An incredible michelin-starred experience with a relaxed, intimate vibe. The atmosphere is casual and inviting, with an open kitchen concept that encourages guests to walk around, observe the food prep, and chat with the chefs. It was such a unique and personal touch. If you're more introverted like I am, rest assured you can also enjoy the meal comfortably from your table without feeling pressured to mingle. It's BYOB so you can bring your alcohol (or non-alcohol) drink of choice. They recommend whites or light reds, so we brought a pinot which paired well with the meal. It seems like the menu is constantly evolving with new innovative ideas. Each course felt like a thoughtful surprise, so I'll keep the descriptions brief to avoiding spoiling too much: *Corn (creole style with crab/chicken) *Beef tartare *Halibut with porcini mushroom - a standout dish for me, mainly due to the porcini! *Smoked scallop *Octopus - unbelievably tender *Chicken and waffle - not what you'd expect, and the chicken liver mousse was a fantastic addition *Duck - so tender and full of flavor *French fries & frosty - a playful and nostalgic treat *Cherries - a lovely finish to the meal Every dish was plated beautifully and thoughtfully presented. It's clear the team puts care into not just the flavors, but the entire dining experience. Highly recommend this spot for a memorable meal that balances refinement with warmth and creativity. read more

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El Ideas is torn between two extremes for me. On one hand, I personally didn't like it at all. On the other hand, I can see how it might be perfect for someone with the opposite taste, because the effort and the service were excellent. The first thing that struck me was the appearance of the employees. They looked too casual, and the overall space felt more like walking into a warehouse than a restaurant. It didn't feel inviting, and at times I found myself distracted, thinking about whether hair or other things could end up in the food. That sense of "chaos" took away from the dining experience. Another part I didn't enjoy was being told what to do by the chef. We were instructed to eat certain plates without utensils and even walk around the kitchen to watch them cook. Personally, I don't like being directed on how to eat during a meal. At a restaurant, I prefer to relax and enjoy without following orders. The food itself also wasn't to my taste. The flavors didn't land well, the textures were tough, and while there seemed to be some Japanese influence in the dishes, it didn't feel authentic. The final dessert especially felt childish, as if I wasn't being respected as a diner. On the positive side, the workers were very friendly and attentive, which I did appreciate. However, the location itself looked sketchy and didn't add to the overall impression. read more

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I've eaten at El Ideas twice, and both times were fantastic. It's a small, laid-back spot - expect the owner to greet you and serve the food herself. It's also BYOB, which I love. The meals are always satisfying flavor-wise, though you might not walk out totally stuffed. Still, it's a favorite of mine, easygoing, and a great choice if you want Michelin-level food in a more relaxed setting. Highly recommend. read more

I'd describe the experience as fun and extremely unique, more so than very memorably delicious, but there were a few real winners in the march of courses. I'll note first that this was the least stuffy 'fancy' restaurant I'd ever been to, and I really appreciated it. While all the fine dining accoutrements and mannerisms and service details were there, it was like they'd let the pretension out of the balloon of the thing. We got to wander around the restaurant, peek at the kitchen, watch things being put together. And since everyone was eating the same thing at the same time, there was a nice sense of community where we could watch everyone react as we were reacting. The bad: The amuse bouche 'poke'. The rice was stale, the pineapple chunks were watery, I would more expect this from one of those build-your-own-poke-bowl places on a slow day when the ingredients were sitting around. I'm ready for the attacks, but their famous 'French fries and frosty' was just... not appetizing to me. I mean, it was cool, and pretty amazing how the potatoes stayed crispy within the ice cream, and I liked seeing the preparation (you can watch the preparation of the whole meal!) but buttery potato ice cream wasn't really a flavor I wanted in my mouth, particularly at dessert. The great: My favorite two dishes actually came at the beginning. First, the deceptively simple 'pink prawn' dish with ramps, avocado, grapefruit, and pistachio. The fact that it seemed to really only contain the ingredients listed made me think I could make it at home. Spoiler: I could not. Skatewing amandine: first time I have liked skatewing, a finicky, often sinewy cut. Their preparation turned it into comfort food. And also, the dessert - a stunning delicate floral masterpiece. Has cheesecake ever been described as delicate? Now it has. The good: Sweetbreads: I feel strange putting this in 'the middle' since it was so explosively umami, but also, putting sweetbreads, miso, sea urchin, dashi, and pickled vegetables together is such a bold move that it almost blended into one intense savory starburst. Just a bit much. But in a wonderful way. By the time all the meat dishes showed up, I was kind of full, and meat isn't as much my thing as fish and vegetables, but I was still at least hungry enough to recognize that the venison sausage reminded me of my trip to Norway in the best way, and the lamb was super gamy, warm, just rare enough. read more

I've been to El Ideas twice now and it think it's a truly wonderful experience. It's a small restaurant, fairly casual (the owner is your hostess and server) and it's BYOB. Food wise, I think you definitely leave somewhat satisfied but not quite full. Still a great staple and would highly recommend if you're looking for great flavors, and an approachable, more causal Michelin star option. read more

We have eaten numerous times at El Ideas over the last decade or so, every meal has been memorable. Last nights dinner was very good, everything tasted great and the chefs were particularly engaging. BYOB makes El Ideas (along with Schwa) the most cost effective Michelin restaurant/tasting menu in Chicago. That said, I was hungry when I got home. Maybe its my imagination, but it seemed like there was less courses than in the past. There just wasn't enough food this time. We will return! read more

EL Ideas - French fries and ice cream - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I still have my signed menu from the multicourse menu that I experienced and it's because I love remembering my time dining with you. - Some of the dishes that I loved were "shrimp", "cauliflower", "soy milk", and "foie gras". - I love the intimate feel of the restaurant as well as the deeply accommodating and welcoming service. Thank you so much for having me. It was a pleasure to dine with you. read more

This is one of the best Michelin rated restaurants in the city. It is super unique because you can walk around and get right up on the cooking area in the kitchen. It's also BYOB, which helps a lot with the price. I highly recommend recommend this to anyone! read more

the sweetbread with sea urchin and miso was an umami bomb, and the lamb fell apart like butter. my partner and i chatted with the couple next to us and ended up sharing wine recommendations. read more

Very unique experience with a fantastic staff!! The food makes this experience worth every penny but the staff sure does go above and beyond to make it worth even more. Intimate quiet setting makes it also great for a special date night or a celebration read more

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About a 1-1.5: Making online reservations is seamless, but you do have to be quick in snagging one. This New American restaurant has been talked about often, and even more so, as it's also a 1-star Michelin. Our tasting included: +Venison tartare - with tobiko, cherry blossom, eggs, kombu, tomatoes, chive, and katsuobushi +Hamachi - with peas, wasabi, rice, shoyu, ginger, and radish +Scallop - with plantains, yuca, guava, madras curry, and pistachio +Foie gras - with green strawberries, rhubarb, yogurt, olive, carbonated verjus, and pink peppercorn +Crab cannelini - with asparagus, saffron, pine nuts, and sage +Falafel - with braised goat, hummus, tahini, preserved lemon, and parsley +Beef - with porcini, piquillo peppers, zucchini, manchego cheese, sherry vinegar, and smoked paprika +French fries & frosty - crunchy potatoes in a hot potato leek soup with nitro-poached vanilla ice cream +Raspberries - chocolate, Nilla wafers, hazelnuts, milk ice cream, and rose Unfortunately, we just weren't fans of the flavors - the ingredients just didn't seem to have worked together, and we felt that with the combination of the hype and the price versus what we tasted just didn't work. Service was a little stand-offish and could have been more pleasant. Street parking can be found in the area. +reservations required +street parking available read more

Way off the beaten path, genuinely warm service, casually comfortable special evening ambiance and food that is playful and elegant ...all while you think it tastes like things you've had before, but realize you haven't had anything like this. We loved our special evening here. It started with a shot shared with the other diners and staff poured straight out of the bottle without chasers. The ability to BYOB made for the perfect occasion to crack open a hoarded bottle. All of the food was excellent, but our favorites were the soup, tartare and bread with liver mousse. My descriptions do not do any course justice, but instead of reading this review, get yourself to this restaurant! Chef and team are to be applauded for keeping it about the food and hospitality and not about glitter and hand waving. Thank you! An evening to remember. read more

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Toured El Ideas in Chicago and generally enjoyed it. Food was innovative and well-considered and unusual combinations of flavor were notable. There were courses that I felt stronger than the others, yet all was well performed. The service was both attentive and informed although sometimes it was rather uneven when it came to the timing of dishes. It was a pleasant environment to have a special night out as the setting was friendly and cozy read more

I quite enjoy these off the beaten path, relaxed & inventive one Michelin star restaurants. Of course there's faults but I can count on one hand how many flawless restaurants I've been to. One fault is the price. Tbh the price is two or rarely 3 Michelin star territory. secondly they literally kick you out to prepare for the next seating. Parking can be tricky but doable. Loved the fact that twas byob & they offered to change glassware as well as produce aerators for wine or ice buckets for champagne. Biggest compliments go to inventive dishes such as the French fry frosty, pasta dish & the fact that you're able to literally go into the kitchen & converse with the chefs during service read more

EL Ideas - Interior - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Delicious! Some of the best food we've had and such a great vibe. Truly an exceptional meal from exceptionally talented staff.

This was a unique Michelin restaurant. Parking can be limited if you decide to drive. When you walk in, it's not luxurious or sumptuous looking, this makes you feel like you're at a friend's house. You're just hanging out, letting your friends cook for you. They took my coat and hanged it up for me. Seating is limited. Food was very creative, innovative, and tasty. The menu changes so it'll never be the same as the past year's except for the shake and fries course. That one will always stay on. Dress code is casual/dressy but at least make yourself look presentable. Definitely do better than a t shirt. The staff was very friendly and service was great. read more

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I really wanted to love this concept - elevated dining in an approachable and not pretentious style. But everything about the experience was unfortunately done so poorly. From simply the pacing - sometimes 30-40 min between small courses leaving you hangry not satiated the exact right amount to appreciate the flavors and preparation of each course without allowing hunger or being over stuffed to get in the way. And while it's meant to be approachable it's still intended to be an elevated experience which was not seen in food or service- you can enjoy fine dining with loud fun music and not forget to fill a water glass for the entire meal. I've never had to do this after a fine dining meal esp w beverage pairing as they usually leave you perfectly full at the end not too much or too little- but this experience required a post meal burger as we were ravenous and needed to omit the flavors left from the meal. read more

Great food, great experience. Chef made an exception for my wife and I on her birthday and we had one of the best dinners of our lives. Recommended for anyone who wants a unique dining experience. Unlike anything I've tried before and definitely something I'd like to try again. read more

One of my favorite meals ever. The atmosphere is cozy and casual. The food creative and delicious. And the format a refreshing delight, with the chef introducing each meal to the whole group. In the welcome speech, the chef invites everyone to walk around and chat with the chefs. And they really are happy to chat when you walk over! With only a single 20 person seating each night, it truly feels like the chef has prioritized delivering a fun, creative, welcoming experience over optimizing revenue. There were 9 dishes served and 6 were 5/5 perfection for me. The other 3 were solid or strong, so no misses. The one I'll never forget is the ice cream with potato soup, which will dazzle you. The booking format is quite unique as well. There's no online reservation system. You email, they send you a booking link, and you prepay for dinner and 20% tip. At the restaurant, there's nothing else you can buy. You BYOB drinks, there are no upsell dishes and they offer complimentary tea and coffee after the meal. read more

Went here in May for my wife's birthday dinner. El Ideas was absolutely outstanding. We took a taxi here as it is pretty off the beaten path in Douglass, and pulling up, the place is just a building - no signs or anything, which gave it a nice surprise for the birthday, as my wife had no idea where we were until we walked in. While the place is small and intimate (it seats probably 20 people), it's not stuffy - I wore a blazer, but most were wearing button downs with jeans, some in a polo shirt, and a couple of people in t-shirts. It's a mix, and you can be as dressy or as comfortable as you'd like. Their whole vibe is to "turn fine dining on its head", as Phillip said right off the bat. It is BYOB, and most guests brought wine. My wife and I brought our favorite beer, which we were able to place into the ice bucket on the table when we arrived. As others have said, you can go into the kitchen to watch them prepare dishes and talk to the chefs/owner (Phillip). Phillip announces each dish being served, and it feels like a full event, rather than just a dinner. It's a three-man show - one guy checks you in and is the person who brings you silverware, then there are two chefs who make, plate, and serve the dishes. Definitely less of a full-service restaurant vibe, and is truly a dinner party vibe. While it is like a "dinner party", interaction between us and other guests was minimal (which was fine with me, as I was trying to have a nice birthday date). When we walked to the kitchen, some other guests were there and I made a small comment to another guest about the place, but that was it. I'm sure you can interact more if you would like to, but it is not needed or expected. The food was absolutely outstanding. Every single dish blew me away. My wife and I were speechless with every bite. Compared to many other Michelin-starred restaurants I've dined at, the food at El Ideas blew all others out of the water. We could not stop talking about the food afterwards. There was truly nothing that was a let down, but to that extent, nothing "stood out" since every single dish was just so immaculate. The entire meal was the stand out and the show. If this is your first Michelin-star experience, or if you are a Michelin connoisseur to the point where you have a Michelin Man on your apartment wall, I highly recommend giving El Ideas a try. read more

Outstanding food and service. My third visit actually, and oh what an incredible train ride of flavors, taste and atmospheric greatness. Chef Philip is a powerhouse creative and makes this culinary experience at El Ideas, a great one. Each course is perfectly timed, delivered hot and fresh from the open kitchen. Along with his team, he delivers what I consider to be...one of the best dining experiences ever! BYOB proved to be the perfect addition to this experience, as it allowed myself and dining guest to bring a piece of us and not what the establishment deals as good wine or champagne. Two thumbs up and five GOLD stars from this diner. A definite must experience. read more

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We were celebrating my husband's birthday last night at EL ideas and it was an incredible night out! The atmosphere is very warm and welcoming; when they state they want you to walk around and talk to the chef and other guests; they mean it! Both chefs Philip Foss and Alejandro Cuevas were great at answering questions while plating up the dishes and not spoiling the surprise of what they will be serving exactly. It was such a fun night out and the food was incredible as well! We started with a small plate for which we were asked to "dive in" without utensils. My favorite dishes were the scallop and crab cannellini. The scallop dish was a surprisingly good mix with madras flavors and plantains; just delicious! My third favorite was probably the beef with porcini and manchego cheese. The deserts were delicious as well. Loved the service! We brought our own wines (including a dessert wine) and the host recommended we pair that with 1 of the upcoming dishes (the foie gras dish). It turned out to work really well! At the end of the dinner service we received the menu and we received 1 in English and 1 in Dutch which is our 1st language so that was a really nice touch. Overall 1 of the most memorable Michelin star restaurants we have visited. Would love to come back! read more

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The service was great and the place was small and cozy. The food left much to be desired - the ideas felt half baked and left us hoping for more. I thought we would see the chefs cooking, but mostly everything was already cooked, we just saw them plating with prepped ingredients from Tupperware. Nothing wrong with this, but we wanted to see cooking, at least that's what we thought would make the price worth it. It makes sense they can't really cook everything on the spot (only the proteins were cooked prior to serving). read more

EL Ideas - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wasn't sure what to expect of this place. Kinda far from the hotel we were staying at in downtown. But we were pleasantly surprised. Food was innovative and delicious. Chef comes out and explains the dishes. They encourage people to walk around, mingle, stand in the kitchen and watch the magic happen. We loved it! The potato soup was the best soup I have ever had. Just velvety rich flavors and the genius idea of using liquid nitrogen so it goes from cold to hot! Yes please! read more

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The Creosotes were invited out to dinner at El Ideas by work friends (dutch). It's their favorite restaurant; they've been there approximately 25 times in 10 years. So, yes, it's wonderful. Very creative. Relaxed. A bit of a show. Every course was delicious and very-well plated. So, a solid Michelin One star. And we do love our BYOB restaurants. So.... Does that justify a bill of $492 for two people without drinks? Um, Yes? I think that is about the going price these days for creative One Star restaurants in Chicago; some are a bit lower, but then some are not. TBH, the room is not for the snobby (very industrial & basic) and the neighborhood is for those who do not lack for confidence. Use Street View so you know what to expect and how to find it. So, you ready for a little adventure? Pony up. read more

EL Ideas - First course. Bend over and eat it like a dog. Yes, that's right. No silverware. Fun! No, really. Fun! - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My wife and I have never been to a Michelin star restaurant and now that we live in Chicago, we had plenty of options. For our second baby moon we decided to treat ourselves to an experience at El Ideas. The whole experience was amazing! The location is really unassuming and not in some pretentious building or area. It was such a laid back yet exquisite experience. Guests were allowed to wonder the space and take in the food preparation. You could ask questions of the chefs. It was really neat and nothing like I've ever experienced. Since there are a limited number of reservations the entire staff is really attune to guests needs. I have no complaints about any of the dishes. Some of the standout dishes were the shrimp dish which was an ode to the history of Chicago fried shrimp. The Swedish style meatball cooked in smoked beef tallow with gnocchi was so well balanced. The smoked duck bahn mi and smoke duck pho was amazing . The Lamb dish was out of this world! I'm still in awe of the vanilla shake and fries dessert. It was truly a work of art. The vanilla with the crunchy potato bits and potato and leak soup just worked. I could take one of those every day. This experience is definitely worth it! I hope to be back in the future! read more

Millard Fillmore, the 13th President of the United States, famously remarked, "The nourishment from barbecue is palatable." Too bad the guy never ate barbecue from El Ideas Boxcar. It would have increased his enthusiasm considerably! Before COVID, El Ideas was my favorite restaurant. It was a Michelin 1 Star that was always an adventure and really entertaining. Every table in the restaurant proceeded through the dozen or so courses together preceded by a fun introduction of the dish from the kitchen. And it was BYOB which allowed diners to bring their favorite wines. It was always a treat. I hope we'll return soon. So, the owner pivoted during COVID. The Boxcar concept is about takeout barbecue and the food is memorable. Smokey and fragrant meats and tasty sides. Our favorites were the bbq beef and mac and cheese. I also thought the chicken was outstanding having been smoked first and then roasted until it had crispy skin like Peking duck. The restaurant is in an industrial part of town across from a shipping container terminal. There is a reason it's called "Boxcar." Never had Michelin-starred bbq? Here's your chance. Enjoy it and show Millard how wrong he was! read more

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Loved loved loved this small BYOB gastronomic treasure!!! Each chef presented their creation. Each was unique and personal. It was extremely artful as a composition with each piece connected to the others. Really fun and personal. Great work from great chefs. read more

EL Ideas - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Such a fun tasting menu experience, with the only downside being able to find the restaurant in the first place! This is the perfect dining experience for a date night or a celebration with a small group. The setting is small and intimate with a few tables set up around the kitchen. The food was absolutely amazing, and the staff was personable and entertaining. read more

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10/10 It is a bit of a hole in the wall location, but what the building "glitz" factor lacks in pizazz, the chefs and food more than make up for in flavor and character. My group of 4 made a reservation for the 8 course menu and enjoyed every minute of the experience. As our first Michelin adventure, it did not disappoint! Chef Phillip was fairly modest about his menu/experience being a half step between the more glitzy Michelin experiences out there and what his kitchen put together. Casual dress, bring your own drinks (water is complementary), and a very engaging and welcoming atmosphere. The scallop..... I could swim in that dish. 5 more please! Just wow. The shake and fries also a noteworthy scrumptious course! As for the facilities and general amenities, clean single stall bathrooms. The kitchen is in full view of the dining area separated by a small partition and rounds out a warm and inviting approach to fine dining by giving direct access to see what's going on. If the question is, "should we do it?" The answer is, "unequivocally, yes!" read more

EL Ideas - THE SCALLOP - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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In a little sketchy of an area but it is a really cool concept. I loved that you can talk to the chef and ask questions whenever you want. I thought some of the dishes were only okay but overall cool experience. read more

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El Ideas is BYOB - so come prepared with whatever wine or bubbly you would like to drink. If you happen to forget, you can order something through UberEATS on the way there (that's what I did!). I would strongly recommend using a ride share, as parking is extremely limited. This is a fancy dinner without being formal, which is my favorite. The food is outstanding, the service is personal and dining here is fun. Most of the seats you have a view of kitchen, but at any time they invite you to get up and move around, and observe the kitchen preparing the next course. Service was about 2.5 hours and the pace felt perfect. Highly recommend and will be back on future trips to Chicago! read more

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My favorite tasting menu restaurant. Tasty and Creative. gastromolecular dishes. And it's BYOB! The staff are super down to earth and even let you interact with them and the kitchen. I love that the head chef comes out to explain all the foods and incorporates ideas he got from cooking with his daughter. It's kind of like a show. I'm a meat eater and my hubby is not. We struggle with feeling disappointed for tasting menus that do a lesser job on the vegetarian alternatives but EL Ideas made the veggie plates just as appetizing as the meat ones! The one thing to look out for is it's not in a glamorous neighborhood so Ubers in that area might be a bit harder to come by. read more

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We came here for Valentine's Day and the service was really good. However, I was disappointed as they didn't really accommodate for my pregnancy. I've informed them of my condition and was told everything would be fully cooked upon my arrival. For the first couple of dishes, they did swap raw salmon with a piece of tofu which I didn't care about and left off caviar on my starter. As the dinner went on, surprisingly, I noticed that my halibut was a little under-cooked, my steak was at most medium rare, egg yolk was still runny, and meringue was just harden on the outside... There were just so many ingredients that a pregnant woman would be too scared to swallow. I was glad that my husband helped me finishing those ingredients instead of me wasting them. If I need to give away 4 out of 11 dishes in my meal, I didn't see how this is accommodation for dietary restrictions. read more

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Came here for me and my partner's anniversary and had a really wonderful time. We were able to sit in the kitchen area, which was particularly fun being close to the action and within our own little nook of the space. The food was phenomenal across the board and the staff was lovely. What's unique here is that they encourage a sort of "dinner party" vibe and to explore the space. Very fun! Try and find the humorous surprises/"Easter eggs" throughout the space. Overall a wonderful experience. read more

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This was a really fun and delicious dining experience! Everyone has the same seating time and each course is presented to the dining room at once by the chefs themselves from the open kitchen you're allowed to walk by and watch them work between courses. It's BYOB which is so refreshing and yet they still keep the experience elevated with the very attentive service of their front of the house man. The food was experimental and delicious, with most dishes landing really well and I left with a happy tummy. Reasonably priced ($220 pp with taxes and service charges altogether) for the number of courses offered although I do think the portion sizes could be a tad bigger especially on some of the savory courses! My favorites of the night were the salmon and venison courses, yum!! read more

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Conceptually I like this place. We dined for the last seating of the night. The decor is simple and very urban rustic. It is byob with no corkage fee. There are multiple courses and I was very full at the end. The potato leek milkshake was the highlight. The presentation was great but unfortunately not all the dishes were great. My biggest complaint is that for a fine dining experience i felt very very rushed. I didn't appreciate the dIshes being whisked from our table before I'd even had a chance to finish. There are more welcoming places in Chicago. read more

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I had one of the most memorable meals of my life recently at El Ideas. The courses were original and delicious. The vibe added to the presentation and taste to push the entire experience beyond what was hoped for. Each dish was carefully constructed with ingredients that complimented each other with unbelievable love. Yes, I said love, as that is the feeling I had after each bite. Thank you Chefs Phillip and Rodolfo for sharing your gift with us and thank you Bill for making us feel like family from the moment we entered ... read more

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Dinner experience was exceptional- from the quirky interior details, fun and warm hospitality to delicious food and stunning presentation. Chef and owner, Phillip Foss, is amazing, and you can really tell he is the master of his trade. Molecular gastronomy tricks added another level and complexity to each of the dishes making it one of a kind experience. This place is personal and welcoming, and BYOB makes it that much greater - so everyone can truly enjoy their meal rounded up with their own preference of accompanied beverages. Highly recommend and will definitely be a returning visitor. read more

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As the name implies, EL Ideas elevates dishes for delicious, complex flavors, with elegant plating. The staff and environment are friendly- giving the feeling of attending a dinner party where fellow patrons may soon become new friends. Highly recommend for an approachable experience with fine dining. Perfect for dates, catching up with old friends, or a fun intimate dinner with loved ones. read more

EL Ideas - Menu - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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