The vibe at Avec is 100 chill. I don't know how to describe it but it's really nice. It is a small restaurant so a reservation is highly recommended. All I have to say before diving into my review is "believe the hype". Avec is a classy yet chill restaurant. The food is very tasty and comes out "family style". My friend and decided to try 2 small plates and one of their dips and that was more than enough for us. We started with the salmon hummus dip with pita bread. I was curious about this combination (fish) with hummus and let me just say that it works. The hummus was fresh, the salmon was cooked to perfection and they balanced one another out. Our second dish was chorizo stuffed medjool dates. To me this was the star of our dinner. The flavor of the chorizo despite it being a bit on the spicy side just worked very well with the sweetness of the dates. The piquillo pepper tomato sauce with the bread was equally delicious. To finish we ordered the grilled butcher steak that was served with a chili sesame crisp. Drink wise, I had the Paper Mache which is a rye based drink. It was tart but tasty. My overall experience was excellent will definitely come back when I am in town . read more

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Great Mediterranean place! The ambiance was amazing and the service was fast and friendly. Would definitely recommend coming here :) read more

Avec - Chicago - Interior - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food was delicious. Had the pizza, chorizo stuffed dates and tomato salad. (Tomatoes could have been a bit more ripe but overall dish was interesting and tasty). Sat at the counter and the service was unfortunately kind of awful. Took our order and never saw him again. Bartender was our server so he was understandably busy. At one point I had to get up and ask the host to get our servers attention so we could order a drink. Pizza took almost 25 minutes after our salad and we were starving. Ambience is great and food was pretty delicious but the service was a miss. Was generally disappointed as this was a splurge for us while on a vacation and went on recommendation from a friend. read more

A very happy Happy Hour. So lucky to be able to enjoy a special Happy Hour with extended family on a beautiful, breezy late summer Friday afternoon. Made a reservation on TOCK. Such a great way to communicate, especially when we were running 15 minutes late. Scored a patio table. So nice to enjoy the sunshine under a wide red umbrella sharing a fun meal with those special someones that you don't see every day. Ordered two of the three half-priced Happy Hour (HH) starters. Available Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 4-5:30 PM. The potato and salted cod brandade with garlic crostini and chives was insanely delicious. This amazing dish from the south of France can be made many different ways, but it's usually some sort of combination of salt cod, potato, garlic, and olive oil. First time trying it but won't be the last. So yummy with the homemade crostini. Such a deal at only $9. So surprised at the full size for the other Happy Hour appetizer that we ordered. The hummus served with roasted baby carrots, smoked almond harissa, spring peas, feta and a hearth baked pita was plenty for our party of four. Another great value at $13 on the HH menu. We also added the 'deluxe' focaccia with taleggio cheese, ricotta, truffle oil and fresh herbs. Perfect to pair with the hummus. Next time will probably try the wood fired Romanesco shakshuka with Tunisian couscous, pickled fresno and tahini. Not a drinker, but my dining companions enjoyed their espresso martinis. Our water glasses were refilled frequently. Top choice in West Loop for Happy Hour with family or friends. read more

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It says a lot when a restaurant has been around for 20 years. Means even more when that neighborhood is the West Loop Avec is a Mediterranean spot that's been doing the shared plate & communal table combo long before it was cool. The first floor gets very crowded and is a bit noisy (but you'll recognize the interior from The Bear!!) Ask to be seated on the second floor if you prefer a more relaxed meal and separated tables. The winter squash was our FAV!! Roasted squash surrounded by labneh drizzled with pickled mango, rose, & petita. Loved how it was sweet and savory with a kick of spice. We scooped the plate clean with our extra pita Medjool dates has been on their menu for twenty years so it's a must try. Bacon wrapped & chorizo stuffed for a sweet, salty, and spicy bite. A whole lot of flavor and the tomato sauce adds that extra bit of acidity to elevate the dish from basic to special ‍ roasted winter squash $20* baby carrot hummus $26 extra pita $2.50* medjool dates $20 minced lamb flatbread $28 pavlova $12 시즌마다 변화되는 웨룹 식당들 사이에서 20년동안 자리를 지켜온 Avec! 피크타임에 가면 사람이 엄청 많으니까 예약 필수다. 일층은 공용 테이블 위주에 시끄러운 분위기고 좀더 조용한 식사를 원한다면 이층으로 부탁드리기 오픈때부터 쭉 메뉴에 있는 시그니쳐 medjool dates. 요건 주문 필수다. 쵸리죠가 들어간 대추를 베이컨으로 감싸 단맛, 짠맛, 매콤함까지 맛볼수있음. 극강의 한입이다. 나머지도 낫배드~ 시카고에 가면 츄라이 read more

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I very much enjoyed the menu that's is offered at this restaurant. I struggle with the seating arrangement knowing that it's a rustic style restaurant. - I preferred Blackbird yet, I understand that these two menus are very different and the concepts are not meant to be synonymous. - Blackbird was a white tablecloth restaurant with an amazing contemporary menu and fantastic service as well as a intimate ambience. I'm so sad to hear that it has closed. read more

TLDR: Solid food, good service, but the cramped setting definitely left more to be desired and detracted from my overall experience. I'd been eyeing this place for a while, and was super excited to celebrate a birthday here. The first thing you notice when you walk in is that the space is quite small. It's a room that's entirely lined with wood and almost like a galley, or the hull of a ship. The seating is "communal," meaning parties are seated together at tables or at the counter. There was only one counter for two left and it was right by the seating hostess, and I have to say it was a bit difficult to enjoy the meal fully with a person standing a foot in front of you, directly facing you, for the entire meal. Awkward! I found myself turning myself towards my friend for a shred of privacy. Also with COVID being so recent, I didn't really like being shoulder to shoulder with other people eating food. Let's get into the food! Prawns with tomatoes (9/10): this was my favorite dish! Prawns in the shell with a spiced chili sauce and tomatoes. Dipping the bread in the fiery briny chili sauce was the best part! Getting the shrimps out of the shell was a bit of a challenge, but they were huge which was nice. Bacon wrapped stuffed dates (7/10): this seemed to be the most popular dish, so I wanted to try it. I thought it was solid, but not incredible. Putting bacon and chorizo together in a single bite makes for a pretty salty experience. The overall flavor reminded me of barbecue sauce, with the smokiness of the chorizo. Not bad, but not mind blowing. Slow roasted pork shoulder (6/10): I would skip this one-- another highly recommended dish that kind of disappointed me. I felt like this dish was strange and difficult to eat. It was a soup/stew like dish with a large piece of pork shoulder (very tender though!) and some yogurt, topped with collard greens, black eyed peas, and a lot of mint and parsley. A lot going on. Eating the dish off a plate was tricky, and I wasn't sure what to do with the soupy part because it didn't come with pita and we didn't get spoons, so we sort of just picked around it. Flavor wise, it didn't blow me away either, though I did find the mint refreshing. Shortrib hummus (8/10): delicious! The shortrib was probably one of the best I've had (in my opinion, better than Galit, but not as good as Aba). One thing that confused me was why this dish was so expensive though ($42!). For a hummus plate! Scratching my head on that one. Overall, I have to say that while the food was good overall, the cramped space and closeness being with other patrons made me too uncomfortable to fully enjoy the space. Communal dining may be en vogue, but I think still being in the shadow of COVID, people are just not crazy about being near each other. In total for 4 dishes the bill came out to $140. Would I come back? Probably not, unless they changed up the seating arrangements. And I think I am going to take my friend out for a second birthday dinner... read more

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Avec is like your friend who's low-key brilliant and never brags. Everything's good--but the chorizo-stuffed Medjool dates are god-tier. Salty, sweet, spicy, melty--it hits every quadrant of your tongue. The braised short rib with polenta and gremolata was a knockout, insanely tender, and not over-sauced. The space is warm and wood-heavy but never feels cramped. Staff keeps it casual and intuitive. They know when to step in, when to let you linger. Don't sleep on the wine list either--it's curated but not pretentious, and the orange wine by the glass? Killer with the charcuterie. read more

Was on a business trip to Chicago and found Avec to be one of those places to try so I book a reservation for happy hour. It's conveniently located on the street where a lot of the popular restaurants and shops are located. I go all three of the happy hour special: 1. Cod brandade 2. Chorizo stuffed Medjool dates (I think it's wrapped with bacon 3. Smoked carrot hummus Their most famous dish is the chorizo stuffed Medjool dates so that's a must get dish for sure! It was also my favorite out of all three dish. I thought the happy hour portion was going to be half since it's basically half price from the original menu but it was a full sized appetizer! It was so much food I shared it with a friend and we were stuffed by the end. I think it was because every dish came with some type of carb for dipping. The concept of the seating for the restaurant is very interesting. They recommend communal dining so you'll most likely be seating with other parties at your table during busy hours. We opted for the bar seating and it's funny because you can also hear the staff's conversation and also see the fresh vegetable and selection they used for cooking. It's a unique experience for sure. I love family style restaurants as you get to share and taste different dishes instead of committing to just one plate. Definitely make a reservation as this place is very popular and has limited seating! read more

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Okay let's just start by saying WOW. Avec for the most part completely blew me out of the water. Service was a bit spotty but the sever seemed to be juggling like 10 tables so more on the restaraunt group than her. We started off with the bacon wrapped dates and deluxe focaccia, both of which were absolutely divine. The bacon wrapped dates just left me craving more - what a delightful flavor scheme. The focaccia was second to the table and somehow even better. The cheese and richness from truffle were in perfect balance. Finally we got the pizza which was a bit on the burnt side, not charred lol but we gobbled it up. This was all during brunch and we did the mimosa package which might I add is the best I've had in the city so far. The fresh orange juice gets missed given the variety of juices they have but it was beyond incredible- definitely order a Mimosa and go original. The mains were a bit of a letdown. Shakshuka was average, nothing worth raving about. The salmon board was actually pretty good but compared to the apps, couldn't really hold its own. In the future, I'll likely double down on a few more apps and skip the mains entirely. Definitely a top 5 brunch spot in Chicago! read more

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Came back for brunch to celebrate a birthday, and Avec didn't disappoint! For a table of two...we definitely ordered too much. The trick is to ask for half portions, if possible. The waitstaff were amazing and so friendly. Must haves are the medjool and chorizo dates, roasted corn & freekeh tabbouleh , spicy tomato shashuka, and the butcher Ms beef (beautifully cooked!) The drink menu was different from last year. Mr Bullock was a very boozy old fashioned and the Paper Mache was refreshing. Must come back to finish tasting the rest of the menu! read more

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Avec was my favorite restaurant during a trip to Chicago. The ambience is beautiful wood floor to ceiling. The service was outstanding and the bartender was super knowledgeable about the offerings. They are very accommodating to dietary restrictions and allergies. Their hummus was absolutely amazing. I also loved the charred sweet potato. Overall I highly recommend Avec! read more

Get the focaccia. It's a bit of a cheesy mess but I will lick that cheese off my hands. It's served with honey! Drizzle or dip in honey. We got the seasonal fruit salad - which had just apples, lavender marcona almonds, and cheese and endive and lettuce for the base. Lettuce was buttery and yum. Perfect way to start our meal. For the mains: we got the coal roasted cabbage - the olive tarator was tasty and I loved the amount of dill in it! I love a good cabbage. We also got the pork shoulder with collard greens - it was so warming and comforting. The pork shoulder was so tender. For dessert, we got some peppermint tea to share and baklava. Baklava was probs the most underwhelming item. Not memorable. A bit on the healthier side as it was not as oily as it should be We did sit at the counter, right next to the host who was also training a staff member - and that was both fun but also pretty distracting and loud. I wish they had seated us at a table read more

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Oh my goodness. There is something in the air at Avec. This was such a flavorful and delicious meal. Avec has a bustling and cozy environment that makes it so fun for dates and group dinners. I came with a group of 5 and we shared everything (they recommend family style!!). The experience was great because they were slowly bringing out our dishes (rather than bombarding us with everything at once) so it was a drawn-out and fun dinner experience. One of our FAVORITES was the charred sweet potato with whipped jalapeno feta, ponzu, and roasted cashew dukkah. This was a sleeper HIT. The sweet potato was perfectly charred-- a great balance of smoky and a bit sweet(?). I absolutely loved the bed of whipped feta it was on as well. Genuinely so flavorful and amazing. Please get this. We also ordered the wild Mexican prawns with rose petal shatta, cherry tomatoes, and pita. Another good dish. The prawns were massive and the tomatoes were juicy (literally bursting with flavorful juices). The pita was also so soft and warm and pillowy, a perfect vehicle to soak up all the fun sauces. The chorizo-stuffed dates with bacon piquillo pepper-tomato sauce were also good but not a must-get for me. I didn't love that the sauce tasted so strongly of straight red bell pepper. The taste wasn't very multi-dimensional (like the sweet potatoes were). We ordered the 'deluxe' focaccia with taleggio cheese, ricotta, and truffle from the large plates. Wow. This was a very nontraditional thin focaccia. The inside was the creamy, ricotta, truffle-y mixture that contrasted well with the crispy thin warm focaccia. We also got the roasted kale, marinated farmer's cheese and fried shallot hummus. TBH the hummus didn't blow me away but it was very solid. The pita (as always) was delicious and paired well with the hummus. This was such a great restaurant! The staff were so friendly and attentive. From answering all our questions about the menu, chatting with us about random topics, filling our glasses with water, and not rushing us, I felt very cozy and at peace here. If I lived in Chicago, Avec would definitely be a repeat for me (and I don't say that lightly). read more

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Don't come here unless you want to sweat your butt off and be uncomfortable . No air conditioning Fans around the room were useless The bathrooms are disgusting and smell moldy There's also a stairway to a basement that has black mold all over it I really hope they dont store food down there! read more

I found this place from the "Infatuation" as they rated it 9.0 being the best of the best, so of course, my expectations were really high. And let me say, my expectations were exceeded greatly. The aesthetic of the restaurant was minimalistic yet chic. I loved the wood throughout the entire dining room and the open kitchen towards the back. The food was outstanding as the flavors were bold while being perfectly balanced. Trust me when I say this, the food is one of kind. Lastly, the service was terrific. The staff were friendly, continuously checked on us, and made sure our glasses were always full. Yes, this place is on the pricey side, but it is so for a reason. I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for, and at Avec, you're paying for excellence. It's truly best of the best. read more

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Good: we (party of four) especially liked the deluxe focaccia and the whole roasted Sea-bass. Fair: the charred sweet potato, the woodfired calamari, the chorizo stuffed dates were all more spicy than we wanted, but clearly a lot of effort went into preparing each of these dishes. Bad: the restaurant is tiny and we felt like we were sardines in a can at our Overcrowded community table. There was no place to hang our coats. The noise level was amazingly high so that it was hard to talk to each other even when we were sitting across the table from each other. read more

This place feels exceptional. Sparse, combing interior and depth of flavor with both light and heavier fare. On the recommendation of my server, I got the prefix lunch, and I thought it was outstanding. Good value, my only criticism is I thought that the salmon was over cooked but it was still very enjoyable I think I just expected it to be more perfect since everything else was that way. Keep up the good work avec ! read more

I wasn't very fond of the food. We were a group of about 15 and ordered some of the pasta dishes which were very small and not very tasteful ie mushroom. I ordered the lamb pita and the two sauces weren't event very complimenting to the dish. I don't know. I had so many hopes. Brut service and ambiance weee a plus. Just wouldn't go back. read more

Saw this on some best-of-Chicago lists and subsequently The Bear so was shocked to find open seats at dinner time on a Friday night. Settled in at the bar in this sliver of a restaurant, so cozy. Had trouble ordering for 1 because I wanted to try so much. Ended up way over-ordering with the whole branzino (wow the sauce, the clams, the sheer size that surprised even the staff!) and a great Brussels fattoush to accompany it. Cardamom G&T was a refreshing twist. The staff was amazing and so were my neighbors at the bar. Really friendly environment (hey Midwest!) and can't wait to come back to try more dishes. The short rib hummus, prawns, and tabbouleh next to me looked pretty bomb (I was definitely staring). read more

Avec - Chicago - brussels sprouts fattoush - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Most Romantic Date Night Ever....!!! We had the tremendous luck to be taken up to the elusive upstairs for our meal here, and it was so intimate and perfect. Service was wonderful; just attentive enough, all were professional and lovely all around. We both love Mediterranean food of all sorts and the warm Moroccan-style spices in the meat dishes were so rich and flavorful. We loved this meal and this experience that it's almost a shame to not keep it a secret, but I will be dreaming of this meal until next time. Salad, main course, apps, wine, all fantastic. Order anything and everything honestly. What a treat this place is. read more

Avec - Chicago - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a wonderful way to celebrate a birthday! Came with my daughter to toast her big day- wonderful! First our server was amazing! A significant lunch hour rush and she remained extremely attentive and so friendly. We had the chorizo stuffed dates, which are their specialty- so delicious, meaty, savory and sweet. My daughter had her favorite farmers salad- it was absolutely delicious. For lunch we shared the rotisserie shawarma chicken with hummus- amazing! The chicken was very well seasoned, moist and tender. The hummus was an add on which I highly recommend. Came with pickled peppers and 2 pitas. I will get again! We finished with the nutter bites and share an espresso martini- both delicious. I appreciate the effort of the staff, especially the server for ensuring that this day was special. read more

Mmm, Avec was wonderful and probably the best part of my trip to Chicago. We went to the west loop Avec and fortunately were able to make a reservation the night before. I wasn't sure what to expect, so we ordered some dishes we saw repeated on other Yelp reviews.... - Deluxe Focaccia: 5/5, especially with honey. This was unlike any focaccia I have had before, the goat cheese in the middle really adds a delightful lightness and the honey gives it the tiniest bit of sweetness. I could eat this for days. - Chorizo Stuffed Medjool Dates: 4/5, pretty good but nothing mindblowing. - Grilled Shrimp: 5/5, the polenta here is the best I've ever had. The shrimp was fine but the polenta and egg were perfection. I loved this dish. I would love to come back for dinner and try even more! You can tell that they have really thought about the food and how to make the Mediterranean flavors pop in a creative way. read more

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We dined at the West Loop location of Avec and unfortunately experienced some of the worst service I have ever encountered. This restaurant was recommended to us by the hostess at Ever, a Michelin starred restaurant, so we did not hesitate to choose it for lunch. We were aware it was communal seating, but we were not prepared for how uncomfortable the environment would be. The first third of the restaurant was extremely cold due to constant wind coming in from the front door. We were seated at the last two bar seats closest to the door, and it was cold enough that I had to keep my wool coat and scarf on throughout the meal. My fingernails were blue from the cold the entire time. The metal bar seating only amplified this issue and felt like a poorly considered design choice given Chicago winters. The restaurant was loud, which is expected in a busy space, but the behavior of the staff made the experience far worse. There is no separate host stand; instead, the host works directly off the same bar where guests are seated. The host, an early-40s man with a mustache, was positioned immediately next to us on the same metal bar. Throughout our meal, he repeatedly clicked a pen, shook it in his hand, and tapped it loudly on the bar. When he was not doing that, he was aggressively shuffling and slamming menus onto the bar directly in front of us, inches from our food. Staff repeatedly leaned their hands on the bar directly in our dining space, using the area immediately surrounding our plates for side tasks. It felt intrusive, claustrophobic, and unsanitary. We had virtually no personal space, even around our own plates. Communication from the waitstaff was also lacking. We ordered four small plates to share between the two of us. The hummus was tasty but came with only a single pita despite a very large portion of hummus. We ran out of bread halfway through and were left eating the remaining hummus with our spoons. Our next dish was the sweet potato dish, which was set down and the server immediately walked away without comment or warning. It was served on a thin metal plate with handles, with no indication that the dish itself had been heated. There was no warning that the plate was hot and no protective cloth provided. While I was serving the dish, the plate shifted and spun on the metal bar with each scoop, and my partner instinctively grabbed the handle to steady it, burning his hand badly enough to leave a visible pink mark. At this point, the environment had become overwhelming. I was freezing, my partner had been burned, people were coughing around us, the host continued making noise beside us, and staff continued reaching into our dining space. Given everything happening at once, we felt it was probably best to cancel the remaining two dishes and leave. My partner and I politely asked our waitress, a late-50s woman with tattoos and dark brown curly hair, if it might be possible to cancel the rest of our dishes. Rather than asking why, she immediately became defensive and said they were already in the kitchen. My partner offered to still pay for the dishes and suggested they be given to another guest if possible. She did not respond to that suggestion and walked away without acknowledging him, which felt like an odd reaction given that we had simply asked a question. When she returned, she brought the check and said the remaining dishes had been removed. Without asking, she immediately reached over and grabbed my partner's half-full plate to clear it while he was still actively eating. Shocked, I said that he was still eating and that she should have asked first. Instead of apologizing or stepping away, she became argumentative and began speaking at us in an increasingly aggressive manner. She continued talking at us for approximately two to three minutes without pause while I was visibly distressed, rocking back and forth in my chair, turning my body away from her, and looking to my partner with fear and concern on my face. Despite these clear signals, she did not disengage. Her refusal to stop or step away triggered a fight-or-flight response in me, and I was on the verge of a panic attack. She continued speaking at us without our consent, escalating the situation unnecessarily. The interaction felt hostile, overwhelming, and entirely unservice-oriented. When she finally walked away, we paid and exited as quickly as possible. Even after everything, we tipped 20 percent because we believe it is unethical not to tip. We left shaken and upset. This review is not about the food itself, but about the extremely inconsiderate, intrusive, and unprofessional service we experienced. I would caution others, especially those sensitive to overstimulation, personal space, or aggressive interpersonal interactions, to be aware of how uncomfortable and hostile the service can feel here, even without any complaint being made. read more

Avec - Chicago - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Wow! This was one for the books. I popped in during happy hour and was surprised to see some of their signature items at nearly half price. Even after reading all of the raves reviews about Avec's chorizo-filled, bacon wrapped dates, I was still not prepared for how outstanding this dish was. Each component covers the salt, fat, acid & heat profiles and comes together in a unique flavor reminiscent of sweet, peppery barbecue. I also loved the texture contrasts between the crispy bacon and mouthwateringly tender and juicy chorizo. The homemade bread that came with it had a great flavor but was a bit tough for my taste. The salted potato and cod brandade, however, was to die for. It was incredibly creamy and the fish extremely fresh! The garlic bread was generously coated and the flavors combined so well with the brandade to form a complete dish. I also tried it over an extra pita out of curiosity, and the bread came piping hot out of the stone oven coated in fresh flour. A mini nutter butter square rounded out the visit, and I loved that they have a dessert option for when you can't commit to an entire slice of cake. I wasn't really getting any hints of nutter butter, but it hit some crispy caramel notes that no one would complain about. I will be thinking about this meal and visit for awhile. Would recommend putting a visit here on your priority list! read more

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avec describes itself as a midwestern take on Mediterranean classics and I guess that's a good description. Where else can you get Medjool dates stuffed with chorizo? And the nice thicko juicy halibut filet was tasty with pistachios, olives and jalapeños. But the dessert, burnt honey profiteroles, was outstanding! A beautiful setting, long narrow room with all blond wood was perfect and the staff and waitpersons were perfect too. A great evening at an amazing restaurant. read more

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The ambiance is very intimate and chic. I really enjoyed the green glass bottle wall and the wooden tables! The service was great! I never felt like I was waiting around for the server to grab something for me. Every worker I spoke with was very friendly. Now on to the food (dinner): -chorizo stuffed dates: 10/10. these are the best stuffed dates I've had in Chicagoland!! def a must try if you dine here. -prawns: 8.5/10. while good, I have had better prawns before. these still hit though! -shakshuka: 7/10. the flavors were there but I was expecting a traditional shakshuka with egg and feta and this was 90% broccoli? cauliflower? -espresso martini: 9.5/10. solid espresso martini that was just the right amount of sweet. I would like to try the butcher steak, short rib hummus, and the chicken shawarma next time I am here. Overall, I felt this place was pretty solid but slightly overhyped. read more

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For two people got the asparagus with buttermilk cream sauce, avocado, bulgur, citrus and onions(?) and the shrimp with polenta and the hummus with mushrooms. It was all so fresh and delicious. The asparagus was not heavy bc it was citrusy and bright. The shrimp was super flavorful and although the polenta was a little loose it was so delicious - just no shame and use a spoon to eat it! The hummus was excellent and those mushrooms so flavorful! Pita comes with it but only one so got another. It's communal seating so we were seated next to a small group who looked like they had just gotten married! Tight quarters but it was fine - a long train car layout. Always had plenty of water, checking in to see how we were doing, boxed up our food. No hassle and very attentive but not overbearing making us feel like we had to leave. I do miss big cities and the delicious and different food I get to eat. Oops forgot to mention the super nice bathrooms with Malin and Goetz hand soap and lotion - smelled so good! Small little luxuries really do make a difference read more

FOOD: Absolutely loved the menu here. So many amazing choices it was difficult to choose what to order (a great problem to have). Definitely recommend having another person or a small group to share. Favorite of the night was the hummus with short ribs! You can pair the hummus with other toppings but the short ribs just had the perfect crispy edges. Would definitely return to try more dishes. DESSERT: Loved the gelato! Couldn't decide on one, so ended up with two! The floral pairing with the Pistachio Gelato might be a little too strong if you're not a fan of florals. Coffee Toffee Almond had the perfect crunch factor in every bite. DRINKS: Great selection of wines that can pair well with your dishes. Others choices available too if wine isn't your glass of wine. AMBIANCE: Lively place, especially during the weekends. Great for date nights and small groups. Bar top and small tables available. SERVICE: Prompt and friendly. read more

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Very unique, cool, cozy spot. Dim ambiance. Narrow (as you'd expect in Chicago) but spacious at the same time?! Seems like they made good use of the space and were intentional about the decor to create a nice light clean wooden feel throughout. Smells delicious upon walking in! We came here with the intention to order shareable plates. We weren't looking for a full meal, but can I just say that the shareable plates we ordered were so plentiful and filling for two people! All the food was absolutely delicious and well thought out. We ordered the chorizo wrapped in dates. Wow, you must try them! They are large, kick of spice, very flavorful and filling. It's served on a red tomato like sauce and fresh bread - absolutely amazing. Perfect to share amongst four people (one each). We also got the grilled steak which came out medium rare but leaning more on the rare side; our waitress did not ask us how we wanted it cooked, but I'm unsure if that's intentional a part of how the restaurant wants to serve it. It was delicious and served with fresh basil and mint herbs and a nice yogurt sauce - if you carefully collect all the ingredients on the plate to make a complete fork full of flavors, you can tell the thoughtfulness of putting the plate together and how the flavors and textures complement each other. And for dessert, we got the nutter butter and baklava. I highlyyy recommend the nutter butter if you enjoy peanut butter treats. It's not like the nutter butter cracker and more like a homemade chocolate candy bar treat. It was SO GOOD! It was soft but also crunchy; absolutely delicious. You order them by the square. The baklava was paired with a delicious white spread/sauce; it was very thick and comes with two large triangle pieces. I've had better baklava; I prefer it to be chewy, crunchy and on the soft gooey side. I think for me, the ratio was off. This baklava was very thick and leaned more on the nutty savory side; the nutty section of it was very thick and consumed most of the layers. Our waitress was great. Overall, I would absolutely recommend trying this place out. There are so many other items on the menu I'd love to try. read more

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Their hummus is divine. First time had any hummus such creamy and well seasoned. The room temperature salmon balances the richness of hummus. And one bite of the warm warm pit bread. I'll never forget this day! AND everything orders churizo date, so Law of Large Number says you definitely should do it. It's a communal dining setup where you might need to get really close to strangers. Getting out to restroom might be even more awkward if you are sitting in the middle. But everyone is here for a good time. read more

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The food was amazing. (I'm saying this also because it was pricey). But the atmosphere was intimate and the service was friendly. The mushroom and wild rice hummus is to die for. The calamari had such amazing flavor, especially cilantro. I would come back for the lamb roti feast! read more

Avec - Chicago - Oyster Mushroom Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I loved this place! So I saw Avec while watching season two of The Bear. Fast forward to our summer trip and I, of course, make a reservation. I wasn't the highest fan of the dining style but I felt blessed because we had end seats and the people directly next to us never moved during dinner until the end. We ordered the market fish, dates, short rib hummus, and steak. Starting with the dates - delicious! The sweetness of the date was subtle but not lost amongst the chorizo and bacon. Steak - not the best streak I've had but it was cooked to perfection (medium-rare), the salad mix was very yummy and the sauce they had on the plate was a great addition. Hummus with short rib - WOW I means absolutely amazing! Grilled market fish - now this was surprisingly my favorite dish hands down!! My favorite part was how delicate the fish was and the preserved banana pepper and Mayo, yes the Mayo was absolutely delicious!! read more

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I received a very gracious and generous email from the restaurant's general manager, which I greatly appreciated (a truly class move). While we won't be visiting the restaurant again, the note tells me that they take their customers' experiences seriously. I just wish they'd done it the time we were there. read more

Fun flavors and great food! Loud atmosphere, but it made you lean into your group. Would recommend, but also recommend getting reservations.

I had a great solo dining experience here. I sat at the bar without a reservation when they first opened and had the prix-fixe lunch deal: chorizo-stuffed date and a lamb burger. Loved the dates and the tomato jam was delicious. I also had a cocktail, which was perfectly balanced. The staff was friendly and welcoming and the ambiance was unique and beautiful. read more

We were able to call ahead and get reservations for 130pm (last call for orders is 2pm). The restaurant is a long hall with a bar top on one side and tables along the other wall. Love their wooden table and chairs. Our server was super friendly and offered us great suggestions. They even gave my friend a happy birthday doughnut but, that was delicious with sea salt on top. (For $3 I'd buy another doughnut!) highly recommend read more

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Avec was really good. I was blown away by the chorizo stuffed dates. I thought they'd be overrated but they are so decadent and good. The shrimp was outstanding and I couldn't get enough of it. The short rib hummus was wayyy too tough for that price point. I was hoping it would be more tender and easy to cut through but it wasn't. The pita was outstanding. The cabbage was pretty undercooked and while it had good flavor, it wasn't worth finishing. Def glad we only got a half order of that. read more

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We came to Avec for lunch and opted for their prix fixe menu priced at $24, which includes an appetizer, entrée, and a small dessert. It was fantastic! The meal began with a pretty good lentil soup, but the star dish was the fava bean tartine--a delightful mix of beans and vegetables on a thick slice of bread. It was incredibly delicious! For dessert, we enjoyed a small square of peanut butter chocolate deliciousness. I was pleased to see that their prix fixe menu had vegan and vegetarian options. I would definitely recommend it! read more

Avec - Chicago - Chicken Pita Pea And Fava Bean Tartine - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came here for a work dinner a couple of weeks ago and food didn't particularly stand out which was surprising because we've heard such great things. We ordered -Calamari -Wild prawns (best dish of the night) -Potato and salted cod brandade -Roasted asparagus -Grilled butcher steak with raddichio -Slow roasted pork shoulder (huge dollop of aioli on an already rich dish) -Pizza carbonora (delicious) -Roasted oyster mushroom hummus -Burnt honey profiterole -Layered crepe cake I was really looking forward to the variety of dishes, but everything just fell flat. Service-wise, after our entrees came out, our server stopped coming around so I had to ask someone else to bring us dessert menus, dessert and order food to go and pay for it. read more