Apolonia absolutely deserves 5 stars for the brunch service. My daughter and I were looking for…read morebreakfast around 11:00 this past Sunday, only to find many places ended breakfast before that. Apologies was nearby our hotel, the Marriott Marquis. We started with a cappuccino and an O.J. Both were perfect and my daughter commented that it tasted like they had just fresh squeezed the oranges moments ago. We considered ordering the pastry tower, but instead opted to share three dishes. It eneded up being more food than we could finish. Portion sizes were big, especially for the quality and price. We shared 1 savory and 2 sweet dishes: the banana business croissant, the warm cinnamon roll, and the fritatta Espinosa. Each one completely impressed us and we're so delicious. We told the server we couldn't belive they were both baking high end pastries like this and preparing amazing savory dishes. Overall, our service was quick and friendly. The room was clean, spacious and modern. If I visit Chicago again from the East Coast, I would happily visit Apolonia again. I would love to try some of the brunch drinks and more items.

Apolonia offered excellent food, but I will never go back…read more We ordered the tasting menu ($72) and added the wine pairing ($48) and with tax and tip the bill for two was just under $320. None of this was a great surprise. No cocktails, by the way. The tasting menu was photocopies with two menus per sheet of paper and a very sloppy cut for a non-rectangular menu. The problem was the service. I like a paced meal but 2 hr-55 min is absolutely ridiculous. The restaurant was not able to get food onto the table, either because of the quantity of quality of the staff, and the room certainly wasn't very crowded, perhaps 35 customers in sight. I think there were 4 cooks, 2 servers, 2-3 runners/busboys, and a hostess who hustled around doing a lot of odd jobs. Every item served was delicious. The plating was nice as well. The wines were not so successful. Of the four wines on the menu, two differed from the descriptions and the pairings ran from OK to Combative. I have lots of details about the food and wine, but that's not the issue. The poor service was inexcusable. I only get to Chicago one every 2-3 years and there are so many good restaurants that this one has been crossed of the list with a permanent Sharpie.

This was my second visit to The Dearborn, and the food and service were both on point. We ordered…read morethe salmon tataki, fish and chips, Wellington burger, and Midwest fried chicken. Everything was well prepared, but the fried chicken was the standout, especially with the hot sauce adding another level of flavor. The staff stayed attentive throughout dinner and even replaced our plates between rounds, which was a level of service I wasn't expecting. I also respected seeing the owner personally making the rounds, stopping at every table to check on the guests and the food. Calm atmosphere, solid hospitality, and a kitchen that delivers.

OMG! Walk, run, sprint here to get the FISH N CHIPS THAT ACTUALLY BEAT BOBBY FLAY. The executive…read morechef and now chef partner, Aaron Cuschieri, is absolutely amazingly talented. I am used to really good fish and chips... I've never had better fish and chips than Tom Douglas's Mr. Fish in Seattle, UNTIL NOW!!!! Wow, wow wow wow! Do not pass GO, do not read the menu, just order the darn fish and chips! It might be a whole heart attack on a plate... But it doesn't matter... You can walk all of Chicago and burn it off. I decided to work out before I came here for this big splurge and I'm so glad I did. I can see that this is the theater district... And you could come here before a show fish and chips and have the best night of your entire life! I can't wait to try more of this chef's food! I'm BEYOND INSPIRED! ps great beers here toooooi!

Our waiter was excellent, professional and attentive. We…read moreliked the chicken ..we tried 4 different ways. Sliders, jumbolia, fried and rotisserie. All yummy. The restaurant is beautifully done. We especially liked the chairs at the ground floor tables for comfort.

Dropped into Yardbird in Chicago for their happy hour, and it proved to be a great choice. The…read moreatmosphere was lively, but what really elevated the night was the exceptional service. Our server, Miguel, was phenomenal. She was attentive, fast, and gave us some spot-on recommendations. Per her advice, we ordered the deviled eggs with jalapeño, hands down the highlight of the table. The deviled eggs with paired with that subtle jalapeño kick was absolutely perfect. For the mains, the chicken and waffles were good, carrying that solid comfort food flavor you expect. The waffles were a bit soft for my taste. To drink, the sidecar was mixed perfectly, well-balanced, crisp, and hit the exact right note. Giving it 4 stars only because while the mains were good, the starters and the outstanding service from Miguel were what truly stole the show. I'll definitely be back to hang out at the bar again nest time I am in town!

Spectacularly delicious meal. Really cool vibes inside and the wait staff is amazing. Constantly…read morecleaning the table and refilling water that's already in the table. Pork shack was so good. Highly recommend it, but u did hate the sauces that came with it. The carnation please dessert I would skip the next time I go, but the pork shank and bread is perfect.

Tasty spot for shareable, tapas-style food with unique and creative flavor combinations! The…read moreatmosphere was super lively, and the server was very friendly (though a bit hard to hear/understand at times). The lighting creates a moody vibe, though it gets almost too dark to read the menu or see the food clearly. Still, a fun spot to visit with a group!

So happy brunch returned on Saturdays! We are regulars here - daily mimosa is always a pleasant…read moresurprise highlighting seasonal fruits. Walking in, you don't know what you will get, but rest assured, you will be more than happy with what comes to your table. Another staple (secret menu, thank us later) - egg mcduckinn but with their homemade biscuit. which is amazing on its own. The true highlight, if you're to get anything, either for brunch or dinner - are the duck "wings". Thank us later

Made a reservation the day before, along with an order of the whole rotisserie duck all via their…read morephone/AI system, went without a hitch! Plenty of street parking in the morning when we went for brunch at 1030am. There are inside and good size outdoor dining areas. The rotisserie duck was beautifully cooked and definitely the highlight of the meal even though the flavor was lacking. The other dishes (collard greens, sticky buns and Italian beef) were also about the same, they lacked the depth of flavor I was hoping for. The prices also felt a bit high for the overall experience. Service started off well but became noticeably slower midway through the meal. There was also no dessert menu that day, not sure if it's just that day or the norm for brunch. Overall, there were some good elements, but I expected more given the price point.

Since we were staying at the Royal Sonesta hotel, we decided to have brunch downstairs at Hoyt's…read moreinstead of going elsewhere. We got there around 8am on 06/18/26 and the place was kind of empty. We stood for awhile waiting to be seated. Finally a lady said she would take us to a table but that they were all dirty. We kind of looked at each other puzzled. She kept mentioning that they were dirty and weren't cleaned yet but seated us at a high top that hadn't been cleaned and tried to clean it herself. We wanted a window seat so we accepted it. It seemed fine after she cleaned it. It was just a strange way to bring us into the restaurant before the tables were cleaned. We could have stood by the door and waited some more. But the service and food were very good! Our server was Jose, who was excellent while checking on us several times to make sure everything was good. The vanilla latte that he recommended was delicious! I ordered the 3 Egg Ham 'n Cheese Omelet with mushrooms and my daughter had the Eggs Benedict. Both were cooked perfectly and seasoned correctly. Yummy! For dessert, we shared the delicious Cinnamon Roll Waffle, made perfectly, of course. We were surprised when we received our check, which was $92 for breakfast plus 20% tip. Anywhere else It would be around $65 but we were here on vacation. We were in Chicago for another 5 days but we did not come back here. There were many other breakfast places on the Riverfront that were equally good and much less expensive. My rating was 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

Conveniently located in the Royal Sonesta hotel, Hoyt's offers good food and even better drinks! We…read morestopped in here multiple times during our stay and requested Ruben every time! He is so lovely and makes the best cafe lattes!

YOOOO seriously one of the best burgers of my life! My brother recommended this spot and we came on…read morea Friday night. It was about a 30 minute wait, but it was so worth. The burgers are amazing - it has that beef tallow taste and adding the sunny side up egg was awesome. It's cooked perfectly to where the yolk is not dripping down my fingers, but just enough to where it trickles into the burger and adds another dimension of flavor. The interesting thing is that "single" patties are actually double, and "double" patties are actually triple. Not sure why they named it like that, but our server was good about making that known. Fries were solid but not as amazing as the burger. Wished they were a little thinner. Pretty small seating inside, only a couple booths, tables, and bar seating. They do have a fair sized patio for outdoor seating, so that helps with getting people in and out. Since the space is a bit compact, it can get a little noisy inside. We did paid street parking

We'd made a lunch reservation at Au Cheval in advance, which wasn't too hard for a Monday. The…read moreinterior was smaller than I'd expected but so classic and stylish. We were seated at a comfortable booth near the window. For drinks, I chose the Citrus Ritual mocktail, which I loved - so well-made and refreshing. I also got a Single Cheeseburger with the added egg and an order of French Fries to share with my coworker. I was a bit confused because it turns out a single cheeseburger at Au Cheval is actually a double because it comes with two beef patties. Personally, I would've just preferred one. Otherwise, it was a very nice burger, but I can't say it changed my brain chemistry. The French Fries were also tasty. Service was incredibly professional, attentive, and quick. Worth the visit!

The staff is super attentive. We go here every time we're in town. Food is great and I like the…read moredecor and dim lighting.

From the second we sat down at the bar we were greeted by Gustavo, who had such a great presence…read morebehind the bar. He was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and gave us fabulous recommendations. Jose made me my first spicy margarita and it was delicious, then for my second he added strawberry to it and it was just as good!! My mom was between two wines, and Gustavo recommended the Pinot Noir and she absolutely loved it!! We ordered the Brussel sprouts and burrata toast after Gustavo's description and it was everything we could have asked for and more!! For our first time in Chicago, we are so happy we stopped at the Gage and that we had such great service from Gustavo and Jose! They made the experience 10/10, as if the atmosphere, food and drinks weren't already a 10!! Next time I visit Chicago I will 1000% be stopping at the Gage to hopefully get a bar seat in Gustavo and Jose's section!!

I LOVED my meal here! Ēma (Ay-mah) brings some glamour and glitz to the Mediterranean dining scene,…read morewith an airy, elevated hotel-lobby feel that still doesn't demand a dress code. Dresscode: Smart Casual / Casual Noise Level: Medium (it gets buzzy after 5:30pm) Thursday night Happy Hour was lively, so it took about 10-15 minutes for someone to come around, but service was attentive once we got going. The food is where Ēma really shines. From the Happy Hour menu, the Charred Eggplant Hummus and Crispy Potatoes were generously portioned and great for sharing. On the main menu, the Indian-Mediterranean fusion Bhel Hummus was a party for my taste buds, while the Hot Honey Halloumi and Chicken Kefta rounded out the table nicely. The halloumi is more of a side than a main, but that sweet-and-salty hot honey combo was chef's kiss. For our finisher, the Chocolate Torte knocked us out. Decadent, delicious and chocolate with lots of depth. Overall, Ēma is an excellent spot to order a bunch of dishes for the table and get an elevated meal without feeling stuffy, and delicious without taking itself too seriously. DO's: - Make a reservation ahead, especially for happy hour 4-6pm - Treat apps like small plates, order 2-3 to sample - Entertain their wine list, they have a lot! - Bring vegetarians here, there are plenty of options DON'Ts: - Dismiss the desert menu. It's fantastic and shareable! - Forget to ask for extra pita with the hummus! - Miss out on the LettuceEats loyalty points (check-in with your server before paying your check)

Ema has a great atmosphere and a lot of really good bites. I have celiac disease and appreciated…read morethat most of the menu is gluten free (they have a dedicated GF fryer and knowledgeable staff). The lamb and beef kefta was tasty but very dry. The tune and watermelon salad and hummus were awesome. We were disappointed with the level of service. We were seated 30 minutes after our reservation time and waited even longer to be greeted by a waitress. Our wine took a while to come out and we had to request our check twice.

Since we were visiting Chicago to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday, I wanted to make sure that…read morethere was a wow factor wherever we went on her special day. In browsing through the pictures of Cindy's Rooftop, it looked like it hit that criteria spot-on. The pictures did not lie. When entering the restaurant, the views of Lake Michigan through floor to ceiling windows were amazing and it was nice to enjoy the bright natural light from the glass roof. Once seated, I told our server, Gerardo that it was her birthday and he immediately got her a glass of bubbly on him! He was positive and easy to talk to. This was quite the contrast with the service at Bar Mar for dinner the night before where the server made no attempt to make the night special. We ordered the Blueberry French Toast and the Chilaquiles. The french toast was superb, being thick, fluffy and sweet. The Chilaquiles were pretty average...what I'd expect at a cheap Mexican joint so at $25, it was quite pricey but I will say the over-medium eggs were cooked perfectly. Throughout brunch, Gerardo checked on us frequently and when I asked for the check, he came back with a dessert and a candle as a final gesture to making my girlfriend's day special. I am so glad we came here because it truly was an experience, thanks to the great service, beautiful rooftop, and good food.

Great view of the lake and the bean. We came here before sunset, but it's not a good exposure for…read moresunset. I think it might make more sense for brunch. We had chicken ceasar salad, arancini, oysters, espresso martini, whiskey sour, and white wine. All were delicious! The atmosphere is so cute! I loved the lighting. Doesn't make much sense to book a table for outside. A big portion of the balcony is for standing and sipping drinks by the view which is perfectly fine.