made this brunch res even though it's a newer restaurant bc i liked the menu! we were literally the only ones in the restaurant which was kinda awesome bc you can't get better service than that. ordered the burrata salad, the saganaki cheese and the mediterranean crispy dumplings. the burrata salad was SO fresh and was a great starter. the mediterranean crispy dumplings were also thin and crispy. the saganaki cheese was good but soooo salty, would've been better to share with a larger group. we also got two cocktail drinks at 12pm lmao. i saw a voucher deal on yelp and asked the server about it - he said he didn't recognize it but bc of that, they ended up comping our drinks and we got a free coffee too!! interior was very well decorated, i think it has a LOT of potential. if they wanna cater to a bigger brunch audience, they should probs get a coffee menu bc that was pretty lacking imo read more

Elia - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food was amazing! We had the hummus and the Greek salad, it did not disappoint. The DJ was so good! She provided the perfect soundtrack for an evening out. The mix of smooth, ambient beats that enhanced the atmosphere, offering just the right energy for conversation and enjoyment. A seamless, well-curated set that perfectly matched the restaurant's vibe. We will be back again! read more

The atmosphere is really beautiful and spacious for many tables and has a private room that looks like it has a wine library. They had a new years 5 course dinner menu ($70 per person) that that had really good food choices. I think the best parts of this menu were the main courses of salmon with mashed cauliflower truffle purée w lemon butter and the red wine braised beef short rib with wheat berry AND the pistachio baklava. They made the baklava so wonderfully that I would say it's the best baklava I ever had! It was creative and yummy with candied crunchy filo dough for each piece, crushed pistachios, a pistachio like crème that tasted like pistachio chocolate, and was served with vanilla ice cream. If the other dishes for the 5 course meal tasted better I would give Elia 5 stars. I didn't like the goat yogurt which was a huge blob of cream cheese like stuff with chili peppers so it was hot and you eat this w bread. I also didn't care much for the zucchini fritters which was on a bed of the same goat yogurt ... the fritters were deep fried in thick flour and only had slivers of zucchini with little flavor. read more

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Why do you keep seating when you don't have staff to cover? We were seated ( with a reservation) for half an hour and zero service. Too bad because we really enjoyed past visits. read more

We got the Chefs Mezze platter and the grilled octopus and it was amazing!!! Everything tasted great and the portions were more than enough for the two of us. We met the chef and he was so nice and also makes the ceramic plates for some of the dishes. It was a great experience. I really recommend coming here if you want quality Turkish/Mediterranean food in a beautiful relaxed setting. read more

Elia - Chef's Mezze - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Eat here if you want to be sick or have an allergic reaction. Knowing the massive multi state cucumber recall, we were very careful to avoid anything with the vegetable in it especially since they could not tell us the source. They kept pushing one particular dish which a waiter said was new. We specifically asked if there were cucumbers multiple times. I did this even very specifically because I am older and immunosuppressed. We asked multiple times. The man was very pushy. We gave in. Not only was the dish bad, it very clearly had minced pieces of cucumber in it and this horrendous dish was one of the most expensive things on the menu. I have ended up with a fever and diarrhea. Currently going in to be evaluated for salmonella poisoning. Do NOT trust the people here. They do not care about you, your health. They are just there to push you to order more. Rude and uncaring. Never again. What people don't realize is that it can take months for you güt health to return to normal after infection. If test results come back positive, I have a good mind to seek legal action for- at minimum- the cost of my hospital visit. read more

Hands down one of the best restaurants in Chicago. It's rare to find a restaurant where every dish is so flavorful and on point but Elia does it so gracefully! Amazing atmosphere and great service - Ebrar made our dinner experience so enjoyable. Can't wait to go back! read more

I recently visited Elia for a Christmas dinner with my family, and despite the busy holiday rush, it was a great experience. The restaurant had a wonderful atmosphere, and our waitress was very upbeat and knowledgable. She made sure we were taken care of throughout the evening. My family ordered a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that was opened table-side but they didn't have a decanter. I had the Vera Demure and the Winter's Light cocktails, both amazing! The food was delicious, and everything was served family style which I really appreciated. We orders the hummus, atom, muhamarra, pides with pastrami (like a pizza), and the chef's selection of kebabs. My personal favorites were the truffel pide and the octopus. We had to order a second octopus for the table because it was really good. The space was lively and at one point the music got very loud but the manager adjusted it right away. Overall, it was a lovely experience, and I enjoyed the attention to detail. The manager told us she has a happy hour in the works for the new year so I'll definitely be back to check it out. read more

Great evening celebration a friends birthday at this place. Good was great and Denise was a star server. Will definitely be back. They also have a private dining room. read more

Food was great. Our waiter, Mustafa, was excellent. Great experience all around. Highly recommend.

Found Elia through IG, and finally went last night. Creative cocktails, great food and detailed service read more

Elia - The Last Word cocktail made by bartender, Aysun. This place is beautiful. The food and service were delightful - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here with a party of 4 for AYCE (Monday's and Thursdays). Our experience here was awesome and we'd 100% comeback! The AYCE is $35 dollars with unlimited appetizers (variety of dips, breads, saganaki, cauliflower) and kabob platters (chicken thighs, lamb shish, steak, thinly sliced beef shawarma with rice and a variety of grilled vegetables). Service was exceptional for the appetizers, as soon as we were running low on any of the appetizers they were immediately ready with another plate + bread. THIS is where they get you though...they definitely fill you up with the apps and the kabobs take longer to come out so by the time they arrive you are already stuffed from the apps. We ended up getting 3 orders of kabobs (big backs) and there was definitely a wait in between each of those orders and the kabobs came out in smaller portions for the later orders. Despite that everything from the appetizers to the kabobs were well seasoned and delicious, making the wait for the meats worth it. The meal finishes with baklava for dessert! I would definitely recommend coming on an all you can eat day as the menu items are quite expensive otherwise for the amount you get. For anyone looking to try this place, definitely check it out, pace yourselves on the appetizers, and come with a big appetite! read more

We went to Elia for a birthday dinner. We got a table in a separate section dedicated just to us. We were a big party but the service was very fast and attentive. The servers had great suggestions as well. The ambience was very modern and chic. We tried the classic and the pesto hummus, grilled Spanish octopus, Mediterranean crispy dumplings, zucchini fritters, handmade tagliatelle and roasted marble potatoes. The food was really really good. To our surprise, the restaurant even included a free Prosecco bottle and a cake as well since we had a birthday person at our table. Will definitely visit again! read more

Food was delicious and service was lovely. Don't skip on the muhammara meze and lamb entrees.

My husband and I were so excited for this restaurant to open in our neighborhood. We read the initial reviews and still had to try it. The vibes were anxiety ridden and uncomfortable for both patron and service worker, like everyone knows something is off. Upon arriving we ordered an Old Fashioned and the Blond Ambition. Both drinks took 20+ minutes to come out with 3 bartenders in an empty restaurant and the Old Fashioned was awful and the Blonde Ambition tasted like a really poorly crafted French 75. The hummus was served with no pita and we had to ask -- which is just a disservice to Mediterranean food -- we ended up with 4 burnt pieces of fried pita with 5 oz of hummus -- my husband ended up eating the hummus with a spoon. The horiatiki was served with uncrumbled feta on top and mostly tomatoes with a olive oil, salt and pepper sauce, nothing close to a lemon oregano vinaigrette. We left before mains. Through the whole experience we had 4 waiters and none of them were communicating so we were constantly asked the same questions again and again. I hope they figure things out until we see better reviews or hear throughout the neighborhood we will not be back. read more

Elia - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came here for happy hour and it was an awesome experience! They had a deal for $5 draft beers which were tasty. Food: crispy beef dumplings, classic hummus, and burrata salad Crispy beef dumplings: not my favorite, but tasty! Served with yogurt sauce Classic hummus: very tasty and unique toppings Burrata salad: delicious and refreshing! Service was amazing! Ambiance is great, amazing decor and very cozy! I highly recommend! read more

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this was low quality and too expensive to be reselling costco products. get real!! there's a reason it's always empty

Very cute place! Love the warm decor. It feels inviting and I am excited to try the food here. read more

Elia - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of the worst meals we've had in a long time. Starting with the positives - the ambiance and vibe is cool and the location is perfect. Right on Division in Wicker Park. The food was genuinely atrocious. We ordered 5 dishes (3 apps, 2 mains) and every one was terrible. The apps was so salty we could barely eat them and the mains were utterly bland and flavorless. The wine list was limited and the bottle we ordered was warm. The service was also slow and stretched. The location and ambience of this restaurant means it has potential. It needs to improve the service and hire someone who knows how to cook. read more

I'm not sure what the negative reviews are about, but this place is really good, and the ambience is super sleek. I came on Friday with a friend, loved it so much I'm back today with my sister. The vegan risotto is awesome, brussel sprouts and cauliflower are flavorful, and the drinks are very good (I like sweet drinks, so the Green Banana was right up my alley). If I had one critique, it would be that they need to include more pita with the hummus. I will absolutely return!!!! read more

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While still new, this restaurant is beginning to work like a well oiled machine. Great ambiance and energy with good service and amazing food! Portion sizes seem to be perfect as well. Will definitely be going back! read more

Elia - Horiatiki salad with octopus. - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Was excited to try this place based on photos online. Showed up and it was empty.... Never a good sign. Our server was a young guy that came over and said "we are not serving craft beer tonight". There was not a hello, or any sort of interaction. The food was awful. The pita was stale with the variety of apps we ordered. Barely saw our server. Beautiful restaurant, horrible management. read more

Incredible service and good food! Sat outside, but the interior is beautiful. Mustafa was our waiter and the chef checked in on us. Would come again 7.4/10 read more

Had a wonderful Wednesday night dinner at Elia! Food was fantastic - we had the Eggplant salad, the Crispy Dumplings, Saganaki, and the Manti. I loved the smokiness of the eggplant salad, and the dumplings and manti are both 'must order' items in my opinion! Also enjoyed the passion lover cocktail - very tasty and not too sweet! Service was attentive and friendly. Also, loved the look of the place - very classy and well decorated. Very easy to have a conversation. Will be back! read more

The staff were so nice and it is a VERY cool looking restaurant. Honestly, the food just wasn't very good. I'm hopeful that it was just because they are so new... We ordered the hummus which they didn't bring with bread... and then we had to ask... again. It seemed like everyone was very anxious (patrons and staff). I would skip the seafood risotto (unfortunately it was very mushy and had no flavor). The restaurant looks very cool though. read more

Lovely. Beautiful and comfortable, very inviting. Good food. Crispy dumplings - crispy and spicy with a cool yoghurt sauce. Village Salad good but way too big, think 4-6, and served with dinner instead of before. Lamb chops - moist and full of flavor with a nice risotto. Lobster ravioli - what a delightful surprise. Baklava - not what you expect but a delightful twist. Why wasn't this place packed? read more

Elia - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm honestly confused by the other reviews. I've been here twice and not only is the space (and staff) lovely, the cocktails are inventive and delicious. And the HAPPY HOUR!!!! $10 ALL cocktails, $8 select wines, and tons of snacks on the cheap. Both times I have visited, the weather wasn't the best, but the outdoor area is adorable. I'll be back. read more

Atmosphère was exotic but not over the top. Service was friendly and helpful. But the, food? WOW. There was a lot of it and it was delicious...fresh, spicy but not overly and varied. My only complaint was that the table was too small for all the plates. And also, I had to leave some on the plate because I was too full. That had me close to tears. read more

Surprised by the excellent service by Mustafa, food was decent otherwise, enjoyed sitting and observing rainfall while having tea after lunch read more

OMG OMG OMG we LOVE this place! First time... lobster ravioli, pappardelle, shepherds salad crazy fresh, saganaki cheese lit on fire, Ali O was a superb server very helpful, their house Turkish bread I need 8 loaves to take home, dessert...rice pudding & profiterole were outstanding too. Gorgeous decor. Hope they allow us back read more

Food super mediocre, very slow service, they messed up our reservation, we ended up sitting in a hot and stuffy room. They did give us free wine to make up for the error, but the wine service was even lacking. I won't be back...save your money. Far better places to go. read more

Solid food good service. I went for a birthday party. Food was fresh and fast. Service was good.

The food and ambiance at Elia were excellent. We enjoyed a lovely dinner on a pleasant summer evening. A solid 4+ rating, perhaps 4.5. The complaints about service are unwarranted. I believe they are attempting a more European approach of letting you linger if you wish instead of rushing your check. The staff is truly friendly and wants you to enjoy your meal. We had some tasty apps, lobster ravioli, and branzino, along with a very good modern take on a light baklava for dessert. read more

Got the chicken thighs then violent food poisoning. Service was good and ambiance & patio were nice but will not be returning nor recommend.

Loved the ambiance here - it's decorated so beautifully! We shared a few apps, sides, and desserts and everything was very good. The roasted potatoes with goat cheese were especially amazing. They have a great cocktail menu as well! This is the perfect spot for a girls gathering for apps and drinks. read more

I was going to give this a one star...but my wife said it was harsh cause we liked the beans...so I gave it a 2 star... I know this place is new, but there were a bunch of obvious issues that you can't excuse. 1) Service - you can tell our server was new but she was so kind. The issue was that there were probably 6 waiters and 4 bartenders and it took a while for anything to come out and once it did nobody asked how things tasted. 2) Spanish octopus -- texture was so mushy and had no chew at all, the surface was slimy which was strange to me and the overall taste was the fishiest octopus I've ever had -- but my wife like the beans that came with it like I mentioned 3) hummus -- not sure if Muhammara is usually that taste or texture, but I'm no expert so I won't fault them for it. But what truly was a disgrace was the pita bread that came with which a 5 year old could know that was bought at Costco in the freezer section and reheated I would have just gone to Target and gotten the hummus platter and I would have been better off. 4) drinks -- everything was too sweet and it took a good 15 min for us to even get one drink 5) zucchini fritters - not bad good taste...but then again...how do you mess up zucchini fritters We were planning to have dinner there but thank baby Jesus that we decided not to order ahead and we definitely weren't going to after the appetizers. We will not be going again but I do wish them the best of luck. read more

This is my first review for a restaurant and I felt The need to write this. This restaurant tries hard, but it's not it. The food was just ok. The portions were small and underwhelming. The charcuterie board was piled with grapes to take up space on the board with minimal pieces of meat. The spread came with super small Shavings of carrots and celery. I'm not sure why they would cut corners for items like this, but it was very noticeable. Not to mention the loud music and multiple times they played the happy birthday song. Unfortunately I do not see this place lasting too long. Foodies in the area will not be fooled read more

The food and the service at Elia were so good!! I'd highly recommend the dumplings, the branzino, the tagliatelle and for drinks the old fashioned and passione lover! everything was very flavorful and our waiter Denise was very kind and helpful in choosing foods! highly recommend and will be back! read more

Elia - Old fashioned and Passione Lover - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My friend and I dined in the second day Elia was open. We were prepared to be extra patient since the restaurant was so new, but certain things really should have been ironed out prior to opening. Our waitress had absolutely no knowledge of the menu - she had to ask the kitchen about every question we asked (from protein options to seasonal vegetable sides). Bread service and starters were delivered to our table and left without side plates. Our menus weren't taken after we'd ordered, water glasses were empty for a while, and plates were cleared rather haphazardly. We received our starters before our waitress even took our entree orders, and we were told that then the kitchen was "too busy, so they couldn't accommodate any alterations." The food was fine, but seemed to have a bit of an identity crisis. There were items noted in the menu that weren't on dishes, but items that weren't listed that were on the food we received. I question putting two giant strips of bacon in regular hummus, and also expect it to be served with pita rather than house bread. I recommend avoiding the fried calamari, as it had a very thick batter (reminiscent of a beer battered onion ring). We were at the restaurant for over two hours and both left with rather upset stomachs. I hope that others have a better experience as the restaurant finds its footing. read more

Pretty subpar overall - the food is very very meh. They served bagged tortilla chips with hummus which was very odd. Brussel sprouts are not fully cooked. Space is nice and spacious but food is not great. read more