this place is the place to go as they have their act together in every aspect. went on a thursday night with an opentable reservation for my friend and myself as we were catching up. my friend is a wine person (i'm no where near what he is) who has travelled the world in pursuit of wine and has a wine collection that would knock your socks off---and he picked this place based upon having a good wine selection--and he and the server talked wine, with me clueless as i'm a no knowledge wine person! the service was excellent. our server did not rush us and answered every question in detail as there were some things we just did not understand on the menu. the food presentation was top notch and well prepared. i have the amish chicken and it was not only presented nicely, but was juicy--even the white meat! had the octopus for an appetizer and that was quite good. my friend had a pasta which was quite tasty, so really, i conclude the food is well prepared and well presented. the ambiance is comfy and it is the the type of place you can come dressed up or in jeans. so make the reservation and go.... we were there talking til after close a bit and not once did they rush us out, so i say go, figure about 50-75/person, but make the open table reservation. read more

I can't believe it's taken me so long to get in this place as a local. The service was great, lovely atmosphere too for date night, girls night, or family gathering. The food was delicious and great quality. Even my date raved about his meal. Can't wait to return. read more

Had high expectations for how pricy this place is. Got the cappittele (sp).it was ok. Not great. It felt dry and bland. Got molten chocolate cake for dessert. It was precut so I didn't get the drama of the ooze. It was very good. Very rich. read more

Party of four, a Sunday evening. We tried a variety of offerings. Because Yelp doesn't breakdown specific ratings, let me do it: Service: *** Food: **** Overall impression: Barely **** There is a small warning at the end. I had their grilled salmon. It had a base of pureed butternut squash, a different temperature than the salmon, and the roasted/salted kale underneath, also served with pickled onion. It was fine. We had a small loaf of their bread as an appetizer, served with a goat cheese and a red pepper sauce (perfect spicing), also deemed very good. The hummus plate was also good. My partner had their eggplant dish, which she said was fine, not amazing, but good. Each of us, save me, had a drink (except me, the designated driver) of alcohol or wine. Also good to very good. I had their coffee, which (an Americano) was quite good. For a side, we tried their mac & cheese, which is mac and another pasta and cheese with panko, strangely delicious. I say strangely, because it looked pretty standard but the flavorings were good, and it retained its heat. This ran about $60ea (incl wine or liquor + coffee). Oddly, after decent beignets, I looked at the tab to find that a 3% surcharge had been added. I asked, Why? It was immediately withdrawn without explanation. I would recommend viewing their menu online to see if it fits with your budget and dietary desires. There are vegetarian entrees, and meat options (including an Amish Chicken half, which was rated good) that might suit you. It's good food. It is not totally amazing or exemplary, so no five stars. Would we go back? Maybe. Watch your bill carefully. read more

Visited for dinner with friends and had a great time! It was a smidge chilly for me by the windows but it was winter when we were there! The restaurant was very cozy with dim (but not too dim!) lighting and makes it somewhere that you want to sit in a while. Our server was friendly and helpful with the menu. Everything sounded great and I ended up sneaking a few bites from another diner's plate! Very delicious and while the menu isn't gigantic, it has plenty of options for all. Plating was pretty and while food wasn't in huge portions, there was plenty for a perfectly sized meal. Good wine and drink list and they didn't try to upsell us at all. Parking can be tough but Citrine is a lovely spot in downtown Oak Park with tasty food and great service. read more

Wasn't totally impressed with this place. Went because a friend dragged me here because she knew a server who was worked here but the food was mediocre the drinks were Meh. I don't think we'll be returning services will not that great either or friendly I should say read more

Tried this place with mom during Easter - it was ok. Our waiter was kind and polite. The ambience was nice, clean and modern. We were seated promptly. The menu was limited due to Easter. Mom tried the burger which was ok - nothing out of the ordinary. I tried the vodka pasta and added chicken. it was ok. The chicken was ok but not mind blowing. I feel the food was rather expensive at least my pasta which was $23 for the pasta and an additional $9 for a small piece of chicken so $34 for pasta with chicken which seems quite excessive. With tip and taxes $70 + bucks for two people with no appetizers, desserts, or drinks. Probably won't come back. read more

Citrine Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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This is definitely a gem in oak park! Ambiance is lovely. Service was very good. Food was also very good and prices were not crazy as they tend to be in oak park. Definitely recommend it for brunch! Plenty of parking spots around. read more

Citrine Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Had a reservation for 2 on a Friday at 7. We got there and were seated quickly & our waitress was great and very attentive. I would give 3.5 stars if I could. I liked the interior decor but I wish the tables weren't so close together because the two tables on both sides of us cut into our conversations twice because they could hear everything we were saying. The combo of the roasted pistachios, fig jam, & burrata were really good flavor wise but I do wish they would preassemble things because it's kind of messy and we had to get more crostini because the ratio was way off. The margherita pizza was really tasty but the mac n cheese was an absolute skip. So dry and flavorless. The steak frites and the drinks were good. Overall the prices here are kind of absurd & I feel like a $200 dinner should knock my socks off but I'm not currently running back. It's worth the try at least once. They also do "last call" for the bar and kitchen relatively early before closing so keep that in mind. read more

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I love love love Citrine. The food was excellent and Stephan and all the wait staff friendly and exactly what we needed. My Serbian friend felt right at home. Don't ever change! read more

As usual, the food was excellent. A bit of a service problem, and prices have gotten out of hand. $18 for a Manhattan! A 5% service charge for use of a credit card. A side dish not delivered with dinner. Yes, they are having to cope with Renew The Avenue, but the place was very busy, in fact we waited more than 20 minutes for drinks. They may be understaffed with college students going back to school. The staff was attentive but a bit overwhelmed. read more

Unfortunately I only took menu pictures to remember what things were called because I was too wrapped up in the experience. We had a party of 3 before going to the Arts Center and wound up having only appetizers and drinks - I will definitely be back to try a full meal. The room is really pretty and open and the music they had playing was perfect, but what really made this place for me was the staff. It's a family restaurant and the owner's son Stefan came by to chat and our server Lauren was a long time customer before she became a server which really says a lot about the management. I was early so I sat at the bar and tried a Balkan wine, which was new to me, and the bartender Nate walked me through the flavor profiles of the 5(?) they had on the menu and the one I chose he was spot-on. This is really no where close to my house, but completely worth the drive. read more

Citrine Cafe - Balkan red wines - Mediterranean Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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Food and service were superb. The burrata and beet salad were both fresh and tasty. The eggplant gateau was absolutely delicious. Our server Aimee was fantastic - helpful, attentive, professional and friendly. 1st time here and we'll definitely be back when we're in Oak Park again. Might even make special trip and deal with 290 traffic it was that good. read more

We go to Citrine almost monthly and we love the food, staff and especially the ambiance. I usually get the hamburger and a casually get the steak frites, both are perfectly prepared and always delicious. I think their Steak Frites is the best I've ever had. Easy to find parking. So if you're in Oak Park and looking for a great dining experience and amazing food then Citrine Cafe is highly recommended! read more

Great food. We shared the burrata for an appetizer and it was absolutely fresh and delicious. Unfortunately, I did not get a picture, if you can- do try! Fun location. Conveniently located in Oak Park. Along with the steak we split the kale salad 3 ways and it was a great decision! read more

Citrine Cafe - Steak- rare. - Mediterranean Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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My friends organized a brunch for my birthday. We met at Citrine. The aesthetic appeal of Citrine is wonderful. Such a beautiful space. We had great coffee and brunch. The servers were attentive and friendly. I love that we never felt rushed. That is my number one pet peeve. I never want to feel rushed when we go out for breakfast or dinner The owner stopped by our table to ask if we enjoyed our dining. It was great! Will go there again with friends. read more

Terrible experience. A wait staff individual made several jokes about my food allergy. Felt humiliated. Told the waitress, was given no apology. They left off the sauce without telling me even though they originally told me it was ok. If you have food allergies or dietary needs, don't go here. Was a miserable experience. read more

Went again tonight. Again, everything was excellent. That said, it was very loud inside - we might not have stuck around if outside hadn't been an option. Nice patio. Beet / goat cheese / arugula salad was great. Steak tartare was very good but a little salt would have brought out the flavor a bit. The sauces were both very good. Moroccan short rib was fall apart tender, not fatty, very flavorful, but looking back, didn't seem particularly "Moroccan spiced." Still very good. My sage and Saler cocktail was good, gingery like a pisco mule, girlfriend's was even better, had several thyme sprigs sticking out of it so you got a big herbal whiff while drinking it. Server was very nice and brought us each a small homemade limoncello after, free of charge. read more

Food - delicious Service - great! Ambiance - high ceiling, wooden chairs and tables, bar This was my first time visiting Illinois and a friend took me to their favorite brunch spot. The outdoor seating area was beautiful. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. I had an orange mimosa which was great, along with shrimp and grits. The shrimp and grits had chorizo in it which I absolutely loved but there was a lot of oil in my bowl as well. I know it was from the chorizo and I did my best to eat around it. Maybe next time we could drain it? Other than that, the entire experience was wonderful and I can't wait to visit again! read more

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The outside seating is comfortable and enjoyable to watch people walking past. Inside is trendy looking and nice music. The set ice was nice and a friendly-attentive server and host. The food was good, nice flavor and was fresh. The beverage choices are nice, however the wine goblets are too big for the amount of wine in the glass. It made it hard to drink and felt it was going to pour out. That is the only complaint. A nice place to eat all around. read more

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Stopped by for brunch with my family and tried the cauliflower and eggs along with a round of the beignets. Everything was tasty and the space was nice. The service was speedy as well. My family tried a few other dishes--the egg white omelette, the chorizo hash, a grilled cheese for one of my kids. No one had any objections, but no one swore they would punch a neighbor to get their hands on any of the dishes again, either. That puts the whole operation in "good, not spectacular" territory, and that's great for a place where I can reliably take my family for a post-service brunch on the weekend. read more

I like this place! Love trying places in Oak Park. Came in with the family for brunch. I had the Classic breakfast it was almost like a full English breakfast. I enjoyed everything. The beignets are awesome, definitely get those! Service was good and everyone seemed to enjoy their breakfast. Would definitely come back to Citrine Cafe. I forgot to snap some pictures but will next time. Cheers read more

Beautiful looking classy restaurant in the middle of downtown close to nightlife and fun. Citrine is only open in the evenings usually, so hit it up late. It's among the nicest restaurants in Oak Park. Lots of great cocktails so have one or a few but probably not too many because these are expensive. The food prices are kind of high but save some by getting the appetizers and shareables. After getting off at the Green Line station we made the quick walk to here a few blocks away. It's convenient to get to by public transportation so no need to drive. The place had just opened for the evening. It wasn't busy yet and we got seats at the bar. The cocktail menu is what people seem to like most about this place. It's about $13 for the cheapest cocktails. The one I got was the Concentrated Lightning. Kind of spicy and sweet concoction. This was made with chili liqueur, elderflower, ginger syrup, lemon, and Prairie vodka. As for the food, most of the entree menu is meaty. The appetizers as well. At least there was the Hummus. It's $13 for a pretty big portion. There's feta, but you can get it with just the cucumbers, olives, pitas, red onions, and tomatoes. For a classy good time stop in here after getting off the Green Line. It's only open for the evening except for brunch on Sundays. The menu is mostly carnivorous stuff but there's a few things for vegetarians. read more

Citrine Cafe - The Concentrated Lightning And Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

We went back to Citrine for pre-concert eats on our way to Chicago. This is a Mediterranean-type restaurant. Cocktails are good, food is good. Service is impeccable. Our server this visit was Theo, and he was attentive and friendly. The other staff from the young woman who sat us to the guys who delivered food and cleared the table were attentive and always gave us a smile. My husband and I started out with a glass of wine and a cocktail. We decided once again to share small plates together. We had the New York strip steak tartare. It's absolutely fabulous so we had to have it again. Fresh steak with a raw egg on top that oozes into the steak as you break it, it's perfection. We also got the homemade lepinja bread served warm with a couple spreads. I can't eat nuts or seeds and it came out covered with sesame seeds. No problem, Theo was more than happy to take it back and have bread made just for me without seeds. That's great service. We then shared the roasted beet salad which had arugula, goat cheese, avocado, and orange. It was a very small salad for the price of $14. Having said that, the salad was fresh and I liked the different textures, but it was the size of a small side salad and not worth the price. I would pass on this my next visit. The final dish we shared was the shrimp and grits. The shrimp were large and grilled perfectly, the grits were creamy. This dish was packed with flavor and some heat. Delicious. Citrine accepts reservations and parking is paid street parking. I definitely recommend this restaurant and you must try the steak tartare. So damn delicious! read more

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Came here for drinks with a friend and ended up grabbing a bite to eat. I ordered an appetizer (crispy Spanish octopus) and the Sage & Saler drink to compliment it. My friend ordered a red wine to pair with the squid ink spaghetti (per the request of our server). Making a reservation and being seated were no issue. For a Friday evening, there was an adequate amount of people here. This establishment can fit all types of occasions so that's a plus! The space is large and open and the bar is beautiful. I would like to sit at the bar should I return. Our sever was a gentlemen who knew the menu and definitely knew his wines and how to pair them with foods. So huge shout out to our server. Great job! The food was good but I have mixed reviews about my app. I ate it as a meal rather than a shareable. This dish can definitely serve as both. Parts of my octopus were superrrr chewy and there were other parts cooked to perfection. I wasn't a fan of the tzatziki sauce that was added to the dish. Felt that the spicy peppers gave depth to the dish. Also, the random green beans to match the small batch of potatoes was ehhh. Remove the green bean and sauce and it would've been perfect (in my opinion). My friend devoured his dish but he rated it a 7.5/10. Something enjoyable but not worth $25.00. It's good but not memorable and gravitating to want to return. Overall, I enjoyed my time at the establishment but I would return for the cocktails and maybe a small app if I were to go with a coworker or needed to kill time. read more

Citrine Cafe - Charred Spanish Octopus - Mediterranean Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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This little gem is nestled right on Lake street, if you happen to come here you wont be disappointed. The ambiance and food was absolutely amazing. Great service by our waiter Sebastian. This is a place oak park should be proud of. It was our wedding anniversary and we were not disappointed. Great job Citrine Cafe, we will be back read more

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The atmosphere is clean, had music, and classy decor. The Balkan bread appetizer was about 7 slices and delicious! It came with a goat cheese spread and another tomatoe one. The beet salad was really small in portion- especially for the price of $14, but it was very tasty, fresh, and beautiful presented. The carrots side was about 6 small carrots of various colors. It was very very tasty and yummy and $11. My friends enjoyed the cauliflower app, burger, and octopus app. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because even though the server was friendly and nice, she wasn't aware of the specials, questions we had on the menu, and the wait times to give/take check were a bit long. read more

Long wait for service. No dairy free option. Disappointed. My fellow diners weren't disappointed though. read more

Citrine Cafe - Brunch salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Was a great experience. Food was very good I had my kids with me and they loved the burger sliders. The salad was sooo good with creamy goat cheese at the bottom so I had cheese with every bite. The pork was so tender and tasty. Love this place. Also our waiter Simon was really nice. Only thing I didn't care for was the cauliflower.. wasn't crispy read more

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Food was just ok. Butternut squash ravioli had a tough exterior which is abnormal for pasta. I found a hair in the to-go amish chicken order which was unappetizing. Cocktails we tried were great, but likely won't be returning. read more

Citrine Cafe - Whiskey Sour - Mediterranean Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Lovely decor, beautiful room. Very friendly and attentive staff. Enjoyed the cocktails. Shared an excellent veggie ravioli, margherita pizza, spicy eggplant, and risotto with short ribs. Wonderful meal! read more

Citrine is the perfect choice for literally any occasion. Casual dinner to fancy occasion and you won't be disappointed. Kids? Bring them, because they have a great kid menu that for under $10 gets you something they are guaranteed to eat and a scoop of gelato at the end. Meanwhile, adults get to partake of wonderfully elevated items and not feel bad! The service is excellent and friendly and you will feel totally comfortable at all times. We had two kid meals, two appetizers. Two entrees and a side and it was still only about $140. That's a bargain for how amazing this food is! read more

I never would've guessed that I'd return to Citrine for a work dinner, but it was the midway point for all the attendees. We started out with drinks and appetizers. We ordered the hummus, cauliflower, and burrata. I tried a little of each and they were all good, but I probably could've made a whole meal out of the hummus. The nice, warm soft pita, thinly sliced radish and pita complimented the creamy hummus nicely. For my main I got the squid ink pasta, the dish was very good, but I'd have preferred it with regular instead of baby shrimp. Baby shrimp are really hard to get on the fork. I opted out of dessert, but a few folks opted for the carrot cake. Service was pretty good, but there were a few lulls where we were trying to pin him down. Overall though, this is a great option in Oak Park. read more

Been meaning to try this for some time and family finally said let's meet here. Very good. Interesting menu and variety and all good. Butternut squash ravioli. Sea bass. Pork shank. Lamb sausage with red pepper sauce and tzatziki. All very good. Will return and try the short ribs and risotto. The burgers looked excellent coming out of kitchen too. Service good. Prices reasonable for quality of food. Comfortable place where you're not rushed. Glad we finally followed recommendations! read more

This restaurant closes at 9 pm, which I consider early. Before Covid, it was open till 10 PM like most restaurants. This is the second time that I've gone in there and been refused service before 9 PM. The first time I went, it was 8:50, so I had a drink and left and it was a very good Cosmo. I've been wanting to try the food since. I don't think restaurants should close before nine because there are many people out there that eat dinner between 8 and 10 PM. If they stayed open later, they may get more business. However, tonight, I Was excited to get off work Early and thought I would try this restaurant. I walked in at 8:32 PM and saw that there was many people in the restaurant about six or seven tables and two people at the bar. staff was very absent and I sat there for a couple of minutes before somebody came out and said that they were closed. I said it's only 8:30 PM. She said they were very slow so they decided to close early? I really don't understand how any restaurants can just decide to send customers away and think that they are gonna come back. This type of refusal of service to me, tells me that they don't want my business. After two attempts to come there and be refused service prior to closing time I feel like it's just the staff that wants to leave early and it's a bunch of bullshit. It's very poor business manners, and will eventually lead to the demise of their establishment. What the owners need to know is that people aren't gonna come back, me included. I've heard good things about it but if you're gonna close early and refuse service 30 minutes before you close; you don't deserve my business!!! read more

Overall the food is good not great and the service is terrible. Food: - I've come here a few times as this is one of the fancier places in Oak Park. Depending on the item, you'll either get something really good or really basic that's not worth the price. I did like their pasta and enjoyed that meal more than others. Vibe: - the vibe is great. It's airy and spacious with lots of natural light! Service: - There were times when we didn't see our server for 30-40 minutes. This was NOT because the place was busy or they were understaffed. During this time of the day, it was about 1/3 or less full. My party had finished its meal, waited a while for the check, and continued to wait for the card to be charged. Overall, what should have been an hour brunch ended up being 2.5 hrs where at least 1 hr was waiting around for someone. I feel less and less inclined to go here because of the poor service. read more

Citrine Cafe - Cavatelli - Mediterranean Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Wonderful experience! Ambience was incredible. Service was amazing! Staff was very kind and patient. The owner came to check on us a few times and even complimented us with Beignets! Definitely recommend! read more

Pretty gosh darn lovely. In typical hipster doofus fashion, I had just enough information to not be wrong, but not enough information to be right; and if you're wondering what the heck that's supposed to mean, relax, I'm getting there. I came to Citrine for a rehearsal dinner, parked on the street, paid for parking, and walked into the restaurant a good hour, hour and a half before everyone else was supposed to be getting there. Apparently. A case of right place, wrong time. So here I was, with rampant opportunity for awkwardness and unease. But there was none of that on the menu. No, I felt like I mattered. Alone in a private room that would seat ~30 of us by the night's end, I was tended to with genuine warmth and hospitality. As guests did start arriving (often at different times) food and drink were brought out in a timely fashion, keeping everyone happy. Extra servings were readily available. And goodness, the menu our hosts picked was immaculate, from the salad to the sweet dessert, I'd have no qualms about eating the same thing five nights a week. read more

We ordered the burger and omelette. Both were delicious! The staff was friendly and inviting. We will visit again!

Good service, food and cocktails. Our server helped us with recommendations and was very friendly z