a porron of sangria on the standing patio outside while waiting for the Girl and the Goat, and in the winter my friends and I lined up at the bar for amaro sours. My main complaint is the limited cocktail menu. The cocktails were SO GOOD and a bartender that talented should be allowed to get really creative because he could probably do a lot. That said, the wine and beer menu is legit. I've never eaten here but the food always looks and smells delicious... Maybe one day. Make more cocktails, please!! read more

The enjoyment of an evening out is about multiple factors, from food to atmosphere to company to your own state of mind. As individuals, we all place value on each of these relative to the weight we give them. For me, a dining experience is usually about the food first, my company second, atmosphere third, and my state of mind - well, presumably I wouldn't go out unless I felt pretty good. Avec is an exception for me. Atmosphere first, food second, and well, company really doesn't matter because if you get lucky, you'll be sitting next to some of the most interesting people you could ever ask to meet in a Chicago restaurant. I'm a big fan of the communal dining, the 250ml servings of wine, the reasonably priced bottles, and the simple small plates they offer. I've eaten at Avec 10 times over the past two years, and while I do not think it has the best food in the city for a restaurant of its type, I think it is tasty, honest, fun and well-prepared. I've only had one real loser there -- a single cheese on an otherwise flawless cheese plate (it was not the fault of the restaurant but their distributor). One thing to keep in mind -- the restaurant fills up fast on the weekend, and you will end up waiting, most likely with a glass of good Italian wine in your hand. read more

I came here by chance around midnight on a Saturday night and am dying to go back. Such a neat place - definitely worthy of 5-plus stars. Great service and their meats are incredible, as is their wine list. Loved the space. read more

This used to be one of my favorite restaurants in the city, and I go here at least 4-5 times a year. I was so excited to come back after the kitchen fire! I dined here on 12/15/10 and OMG SALTY SALTY!! The kind of salty where I looked like Lisa Rinna after I got done eating my meal. My lips were so chapped and puffy that I felt like I had gotten bonus lip injections. We ordered the apple and manchego salad which was pretty refreshing, then we had the skirt steak, which was progressively saltier, but it was not until we tasted the flat bread with clams that I started feeling like this meal was made for Mr. Ed. Not sure if this was an off night, but this morning I could not even get my wedding ring on. The chefs really need to lay off the salt, I know it's in season with the snow and all, but I want to taste my food rather than lick a salt block. I'll still come back in hopes of this being an off night. read more

Rebecca the hostess is very rude. I guess she thinks she is cooler than everyone. Big turn off almost walked out. Then the manager wasn't friendly either. So we had our cocktail and proceeded next door where EVERYONE was friendly. Not sure why these people are such haters but if you want to be treated like crap avec rules. read more

Eating here is like going to some sort of culinary heaven. I had no idea what to expect and was blown away - the chorizo and bacon wrapped spicy dates, and the flat bread with goat cheese and a hint of lavender was unbelievable. Luckily we had a large group and ordered a lot of dishes - every one was amazing. I know, I'm gushing, almost too much, but the food really was that good. I can't wait to go back to Chicago and eat here again. read more

This was the first restaurant that we tried in Chicago. I had heard about it through Food Network and when I saw the Yelp ratings, I knew we had to go. We almost walked right past the entrance, but luckily my SO saw it and figured out the way in. It was very rustic looking, with everything in wood, which I loved. The seating was long wooden benches, and you're sitting right beside your neighbour. Luckily only one person needed to leave while we were sitting there, because I could see it getting a little frustrating if I had to get up multiple times through the meal. It was an interesting concept, but perhaps not that practical. I loved that all the food was prepared right in front of you in a long open kitchen, with a big wood stove. Nothing to hide here! The only slight negative about the atmosphere was that it was pretty loud. Put a lot of people in a small space and I guess that's what happens! Our server suggested that for two people, we should order 3-4 dishes. Since I always try to sample as many things as possible, we went with four. We ordered the chorizo-stuffed dates (of course!), the hangar steak, the pork shoulder, and the focaccia bread. Out first were the dates, which were my main reason for choosing this restaurant. Being Canadian and a lover of Food Network, I've seen "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" many times and wished I could go to the restaurants they suggested. And finally, there I was! I'm not a big fan of dates usually, but these were fantastic. Chorizo inside, bacon wrapped around them...what's not to love. They were served in a lovely tomato-based sauce that was a perfect accompaniment. I wished there were more than four! Next came the focaccia. A creamy cheese, fresh herbs, truffle oil...it was heavenly. Unfortunately, it was also huge - about the size of a regular pizza. We felt terrible that we couldn't finish it, but we knew we still had two dishes to come. It started to dawn on us that perhaps the server had misguided us. We probably would have been fine if we'd ordered three small dishes and one large, but we'd gone half and half, again based on her recommendation. Really though, I can't complain when food tastes that good. The hangar steak was probably our favourite. So flavourful and juicy, it was just absolutely delicious. It came out pre-sliced which made it easy to share. They cleared our dishes before the pork came out, and when it did we wondered why they hadn't left us our steak knives. We only had our forks, and a spoon was in the dish of pork. Very confused, I picked up the spoon - and the pork melted beneath it. This was the most tender pork I'd ever eaten. I didn't find that there was a lot of flavour, especially in the top parts that weren't in the juice, but it was still pretty good. All in all, delicious food, and a nice but loud atmosphere. I would probably try something new if I were to go back to Chicago, but that says more about the culinary options in the city than it does the restaurant. I would definitely recommend it to anyone taking a trip there. read more

This just might be my new favorite Chicago restaurant. It's been on my must-try list for way too long, and it fulfilled all my expectations and more. The wait was almost intolerable (but we were partially to blame, just showed up around 8 pm on a weekend evening. Honestly, we were kind of asking for it) but nothing a good bottle of red can't cure. The bartender was super knowledgeable about picking something based on my vague preferences, and the hour pretty much flew by. I really love the way this restaurant wraps you in wood - everything from the floor, walls, ceiling, to even the long benches and stools, is in warm wood tones, except for one wall crafted entirely of beautifully lit glass bottles. This makes communal dining and even the stark lighting a little friendlier. When we finally settled into our seats, we wanted food, and wanted it quick. After a once-over of the menu, we ordered a half dozen plates. They arrived pretty fast, in no particular order, and were all phenomenal. The cauliflower-garlic crostini had a great interplay of textures, the gnocchi with mustard greens was delish, the cod and chicken thigh were cooked perfectly, the taleggio and herb stuffed foccacia was addictive, and even the olives seemed better than usual. Amazing dining experience. With only a month and a half left in Chicago, and too many more places to visit, I'm not sure we'll make it back, but this one goes down in the best-of records. read more

AMAZING food at less than Alinea prices. WOW. We were there at 6 pm when the meters became available for parking, and there was no wait! We ordered beef cheeks (daily special), dourate (daily special), focaccia, pork shoulders, pappardelle, stuffed dates, mackeral, Farro salad, and flatiron steak. The only that I wouldn't order again is perhaps the salad and the mackeral. But even those were B+++ quality. Everything else is A+++. Amazing comfort food. read more

Extremely disappointing. We sat at the far end of the room, which was bad for a few reasons. For starters, the restaurant gets extremely loud and it was next to impossible to have any sort of conversation - I could barely hear our waitress. We also sat directly behind the kitchen and ovens, which meant it was really hot. Finally, we were also sitting right by the entrance to the bathrooms, which is generally unpleasant. The drink list is sparse (nonexistent?). We had the chorizo-stuffed dates which were greasy and bland. Serrano ham plate was far from special. The only shining light, in my opinion, was the chicken liver crostini. Our waitress was disinterested and unhelpful. Big disappointment, especially considering that I love The Publican. read more

I have been to Avec several times. I don't want to claim that I tried all the menu, but I can say that I tried many many dishes on their menu. Everything these guys do is delicious! really, there was never once that i tried the food and I thought it was off! I think one of my favorite item on their menu is the chicken liver crostini. so so good! then, the brandade! and the notorious stuffed chorizo dates (and I don't like dates in general...) Overall, I think that the small plates are better than the large plates and, honestly, the portions size of the small plates is good enough to make you happy! Also, the drink list is quite large. They have wine from almost all the European countries and from several regions within Europe. I would definitely recommend this place to anybody who is craving for small twisted Southern European tapas! You will not get it wrong! read more

Ambience: There is seating at the bar and the table have communal seating, its small space so generally packed and loud during peak service hours. Food: Serrano Ham - 5/5 Avec is owned by the same group as The Publican so they have quality meats on their menu. Bacon wrapped Dates - 3.5/5 Came highly recommend by the waitress, wasn't all too impressed by the flavors. Cheese Plate - 5/5 Red Hawk and Omorro Amanteigado Came with a side of crackers, cherries and salted almonds. Didn't care much for the crackers. Butchered Steak - 4/5 The blistered fava beans in the dish weren't really needed. Pork Shoulder - 3/5 The flavor felt very monotone and boring. Panna Cotta - 5/5 Service: Did a walk in around 7PM on a Saturday evening, were told that the wait would be around 40 mins. We were offered a table within 15 mins which was great. There is a patio setup outside where you can wait and order some appetizers and drinks. The food service overall was quick and our waitress was quite attentive. Verdict: Avec was 3.5 star rated restaurant in my experience. May go back to try some of the other dishes that looked interesting(Calzone, Bucatini, Paella) but the list of other restaurants to try on my list may take precedence. read more

Took my girlfriend here when she visited cause I heard great things about the place from fellow Yelpers. I gotta say thanks for the great reviews about this place because we both really enjoyed it. Fortunately, I came here on a weeknight right after work so there was not a long wait as I initially expected. Avec has a very trendy, intimate vibe... the wooden seats/floors, low ceilings, and very compact layout. The dishes were small portioned but of good quality. We ordered the Chorizo Medjoool dates with smoked bacon and the braised pork shoulder (which was amazingly tender and flavorful). The meat from the braised shoulder melts in your mouth. In addition to being very delicious, the meals are rather affordable. Also, the fact that Avec opens late at night with it's affordable prices gives the impression it's a good place to check out after a night out. The service was great and would definitely go back there again. read more

I had heard such amazing things about this place, read so many blogs about the food at this place, and then we finally went here and I couldn't believe how salty some of our dishes were and how average I thought the flavors were! So average 3 stars it is, even though I love the concept of the restaurant and the layout, decor and vibe. The service was also great and so friendly. But the food just didn't quite do it for me... We got the roasted cauliflower dish with radishes and olives and tahini but it didn't taste like much to me other than salt...The brussel sprout panzanella with raisins and cheese also was on the salty side, and the octopus dish with beans was pretty good but not enough octopus and again still salty! We also got the chorizo stuffed dates that were wrapped in bacon which I loved since they were so rich and full of flavor but others at our table weren't as impressed but the pequillo pepper sauce we mopped up with their really really tasty bread they fire up in their oven. We also used more of that bread with the pork shoulder dish we got that included apples and lentils which was good and pretty flavorful but it didn't seem novel enough to me for such a trend setting restaurant. Their foccacia with talleggio cheese and truffle oil was so addicting though! And we ended with their nutter butters which also were some of the best nutter butter bites ever, so definitely a hit and miss meal for me, but still a great dining out choice that is more affordable than some of the other restaurants near here and we had a great small group dining experience here. read more

Normally I add pictures to my reviews, but it was so good that I ate everything before I remembered to take any, ha! I think that says plenty about the quality of the food. This place is pretty small. I have a theory that it's actually a renovated shipping container. The tables are pretty cramped and the long communal table is a little annoying, especially if you need to go to the bathroom. That being said, all of the food was delicious! A little salty, but delicious! I would definitely recommend sticking to two small plates or one large plate per person. We got the large paella plate and it was enough for a person plus a little more for leftovers. Across the board, everything was very scrumptious. Expect to leave very full and in a food coma read more

This is my idea of a great place. Completely understated, great aesthetics, small but interesting menu, cool selection of wines. I wish I had found this before picking one sixtyblue. (That's the peril of last-minute looking on the mobile instead of the computer.) read more

For selfish reasons, I am tempted to give this restaurant several 1-star reviews. Why? Because I want to keep it for myself. I don't want other people to enjoy the wonders of My favorite restaurant in Chicago. Ya dig? FAVORITE. Amazing food, excellent value. There I said it. I'm begging you though, please don't eat here. I don't like to wait for a table. read more

Amazing, creative, wholesome food to share. Flavors blend and build beautifully. Best brunch

I thought Avec was a really nice break from normal dining. They don't take reservations (or at least, we didn't have one), so we checked in wtih the hostess and headed to Blackbird for a drink. Because they're sibling restaurants, you can hang at the bar at Blackbird, and Avec will call over and say when your table is ready. Really convenient! When our table was ready, the three of us were seated at the end of a table of loud forty-somethings. They seemed nice enough though. We ordered everything to share and the food was good and solid, although not fantastic I didn't think. The dates were good, as well as the cheese plate. The other dishes weren't memorable. The service was a bit spotty, but I was engrossed in conversation with my friends so it wasn't really a big deal. All in all a great meal, and AT A GREAT PRICE for what we got. I'll definitely be back. read more

Everything was salty. I sat at the end of the long bench (which meant I had to keep getting up whenever anyone needed to get in and out). Delicious bread, but everything else was mediocre. Maybe I went on an off night? Not interested in going back. read more

Food was good but nothing extraordinary. Our pork shoulder took a very long time to arrive, and our server ignored us for a long time. It was salty. There was no apology for the food taking a long time to arrive. The group next to us who arrived after we did left before we did. The dessert menu was underwhelming. Ambiance was lacking. Felt like a sardine. read more

My favorite place to eat in Chicago. Amazing options for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike, really knowledgable and helpful staff, and great wine selections. Their take-out options during the pandemic live up to their very high standards. read more

girlfriend is a fatty. she wanted to eat all of the dates herself! but we were reasonable and split, having 2 each. yes, the chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce is THAT GOOD. to be honest, if you get that, there's nothing else you need to get. EVERYTHING tastes bland in comparison. the little kick of spice makes the meal. the sweet dates makes the meal go over the moon. trust me, do not get anything besides that. if anything get a plate for yourself. DON'T SHARE the chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce. YOU WILL REGRET NOT HAVING MORE! read more