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Love it here, so glad I finally got to try it. Sat at the bar and enjoyed the Caesar salad and eggplant spread. The bread was amazing. Nice ambiance, warm and inviting space. Attentive service and knowledgeable staff. Great cocktails, wine, beer, and NA options offered. Lovely marg. Nice presentation of their dishes and proportions were even nicer. Everything that passed by smelled delish too. Can't wait to go back and try more.
I genuinely think Maxwell's Trading is officially my favorite restaurant in Chicago. I had been wanting to try this place out for the longest time and was so happy to come in on a Friday evening for a celebratory meal. We went with some of their classics, specifically the French Onion Dip, Japanese Sweet Potato, Flank Steak, and Butter Cake; we also got the Green Bean Salad. Genuinely, I loved every single thing that we ordered--every bite was amazing. I loved the pillowy softness of the bread for the dip, as well as the textures of the bruléed sweet potato. The flavors of each dish were so complex and cohesive. I truly have no thoughts on improvements. I wish I could eat all of these again! The environment was very intimate with dark lighting, which was perfect for a date night. The service was solid, but I think our waiter I was absolutely blown away by every single dish and truly want to come back to try everything else on their menu. Truly recommend this restaurant a billion times over.
Very creative menu and interesting choices Vegan options Excellent - knowledgeable, prompt service The homemade bread for the dip was really something special. I really love the fish that was served with a very light sauce the vegetarian meat and broccoli, tofu Dish appetizer. The small plate idea is really good And let you select many options and shared along the table The only thing that wasn't wild about was the short ribs because I found them to be fatty. Overall very happy with this meal and would definitely come. We sat outside and we're not bothered because there was no street traffic. It was also much quieter than Inside
I am still thinking about this dinner! My husband and I visited Maxwells Trading to celebrate his birthday. I loved that it was in an area with free street parking. The inside was much bigger than I expected with a large bar, open dining area, private dining space, and open kitchen. The aesthetic was rustic yet modern and bright. The menu is divided into categories and it is recommended to dine as shared plates. Our server Bri suggested, for a party of two, to order four dishes; one from each category. We ordered all at once and Bri timed our night perfectly for us. They started us off with complimentary bubbles to set the celebratory mood which was so kind. We later also ordered the Milk Punch and Sake Martini to enjoy. The Milk Punch tasted tart and fruity with a smoke finish. My Sake Martini was bright, refreshing, and easy to drink. For bites, we started with the Softshell Crab and French Onion Dip. The crab was easy to separate, the meat was flavorful and I loved the black pepper sauce paired with it. The French Onion Dip had a good portion of sauce to bread. The onion flavor was more subtle but everything tasted fresh. For mains, we shared the Japanese Sweet Potato and Soup Dumpling Tortellini. These were displayed as two of the chef's favorite dishes on socials. The Japanese Sweet Potato had a green curry sauce which had subtle heat as well as a brûlée top to add a sweet note. The Soup Dumpling Tortellini may have been my favorite dish. The pasta was fresh, filling was packed with flavor, and the broth was amazing. Highly recommend! Before dessert, we were given a liquor palette cleanser which had a black licorice taste. It was surprisingly good! We finished our night with the Basque Butter Cake. The cake paired with a corn sauce and blueberry compote. This seemed to be a popular dessert and it did not disappoint! Overall, we had the best night celebrating at Maxwells Trading. Bri did amazing with service, timing, and making recommendations. We left feeling full and celebrated which is all you can ask for!
My husband and I came for dinner on Saturday evening with a 7:15 reservation. Upon arrival, we were seated along the booth across from the bar and service was attentive throughout the evening. For dinner we ordered the Tomato & Peach Salad, Soup Dumpling Tortellini, Japanese Sweet Potato and Half Chicken. Our favorite dishes were the salad and the tortellini which were both very good. The restaurant itself was pretty loud. We were able to hear each other but with a larger group I imagine it may be more of a challenge, but still a nice spot for a date night.
Had a great dinner here last week after having it recommended by multiple co workers. I absolutely loved the fresh sweet corn pasta, it was my favorite dish of the night. My husband had the sweet potato in curry which was an interesting twist on a standard side dish. The chicken was so garlicky that it upset my stomach which is a me problem and not a them problem. I just didn't realize it would be so strong. Didn't really eat much of it for this reason, but took it home for later. Husband had the pork belly and lentils which he thought was ok but not amazing. Ended the meal with the butter cake that had apples and caramel on top. It was moist and delicious but tasted slightly like lemon to me, not in a bad way, I just couldn't place the taste exactly. All and all, a solid meal and we would certainly come back to try more.
4.5 Sometimes a place gets a lot of hype and you leave disappointed...this is not one of those times. Everything we had was good and I will be thinking about half of them until I can come back. Our favorites were the gnocco fritto, the eggplant, and the sweet potato. People forget how good vegetables are when they are treated with some love. The staff was friendly & attentive. The space was open & modern. Already planning return visit
Service was spectacular (until the end, when they were clearly DONE). We had a bit of a wait to be seated after our reservation time, but the hostess offered us a drink menu and suggested we get a drink from the bar, which made us not care so much about the fact that we weren't seated yet. Cocktails were creative & delicious. The food was very good. The French onion dip was amazing (if you like truffle oil, which I do!). The chicory caesar salad was good, nothing to rave about and a little over-dressed, but good. The sweet potato curry dish was super interesting (and tasty). The turbot was okay, but definitely could've used some salt. Another Yelper mentioned tiny portion sizes & leaving hungry, but that was not our experience at all. As recommended by the server, we shared one dish from each of the 4 menu courses. We couldn't finish everything and left quite full. This would've been 5 stars if not for the very end of the meal. I had just gotten my dessert cocktail (a toasted sesame espresso martini) when the restaurant went from dimly lit to full-on GTFO brightness. Chairs were being put up on tables, and it was very clear that they wanted us OUT. I work in a wine bar. I get it. At closing time, you're ready to go. But don't let people order more drinks if you're going to kick them out 10 minutes later. I feel like last call and get out of here time are way to close together here. I would not have ordered (and abandoned most of) that last drink if I had known they'd be kicking us out so soon.
Finally made it to Maxwells Trading and overall had an enjoyable meal. The menu has a lot of Asian-inspired influences, and while some dishes felt more successful than others, the kitchen clearly has a strong sense of balance, texture, and flavor composition. We started with the Prosciutto & Gnocco Fritto. The combination of the cheese and black currant-pepper jam worked beautifully together, and the fried dough was a pleasant surprise -- light, airy, and almost donut-like with a hint of sweetness. The French Onion Dip had great flavor, although the texture leaned a bit too mayo-like for my taste. That said, the grilled dipping bread was delicious and reminded me of Taiwanese scallion pancake in a good way. The Short Rib was good, though not necessarily the most memorable dish of the night. The kalbi-style flavor profile felt somewhat familiar (almost like an elevated Trader Joe's frozen kalbi), but the accompanying kohlrabi and Korean melon were unexpectedly refreshing and ended up being one of my favorite components on the plate. The standout for us was actually the Half Chicken a la Brasa. Crispy skin, juicy meat, and somehow all the different flavor influences -- ginger scallion, aji verde, yuca -- came together very well. The yuca itself was excellent. We happened to see the chef and had the privilege of chatting with him for a few minutes. He was incredibly warm and down to earth. When we mentioned how interesting the chicken dish was, he laughed and said it was basically "everything in the fridge," which somehow made us appreciate the dish even more. For dessert, we ordered the Satsuma Verrine and loved it. The meringue on top was the sweetest component, while the whipped cream stayed light and fresh. The bottom layers combined citrus jelly and maybe curd where you could actually taste the fruit itself. A very elegant and balanced ending to the meal. Debating between 4 and 5 stars. If 4.5 were an option that's what I would pick lol
I had a really nice dinner here. The vibe and service was totally great!! The food was really good, my only complaint was that the cheese dish came with a bowl of whipped cheese and honey and only two griddle cakes, and then they charge you for any additional bread. Kind of feels like they should give you enough bread to enjoy the full dish- especially at the price. Other than that everything was great.
Still an exceptional meal start to finish. The tables seem a bit closer and the two top round ones at the front don't have much room for plates, but we continue to love the food and sincere hospitality and service. Easy free street parking for now.
Honest-clean-tremendous. Super exciting menu.. my sister n i genuinely struggled w not ordering everything. We landed on the prosciutto & gnocco fritto, the Japanese eggplant, the soup dumpling tortellini, & the pork chop au poivre. Kinda hard to fuck up prosciutto w fried bread.. so good. Peppery fruity jam n funky cheese w it too. I would eat it as a snack daily if i could.. Japanese eggplant is a cold dish w again lots fresh & funky flavors. Nice portion & light contrasting textures. Soup dumpling tortellini another temperature shift.. really cozy brothy rich n porky bites. Another dish i would eat daily if possible.. Great service w sparkling wine really kept the night humming along. The pork chop au poivre was delightfully huge.. i loved how it was served & the pork was tender & fatty & juicy. Crazy. I'd have liked the au poivre to be a bit more peppery like I'm used to.. but it was still a very delicious sauce. Red bean brownie sundae was also really fun to eat. They brought out a candle for my sisters bday which was also very sweet. Such a special restaurant & perfect for celebrating!
OVERVIEW: My favorite meal we had this visit!!! Everything was full of flavor and well-executed. Service was seamless and the vibes were cozy modern farm-to-table. We ate family-style, as recommended, so we could try several things. Not a single dish disappointed. I would 100% visit again whenever I revisit Chicago! FOOD RATINGS: - Prosciutto & Gnocco Fritto (4/5): Incredible dish to start off with. Our server recommended it and she did not guide us wrong! The puffy fried bread with the creamy cheese, salty prosciutto, and sweet jam was a beautiful flavor bomb. - Scallion griddle bread (5/5): I could have eaten like 10 of these. Like a scallion pancake but thicker, fluffier, and so hot and buttery! - Japanese eggplant (3/5): Thought this would be more of a dip but it was just large chunks of eggplant. Still great flavor and would order again! - French onion dip (5/5): The best dip we tried. The truffle oil was a nice touch. I could have licked the bowl. - Clay pot mushroom rice (5/5): Generously portioned and sooo good with the crispy rice. I loved the yuzu kosho, house-made sriracha, and soy sauce on the side as toppings. If you love mushrooms you have to try this. - Leek stuffed pappardelle (5/5): I've never seen stuffed pappardelle before, but this was amazing! Definitely hand-crafted and such an amazing flavor combo. - Turbot fish (4/5): A lighter, more subtle entrée dish. Flaky and tender fish. - Apple cinnamon butter cake (4/5): So full but had to try it. Warm and cozy. read more
1 month ago
Maxwell trading was a food experience. I enjoyed the flavors and textures of the food along with ambiance. It was upscale and a great spot to check out. I was slightly disappointed with the balance of the meals though (more on this below). FOOD: we had the roasted chicken, broccoli "beef" (made with tofu skin), hummus, bread, martinis, brownie sundae, salad. Highlight was the chicken-- cooked perfectly and very good. While the bread was FABULOUS, the hummus was quite filled with oil which is not to my liking. The salad was filled with variety. The broccoli beef was overly sweet and the "beef" (which we were told was tofu) was just tofu skin and was not abundant, making this really not an entree style dish and would be better marketed as an appetizer. Other than the broccoli "beef" falling flat, the meal was enjoyable and I appreciated the intention that was clear in the menu. AMBIANCE: very upscale and nice, a great spot to check out as a nice night activity. SERVICE: attentive, professional read more
I'll start with the food which is that our starters came out fast very fast. The Suzuki tartare was fresh, and the tortellini dumplings were pretty good and an interesting concept. Both dishes were too salty though. The Japanese sweet potato was my favorite starter and the combination of the potato with the sauce was pretty creative. Since the starters came out so fast, we waited a long time for our main. The pork belly and prawn dish was disappointing. The pork belly had a very crusty exterior and the inside was kind of dry and overcooked. Normally pork belly is a very juicy and tender cut of meat when done properly but this tasted very far from what I was expecting. The prawns on top were bland and needed a lot of the lentil sauce to have enough flavor. The drinks were fine. The milk punch was good and the NA fruit drink was pretty sour. What really brought it down to a three star is when I asked a server where the bathroom was, she gave me a very curt reply that is down the hall and then proceeded to make a joke to her table that "it must have been an emergency." For an establishment at this price point, I found that pretty disappointing. I do want to shoutout that our server for the table was very nice and provided a good service. read more
Love it here, so glad I finally got to try it. Sat at the bar and enjoyed the Caesar salad and eggplant spread. The bread was amazing. Nice ambiance, warm and inviting space. Attentive service and knowledgeable staff. Great cocktails, wine, beer, and NA options offered. Lovely marg. Nice presentation of their dishes and proportions were even nicer. Everything that passed by smelled delish too. Can't wait to go back and try more. read more
I genuinely think Maxwell's Trading is officially my favorite restaurant in Chicago. I had been wanting to try this place out for the longest time and was so happy to come in on a Friday evening for a celebratory meal. We went with some of their classics, specifically the French Onion Dip, Japanese Sweet Potato, Flank Steak, and Butter Cake; we also got the Green Bean Salad. Genuinely, I loved every single thing that we ordered--every bite was amazing. I loved the pillowy softness of the bread for the dip, as well as the textures of the bruléed sweet potato. The flavors of each dish were so complex and cohesive. I truly have no thoughts on improvements. I wish I could eat all of these again! The environment was very intimate with dark lighting, which was perfect for a date night. The service was solid, but I think our waiter I was absolutely blown away by every single dish and truly want to come back to try everything else on their menu. Truly recommend this restaurant a billion times over. read more
Very creative menu and interesting choices Vegan options Excellent - knowledgeable, prompt service The homemade bread for the dip was really something special. I really love the fish that was served with a very light sauce the vegetarian meat and broccoli, tofu Dish appetizer. The small plate idea is really good And let you select many options and shared along the table The only thing that wasn't wild about was the short ribs because I found them to be fatty. Overall very happy with this meal and would definitely come. We sat outside and we're not bothered because there was no street traffic. It was also much quieter than Inside read more
3 months ago
I am still thinking about this dinner! My husband and I visited Maxwells Trading to celebrate his birthday. I loved that it was in an area with free street parking. The inside was much bigger than I expected with a large bar, open dining area, private dining space, and open kitchen. The aesthetic was rustic yet modern and bright. The menu is divided into categories and it is recommended to dine as shared plates. Our server Bri suggested, for a party of two, to order four dishes; one from each category. We ordered all at once and Bri timed our night perfectly for us. They started us off with complimentary bubbles to set the celebratory mood which was so kind. We later also ordered the Milk Punch and Sake Martini to enjoy. The Milk Punch tasted tart and fruity with a smoke finish. My Sake Martini was bright, refreshing, and easy to drink. For bites, we started with the Softshell Crab and French Onion Dip. The crab was easy to separate, the meat was flavorful and I loved the black pepper sauce paired with it. The French Onion Dip had a good portion of sauce to bread. The onion flavor was more subtle but everything tasted fresh. For mains, we shared the Japanese Sweet Potato and Soup Dumpling Tortellini. These were displayed as two of the chef's favorite dishes on socials. The Japanese Sweet Potato had a green curry sauce which had subtle heat as well as a brûlée top to add a sweet note. The Soup Dumpling Tortellini may have been my favorite dish. The pasta was fresh, filling was packed with flavor, and the broth was amazing. Highly recommend! Before dessert, we were given a liquor palette cleanser which had a black licorice taste. It was surprisingly good! We finished our night with the Basque Butter Cake. The cake paired with a corn sauce and blueberry compote. This seemed to be a popular dessert and it did not disappoint! Overall, we had the best night celebrating at Maxwells Trading. Bri did amazing with service, timing, and making recommendations. We left feeling full and celebrated which is all you can ask for! read more
My husband and I came for dinner on Saturday evening with a 7:15 reservation. Upon arrival, we were seated along the booth across from the bar and service was attentive throughout the evening. For dinner we ordered the Tomato & Peach Salad, Soup Dumpling Tortellini, Japanese Sweet Potato and Half Chicken. Our favorite dishes were the salad and the tortellini which were both very good. The restaurant itself was pretty loud. We were able to hear each other but with a larger group I imagine it may be more of a challenge, but still a nice spot for a date night. read more
Had a great dinner here last week after having it recommended by multiple co workers. I absolutely loved the fresh sweet corn pasta, it was my favorite dish of the night. My husband had the sweet potato in curry which was an interesting twist on a standard side dish. The chicken was so garlicky that it upset my stomach which is a me problem and not a them problem. I just didn't realize it would be so strong. Didn't really eat much of it for this reason, but took it home for later. Husband had the pork belly and lentils which he thought was ok but not amazing. Ended the meal with the butter cake that had apples and caramel on top. It was moist and delicious but tasted slightly like lemon to me, not in a bad way, I just couldn't place the taste exactly. All and all, a solid meal and we would certainly come back to try more. read more
4.5 Sometimes a place gets a lot of hype and you leave disappointed...this is not one of those times. Everything we had was good and I will be thinking about half of them until I can come back. Our favorites were the gnocco fritto, the eggplant, and the sweet potato. People forget how good vegetables are when they are treated with some love. The staff was friendly & attentive. The space was open & modern. Already planning return visit read more
Service was spectacular (until the end, when they were clearly DONE). We had a bit of a wait to be seated after our reservation time, but the hostess offered us a drink menu and suggested we get a drink from the bar, which made us not care so much about the fact that we weren't seated yet. Cocktails were creative & delicious. The food was very good. The French onion dip was amazing (if you like truffle oil, which I do!). The chicory caesar salad was good, nothing to rave about and a little over-dressed, but good. The sweet potato curry dish was super interesting (and tasty). The turbot was okay, but definitely could've used some salt. Another Yelper mentioned tiny portion sizes & leaving hungry, but that was not our experience at all. As recommended by the server, we shared one dish from each of the 4 menu courses. We couldn't finish everything and left quite full. This would've been 5 stars if not for the very end of the meal. I had just gotten my dessert cocktail (a toasted sesame espresso martini) when the restaurant went from dimly lit to full-on GTFO brightness. Chairs were being put up on tables, and it was very clear that they wanted us OUT. I work in a wine bar. I get it. At closing time, you're ready to go. But don't let people order more drinks if you're going to kick them out 10 minutes later. I feel like last call and get out of here time are way to close together here. I would not have ordered (and abandoned most of) that last drink if I had known they'd be kicking us out so soon. read more
5 days ago
Great food and great ambiance! Their cafe, Third Season, is also nice and a good spot to wfh. read more
Finally made it to Maxwells Trading and overall had an enjoyable meal. The menu has a lot of Asian-inspired influences, and while some dishes felt more successful than others, the kitchen clearly has a strong sense of balance, texture, and flavor composition. We started with the Prosciutto & Gnocco Fritto. The combination of the cheese and black currant-pepper jam worked beautifully together, and the fried dough was a pleasant surprise -- light, airy, and almost donut-like with a hint of sweetness. The French Onion Dip had great flavor, although the texture leaned a bit too mayo-like for my taste. That said, the grilled dipping bread was delicious and reminded me of Taiwanese scallion pancake in a good way. The Short Rib was good, though not necessarily the most memorable dish of the night. The kalbi-style flavor profile felt somewhat familiar (almost like an elevated Trader Joe's frozen kalbi), but the accompanying kohlrabi and Korean melon were unexpectedly refreshing and ended up being one of my favorite components on the plate. The standout for us was actually the Half Chicken a la Brasa. Crispy skin, juicy meat, and somehow all the different flavor influences -- ginger scallion, aji verde, yuca -- came together very well. The yuca itself was excellent. We happened to see the chef and had the privilege of chatting with him for a few minutes. He was incredibly warm and down to earth. When we mentioned how interesting the chicken dish was, he laughed and said it was basically "everything in the fridge," which somehow made us appreciate the dish even more. For dessert, we ordered the Satsuma Verrine and loved it. The meringue on top was the sweetest component, while the whipped cream stayed light and fresh. The bottom layers combined citrus jelly and maybe curd where you could actually taste the fruit itself. A very elegant and balanced ending to the meal. Debating between 4 and 5 stars. If 4.5 were an option that's what I would pick lol read more
I had a really nice dinner here. The vibe and service was totally great!! The food was really good, my only complaint was that the cheese dish came with a bowl of whipped cheese and honey and only two griddle cakes, and then they charge you for any additional bread. Kind of feels like they should give you enough bread to enjoy the full dish- especially at the price. Other than that everything was great. read more
Still an exceptional meal start to finish. The tables seem a bit closer and the two top round ones at the front don't have much room for plates, but we continue to love the food and sincere hospitality and service. Easy free street parking for now. read more
2 months ago
6 months ago
Honest-clean-tremendous. Super exciting menu.. my sister n i genuinely struggled w not ordering everything. We landed on the prosciutto & gnocco fritto, the Japanese eggplant, the soup dumpling tortellini, & the pork chop au poivre. Kinda hard to fuck up prosciutto w fried bread.. so good. Peppery fruity jam n funky cheese w it too. I would eat it as a snack daily if i could.. Japanese eggplant is a cold dish w again lots fresh & funky flavors. Nice portion & light contrasting textures. Soup dumpling tortellini another temperature shift.. really cozy brothy rich n porky bites. Another dish i would eat daily if possible.. Great service w sparkling wine really kept the night humming along. The pork chop au poivre was delightfully huge.. i loved how it was served & the pork was tender & fatty & juicy. Crazy. I'd have liked the au poivre to be a bit more peppery like I'm used to.. but it was still a very delicious sauce. Red bean brownie sundae was also really fun to eat. They brought out a candle for my sisters bday which was also very sweet. Such a special restaurant & perfect for celebrating! read more
Chicago restaurants really keep impressing me and this one is incredible. Opened by James Beard finalists Erling Wu-Bower and Chris Jung, the menu blends Asian influence with American flavors and you can taste that creativity in the dishes. The prosciutto & gnocco frito was so good!! Everything worked together so well, it felt like elevated charcuterie 9.5/10. The griddle bread with French onion dip was even better!! That truffle flavor in the dip was insane and the bread had the perfect texture 9.7/10. The tortellini soup dumplings were a little overhyped for me, 7/10. We got the bone-in strip medium and the texture was perfect. Loved the potato pavé that came with it, 7.5/10. The Basque butter cake was overhyped in my opinion and just tasted like a standard butter cake, and I'm not the biggest butter cake fan, 6/10. Cocktails were AMAZING. Sweet, strong, elevated, and reasonably priced 9.5/10. Service was perfect. Friendly but not overbearing. The vibe is dim and intimate, and even though the place filled up fast, it didn't feel too loud since the space is huge. We had window seats and it felt like the perfect date night or celebration spot. read more
We came in during Restaurant Week but didn't end up ordering the Restaurant Week menu. The space was cute and very busy! I'd heard so many great things about this place, and while I definitely thought it was good, it didn't totally live up to the hype for me. That said, I do think restaurant quality can dip a bit during Restaurant Week. We tried a lot of dishes since it's more of a share-plates style restaurant. My favorite dishes were the Suzuki Tartare, Ravioli Doppio, Pork Chop au Poivre, and the whipped ricotta. I'd happily order everything again, all the dishes were great, just nothing that felt truly over-the-top amazing. We also felt like the service was a bit cold; not rude, but not quite what you'd expect from a restaurant at this level read more
3 months ago
Maxwells Trading is one of my new favorites in the city! Every single dish was impeccable. The melding of flavors was unreal! Plus, the service was top notch. They were incredible with allergies. read more
What a fantastic meal!! It's a perfect place for anyone who is vegetarian. The whole space is huge! It still somehow has such a homey and cosy feel to it. Everyone that worked there was very nice and out waitress was helpful with suggestions. Beginnings: we got the silken tofu and chicory cesar. The silken tofu was interesting mix of flavors and very unique! The chicory cesar was a good hearty salad that felt so fresh. The prosciutto and gnocco fritto was our favorite! The gnocco fritto with the mix of caprino/prosciutto/black currant was so so good. Griddle Bread & Dunks: we got the whipped ricotta, japanese eggplant, and french onion dip. The french onion dip was my favorite! Such a good mix of flavors, esp if you love truffle. The whipped ricotta was light and airy. The japanese eggplant was a bit more "hearty" and the flavors were great. The bread that came with the dips was so good. Starch: the soup dumpling tortellini and ravioli doppio both were made very well and were both very good. Substance: we got the mapo cabbage, turbot, and pork katsu. The mapo wasn't too spicy but perfectly balanced! The turbot was my personal favorite - the cook on the fish was perfection and the butter sauce was amazing. The pork katsu was cooked perfectly with a nice crunchy outside and well cooked meat on the inside. I do wish there was more sauce for the katsu though. Dessert: Basque butter cake was our personal favorite! The red bean brownie was such a different take on the brownie and it was very good! We opted to get more of the whiskey forward cocktails and you cannot go wrong. The "after dinner drinks" included their take on espresso martini and it was definitely spirit forward but very good. I love that their menu features a lot of what they are able to grow on their roof garden! read more
2 months ago
Came to this place without any expectations, and was blown away. Probably one of the best meals I've had in the city, everything was amazing. The ambiance is beautiful, and the service is top tier. Will definitely be back! read more
25 days ago
1 year ago
Loved everything that we ate here! The ambience is nice too. It's on a quieter street and gives you a feeling like you're not in Chicago when you're inside. The service was great! Everything that we ate was flavorful. The French onion dip with griddled bread was the highlight of our meal. Will definitely go back and try more dishes. read more
My partner and I celebrated our anniversary here and we had a good time. We started with the Suzuki Tartare and I loved how citrusy this was. It reminds me Southeast Asian laab. We also did the Japanese Eggplant and had a side of Griddle Bread with it. The touch of the herbs added a bright flavor to the savory-ness of the eggplant and the griddle bread reminds me of a thick scallion pancake. The Soup Dumpling Tortellini is actually one of my favorites! It just worked so well. We tried the Mushroom Claypot which seemed like a popular item. It was pretty good and had great umami from the mushrooms, but this one didn't stand out to me as much! The Pork Katsu was cooked perfectly but I wish it was crispier. Nothing stood out on the dessert menu so we went elsewhere. I liked the ambiance of the restaurant and enjoyed how spacious it is so you aren't sitting so close to others. The modern rustic design is also very nice. There is plenty of free street parking available. Overall, it was definitely something new for us and we enjoyed it. I'd be open to possibly returning when the menu potentially updates to a new season! read more
We came here for a date night at the recommendation of a friend and so glad we did. The appetizers were really stellar -- French onion dip (unfortunately my husband couldn't have it bc was not gluten free) was mind blowing and Japanese eggplant was quite delicious as well. The main fish dish we got was just okay but everything else more than made up for it. I was pregnant so got a mocktail and my husband got a cocktail and we both enjoyed it. They were really accommodating to my husbands gluten allergy -- marked ip the menu with what was gluten free and what could be made gf with modifications. We sat outside but I went inside to go to the restroom and the vibes were HOPPIN. Would be nice to try inside next time. The bill was a little pricy but definitely aligned to the quality of the food and experience. read more
3 months ago
Food was extremely flavorful and intentional, drinks were well curated and service was impeccable! read more
2 months ago
Went here after hearing so many times how good the food was. The food was pretty good, but it certainly didn't crack my top 10 Chicago restaurants. The overall rating would probably be higher if it weren't for the service, which was honestly very disappointing. It took about 20 minutes for our server to come over after we were seated, and the rest of the experience didn't exactly improve from there. It also makes a lot more sense why they bake in an automatic gratuity (conveniently, it always seems to be the restaurants with the worst service that do this). We got the whipped ricotta and French onion dip, both of which were great and definitely required extra bread. Unless you enjoy drowning your bread in dip until you can no longer taste the bread itself, you're going to need more. The short ribs were good... until a fly decided to camp out on them and eventually die there, right in the middle of the restaurant. The corn pasta was good, very strong corn flavor and pretty much exactly what you'd expect when ordering corn pasta. The steak was also good, but definitely not one of the best steaks in the city. I did like the potatoes that came with it. The experience as a whole was pretty mediocre, and at this point I probably wouldn't go back simply because the service headache wasn't worth it. The crowd was also extremely hippie and just not really our scene, although that's obviously personal preference and not really a reflection of the restaurant itself. That said, I've heard consistently great things about this place from people whose restaurant recommendations I really trust, so I can only assume we caught them on a massive off night or maybe just a bad server. Although the table next to us also found something in their food, and the table on the other side was missing food because their ticket apparently got lost, so maybe it really was just an off night. Good food, but unfortunately the service and overall experience left a lot to be desired. read more
10 months ago
i love how unique the dishes are here. there aren't a ton of veggie options, but the ones they do have, they do so well. the french onion dip was my favorite thing!!! the bread they serve with this dip is insane (you will probably end up ordering more, it's that good). drinks looked so good too. the restaurant is beautiful and i love the open concept of the kitchen read more
Loved this place! My son took me here for dinner when I visited him and gf. Loved the interior design of the place. Now onto the food...the French onion dip was excellent with the hot bread (the Best!!!)...the chicory Caesar salad was great w/ fennel...Suzuki tartar was different from other tartar, great with peanuts...Soup dumplings tortellini with maitake mushrooms were good too. We shared the pork katsu and redfish. They're both delicious. The waitress was friendly and professional. She forgot one appetizer and we figured it might just took longer to prepare. She apologized, brought it to the table quickly, and took it off the bill; that was unexpected. I can see why this is one of my son's favorite restaurants! read more
2 months ago
1 year ago
I had heard of good things about this restaurant and my friend said she'd come with me again as they change their menu's for each season. I like that as it makes you want to come back. Our waiter was very welcoming as I told him it was my first time there and he explained everything to me. I also love how long the bar is and it's very spacious. Most times, the bar is crowded and people have to squeeze by each other, but there's plenty of space between seats. For starters, my friend and I ordered the prosciutto & Gnocco Fritto ($18) and the Japanese Eggplant ($17). These were great starters as you have some savory mixed with a sweet jam sauce and some vegetables to start. For the entrees, we ordered the Turbot ($49) and Black Sea Bass ($37). My friend had mentioned that Maxwell's is known for their fish so I decided let's order two fish dishes. They did not disappoint. I normally get nervous with fish entrees as it can be dry at times or not very flavorful, but they did a great job. I really enjoyed both dishes as they had different flavors and sauce. The only thing was we wished that we could have a side of rice to go with the extra sauce. Our waiter said we could order the clay pot mushroom rice but we didn't need another entree when we just wanted a small bowl of rice. For dessert, we ordered the basque butter cake which seemed very popular at other tables. The mix of the fruits with the pastry that had a crunch on the outside but soft inside was perfect. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal overall and I would highly recommend! read more
10 months ago
Very interesting and unique place. The cooking style is focused on meeting sweet and savory components to complement one another. I do love that they have climate controlled greenhouses on the rooftop growing their own produces. The service was knowledgeable and prompt, and the setting is dimly lit and open style. I had a great experience thank you! read more
1 year ago
Beautiful restaurant with amazing food and service! If you let them know you are vegetarian, they will bring out a separate menu for you. All the dishes were incredibly flavorful and unique. Some of my favorites were the French onion dip, whipped ricotta dip, cucumber tofu app, mushroom clay pot rice, and the pea ravioli. The griddle bread that comes with the dips is also delicious and served hot! The cocktails and desserts were also excellent! read more
4 months ago
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