If you want to come here to sit outside call ahead and ask....was told we could not sit outside because we had a party of 4 and there were only 2 top tables outside (it was a Monday - a very quiet Monday- only made a reservation because I wasn't sure how busy they got) when I called to make a reservation they said they only took them online. Well, online you only have the option to make a reservation inside. We arrived 20 minutes before our reservation and the restaurant was very quiet/ very little customers- we hoped that if it was quiet we would be able to sit outside - they would not let us because of the reservation...even though the restaurant was VERY quiet...We asked if we could finish our drinks outside after we ate our dinner inside (no one outside - one other table than us inside....) and was also not allowed to do that....not sure the point of a patio if they don't want anyone to use it...was also not offered to sit in the upstairs patio that does have 4 top tables. If the restaurant was busy and not have been able to accommodate us I would have understood - but with how quiet it was I would have hoped they could have made an exception. Only posting because we had another experience on a week night where they would not allow my mom and grandma to be seated without us also present (I get it I worked in the service industry) but again - the restaurant was not busy and you would think an exception could have been made to allow an elderly woman to sit down when we were not there during a busy weekend time. This owner has zero customer service skills. Food is good (expensive) but not good enough for us to return. read more

Loved our experience at Bold! Pretty small inside so even getting there at 7:30 on a Saturday was still a 30 minute wait. No problem though as we enjoyed drinks on the rooftop bar, very cool! Mussels and crab cakes were great appetizers to start our meal. They had a 32oz tomahawk steak special that we shared - cooked to perfection. Comes with the mashed potatoes which were good but then also sub in the brussels sprouts with pork belly instead of the mushrooms, so good! Already looking forward to our next meal at Bold. read more

Great food and drink check for special on Sunday and weeknights ,Sat at bar so I wouldn't take up a table

Tried BOLD american fare for the first time yesterday. Has the ambiance of a cool little bar but the food and drink menu of a 5 star restaurant. We both had the AYCE crab & shrimp (which was fantastic) but also saw 4-5 menu items we'll definitely have to come back for. Service, food, cocktails and parking all 5/5. Not cheap, but well worth the price. read more

Great food as usual. Scotty always brings a perfect level of attentive polite service, while treating you like a long time friend. He never ceases to impress!! read more

Do not make a reservation using their service "Tock" at exploretock.com for this restaurant Bold American Fare in Algonquin, Ill. They charge $25 per person for reservation and if you need to cancel - they will not refund this "reservation fee". This is not a "HIGH CLASS" restaurant. It is little restaurant in Algonquin, Ill and will not groups over 7. They say you can cancel up to 2wks in advance, but will not refund the $25 per person. I do not recommend going to this restaurant. read more

Excellent food, service and atmosphere. Specials during the week are terrific. The burger is amazing along with the steaks. The sides are terrific read more

A group of five of us went to have dinner & drinks on a weeknight. We drove separately and I got there first. I went inside to ask for a table for five, and there were two tables taken with two people at each table. I don't know if it's the owner or manager, tall guy with a beard, but he was absurdly rude. He told me everyone had to be present to be seated, which makes sense on a busy night but there was barely anyone there. I said they are all just a few minutes behind me, could I just be seated and he said no. I said OK, I'll sit at the bar for a minute and wait for everybody, which he also said no I couldn't do. He told me to go across the street to another bar and wait there, then come back when everyone was together. I said that's ridiculous, they are all going to be here within 5 to 10 minutes. He said we don't seat tables unless everyone's here, and I said even though they're five minutes away? He goes, "You just said they'd be here in 10 minutes!" because arguing with customers about nothing is good for business?!? I said your rules are stupid, good luck with that, and walked out. Such a shame because the food is supposed to be good and we're always looking for new places. Seeing how many reviews refer to their terrible service and the terrible host at the front door, they must be enjoying the negative attention because they certainly aren't trying to improve. read more

Great location and drink selection. I am so happy to see that our downtown Algonquin thriving! I went tonight solo to have a nice glass of wine and a meal. I started up on the top deck, however food wasn't offered up there. I made my way to the main bar to order dinner. There were two other people seated at the bar. I was seated way at one end of the bar by the server station. I asked to move over and I was told that I could only sit at one end or the other. I offered to move over if other people came but was refused. So odd and controlling. I chose to eat at Montarra. Interestingly enough, I was seated and actually had to move over to accommodate other guests. It was no trouble. Amazing food and service at Montarra. Won't return to Bold...too controlling and lack of consideration for patrons. Too bad read more

While I'll never quite get over the airline chicken dropping off the menu, the offerings that have stayed the test of time and which outlast the seasonal swaps are there for good reason. Some of the items might seem odd, especially compared to a run-of-the-mill restaurant, but don't worry. You aren't the one taking a risk when you order the lobster pot pie. The risk was taken long before you walked in the door and the chef eliminated said risk by crafting every recipe to perfection. Each dish has a little detail that separates it, elevates it from what you might find elsewhere. Permanent recommendation on the chicken and waffles, as well as just about any special dessert they have on hand. Don't be tentative, be bold, and get yourself what you want, not what you "should" have. read more

Food was great. So much food and service excellent. Looking forward to returning. Small intimate place.

Chicken fried steak with Cajun shrimp was amazing! Service was great-Thank you Jessica!

We have been coming here for about a year now, and never have an issue. The food and service is always amazing! Scott was super attentive, quick, and somehow remembered our entire order. We will definitely continue coming back! read more

The food is great and the staff is better My wife had mussels and noodles I had chicken fried steak and shrimp both were great as always Next time I am thinking about the short ribs Kaylee was our wonderful host read more

Had a few really bad customer service interactions here, which is unfortunate because I previously liked this place. First time, wanted to stop in for a drink and was told we couldn't come in if we weren't eating and had to go across the street to their wine/whiskey bar if we just wanted drinks. (We just came from there fyi), it was a bad ploy at trying to drive business to their newer bar. Second time, it was a heat wave in the summer, 90 degrees out. I had to park far, was carrying a water bottle since I was HOT and walking through downtown. They told me I had to go put my water back in the car because "no outside beverages were allowed". I get the concept of not bringing beverages, however I explained that it was over 90 out, I was staying hydrated since I was walking around the town and even said I would put my bottle of water on the booth and not touch it.. nope, not allowed in. Sorry I'm not walking back and forth a mile in the heat over a power trip. read more

I(we) know that racism exists. It hurts to hear about it. It hurts to see it happen. It hurts even more when you are a victim of it. I experienced that last night from the manager of the restaurant called Bold American fair in Algonquin. My fiancé and I were waiting for a patio table. The host said that there may be a table up there. So as she went up to check, the manager came to the host stand and told us that they were at capacity. We told him what the host told us. He said, "we are capacity". So we said we would take a different table. The group of 4 (not black) behind us walked right up and they requested the patio as well. The manager grabbed the menus and said follow me. RIGHT AWAY! There is only one way up to the patio and that's where he took him!! When he got back, I said, " you said you were at capacity. ??". He said, "Yes, for a table of 2, not for a table of 4. Isn't that what most restaurants do." I said HELL NO! Please do not go to or support this restaurant "BOLD AMERICAN FAIR in downtown Algonquin IL. I have to say, they are bold about putting "American" & "Fair" in their restaurant name. Unreal... read more

Bold has a really cool dining room and an even better rooftop bar. The food is good but pricey. The servers are attentive but not overly friendly . If we go back it'll be for appetizers and drinks on the rooftop. read more

Ordered a NY strip medium well and the apparently the kid told them raw. They did offer to redo it but come on for 40$ I'd assume they'd be a little more consistent read more

Bold American Fare - Steakhouses Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

If you are not white, the waitperson will tell you the price as if you cant afford to be there. Came in with 3 of my white relatives from the UK and Australia as my treat, Ive never been so embarrassed in my life as when the price of everything was announced. FYI, there is nothing as a attorney I cant afford in your restaurant, and if I cant my MD husband can. The food was mediocre at best, my steak was chewy, husband fish dry, sister in laws burger raw. Drinks are great, but after spending $500 I doubt we will be welcomed, so I will spend my money at another place, I'm not wearing the good jewelry or carrying my Birkin for some hole in Algonquin. read more

My wife and I have Valentines Dinner here: (1) Lobster Pop tart was amazing (2) Southern Fried Alligator was excellent Crab cakes were good (3) Pork belly was really good but the grits were not as good (4) Crispy duck wings were good but rather sweet (5) Meatballs were good, but also a bit sweet The cost is a little bit high but the food is excellent. We came on a Tuesday and had 1/2 price small plates. I probably wouldn't have ordered as much at full price but we really liked our dinners. read more

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Super expensive for a salad. Told them it was our first time & we were sat on the busy sidewalk. Just unimpressed.

Won't be back. I prefer to go somewhere I feel welcome and my patronage is appreciated. No thank you. 5 stars for the bartenders -4 stars for ownership/management. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and experience. I ordered the mussels which are the best I've ever had. My husband ordered the pot roast which was melt in your mouth. The couple we brought really enjoyed their meal and thought it was prepared perfectly. So happy to have found this wonderful little restaurant. It's become one of our favorites. We will definitely recommend it to our friends and neighbors. read more

Dined here recently to celebrate a special occasion. We all had fish entree's, Halibut, Salmon, Swordfish. Everything was fantastic, as was the service. (Kelsey) The $5 Mai Tai's (Thursday Special) were perfect too. This was up there with the best fresh fish dinners I've ever had. Nothing could be improved upon. The mushroom risotto that accompanied the Halibut was rich and perfect. Could be an entree in itself. Everything was bursting with flavor, perfectly cooked and prepared. The Black Cherry Ricotta "cheesecake" desert was also a decadent finish. We will definitely be returning here. Looking forward to having a steak. read more

It's been awhile since we've eaten here. Tonight we waited a mere 20 minutes and chose a table inside. We noticed other most tables were without food, we saw 1-2 servers back and forth, including service to tables outside. The chef was out and about. Not sure what that means, but he wasn't visiting with diners. After waiting 15 minutes with no server even greeting us, we walked out. read more

I have been to Bold several times and keep going back because the food is so delicious and out of this world! They have frequent specials that are unique and home made. You cannot find places like this very often!! They also have bottomless mimosas on Sundays! I love bold and their food!!! Worth every penny! read more

It's freezing outside... the hostess doesn't know anything about the menu...I-go to go inside to ask questions..the hostest "you're not allowed in there until we tell you!" ???? Wtf? read more

Brought a table of 4 at 5:30 on Saturday night. Had heard good things. The food was decent but pricey and slow to come out. The atmosphere felt hectic and abrupt. The crab dip didn't have enough bread for 4 people - it took forever to come out then getting more bread was a 20 minute wait. How do you not know that a tiny loaf of bread isn't enough when four people are sharing an appetizer? And how do you not keep some warm in the back? The staff seemed more interested in turning the table than providing a cozy experience. Has potential! If they can fix the kitchen issues and if the servers and bussers can slow down enough to actually pay attention to what's needed, they'll do okay. read more

My wife and I were frequent customers until recently. We bought gift cards often and The food has always been good and the staff has been great as well. Until We came on a Saturday night with 2 kids around 8pm with plenty of open tables. The hostess told us she would check with the owner to see if they could seat us. We were told by the owner it would be 2 hours to get a table even though there were plenty of open tables, and when we questioned it he just said sorry, you can't eat here. We ended up going to Cucina Bella which is close by and the food was excellent. read more

This is one of the few places I've found in the suburbs where the chef understands how to be creative with the menu in a way that's true to the original dishes and isn't just some gimmicky flare for people to flex on Instagram. The standard fare of steaks and burgers are great, but this is a great place to trust the chef and try whatever specials they are offering. Service is always great. On a nice day, the porch seating is a great spot for a date night and decent view of town. read more

We ordered a TOMAHAWK steak ahead of time and even spoke to the Chef personally before coming in for our dinner. When we arrived for our dinner, there was only one other person in the restaurant (seated at the bar) and when we asked to see the Chef we were told by our waitress that he would NOT come out to see us (even after talking with him personally in person previously). GOSH....was he "too busy" or could not "be bothered". I asked for my steak medium rare + and it arrived medium to medium well.....the TOMAHAWK was thin and very disappointing. If you want to feel insignificant and uncared for....this is your place!! Enough said. read more

Never ever again will I go to Bold American Fare!!! Lisa Combs and I went upstairs NOTHING was ava on menu. So we went back down stairs and we had to seat ourselves. After we were given menus for the down stairs we were asked to move as we were sitting in spot that had 3 chairs. Given the fact that we were the only ones on the outside of the restaurant and only one couple on the inside. The waiter said in case a party of four comes it was only sitting for three. So we left. read more

I don't get here enough! Had an amazing meal tonight with summer seafood risotto. Sweet, tender and delicious lobster with truffles and caviar. Don't worry if you are not a caviar fan, you can work around it. I loved it! Celebrating a very successful event and needed to treat myself so I had the strawberry cake in hardened chocolate. OMG. So decadent! And the service by the new server Tasha was exemplary. Stop by to welcome her to the team and enjoy a decadent meal and cocktail. read more

I go here most Wednesday nights. They have some good drink and food specials that are not really advertised so either the bartenders will tell you or you should ask! It is clean and the food is a little pricey but that is for a reason. Most the food is top knotch! The only item that didn't live up to its hype was the swordfish, if I had to bet on it it was frozen before it was cooked, this was too bad because it would of been awesome if not frozen. The outdoor area is quite cute with a fireplace area to sit around. The bartenders are attentive and hardworking. Other then one less then stellar meal and they do not seat you unless your whole party is there ( I do not like ) the place is a solid dinner and drink destination Good for an independent dinner or a date night. read more

We went early on a Friday night because they don't take reservations. Glad we did. By 5:45, the place was hopping. For some reason though, 2 party groups had to wait for a table even though there were empty 4 person tables. Not sure I understand why. In any event, the food was outstanding and creative. Large portions make it a strong value. Good but small wine list. Just know the "2-Person carrot cake" likely serves four! Definitely worth a return trip! read more

We arrived and were told there was a 25 min wait for food but were quickly sat in the front area/Patio. Waiter was quick and friendly and offered drinks while we waited. I had a cocktail (can't recall the name) but it was well balanced and tasty. The wait didn't seem like much and food was well proportioned and delicious. This was our first time visiting and it was very pleasant. We didn't go inside but it was comfortable and clean on a warm day in Algonquin:) read more

The food and drinks are so authentic! The atmosphere is quaint but unique. Located in downtown Algonquin giving you access to beautiful sites within walking distance, a kids park, and the rider. read more

Went with another couple on a Sunday. Very surprised there was only one other table dining. My husband ordered the wagyu burger and I had the grouper sandwich. We ordered a side of the "lobster mac & cheese". The burger was OK, nothing exciting claiming to be wagyu. My grouper sandwich was a very small thin piece of grouper. The worst part was the roll was a hamburger roll you would get at the supermarket. It completely fell apart by my second bite. The mac and cheese was served on a small saucer and the sauce needed a spoon to eat. There were three small slices of what appeared to be the pretend fish but definitely not lobster. When the bill came, we were charged for a full order of the mac & cheese. When we questioned our server, he apologized and said it was his fault he didn't explain that they did not serve a side dish with our order. There was nothing on the menu that stated you could not order a side. The menu clearly listed a side for $9 or a serving for $18. Talk about a bait and switch! We paid $18 for a sauce of runny mac & cheese with no lobster! So, we paid $91 for two sandwiches, two drinks and a saucer of mac & cheese. Do yourself a favor and steer clear! read more

Fantastic meal...filet and sprouts. The maple honey walnut bread pudding for dessert was unreal!

I started coming to Bold since it first opened. Always enjoyed the food and service is always amazing. I finally got to go out and enjoy a dinner with one of my best friends tonight. Brittany was our server, she was amazing! Not only was she very attentive, had a great positive attitude, she also was just a pleasure to have serving for us! The food was great we had the pot stickers that were on special for an appetizer. My friend had a burger, while I had their special entree chicken dinner. That tasted amazing might I add! (pictured below) And to top it off, we finished off with carrot cake, delicious! Luckily, we didn't have to wait to be seated, even though they looked so busy when we walked up. If you're looking for a place to have a nice dinner and cocktails or even to celebrate with loved ones, this is your spot! read more

Bold American Fare - Chicken dinner special 7/30 - Steakhouses Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois