Deeply inferior. My friend picked this place for brunch because, presumably, it "seemed cute" - which, in pictures, it does. But it's one of those 'grammable spots that in real life is lackluster. The plants hanging from the ceiling are fake. The "cute" upholstered benches are waaayyyy too deep so what would be a normally very comfortable booth situation is deeply, physically uncomfortable. The cushions looked like they haven't been cleaned... ever. Immediately upon being seated I was greeted with an absolute ham-fisted used-car-salesman upsell on $40 worth of mimosas (seated alone before my friend arrived, mind you), and was glad I declined because when the single mimosa I DID order arrived, it was made with such bottom-shelf cheap "champagne" that I imagined they must've opened the bottle the day before and spiked it with some turpentine. It tasted like paint thinner and was an insult to the effrontery that was the bathwater-beige "orange juice" they mixed it with. Back to the facilities: Like all dignified Ladies Who Brunch, I went to the ladies' during brunch. But my journey there required my phone: Not so that I could sneak a quick text to the group chat about the sub-par brunch experience I was having, no: But to illuminate my path to the bathroom. The hallway to the facilities was COMPLETELY UNLIT. Nary a lit bulb to be seen. And the configuration of this puzzling brunch emporium is such that the bathrooms fall into complete and total darkness. I warned my friend upon my return so she wouldn't fall flat on her face on her treacherous journey to pee, or topple head over teakettle into the murky drink of the surely-neglected toilet. Now, as to the food: As one does when at a restaurant with shakshuka on the menu: I ordered shakshuka. If shakshuka is on offer, I'm going to order it. You might guess from the number of times I just wrote the word shakshuka that I both like, and am a connoisseur of, shakshuka. You would be right. This shakshuka was... fine, I guess. Forgettable, at best. But it definitely wasn't good. I've made better at home. I've had better at airport lounges. For an airport lounge, shakshuka is a wild swing. For a place that seems to market (and style) itself as some sort of middle eastern food and drink emporium for the hipster set, you'd think they'd DELIVER THE GOODS on a staple like shakshuka. Not so. Overall, Beatnik is not worth a second try. read more

THE VIBE WAS FUNKY POSH SUPER KOOL a total Chicago riverside allure" striking angles coupled with breathtaking views of the Chicago River from its soon to be lush patio/ summer time will be a must Totally WILD BILL TOTAL GLOBETROTTER menu designed for sharing n same seaters :) Rib Tagine, Avocado Hummus with Curry Meatballs, and Baklava Cheesecake. The drinks yummy Inventive tropical cocktails like the "Mamu Vida" (Mezcal and Szechwan honey) and a curated wine list focusing on lesser-known Mediterranean read more

I haven't been here in such a long time and it was nice to come for a birthday brunch. Of course this place has the best ambience and aesthetics. Always beautiful and clean. Service was good but it did take some time to get our orders and receive our food. I know the Sunday could be busy so we understood. But everyone enjoyed the various food on a brunch menu and will be back for drinks and brunch again. read more

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Visited on a snowy evening for a great dinner. We have never been here before, but braved the weather for an early dinner. Love the vibe inside and the service was great. To start we had the baba ganoush which was so good with pomegranate seeds and some texture. The snap pea salad was fresh and also had some crunch. For dinner I had the shrimp dish which was sooooooo good! I loved the corn with the tomato sauce and greens. My husband had the branzino which he loved. For dessert it's awesome they support a close local business (Hoosier Mama Pie Company) so we tried one. The crust was yummy but the pie itself wasn't our fave. I'd try another kind next time. I would recommend this restaurant for anyone in the area, very good! read more

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Everything was great. Our server Tony was top tier. Ambience, food, drinks, and service were all excellent read more

Beatnik West Town - Salmon crudo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Beatnik is the perfect trendy date night spot. A lot of their items are easy to share so it could also be good for groups. We went for happy hour and enjoyed a couple of apps and drinks. I love that their happy hour goes until 7. Next time we will check out the bar in front, where they had cozy couches to enjoy a cocktail. read more

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This place gets a lot of hate in the reviews but it's great. The food is great, the service is awesome, and there are comfy couches, and great decor. They have a skylight that is ornate. Definitely cost a lot to build this place up. It's a fusion of med and Asian foods. We came here on a Wednesday night, around 5:30pm. The place was almost empty but as we were leaving at 7 it was getting more busy. For food we got a lot, mostly to share with each other (2 adults and 1 child). We got the Salmon Crudo, which was so fresh, so delicious. Za'atar Fries, which were crunchy, and perfectly salted. We also got the chicken musakhan, which was delicious, charred, and came with a great sauce. We got a hummus and lamb meatball, it was very good. Finally we got the friend chicken bao. The taste was great with a spicy ish sauce. Nothing was too salty, or sour. It was all creamy and delicious. The drinks were tasty too. For dessert we got a Hoosier Pie Company Chocolate and Strawberry pie, it was very thick. This place allows kids but does not have a kids menu or kids drinks. It is kid friendly in a way. They did have an NA Pina Colada, which was also creamy, and cold, and good. read more

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Went here for a belated Mother's Day's brunch with my friend. Love the ambiance. So rustic and so chic! We started with drinks. She had the Mama Vida and I had the Second Fiddle. Both drinks were very good. We decided to pick a dish and share. She had the Chicky Bao. It was very good. Not too spicy at all. I would preferred a little more of a kick. I ordered the Shakshuka with Merguez Sausage. I love the flavor of this dish. To finish our meal, we ordered a sticky bun. Buttery delicious with mounds of pecans! read more

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Beatnik West loop made our Sunday Funday so special! First, the space is beautiful! So much greenery and it's a vibe! Who ever designed it needs to come do a room in my home. The food was very fresh and delicious! We had a party of 9 so a little bit of everything was ordered. The avocado spread and the double burger were my favorites! I wanted the whole Branzino Fish but the girls were keeping it cute so I stayed in line but please believe I'll be back soon for that baby! My cousin loved the octopus and hummus. For my drink I stuck to the El guapos and with the theme...it was fresh and tasty! The staff were all amazing! Def will be back soon! You know I enjoyed myself because this Yelper forgot to take a photo of her main dish!! Yikes in the best way! read more

Beatnik West Town - El Gaupo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We had another lovely brunch at Beatnik. The mezze board was a perfect starter for 2 of us but would make a great brunch for 1 person. My date loved her burger and crudo was light and fresh. Tasty cocktails and a comfortable vibe make this a favorite Sunday morning spot for us. Recommended read more

Beatnik West Town - Lovely mezze for brunch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cool vibe with the lighting, pillows and layered rugs. It was dim, which created a nice ambiance. The food was great. Meant for sharing, the plates are fairly generous. We were a group of 8 and ordered (3) Salmon Crudo, (1) Lamb Shoulder, (2) Mole Verde Gnocchi, (2) Baba Ghanoush, (1) Roasted Cauliflower and a couple of people ordered the burgers and fries. Nobody left hungry, but we weren't stuffed either. It was the perfect amount of food for 8 people. Our bill was about $300 but only included two $10 happy hour drinks and many things on the ticket were $10 due to the time. I can't imagine how big the bill would have been had it not been happy hour. I never thought I'd hear a club version of Sunglasses at Night, but here we are. Lol Just to note, it's exceptionally loud in here. We all had to shout or be really good at lip reading. Pretty ample street parking read more

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Server's Attitude He was very inattentive Also we were told in advance but I didn't like the fact that food comes at different times In the picture the server on the left side is the one I'm talking about read more

Beatnik West Town - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is gorgeous, stunning and has such great vibes. The service was okay All the food was amazing, our favorite was the beet mutabbal, steak, and mushroom skewers Such a fun date night, I'd definitely come back! read more

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Man this place is so cool inside. Has a Dishoom/London vibe. Part of the dinner was just looking around. We sat in the back half, in the tables with pillows area. Watched the candle lighting process. Admired the chandeliers. The woodwork. The different styles of east and west. And the food was fabulous. And our waiter (wish I could remember his name!) was courteous and professional and attentive without being overbearing in the slightest. Definitely on our list and texted family and friends about it already. read more

I spent a weekend in Chicago on a girls trip and we were looking for somewhere to close our time before our flights. Beatnik caught our eye with their beautiful exterior. We came around 11 am and were easily able to get a table for brunch. Once you step inside you're transported to a beautiful garden with tons of plants and sky light. I wish my house looked like this. Not only was the decor amazing but the food was delicious too. I had the shaksuka which had excellent flavor and a good size. Our server was incredible too, very friendly & able to provide a great wine recommendation. Do not pass this place up for a great time! read more

Beatnik West Town - Shaksuka - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I loved this place! It's a great vibe to go for date night or with the gals. This place is not for picky eaters; there is such a brilliant fusion of flavors and cuisines. I recommend this place to everyone who will listen. I recommend going early and also making a reservation. Service was a bit slow, and we had to wait longer than usual for some of our food and drinks, but they made sure to make it right and gave us those items for free. read more

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Great local neighborhood Middle Eastern / Fusion restaurant! So many great options to choose from - food or drink! Pretty big restaurant with wine bar next door. Ambiance was definitely a vibe, plus they had a DJ on Saturday night. Service was pretty quick and food came out as ready. Will definitely comeback if I'm ever in town. read more

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Sub par service and I'm being nice. We came for restaurant week. Ordered the sticky bun and baba ganoush for our first course then the chicken and waffles and cheeseburger with a side of fries for the second course. Also a sprite and ginger ale. The baba ganoush came out first then the fries. Then 10 minutes later we finally received our drinks (that were $7 each btw). 25 minutes later we received the cheeseburger and chicken and waffles. Chicken was not seasoned at all. Just glazed. Eventually our waiter decided to come over to check on us to which I told him we never received our sticky bun. I saw him bring out 3 of them to a larger table (that sat down after us) and then went back to get ours. The table next to me sat down a half hour after us and we received our bill at the same time..just to put things in perspective. Overall, they won't be having me as a customer again read more

Beatnik West Town - Baba Ganoush - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Welcome to your next vacation! From the moment you walk through the door at beatnik, you immediately feel like you've stepped into a Mediterranean escape. The eclectic decor transports you to an adventurous foodie experience. With a creative cocktail list and delicious dinner menu, your taste buds will most definitely not be disappointed. I'm doing a dry January so for this visit, I opted for one of there several non-alcoholic options. (But I'll be back to taste their other cocktails which I watched them make several and they look beautiful in creation and sound fantastic). I tried the snooze button which was a coffee lovers dream! For our meal we kicked off with the baba ganoush which was amazing! Beautifully plated but tasted even better than it looks. I love a dish that includes pomegranate seeds and pine nuts. To compliment our spread, we also ordered the ceviche which might be the best ceviche I've had anywhere in chicago. If you love tuna ceviche, this is a must try! For our main, we went with the steak kebab. Perfectly cooked and paired with walnut muhammara and chemen chimichurri. It's sure to satisfy your appetite. I'm already looking forward to my next visit! read more

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Good food, good service, and an A1 ambiance. This place really transports you to Morocco! I came here for brunch and the avocado toast, baba ganoush, and cinnamon roll did not disappoint. The avocado toast was loaded with toppings - very filling. The baba ganoush had great flavors going on - love the pomegranate seeds. However, this tasted like hummus (still tasty tho!) The cinnamon roll was out of this world. They don't skimp on the delish cream cheese frosting! The outside is flaky and the inside is soft - just what you want from a cinnamon roll! Comes out hot too. I would return to try their dinner menu. read more

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Food was delicious, made it just in time for happy hour which was until 7! Resturaunt is stunning, definitely worth taking a walk through the back to see the intricacies of the dining room. Service was just okay- they crammed everyone in one little section with the tables nearly touching which would be fine if it were busy and the servers were efficient, but neither were true. read more

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Okay, I get the Beatnik hype! I've seen photos of the atmosphere and food online, but it truly doesn't do it justice. Cozy couches, candles, greenery, and rugs, make you feel like you've been transported to a cafe in Morocco. We dined here for bunch on a Sunday morning. Our server was extremely attentive and did a wonderful job checking in on us! I started with the cold brew and dang, this was strong! Once I added some sugar and milk, it was very tasty. We all ordered our own entrees, but did end up sharing everything which was nice. We tried: the avocado toast, sweet potato hash, egg sandwich, shakshuka, and cinnamon roll. Everything was SO flavorful, fresh, and delicious! The cinnamon roll was so yummy we ended up ordering two. It's topped with cardamom cream cheese and pistachios, giving it the perfect balance of sweet and nutty. Other standouts were the sweet potato hash and shakshuka, but honestly everything was five stars. Really excited to come back again for brunch, but also for the dinner menu! read more

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Love this place and environment for brunch. Met some friends here and the drinks were also so good that are not pictured. Not a big fan of chicken and waffles together but gave it a try. read more

Beatnik West Town - Chicken and waffles - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We dined on Easter for brunch- it was delicious and lovely with excellent service - our server Dylan was so sweet and took great care of us! We really enjoyed all of our dishes but the shakshuka, mezze platter, oysters and the chicken & waffles were stand outs! Good coffee and nice cocktails too! We'll be back for sure! read more

Service was great. It was a slower night and the bartender made sure we had what we needed and recommended some plates to share--the baba ganoush was delicious! read more

Beautiful space, love the ferns and chandeliers! I came here with a friend for restaurant week, the food was not impressive - maybe because we chose the restaurant week menu. Service and staff were ok, they didn't seem to care much. I would come back for drinks but there are definitely better restaurants in the city. read more

My husband and I got married at Beatnik back in October this year - and after the experience we had, we knew we had to write a glowing review! Truly - from the time we first met with Cassandra (who was our point person from the beginning) Beatnik flawlessly planned and executed every detail of our dream wedding. After the wedding - the biggest thing that every guest said to us over and over again was " first, what incredible venue and also - the TEAM THERE, wow!" We couldn't agree with them more. We also had all of our friends with food allergies let us know how taken care of they felt by Cassandra and the venue, many of them mentioned that they've never had that level of care taken to make them feel so calm and special about more challenging dietary restrictions. Cassandra truly felt like a fairy godmother throughout the entire experience with Beatnik. She was so thoughtful, helpful, kind, and professional. She was a huge reason we felt comfortable enough to choose this venue for such an important day. By the end of our wedding night - so many of our friends and family knew her by name because they were also so appreciative of her and her team's amazing work. The team at Beatnik is so lucky to have her! read more

Came here for a brunch with my friend to treat ourselves and had a great experience! Kind of embarrassingly had a hard time finding the door (fyi it's to the left of the giant wooden door, not in the enclosed overhang), but once inside loved the decor and they even had a DJ playing which added to the vibes. It is admittedly small portions for the prices but all great quality and delicious! My friend got the spirit free Pina colada and I got the watermelon mojito which was super refreshing. For food, we got the crab tostada (surprising amount of crab, super tasty), steak and eggs (perfectly cooked steak, soft and fluffy eggs), and added on the shakshuka when we saw the portions lol. The shakshuka was the most filling and good although I felt may have been a little basic without the lamb. Then dessert we finished off with the date cake which was delicious. Service was super friendly and people were frequently refilling our water and making sure we had everything we needed. Overall very enjoyable meal, although pricy - worth it for a nice meal out! read more

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How can you have a bad time at a place that looks this good?! Brunch, music, service, and overall vibes are great. The chicken/waffles and the crab tostada are my faves. read more

Beatnik West Town - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Super nice indoor decor and vibe with chandeliers and plants all around. Brunch food-only the chicken over waffles was good. Everything else was small portions and not that great! Didn't fill us up :( Service- online booking app shows full and reserved days out however we got there and the place was 3/4 empty! Very misleading! We requested for a table at the patio and hostess didn't give it to us because it was 8 seats and we were a party of 6... no one got sat for the entire duration of our brunch! Service and food is meh, but for Instagrammable brunch place,this spot is nice read more

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Really good happy hour deals that go until 7 through the weeknights. The chicken bao was so fresh, and the contrast between the crunchy fried chicken and the soft dough was amazing. The kebabs were a little disappointing as they did not come on a stick and were basically just two garnished chicken thighs. read more

Beatnik West Town - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The most cool environment with a delicious menu and great service. Our table tried a lot of dishes, the frosting on the cinnamon roll is so good, shashuka flavors are killer... chicken & waffle is perfect. Love the indoor outdoor vibes and the decor. Will definitely be back. read more

Beatnik West Town - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ventured over to West Town to try out Beatnik for brunch and it was delish! The ambiance is what really sets the restaurant apart from others. The decor is fun and in the summer they open up their doors to let in fresh air. The patio is also super cute. Luckily the food was delicious too! I had the fried chicken and waffles and it was so flavorful! The hot honey and fried chicken was a great combo. I also tried some of the shakshuka and loved that as well. Their cocktails are also great, but a little pricey I feel. Their coffee mocktails were amazing, I loved the Snooze Button. Would recommend if you're looking for a fancier brunch option with a great atmosphere! read more

Beatnik West Town - Fried chicken and waffles - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best spot for a date in west town. Really cool eclectic space (see pics ), with hip music covers of old favorites. Especially liked were we sat with the "couch" seats. You can taste the quality and freshness on every bite, but they're afraid to season the food. This has a Mediterranean influence menu and we're in Chicago not say Peoria IL so why the are skimping on the seasoning? That's why it's only 4 stars. I would come here for the vibe first food second. read more

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Beautiful decor excellent food great service. We met friends and had a wonderful evening.

I really wanted to like Beatnik after wanting to go here (well specifically their location on the river) for the last few years. The vibe is super cute, adorned with greenery and chandeliers in a dim atmosphere with clubby/fratty beats. I realize that description does not sound cute but it's a vibe that'll put you in a good mood :) My family came in from out of town and we ordered the croquettes and octopus to start. These were probably the highlights of the meal. The croquettes were crispy on the outside yet soft on the inside, with a hint of truffle and Parmesan on top. The octopus came with potatoes and were super yummy. The mains were unfortunately a bit more disappointing. I personality ordered the short rib and the two small pieces of short rib sat atop a bed of chickpeas. The chickpea was super thick - too thick - and felt really heavy. The whole dish also felt a bit lacking in flavor. My dad ordered the salmon and I felt that could've used more flavor as well. My sister got the chicken kabobs and those were actually pretty yummy and a huge portion. But otherwise, the theme seemed to be lack of flavor and small-ish portions (of protein). read more

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The ambiance was very cool. Easy to make a reservation. Service was very nice and prompt. Drinks were good and unique. Food was good.

We had a wonderful meal thanks to our server Sam! His recommendations were spot on and his service was incredible!

Was pleasantly surprised on my visit. I had heard mixed reviews and wasn't sure what to expect. The kale fatoosh was ok, tasted like your average salad but the pita chips were a nice touch. However, the veg gnocchi was absolutely delicious, it was full of flavor with a small spice kick. I could have eaten even more of those. The baklava cheesecake was also beyond delicious while feeling light. Id only go back for those two dishes, worth checking out. read more

I've been here a couple times now, both with groups larger than 6. The first time we received better service than the second time. The second to me was 6 days ago and the server was friendly, he just didn't come by nearly as often as he should've. The food is always pretty great. This time, I got the double cheeseburger and it was so juicy and delicious! The fries were good too. I also had a Saturn, which was their cocktail with gin, so refreshing! Parking is easy to find around this location. read more

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