This sleek yet laid-back new restaurant offers a creative eight-course tasting menu at a very reasonable price. We particularly liked the cod with trumpet mushrooms, and the citrus ice cream. Portion sizes are modest, so you won't leave feeling stuffed. I suggest starting with an order of the delicious sourdough bread to supplement the tasting menu. A wine pairing is reasonably priced, but only the Burgundy impressed. However the non-alcoholic pairing knocked it out of the park. Each offering was delicious and matched the food perfectly. Highlights were a modern take on an Orange Julius, and a chilled sparkling espresso. In fact, this is the best non-alcoholic pairing we've ever encountered, including the original at Charlie Trotter's. Sadly, the reason this is a four-star review is that the noise level is simply too loud for conversation. There's no attempt at acoustic treatment whatsoever, and all the glass and wood guarantee maximum racket. Be sure to hang onto your mini-menu, as you won't be able to hear the descriptions of the dishes as they are served. read more

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Elske, I wanted to love-ske you-ske. Food quality, service and décor were very nice. We had a good time and a good meal here, but it didn't live up to the foodie chatter hype. We had the tasting menu and added the bread. The tasting menu was very fresh and natural tasting with lots of herbs and clean flavors. Tasted rustic or outdoorsy to me. One thing that was a bit odd is that the tasting menu items were very small at the beginning and larger at the end. I prefer more even sized portions, since one arrives hungry for a meal like this and I ended up nibbling on bread and filling up that way. The best part of the tasting menu for us was the desert. It was an ice cream and citrus concoction that was light and very carefully crafted. The ice cream was also made in such a way that it wasn't really melting, which I didn't understand, but I didn't really give it too much time to melt anyway. The restaurant has a beautiful garden which should be lovely in the summer. The interior of the restaurant was a bit cold, both aesthetically and temperature-wise, but maybe that's the Danish influence here. Overall, very nice experience. read more

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I was really looking forward to this restaurant, but we all thought it was just okay. I really like the restaurant design and atmosphere. They have a large variety of wine, beers and cocktails to choose from. I always appreciate finding a list of beers I've never heard of before. There were 3 people in my party and we decided to go with a la carte menu. My sister has a few food allergies and they were very accommodating and steered her away from dishes that included those ingredients. We ordered 9 dishes and shared them all. 1. Publican Quality dark rye sourdough with cultured koji butter 2. Cured fluke with cucumber, black lime and chilled kombu broth 3. Roasted skate cheeks with cannellini beans, kohlrabi and chinese celery 4. Tempura sweet potato with beets, buttermilk and lemon balm gribiche 5. Soft scrambled eggs with chicken thigh, smoked carrots and crispy sprouts 6. Confit hen of the woods mushrooms with chestnut, pear cream and thyme 7. Lightly grilled lobster terrine with fennel, hazelnut and grapefruit 8. Pork white pepper sausage with cracklin, cabbages and ground cherries 9. Milk chocolate pudding, yeast and bitter chocolate The bread and butter was tasty. I thought the cured fluke was ordinary and not memorable. The roasted skate cheeks were super tender and I really liked the texture of the shaved kohlrabi, but the creamy sauce was a bit salty. The tempura sweet potato dish was my favorite. The combo of the crispy exterior and soft interior of the sweet potato, pureed beets and the creamy gribiche was heavenly. The soft scrambled eggs were too salty and it was overpowering the flavors of the dish. I also thought the confit hen of the woods were also over salted. The lobster terrine was just okay, but visually very appealing. The pork sausage was also just okay. I was hoping for a little more substance to the cracklin, it seemed more like just plain pork rinds. I enjoyed the chocolate dessert. The crunchy chocolate wafer on top reminded me of space ice cream. :) I think we ordered one too many dishes for 3 people. It ended up being a very rich, creamy and heavy meal. Salty and creamy seemed to be the most used adjectives of the night for us. Service was okay. I appreciate them being able to accommodate those with food allergies. They served 3-4 dishes at a time, which I thought was a bit overwhelming. When they brought out 4 dishes at once, no one explained to us what the dishes were. I had to flag a different waiter down to ask which dishes were what. Not ideal. Anyway, the space is beautiful. I enjoyed my drink. I loved the tempura sweet potato dish. Some dishes were just okay and some were misses for us. I'm glad I finally had dinner here, but I probably won't be coming back any time soon. read more

I feel kind of bad reading the other 1-2 star reviews of this place, because I honestly can't say a bad thing about it. Our experience and food was so great, I can honestly say this is now in my Top 5 best meals, best dining experiences I've ever had. My sister made a reservation for she, my brother-in-law and myself for a Friday night after Valentine's Day and they were able to accommodate. She did have to pay a deposit to hold the reservation -- so keep that in mind. This is a Michelin-starred restaurant, which I know for some doesn't mean anything, and it's all relative, but this lived up to the hype for me. The husband-and-wife chef-and-pastry-chef duo really do have a lovely restaurant. It's located in the Loop on Randolph along the same corridor as some rival Michelin restaurants and bars (Blackbird isn't too far away!). Elske means "love" in Danish and you can tell they put time, love and precision in their menu and food. The ambiance is so hygge/cozy without being stuffy like some fine dining places. The outdoor space is great and has a nice wood burning fireplace you can sit in front of. Our service was amazing! We had a lovely server who was able to make some great recommendations for us. Being a vegetarian wasn't even a problem, they were able to modify most any dish to be vegetarian and if you do the tasting menu, they were able to recommend items to replace the main meat entrees. While we didn't do the tasting menu (we wanted to try too many other things) we did have a lovely meal! Here's what we ordered: * Aged gouda with beet-quince jam and crackers * Belgian endives with almonds, pickled raisins, and sherry * Pan fried red snapper with broccoli-creamed spinach, and sorrel (for my sister and brother-in-law) * Yeasted spaccatelli with soured squash, urfa pepper, and pecorino * Soft scrambled eggs with mushroom-braised kale, confit maitakes, and scallion (this was AMAZING) * Celeriac 'risotto' with candied hazelnuts, apple, and parmesan (I'm still trying to process this dish. It was probably one of the best dishes I've ever had) * Roasted pork shoulder with smoked carrots, dandelions, and candied spices (for my sister and brother-in-law - they thought it was absolutely delicious!) * Sunflower seed parfait with sour honey, licorice, and bee pollen (I absolutely LOVED this dessert) * Fried bread with dark chocolate sauce and bay leaf (this tasted like gulab jamun - an Indian dessert) All the dishes had plenty of food for the three of us to share (and for the two of them for the meat dishes). We got a few drinks and a bottle of wine and overall, it was just one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. We left full and happy and I haven't stopped talking about it with friends and family. If you're in Chicago and want some new food to try that isn't stuffy American Contemporary, then give Elske a shot! read more

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CORY IS THE BESTTTTT! Sit at the bar and let Cory take care of you. Truly, he made the whole experience. read more

Elske - Menu - Scandinavian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The anchovy dish was great put together. The bread, olive oil, lemon, and anchovies worked really well. The dish was quite salty but really good if you like that kinda thing. The aged Gouda was also amazing, the cracker tasted great and had a wonderful delicate texture. The accompanying honeycomb and apple butter were both excellent and paired well with the salty focus of the dish. The medium rare lamb was perfectly cooked, tasted great. There were also some medium strips of lamb in the lettuce and almonds. The almond preparation was too sour and threw the whole dish off. The soft shell crab was absolutely lovely. The crab was really crispy and well seasoned and all the vegetables were great, individually and with the crab. Presentation could have been a little better perhaps. The rhubarb-amaro baba was quite good but the amaro seemed to overpower the rhubarb. The baba's texture was really soft and fluffy, and the coconut sorbet was delightful. The sunflower seed parfait was our favourite by far. A very clever dish. The parfait was not too sweet and very reminiscent of sunflowers without losing its dessert like characteristics. The sour honey and liquorice were also lovely. This is one of the best, most memorable desserts I've ever had! The ambience was lovely and the staff was very friendly and had great recommendations for everything. Would definitely go back again read more

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Per my previous review, I adore Elske. So happy they reopened and finally able to dine inside and have the full experience! Their food is so elegantly prepared with surprising twists on flavor. Each order is prepared with care. I loved the comfortable and warm dining area and look forward to outside seating in the summer. Their ingredients challenge me to expand my comfort zone. For example, we had the anchovy appetizer. I hate anchovies--so salty and strong. Nope...not at Elske. Delicious and wonderful. Looking forward to returning! read more

Had the tasting menu for my birthday dinner. One of the best meals I've had in a long time. Price was reasonable for the quality and creativity of food. Wine pairings were amazing and interesting. Dining room is loud but comfortable. Service was friendly, helpful, and not rushed. It was a long meal. Every dish was memorable and there were no gimmicks. Just delicious and interesting flavors. I'll be back! read more

Elske was great and I would go again, anytime. It easily earns the Michelin star. We did the tasting menu with wine pairing and well worth the experience. Everything tasted very refreshing. It started with a Tea (which was more like a savory broth) which I understand is made from all of the vegetable scraps that are roasted. It was paired with pickled cucumbers on a toast and was a great way to start the meal. The next two small bites included a thinly sliced piece of fish on a rolled up potato piece and a duck liver tart with a leek jelly and covered with paprika powder. The tart was excellent. The salad course was very refreshing and the dressing tied it all together. The two main courses were poached halibut topped with thinly sliced green tomatoes. It was an excellent dish. Then the breast of duck was served with a side of dumplings and duck confit fritters. The duck was perfectly done and one of the best I have had. The dumplings were a nice side addition. The fritters were unbelievable. I was pretty close to seeing if we could order some more a la carte. Then Dessert was a panna cotta with fresh berries with notes of coffee. Also delicious. Service was a great at it has a great ambiance. Highly recommended and will go again.... soon. read more

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The building was gorgeous and the service was great. But I didn't care for what I ordered. The desert was amazing.

An incredible experience. From the service, setting and food, this made for a perfect evening. We had the set menu, so were surprised by dishes we might not have ordered off the menu - a wonderful pushing of my palette. From the soup to dessert, each dish was wonderful to eat, with fun and helpful presentation. With ample outdoor seating a gourmet COVID go to read more

We hosted dinner for six colleagues and ordered nearly the entire menu to share. Every dish was unique, beautifully plated, and delicious, but my absolute favorites were the Grilled octopus with cucumber, red currants, and spice tofu, and the Yukon and spring onion terrine with escargot, artichokes, and nasturtium. Desert was innovative and delicious. We ordered the entire desert menu and loved everything. The service was perfect, and it was a pleasure to dine at Elske. The space is gorgeous. After dinner we sat in front of the outdoor wood-burning fireplace and enjoyed the toasty fire. A more pleasant evening could not have been had anywhere. Thank you, Elske, for a truly remarkable evening. read more

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Overall rating is probably a 3.5. Ambience: 4 Service: 5 Food/pairings: ranged from 2-5, quite variable It's a beautiful space, truly lovely, but quite loud. Difficult to hear one's dining companion without low-level yelling. Service was really excellent - incredibly thoughtful, knowledgable, attentive, without ever seeming intrusive, pushy, or condescending. They were excellent. The 8-course tasting menu was coursed in under 2 hours. It was good pacing because some of the "courses" are quite small. But certainly a quick in and out for a tasting menu. The dishes and pairings were quite variable. Mostly good to very good, with some real misses. We felt like the first and second halves of the tasting menu were almost distinct experiences (first half was amazing, second half sort of boring and meh). The reviews recommending a la carte over tasting menu here may be on to something - the small plates in the first half were really all very good to amazing. Pairings as well. The sprouted lentil crepe - worst picture of the bunch - was just unbelievable - salty, rich, creamy, crispy, smooth, umami, all the things in this little quesadilla-like triangle. So so so good. The second half turned a corner - not a great one. The halibut dish was incredibly salty. There was no nuance to the dish - or, if it was, it was lost to the salt. I couldn't finish mine. The orange wine pairing was interesting - started way too harsh but did open up by the end of the course. The duck was cooked nicely, textural aspect in the crispy skin was lovely and other components of the dish (leeks were absolutely fabulous, roll was wonderful) were very good - but overall was just boring. Other than the leeks, nothing much interesting here. The fennel gummy was interesting, nuanced, delicious. The dessert pairing was too sweet. Difficult to get much out of it. The description of the one dessert was amazing - earl grey sorbet? Yes! But visually and taste-wise (even texturally, despite some crunchy elements) there just wasn't enough contrast for the dish to work, and no earl grey flavors came through in the sorbet. Prices were certainly "okay" for a tasting menu with pairings, but would have liked more consistency across the meal and more of the 4-5 star dishes throughout! read more

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The entrance patio area has a great fireplace and space to enjoy a drink while waiting for a table. Unfortunately, our dining experience wasn't as good. We ordered a drink from the bus boy and discussed a menu item with the manager but it took 20minutes for our waiter to come over to review the menu and take our order. We thought the meal was good but more expensive than the ingredients dictated. read more

We came in for a Friday night dinner and were seated immediately. The servers were attentive and we were able to quickly place a drink and order dinner. We opted for the a la carte options, but there is also a tasting menu available. The bread came out piping hot and the accompanying butter was sinfully delicious. However I would highly recommend eating the bread while warm, as it does have a short shelf life before becoming incredibly chewy. The endive salad was probably our favorite item, as it was definitely the most unique in terms of presentation, texture, and overall flavor balance. The agnolotti were similar to the bread in that they were delicious while piping hot; while hot the filling spilled out on the first bite but as it lost temperature it started to coagulate relatively quickly. The steak and cabbage was good, but it was basically a picanha cut similar to what you'd get at a high volume Brazilian steakhouse; for the price of this dish we would have either expected a little more volume or a more unctuous cut like a few slices of ribeye. Overall it was a great dinner, but I think there are a few things that can be improved upon to really make this restaurant stand out. read more

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We were really excited to try Elske and it did not disappoint. We arrived at 6:15 on a Thursday and were actually the only people there but by 7pm every table was taken. I really liked the bar area and it was empty; I would sit there next time. It is a small space but cozy and ambiance was nice. I had done a bit of research ahead of time because often we do not find wine pairings impressive and actually prefer to order by the glass or bottle but we did the tasting menu with pairings and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I thought most of the pairings were done well and better than most other Michelin spots. Our tasting had 8 courses and I thought they were a bit on a larger side. We decided to add the beef tongue from the ala carte menu as well but definitely didn't need it. We loved our server, who we actually remembered from a spot she used to work and she was very helpful and friendly. She explained the sizing of the portions and said if we wanted the tongue we should forego the bread, which we did. She was definitely right. I think without the supplement it probably would have been the perfect amount so it's hard to add bread or another course. I very much liked our server's explanation of the wines. She was not a somm but spoke like one. This enhanced our experience quite a bit. I will say the tables are a bit close for my liking but we made friends with two people sitting next to us which actually added to the ambiance but I would like a little more space. The first course was a tea toast with radishes and caviar on top. This was deceptively wonderful. The tea was super flavorful and the dish was a great starter. I may have preferred utensils only because the size of the radishes and caviar you needed to take in a few bites but good. The beet sandwich was good and I love beets; my husband does not. We both thought it wasn't too 'beet-y' in flavor so good for people that are not huge beet fans. The buckwheat roll was a little dry but the mustard paired very well. The duck liver pate was a beautiful plate and the pate itself was very good. But I felt the dish was slightly out of balance in the sense that it was almost all pate. I think it could have used a bit more ramps and maybe even some acidity from berries or something? Maybe a thin layer of a cherry compote on the bottom could really enhance. The salsify was amazing. This was also hands down the best wine pairing. It was a slightly sweet German white (not as sweet as a typical German white) that was just on point. The standout dish for sure was the monkfish. The onions and burre blanc were just insanely perfect. The monkfish was cooked perfectly and was succulent. The portion was rather large but fortunately it was so unbelievable that no one cared. The white they paired with this had a nice minerality that cut through the butter sauce. Something more acidic would have contradicted the lemon in the dish so again, nice pairing. The tongue was very good and I liked the dish as a whole. The potatoes were awesome and the tongue tender. The venison literally could not have been cooked to a more perfect temperature. We were both extremely impressed. The cinnamon and brussels gave the dish tons of flavor. The bread was okay but nothing to write home about. All of the desserts were very good and they gave me a cheesecake for my birthday which was stellar. There were no dishes that I did not like and the monkfish was so good that it wasn't fair. Will be back. read more

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The staff was aloof and rather rude when we came in, ignoring us and not even leading us to seats even though we made a reservation and the restaurant was 1/3 full max. The decor itself was very cute and environment quiet enough for a nice date. However, the food was quite lacking. The presentation was nothing special and too experimenting, with green sauce on undercooked red pork that looked unappetizing. We had to send it back to get it cooked again. The pasta was undercooked and tasted like canned corn soup. The fish was the only highlight of the meal and was super tender but super small. The sour dough bread was good but nothing special either. I will not be returning. read more

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Stunning. Who knew risotto made with celery could be something you'd want to eat every single day. Elevated comfort food.

After a solid recommendation and being the child of a Blackbird chef and Publican chef, I was excited to try this restaurant with my dad. We opted for the a la carte menu and shared 5 dishes along with a glass of wine each. I thought the overall experience met my minimum expectations, but did not blow me away as I hoped for from a michelin star restaurant. Here are quick facts about the dining experience: Occasion: Date or nice dinner with the fam Order size: 2-3 dishes per person for a la carte Cost: ~$100 per person with a glass of wine Attire: Smart casual The lineup: Overall I thought the portion sizes were a bit small, but were cooked well. There was some creativity with the dishes, but still think the dishes were a bit pricy for this michelin star restaurant. Publican Quality dark rye bread and cultured koji butter: Good starting dish, but a little annoying they make you pay $7 for it. Roasted skate cheeks: probably the least favorite dish of the evening (excluding the bread and butter). Each element was cooked well, but the synergies of flavors were not right. Confit hen of the woods mushrooms: I did not know what hen of the woods mushrooms were before this restaurant...I love them now. The pear cream complemented the strong earthy flavor of the HOTW mushroom. Most creative dish of the night. Dry-aged duck breast: Cooked to perfection, a solid dish Pork white pepper sausage: Solid dish, but not exciting. read more

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Ever since I've heard of this place, I have wanted to try it. It is very well written about, but sadly I was a little disappointed. The ambiance was great, slightly dim lit and casual chic. It was busy and happening. The service was great, as the waitstaff was very attentive and knew the menu very well. The cocktails were pretty good. There were only four options, and I had the Sour, which was a nice mixture of scotch and grenadine. Not usually a Scotch drinker and I still thought this drink was tasty and not too scotch heavy. What disappointed me was the food. It wasn't bad but didn't live up to the hype of what I have heard. We tried about 6 items and nothing really stood out. -Scrambled eggs with chicken thigh: it looked very pretty but had a weird metallic after taste -Crispy veal sweetbreads: again, looked great and the taste was pretty flavorful. However, it was too salty, which overshadowed the flavor. -Roasted skate cheek: this was one of my favorites of the night. It was simple yet flavorful and the kohlrabi served as a great fresh taste with the beans. -Publican rye bread: the bread was great and came with a flavorful koji butter -Lobster terrine: this was pretty fresh tasting and the mixture of the blood orange was a great little addition. -Lamb Loin: really not much to remember Overall, it wasn't bad but not as amazing as I have heard read more

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Let me start by saying everything was delicious! The only reason it lost one star is for this type of place I expected to send a little piece of me up to heaven with each bite. The bites that did that were the duck liver tart, the smoked fruits tea (even my husband who typically would not like "tea" thought it was fabulous) and the grilled squash. Those three dishes had us craving more. Again everything else was absolutely delicious and worth the price but I think lacked the wow those three had which left me sad and wanted to rewind time. I would eat there again for sure. I am leaving the sweet part out because it was perfect but cannot compare the savory top sweet. Also service was 5 stars. Everyone was so nice and it did not feel snooty there at all read more

Elske - Scandinavian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Honest review: didnt like it this is a very overrated restaurant food was bland n didnt taste any dutch flavors. Nothing wowed me some things were good but nothing was great its like average food its really cute inside n has a nice patio but ambiance is the only thing this restaurant has going for it u can order a tasting menu n order items off the a la cart menu best things: lobster mushrooms/ porcelete/ steak off tasting menu/ yogurt dessert off tasting menu Tea of lightly smoked fruits: i didnt like this there was a really strong smoke flavor that overwhelmed the delicate vegtables Broccoli and amaranth fritter: the fritter was bland but the date jam was really tasty wish there was some heat in it Duck liver tart: i love this n this was phenomeonal the liver wasnt to over baring n the tart n the ramp powder really complimented the duck Chilled zucchini n buttermilk cream: didnt like this all u could taste is buttermilk Veal sweatbreads $20 this was good the sweetbreads were cooked perfectly n the apricot jam cut through the richness didnt like the radishes because they dont have any flavor to them there just a crunch element Lobster mushrooms $19 this was amaizin the mushrooms were supper crunchy the plums were so sweet it cut through the richness the poppy seed sauce was so good wish they put more because confiting the mushrooms made them dry Pan roasted quail $21 i loved this the quail was supper crunchy. I loved the walnut sauce picture like a really thick pesto n the dill added a fresh acidic note wish there was something spicy in it Roasted sturgeon: didnt like this the fish wasnt that hot n the preserved lemons were way to acidic the artichokes were good though Grilled vegas strip: loved this steak was cooked perfectly the salad n the sauce was really good loved the olives just add more loved the briney flavors of the salad counteracting the rich flavors of the steak n the sauce Porcelet $22 favorite dish of the nite if u love salty n sweet youll love this. The pork was really tender n flavorful a lil fatty. The sauce was so good just put a lil less soy sauce in the carmel i loved the fried potatoes n the roasted potatoes added crunch n richness Mint jelly: i usually hate these candies because there way to sweet but it was so refreshing Yogurt n stone fruit sorbet: this was my favorite dessert of the nite it wasnt to sweet n all the flavors worked together beautifully Sesame tart 13$ this was good but just tasted like a normal chocolate tart honestly u really couldnt taste the sesame seeds at all, all u could taste is the chocolate sauce its not a bad thing it was good just the only thing that made it special was the salt on top read more

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My boyfriend and I went here for our anniversary dinner, ordered the vegetarian tasting menu, and were both disappointed. The first course is tea, a little potato bite, a little egg and cracker bite, and a mushroom tart. The first three were fine, but not creative or even interesting. The mushroom tart was very pleasant! The second course was smoked butternut squash. My boyfriend didn't like his, I liked mine but wasn't wowed at all. The third course was celeric risotto and the highlight of the meal. This is a wonderful dish and its creaminess is balanced with the celery base and apples on top. The main entree course was wildly disappointing. Root dumplings and araninci were fine, but again fairly bland and uninspired. The main dish of this course was (raw?) mushrooms covered in soy sauce (?) and quince. It was an absolutely disgusting and disappointing entree, especially after seeing the care that was put into the other diners meat entrees. Neither of us could eat more than a bite of it. The dessert was pretty solid: yeast ice cream with a mini espresso donut. Nice, interesting, complementary flavors. Overall, Elske was an okay meal, with a high (the risotto), lows (the main entree course), but mostly middling dishes. At $115/ person, this is the most expensive meal I've ever had but nowhere close to the best. read more

We had a great time at Elske! Thanks to the previous Yelp reviewers we were able to enjoy the best Elske had to offer. We loved the outdoor fireplace as we entered, which is a romantic, cozy touch. The restaurant filled up pretty quickly, too. We've done plenty of Michelin restaurants and didn't want to wait through a 4-hour set of courses so we (2 ppl) did the ala carte selections. To start, we had the apple jam, crackers and swiss (not gouda) which was delightful. We had the Celeriac risotto with hazelnuts which was inventive and absolutely delicious. We love Celeriac and never thought to pair it with Risotto, apple, black truffle and hazelnuts, and damn was it tasty. We also had the Ricotta stuffed occhi (like ravioli) which was good, but nothing too special. The service was absolutely top notch. From our host greeting to the pastry chef assistant who answered all our questions and our wonderful server, Eli, who was great with explaining the menu and offering suggestions. He was also helpful with advising on our dessert course (he recommended the frozen raspberry custard which we liked.) A note about parking: we went on a Sunday night around 6. There is no valet parking but plenty of street parking on Randolph in front of the restaurant and around the block. We found a free spot about half a block away without any problems. The strangest thing: at the bottom of our bill (and on the menu) it states that there is a 3-percent optional surcharge to help pay for the health insurance of the staff. We've never seen that on a bill. For us, we'd have preferred Elske raise prices by 3 percent (I mean, c'mon, it's a Michelin star restaurant) and not tell us about it and give your staff a decent benefit. We opted to pay it, of course, but felt odd about it. read more

Paid 60$ to hold a space for 4 reservations for my restaurant team. We were visiting Chicago for the food show and looking forward to seeing what Elske had to offer. Unfortunately they were not able to honor our 930pm reservation and we chose to go elsewhere after waiting for over an hour to be sat as we could not wait to eat any longer. Front of the house management was very poor and not able to work out a solution within the hour and fifteen minutes we were waiting. Feel free to see my previous reviews, this is my first and only 1 star restaurant review. There are a ton of great restaurants in Chicago, this is not one of them. read more

This is a great place with fabulous food! Totally worth it. Great vibe, staff and unique menu

I have to admit, I had high expectations after Elske was listed by Bon Appetit as the second best new restaurant in 2017 in the U.S. I was disappointed. We ordered a la carte; the omikase may be a different experience. They say the dishes are appetizer sharing amount; I think most are a good size. Pros: Great staff Great design. Cozy outdoor fireplace during decent weather Interesting and very well priced wine list A few great dishes Sometimes difficult to hear (our group of 5 may have made it more difficult for others to hear) Cons Most dishes were just OK. These dishes were good to eat, but I expect a lot more complexity for the price and how much it's been lauded. We had the following (dishes with * were the standouts): Fried eggplant (the flavors didn't come together; the cauliflower that came with it was pretty, but raw and could have used a flavor boost) Mushrooms (way too salty; very little umami from the mushrooms given they were the main part of the dish; the rest of the dishes were appropriately salted) Porcelet (it was a nice pork dish, but uneventful. The sauce was underwhelming) Snapper (Miramai I think it's called; this was one of the better dishes, but still not at the level I would expect) Chicken and eggs* (the sauce made this one) Fava beans** (this was my favorite; I think the nuttiness from the barley really added a lot to the dish) Sweetbreads* (I only had a small taste of this. I think it be a good dish to share because it is very powerful and flavor) Fluke (smoked fluke; this was nice, but again, just not at the level it should be in as of complexity) Raspberry meringue dessert: it looked like we were at Marge's and was just sweet. There was NO complexity in this dish and very little meringue Sesame seed tart: this was The better dessert, but was still lacking. The filling immediately separated from the tart crust. It didn't have much to the flavor. Wine: Slovenian wine (can't remember name, but it was orange; it paired well with food) Sauternes*: fantastic; floral and fruity read more

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Strong 4.5 stars. We didn't have a reservation, so as walk-in's, we sat at the small bar. We started with a couple of drinks, not planning on having a 9 course dinner at the bar, but Derek F. made us feel welcome to stay, take our time, and enjoy a meal. So, that's what we did. We had 2 tastings with wine/juice pairing. At the same time, Derek was preparing drinks for the entire restaurant, he managed to course our meal, visit with us on our side of the bar, explain the ingredients of each plate, and tell a couple of corny jokes. We had a laid back, wonderful meal. read more

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Do make a reservation and if you have a special occasion, come here to celebrate My friend and I happened to be visiting Chicago and she read about Elske in Bon Appetit. It was nice to dine in a quiet neighborhood away from the hustle and bustle of Michigan Avenue. Since we'd been dining out for the better part of a week, we decided to share 3 dishes, the homemade rye bread and dessert. If we had our appetites, I would have opted for the 8-course tasting menu. Next time :) The cocktail I ordered was wonderful. It had pear and brandy and other good things. Since everything on the menu is subject to change, I recommend you try whatever tickles your fancy. We sampled: Fried Eggplant with beet, peaches & lemon balm gribiche (such a pretty dish and perfect starter) Soft scrambled eggs with chicken thigh, sweet and salty peppers and kale (the eggs were wonderfully executed) Pan roasted quail with wax beans, walnut skordalia, and lots of dill (the flavor of the dill made the dish!) Finally, we moved outside to enjoy coffee, tea and dessert fireside. For dessert, we shared a panne cotta like parfait with sour honey and sunflower seed crumble. Service was unobtrusive and wonderful. Highly recommend an evening at Elske! read more

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Elske is a very impressive restaurant that still manages to feel inviting. It's like being a guest in a neighbor's gorgeous home. The service and the food are both exceptional. I had the pescatarian version of the tasting menu, which swapped the short rib and the duck liver tart with a risotto dish and a mushroom tart. The highlights of the tasting menu for me were the roasted cauliflower and the celeriac risotto. I didn't know it would be possible to enjoy cauliflower so much, but it was cooked to perfection and complimented by a sauce that tasted like a mild mustard. The risotto was deliciously creamy and had very memorable accents of hazelnuts and apples. It took about two hours to get through the tasting menu, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The restaurant has done a wonderful job of crafting a menu and an experience that I'd imagine sticks with you for a long time. read more

On our third visit to Elske we sat at the bar and had the best experience. Monica is a top tier expert bartender. She made us delicious on the spot cocktails and shared all of her knowledge. Elske has always been one of our favorite restaurants, but now it's a staple bar stop as well. If you haven't been to Elske, put it at the top of your list. read more

My husband and I were looking for a restaurant to celebrate our anniversary. We were a little late this year since our anniversary is on the 10th, but we visited Elske on the 20th. My husband really wanted to go here being that he is from Denmark. While this is not a Scandinavian restaurant, they do say they are "Danish-inspired". Elske is Danish for love. Elske is located in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood. I find the neighborhood a bit boring as it is mainly restaurants and warehouses that have been now converted to condos. However, he neighborhood is very walkable and is easily accessible by bus or the Green Line train (Ashland stop). I really like the entrance to Elske. It's a little courtyard with tables and chairs with a fireplace. Very cozy (hygge). Inside, the tables are lit up with candles with wooden tables and chairs. It does look very Scandinavian. Large windows let you see outside throughout the restaurant. Since I'm not a meat-eater, we decided to skip the tasting menu and order a la carte. Our waitress recommended that we order 2-3 small plates per person, but from past experience, I know that ordering too much will not leave room for dessert. :) We started off with the rye bread and cultured butter, which was a huge portion and very tasty. We ordered the rigatoni with smoked corn to share and by far, this was our favorite dish. I ordered the skate with broccoli and creamed spinach. Since I'm not a fan of creamed spinach, my husband ate it and liked it and felt it was made right. The broccoli seemed dehydrated, like it was left in the oven way too long and was very salty. The skate was okay. I don't feel there was anything special about it. My husband ordered the veal with sweetbreads. At first, he thought it was a very small portion but then realized, it was just right. For dessert, I ordered the sunflower parfait with sour honey and bee pollen, which I highly recommend and my husband ordered the chocolate pudding, which was very rich and filling. For drinks, I stuck with water and my husband ordered a beer. My husband absolutely loved this place and said it was one of his favorites. read more

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Elske "love" in Danish. There is no sincerer love than the love of food. Dining at Elske was as wonderful and comforting as wrapping yourself in a plush blanket and sitting by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa in hand, and your puppy at your feet. Quite literally, as you enter Elske, there it is right in front of you. A hearth with a fire, chairs, and blankets.... the scenery transcended into my dining experience. Setting: Beautiful clean lines (but not sterile) with retro Scandinavian furnishings in the dining area, comforting and homey. We wanted good lighting for our pictures. Yes, I'm THAT girl. Don't judge. Seated in the center of the restaurant at a communal table, but no neighbors. :) Menu, Food, Experience: Two menus, one tasting, one à la carte. We each picked two à la carte offerings, plus bread (seemed to take awhile for our first course, and my friend was so hungry, he was shivering). Pleasant House heritage wheat sourdough with cultured butter. Crisp crust and a soft chewy crumb and room temperature creamiest of butters. Pre-split into four ways. Fried skate wing with caramelized onions, rye bread, and coraline: I am still unsure of what "coraline" is... the fish was delicate and had a mild fry that pleasingly coated my mouth. Long crisp lettuce. Salsify dumplings with smoked oysters, capers, and broccolini multiple ways: Very attractive dish, dumplings underneath fresh salsify and long stems of broccolini, with a charred broccolini crumb alongside. I'm going to use my friends thoughts here, and call this a reinvented reimagined green bean casserole. The oyster replacing the mushrooms in that thought process. A textural pleasure for sure, but a bit more rich than I was ready for. Veal sweetbreads with cabbages and golden raisins: Decent sized portioned thick pieces of veal organ meat, crunchy cabbage, and a natural fruity sweetness from the sliced grapes and raisins that bring the dish a great balance with the fat. Fricassé of rabbit and escargot with parsley root, kale, and garlic panisse: Simmered rabbit in a rich, silky sauce, topped with leafy vegetables and toasted chickpeas. The escargot was an amazing addition, great tender chew, reminiscent of a chanterelle mushroom! Panisse, (coming from Provence) are golden brown, lovely fingers of fried chickpea. Makes a great side dish to soak up the sauce and the soft morsels of rabbit. Desserts: served up by Anna Posey herself, 2015's rising star pastry chef from Publican (woooohooo!) and a former intern at Le Bec Fin (yeah she's pretty awesome sauce).... Coconut sorbet with beet hibiscus fluff, meringue and mochi: A most interesting presentation that certainly caught us off guard, and we would otherwise describe as "the blob", but underneath the shiny beet colored gelatinous membrane was a delightful surprise of crunchy meringue pieces and chewy mochi skins. I lapped up the entire dessert. Tart with black and white sesame creams, speculoos and chocolate. Tart shell is delicate and crunchy. There was a little too much sesame cremeux, but loved the hidden underneath crunchiness of the speculoos and chocolate crumb. Our only gripe was that we had a couple spoonfuls of sea salt which was a little heavy handed for our tastebuds. Dishes average around $20, and I think the 4 plus a bread and dessert was enough to satisfy us. I had the Cobbler and an Old Fashioned (the aromatics were sensational), but honestly neither drink really hit the mark for me. I also imagine there will be some diners out there that don't understand the partial looking pour on the O.F. Though it was strong, and alluring with the big square cube and the peel, for $13, maybe a better suited glass. The cooks/chefs table presented their dishes themselves, which is an awesome touch! They are going for "hygge" (as I've read from various critics) which is a Danish tradition of enjoying lives simple pleasures. Certainly, I notice the hours of preparation that go into beautiful but simply presented dishes, and Elske, well I kind of love you. read more

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As a foodie "snob", all I ever require in a restaurant is delicious and quality food, spectacular service, and beautiful decor. If you can deliver on all three aspects, you will earn a five star rating from me. With that said, and obviously due to my rating of Elske, I truly had an amazing dinner experience here. From start. To finish. Nevertheless, Elske has earned a spot on my top 5 fave list of Chicago restaurants. Positioned on the corner of a Near West side intersection of other bars and restaurants (Michelin rated Smyth is just across the street), diners are greeted by a sleek and understated facade, with an electric blue moniker signifying that you have arrived to the right place. The entrance to the restaurant is not very intuitive as I walked right past it twice. The valet had to steer me into the right direction. As I entered the courtyard of Elske my mouth dropped open when I discovered an actual live bonfire. The air smelled of smokey firewood, and fresh baked bread. It was very storybook like, and I knew that I was about to have an incredible experience. From the second we stepped into the door until we vacated the premises, each and every associate approached us with a smile and solid customer service. The host and hostess offered coat check, for which I refused because I had a feeling they kept it cold in the dining room (they did). The decor was of a very minimalist aesthetic. No fancy artwork or extraneous items to embellish the space. Just some real wax candles, natural wood dining tables, and expansive floor to ceiling windows that provided a view of the bonfire. This approach totally works for the space because it set the tone for the kind of "warm" and "earthy" cuisine diners should expect. Following the vibe of the decor, so too was the menu given a minimalistic approach. This is truly my favorite part about the "New American" style of cooking: one page menu of highly thought out and well prepared dishes. It's easier on the brain and the stomach to decide and to consume. I had initially planned to indulge in the tasting menu, however, upon further review I realized the items on the a la carte menu spoke to me more and louder than those of the tasting menu. To start we ordered the delicious bread. This is a MUST people. The bread may look small, but it isnt. So fresh. The butter presented with it was so soft and easily spreadable, and melted quickly. We ordered the skate wing, dumplings with oysters, capers, and broccolini, fricassée of rabbit and escargot, and the veal sweetbreads for our main courses to share. The skate wing and dumplings arrived first followed by the rabbit/escargot and sweetbread dishes. I loved the pacing by the servers. It gave ample time for us to truly enjoy the dishes and let their own unique characteristics resonate with our senses. I moaned with every bite of all of these dishes. My eyes closed and the hairs stood up on my neck. It was a truly mind blowing experience for my tastebuds. All of the dishes came out hot and each piece of meat was prepared impeccably as were the vegetables. Quality. For dessert we opted for the sorbet and the tart. If I had one miniscule complaint it would be that the presentation of the sorbet is very questionable. I jokingly referred to it as Flubber's fraternal twin! My friend referred to it as alien plasma. Despite the odd presentation, the sorbet was extremely refreshing in juxtaposition to the hearty earthy main dishes, and quite surprising to eat because underneath it lies a whole other realm of flavors from the other ingredients. A truly unique dish. You won't be disappointed. Order it. Last but not least, the tart. A+mazing. The presentation is much better here, but I did refer to it as the poop emoji (marble version). The crust of the tart was so buttery, and the creams were so thick and decadent. When mixed with the crunchy sesame seeds and sea salt on top, and of course the ganache, the flavors were enough to make you want to cry. I am honored to rate Elske with 5 stars, and look forward to chronicling the success of the restaurant over the year(s). Do yourself a favor and eat here. read more

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Came here for my anniversary and was amazed by the ambiance, fresh bites, and amazing service. We ordered off the a la Carte menu. Our waitress placed everything perfectly so all the food would not be rushed to us at once. We ordered two types of salad/veggie dishes, the aged gouda with yellow beet-ice cider jam and crackers (which was absolutely amazing). For the mains we got potato dumplings and a white pepper sweet corn pasta that was tasty and well balanced. Finally for dessert we got the sunflower seed parfait. Everything was equally delicious in its own way and i literally did not have one bad bite. They cater to restrictive diets and did an amazing job with all the vegetarian dishes. read more

To be clear, I ate here about a week before the pandemic began. It was the best meal I've eaten in the 15 years I've lived in Chicago. I understand that the menu changes frequently, so I can't guarantee that every meal will be as delicious as that one, but it's absolutely a 5 star restaurant. I've eaten at one of the top restaurants in Copenhagen (the one where they pick plants "on the way to work" that day and incorporate them in your meal, the one that costs upwards of $1K), and I can tell you this place was nearly the same quality. I couldn't recommend Elske strongly enough, I hope they never have to close their doors. read more

Beautiful space; gorgeous and delicious food. Checked the boxes for what I'd call "experience food" (special/notable) and also just plain good food (like, truly yummy and I suspect I'll crave it and want to come back for more). And I don't often write reviews, but also just wanted to acknowledge our server Zaida - she was an absolute *delight* - awesome service, spot on recommendations, NPR worthy descriptions and delivery, flawless skin (relevant? perhaps not - but notable) and just overall lovely. Thank you for making our fun evening out even better! read more

Amazing food , amazing drinks and amazing service! We went to celebrate a family member n enjoyed it but hope they recognized the special day! read more

I had a wonderful experience at Elske. Here are a few highlights of what I and my two dining partners had to eat: (1) Whitefish brandade with fried potato and trout roe. The brandade was a small rectangle crispy on the outside, soft and moist inside, with the roe garnish on top. The texture and flavor were both wonderful. (2) Veal sweetbreads with asparagus, watercress, and curried lime. The sweetbreads were cooked sous vide, then lightly coated with finely ground panko, then lightly fried to crisp the exterior. Heavenly! Some of the best sweetbreads I've ever had. (3) Fermented black bean agnolotti with spring peas, braised morels, and garlic chives. A light, very flavorful, thoroughly enjoyable preparation that shouted "Springtime." We had seven other dishes shared between the three of us, and there wasn't a loser, or even a mediocre dish, in the lot. They all were creative and prepared with great finesse. I had a cocktail to start (poblano tequila, mezcal, genepy, cream sherry) and, with our server's assistance, selected a bottle of Frenchtown Farms 'Indigeaux' to have with the meal. The cocktail was creative, complex, and balanced, The wine had good fruit without being overconcentrated. Both the cocktail and the wine were great choices. The service was also exceptional. Our server was very knowledgeable about all the dishes, cocktails, and wines, and the many dishes we ordered were expertly paced. Elske clearly deserves its Michelin star and, as a Seattle resident, I only wish that I didn't have to wait for my next trip to Chicago to eat at Elske again. read more

Went here for our 1st year wedding anniversary and everything was great. They made sure we had a nice table (not super close to everyone) and when my husband surprised me with flowers that were delivered straight to the restaurant they made sure it was already on the table for us. Loved the ambience and our waiter was so nice and thorough about everything. The manager also stopped to by at our tables (other tables too) just to make sure everything was good. We ordered a bit of everything. But dessert stole show! read more

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