We finally made it to Mandrake! It was our first time visiting since opening, and it was better than our expectation. The decor was modern yet appropriately fit to the name (you'd see roots decor on the ceiling). Our wait staff was friendly and helpful in explaining the summer menu. While the menu didn't indicate Gluten Free or Friendly, our wait staff explained the items that can be readily made Gluten Friendly. We opted for the following: - Strawberry Burrata (the crostini was on the side for me): creaminess of burrata, strawberry sauce, and freeze dried strawberry with a hint of red peppercorn were a delightful starter. It's almost a dessert! - Duck Breast (over a bed of crisped coconut rice): the duck breast was perfectly cooked - the meat was tender and the skin was crispy. - Rack of Lamb (served with tostones): I'm not usually a fan of lamb, but this was this lamb was prepared in a way that it was not gamy at all! The tostones and chimichurri sauce paired well with the lamb. - Seasonal sorbet (three flavors over crumbles of macadamia nuts and plantain chips): with flavors like prickly pear, mango, and guava, what's not to like? The sorbets were elevated with sauces on each flavor. We definitely will be back another time. Hopefully it would be on a sunny day so we can experience the outdoor seating area which also looks very inviting. read more

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I went to dinner at Mandrake with another couple on Saturday, November 2nd. We had dinner reservations for seven p.m. and arrived ten minutes early. When we arrived at the front desk, the hostess looked at us and walked away. A waiter walked over, took our name, and told us it would be a few minutes before we could be seated. Rater then stayed waiting, standing up in the lobby. We decided to sit outside in the patio area (even though it was cold and the outside heaters were not working.) After approximately fifteen minutes of waiting outside, we stood in the lobby. Forty-five minutes after we arrived, our table was finally ready. We were never offered water, much less a cocktail, to compensate for the 45-minute wait. Once seated, we waited fifteen minutes for our waiter to show up and order our drink. By then, I was ready to leave and go somewhere else, but our wives had talked us out of that idea. While the food we finally ordered was good, the wait and lack of communication between the staff and the customers was so lacking that I will never return. read more

3.5 rounded up to 4. 10/12/2024 I was excited to finally dine at Mandrake for my wedding anniversary dinner. I've passed by and saw the restaurant's progression with eager anticipation. The aesthetic looked beautiful, the seasonal menu seemed right up my alley, and I couldn't wait to try a new fine dining restaurant in Geneva. My husband made the RSVP & informed Mandrake about our anniversary. The indoor dining area is nicely decorated, but quite small. We were greeted and congratulated when we arrived, waited for bit for a table to open up, and we each ordered a Mandrake signature old fashioned while looking over the fall menu. Our drinks were waiting at our tiny table. There must have been a slight mix up with who our waiter would be because the hostess, Josh, and another waitress asked if we were helped within about 15 minutes of us sitting down. We eventually placed our order with Josh K. The Old Fashioneds ($17) we're ok. I love Old Fashioneds. They're one of my favorite cocktails. So I might be nit-picking here, but I noticed they used lemon peel instead of orange peel. That would've been fine if that's what was described on the menu, but alas, the menu stated orange zest. I'm not too picky about the ice in my cocktails, but did notice that the cube was not uniform in size and not clear at all. We ordered the Oysters in the half shell ($27). I liked the oysters and the accompaniments, but was surprised that they weren't already detached. The Seared sea scallops (28) were the best part of the whole dinner. The scallops were cooked well, the spiced carrot puree was delicious, and the hazelnut dukkah added a nice touch. We each ordered Frost bitten to the core ($17). This fall drink was delicious, light, and well-balanced. Highly recommended if you like apple cider. Our half order of the Garam masala lamb rack ($35) was also cooked nicely. It wasn't gamey at all. The grilled muscat grape relish was a bit bland and didn't really add much to the dish. The coffee rubbed hangar steak ($35) was good overall. I enjoyed the pistachio salsa verde, but the dish wasn't uniform to be considered give dining. Done parts of the sweet potato pavé we're good, but other parts were very dry (I think depending on whether fattier or drier parts of the steak were on top). For dessert, we shared a Hazelnut yum yum ($17). It had all of my favorite dessert flavors so it had to be fantastic, right? It was good but there wasn't enough uniform crunch. There were only 3 candied hazelnuts. I think they should have crushed and spread them over the entire dessert. Overall, Mandrake was good. If you're already in Geneva and want to try something new ..it's worth giving it a try. However, there are plenty of other places that do drinks and food better...without calling themselves fine dining. read more

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Mandrake is a `city experience` without going to the city. When we saw Mandrake on Instagram we decided to go there without hesitation. We made a reservation for Sunday evening but the place was not that busy as I would imagine on Friday and Saturday dinners. We were welcomed, our coats taken and we were seated right away. Restaurant decorations are awesome with branches and mirrors on the ceiling. Our server Austin explained to dishes to us and we got a bottle of white wine for starters. The selection is very pleasing and prices affordable , I was happy they got an awesome wine from Portugal. The plate positions are meant to be shared so we chose five and one dessert: Chili Roasted Broccoli--for me usually broccolis are boring but this one was very delicious with a nice kick of chili and pine nuts dukkah. Butternut Squash Arancini--we both agreed it was one of the best Arancini we have eaten. Ideal crispiness, well seasoned, served with lemon aioli was a perfect set. Cornmeal dusted Skat Wing--that is a perfect fish for me and I was pleased to have a Skate Wing which is a superb tasting fish but not very popular, served with mushrooms and pickled cippolini was a perfect pairing for the wine! Grilled Baby Octopus--very refreshing, light, ideal to finish the course. Chia Panna Cota--an Italian stable and chia version, very warming yet subtle, ideal for the winter dessert. We were told that Mandrake will be changing menu as the seasons come which is also a great information and understanding of farm to table concept. The dinner was great, service was great, atmosphere was great, we will definitely visit again!! read more

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We met our friends for dinner last night at Mandrake. My friend wanted to try this restaurant that's been opened less than a year. The menu is eclectic and pretty limited. There are 12 shareables, 3 cheese boards, 1 charcuterie, an oyster or caviar service and 3 desserts. That's it. When I first looked at the menu, I thought surely there had to be more - just a dozen shareables? No entrées? No specials? Most everything we ate was very good and flavorful. Just a couple misses. We had sweet Sam as our server. She was engaging and friendly. We never had to ask for our wine or water to be refilled. We started out with cocktails. Old fashioneds for the guys and a martini and a mezcal cocktail for the girls. Their cocktails are very good. We shared everything we ordered because that's the concept. The presentation of the dishes was nicely done. First we had the charcuterie and the Spanish cheese boards served together on a wood board. It was good but not worth $48 for the 3 cheeses and 3 meats. It also could use more slices of baguette with four people sharing. Then we had three sharables - the grilled octopus. the seared scallops and the rack of lamb. The octopus was by far my favorite, generous in size and seared to perfection. I had asked if we could have the lamb more on the rare side, and Sam said it was always cooked medium rare, but when it came out, only three of the pieces were cooked to a slight medium rare, the others were not. It was disappointing. This dish also was not worth $68. We ended our meal with two desserts - the tropical eclair and the rum baba. The eclair was amazing. I'd skip the rum baba, though, it was just okay. I would have loved to cappuccino with dessert, but they only had French pressed coffee. Overall, it was nice to try a restaurant that I hadn't been to before and we did enjoy most of the food, but for me, this is a one and done restaurant. Although the food was delicious like I said, I really didn't care for the format of the menu. I would recommend giving this restaurant a try knowing that everything is shareable and there's not a large selection on the menu. You may like it! read more

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Beautiful presentation on all of the dishes! Enjoyed the charcuterie, French cheese, tempura blossoms and oysters. The scallops smelled very fishy so pretty sure they shouldn't have been served and the duck was dry. When our wine was brought to the table the glasses were covered in dust. While service was kind and attentive, attention to detail doesn't extend past food presentation. For the price of an experience at Mandrake I expected more overall. I wouldn't return on my next trip to Geneva with so many other places to try but I also wouldn't deter anyone from trying them out. read more

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Wow. This place is off the hook. On par with top notch prix fixe city/Michelin rated restaurants at a very reasonable price for unique and cohesive small plates. And it's not prix fixe so you can order a la carte instead. Ambiance is modern smoking room meets midsummer nights dream vibes. Everything from service to drinks to food is top tier. Waitstaff know the menu top to bottom. Helpful and timely. Beetroot and carrot arancini were standouts for me. Incredible attention to detail and blending of flavors including a savory ice cream in an 'appetizer' dish. Scallops were interesting and a unique presentation with a potato structure. read more

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We just had a delicious meal last night. While they were a bit slow because of staff shortage the pace of the meal was just fine with us to allow us to enjoy their beautiful space. The shareable plates were all delightful. From the sublime whipped feta to the awesome scallops everything is attractively presented and delectable. I think they've made their menu and wine choices slightly more accessible to a variety of palates. I hope Mandrake continues to cement their presence in Geneva for a long time. read more

Brought my boss here and it was fine but I think the restaurant was trying to be like the places downtown when I wish they incorporated more Geneva charm. The food was overall good and bigger portions than I expected but I think the service and the spacing between dishes could have been different. I wish more food came out at once and the tables are bigger. I think it's a good date spot but not awesome for business meals read more

My husband & I had a fabulous time at Mandrake! It was a Christmas gift night out for us & we went into it not sure what to expect. The very pleasant host offered to take our jackets when we walked in & we were seated promptly. Our server was lovely; very attentive and explained how things would work very thoroughly, including the cadence of meals & how things would come out + any recommendations as we needed them. For 2 people, the chef recommends 6-8 small plates including the dessert plate & a cheese board (if you elect to have one; we did not). We loved each plate we chose - the scallops and the salmon were head & shoulders our two favorites, though we really enjoyed everything that came to the table. HIGHLY recommend the boca negra for dessert - might be one of my top 5 favorites. I had 2 cocktails and my husband had 2 beers - the cocktails are innovative combinations of flavors (the 2 I had were Choosing Violence and Sweet, Sweet Revenge - fun names!) & the beers are not typical brewery selections of the area, but my husband approved of his choices - an ipa & a Czech lager). They have a sommelier on site for pairings if that's your preference as well. The vibe of the place is excellent - a bit moody but in a good way! Lots of plush fabrics and fun decor (like driftwood branches on the walls and ceiling). Definitely go into the meal expecting it to be an experience and to spend ~90+ minutes there. It was not a rushed meal by any stretch which was honestly really nice. The menu changes with the season so we're looking forward to seeing what the spring menu holds! read more

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Zero stars. Have had reservations for two weeks they were verified electronically yesterday. Get here and the place is closed. Even got a notification that my reservations still set for six. 30 minutes ago. This is horrible. read more

Absolutely stunning meal. We enjoyed a cheese board, beautiful scallops on polenta cakes, duck breast with a cherry jerk sauce I will be thinking about forever, and a tropical eclair that was delicate and so, so good. The ambiance in Mandrake is chic, earthy, and so aesthetic. A wonderful experience. read more

Mandrake - Duck breast over crispy coconut rice with a cherry jerk sauce. 10/10 - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

I'll start at the conclusion...fabulous experience, wanna return! Wife's bday dinner, had business in the Fox River hood and found this spot in charming Geneva. Ambience a little pubby, live singer/guitarist playing a shade loud but got used to it pretty quickly...that is really the only little complaint I have about a great evening. Started with dynamite cocktails, then on to 4 small plates, what they do here...almost got five, glad we didn't, ample eats for 2. A burrata with some glazed figs and a line of toasty hazelnuts to roll the cheese in; yummy...pumpkin gnocchi; rich and satisfying...grilled octopus w/green olives in the mix...and duck breast with a lovely sauce and a hash of root veg. Every dish done beautifully and full of flavor. A tart tatin for 2 (bday comped!) and lil individual french presses for coffee. Service right on the mark. Recommend! read more

The newly opened Mandrake food does not disappoint. It's a great way to create your own tasting menu. Although the seating inside was nice, it'll be really nice to eat on the patio on warmer days. read more

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Fantastic meal and great service. Aliar took great care of us. She's a fantastic server and we will be coming back and asking to sit with her! We definitely recommend the scallops and the lamp lolliops but everything we ordered was fantastic! read more

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We dined at Mandrake and had the most wonderful experience. The cocktails were eclectic and perfectly executed with amazing flavors. My husband had the old fashioned and I have the hibiscus gin cocktail. For dinner we started with the butternut squash arrancini which was perfectly crispy on the outside and oh so decadent on the inside. Next we had the scallops with polenta cake. The scallops were honestly the best I've ever had! Perfectly cooked and full of flavor. We moved to the duck breast which was perfectly crispy on the outside. Duck breast that is cooked correctly is so hard to find and it was such a joy to have. We finished with the Waygu steak with Gorgonzola and chimichurri. The steak was cooked to PERFECTION and the char on the outside was so great. It came with house made chips. We ended the night with the homemade chocolate cake. Decadent and full of flavor. We truly enjoyed our dining experience. Not only was the food excellent but our service was exceptional. read more

Minus three stars for the manager Carlo. The main patio server who stepped in and the hostess who did a great job on her very first day (a Saturday night no less) were awesome and both deserve better places to work or at least a manager who has their backs. If I could give those two employees five stars I would, but Carlo made that impossible. Clearly the restaurant is short staffed and when that's the case the manager either needs to stop seating people or roll up his sleeves and help. Carlo did neither. He abandoned his team and even made things worse for them. They, and the customers, deserved better. Arrived at 6:55 for a 7pm reservation; the hostess was welcoming and seated us quickly. It went downhill from there. Two people walked in shortly after us and said they were early for their 7:30 reservation but got served water and cocktails before us. We waited.... and waited... and waited. We noticed another table suffered the same fate so it was more than just a one-time miss. Apparently Carlo was supposed to serve us but he was MIA. We waited half an hour with no water, no drinks, and no acknowledgment until another server got us water and a wine list after he recognized Carlo had completely ignored our presence. Carlo finally came out and we ordered a bottle of wine from the list. After another long wait he returned with wine in a chiller, poured it without checking to make sure it was okay and walked off without a word. It turned out to be the cheap house wine, not the $85 bottle we ordered. Once again the other very gracious server helped us and in the meantime both our food orders came out and we still only had water. After yet another wait we got the correct wine from the other server, even though we repeatedly tried in vain to get Carlos' attention when he was at the next table. I finally asked the other waiter if I could speak to the manager and that's when I learned our assigned waiter was the manager Carlo. The server who kept coming over to help us was taking care of at least 8 other tables on the patio, and there was nobody assigned to bus the tables. The hostess who was on her first day did that, and she managed it all admirably. Those two people had to do everything while their manager was off doing who knows what. In short, the food was very good (except for one bad scallop). Carlo at least had the good sense to comp the wine and we appreciated that. But I'd rather he be there for his waitstaff and hostess. They never bad mouthed him but are saints for putting up with his lack of support. He's lucky they're still there and I can see why they are short staffed. read more

Excellent food and ambiance, we had squash blossoms and octopus, as well as the whipped feta which was amazing. Great service and will definitely come back. read more

Surprised this place isn't more popular! Quick and friendly service on a lovely patio. Drinks were good and I liked the menu (I am strongly pro appetizers and a pescatarian so I can be picky) although it was smaller than I expected. We liked the two starters we had, nothing particularly memorable. It looks like it would be way overpriced but it's pretty much in line with the other higher end places on 3rd street. I'd definitely try it again. read more

Our first time to Mandrake and we loved the ambience! Such a great experience! From the food to the service, we were very happy with everything! read more

Mandrake - Baby Octupus was so good! - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

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My first time at Mandrake, wasn't sure what to expect. After sitting down my friend and I were greeted and given water right away. We noticed how the other people were complaining about service speed. In my opinion you don't come to a fancy restaurant in hopes to be in and out. We enjoyed our lunch and had a beautiful board and delicious crab cakes while listening to a guitarist. We will be back to have a cocktail or two because those looked equally as awesome as we saw servers bringing them out for other tables. People need to remember to stop to smell the roses, Mandrake is a beautiful addition to downtown Geneva. read more

This place deserves a Michelin star! From the ambiance to the food and the service, Mandrake takes a spot in my top 5 favorite restaurants I've ever been to. Highly recommend the crab cakes and tuna tartare + the tropical eclair for dessert! Cocktails are nothing short of amazing too - would recommend the spiteful orchard! Super excited to return when their menu changes for the fall! read more

Mandrake - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Geneva, Illinois

Food was excellent, drinks were spot on then add nice service. That is all you need for a great meal and evening

Everything here is incredible. I have been three times so far and have enjoyed every dish and drink I've tried. My favorite was the pomegranate chocolate dessert from the winter menu. The vibe is cool and unique and the service is truly top notch. The burbs needed this bad. I can't wait to try their new outdoor seating area. read more

Loved the outdoor patio... the carrot risotto balls stuffed with rabbit were out of this world delicious! I wish I could buy a tub of that blackberry gastrique to put on everything I eat! read more

Look no further for wonderful food experience This restaurant is nothing like Geneva has had recently. It is by far one of the best restaurants in the area. There is no need to travel to New York City or Chicago for a food experience when all you need to do is come on down to this local restaurant. the servings are good. Food is innovative. Ambiance is cozy. Great place for date night. Mixed drinks are excellent. The staff are wonderful and attentive. Looking forward to the experience in the summer when they open outside seating. read more

Terrible in so many ways! First of all the waitress wouldn't let us order appetizers and think about food dishes. You had one chance to order the entire meal! It was way too much food! The food was meh and slow! The wine by the glass @ $13 a glass is an embarrassment, it's such a small pour. The best part was after they took their sweet time with food delivery. Told us we needed to make a decision on dessert because "the chef wanted to go home!" Check the bill, they added gratuities to the bill and didn't tell us! The only good thing to say is the decor is beautiful! It's not worth the money or time! read more

But how can we use our gift card? We need a refund. Nobody response to our phone calls.

Food, service, ambiance....its all great. Perfect for a nice date out, either weekday or weekend it is always a great time.

Walked in at 7:15 pm. No one at host station. Stood there a few minutes. 2 servers were looking. Did not say a word or inquire if they could help or seat us. Stood a total of 5+ minutes and finally walked out. WOW. Was really looking forward to another place to support as we go out 4-6 times a week. Disappointed to say the least. Left review on their private site. No acknowledgement. Will never make it in Geneva. We are a locals community whom patronize and support our business well, whom support and serve us well. To new for this type service and first impression. Probably won't be back. read more

Hands down, some of the finest quality cuisine we've had in a long time. Small plates, prepared with skill and love, great choices across the board. We started with craft cocktails and the butternut squash arancini. The panko breadcrumb crust was light and perfectly cooked. Next came the Cuttlefish Ink Risotto. Three tasty shrimps perched on top a black bed of risotto with the Cuttlefish mixed in. Buttery amazing and the shrimp had a subtle spice that went perfectly with the risotto. Next came Porcini dusted sea scallops, each sitting on top a baby polenta cake surrounded by arugula and cheese. Fantasy on a plate. Finished off the night with Boca Negra. If you like rich chocolate, roasted pistachios, pomegranate sorbet, and dollops of whipped cream, you've come to the right dessert table. Beyond the food, the service was thoughtful and well executed. The atmosphere is quiet, small and charming. Get your reservations now and prepared to be pleasantly surprised. Mandrake is yet another jewel in the Geneva restaurant scene. read more

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Five hundred dollars for four people. Yikes. Cheese board offered three small chunks of cheese, some nuts, several small toasted pieces of bread, and two mounds of preserves. Small plates at big prices. We won't be back. read more

A very chic aesthetic with chic food to match. Cocktails were delicious and had wonderful presentation. A little on the pricey side but the food was delicious and worth the splurge! read more

Geneva, Illinois has no shortage of excellent restaurants but Mandrake is among the very best. In Geneva's historic downtown, it offers a very creative, seasonally-rotated menu, an elegant and comfortably quiet space with a top notch wine list. The patio is one of the very best outdoor spaces in the City and has a newly broadened outdoor menu. Service and staff are friendly. read more

Another great experience at this wonderful restaurant! The drive from the city was well worth it! I was there over the summer and I absolutely loved the food and the ambiance in the adorable patio. So this past Saturday, I gathered a few friends, to introduce them to this "city vibe in suburbia" we tried pretty much everything on the menu as everything sounded delicious, and it did not disappoint. It was a super busy Saturday and they were possibly a bit short-staffed, but it didn't take away from our lovely experience, EVERYONE was extremely nice and accommodating, from the busboys to the manager who couldn't be more gracious. Over all I highly recommend this great gem in Geneva, I'm hoping they open one in the city :) read more

The food was horrible. We ordered lamb lollipops that had less than one bite of meat on each of the 4 bones on the plate. The grilled octopus was burnt on the ends of each piece and it had a horrible smoke flavor. I highly advise not to go to this restaurant. read more

Elevated small plates. We had the whipped feta, tuna tartare, crab cake and scallops...all AMAZING! Great live music the Friday night we were here. Terrific hang out -highly recommended! read more

This was my first visit to Mandrake. Tried the mussels and Flatbread. Food and service were great. Beautiful art deco decor. Love this place. read more

Not worth the money. Way too much vermouth in the martini to start. We ask the waitress how many plates for two people and she said 5-6 . Way too much food. Broccoli was tough, scallops were undercooked and the duck was not crispy. Much better options in Geneva. read more

Food was very good, but overpriced. Sarah was great but overall service was poor. Two and one half hours for five plates. Had to repeatedly ask for water. No toilet paper in the women's restroom!! Server Wellness charge of 20% was added without notification. My bad for not noticing and left another gratuity!! Sent email about these things and no response. Definitely not going back. read more