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    Hemmingway's Bistro

    3.9 (385 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Hemmingway's Bistro Photos

    HEMMINGWAY'S BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Romantic
    Classy
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Hemmingway's Bistro

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    Beet salad

    What a joke this place was. It took an hour to be served 2 orders of appetizers. The beet salad was insulting. The place was cute and crowded. Service was lacking in all respects. I would never dine her again. Ps. A woman at the next table laughed obnoxiously out loud constantly with what sounded like a cross between a braying donkey and the Wicked Witch.

    Sweet Corn Bisque
    Rudy M.

    On our walk through Oak Park, I saw this restaurant and told my friend we should check it out for a late lunch. I thought it was gonna be some walk-in, walk-out place. WRONG! This place was very pretty and looked very fancy. I was definitely not dressed nice to be in a place like this but one guy walked in with shorts so I didn't feel so bad. It's an homage to Ernest Hemingway, who spent a lot of time in France, and the restaurant is French based. The music so enjoyable too. Their drink menu paid honor to some of his books, one being Death In The Afternoon. It came out looking good, reminding me of a limoncello. It was actually champagne and absinthe. I took a taste and holy hell. Absinthe is a heavy version of Jaeger for me so, I'll just say my friend finished it and loved it. Getting to the food, there was a sign that mentioned sweet corn bisque. Sounds simple right? This was highly elevated and caught me by surprise. It had croutons, parsley and what I thought was Parmesan shaving, but turned out to be crab meat. It came up when my friend (who was also under the impression of visually seeing Parmesan) mentioned fish stock. We later got confirmation from our waiter Axel. My house salad was great, but my friend went with the Grilled Salmon Niçoise with the star of the dish, olives field greens, potatoes, boiled egg, green beans, red onion and anchovies on top. A very intricate dish and my friend enjoyed it. Once I was done with my salad. Axel brought out the dessert menu, and there was Creme Brûlée. Whenever I see it, I'm tempted and forced to have one. I was severely disappointed with the result Let a creme brûlée snob break this down. The picture I posted shows a BEAUTIFUL presentation of the dish. A 9 in my book: the first one I've consumed with powdered sugar on top. It also had a raspberry compote zig zagged across. The disappointment came at the crack......there wasn't one..... The top wasn't very thick, giving me an indication of more to come. That was the start of going downhill. Next was the custard that was textbook creamy, but didn't have a strong Madagascar vanilla flavor. It was also lukewarm. Most times the custard for me is cold, so I can let that go since not all kitchens have a blast chiller. With all this being said: they gotta stop charging $13 for this. Steakhouses around the country bested this one. I would rather have never seen it and instead went my friend's choice. A beautiful apple tart, with a perfect helping of vanilla ice cream, and perfect strawberries. He said it was good and offered me some, but I chose to suffer with my choices in life. The help was amazing and very friendly. I will recommend anyone visiting Oak Park to eat here, sans the creme brûlée.

    Anita M.

    Sunday Brunch at Hemmingway's Bistro is such a fun experience! My husband, myself, a friend and her husband went to Hemmingway's recently and was pleasantly surprised with everything! Such a cute little gem- you walk into the restaurant and feel like you're enjoying Sunday Brunch in a French restaurant! The Brunch menu is a fixed price, which actually felt worthwhile with the options and quality given! Brunch includes an entree, a glass of champagne and access to the buffet. The buffet options were so delicious too! I had oysters and crab as part of the buffet options. The pastries were beyond yummy too! I especially loved the muffins. I got the Crabcake Benedict which was plated beautifully and tasted the part. Service was also really lovely with someone always checking in and taking care of us! Oh and if you're into live music, there's live jazz too!

    The Bar Area
    Reggie H.

    Nice hidden gem tucked away in Oak Park, to what was an old hotel. Staff very friendly and attentive. WDCB recommended the Jazz brunch. Way laid back feel here, and the two man/woman band played a variety of Jazz. However, the brunch was limited and kind of pricey. Overall I enjoyed the atmosphere.

    Cobb salad. Small and kind of dry.
    Dave S.

    Always wanted to try this place. Went with a colleague when I was on a work trip to Chicago area. Sat outside. Very nice service. I was torn about what to order -- ended up ordering the Cobb salad. I remember it not being great. I would not order it there again. Place was fairly expensive as well. If I ever go again, I'll have to try something different. I'm

    Main bar and dining room
    Denyce M.

    We have been here three times, once for dinner and twice for brunch. Each time we had Tom as the server and each time he was amazing and a lot of fun. The actual space is located in the basement (sort of) of a hotel of sorts. There are stairs that lead down a level, then you have to go down a second set of stairs to get to the restaurant. Space-wise it is not that large and seating can be tight, depending on where you are seated. There is a cute bar to your immediate right as you enter the restaurant. Once you go to the back of the restaurant, there is another eating area that is elevated with additional tables. When we had dinner there, it was in the winter of 2022. As one reviewer mentioned, it was very hot but the table we were sitting at was near a window that was open, so we were getting some cool air. But at some point I had to ask Tom to close it a bit as it was getting cold even for me. As a starter, I got Foie Gras du Jour. It came with caramelized fruit, candy onions, parsnip puree, balsamic vinaigrette There was a generous portion of of the foie gras and it was very good. Keeping on that path I also got the Beef Wellington. with a mushroom duxelle, foie gras, all of which was wrapped in puff pastry and a red wine sauce. If you are interested in this dish, be aware that it is only available on Saturday & Sundays. I thought this was prepared well, the beef was tender and the pastry was nice a flakey. The Queen got the Maine Lobster a la Champagne with julienne vegetables, spaghettini, champagne cream and of course lobster. This was a lovely looking entre and there was plenty of lobster in it. She enjoyed it a lot. For dessert I got the soufflé. I was told up front that if I wanted that, I would need to place my order in advance due to the time it took to prepare it. Once it came out, it was beautifully prepared and plated. It was very light and airy. For brunch, it is a like a hybrid one: there is a station with pastries, muffins, cheeses, cured meats, smoked salmon, croissants, fruit, and seafood (oysters, shrimp and crab legs). Then you are also allowed to order off of the brunch menu. The first time I got the Ham, Gruyere and Egg Sandwich (French ham, gruyere, sunny side egg, béchamel sauce, brioche); this was an excellent dish, with a hint of sweetness. I felt like the bread had been prepared like French toast. It was a nice touch of savory and sweet that I enjoyed. The second time I came for brunch I got the Roast du Jour, which was pork medallions with mashed potatoes and green beans. Different vibe for me for brunch but nonetheless good. Another great thing about brunch is that there is live music, with vocals by Petra Van Nois, who is amazing. It is a nice touch while having a meal and drink. The wine list is pretty nice...there are about five bubbles ranging from $55 to $230, with two of my favorites being on their: Perrier-Jouet, Fleur "04" ($230.00) and Cremant d'Alsace Rose, Burckel Jung ($70). The red and white lists looks pretty good as well, but honestly I only focus on bubbles. Getting here can be a bit of a hike coming from Chicago, but it is worth it every now and then. And the best part is if you are a first time visitor, check in on Yelp and get 15% off or at least I did earlier this year. Give it and this place a try.

    Sunday brunch
    Dave W.

    My wife and I were recently here for their Sunday brunch. She had the omelette and I had the eggs Benedict and they were both very good! We had this with the buffet that has all sorts of goodies including oysters and crab claws and crème brule. Everything tasted great and the service/live music was amazing. We will be back for brunch and will also look into an early dinner with oyster and drink specials!

    Chicken salad

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    4 months ago

    Every visit has been a pleasure. Impeccable service; wonderful food and libations. Highly recommend their jazz brunch On Sundays!!

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    10 months ago

    Excellent service, delicious food ---- chicken liver pate 5 star! Perfect day for outside seating.

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    3 years ago

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    8 months ago

    Adorable historic cafe with good food and nice atmosphere. Great backstory too. Very cute and would make a perfect date spot

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    1 year ago

    Food and cocktails were wonderful. Sat at the bar; great ambiance. Bartender was very nice. Cozy place to be on a cold evening.

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    Rustico

    Rustico

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    Rustico was a really wonderful dining experience. From the moment we sat down, the atmosphere felt…read morerelaxed and welcoming, and the service made the evening especially enjoyable! The bread service was fantastic. The tomato focaccia and the baguette were both excellent and I had to remind myself not to fill up on it before the main meal! LOL! We started with the calamari which was very well seasoned and clearly not the typical frozen version you often see from foodservice distributors. It tasted fresh, was crispy, and well prepared. For dinner I ordered the margherita pizza which was simple and delicious. I ended up ordering a second one to-go for my partner who couldn't make it to dinner. He also loved it - even after it sat for ~30 min or so while we chatted more, then drove home to the Maywood area. I would imagine their delivery is pretty good based on that! My mom had the rigatoni vodka with added crumbled Italian sausage which she loved, and my dad ordered the Marcelino. He loved the generous amount of seafood and how well seasoned it was. My parents are big wine drinkers and my dad was especially impressed with the wine list and the selection available. Oscar was an incredible server!! He struck the perfect balance of being attentive while still letting us enjoy a relaxed, unhurried evening. The support staff and food runners were also fantastic and very friendly, making the entire service experience feel polished! I also loved the kitchen was more open which gives you confidence in the quality and care that goes into the food. The dining space is inviting with a nice bar area and an additional room that looks perfect for busy nights or private gatherings. Overall a great restaurant that we would absolutely return to!!

    I almost didn't know what to make of our visit. We were here about a week ago and things started…read morepretty slow. The table bread didn't come out until we ordered and we waited quite a minute to order because our waiter would take a while to come back each time. The restaurant was not crowded at all so it was hard to understand what was taking so long. The first batch of bread was hard and my child's pasta pieces were also somewhat hard. It was just a bit of a mess at first. Then all of our food finally came, plates were smelling good and that helped lift our moods. My husband said that his pasta was just really spicy and the flavor itself wasn't really there. My pasta (vongole) was actually pretty good. We had to ask for Parmesan which helped with flavor for sure but I tried to have no complaints once our dishes came out. It was a nice place to try. If I was to visit again, I would be going to try their paella.

    Hoja Santa - Roasted Butternut Squash with Macha Sauce

    Hoja Santa

    (61 reviews)

    Hoja Santa, features flavorful authentic Mexican food dishes with a little flair…read more Located on lively Lake street in Oak Park, (perfect for people watching) street parking can be difficult; however, there is a budget-friendly parking garage within a block of the restaurant. The vibe inside is perfect for an intimate evening or afternoon lunch. Dark wood seating, an ample sized bar with dim lighting makes this a comfortable, chic spot. There is street side outdoor seating; however, there were no table umbrellas during our visit. The staff greeted us immediately and was happy to review the menu with us. We had the mole with roasted broccoli and cauliflower, unicorn pescado tacos and a Plato Fuerte with shrimp, lobster and chicken in a tasty creamy sauce. We loved all of the entrées; however, thought the mole was a lacking the traditional mole flavors we've tried before. The unicorn fish tacos were the standout and were crispy and delicious! We also appreciated the 4 taco serving, which was perfect for two. Prices were on point with other similar style restaurants in Oak Park, slightly elevated but fair for the quality of ingredients. Let's not forget the cocktails...outstanding!

    We had a bit of a mixed experience at Hoja Santa. The cocktail was really good and well-balanced…read more Guac was solid, the meat was cooked perfectly, and the yuca fries were great. On the downside, the bone marrow was undercooked, and we actually found a piece of aluminum foil in the mac and cheese that was prepared without truffle (menu states truffle). They remade it but it was a miss for us. The tres leches was underwhelming and a bit dry. Service was good--our waitress was attentive--but she didn't seem to know the menu very well. For example, we were told the street corn wouldn't be on the cob, but it was. Overall, some hits and some misses. Ambiance is ok - there's nothing that stands out. Drinks and mains were good, but a few things really missed the mark. For the price I don't think I would return.

    Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant - Pretzel bread highly recommended!

    Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant

    (700 reviews)

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    Coopers hawk for brunch... who knew this place got so packed! Went for brunch with a girlfriend…read morearound noon. Ordered the plate of Gnocchi with roasted butternut squash and Chicken Madeira, both the lunch size entrees. The waitress knew we were going to split the meals in half so she brought the meals out separately and in two separate plates. Doing so gave us time to savor each meal on its own and not have to try and divvy it up ourselves. I loved it. The food was phenomenal! We also had the bacon wrapped shrimp for an appetizer and that did not last long on the plate. Upon leaving we were trying to buy a couple bottles of wine. We tried getting the attention of the staff, yet were told they were busy. We waiting a good 10mins and still didn't get any help. I'm not sure why they were so short staffed for a busy afternoon, they could literally have 1 or 2 people at a register just for takeout wine orders. Or, suggestion, before we leave our table, we put the order in and they have it ready at the register for us to pay on our way out. Either way we walked out of there without wine. This place is big enough to accommodate alot of people and there is a parking garage just behind it, which makes it very convenient.

    My husband and I went here today(Aug 2) for my 48th bday for happy hour. Our server was Dianna C…read more This young lady was phenomenal, she was very helpful abs explained everything. She always stop back to make sure we were okay. This young lady definitely deserve a big raise. We will definitely return again due to the amazing service and experience we had. Thank you Dianna C for the amazing experience and thank you for making my 48th birthday special. Dianna C continue to be amazing. Parking: We found a park right across from Cooper Hawk. The parking is street parking which you're pay at the parking meter. It was $1 per hour. So we only paid $3

    Donny G's Ristorante & Bar

    Donny G's Ristorante & Bar

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    Wonderful Italian red sauce joint your would expect Elmwood Park! The best staff you can imagine,…read moregreat prices, and serving sizes that will send you home with leftovers. Saturday's there is live music which is a must! Pro Tip: free valet parking!

    I know that there are a lot of Italian restaurants in this area and a lot of Italian-Americans that…read morelive in this area, so I had high hopes for Donny G's. Thankfully, Donny G's met and exceeded my expectation. It's a classic old world Italian restaurant that serves up delicious favorites First, it has a not ambiance. The interior was simple and not pretentious in the best way. They simmmed the lights to prove that perfect atmosphere. On the night I went and they have live music. Second, the food is great. My wife and I tried the grilled octopus and sausage and peppers as appetizers. We loved the texture and of the grilled octopus, it was not rubbery at all. The sausages were flavorful and juicy. For main dishes we ordered spaghetti and meat balls and fettuccine Alfredo with chicken. Both pasta dishes were great. The meatball was flavorful and the Alfredo sauce was classic. For dessert we spit tiramisu and I ordered a do double espresso. The tiramisu was young with a hint of cinnamon. The only downside was that espresso was burnt. Third the service was great. The waiter was nice and our food came out fast. In sum this great Italian restaurant that's worth trip the burbs.

    Hemmingway's Bistro - breakfast_brunch - Updated May 2026

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