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

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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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The restaurant was very clean with nice decor. Overall I would've said the ambiance was good except for the fact that our entire party was intermittently freezing and then warm. We were seated right by the front wall of windows which clearly open like a an accordion door in nice weather but since it was winter it was COLD. Like icy outdoor air drafts blowing on us. They did eventually turn on the heat which was very directly on us and then some people in our party were too hot. At one point we could all smell weed VERY STRONGLY as if it was at our table. It was a group standing right outside our window which just demonstrates how poor of a barrier this wall was. Our server was very kind but somewhat inefficient. We had to track her down to order our entrees, more drinks, and a cappuccino after dinner never arrived, but nothing too egregious. Everyone in our party of 8 seemed to enjoy their food and they really appreciated the gluten free depicted our menus. They were able to offer an alternative to gluten for the bread and substitute vegetables for the member of our party with an allergy. If the restaurant was nearby I'd consider visiting again (with a request for any table but the window), but as suburbanites I doubt we'd make the trip for this destination again. read more

One of my favorite places on Divison. Great food, friendly staff members, and love the vibe

Went with a group of friends. Started with great cocktails. Espresso martini is legit. Appetizers, we had saganaki and hummus. Both outstanding. Dinner we ordered papardelle, salmon, short rib, and tenderloin. All were great. We stayed and had cocktails after dinner and we never felt rushed. Coming back soon to try other menu options read more

Delicious!! Great service and ambiance. Highly recommend the cauliflower and the mushroom risotto

we came here on saturday night and sat on the patio (great vibes, comfy chairs). the ora king seared salmon dish was 10/10, and the service was good especially for a busy weekend! would definitely come back here again read more

Elia - Turkish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I wanted to like this place given the great location and beautiful interior, but the food was just awful. For starters we got the pesto hummus that was fairly tasteless and the calamari which honestly had breading similar to a funnel cake at the state fair... For a main dish we shared the tagliatelle which was fine, but overpriced for what it was. Overall - wouldn't go back/recommend for anything other than a dirty martini on the patio. read more

I think a 2.5 is my real rating but rounded up because there is potential. We went for our anniversary and were excited to try this new place out. Unfortunately, we were disappointed. Negatives first so we can end with the positives. - Cocktail menu is weird. Every cocktail has so many ingredients it's hard to guess what you might or might not like. Mango passione was fine, old fashion was way too sweet. - Frutti de mare risotto- rice was undercooked, seafood was chewy and the whole thing was under seasoned. - Roasted cauliflower was mushy and again, under seasoned. I think the cauliflower had been steamed first then just popped under the broiler, so it lacked the flavor roasting brings. - Servers were friendly enough but just seemed to lack confidence. Positives- -It was a beautiful evening and the outdoor seating is very comfortable. - The indoor space was beautifully decorate. - Beet hummus was tasty. - Everything on the menu sounds good, so there's the potential. I think if they are willing to put some work into reworking the recipes they can have some real winners. I hope they work to improve. I'd love to go back and sit in the beautiful dini f room. read more

We called to make a reservation but no one answered, so we tried anyway and just walked there. The host said that the phone probably wasn't charged. Ouch. We tried several dishes here and really enjoyed the brussel sprouts and celery dishes. The mojito was surprisingly bad, it had no mint and the lime did not taste fresh. Couldn't drink it. The barata was good. T we were really thinking we would enjoy the beet hummus but did not think it tasted of much. Also we tried to order dolma and grape leaves but they were out of both of these. read more

The food atmosphere and service was luxurious. The cocktails were very unique and tasted incredible

Just tried this place for the first time (lunch) and really liked it: service was good and attentive, liked the design, and enjoyed the food. Definitely recommend. read more

We had a very pleasant dining experience at Elia. The restaurant interior was warm and inviting in its decor, with comfortable seating and fine selection of wines and cocktails. Our server Denise was a helpful guide to the menu, the food and service was excellent. Particular favorites were the roasted octopus, the brussel sprouts, and the light and refreshing take on baklava. We can't wait to come back and try more of the menu! read more

My husband and I were seated quickly at an outside table, and that was the end of our good experience. We ordered hummus, but never got side plates, napkins or silverware until we asked. The waitress disappeared and never came back to check in, or take a dinner order. We finally went inside to pay our bill, and she popped up out of nowhere to ask how the evening was. Yeah, I would not recommend. read more