Absolutely wonderful experience! Daisies has a cute interior that is warm and intimate, and their…read morestaff follows suit. Our server helped with some suggestions and questions and was incredibly kind in her help. Everything is a based on a farm to table concept, which is apparent in the taste of the food. To start, our party got the potted carrots and THE overpriced tomato. Nice appetizer portion for a party of 4. For our mains, I opted to get the stracci and my partner the cavatelli. I was incredibly satisfied by both plates. Both were fresh and delicious. The restaurant does get busy and fill quickly. While waiting for our party for our reservation, we saw multiple people unable to dine due to the popularity of the restaurant. Highly recommend booking in advance!

I'm not sure what the hype is about. The appetizer we ordered was the onion toast. It looked burnt,…read moreand unfortunately, it tasted burnt too. It had very little flavor. The rigatoni was just okay and honestly very average. The pierogi was good, but nothing great. For dessert, we ordered the croissant, which wasn't sweet and didn't have much flavor either. We were pretty disappointed with the meal overall. Our server was extremely casual, and whenever we asked him questions, he was very nonchalant and didn't really offer any helpful feedback or recommendations. Overall, it was a pretty underwhelming experience. Worst of all, they charge a 25% gratuity on every check, which I found kind of ridiculous. Definitely not going back.

Came for late night drinks and dessert and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We indulged in some…read moremartinis (one a vesper and one a espresso) and both the Ginger sundae and the honey sesame dessert (milk ice cream encased within a meringue shell with sesame powder dusted on top). Everything was just what we needed after an exceptionally busy work week. Excellent service as well! I loved the decor, it was almost like stepping into a personal library/art collection of a noble family

Went there for dinner. We tasted the crab handroll, the endive salad (which was excellent) some…read morepastas and some mains. Food was mostly delicious, though the lobster was not good. The service felt pushy, which I didn't like. I also did not appreciate basing the tip amount on post surcharge bill. I find that abusive. Oh and also it is really overpriced for the portions they serve. Not sure if I'll be back.

Came here for a girlfriends birthday, and we had a great time!…read more We loved Etta which occupied this location for quite some time, so we were excited to see something new come in! To start, we ordered a bunch of food to share including the Pan Brioche, Wagyu Tartare, Chilled Oysters, Truffle Cacio e Pepe, Tagliardi Bolognese, Buffalo Gnocchi, Steak Frites, Chicken Parmesan, and whipped potatoes. Everything was phenomenal! We also got bottles of wine, cocktails and martinis. The chicken parm was great, it is written that it's for 'two' but we easily shared it between 8 girls with everything else, and it was plenty! The Tagliardi Bolognese was hands down my favorite dish, cooked to perfection. The whipped potatoes were also phenomenal! Love what they did to the second floor patio/balcony, it was enclosed and decorated really beautifully. Overall, would love to come back for brunch to try some more dishes :)

Ambiance - upscale, casual for brunch, love that they offer indoor and outdoor space…read more Service - our server was super nice & food came out at a good pace Food - crab Benedict was excellent paired with crispy potatoes, love that we got to make our own bagels with the smoked salmon platters

It was great, the zucchini fritters we're amazing. I also really enjoyed the Mafaldine, and the…read moreservice was great throughout!

We have been fans of Rose Mary since the beginning, thoroughly enjoying it as an alternative to a…read moreMonteverde when you want something more elevated and unique. After three or four stellar visits, we had a fairly rocky fifth that kept us away for the better part of two years. I'm glad to say that appears to have been just a brief bump in the road, and that Rose Mary remains an excellent spot for Italian/Croatian fusion. Everything is fresh and many dishes are seasonal, like the wonderful eggplant fritters with pesto dipping sauce. The batter on the eggplant wasn't too thick, nor was the fry too oily. Similarly excellent was the peach stracciatella, a combo I've never had before but will now crave, the brightness really shining through. But, the true star of the show was another seasonal dish, the chitarra with crab, corn, and truffle. This was a perfect dish, with every ingredient balancing each other out wonderfully. Just when the crab and sauce might be getting too much, you're hit with a pop of fresh corn. When you want a little different flavor, the umami of the truffle kind of steps in from the background. Really, really good. A very nice wine list, attentive service, lovely patio, and fair prices round out an excellent experience.

There are dinners and then there are experiences. Oriole was definitely an experience…read more It starts before you even walk through the door. The entrance is unmarked and honestly, if it wasn't for the confirmation phone call explaining where we needed to go, I'm not sure I would have picked the right door. Once inside we were greeted and brought into an old freight elevator where we sat and were served tea. After the tea, the big elevator doors open horizontally and you're escorted to the bar. Pretty cool way to start the night and right away you know this isn't going to be a normal dinner. At the bar we were served bunches of fresh greens with different sauces for dipping, along with a perfectly paired drink. Sounds pretty simple. Greens and dips. But it was refreshing, flavorful and just worked as a way to start the meal. From there we were escorted right into the kitchen for our next course. We had reserved the Kitchen Table, so instead of being seated in the main dining room, we were right there in the kitchen watching everything happen just a few feet away. For a food lover like me, this was probably the best seat in the house. I probably spent way too much time watching the kitchen. The organization, timing and how everyone moved around each other was pretty amazing. There is a lot going on, but it never felt chaotic. Everyone knew what they were doing and where they needed to be. The tasting menu was around 14 courses and I'm not going to try and describe every one. The menu changes anyway, and honestly I don't think listing 14 dishes really tells you what Oriole is about. For me it was the whole experience. Moving through the different spaces, the pacing of the meal, watching the kitchen, talking with the staff and of course the food. The presentation was incredible. Some courses were delicate, others playful and some you just looked at for a minute before eating. Food served over ice, beautiful little bites, different plates and vessels. You really didn't know what was coming next. But as beautiful as everything looked, it still came down to flavor. And the food delivered. Service was excellent. Very knowledgeable and polished without being stuffy. That's important to me. I want to enjoy a meal like this, ask questions, talk about the food and not feel like I'm sitting in a museum afraid to touch anything. Is Oriole expensive? Yep. No getting around that. But you're also not going there just because you're hungry. You're going for the food, service, presentation and the whole experience. Having the Kitchen Table made it even better. Sitting there eating this level of food while watching the people making it right in front of us was pretty damn cool. One of the highlights of our Chicago trip and a night I won't forget.

We began with tea by the elevator, moved into the cocktail lounge for cold bites and drinks, then…read moreinto the kitchen before finally being seated in the dining room. It felt like you were being welcomed into the chef's home. The ambiance was incredible. Modern black-and-white interiors, exposed brick, candles everywhere, and quiet, intimate atmosphere made it one of my favorite fine dining spaces. 9.8/10. Service was fantastic. 9.7/10. Water was constantly refilled, cocktails were offered as soon as we finished our drinks, silverware and plates were replaced immediately after every course, and the staff even walked us to the restroom. The lounge bites were all solid. The Uni was the best I've had, sweet with an amazing crunchy base. 7.5/10. The Bluefin Tuna was my favorite thanks to the crunch of the fresh nori. 8/10. The Dungeness Crab was good but didn't stand out as much. 7.5/10. The paired cocktail was bright, refreshing, and beautifully foamy. 8.7/10. The Foie Gras Toast was another great course. The buttery brioche paired perfectly with the sweet foie gras cream. It wasn't revolutionary, but it was executed really well. 8.7/10. The champagne pairing was one of my favorites, especially with the giant popping boba-like sphere at the end. 9.5/10. Once we moved into the dining room, the seafood courses were refreshing but didn't wow me. 7/10. The Carabineros Prawn served over steamed egg had an interesting flavor combination that didn't completely land for me. 6.5/10. The main courses were where Oriole really shined. The Turbot was phenomenal with perfectly cooked fish and an amazing crunch from the toasted genmai. 9.7/10. The tiny milk bread was adorable and paired well with the creamy koji butter, although the bread itself was pretty standard. 6/10. The Squab was incredible. It reminded me of a really flavorful sausage, and the rye & black cardamom canelé was one of the best I've ever had with its crispy shell and chewy, rice cake-like center. 9.7/10 and 9.6/10. The A5 Miyazaki Wagyu was the best steak I've ever had. The inside practically melted in my mouth while the outside had the perfect sear. Combined with the rich sauce, every bite was delicious. 9.9/10. The Habanera palate cleanser was refreshing but the flavor didn't work well for me. 4/10. The Fennel Pollen Pavlova was well crafted, especially considering how tiny it was, but I wasn't a huge fan of the herbal notes in the dessert. The caramel sauce definitely brought everything together. 6.5/10. The final Cacao course had my favorite presentation. The pâte de fruit gummy was fun. 7/10. The candied cacao nib custard had an incredible mousse-like texture with a delicate shell and was one of the best chocolate desserts I've ever had. 9.8/10. The bonbon was delicious, but more of a classic chocolate bonbon. 8/10. Cocktails were excellent. Love Me Or Leave Me was fruity, smooth, and easy to drink without much alcohol burn. 9/10. Love Potion No. 9 had a little more alcohol flavor but was still fruity and refreshing. 8.5/10. Overall, Oriole delivered an incredible experience with some of the best service and ambiance I've experienced in Chicago. The cocktails were fantastic and the main courses were outstanding. I was just expecting a little more from a restaurant that's often considered the best in the city, but it's still my no. 2 in the city right now!

Excellent experience from the minute we stepped foot inside the restaurant…read more The food was great with multiple standout courses. The salmon was phenomenal. As was the scallop course. The service was absolutely impeccable. Exceptional attention to detail. The space is boldly minimalistic and I loved it. The only thing I didn't love was the wine pairing. But that is on me bc I am hard to please with white wine (I hate it on average). 10/10 would recommend.

Ate here for my 40th birthday last Friday. Things were fine up until I ran to the bathroom after…read morethe lamb course for what was to be the first of many that night. I contracted violent food poisoning and spent the entire night vomiting at home 20+ times. I never did get to finish my meal (beef, multiple desserts) as the staff wouldn't let us take them home. Left full wine glasses on the table, too. We hope you enjoyed tossing hundreds of dollars of food away. We emailed the restaurant the next day and never heard back. Absolutely appalling reaction from Ever and not a Michelin starred experience from the staff at all. Hope you don't kill anyone with your food, if you even care. For me, never Ever again.

So as a first-timer, I was absolutely delighted that Raphael, the maître d' (well that's a bit of a…read moreformality that's honestly inapplicable in this instance, but humor me), held our table though we were late--very late due to Spot Hero getting us locked inside a garage, but that's a different review! The rocky start continued when our waitress, Martha, was far less than attentive and when arriving at our table 5-10 minutes after we were seated advised that BOTH of the entrées we wanted were sold out--at 6PM! After I thought about it perhaps that's a testament to how good those selections must be--Lamb Chops and Baja Mariscada (fire-roasted shrimp, mussels and maine lobster, smoked and lemongrass infused with lime zest, herbs). I'll return and revisit a review of those dishes. However, "Leña Brava -- 'ferocious firewood'- celebrates Mexican dishes cooked over hardwood fire," is spot on in accurately describing the restaurant, its warm friendly vibe and its remarkably delicious food! (Okay so it took a minute but just wait--your mouth will water in anticipation of dining here). The appetizers and entrées alike were incredible. I suggest that you must have the Leña Guacamole which comes with wood-roasted tomatillos, serranos, and salsa macha. I had BOTH the Chilled Oysters (appetizer) and Roasted Oysters (small plate) and urge you to order both if you're a fan of oysters. Finally, the Fire-Roasted Plantains with crema and queso fresco was the best I've eaten in Chicago. The Bone In Pork Chops had a char on them that I could eat in-perpetuity and the medium-rare Steak & Frites (crispy fries perfectly seasoned) had us sharing plates the presentation was so divine! But the star dish of the night was the Coal-Fired Tacos Gobernador -- "lobster, shrimp, Chihuahua cheese, avocado-habanero salsa, flour tortillas, Oaxacan pasilla butter." Really outstanding and reasonably priced cocktails and wine -- list of offerings pictured with this review -- including an incredibly unique offering called "Papi Diablo:" real del valle tequila, jalapeño, elderflower, ginger, hibiscus and lemon. The 2022 Palafox Pionero Chenin Blanc and 2023 Henry Lurton Sauvignon Blanc, both from Baja, California were well balanced and flavorful. The willingness to make not on the menu mocktails - "Not a Margarita" and "Spicy Fruit Cart" - was a welcomed accommodation, but PLEASE adjust the price when you cut the alcohol guys--otherwise you're just price gouging your customers! The most pleasant surprise was from the "Nightcap Menu" ESPRESSO MARTINI / vodka (or tequila which I don't think constitutes a martini but what do I know), espresso, and coffee liquor. This was a star cocktail despite the fact that they don't sell coffee here!!!!! A BIG NO NO for a quality dining establishment. Finishing with one of the best desserts I've ever eaten saved this restaurant's fifth star!!!! The Tiramisu Tres Leches was moist, sweet, balanced and clearly freshly made in-house. TO DIE FOR!

My experience at Lena Brava was lack luster and quite confusing overall…read more Randolph street is already packed and takes a valiant effort and wallet to participate in. For instance- after looking around my mother was the oldest young lady in the restaurant. There were booths open ... why sit older women in the high tops and not the open booth - only to eventually sit two men at the booth and we're a party of four. Not the bet decision. Then one of the biggest faux paus happened which was a steak at the incorrect temperature. What was even more disappointing was being asked did my guest want to throw it back on the grill with the chimichurri sauce already on. Mind you the bill is easily at 300 for four people with no tax or tip yall. Then knowing that you can see if the steak was cooked correctly before it gets to the table and you still sit it down is wild- and only more so because this is not a budget dinner. Of course the timing threw the dinner and temperature off for everyone and there was another horribly late dish - corn lol smh. Our waitress was kind and inattentive. The most interesting aspect was being asked if we needed anything and the whole table stared at her for 30-45 secs with a bunch of empty plates and I had to ask "ummm hey can we have these removed". She should've been the one to offer instead of me asking. Everything else was cooked properly but my fingerling potatoes were tastier than the octopus that sat on top. I can't say I'm up at night craving any particular flavor from here Last but not least after messing up the steak and removing it from the bill.. late corn , lackluster service ... there was an additional 3.25 % restaurant surcharge I had to asked to be removed. I understand bad nights. But there was literally nothing to hold on to here. Other than it's a cute spot.

Sat at the bar, so no tasting. The bar food was pretty solid overall. We had an assortment of the…read morebar dishes and they were all good. My favorite was the foie. I just wish the lighting was less dim. They totally overdid the vibe thing.

Wow! I had a great experience here for my 1st wedding anniversary dinner. They just opened not too…read morelong ago but I have a feeling they will do good in West Loop. Dining area offers a pre-fixe 5 course menu for $145 or a la carte. 2/5 courses are chosen by you so there is room for choices. The bar area is for walk-ins with a different menu offered. We were greeted with a card wishing us a happy anniversary signed by staff which was very thoughtful. I got the Mallorcan highball to drink. Their drink menu goes from lowest to highest spirit which is helpful. I wanted something light and fruity to drink and the Mallorcan highball is exactly that! Def recommend for the girlys. Course 1: The first bites come on a wooden lazy susan which was so cute. I could've eaten like 20 of those bites. Our fav was the sweet corn bite - tastes like an elote. Course 2: We both chose the Hokkaido scallop. Very light and refreshing. Came with more pieces of fish than I thought. Presentation was great! Course 3: This was a pasta dish with a chicken broth. Came with a grain toast which was great. The pasta paired perfectly with the broth. Very savory. Course 4: My husband chose the ribeye and I got the quail. Both were delicious! The texture and flavor of the quail was top tier!! This course also came with a side of white beans from Italy. Course 5: This was a blueberry cheesecake dessert with a corn cookie and yuzu ice cream. Amazing!! They also brought out mini strawberry cookies. To end the night, we got sent home with some miso sesame snickerdoodle cookies. Such a treat!!