We came for Sunday Brunch. The food was very good. We tried: Stuffed Dates Milk Bread Ham Sausage platter / skillet They have a decent bottomless mimosa deal and very tasty non-alcoholic cocktails. Service was somewhat slow but very friendly and accommodating none the less. The ambience was very nice, although it didn't seem like much changes had been done since the previous restaurant left the footprint. However, it was tasteful and well designed. There are several parking garages, public transit, and street parking available. Location is in a nice / safe section of River North. read more

Avec River North - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The service was good, not great. Our waitress had a vibe about her that seemed like we either annoyed her or she wanted to be someplace else. We were originally seated at high top tables near the kitchen. The high top tables have these 250 pound stools made of metal and covered in a dirty built-in cushion, with foam batting that had long since worn out. My wife and I were the first in our group of six to arrive. When we sat down in those high top seats, we knew that we would be very uncomfortable with the metal frame digging into the back of our knees. The hostess made no fuss about it and reseated us in a booth. The food at Avec seems to follow a consistent theme: combine several extreme flavors with one another to make for a remarkable sensory delight. But, the overuse of this theme, combined with mint in almost every dish, gets rather tiresome. The desserts were fantastic. Get the Nutter butter and the berry cake. Absolutely fantastic. read more

Service and interior space was pleasant. Meal was served hot and in a timely manner. We were disappointed that none of the dishes we ordered stood out-chick pea hummus lacking in flavor; bread to dish ratio not adequate. Calamari excessively oily and heavy as was the focaccia-same issue. The pork shoulder also heavy and dripping with sauce. Campanelle was pretty decent but came out last and by this time we had had enough. All of the dishes were so heavily salted that they ended up tasting similarly. This is a fun place for drinks and happy hour but does not succeed in delivering a flavor balanced meal read more

Utterly incredible food and ambiance - healthiest portion sizes at this caliber I've had for a while too. read more

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The food was amazing. Came here to celebrate a dinner and every single dish we ordered was amazing. Great spot to order dishes to share with the group. The service was amazing and made the experience better. read more

My fav restaurant in Chicago out of the two trips I've had here. The inside is huge and very beautifully decorated. The menu has a lot of options so we were very unsure of what to order but the server gave excellent recommendations. Started off with medjool dates, which are apparently one of the most popular items, and short rib hummus. I think both were amazing but the dates were the most memorable. I don't even like dates or chorizo by themselves - but in this app together, it was exquisite. For mains we got deluxe focaccia which had a perf truffly flavor and the mushroom pasta which I loved but my friend thought was okay. Since it was my friend's birthday, they also brought out a complimentary giant macaron with a candle. I would love to come here again if I was back in Chicago! read more

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I love the original location but has decided to check out the River North. It's a bigger restaurant with a big bar so no reservation or waiting is a plus. The restaurant was loud and were understaff so service was lacking. However, the food was good. The drinks were too sweet even though we asked to for very little syrup. read more

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This was one of the best meals I've ever had. Our server Alan was knowledgeable and friendly. The chorizo dates, guanchale pizza and bass curry dish were highlights. read more

Food, drinks & service was excellent here. We had a few more friends join us on st Patrick's day and they were able to squeeze in another table next to us to make room which worked out greatly in our favor. The portions of some items for the table are perfect to share and the lamb burger was soooo good. It was definitely the choice for many of us and cooked perfectly. read more

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Really enjoyed my meal here. Everything was so thoughtfully prepared. Here's what we got: chicken liver crostini - This was delicious and and larger portion than expected for two slices of bread. So we asked for additional. garlic crostini (+$3) fresh and buttery. Their oven was out when we visited so we were bummed we didn't get to try their well known pizza. salmon - Tasty but not very much, and wish it came with a grain. Definitely glad we ordered additional things. sweet corn pappardelle - The parpardelle was perfectly prepared. Enjoyed this. Hospitality Supplement (3.00%) They charged an automatic (but optional) supplement of 3% Overall enjoyed the space and the food. Portions are a bit small but the menu was so fun to explore. It was busy for a midweek. Definitely make a reservation. read more

Avec River North - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had a fantastic dinner! The apple/endive salad is my new favorite but the focaccia and cauliflower were, of course, amazing as usual! Can't wait until next time! read more

To put it simple: amazing food & amazing service. I came with a big group of girls and we got to try almost everything on the brunch menu. A few big pointers: they have a great bottomless brunch (well priced and no one kicked us out or gave us a hard time stop). Also, they didn't mandate the entire table's participation (some girls were doing dry January so this was big for us). The breakfast pizza, French toast, and hummus were highlights. The only disappointment for me was the dates dish, they were heavy on the sausage and I could barely taste the actual date. Our waiter was super sweet (shoutout to Rohoe!!) 5/5 read more

Avec River North - Brunch pizza, hummus, French toast, mimosas, dates - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We stopped by Avec for a mid-morning brunch. The service was prompt and attentive. The space was beautiful. The flavors were bold and delectable. Not pictured: Grapefruit Cinnamon Roll - this was a favorite of our entire party. It was soft and moist with a hint of citrus that balanced out the sweetness of the glaze. Coffee - a rich dark roast which was bold without being bitter Bottomless Mimosa - the variety was appreciated but the flavors left much to be desired read more

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Avec delivered on all things expected. We visited on a Thursday evening approx a hour early for our reservation... that's a story for another day. Anywho the host was very polite and advised she'd try to get us seated as soon as possible and we could begin at the bar. I honestly believe the GM sat us at the bar, but I'm not exactly sure. His warm attitude as well as everyone that we came in contact with bumped this establishment all the way up to 5 stars. Either way, he was extremely welcoming and assured us they'd do their best to seat us as soon as possible. The vibe is super chill, yet upscale as well. A nice place for dinner with friends and/or family. Lots of greenery and dim lighting...but not too dim. Once seated at the bar and ordered drinks, we opted just to order food there as well. I had the side by side. It's compare it to a spicy marg. My babe had the IT Pesca Punch. That was my favorite between the two. For food we kept it light (we had just left another spot) we ordered the chorizo stuffed dates and the deluxe focaccia. Baby, they gave a GENEROUS amount of chorizo... I dang near choked at one point because the level of spice took me by surprise. But it was a good one. The focaccia was tasty too. Anything with Truffle oil is an automatic sell for me! Will be back for drinks and a snack soon! read more

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Went for brunch and loved everything we ordered except for the shakshuka. Highly recommend the following: shuggie's strawberry letter no. 2 (a refreshing and not overly sweet brunch cocktail), papas bravas, bialy, and medjool dates. The space/ambience is cute enough for a date but chill enough for a casual meal with friends. We went on a Sunday at lunch time without reservations and we were able to be seated within 10 minutes. Service was fine - our host was friendly and helpful but I must say our server was a bit grumpy which made things a bit awkward/uncomfortable to be honest lol. There is metered parking around but you may need to drive around for a bit to find a spot. read more

I fear I may be accused of overrating, but I prefer to say nice things, so here's another winner for the lot - and it's a good one. BRUNCH GAME on POINT! I'm a sucker for a bacon-wrapped date, but these are the archetype. Holy heavenly goodness! I would move in upstairs to eat them every day. The fresh chorizo is nice and hot, balanced by a generously plump date wrapped in savory bacon, topped in the most incredible piquillo pepper-tomato sauce for some more heat (rounded out by the acid) creating this day-to-night party of textures and flavors. I celebrate you! Salads are sometimes challenging to reinvent, but the little gem is pared down, fresh, and a little unexpected all at once. Crisp yet gently silty little gems bathed in roasted shallot vinaigrette, complemented by lovely shavings of ubriacone cheese, then topped with crunchy marcona almonds were a gentle palate refresh after the dates. I learned a new word for skillet, and the maple sausage cocotte with fried potatoes and pork belly, melded with gooey taleggio and a sunny egg atop the delightful boat of comforting goodness was SUPREME! I'm typically more of a Shakshuka gal (and theirs is amazing!) but the flavors in this cocotte were transcendent of any brunch experience in recent memory. I'll be chasing this high for cities to come! To compliment your meal, they have super inventive cocktails & warm beverages. I loved my Healing Latte with ginger, tumeric, and cinnamon. Wine list is also complete, a nice beaujolais pairs well with brunch picks! The staff worked like a well-oiled machine, helping each other so there were no gaps in service, and the manager was also very attentive during our visit. Grateful to see such fine attention to detail in such a large volume restaurant in a big city with many options to dine! read more

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Great spot to share lots of different yummy small plates, have a nice glass of wine and enjoy conversation! The menu is well crafted - Mediterranean forward with a ton of bold and unique flavor combinations. We tried the chorizo stuffed dates wrapped in bacon and house made hummus with short ribs. The ribs were tender and I was surprised how well they tasted with the hummus - delicious! Big portions and beautiful food presentation. Each dish took our tastebuds on a journey from sweet to spicy then salty to savory. read more

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In the same meal, I had probably one of my favorite all-time dishes, and I also had an inedible dish. Regardless, this is really good place in worth the try. The ambience is trendy hipster. All the staff are well trained, and frankly, I would call hipster. Extremely friendly and extremely knowledgeable. Overall excellent service. They have a very impressive array of rare and hard to find bourbons. Surprisingly, very reasonably priced. They have a sommelier that really knew his stuff and recommended very well for what we were eating. This is a tapas/small plates kind of place. We went with our waiter's recommendations on almost everything. The best dish hands-down was a candied short rip with hummus. I know it doesn't sound all that great but it was probably one of the best dishes I've had in a long time. We also had the Bronzino, which was very good and a great sauce. However, the pasta dish with olives was not good. The pasta was clearly handmade and was cooked perfectly. However, the olives were extremely overpowering, and made the dish inedible. Dessert was kind of a swing and miss as well. Overall, this was a very enjoyable dining experience, and I would happily return. read more

Visited this spot for brunch with reservations. Food came out very fresh/hot. Servers were super kind and attentive. We got the bread board (9/10) all the bread was fresh and the spreads were good. French toast was sooo delicious, definitely recommend (10/10), it's not as shareable as you'd think. I would say the portion could be more of an entree than shareable! Our main course was the sausage cocotte which had a ton of flavor and was a pretty big portion. For the drinks, you have to try the vanilla bourbon chai, it's one of the best I've ever had. Overall great experience. read more

The restaurant is very cute and staff were kind. However, if you have the choice between this location and West Loop i'd say West Loop is the better option in both food and service. We tried the short rib hummus, chorizo dates, one of the flatbreads, and one of their pasta dishes. I had tried a hot chili ribeye at the west loop location that was to die for but it wasn't available here, unfortunately. The short rib hummus and dates were delicious. My mom and brother especially loved the dates, but my meat lover self devoured the short rib. We had to wait quite some time for more service. We had empty drinks and had to wave down the server to order our entrees. We got the mushroom flatbread which had yummy toppings but I agree with other reviewers that it was overly charred. I love the little near burnt bits on pizza but this was bitter from being overcharred. I'd skip out on their flatbreads. The alcoholic bevs were delicious! I can't remember the names other than their version of an old fashion and a hibiscus fizz drink my mom got. Overall a decent place but for the price I may opt elsewhere. read more

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Came here with a group of 9 coworkers with a reservation on a Tuesday night. The place was pretty busy around dinner time, and I instantly noticed how much I really liked the dim lighting and ambiance here. Our server (whose name I did not catch) was friendly at first however I will say when our boss at the table was asking if we could order some appetizers at first before our entrees, she was a little rude with our request and repeatedly told us they could not do that. I personally hate when restaurants do this, but if that's their policy, then so be. She just came off with not the nicest tone and responses when we tried to ask for that. The food overall was great. Some were hits and others were average. I didn't get to try a few of the dishes since I got full so quickly, but we ordered many plates from the menu and I think it was a solid choice coming here for an after work dinner. I'd consider taking a date here based off of the ambiance. They apparently have a rooftop bar as well, but we never got a chance to see it. read more

Came here for brunch on a Sunday and we were seated immediately. Very beautiful and aesthetic inside. We ordered the deluxe focaccia, bacon wrapped chorizo stuffed dates, and shakshouka. The focaccia was a thin flatbread with a cheese spread and truffle oil. Really good, but also really rich and filling. I am a sucker for bacon wrapped dates and these lived up to my expectations. Big portion and the sauce it was in was delicious. The shakshouka was AMAZING. It contained dollops of hummus and I believe 4 eggs, two of which had runny yolks and two were completely cooked -- would have liked all of them to be runny/jammy. Portion sizes were very generous and the food is filling. We ordered three dishes to share family style for three people and had leftovers. read more

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Came back for the second time because I enjoyed the restaurant very much the first time. I went to the rooftop bar first which is right next to the restaurant. It was a cute space, well decorated, and you can see a lot of Chicago. My bf got the jazzhattan (jasmine tea infused with rye whiskey) and he really enjoyed it. We went down for our reservation and got the calamari, pork shoulders, and the handmade pasta with uni pomodoro. The calamari was my favorite and it remains my favorite. The tomatoes bring out the sweetness from the octopus. The pork shoulders and pasta was a bit salty and would have tasted great with rice. The pasta is well cooked. You can tell it's fresh and handmade. I was a bit disappointed with the sauce since it was pretty basic. If the dish had something else to ompf it up, that would would have made it. read more

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A couple of friends and I wanted to try the restaurant week at Avec and it was cute but lowkey not worth the price. We got the brioche bun which was nice and flavorful but the mains were a bit on the smaller side and wished they were a bit bigger. I got the pqm maple sausage cocoette and it was good but a but too oily and salty for my liking. My friend tried the lamb burger and it was a good but a bit small. I didn't think it was worth the $25. Additionally on the restaurant week menu online it said it had the shakshuka but when we got there it was no where to be found. Service was friendly but I probably will come here for regular brunch and not restaurant week because their regular brunch looked good and highly recommend their bacon wrapped chorizo date. That was probably my highlight. read more

Avec River North - pqm maple sausage cocoette - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was here for an event, but we got to sample so many phenomenal dishes I just had to write a review to encourage others to try it. I love the open space and huge bar (when it was PST I came regularly) and service was outstanding. Friendly and attentive, but not over bearing or rushed. We had so many flavorful Mediterranean inspired dishes. Colors and flavor balance were exceptional. The craft cocktails were also very tasty. It's a different vibe than their original restaurant and we will definitely be back! read more

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Went back to Avec river north last week and had one of the best meals in Chicago. The salted cod, short rib hummus, and pasta were the best bites I've had in a long time. Service was fantastic, too. The atmosphere was lively and fun. The dates were also amazing and the calamari was very good, but probably would've been the one to skip since we over ordered just a bit! Truly a 5 star place and a go to spot for a fun night out. read more

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Strictly basing this off their restaurant week brunch menu ( though I want to come back and try some other dishes during dinner, happy hour etc). For $25 you get a raspberry danish , choice of entree, and either a drip coffee or juice. I got the lamb burger and a friend got the breakfast pizza if you get the burger be warned...'twas VERY juicy and messy but definitely tasty. Overall a good brunch but depending on what you get it is similar pricing to $25 (so not the best deal), but was delicious. Again more fusion than authentic Mediterranean, however food is prepared well even though it's a bit pricey. read more

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This place knows how to restaurant! Great ambiance, food, drinks, service and price. Everything was exceptional. read more

Avec River North - Menu - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is an absolute vortex of good energy -- From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is immaculate: airy, elevated, and effortlessly chic. The brunch menu is full of hits (including insane, bloody Mary's and real espresso, martinis), but it's the experience that keeps me coming back. Francisco, the manager, is a gem -- warm, attentive, and always going above and beyond to make sure everything is just right. River North has some great spots, but this one? It's on a whole other level. Can't recommend it enough! read more

Avec River North - Real espresso martinis - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food and service was amazing! Everything we ordered was fantastic, dates, fish, ravioli - so good!

I Honestly went with no big expectations. I had reviewed the menu before going. However, this has to be the most overpriced average garbage downtown. iIm sure there is even worse. But there is literally no value for the customer here. The customer is serving the establishment instead of the establishment serving the city of Chicago. It will be their ultimate downfall This business exists to serve itself and not the service of others. I had a reservation for 4 people days beforehand and for some reason was seated in the bar. Service was slow and not special at all. The tables looked like they were getting a much better experience. It made no sense to be seated in the bar with a reservation but they did it. So screw them. No management with a system in place would let that shit happen. It's pretty sad considering that as their chance and I was not a regular customer but someone looking for and experience. My experience was garbage. Toodles. I hope they burn. Management must suck. read more

The atmosphere was great, and the breadboard and red lentil soup were delicious. The cocktails were well-balanced. We will you return!

This a great spot to come with friends. The restaurant is bright and sunny, which makes a beautiful spring day even better. The service was good too! Our waiter checked on us periodically and gave us enough time to decide on what we wanted. He was even patient enough with us to take our orders while we were waiting for a friend who was running late. I had two peach mimosas, which were yummy and refreshing. The food was good but it didn't blow me away. They advertise most of their menu as sharable, with a few options for individual diners. We ordered about 3 or 4 things to share among 4-5 people and by the end of it, I was still hungry. The portions of the sharable dishes were too small for them to be considered sharable, in my opinion. I would say it was enough for one person, maybe two. For how expensive their dishes are, I think it would've been more worthwhile to order something for myself. I think I would only come back for their drinks. Their rooftop was closed when I went but I've been before and it offers great views, which is something else I would return for. However, I'd hesitate before eating there again. read more

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Avec is an elegant, high-end restaurant presenting a menu of modern Mediterranean-influenced dishes. There were a bunch of small plates perfect for sharing, including the Brandade, a purée of potato and salted cod, served with toasted garlic crostini on the side. One of Avec's most popular dishes was the Medjool Dates stuffed with chorizo sausage and wrapped with crispy bacon, served in a sweet, sour, spicy sauce made of piquillo peppers and tomatoes. The sweetness of the dates balanced out the spiciness of the chorizo, while the bacon added a nice crispy texture. Overall, however, this dish was definitely on the salty and greasy side. For our large plate selection, the Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder came in a peri peri broth along with mussels and fregola pasta, all garnished with parsley and onions. But my favorite dish was the Spring Onion Pizza, a freshly-baked pie topped with scallions, oyster mushrooms, crescenza cheese, and the best part, chili crisp, which had an amazing sweet, spicy, umami flavor and crispy texture. The only problem was that our pizza was overly burnt and black around the edges, and though the toppings were on point, the execution was slightly off. read more

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Always consistent food, attentive service and lively atmosphere! I eat here at least 2x per month and am always happy.

One of the best meals I had in chicago! We came on a weekday night and lucked out and got seated right away. The waiter and service was really good and he made some solid recommendations. I would've given this place 4 stars bc one of the dishes we got was super bad but the other 2 dishes were so good this restaurant easily became a highlight. FOOD: - pepperoni pizza - guys this pizza WAS AMAZING. It literally was so good. The ricotta cheese and Chile honey were the perfect compliments. Literally the best thing I had. Highly highly recommend -medjool dates - totally lived up to the hype. Soo good and the pepper tomato sauce was the perfect compliment -yellowtail crudo - this was not good at all. So disappointed and the amount of yellowtail was little to none. The whole dish was lacking and missing something and the fact that this little dish was $22 hurts my soul. Tldr: avoid the yellowtail, get the pizza and medjool dates like every single person in these reviews has already stated lmao. read more

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Attended a work dinner with a pre fixed menu. Food was delicious! Not one small plate had crumbs on it after sharing with our group. We had hummus, apple salad and kale salad as appetizers. My favorite of the 3 was the hummus. Chicken & rigatoni for entrees. The rice was my favorite with the chicken dish and I loved the rigatoni with eggplant. The ambience was good and the service was great too. read more

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i came here with family friends and we ordered a bunch of items to share family style so i was thankful to be able to try so many delicious menu items!! overall the chicken liver crostini was my favorite. our server was a very nice and funny man who helped us with our order and contributed very positively to our experience! i will note that it was very loud when we went - 8:30, which is a pet peeve of mine especially since i was meeting up with people i haven't seen in years and really wanted to catch up. definitely something to keep in mind. cocktails -lust for life this was the drink i ordered and i loved it-very refreshing and mild enough of a flavor not to overpower anything i was eating others at my table ordered the side to side and the beat around the bush and enjoyed both as well small plates -chicken liver crostini a favorite of mine. all of the flavors worked together perfectly & is very satisfying. i would come back just for this! -wild mexican prawns great flavor and cooked very well. be prepared to do some work since you obv have to de-shell them to eat them -chorizo stuffed dates w/ bacon i think this is a "must have" at Avec and i understand why. you just don't get it until you've had one. im just not a huge bacon person so i think that's why it's not higher on my list, but the combination of chorizo + dates + bacon makes for an invigorating texture combination pasta -saffron farfalle the pasta and the mushroom were very good individually but i don't think the dish blended together well. out of all of the dishes we got, this one had the least interesting flavor, but this is speaking as someone who lives and breathes mushrooms. not bad just not something you would think about ordering again -roasted corn filled ravioli such a perfect menu item for the fall!! it tastes a bit like butternut squash ravioli which i absolutely love. pizza&focaccia -deluxe focaccia w/ taleggio cheese i have never had a thin crust focaccia before and was a little surprised when they brought this out. i think we were all looking for a denser bread so we felt a little miffed but as a dish it's still very good. it's like a fancier breadstick situation. the cheese inside paired with the truffle oil is wonderful. i'd just say to be aware that it might not be the type of bread you're expecting... still good though! -rapini pizza this was our least favorite thing on the menu. the stalks of the leaves on top made the pizza difficult to eat without making a mess and it's very bitter. dessert -burnt honey ice cream very refreshing!! if you're a fan of saltier ice creams i would definitely recommend this -affogato everything you want out of an affogato. also comes with 2 pieces of chocolate biscotti-like things which pair very nicely with the ice cream. perfect flavor to end the night with read more

Avec River North - chicken liver crostini with seasonal preserves - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food, service: great. Ambience: good. I really enjoyed the roasted black cod tagine; wife loved roasted cabbage.

Food 10/10 Service 10/10 Ambiance 10/10 Overall exceeded our expectations and will be returning in June to host a group. We enjoyed every bite from the miso inspired pizza to our whipped goat cheese. The interior design was truly inspiring and deserves its own award. Thanks Avec! read more

Avec River North - Back doing area. Each design detail was well thought out and executed. - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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