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Expat Chicago

4.3 (29 reviews)
Open • 4:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)

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EXPAT CHICAGO ATMOSPHERE

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Gnocchi
Hannah C.

Came here for a bday celebration. We had a big party and made a reservation in advance. Unfortunately, they were unprepared and none of these seats were set up which was not a great look for our birthday guest of honor. We were expecting to eat dinner with drinks but it seems like it's more of a self service type of situation? We were told to go up to the bar and order ourselves and we were also getting up to get our water glasses. Would not recommend for a big party. Food was also overpriced and not great. The only thing that was good was the decor and drinks. However, I personally did not get a drink so who knows. They were also trying to rush us to leave after the 2 hr mark which I get but we had a big party so I would except them take that into account in their planning of reservations...

House salad
Andrea Z.

Visited on a Thursday around 1pm, cafe had several other guest but plenty of open space. You seat yourself and servers come by with a menu and water. Drink: Drip Coffee - solid dark roast Food: House Salad - simple but good, mixed greens with cherry tomatoes, cucumber and onion, in a light citrus dressing, good portion size, wasn't overly dressed balanced flavors Service was good, friendly and relaxed, food and drink arrived pretty quick, sever checked in occasionally. Great cafe/bar to get work done, feels like a bohemian loft with lots of comfy seating that's well spaced out and a nice playlist. Free WiFi was great, lots of others were using the space to work as well. Would love to come back to try more of the food menu which looked great!

Angelica S.

I've been to Expat a couple of times now and it's always a good experience. The staff is attentive and welcoming, and the drinks are consistently good. I really appreciate that happy hour goes until 7 pm -- makes it easy to stop in after work. Definitely a spot I'll keep coming back to.

Small sign, easy to miss. That's okay, this will be our secret.
Erika G.

I LOVE THIS BAR. Recently opened off to the side in the Coquette space - almost a secret little entrance to a hideaway, IYKYK. "Cafe by Day, Bar by Night" PERFECT. So European. Cocktail menu: famous drinks from famous bars, imagined right here in Chicago! I had a Porn Star Martini, made famous by the LAB bar in London. A delicious concoction (it tasted spicy, mellow, umami delicious) that comes with a little sidecar of champagne. PERFECT. I also sampled the Singapore Sling, and that was also really tasty. Food. We two got the fish tacos and the pastrami sandwich to share - was a perfect amount of food for a light dinner, and the taste was just incredible. Craveworthy. The fish tacos were plump, with a light, crunchy breading. The Pastrami - really a Reuben sandwich - my favorite was all delicious. I'll be back here again and again. Gotta try that Wisconsin Old Fashioned, since I am a Wisconsin expatriat! Bartenders were good looking, friendly and charming. I love this place!!

Sandalwood and Tahitian Vanilla Old Fashioned
Jason W.

Cafe by day, bar by night. I stopped in to enjoy their bar at night. Perfect setting for a drink. Sat at the front bar where they had it open air for a perfect fall evening in Chicago. Good bartenders and I really enjoyed the sandalwood and vanilla old fashioned. In the higher end of cocktail prices, but worth it to enjoy the atmosphere for a round.

Street sign
Daniela N.

Had dinner with a girlfriend last night and I have to say this place is quite unique all day and night coffee bar. The theme of the decor and book menu centered around expat / travels marry well together. We ordered the frozen porn star martini and an espresso martini for drinks. Both were excellent choices and I loved our fresh my frozen drink was on this hot day. For our entrees we had the cheeseburger and Pasta Al Simone. Once both dishes were served - our food was fresh and tasty. The burger meat was rich and the secret sauce brought all the flavors together. Upon our server suggestion, we also had the espresso creme brûlée - oh my! If you have a sweet tooth you cannot leave without trying it. We really enjoyed our time there. Looking forward to visiting over the weekend when Djs are playing on the patio or having dinner at the two other connected restaurants - Coquette and Bambola. Thanks to our bartender Daniel for taking care of us.

Lisa S.

I had brunch at Expat and was thoroughly impressed. The atmosphere combines exotic and bohemian elements beautifully. With both indoor and outdoor seating, I opted to enjoy the sunny outdoor space. The food was amazing and very reasonably priced. I tried the BLT, which is served on a pizza crust and includes bacon, lettuce, tomato, ricotta mayo, and sundried tomato pesto. I also indulged in a xuxo chocolate and sea salt caramel mini croissant, which was both adorable and delicious. My friends ordered the West Coast burrito and the egg sandwich, both of which were generously portioned and reportedly delicious. The service was friendly and provided excellent recommendations. I will definitely be returning and will have to try the late night feel the next time!

Rhonda F.

I LOVE this place!!! Tucked away in an unassuming spot, around the corner from Randolf Street Restaurant Row and the Fulton Market District. It is a true hidden gem. Expect offers so much. Coffee Shop, Study Spot, Friends Lunch and even dinner & cocktails. The American cuisine is fantastic. We had a burger, salad and french toast. Everything was perfect. The decor is incredible - airy and charming with a twist. Travel vibes, furry pillows, colorful tile and various seating options. Service matched all the other great elements. The positivity was in full force. Attentive and friendly service made our experience better. I can't wait to return at night for cocktails.

Carajilllo & Spanish Coffee cocktails
Michelle L.

Enjoyed the dark European ambiance with travel motifs, the coffee cocktails are delicious. Carajillo is an amazing espresso cocktail (and very easy to drink). The hot Spanish coffee would be so enjoyable on a cold morning; it has fruity notes to the flavor. Their fish and chips dish was a great platter to eat alongside drinking and came with vinegar aeoli and tartar sauce with capers, which were so delicious. There was a brand rep for a vodka seltzer company that gave us free seltzers which tasted amazing & their bathroom is very aesthetic for taking photos in.

Egg Sandwich
Ashley C.

I had a so-so experience to be honest, BUT I'm very willing to give them another shot. They had an event happening with a liquor brand when we visited, so they could only serve an altered cocktail menu. That being said - - It's tucked away at the end of Randolph Street and around the corner. So many interesting spots in the vicinity! - The space is really nice. Well decorated. Variety of tables, lounge areas, and a generous patio! - It's not obvious when you first arrive if its seat yourself, table service, or bar service. We initially felt awkward, but my kind bartender eventually came over to tell us it was bar-service only. - My cocktail was meh, but I wish I could have tried their not my Al cocktail menu instead of the partnership drinks. - The food was fine, and I would order something else next time.

Chicken parm
Tessa H.

Such an amazing place. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The atmosphere had a great relaxed vibe and the food and drinks were good as well.

Zulfiia K.

Very nice interior. We came for breakfast, the food was super tasty. Granola, pancakes, avocado toast. Everything was delicious. Very polite staff. We were satisfied.

Latte
Evgenii K.

- The design and interior inside is a "delight" - The service staff is very caring and friendly -I got the bawl granola and latte - the latte is a little bitter for me personally. But the granola with berries and yuurt is 10 out of 10, very tasty. - I am extremely satisfied and would like to come back for more

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2 years ago

Good food and an interactive place. Nice casual ambiance. Service was a bit distracted and slow.

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2 years ago

Amazing' like this place! Good atmosphere and very tasty food! Service it's interesting too. Guys have a lot of places

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Ila's - Happy Hour bites at the bar

Ila's

(59 reviews)

Near North Side

Our family ate dinner here in April and were very impressed with the quality of the food and the…read moreservice. We had the empanadas to start and then the short ribs, a burger, halibut, and lamb birria pierogies. Everything was delicious, beautifully spiced and elegantly presented. Honestly, the ambiance was a bit loud for us, but our server was extremely helpful and moved us away from a table with one incredibly boisterous fellow. They did so discreetly and quickly and our experience was much improved as a result. The restaurant itself is lovely, with beautiful decor and lighting.

Very cute interior, great service, lively atmosphere, definitely hit the mark on elevated casual…read more We were able to get dinner reservations on the day of. For parking you definitely should use Spothero or ParkWhiz, as it's in a very busy/lively part of River North. We loved meeting the owner who was chatting with and checking on guests in the dining room. The menu was really creative and sounded amazing, totally up my alley, so was super excited to try Ila's out for the first time. Unfortunately, and it pains me to say this, but the food itself was a miss for me, and the prices felt steep for the portions. We ordered the empanada duo, grilled scallops, birria lamb pierogis, and sweet corn agnolotti, then the Japanese cheesecake and drip coffee. The positives were that everything tasted fresh, and the flavors of the dishes were good ~ especially the empanadas, scallops, and agnolotti. The main issue was the texture of some of the foods. Other than the empanada (which had a great texture and flavor), the agnolotti and pierogi dough were not right ~ thick, rubbery, and dry, which was exacerbated by not having enough consommé for the pierogis. And the coffee - it honestly tasted like Folgers (though I'll give them the benefit of the doubt) - which took me aback as it was a $7 drip coffee. I'm not discounting Ila's and I truly wish them success. But I think there's some work to be done in terms of execution.

O'Callaghan's - Waffle chili cheese fries

O'Callaghan's

(314 reviews)

$$

Near North Side

Sat at the bar because it was Friday night and the tables were all taken. I liked the variety of…read moremusic, the ambience, the atmosphere....and the burger and fries! That burger----was SOOOO GOOD (Char Burger) and the waffle fries were kind of crispy- good! They had an NBA game playing on the tvs. Service from both bartenders was great- Our main server had great attention to detail. (realized they forgot the mustard without me saying anything) All in all- great! (Skip the fish and chips- get the char burger!)

I came in with three friends and we grabbed a high-top table. We ordered a few rounds and…read moreeverything was going fine. Toward the end of the night, two of my friends left, and the remaining two of us paid our bill and were finishing our drinks while waiting for our Uber. At that point, the bartender came over and told us she needed our table for a large group. The table wasn't reserved, and we were clearly just finishing up. We told her we were about to leave anyway, but the way it was handled felt really abrupt and rude. What made it worse was that she immediately brought a group over to take our table, and even they were apologizing to us because they seemed uncomfortable with how it was handled. I've worked in bars and restaurants myself, so I completely understand needing to manage space, but there's a way to do it respectfully, and this wasn't it. Unfortunately, this experience left a bad impression, and despite having been here multiple times before, I won't be returning.

Expat Chicago - bars - Updated May 2026

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