We had another wonderful experience dining here again last night! The place has a good comfortable atmosphere, with interesting items on the menu that changes seasonally. Loved the new roasted chicken dish! The wood oven pizzas, and house made pitas with a variety of hummus and dips is amazing as well. They have a very interested and kind staff from Bret and his expertise of wine pairing, to Annie and Joide making you feel right at home. I'd recommend you try this place...as we are looking forward to their outside patio when the whether gets better ;) read more

Great food great service and great vibes!!! Bottomless was only $28!! The shakshouka was perfectly seasoned with nice poached eggs. The pork belly side was insanely flavorful and the pizza was wonderfully crispy. I would reorder any of these dishes in a heartbeat. Had a great time!! Made a reservation for 8 a week in advance read more

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My friend visiting from San Francisco loved the ambiance, food & service at Avec. I choose it for our dinner because of its proximity to his hotel and because I hadn't been in awhile and was so please I did. At the bar we drink bourbon throughout our meal and shared plates : heirloom tomato & plum salad, wild Mexican prawns & summer squash pappardelle pasta. The apricot orange blossom sorbet was a refreshing finish to dinner. Thanks to the staff, Fransisco & Phil for a wonderful experience for my visiting friend . Of course I will be back. read more

We came back to Avec with a party of 10 and had a great experience. The service was good and the food was amazing. The Medjool Dates and the Short Rib Hummus were my two favorite dishes. I am stuffed! read more

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Beautiful restaurant! The food is super good and they had a great deal on wines too! A great place for a big group and you can order small plates to share. Service was okay. read more

Avec River North - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My friend and I dined here on a weeknight for a girls night with tapas, and we had a great experience! The restaurant is very aesthetic and for a weeknight it was relatively busy. I was with a close friend, and our server informed us that 2 small plates or 1 large plate is a good rule of thumb per person. We wanted to try a few different things to share so we got 3 small plates and 1 large plate. We started with the kale hummus and medjool dates. The hummus plate was delicious, however it came with one piece of pita bread which was rather small for something that is meant to be shared. The bread was super fresh and high quality but once we ran out we couldn't really enjoy the rest. The medjool dates were very unique and tasty. They came in a tomato sauce that was fresh but spicy. Then we enjoyed the prawns, which were big, buttery, and very tender. Lastly, we tried the Kuri squash pizza. The pizza was super unique and tasty but the peppers were so spicy it was hard to enjoy. But when we removed some of the big piles of spicy peppers on the pizza so it was more balanced we really liked it. It was a great meal, however the portions were wayyy bigger than our server had indicated. The two of us would have been just fine with 1 large and 1-2 small plates. Service was speedy and we enjoyed our meal. Would highly recommend for some fresh and tasty authentic tapas! read more

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Dinner at Avec was just what the doctor ordered. It was my last meal out after a few days of working in Chicago, so it was nice to sit down for a long lazy dinner with friends. We started with cocktails, which were beautifully crafted and tasty. From there, we had the poached asparagus, medjool dates, rigatoni and chicken thighs. The asparagus and chicken thighs were my favorites. Our server said the dates are one of the most popular dishes but I didn't love the chorizo in the dates. Our server was very friendly and helpful, and the inside of the restaurant was very cool. read more

Came here for brunch on a Sunday with an 11:15a reservation and was seated promptly. The restaurant has a lot of natural light and is very spacious, and I appreciate that they had hooks under the table for our coats and bags. We ordered two danishes (chocolate/pistachio and short rib), a coffee, French toast, and sausage croquette. Our server was very nice. We got the danishes right away and they were really flaky and tasty. They forgot about bringing my coffee but when I remembered our server she was quick to bring it out - great quality coffee though! The French toast was more like a thick bread pudding - it still tasted good but not what we were expecting. The syrup and fruit were delicious. The sausage croquette was nice - it had baked eggs on top, pork belly, and potatoes and I honestly liked the pork belly more than the sausage. Overall it was a nice Sunday brunch! read more

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We went for lunch and ordered prix fixe: soup, sandwich and dessert and wrapped medjool and hummus. The food was excellent! We liked potato and leek soup, hummus and wrapped medjool was amazing! Service is excellent and street parking was easy on weekday. Coming back for dinner next time. Highly recommend! read more

Came here for a team lunch and thought everything was pretty tasty. Lots of flavor, some items quite rich like the deluxe focaccia. They were out of chicken at noon on a weekday, which was a huge bummer, but what I had was tasty: whitefish sandwich, lentil soup, baklava, hummus, and calamari. The space was lovely and our server handled everything well given the situation. read more

Avec River North - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Just must say this is one of my favourite restaurant lately. Everything just everything taste amazing.. Highly recommend recommended. read more

Came for restaurant week! Their restaurant week menu was really diverse but was not necessarily the things I would usually order. Huge portions, could lowkey feed 2. Short Rib Hummus was devine Spicy Soppressata Pizza was lowkey spicy, meh, probs would not get again. read more

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Gorgeous space and much easier to get a reservation than other location! Had a group of 4 so we decided to get a bunch of dishes to share. Out of the two cocotte, I liked the Roasted tomato and spinach one more. The Sausage is a maple sausage and just a bit too sweet for me. Hummus + a runny egg is how I want to eat hummus now. Shakshuka was solid and the Pizza Carbonara surprised us. I definitely liked it a lot more than I thought I would. For drinks, we decided to go for it and got the Side to Side as a pitcher. Definitely good for 4-6 servings although towards the end, the ice melted a bit too much so it was pretty watery. Don't think I'd do that next time but was fun to try! Friendly service staff! read more

This was my first time at Avec, and I am glad I got to try their brunch! I would love to come back for dinner. We essentially ordered tapas style so that we can try a few things on their menu. We got the deluxe focaccia with smoked salmon, chickpea hummus and a tomato salad. The hummus with pesto and mushrooms was amazing, along with all the flavors in the tomato salad. I still often think about the deluxe focaccia as it was SO GOOD, light and airy. Service was great and our waitress was very cool and personable. We sat outdoors, but the seating filled up fast. I would recommended reservations! read more

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surprise. 3.5% junk fee added to your bill at the end. If they want this money they should build into menu prices!!!

Tried it again - Food not very good and the seating arrangements are so weird: oddly placed, uncomfortable spots where you are either directly next to other people or against a wall where they are cooking or in a pathway. Too loud in there. Ambiance just isn't there: it feels busy, loud, like you are in the way. It's not the nice experience you want, especially for a high price tag, low amount of food. Not enough non-pork options for people who don't like pork. Just not worth it. read more

The food was delicious, portions are pretty small but more filling than they look. Very large space with nice mood lighting. Server was great and wait times were very quick read more

The food here is amazing. The skillet that I ordered along with the shakshuka were awesome. I generally order shakshuka at any place if it's on the menu, and this is one of the best ones that I've tried in Chicago so far. All of the food was very flavorful. I also absolutely loved the patatas bravas and think it's a must order item at Avec! The service was good. I went with a group of friends to celebrate a birthday and they discreetly cleaned out the table before bringing out a cake. Overall, definitely recommend this place. Only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because I think the food is overpriced a bit. read more

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Loved every dish I had here! The farm salad was very refreshing and like the mix of the sauce. I also really enjoyed the chorizo stuffed dates -- I loved the mix of the sweet and savory though it was a little on the salty side. Other standouts were the chicken shwarma and the pork shoulder. The honey profiterole was also a way to end the meal! Highly recommend checking this place out! read more

Absolutely excellent!! So creative! Wonderful Mediterranean fusion, executed perfectly. Every little thing tasted great, but the highlights were the tagliatelle and the tagine, both of which were delightfully tangy and savory. Service was really friendly, food came out quickly and well timed, and the patio vibes were impeccable. Highly highly recommend for an upscale, family style outing! I went with my family and it was perfect! read more

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We're visiting family in Chicago and came here to celebrate a birthday. The service was amazing from start to finish. The vibes are great and the restaurant feels really cozy. Everything we tried was incredible. So many layers of flavors and textures. Highly recommend ordering lots of things for your table to share. We will definitely be back next time we're in town! Some of our favorite dishes: Focaccia Black Cod Tagine Wild Mexican Prawns Chorizo Stuffed Dates read more

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Avec in River North has a great vibe--clean, neat, and well-spaced, making it a comfortable spot for a business meal. The atmosphere feels good, not too crowded or loud, which makes conversations easy. The food was flavorful but leaned a bit too spicy for me. The salad had a bit too much dressing, but the taste was still enjoyable. The lentil soup had a strong kick, and the date roll was quite spicy as well, with a dark charcoal coating that felt a little risky to eat beyond the outer layer. Service was good, attentive without being overbearing. read more

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MESMERIZING. From the ambience, to flavors, and to the presentation, everything was amazing. It was my first time dining at Avec to celebrate a friend's birthday, and I can't recommend this place more. The menu offers robust selections with unique pairings, all designed to share amongst the table. I appreciate their art of elevating rather simple dishes into a more rich and lux profile. The short rib hummus and medjool dates were easily the best things I've tasted!! Service was quick, which provided an even greater experience as it was our first time dining here. On a side note, they don't have any special birthday freebies. They just brought out a candle with a single serving size chocolate lol. read more

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Lived up to the hype! Started off strong with the hummus, which was incredible. The seafood tagine had a big wow factor with the hearth baked lavash on top. The orecchiette was also very good. I would go back! read more

Avec River North - Clam And Veal Orecchiette - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Mid-century modern meets Greek island vibe, open and airy, appreciated the airport-sized bathroom ! Servers quick and welcoming. Persimmon Negroni was a lovely drink to awaken my palate We were a party of seven and had the luck of trying multiple small plates and large plates. Loved the chicken liver -perfectly earthy and tangy, hummus with veggies, mushroom bow-tie pasta- so fresh, and whole branzino was amazing- crispy skin, deboned and very tender meat. The breads/pitas that came with some of the dishes were the stars of the dinner- not supporting roles! The pork shoulder dish was too busy-once we stirred it up, looked so messy and really didn't know what we were eating-lol Truffle focaccia was more like a double layer flatbread with truffle fluff in middle- salty but tasty but flat-lol And the chorizo/date/bacon starter was super rich and smoky but I felt the chorizo was competing with the bacon and the grilled bread actually won Had to try while we were in Chicago! read more

Avec River North - Hummus with veggies on top - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had a very good brunch here with a friend. The space is open and bright. The service is attentive. Here are what we ordered: * Grapefruit cinnamon roll with citrus brown butter glaze * Healing latte (non-caffeinated latte with honey, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon) * Toasted multi-grain bread with avocado, egg, dill, and sunflower * Spiced shakshuka with soft-cooked eggs, Tunisian couscous, and pickled chili We enjoyed everything. We didn't even have room for dessert. I would be interested in returning for dinner in the future, and make sure I leave room for dessert. read more

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The food was amazing here!! Avec serves Mediterranean inspired food "family" style similar to tapas. We ordered 3 dishes for 3 people which was just enough. The focaccia is unique with baked cheese inside. It was quite rich but I really enjoyed it. I would recommend the calamari which is somewhat spicy and super delicious. The home made pasta ravioli was excellent too. We went on Tuesday night and they have a great deal on any wine bottle (half price) which made the dining experience even better. They do have some outside sidewalk seating. Service was top notch too. Enjoy, we did!!! read more

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The food and ambience were excellent. But......it is very disappointing that the resturant in the fine print on the bottom of the menu says they impose a surcharge in order to do the right thing and provide healthcare for their employees. This is not true. It is false. Ask your server. It is wrong to misrepresent this surcharge as a benefit to the employees. Raise your prices if you must, but do not mislead your patrons. read more

great seafood dishes and hummus small plates! Pita bread is hot and fresh. Allan is informative and the other staff are always attentive to your needs. read more

We came to dine here on a rainy Tuesday evening. We expected restaurants to be less busy on a Tuesday night but Avec was quite busy. The staff greeted us and they were kindly able to make room for a party of 2 & a baby without a reservation. Thankful it worked out because we were celebrating our anniversary and I've been to Avec in the past h thoroughly enjoyed the food. Atmosphere: Great for groups/ dates. It is loud with everyone talking so not ideal if you want a quiet dinner time. Staff: friendly and great service Food: Wood fired calamari ($24): The calamari is not the typical calamari that you may be familar ordering from restaurants. It was wood fired chewy (not fried) and saucy. Very flavorful with a kick to it with the kashmiri chili. Reminded me of indian food/curry with the mix of flavors and spice. Not ideal for those that cannot handle spicy food. The portion is perfect for sharing with 1-2 people depending on how much food or other appetizers you'll be ordering. Hamachi crudo ($28): The ingredients from the sauce to the toppings complimented the crudo well. Fresh and savory with the sauce. The portion is small so it'd be a good appetizer to share amongst 2 people unless there will be a bunch of appetizers ordered. I'd recommend trying this out! Chorizo stuffed medjool dates ($20) - Very flavorful and has a kick to it. The sweetness of the dates helps with the spice chorizo. I tried their stuffed dates years ago and preferred that over this but this was liked by my SO. This also appears to have been wood fired perhaps..it was a little too burnt looking for us. A filling appetizer and comes with 4 dates. Can be shared amongst 2-3 or for those that'd just like a taste, a date can be cut in half as the chorizo can be filling. Hearth Roasted confit chicken thighs (half $24) - the ingredients tasted good together and the chicken thighs were off the bone and tender. Yumm. I'd recommend trying this dish. I'll be back if I'm in the area. read more

Omg absolutely love this place! Avec is one of my fav restaurants in Chi! All the dishes were mind-blowing. The flavor profiles together complement each other so well. The hummus with short rib was phenomenal! The calamari and date dish were also amazing! These three dishes for all of us 3 were very filling! I absolutely love this place but wish it wasn't so pricey. read more

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When had about ten small plates of food. All good, it was fantastic and the place was huge and very busy. I shall be back!!!

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

The interior of this restaurant is gorgeous! It is a very large space with warm, dim lighting so it feels intimate. It also has an open kitchen concept so you can watch the food being made, which is always fun. Our waiter was very helpful and also offered advice on what wine we should drink that night. We were able to try different wines before deciding which bottle we would like, which I appreciated. I like how at Avec you can share multiple small plates with others. I love being able to try different flavors and dishes. All of the dishes were fantastic: the cod brandade and focaccia stood out to me. This is a great place to bring your friends and family to! read more

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10/10 food and ambiance. We went here after a show and just in time before they were closing despite that the food was delicious and service excellent. Started off with a couple of cocktails which were unique in flavor esp the saffron whiskey drink. For apps the short rip hummus and dates were my favorite. The calamari was also tasty with a hint of Indian flavor. For mains we tried the lamb rigatoni pasta and the mushroom pizza. The pasta felt like an Indian keema, however still delicious. The food portions were shareable and I got full by the time we got to dessert. During our meal we also recognized the owner Danny from the Bear who graced us with his presence at our table which was so nice! He checked in to see how we enjoyed the food and also gave us a complimentary dessert! The sticky toffee pudding was a great end to the meal, light and super moist! Avec is now a new favorite in my list of places to visit in Chicago! read more

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We celebrated a friend's bday a group of 10 girls ... we ordered the hibiscus margarita and old fashioned to kick off the evening along with a ton of appetizers and entrees. My favorite was the cabbage steaks so delicious. Everything was excellent and our server Joel was very nice and friendly. The bday girl however forgot one of the gift cards at the table and i hope they find it and return it to her. read more

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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

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

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

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Sunday brunch was great! We had no problem getting a last minute weekend reservation, maybe because this location is huge. The restaurant has bright & clean decor, a lively atmosphere, and wonderful service. After being seated, my friend and I noticed that if you're going to get more than one mimosa, you might as well get the bottomless ($1 cheaper than 2). So that's what we did, and they had a variety of juices to choose from - orange, grapefruit, peach, passion fruit, mango, and strawberry. Each time we were running low, they would diligently ask if we wanted another, and each time with a new glass. I noticed they also had many other brunch cocktails and beverages to choose from. For food, we split the grapefruit cinnamon roll, which ended up being a nice spin on the classic. We also ordered the shakshuka, and a side of breakfast sausage - both were absolutely delicious. I love that the menu is a little elevated, so you're not just paying $20 for pancakes you could make at home. I would definitely recommend Avec River North as one of the better brunch spots in Chicago. Will have to return to try their dinner fare. read more

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