Excellent food, fun atmosphere, and worth the wait! Get the pig's face!!!…read more We loved all the common favorites typically mentioned: pig's face, green beans, goat empanadas, and the shrimp salad. Tara the bartender was amazing. While we were waiting for a table she explained the menu and some of the highlights. She was so friendly and accommodating. It was a great night out!

we got really lucky and was able to get a reservation same day. this place had a really nice vibe…read moreto it, it was really loud but love the open kitchen concept. the servers attention was a 10/10 it felt like a really good team. our water cups never got below half full and they clear plates and replace silverware like a high end restaurant. we started off with the salmon poke which we were skeptical of because of the price but omg we were blown away by the flavors. didn't think chili crunch and strawberry and salmon went together but it all tasted so good like a harmony in your mouth. the quality of salmon was good too. the goat empanadas were really tasty too, was a good dish nothing to stand out about them. it didn't really taste like goat which is good to me. and the pork shank was a huge portion. we were worried with the first two dishes we didn't order enough for two people but it was such a big portion it was the perfect amount of food for two people. we loved the different sides and sauces that came with it. the meat by itself was good but when you combine it with the greens pickled onion the sauce the pita it was soooo good. everything just worked really well together. we left the plate with no crumbs. really good meal. no complaints :)

so glad we tried this place! we actually only waited about 15 mins to get seated at the bar on a…read morewednesday night around 7pm. we came here for my boyfriends birthday and we were so happy we chose to celebrate here. the two people that helped us was antonio and issa and they made the experience 10x better. they were very attentive and friendly and just easy to talk to. gave us good recommendations and good vibes. we both really liked our drinks and were happy with the spread the food came out. we got to eat the bone marrow first which also came with this really good sauce it was almost like a meat jam but was so good on the bread and then put some of the bone marrow on for the perfect bite. now the burger, you just have to try it because it really is that good. the sauce in it was so good and it just had a really good flavor. it was just an elevated burger. we got fries as well and we shared the burger so it we were really full after. the server brought out ice cream with a candle and some sort of chocolate sauce too which just made the overall experience. we were really happy with the service and food and it just made my bfs bday that much more special and memorable.

Despite all the hype, it's really an average smash burger. This is a place that has capitalized on…read moresocial media hype and people wanting to say they've been here and thus are cool and trendy. But it is seriously just a greasy smash burger. Their fries are good, and actually stand out more than the burger. Everything is overpriced. I don't know why people complain about the wait; do some research like a responsible adult. I never just walk into a place and expect to be immediately seated, I call first - like anyone who has some sense. If they tell you the wait is 2 hours and you have 2 hours to kill, there are a bunch of bars in the area where you can have some drinks and an appetizer (and not feel like you're stiffing Au Cheval; they're the ones with the 2 hour wait, what do they expect people to do?) Not much to say about the decor or ambience; it's a typically loud West Loop bar with mostly 20 - 30 somethings all trying to one-up each other with their trendiness that instead makes them all basically clones of each other. It is crowded, and you're a moron if you think any place like this is suitable for your 5 year old. That's not the restaurant's fault - it's not Chuck E Cheese. Often I wish Yelp offered a 1/2 star option, because there are places that are a 4.5 or a 3.5. Not in this case. 3 stars is spot-on.

"We stopped at The Purple Pig for lunch and we were pleasantly surprised at how great everything…read morewas. From the impeccable service to the great food, ambience and extensive wine list, we couldn't have been more pleased with our dining experience.

Just an amazing experience all around!! The tuna tartare was exceptional as well as the sorbet with…read moreBailey's. A little tight on seating but no complaints!!

Beautiful, grand old school lobby that takes you back in time. Rooftop restaurant and bar just as…read morespecial with a great view of the park and lake. Great vibe and ambiance. Service was to be as expected, top notch. Small menu but enough to appeal to all tastes and needs. Decided to go light for dinner and I chose the caesars salad with salmon. Great flavors and toppings on the salad. Salmon was just ok. Coworkers had tuna tartare (excellent) and the beet salad also with salmon (really good). Split the roasted carrots which were delicious, especially the sauce.

My friend and I were in Chicago recently and stayed at the Chicago Athletic Association. Our…read morereservation was made using The Hotel Collection, and it came with a credit, which we used in part for a late night snack and drinks at Cindy's Rooftop. While I wasn't a big fan of the taste of my drink and dessert, my friend enjoyed both of theirs. Rather, the service was excellent and the views were amazing. My friend ordered The Rocher for dessert, which includes hazelnut cake, mascarpone chantilly, and smoked maldon salt. I ordered a Baked Alaska, consisting of citrus cake, lemon cream, toasted meringue, and salted white chocolate crunch. We both also ordered cocktails. I cannot recall the name of the drinks. I asked for my drink to be fruity and sweet, but it wasn't enough of either for me. The Baked Alaska was fine but too much of various flavors. I wouldn't fault the restaurant for the drink or dessert taste as I know others really enjoyed theirs. Our server was most attentive and very helpful. We found that making a reservation on Open Table only offered a certain number of time slots, and all of them involved having dinner and not just drinks or a dessert. Reservations can also be made on their website though we chose to speak to the front desk about a reservation. Going up to the bar is first come, first serve though. We ended up making an Open Table reservation and were told it was okay to only order drinks and desserts. Cindy's is named in honor of Marian "Cindy" Pritzker, a beloved Chicago philanthropist. It sits on top of the 13th floor of the hotel under a glass atrium and offers views of Millennium Park, Lake Michigan, and beyond. Cindy's Rooftop is open Monday through Thursday from 11 AM to 11 PM, Friday from 11 AM to 12 Midnight, Saturday from 10 AM to 12 Midnight, and Sunday from 10 AM to 11 PM. Go to https://cindysrooftop.com to see a live terrace view, menus, private dining information, and more. If you're staying at or in the area of the Chicago Athletic Association, definitely go up to Cindy's Rooftop for the experience.

Truly one of the most enjoyable Italian food experiences in Chicago. It's worth the effort to plan…read moreahead and make a reservation. Reservations are released 21 days ahead of time, which I personally find impossible to make. Every time I've checked over the last several years there have been no availability. Yesterday I decided to pop on their website again and was delighted to find that they had released same day dinner reservations for patio only dining. The weather was perfect for outdoor dining so I went ahead and booked a table for Friday night. I felt like I won the dinner lottery. Service was wonderful and I didn't mind sitting outside at all next to the road with cars. I actually never stepped foot in the restaurant so cannot comment on what it's like inside. But do not give up that patio dining reservation if it's available. All of our dishes were delicious. I was really impressed by the meatball appetizers, chicken vesuvio (the potatoes are a must get as a side if you skip this dish), and branzino. The meats and sauces were wonderfully balanced and tender. Nothing tasted overly salted. Ironically, the pasta felt less of a star compared to the other dishes. And of course I had to get the gelato, which was so aesthetically presented and the taste just reminded me of an Italian summer vacation.

They stick people on their front coffee table as their dining location and act like it is normal…read more There needs to be a discount to eat at this table. Removed the "restaurant surcharge" after I asked.

We really liked this place! It was very busy. The Caesar and calamari were outstanding. My wife…read morereally liked her pappardelle noodles. I also thought the lasagna was good, but not quite worth the hype. We really appreciates the free dessert for our anniversary as well as the server noticing I don't drink alcohol and bringing over a non alcoholic beverage to celebrate. The inside is super cute and not too loud. Very photo worthy. Overall we are glad we stopped by.

There are so many Italian restraurants in Chicago and I can see why this place gets such good…read morereviews. Caesar salad: 4/5. Well balanced dressing and fresh greens. The sliced celery was a nice addition. Just the right amount of anchovy. Burrata lasagne: 4.5-5. A top tier lasagne. Loved the sauce and cheese in the many layers of pasta and the burrata was a nice way to top it. One bad note: the app the restaurant uses to pay the bill with a QR code incorrectly calculates the recommended tip (apparently including the tax).

Great time and a beautiful place. The table was ready quickly and all the staff were great!…read more The short rib hummus & lamb and beef kefta were both excellent. Seasoned and made beautifully. All the plates were nice sizes for shareables and well worth. Really satisfied, great experience!

This has gone from one of my favorite restaurants, that I'd recommend to all my friends visiting,…read moreto one of the most disappointing dining experiences in the city. The last two visits have been lackluster, but today was horrible. Service set the tone as our server disregarded us most of the evening. Never checked in to see how things were. Our appetizer passed our table multiple times. They couldn't seem to find what table it was for, and they took it back to the kitchen, for it to appear a few mins later, cold. Everything we ate just seemed off today. Lacked flavor. And almost everything was drenched in oil. The salmon kebab and rice was not bad, but like everything else arrived at the table barely warm, borderline cold. Really sad as this was our go-to spot for a few years.

New favorite! Came downtown from the 'burbs for a show - my sweetie called ahead and we got a GREAT…read moretable just inside the door, perfect for people watching. Tasty drinks - the grapefruit pilsner was a perfect choice for a warm spring evening, and our server was funny and sweet. Sticky ribs appetizer was spot on, with just enough heat to keep it interesting. We shared the fish and chips - perfectly cooked, crunch and sweet, great fries! House made slaw and tartar sauce was out of this world! Gotta make one comment on something we didn't have. The next table over, two middle aged women order cheeseburgers. When they came out I almost regretted ordering the fish. They were huge, juicy, and looked incredible. This two ladies, drinking their Chardonnays polished them off, that's how good they were. Next time... Dessert? Why not? Sticky toffee cake please. Perfect with a cup of black coffee. Out the door and on our way - we'll be back! Thanks!

We dined at the Dearborn on a Saturday afternoon with my family. Our reservation was strategic we…read morearrived hours before we assumed it would become very crowded. The seating was tight. Overall I was having a good experience. The food was OK. The menu was limited. Oh btw, the special that day was a $70 wag goo burger. That interaction be me and the server reminded me of a car salesman try to sale me undercoating for the car i just purchased. REALLY I can't make it up. The experience dropped to a single star as our dining experience was nearing an end. The manager of the front of the house. Made a conscious effort to make it clear that the table we were dining was needed by waiting customers. I've never ever experienced this before in any restaurant in the Loop. I can't and will not recommend dining here. This is why I'm giving 1 star. I my opinion The Dearborn maybe they need to be in a different location. Maybe located far west of the Loop. I would suggest instead of Dearborn maybe Halsted St. and probably change their name to The Halsted. Im not going back. OH btw good luck in your new location.

best dumplings i've ever had. maybe even best meal. so beautiful in there. such nice people. 10/10…read moreexperience. didn't have to wait that long, i appreciate their system.

Located right outside of the Chinatown gates and next to the cta redline, QXY Dumplings is some of…read morethe best I've ever had. They were full immediately after opening at 11:30am on a Sunday so expect a wait if you're not right on time or early. Their skin is thinner than I usually see, so their filling doesn't have to be super packed to even out the dough ratio. The chili oil and soup are 100% on point. Overate and overstuffed myself. Staff is efficient and fast. Would come back

I've come here with my boyfriend a handful of times and we love it. We like to try different…read morecocktails every time. The mimosa on a nice summer day on the patio is my happy place. The entrees are amazing too. The rice with the chicken skewer is my favorite so far and my boyfriend loves the beef and lamb skewer. The service has always been great as well. We've had the same server a couple times now and she's friendly and gets the job done. (Wish I could remember her name!) The ambience is great. With natural light coming in and the soft lamps, it's calming. Truly a beautiful restaurant.

So disappointed. I…read morecame about 5 years ago and loved my meal, especially the sticky date cake, which lingered in my memory as my favorite all time dessert. This year I was so excited to bring my family and Ema was the only restaurant in Chicago I couldn't wait for them to try. I booked it as our final meal in Chicago and lay awake at 4am being so disappointed in my choice. Our server's greeting was monotone and emotionless, which I realize now, would be foreshadowing the meal to come. Ordered the following 1) Smoky eggplant- arrived appearing as an unappetizing curdled purple grey mush. This was the worst tasting baba ghanouj I have ever eaten. It was acidic and had the texture of cottage cheese. The only redeeming thing about this appetizer was the warm naan. 2) house made stratciatella with side of green falafels- The stratciatella was bland and stringy. I would not order this dish expecting the creamy interior of typical burrata. However, if you like string cheese mixed with heavy cream- you may enjoy this dish. The tomatoes and basil were good. 3) chicken kefta- kefta was bland, rice even blander . 4) short rib with polenta- bland and the meat and polenta had the same texture, which seems impossible but somehow the plating was over complicated by the addition of mushy dates and grapes. 5) buttered noodles- my 8 year old ordered this. It was decent with a good amount of Parmesan and cooked perfectly al dente. By the end of the meal, I was so shocked by how terrible the food was I didn't even want to order the sticky date cake that was my main purpose for returning to this restaurant. Ema, what happened to you?!