Great place!! The interior is okay. There's limited seatings. About 4 long tables and a bar. People would have to share seatings with other people because there's no tables that fits a small group. We made reservations for 9:30 but we came a little early and they sat us right away. We ordered the chorizo stuffed medjool dates, butcher steak, and slow roasted pork shoulder. The portions are smaller than usual since each entree is meant to be shared. Everything was so good! I especially liked the steak. It was not too done but not too rare. It was cooked so perfectly! Not only was the food good, but the service was excellent! My water was filled literally every time I finished it, they changed our plates for every entree, and they were extra friendly. The service was definitely above and beyond my expectations! read more

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Given the hype and popularity of this restaurant, the food is good enough but not mind-blowing. If only Yelp could do 3.5 stars! We arrived at 5:30pm on a Saturday for the three of us, and even though we were told the wait would be 45 mins, we only waited for around 25 minutes or so. All the seats inside are communal, so space is a little tight and you will be sharing a table with other guests. We ordered: - Beet salad: roasted beets with yogurt and fried lentils. A refreshing starter, this was recommended by our waitress, but I could probably do without this dish. - Chorizo-stuffed medjool dates: probably the highlight of the meal. It's like a really tender meatball that melts in your mouth, along with the sweetness from the dates. - Paella (half-portioned) - the rice is very flavorsome and moist, but I didn't quite like the snail boudin (sausage). Pretty average dish. - Pork shoulders: the meat is very tender, but halfway through there isn't enough sauce to moisten it up and it gets a little dry. I do love the broth that is cooked with fregola pasta, clams and peas. A pretty substantial portion for meat-lovers out there. - Chocolate rhubarb semifreddo: a rich, thick mousse covered in a chocolate shell. Not a bad dessert. Overall a good experience, not sure if I would come back. But I know their focaccia bread (stuffed with cheese and truffle oil) is very popular, and if it weren't for the amount of food that we've already ordered, I would totally get that too! read more

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If I had to give anyone one recommendation for a restaurant in Chicago, Avec would be it. When walking in initially, you may be turned off by how compact this restaurant is. The seating was very tight and by the end of our meal we were arm to arm with our neighbors as this was a very busy night. However, the wonderfully kind servers did their best to make up for this by giving us a complimentary dessert and our neighbors complimentary champagne. By this, I assume it is not as tight of a fit every night. To be honest, we were unbothered by our cramped shared table because we were so distracted by our food. Each dish was perfectly prepared and brought out at an appropriate time. My friend and I came for restaurant week and started with a bottle of Jane Ventura 2010 for $35 on this week's menu which was amazing! This Tempranillo was a perfect warm wintery wine that paired well with our meal. I'm actually going to try to order it after writing this review! The two of us ordered one restaurant week special which included 5 dishes plus an order of the Brandade (recommended by our lovely waitress) which was more than enough food for the both of us. We actually came home with some leftovers as well. I believe this may be one of Chicago's best restaurants. read more

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We liked it but apparently not as much as most people. The food was good, the service at the bar was very good, but again, is another annoyingly long wait in a place that only takes reservations until 530p. The chorizo stuffed bacon wrapped dates were good but I've had better plain bacon wrapped dates because you can better appreciate the sweet and salty dichotomy. These have too many flavors going on - spicy, salty, sweet, and tangy. I wasn't super impressed. The field greens salad was good but maybe don't waste your experience on a salad you can easily recreate with some quality ingredients. Oysters were teeny tiny! The lemony flavor was nice but not worth $18. Lastly, we got half order of paella. The rice was meh, with a weird aftertaste. The shrimp was somewhat fishy. Chicken was fine. The sausage was definitely the best part. We would go back if it weren't for the long wait, and if friends wanted to, but wouldn't make a special trip there. read more

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***I did not like the brunch dishes at Paul Kahan's well regarded Avec, but the chorizo-stuffed and bacon wrapped dates were delicious and memorable; maybe a return for dinner is needed to experience the best that Avec has to offer*** Avec is part of Paul Kahan's restaurant empire, which also includes Publican and his Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant Blackbird. Avec is a casual small plates restaurant that reminds me of Los Angeles' AOC (both restaurants have French and Spanish inspired menus, a wood burning oven and a collection of both small and large plates for sharing). Avec is primarily known for dinner, but it is also open for Sunday brunch. Their Sunday brunch menu is fairly limited when it comes to dinner-like courses. The brunch menu is comprised mostly of egg dishes and sweets like a wood oven baked French toast and a daily breakfast pastry. Avec does feature one of their signature small plates (chorizo-stuffed and bacon wrapped medjool dates) and I started with them. The dates were very good. The date was nicely sweet and was perfectly balanced by a crispy, salty and smoky wrapping of bacon as well as a moist, soft and spicy stuffing of chorizo. The dates sat on a piquillo pepper-tomato sauce that provided a warm and comforting heat. The dates also came with very good bread. The bread was a freshly baked roll that had a crispy and chewy exterior and a soft and airy interior. I was hoping the rest of the courses would live up to those dates, but unfortunately they did not. The hanger steak was served with bitter radicchio and saba as well as a fried egg. The hanger steak was moist but too chewy and the beefy flavor was ruined by the too bitter radicchio and the saba, which was too vinegary, too acidic and too sour. Hanger steak is a cheaper cut and is harder to cook and thus it tends to be chewier than a lot of steak cuts, but I have had much more satisfying preparations of hanger steak at Suzanne Goin's restaurants (Lucques, AOC and Tavern). I ended the brunch with a sweet note--their daily breakfast pastry, which was a salted caramel doughnut. The doughnut looked great. It had a sticky salted caramel glaze. Unfortunately, it did not really taste like a doughnut. Instead, it tasted like a dense dry bread or a bagel. It was very bland too and there was too much bread to glaze. Service was very good as the staff was personable and the food came out at a quick pace. Prices were okay. Almost everything on the menu was $15 and below and the small plates here were quite filling. Avec has a good design. The room has a narrow and rectangular setup (like a rail train). This setup along with the two doors to get into the restaurant give the dining room an exclusive feeling. The room is simple but nice and contemporary with attractive light colored wood. The chorizo stuffed and bacon wrapped dates were very memorable and worthy of Avec's strong reputation. Unfortunately, I found the rest of the food disappointing. What I had though were more brunch-like items so maybe a return for dinner is needed to truly experience the best that Avec has to offer. I believe street parking in this area is free. read more

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High energy, loud, boisterous conversations on communal tables, spurred on by great, unpretentious food and perfectly matched wines. This is avec. No slight to West Coast yelpers, but at avec, friends and food come before social media and taking pics. The atmosphere alone will make you feel like a fool for engaging in such trivial matters. avec captivates from the start. It is impossible not to get excited as dishes are placed by your closely seated neighbors. The aromas, the sights, ahhhh... Straight to it, the food. All dishes are meant to be shared. Portion sizes are good. 3-4 dishes should suffice for two diners. The chorizo stuffed medjool dates live up to the hype. Sweet paired with the right amount of spicy, porky goodness. The accompanying piquillo pepper tomato sauce adds excellent acidity that perfectly balances the dish and accentuates the natural sweetness of the pork. The brandade; near perfect. Peppery olive oil adds a huge richness when whipped with the reconstituted salt cod. A good dose of raw garlic adds a sulfuric finish that elevates the flavors. For large plates, props to the slow roasted pork shoulder. Served in its own "crock" over curried lentils, roasted young Brussels sprouts, dried apricots and apples, this is a winner. The strong aroma of turmeric and curry spices perfumes the air long before you take the first bite. The pork; juicy, fall apart tender with just the right amount of residual fat to balance the dish. Shred the pork shoulder with a fork then mix the entire dish up. The flavors complement each other perfectly. Short but very well chosen wine list focusing on France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. There are NO wines from the US and rightfully so. Reinvented, old world foods pairing with modern interpretations of old world wines. Prices are fair with the average bottle at $40. Service friendly, unobtrusive, and Midwest sensible (meaning, if you need to flag someone down, you don't get attitude). Need a reminder why we eat out? avec awaits. read more

Came to Avec to celebrate my boo thang's birthday and upon arriving at 6:32pm we were told the wait would be about 47 minutes and we could go have a drink else where and they would text us when it was time to be seated. So seeing how I needed to get to my 10K step goal for the day we walked around and found a bar to drink (water for me) and wait at. About 30 minutes later we got the text that a spot at Avec's bar was awaiting us and we had 10 minutes to get back. Our hungry gave us that Carl Lewis speed we needed to walk/run back 4 blocks. We got back with 2 minutes to spare and was seated at the bar directly in front of the stove which was awesome because we got to interact with the staff and watch all the food be cooked. Everything we ate was truly amazing! Also, the staff was friendly, funny and offered up great recommendations. I will definitely be back coming back to Avec again. If you haven't dined here yet, well you need to ASAP. For our meal we decided to get *Cheese selection: I believe we got Montenebro from Spain, Comte St. Antoine from France and Robiola Rochetta from Italia. Each bite of these cheeses had this dairy lover on cloud 9. *Chorizo stuffed Medjool Dates blew my f'ing mind. These dates will good you food dreams that will have you drooling when you wake up. The spiciness of the chorizo paired with the sweetness of the Medjool Dates set my taste buds to dancing and the bacon wrapped around the dates just topped it off perfectly. These are must tries! *Charred octopus which was so fresh, so flavorful, so good! *Kibbeh Sausage which was pump and juicy. *Squid Ink Pasta with Sardines was the perfect way course to end our dining experience. I never had sardines before and I'll probably never eat them again...unless the chef at Avec is making them for me. read more

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Avec was our final meal before departing Chicago, a last hurrah to the city and snow before we headed back to O'Hara. It's one of many successful restaurants under Paul Kahan, a wine-focused dining space that first opened in 2003. Although the restaurant has received more praise for the eclectic, ever-changing menu that pulls from many different cuisines and genres, it's nonetheless yet another quintessential Chicago restaurant. We arrived on the early end of a weekend brunch, as Avec does not take reservations; thankfully, at the time, there were only a few other parties present, so we were quickly greeted and seated at a table. The dining room is bright, featuring light woodwork, and the single row of dining tables in addition to the bar seating can be deemed minimalistic. It's a clear counter to the diversity of dishes found on their menu, which are small(er) plates, and best when shared. Each is as tempting as the last, and it's not difficult to overorder; three dishes is a good starting point between two people, unless, of course, you have sizable appetites like the two of us. One of the must-order dishes at Avec is the Chorizo-stuffed Medjool Dates. Lovers of the combination of sweet and savory will instantly appreciate this pairing, which consists of plump medjool dates stuffed with diced chorizo and then wrapped in a strip of smoky bacon. The dish is served in a spicy-tart piquillo pepper-tomato sauce, a perfect foil to the flavors, and can thankfully be ordered in a small (2) or large (4) size. We weren't as impressed with the Poached Eggs, which were served on sourdough with 'nduja, a condiment made of spicy, soft pork sausage. Perhaps it was the preserved lemon hollandaise, which tread towards being too acidic, but the pairing of ingredients didn't seem as harmonious. There's also a dish listed as the "Deluxe" Focaccia, a dish that wound up being the equivalent of a flatbread pizza. The focaccia was a commendable texture, simultaneously crisp and doughy, and held a center layer of ricotta. There were a few herbs to add some freshness as well as the all-too familiar drizzle of truffle oil; while delicious, it became rather heavy towards the halfway point. In hindsight, it would be better to serve a smaller portion of it as an appetizer, as it would make a perfect starter for a group. We barely had room for the Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder, a hefty serving of tender pork served in a lentil stew with onions, brussels sprouts, raisins, and a few slices of apple. It was a delicious and well seasoned dish, and ideal for the colder months, especially as the pork shoulder had just the right ratio of lean to fatty meat. I have to commend Avec on delivering a strong dining experience, from the delicious and well-executed food to the thoughtful service. They were kind enough to let us linger after our meal as we tried to figure out our next course of action (limited in scope given the nature of Chicago winters), and if we hadn't had to board a plane that afternoon, I'd have been tempted to return that evening for dinner. read more

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I saved the best for last on my Chicago weekend of eating! I love and seek out Mediterranean food whenever possible, and Avec was a standout among the rest. Communal tables are cute, albeit cramped. But the food and service quickly made up for this. Went for brunch. Pro tip: reservations accepted for brunch/lunch only! Waits can be daunting for dinner. Food favorites: + Pastry of the day - carrot Apple bread with spiced walnut butter: UNREAL. This may be the best loaf bread I've ever had. Super moist and flavorful... And that spiced BUTTER! + hummus with homemade pita and soft poached egg + avocado toast - best I've had in a while + yogurt with fall fruits - simple but done perfectly + papas bravas - a must get I'll be back to try dinner (now that I've deemed it well worth the wait) and for another taste of the pastry of the day! read more

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Avec was recommended to us as a must-try. We had no idea Avec's sister restaurants with The Publican and Blackbird, but it makes sense because we also LOVED those. We had a reservation for lunch, which I highly recommend, since the place got packed pretty quickly. The restaurant consists of all countertop seating and communal tables, so don't be shy! We really enjoyed all the items we shared: - werp farm greens: light, refreshing salad. Loved the touch of the lavander almonds! - salmon tartine: the beet muhamarra was delicious - and a half order of the chorizo-stuffed medjool dates for the meat eater, didn't try these but they seem to be an overall favorite and yes, you can do a half order of these The service here is superb. We ordered a small salad, but they accidentally gave us a large and then comped it. WHAT?! Super nice of them and we weren't expecting that at all. Definitely one of the best meals we had in Chicago! read more

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The first plate came after one hour and 15 minutes and it was over burned.. The second plate .. were still waiting.. 45 minutes and counting. read more

I was so glad finally to make it to Avec. The cuisine has intrigued and enticed me for several months. It really helps to have a guide who knows the menu, as I did, because there are so many great choices that an indecisive orderer like me could probably end up spinning my wheels until they kicked me out. I wish that I had tried one or two more dishes (particularly the hanger steak, boar sausage, or pork shoulder) but that's easy to say sitting here with an empty stomach. I'll just have to return again soon... We started with the dates (hold that thought) and a newer menu item, the potato/cauliflower salad with sun-dried tomatoes, green beans, and anchovy vinaigrette. I really liked the earthier flavors of the potato and cauliflower together with the more traditionally salad/"green" flavor of the beans. Do not fear that the anchovy vinaigrette will overwhelm the other flavors--it did nothing but nudge and accent. Well done. The bacon/chorizo dates have quite a reputation, and deservedly so. I notoriously do NOT eat fruit and meat together. It took a lot of arm-twisting to make this exception, and I have to say that this dish came very close to making me forget about my rule. The date flavor comes in late, and the sweetness is strongly handled (almost banished) by the savory/spicy chorizo. This sausage, made in house, is flat-out amazing. I could eat it plain with bread and be very happy. Probably the weakest aspect of the dish was the texture, not the flavor, of the dates. They were just a bit of mush being crushed under the weight of the meats. The red-pepper sauce is a perfect complementary touch. We intended to order a fourth dish, but as it happened, the brandade was our last of the evening. They brought us extra bread, and we practically cleaned the bowl. If you are thinking "What--pureed fish and cheese dip?" please don't skip it for that reason. It does not taste overly "fishy" and was really sort of...delicately rich? Is that a paradox? None of the flavors are too heavy, but it is very flavorful. The brandade would have been a great "in between" course, except that we filled up on it and didn't feel like eating more meat. Oh well, I'll just have to make another visit when I am feeling more carnivorous (i.e. days ending in "y"). Come early to get a seat! read more

Sunday Brunch Review Tips: -They don't take reservations and you have to get there at 9:55- well, I strongly recommend that. -Don't complain about communal dining- if you don't want to do it, then don't come here. It's a laid back restaurant that stretches wide as other Yelp reviews have mentioned -Come with 2-4 people. If you're cool with sitting on the counter cause it's just two of ya- that's great! -Don't bring kids- not enough space -ORDER a PIZZA! Those flavors, that spice, that sunny side up egg, perfect to share. The crust is 'finishable' worthy. Probably the best breakfast pizza I have had in Chicago. -French toast has a strong lemon taste if you like that. -They have great tea- but I got an expresso and Bourbon for 8 bucks and that made my Sunday morning! Will I come again? Sure, if I'm up early and going with 1-2 people. But not rushing! read more

Avec - Chicago - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Avec was ok. I wish I had liked it more given all the hype it has received since it has been open! I feel like I hear about Avec so much, much more than any other similar tier restaurant in the Chicago area. Perhaps it was the fact that I came for brunch, but the offerings felt really standard and though they sounded nice on the menu, many lacked complex flavors or success in ingredient pairing. I was so excited to try Avec, but wasn't totally satisfied with the food for the price point. Specifically the fried potatoes and shakshuka were really yummy, but the French toast was seriously lacking. Maybe I'll give it another try for lunch or dinner, but wasn't impressed. read more

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Avec and Au Cheval are nearby restaurants with similar popularity, similar styles of taking no advance reservations, and fantastic food. We were dropped off at Randolph Street and smartly put our names down for both hotspots. Even on a weekday night, both places were packed with people and had lines out the door. Lucky for us, our wait at Avec was totally doable. At an estimated time of 40 minutes, the wait was really under 30 minutes and we soon found ourselves sitting and hungry among a communal table of other passionate diners. The atmosphere (to me) is very reminiscent of NYC's Momofuku Ssam Bar. A long narrow restaurant lined with communal tables on one side and bar seating on the other. It gets loud and crowded inside and expect to sit close to fellow patrons as well as overhear conversations. Nice thing is that the wait staff are efficient and quick with both recommendations and orders and totally expert at navigating through the tight spaces and keeping all the dinner parties separate among each table. Our selection: Chorizo stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce - $12. Their signature appetizer and brought to the table very quickly. They must sell a ton of this order and for good reason. It's absolutely delicious. A true explosion of flavor from the salty chorizo sausage to the sweet medjool dates to the smokiness of the bacon. It's all brought together by the mildly spicy pepper-tomato sauce that I poured on top of each piece. Order this. Spiced Lebnah Cheese with Roasted Apricots, Cilantro, Green Almonds, and Flatbread - $14. A very flavorful cheese that is mixed with a wonderful salad of apricots, cilantro, and almonds. It's a very Mediterranean dish and has those signature flavors. Hand Cut Pappardelle Pasta with Mushroom Bolognese, Madeira, and Crescenza Cheese - $18. Super fresh pasta cooked perfectly al dente. The mushroom sauce is amazing as is the piece of soft cheese on top. A wonderful dish. Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder with Pocha Beans, Cider Braised Chorizo, and Clams - $24. We actually ordered the wood oven paella, but they accidentally brought this instead. I didn't say anything as I had been eyeing the clams and pork shoulder dish of a nearby dining patron and actually wanted to try some. It's great. The pork shoulder is super tender. The clams are flavorful and well seasoned. You mix the thing together and the beans and sausage just add to the mix. It's almost TOO flavorful. I almost wish I had some white rice to pair with it. But very good. A very generous portion too. We couldn't finish it. Overall, we had a great meal at Avec. Top notch drinks and some very great food. The waitresses recommendations of how many dishes to order was spot on and the tapas style allows the sampling of many different flavors. If there was one criticism, it's that I personally found the communal table and loudness much but I can see how the trendy crowd loves it. As for the inability to make reservations, with advance planning, it wasn't too much an issue, even at a prime dining hour. Avec takes credit cards, including American Express. read more

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My father, brother, and I came here for lunch and had a great meal that I would give an easy 4 stars. Kelly, our server, was really nice as was everyone else we encountered here, but I'm adding the 5th star for Blake who was fantastic! The layout is simple, narrow, and cool. I like how, depending on where you're sitting, you can see the cooks and servers hard at work. For food, we went with: Chorizo-stuffed medjool dates, Charred beet tartine, Smoked Salmon tartine, and the Avec burger. All the sandwiches and tartines come with a choice of marinated lentil salad or spiced chips as a side. We got both. Everything was great. The bread that came with the dates was nice and crusty and perfect for sopping up the remaining piquillo pepper sauce. Each tartine had it's own unique flavor as did the burger and everything was made with quality ingredients, precision, and care. I did prefer the marinated lentil salad over the chips, but they weren't bad. A great spot for lunch, brunch, or dinner. I definitely intend on returning for all the above. read more

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I'm sorry but I'm not onboard the Avec train ----not yet at least. I would be willing to give it another try. I think the issue was that my dining partner picked out all the items for us that night and passed up suggestions I made that I thought I'd like. Nonetheless, I wasn't impressed as I know all before me have been. When we got there around 830 on a weeknight, we actually had no wait! We were off to a good start. I'm not a fan of this type of seating where you are two inches away from the couple next to you but it seems that's a theme at Paul Kahan's restaurants (cue Publican & Blackbird). Our waitress was super duper nice so points for that. I came from a Sake tasting so was already in a spirited mood, I ordered a beer once sitting down at Avec. They were out of the first beer I ordered so I then went with Cerveja Sagres. We started with the chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce for $9. So many friends have told me how amazing the dates are and the friend I was with couldn't stop gushing about them before we arrived. I took one bite and my mouth was on fire. I'm admittedly very weak with spicy food but it was so strong on the dates that not only could I not taste any of the actual flavor to them but I couldn't taste any flavor at all in my next dish either. I was not into the dates at all and definitely will not get them again. We also got the Avec bread when we sat down and that was very fluffy & light, loved it. For our second plate, we got the marinated hanger steak with puy lentils, melted bone marrow, spinach, tomato, oranges and fried capers for $14. As I said, I really couldn't taste any flavor due to the dates but what I did taste was just mediocre. I was excited about this because who doesn't love bone marrow!? But alas, I was let down with it. For our third plate, we got the wood-oven roasted pork shoulder with braised chestnuts and cabbage, parsnips and roasted apple for $21. This was the best dish of the night and I liked it but was not blown away. The pork was in a miso type of broth and by now I was able to taste flavor a bit again! For dessert we got the housemade chocolate crisps for $9. My favorite candy bar is a Crunch bar and this was like homemade giant sheets of Crunch bar! It was my personal favorite of the night plus it came in milk & dark chocolate! I would get this again in a second. All in all, I'll ride the Avec train again but hope my second experience brings my review more stars. read more

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We have a close friend in Chicago--shoutout to Monika S.--that swears by Avec as her favorite restaurant, so it almost seemed like a travesty wrapped in an enigma that the wife and I had never been. That has now been rectified. So in my Longman & Eagle review, I noted that L&E reminded me of Austin's Barley Swine, one of the best meals from the American (New), trendy-casual, no reservations, you'll wait and you'll like it school of restaurantery. Well, if I could combine L&E's gastronomically heightened food with Avec's uber-communal environment, you'd get Barley Swine to a T. Avec is close-quarters dining, a long stretch of eight-tops plus elevated bar seating, where you're squashed next to a fellow diner whether you know him or her or not. That means you get to be envious of their food and-or conversation and-or dining companion, unless you ordered better or are especially loquacious or brought a smokin' hottie. So if that's your bag, you'll dig Avec. If food is your primary reason for racking up dining rewards points on your credit card, then Avec has you covered too. It's more traditional--whatever that means when it's a Basque restaurant in Chicago--than innovative, but it's unmistakably delicious. The wife and I went with three dishes, though I surely could have ordered more based on description alone, if not for the cost and the stomach real estate. We started with the brandade, a delightfully creamy and delicious dish, and sort of an amalgam of the creaminess of Robuchon's mashed potatoes and the buttery fattiness of Le Comptoir's crazy good bone marrow. Yes, I just dropped Paris references, and now I hate myself for food snobbery. Our next dish, the summer squash, was a flavor-texture mishmash medley--smokiness from the charred squash, creaminess from the feta, spiciness from the shishito pepper (yes, I landed the coveted one in ten), crispy sweetness from the nuts, mintiness from the...mint. It's a fantastic summertime vegetarian dish. We ended with the way too big paella. My wife was very hesitant as it comes with snail boudin, while I fancied how the sausages were sneakily shaped as large escargot. My take is that it was boudin blanc, but I can't fully verify. The paella's chicken was hit-or-miss, as some parts were tasty while others dry. I really enjoyed the charred rice, while my wife liked the fluffy, saucy parts. That got along amiably with the dish. By then, we were too full for dessert or anything else. If anything, a party of four would have been perfect for small plates sharing, so long as you get to Avec at an unreasonable hour in order to avoid an unreasonable wait. Live and learn, I guess. read more

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Tough call. I was going to go to Blackbird or Avec for my 5th meal of the day. Hindsight is 20/20, they say. When I walked in, the space was bustling, but the entire space was pretty small. The counter seating is first come-first serve, so if you're a lone diner like myself, it works out perfectly. I cheerfully sat at the counter. Aesthetically, it has the wall-to-wall wood paneled modern look, except that because of its small size and shape, it was like being in a wooden shoebox. I watched the folks behind the counter squeeze by each other and was amazed they could get by. The first 5 min of service was friendly, and then POOF nothing after. I had plates picked up by expediters; that's it. To drink, I had a Royal Jamaican Ginger Beer and started with the oil poached tuna salad, capped with a beautiful halved soft-cooked egg. The salt from the olives were great, the dressing creamy without soaking the leaves.. ..then my main arrived. I had the papparadelle pasta with a mushroom (vegetarian) bolognese. The sauce was amazing; the mushrooms were tender, but the sauce was not like bolognese. Again, it was really good, but the description... The pasta was very thick and doughy. I was tempted to ask for bread just so I could enjoy the sauce and bypass the pasta altogether, but my server was non-existent yet he continued to provide service to others around me (?) There is so much good food in Chicago, I'm sure I won't be back, but check it out for yourself; I may have been in on an off day. read more

Avec - Chicago - Tuna salad with soft egg, mushrooms with pappardelle - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Simply one of the best and consistent places to eat in Chicago. My first visit at the River North location was exceptional. Such a fun place to gather with friends, after such a long quarantine. Can't recommend enough. read more

Oh Avec! You were such a treat! Jason and I came here before heading to the Chicago Bulls basketball game. Yes, it is an odd choice for dinner before a sporting event but it was good nonetheless. :) At first, I felt silly walking in because it took us a second to figure out just where the door was. The set up for this place is really cool. Low lights, wooden walls, simple chairs and tables gave this place a really cool vibe. Or I'm just easily impressed. The party next to us were all drinking their expressos and speaking french - loved it! We ordered the Chorizo-stuffed Medjool dates with smoked bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce and pork shoulder. The dates arrived first and I wasn't too impressed, they were spicy and sweet but didn't really blow me away. Not terrible by any means but not what I expected. The pork however, made the meal magical. The meat was so tender it feel right apart when I pulled it with my fork. So juicy and very flavorful. Excuse me as I wipe my mouth of drool. I definitely recommend trying this out. For drinks, we voted against wine, even though they have a large selection of enticing wines, we figured beers at the game were good. Instead we went with masala chai tea and cafe avec. Both were very good too! What also made me fall a little more in love with this place was the bill. Not just the fact that it inexpensive for a very good meal but the waiter hand wrote our bill. I don't know why but I thought that was really personable and cute. (I don't know if they do this normally or maybe they were just out of thermal paper for the printer - still nice) read more

Avec - Chicago - prok shoulder - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Average food for the most part one three of the four things we tried being the mussels (ends of the squid bouillabaisse were burnt), the chorizo wrapped dates (way too much meat - not enough date so barely sweet), and the chicken liver crostini. (huge chunk of liver - mostly in excess- nothing special - strong taste) The squid ink pasta was good but not exceptional. The first round of food (dates and pasta) probably came within 15 minutes; second round was more about 45-50 minutes. Felt a little long for what it was and another table that had been seated after us had been served much quicker. Waitress never checked in unless I stared her down; so service was pretty slow, and not the best. Unlikely to return given the service to the quality of the food. read more

Let's start with the chorizo stuffed bacon wrapped dates. I liked everything from the smokiness to the chorizo, prob the best chorizo I've had in a long time. These days bacon wrapped dates have been lackluster (ie Ba-ba-reeba), but Avec adds life to the dish which I lusted for many moons ago. Whipped brandade generally consists of salted cod, olive oil, and milk. This was a very unique and interesting flavor to me. My first bite felt like I was a Polynesian voyager setting foot on the bare Mediterranean coast of France. The only problem with the dish was it was really heavy. My father and I were struggling to finish it and got bored of it towards the end. So I recommend ordering it as a group of 3 or 4 pilgrims. Hanger steak...really hard steak to prepare. If you don't have the right marinade or heat, it can get quite chewy. But, my hat's off to Avec, followed by a curtsy. The pan fried rouget / red mullet fish was recommendable as well. A little bit oily, but packed with great taste. I felt a lot of the dishes that I ordered was on the heavy and oily side. I wish I ordered wine instead of beer or even a salad to cut the grease. After I COLONize Avec, I may conquer the lands of Blackbird. read more

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Expensive, uncomfortable, loud, and just ok. This perhaps has been one of the biggest disappointments of my dining adventures in Chicago. This is my first time in Avec (will definitely be my last) and I had heard wonderful things about the place. What a disappointment our experience here was. Firstly, the restaurant is very small, doesn't take reservations, has shared tables and is EXTREMELY noisy! I could barely hear my fiancée and this made conversation difficult and uncomfortable. Furthermore, our table neighbors (seated in our same table and with which I constantly rubbed shoulders) were annoyingly loud. Food was just OK. We started by sharing the Serrano Ham platter and started with the wrong foot. Simple, uncreative, boring. No other way to describe it. We followed with the salmon starter and it was an improvement, still nothing impressive. We continued with a whole fish that was actually pretty good! But definitely not worth $42. For desert, we concluded with a cheesecake "with chocolate", which turned out to be a chocolate cheesecake (and I'm not a big fan of chocolate). Overall, our experience was only ok. I am disappointed because I had heard great things about Avec and there was nothing great about our dinner. The only "great" thing was the bill: UBER EXPENSIVE and totally not worth it (and we didn't even order wine). read more

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Avec, oh Avec. I was going to leave Chicago thinking that the town had nothing to offer in the culinary aspect. I mean, I went to a Spanish tapas place people raved about and found it quite disappointing. I went to Top Chef Rick Bayless's restaurant and left thinking it was good but didn't amaze. I had the world famous hot dogs and pizzas but I've had better dogs and pizza in LA. But Avec, oh Avec, you've got a hold on me. You've really got a hold on me. Enter the elongated room where they've definitely made the most of their space. Behind the counter you have the chefs, the bartender. There are a couple seats at the counter and long tables from the entrance to the exit. Get comfortable with not having personal space because you'll probably be sitting next to strangers that can hear everything that you say, so you should probably save the illegal business and family drama for later. I ask the waiter for a white wine that isn't too sweet, mildly fruity, and crisp tasting. He brings a vinho verde which was actually perfect for what I wanted. Then we look to the "tapas-like" menu, where everything is made to be shared. Everyone raves about the chorizo stuffed dates. And I will add to that raving. The dates add a subtle sweetness to the chorizo and the bacon wraps all of that up in a perfect, tidy package. The tomato sauce encompasses the meatballs in perfect harmony and adds a great spicy kick. This comes with fresh baked rustic bread that pairs very well with the meat. We also had the sunchoke (root of a plant similar to sunflower, we were told) crostini (little bread) with shaved Brussels sprouts, radish, in a light delicious truffle vinagrette. This was absolutely amazing. It has a very nutty flavor as the sunchoke is some sort of flower root that they mash up and the consistency tastes almost like hummus --served on crunchy bread. The shaved radish and Brussels sprouts on top added a great crunchy texture. And this not being enough, we also felt compelled to order the wood-oven braised pork shoulder which is a large item (as if the 2 small ones before weren't already big enough for two hungry girls). This comes complete with mussels, tripe, and grape tomatoes. This dish actually had a very Asian inspired taste to it. Maybe it was the tripe. Maybe it was the spices. Either way, the pork just melts in your mouth and every bite is better than the last. And then, as if all of that wasn't enough, we had to order the pear tart. It was almost like a crumble tart and it tasted pretty good with the spiced pumpkin-y ice cream on top. Thank you, Avec. It was truly a delicious culinary experience. Oh. P.S. One of the chefs is totally good looking and I couldn't help but stare. He was making awesome focaccia and the crostinis. :) read more

The food is great, especially the Chorizo filled date, perfectly spicy, a great innovation. The paella Waac just so so though. Would come again read more

Avec - Chicago - Chorizo - stuffed Medjool Dates - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went here for a Friday lunch with my teammates from work. One of the girls like this place and she recommended it. The place has minimal interior and communal tables. So unless you have a big party you might end up sharing a table with someone else. Also, you might want to make a reservation before you go or check for the wait time coz it is packed and there is a reason for it. The food is delicious!! The atmosphere is amazing too, especially during summer. The service, I thought was a little slow, we had to wait for about 30 mins to get our food. We ordered paella, salmon tartine, hummus and affogato for dessert. Paella was great tasting, so was the salmon tartine - the salmon was cooked beautifully. The hummus was okay, nothing special about it. The affogato was great too, its nothing new but it felt and tasted amazing at the time. Though a bit pricy which you should expect from all restaurants in this area, it was a nice experience and I will go back if I get a chance. read more

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We came here a little before 5pm and the place was almost full!!! We were shocked. The seating is a bit odd for such an upscale place. Be prepared for a lot of moving in and out of your seat if you are sitting on the outside of the community style tables. The lack of seating space wont allow for much privacy in your conversations during dinner. The food here was relatively good. We only ordered three dishes: chorizo stuffed medjool dates (delicious!) couscous salad (delicious!) braised pork shoulder (only ok) Total came to about $44. Not super expensive, but not cheap either. Not sure if I'll be back for a while to Avec. read more

Came here after being told that Girl and the Goat would be a two hour wait and I am so glad I did! We were quoted 45m to an hour wait time, but it ended up being closer to 30 minutes. The restaurant is really small - basically a narrow room with a bar down one side and tables down the other with a walkway in the middle. Tables were long and communal, but at the same time I didn't feel crowded at all and had room to put my belongings on the bench next to me. They note that everything here is meant to be shared, but the items were definitely not NYC tapa sized. We came in wanting to order two apps and two mains, but our waitress kindly explained that would be too much food and we would be better off ordering two apps and one main. We went with the following: 1) Chorizo-stuffed madjool dates - I've had dates wrapped in other types of meat at other restaurants before, but they all pale in comparison to this dish. These were SO good and I probably could have eaten all four myself. I've never seen dates so big, and the sweetness of the date perfectly complimented the savory chorizo. Do yourself a favor and get this. If you are with a party of four get two servings because you will want to eat more than one. 2) Whipped brandade - I liked this as well, it was super rich and creamy, so it worked just right with the toasted bread they brought out alongside it. It came out piping hot and I burned my tongue several times - my own fault - because I'm not patient enough. 3) Slow roasted pork shoulder - we chose this for our large plate and while it was solid, it was my least favorite dish of the night. The flavors were good (interesting mix of spices and vegetables), but the pork shoulder wasn't as tender as it could have been, and the portion was too overwhelming. 4) Warm pumpkin bread pudding - DELICIOUS. Sweet but not overwhelmingly so, and came out nice and warm with ice cream on top. Perfect ending to our meal. In conclusion, GO if you're in Chicago. Prices were so reasonable as well (~$50 a head with wine, tax and tip). I definitely plan to be back one day with a larger group so I can try more of their dishes. read more

Avec - Chicago - Winning dish of the night -- chorizo stuffed madjool dates - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Loved this place! We walked in on a sat night at 730 and told it was about an hour wait. Grabbed drinks across the street and came back at 830. We ended up having to wait until closer to 9 to get seated. However they were super nice and comp'd us some drinks and dessert. We really had amazing service. I wish I had gotten our server's name. He was brunette with a beard - he was awesome! He totally told us we were ordering too much and he was right. Most places wouldn't care to tell u that. Hands down favorite -- focaccia bread with cheese and truffle oil. The bread is so thin, light and crispy and truffle oil gives it that final decadent touch. Mmmmm delish! My only gripe is that it's rather large for 2 ppl and half the portion would have been better so we could fill our tummies with more goodies. We also had the Brussel sprouts slaw salad, chorizo wrapped w/ dates and octopus. The octopus was tender and tasty but didn't seem to have enough pieces in the dish. The guys next to us said the pork shoulder and paella were excellent as well. For dessert we tried the olive oil chocolate cake but honestly were too full to really enjoy it. Overall loved the food and the fun atmosphere. Definitely not a pretentious-feeling restaurant yet has high quality, yummy food. The service really made it stand out for me though. read more

Avec - Chicago - Tasty focaccia! - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Got the following: 1. Asparagus- as good as asparagus can get 2. Burrata Bruschetta- amazing 3. Salmon- good 4. Steak- standard 5. Dates- interesting 6. Hummus- great 7. Focaccia- big but yummy and light 8. Pork shoulder- amazing Highlight of the meal was the burrata bruschetta and pork shoulder! read more

Avec - Chicago - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came here for graduation dinner because I didn't want to eat anywhere else. On a Friday night, for 3 people, the wait was about 20 minutes... which wasn't bad at all. They don't take reservations so be sure to get there earlier. I loved the communal vibe of the restaurant. Makes for some interesting conversations! We ordered the classics: 1) Chorizo stuffed dates 2) Focaccia with truffle oil 3) Pork Shoulder I want to like Avec a lot but the truth is, I think it was definitely overrated. Still great food nonetheless but I wasn't wowed! I did very much enjoy the focaccia because I love truffle oil but the pork shoulder was definitely overrated. The chorizo stuffed dates has a spicy touch but I'd prefer if it was just savory. read more

My boyfriend, another couple and I came here last September when we visited Chicago. So glad to have found this restaurant. It was an awesome place with incredible food!!! Hands down, the best restaurant that we ate at in Chicago. We ate at Alinea the night before and even that, I thought did not compare to Avec. Every dish was amazingly good and the price is pretty reasonable.The wait was about two hours but we were able to order wine and drink while we wait. It was definitely well worth the long wait. If you dont know what to order, like we did, ask the people that work at the place and they will recommend dishes for you. We pretty much ordered what ever they recommended and everything came out spectacular. The dishes that stood out the most were the Chorizo-stuffed Medjool dates with smoked bacon, Wood-Oven Braised Pork Shoulder, BLT Foie Gras, and Tuna Flat Bread. Delicious..my mouth is salvating just thinking about it. Would totally come back to Chicago just for Avec. read more

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I arrive at Avec, awhile back, with my brother and SIL.. We sit down and peruse the menu. Red wine, salami, anchovies, yes, these are a few of my favorite things - and my brother's too, a love for the savory runs in our family. A dish of baby gherkins appears at my elbow. HONEY! It's my favorite bartender from all those years ago at Club Lucky, now a partner at Avec. See my review of Club Lucky for the baby gherkins explanation. I really love this place, and should go more often. The menu really is comprised of all stuff I like. And red wine - who among us does not enjoy a fine glass of the driest Spanish Rioja you can find, in the winter, I ask you! And the little dishes of Spain, ah yes. read more

After reading so many rave reviews, I have been wanting to try Avec with much anticipation. My girlfriend and I finally went for a late dinner and expected to be wowed. What a disappointment. Upon entering we were greeted with an apathetic hostess who barely made eye contact or said hello. After being seated our waiter came over and also had a bit of an attitude. We asked him about an item on the menu and he answered us in a dry cold manner saying one word - "terrific" followed by an awkward silence... Nothing about the content of the dish, the reason for it being so great, etc. We ordered 2 small plates and 1 large plate: the kale panzanella, butcher's steak and rigatoni bolognese. The kale salad dressing was bitter and overly pungent. It had some kind of hot pepper that was not listed on the menu and overpowered the dish, so much so I felt my lips burning. The croutons - a staple of panzanella, were stale and flavorless. And worst of all, barely 2 bites of one of my favorite cheeses - halloumi. Then the steak arrived; I remained hopeful. The meat was well seasoned and tender, albeit a bit undercooked, but I felt it was excessively covered in parsley which overpowered the dish. The portion was also very small for $16. Lastly, the pasta arrived and it was mediocre at best. The onions in the dish were undercooked and overpowering and the flavors just didn't quite go together. To top it all, the interior design may be intended to be "minimalistic chic", but in fact is just uncomfortable. Seats are hard wood flat bottomed, with no back rests. My back was really bothering me by the time we were ready to leave (and I don't suffer from any back problems). Tables are long and rectangular, providing for communal dining - the hefty amount of money one spends in this place is apparently not enough to earn you an inch of privacy. Also, if you grab a table, there are only two seating options - facing the bar (which means you're staring right into people's backs sitting on the bar stools) or facing the wall (which means you're staring at a wooden plain wall with no decorations, pictures, etc.). It felt like a cheap pizza joint. All in all the food was unsatisfying and the service was lacking. The staff was unfriendly, not to mention my girlfriend's water glass went empty several times and we had to call over a server to refill it. The interior design was just flat out wrong. This was an overpriced distasteful experience. read more

My friends always shake their heads in disbelievement when I tell them I have not ever eaten at Avec. "Why not?" they would utter "You've been to every place in town and not Avec? How is that possible?" How was that possible, I wondered. And then I knew the answer. Avec takes no reservations and has communal seating. Two things that don't bode well for business discussions and since about half of my eating out is work related in some way- Avec just fell to the side until I could make a personal visit on a night (Monday) at a time (6pm) where I thought the wait might be minimized. And it was. We were seated immediately at the very back table right in front of the kitchen area. We started with some of the cheeses from "the cave" and the assorted salami plate. Terrific. And the bread that came to the table was so tasty as well. A friend had told me about the chorizo stuffed dates so we had to order those. And he was right. They were exceptional. For entrees- we split the the pasta special of the day which was angel hair pasta with squid. Delicious. And finally, we tried the turkey meatballs with orzo. Perfect as well. While several of that day's desserts sounded tempting- we decided to forego more food for an after dinner drink as we brought the evening to a close. While the food was great- service was a bit off. Our server acted like she didn't know the menu and was slow to come up with suggestions. Also- we shared everything which seemed to again throw her off. But the food made up for any inconsistency in the service, that's for sure. Will communal seating ever be my favorite? I doubt it. And not taking reservations? I'm a girl who hates to wait. But those two things aside- the food makes up for any hesitation I may have had in visiting Avec. And you can bet I'll definitely be back. There are definitely more of those dates in my future! read more

The place is tiny, the noise level can be quite loud at times. When we were seated we were seated at a communal table, it was a bit awkward because we seated in the middle of two parties and had to ask one party to let us in. There were times where our neighboring party was so loud that I was unable to hear the person in front of me. The food on the other hand was magnificent. We had to try the bacon wrapped dates... OMG they were beyond what I was expecting. The bronzino was cooked to perfection. read more

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I must've come on an off-day because I was looking forward to this restaurant from a friends recommendations and from the reviews. The chorizo-stuffed Medjool Dates are certainly a must-get and did not disappoint. We also got Werp Farm Greens and the Deluxe Foccaccia- these two dishes were SUPER SALTY. So salty that my friend noticed my facial expression resembled as if I ate something sour. She tried those dishes too and agreed it wasn't only me- she had been here before and was the one that me it was her #1 favorite restaurant in Chicago. We also enjoyed two cocktails- these are recommended for sure. One was the Mitzvah, and not sure about the other one. The cocktail list on their website is not updated, and I can't recall the other. Props for not offering plastic straws, though. I'm someone that has never sent a dish back to the kitchen, but I regret not doing so that day. I was just confused because it was 2 dishes, not just one that was super salty. I really hope it was an off day, but I honestly don't think I'll be back if I'm in town. read more

Top notch service and overall experience. I love the tight, communal space. Very urban and fun. We opted for the bar seating, and it was lovely. For food, the smoked fish with asparagus was outstanding. I preferred my bites without the lemon peel, but seriously, the grilled asparagus and smokey fish was amazing. I also thought the pork was quite good - I enjoyed the charred pieces and the beans served on the side were very tasty. I'm not much of a pork roast eater, and this was falling apart tender. Definitely something a pork aficionado would enjoy. The carrot dish fell flat for me. I ordered it for the whipped feta, and that didn't have much of a flavor. I would opt for something else next time. Nice cheese selection as well, served with bread, nuts, and a bit of fruit Overall, I recommend Avec for the environment. The service feels like home, and that I thoroughly enjoy. read more

I love Avec. The concept is a little annoying (shared tables, no reservations), but the food made me not care. We went on a cold Sunday night, and the delights inside were the perfect thing to warm us up. We tried the duck confit, chorizo-stuffed dates, and the marinated hangar steak. Each dish was sinfully rich and punched us in the face with flavor. Those dates are one of the best things I've had. Also, the people sitting next to us gave us their last piece of pizza because they were full. See? Communal dining isn't all bad. This was several months ago, and their menu rotates. You'll always have new things to try at Avec. read more

Avec - Chicago - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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