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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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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
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.
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!
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!
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.
Super excited to come here as it's tricky to get a red, we booked about 3 weeks in advance for a table of 4. The day we went was beautiful where the windows were all open and the entire restaurant was covered in the late afternoon glow. Super spacious. The waitress recommended we have about 2-3 items per person and in total we got 8, which was waaay more than enough. Their wine list is incredibly extensive so had there not been someone in my party that knew a lot about wines, I wouldn't even know where to start. As for the starters, the prosciutto with fried gnocchi was amazing, honestly the best thing all evening. The griddle cakes with dips were also top notch: both the ricotta and French onion. After that the meal slowly declined. Both pasta dishes we ordered weren't bad but also not remarkable. The clay pot was good and the salt and pepper asparagus were tasty but not worth coming back for. Both rice pudding and tiramisu desserts were super disappointing so I'd recommend skipping. Overall I greatly enjoyed the dinner, but I'd focus more on ordering the items closer to the top of the menu versus the larger mains. For a Wednesday evening it was pretty empty and could prob snag a spot at the bar next time. read more
2 years ago
I've been wanting to visit this restaurant for a while now, but securing a reservation has not been easy. I can now see why - it was such a refreshing dining experience all around! The ambiance was elegant but relaxed. I loved that many of the ingredients were sourced through urban rooftop gardens. When we were there, they were also selling rooftop grown tulips... So cool! Our server was busy but managed to give us some excellent recommendations. I would never have thought of ordering the hummus, but it ended up being one of my favorite dishes! Light, creamy, and perfectly paired with the peas... Truly the best of spring! The griddled bread though- I would go back just for that. We thought the Japanese curry sweet potato and tartare were delicious as well. Comparatively, I was not as impressed with the pasta dish. The drinks were decent. The meal was pricey, but I think it's worth a special occasion or a treat yourself kind of meal! I'm already plotting my next visit! read more
3 months ago
Great selection of food, beautifully designed interior, and ample parking right outside the restaurant. Highlights: -the French onion dip (definitely ask for more of the scallion pancakes) - it was umami and the best thing we've ordered -basque cake - the crunchy crust mixed with the not too sweet cake and flakes of lavender on top was a dream -soup dumplings tortellini - never had anything like this before and it was a great Italian / Asian dish Pass: -Japanese sweet potato: it was good, but way too overhyped. I'd still order it since it's pretty unique and the creme brûlée texture sweet potato was fun -clay pot rice: the protein amount was VERY small - the flavors were something that reminds me of my parent's cooking, but not worth $40 Our server was kind, but I wouldn't call the overall service at the same level as some other west loop(esque) spots. It was more laid back, which we preferred. read more
3 years ago
Experience a flavor-packed adventure at Maxwells Trading in West Town! With Chef Erling Wu-Bower and Chef Chris Jung at the helm, every dish is a fusion of their diverse backgrounds and culinary passions. The service was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. Maxwells Trading isn't just a restaurant - it's a vibrant celebration of global flavors and friendly vibes. See all the pictures I've taken! Come hungry and leave with a happy heart! read more
Wow new favorite restaurant alert! I literally loved everything on the menu and was so full but wish I could have still kept eating! Even from the bread in the beginning, it was incredible-so fluffy and tasty (somewhere between naan and a scallion pancake). Literally very dish thereafter was incredible. The Japanese eggplant was very unique both in texture and taste, definitely give that a try. The clay pot rice was also really tasty! Don't forget to save room for dessert because the tiramisu and cheesecake are mindblowing! Need to come back to try the rest of the menu read more
3.75/5 Food was good, but didn't amaze us. The best dish was the Japanese Sweet Potato with Thai green curry - loved the brulee'd top of the sweet potato and green curry. Whipped ricotta was tasty, but they gave us 2 pieces of green onion bread for 2 people. It felt kind of stingy. There was so much ricotta! Soup dumpling tortellini was interesting - def had hints of xiao long bao when eating this and the mushrooms paired wonderfully. The King Salmon was a disappointment. The salmon itself was a little dry and surprisingly lacked much flavor even with the dill and vinaigrette. I was really bummed that we ordered this. Finished off with a basque butter cake. Flavors good, cake good. But damn it's a $19 dessert. read more
2 years ago
Came in for a lovely Valentine's Day dinner. I really enjoyed the vibes of this restaurant. It's large and pretty spacious inside, I appreciate when tables aren't jammed together all close and tight next to each other. Service was fantastic, our server was super friendly and helpful. Now onto the food. We got the Suzuki tartare, chicory Caesar salad (server recommended we get a half portion bc it's huge, and he was correct, glad we got the half portion), Japanese sweet potato, pear and taleggio tortelloni, French onion dip, heritage pork katsu, and finished w the basque butter cake for dessert. The Suzuki tartare was a flavor explosion, the flavor profile of this dish was super unique. The chicory salad was great, sets itself apart from other regular Caesar salads in the best way possible. The French onion dip came w 2 griddle breads, I had to order an extra one bc the griddle bread was so fluffy and soft and flavorful. The French onion dip was real tasty, although it didn't have as strong of a French onion flava as I expected. The pear and taleggio tortelloni was my favorite bite of the night. Handmade delicious pasta with pesto, arugula, and pecorino, it was just fantastic. The Japanese sweet potato had sugar brûléed on top and was sitting in delicious green curry. So my issue with this dish is that Japanese sweet potato is already quite sweet naturally, I understand the idea behind bruléeing sugar on top for crunch, but it was just too sweet for me. But I did really love that it was served in green curry, what a creative and tasty combo. The heritage pork katsu was not like your normal pork katsu, it was a thick pork chop that they battered and deep fried. The slaw it was served with was so delicious as well. I found the pineapples on the basque butter cake to be too salty and too sweet at the same time somehow. But the cake part was super rich and tasty. I would definitely come back here when the menu changes w the seasons! We spot heroed a parking spot nearby, but there's also street parking in the area. read more
We were excited to try Maxwells after hearing great reviews and while we left satisfied it live up to expectations as it oddly has more traditional dishes and fusion/creative ones at the same time and neither quite worked. To start we got the last word and margarita to drink. Both had twists on the traditional format and were good, relatively light cocktails to start. The menu is created for sharing and our server recommended 4-5 dishes to share among the 2 of us. For starters we got the soft shell crab with a Singaporean style black pepper sauce and the suzuki tartare. Both were very good and our favorite of the night. The tartare had a nice kick of heat and I enjoyed the seabass pieces. I wish the crab was more crispy but the real star was the sauce which didn't taste much like a traditional black pepper sauce you would get in Singapore but this one had a lot more heat which I liked. We also got the whipped ricotta as we wanted to try the griddle bread. Overall fairly lackluster as the bread reminded me of a thick scallion naan but didn't have much flavor and the whipped ricotta w/honey was standard (I found myself looking for burnt lemon). We ended with the claypot rice as our main which in hindsight we should have tried something else. Everything was well cooked but it didn't have what I love about traditional claypot rice which is 1) the crispy, slighly burnt rice on the bottom and 2) the sauce to mix with rice. The pork belly and mushrooms were on the salty side to flavor the overall dish but it really needed a sauce that wasn't soy or chili crispy to bring it all together. The dish also didn't have a fusion element so comparing to $15 claypot rice in Chinatown, this was pretty disappointing. Finally the service was overall good but we had to get our server's attention multiple times to ask for water, order another drink, etc. Overall it didn't feel like the staff was very attentive. I'd give it 3.5 for food and rounding up because I do love good Asian inspired food but I just thought it wasn't as good as the original flavors and not creative enough to be thought of as something new. read more
Maxwells Trading is probably Chicago's best new restaurant. It features a spacious, contemporary dining room, full of diners loving their food and drink. We sat next to the open kitchen and were amazed at the pace of the three cooks throughout the evening. We even got to meet and chat with Chef Erling Wu-Bower. He's spending more time doing front-of-the-house duties. Very friendly. Believe the menu we ordered from is labeled as Menu #1 and will be replaced with a new one this weekend. What we ordered: - Suzuki Tartare - features diced seabass, with some heat - Prosciutto & Gnocco Fritto - stuff the fried dough with the ham and black currant jam, yum! - Whipped Ricotta - loved the hot honey - French Onion Dip - like eating French Onion Soup on griddled bread - Japanese Sweet Potato - signature item, perfectly roasted, served on Thai curry sauce - Stuffed Pappardelle - braised lamb, house made noodles - Half Chicken a la Brasa - super tender, juicy, finished on the grill - Bavette Steak - perfectly grilled, sliced, served with lettuce wraps and dipping sauces - Basque Butter Cake - warm and gooey, delish! - Forbidden Rice Pudding - sweet, but not the wow of the butter cake Keep in mind your check includes an automatic 20% tip. Spectacular dining at its best. Can't wait to return! read more
TLDR: RUN, DON'T WALK! If you can get a resy, that is. Where to even begin?! Everything at Maxwells was impeccable! We're not talking just about the amazing food, but the cocktails, and service (by our awesome server Lorenzo *woot!*) were also FANTASTIC. His guidance was so helpful. The menu is a lot--but in a good way. It took everything in us from saying "One of each, please & thank you." I don't even know if you can go wrong with the menu. We ordered 2 items from each section of the menu (Beginnings, Dunks, Starch, Substance) and wished we had the real estate in our stomachs to order more! For starters, we had the Suzuki Tartare and Soft Shell Crab. The Suzuki (Japanese bass; a nice lite fish) tossed in coconut, peanut, lemongrass and chili for a nice south East Asian flare was so lovely. The subtle spiciness really revved up our appetite (as if we needed the help)! The Soft Shell Crab cooked in Singaporean style black pepper sauce was just so savory. The crab was fried to perfection; it definitely didn't feel greasy or heavy. I just wanted a bowl of white rice to pour the dish on top of. The whipped ricotta was served with some lovely hybrid bread/naan. It had a very al dente chewiness that was almost reminiscent of Neapolitan pizza crust. Such a winning combo, btw. The Japanese eggplant with the herbs was really refreshing. I absolutely used some of the grilled bread to sop up the sauce! So good. But let's talk about the clay pot rice bc it was so. damn. yummy! The pork belly was so incredibly tasty and juicy. The koshihikari rice alone is a treat (definitely one of the best pedigree of Japanese rice, fyi, that has a lovely subtle sweetness to it). Add the shiitake simmered in soy and the yuba (tofu skin) and you have a mind blowingly good dish... made me want some natto with the white rice. Finally, from the substance section, we ordered the Salmon and the Half Chicken. The chicken was the juiciest damn chicken I've ever had. Didn't even know dark meat could get juicier. I wish I'd taken a photo of it before we devoured it. I dream about the ginger-scallion flavors... also, I hate collard greens but these were surprisingly tasty. I'm pretty sure I even had a second serving of it... the King Salmon in dashi is umami rich and also perfectly cooked medium rare. It was so incredibly soft. I'll definitely be back to try their bone in strip bc I'm a sucker for ssamjang but don't snooze on the chicken, I'm telling ya. Desserts were okay but I'm not a big dessert person. The milk tea tiramisu reminded me of the milk tea that you find in the magical vending machines all over Japan. (It's a very fragrant/floral milk tea, so if you're not a fan of that, maybe don't get that.) I'm a huge fan of the Japanese/Thai/Chinese flavors that they incorporate into the menu. I don't even know where else in Chicago you can get yuba (which is a very traditional Kyoto dish). Definitely will be back for round 2...and 3! read more
I'm honestly blown away with how absolutely incredible this place is. A friend and I wanted to grab dinner and heard about the opening of Maxwells so we gave it a try. I made our reservation about two weeks in advance so I'm not totally sure how they are on availability, however, if I were to guess based on how much hype Maxwells has already gotten, it's probably just a good idea to reserve to be on the safe side. I will say, we went around 5pm on a Friday, and it was not packed at all. There were a few parties also seated, but the noise level was comfortable and the music was great. For drinks- there were a few that caught my eye on the menu, but I honestly just asked my waitress if the bartender could make me some sort of rendition on a mezcal maragarita, and I got just that. It was beautifully sweetened with passion fruit and a sugar/tajin rim. My friend asked for a french martini, which they weren't able to make exactly, but what they brought out was close enough and delicious. For food- we went with the chicken a la Brassa and the Japanese sweet potato. Let me tell you, I am an avid Japanese sweet potato lover, and this one has to be the best one I've had so far. It was layed on top of a Thai curry sauce which was savory and then topped with some sort of sweet brûlée that complimented it perfectly. The chicken was juicy and crispy and just amazing. Their menu is small and is made to change by the seasons, so i definitely recommend checking them out now before they switch to their summer menu. I cannot WAIT to come back here. read more
6 months ago
This is one of the few instagram-hyped Chicago restaurants I think is worth the hype. Here's a breakdown of what I ordered: -suzuki tartare: 11/10. unbelievable. tons of interesting flavors going on that I can't quite put my finger on. you have to try this dish! -whipped ricotta: 9.5/10. also great, but not super unique or inventive. the griddle bread is the best restaurant bread you will have though. others have said it's a cross between a scallion pancake and naan and I think I concur. -french onion dip: 10/10. I'm a sucker for french onion soup and heluva good dip so no shocker this was good to me. the flavor is very rich and comforting. get extra griddle bread!! -basque butter cake: 9/10. absolutely divine, but not super unique. also a tad bit too sweet for me (I still devoured the whole thing though). Maxwells has seasonal menus which keeps things interesting. I will certainly be back to try more stuff! I will note that this place was pretty costly. My above meal cost $100. I was very upset when I left my extra order of griddle bread :( read more
Definitely one of the top tier meals I've had all year so far. I just had a really good feeling about this restaurant, and I was 100% correct. Such a unique layout. It definitely gave semi-industrial vibes, but it was still sooo spacious. It was basically packed the entire time and for good reason. Getting a weekend reservation definitely took priority planning, but the wait was worth it and I will absolutely be back to try new menus in the future. Not often do you have a pretty much..."perfect" meal, especially when there's so many options, but everything that we ordered was multilayered in flavors and had elements that just WORKED together. Looking at multiple dip options? Just get them all LOL. The French onion dip and whipped ricotta were mind blowing, and the texture of the breads served to dip was insane (crispy exterior, soft and bouncy with a slight chew on the interior.) We ordered the carrots as a main, and while I'm not a huge veggie lover, I loved this. The dish was so unique and the spoonbread was unlike anything I've ever tried before. It kind of gave me a Christmas/holiday season in Spring type of feel from the warm spices, but I was here for it. We were so full by the end of, but had ordered the butter cake AND tiramisu. The tiramisu definitely had the flavor of milk tea which is one of my favorite drinks, and it was a lovely spin on traditional tiramisu. Service was really good overall. Like many places nowadays, they take your full order up front to be able to space out your dishes. We were never overloaded with food at any point, and never waited long between courses. Throughout the meal, we decided we would take leftovers to go, and our server had them removed from the table for us. We were worried that we'd never see them again, but by the end of the meal, our bag was brought out with everything packed up to go. I was impressed because I've definitely seen other diners at other restaurants have their leftovers lost by the end of the night, so it must be pretty well-organized back there to keep track of these things for so many tables! I will say that the ONLY negative was that the margarita was pretty severely watered down. I'm not someone who needs a strong drink or anything, but the flavors were completely muted. I'm keeping this on my bookmarks forever. read more
This will officially be a restaurant I always revisit and recommend when I come to Chicago. Wow the flavors were so good and balanced. Familiar but new tastes that have been elevated to unexpected levels and aesthetics. The standouts for me were the dips and bread. The ricotta dip and hummus dip texture and richness were perfect. The bread that you receive with the dip is phenomenal and we ended up ordering more bread (it's a little over $2 a piece). I am still dreaming of the fluffiness and chewiness of the bread. The dips are necessary to order. We ordered all 4 options and they were all great. We went as a party of 7 so we pretty much tried everything and nothing disappointed us. Each dish left us wanting for more. Service was great and I hear there's like a garden area and room for classes! This is the restaurant that keeps coming back in conversation when we talk about our Chicago trip and I highly recommend to all! read more
1. Clay Pot Rice - Yamagata koshikari, pork belly, lap cheong, shiitake, yuba, kale 2. Black Cod - fennel, endive, enoki mushroom, lime 3. Japanese Eggplant - Magnolia Grill confit tomato, herbs w/ scallion pancakes 4. Prosciutto & Gnocco Fritto - caprino cheese, black currant-pepper jam 5. Basque Butter Cake - confit apple, miso caramel, apple cider sabayon 6. Royal Milk Tiramisu - black tea mousse, praline chocolate, caramel hazelnut Really solid food and overall experience. I'll just say all of those listed dishes taste good with a few shortcomings: 1. Claypot rice should be crispy on the bottom. At least that's how the traditional dish is supposed to be. 2. Basque Butter Cake should be paired with a heavy sweet flavored cream or ice cream. 3. The scallion pancakes that come with the eggplant need a ton more scallion! Service was excellent. Great attitude by the staff and they were on top of changing out plates and silverware at our table. I like the rehabbed warehouse design and spaciousness between tables. read more
8 months ago
2 years ago
Came here for Restaurant Week with a group of three, and we decided to split everything. For appetizers, we got the Suzuki tartare, Japanese eggplant, and ricotta dip. For entrées, we had the chicken, pork katsu, and sweet potato dish. For dessert, we tried the butter cake and tiramisu. My favorite dishes were the Suzuki tartare, Japanese eggplant, and sweet potato. I was especially surprised by how much I enjoyed the eggplant--the flavors were incredible. The Suzuki tartare was also fantastic, with great flavor and just a slight kick of heat. The sweet potato dish ended up being all of our favorite. I was hesitant to order it since it's not something I'd normally go for, but after reading the reviews, I gave it a shot--and I'm so glad I did. The flavors were unique, and the sweet potato itself was amazing. The only thing I didn't love was the tiramisu. It didn't really taste like a classic tiramisu, and--this might sound odd--but it kind of reminded me of how perfume smells. Overall, it was a great meal, and I'm glad I checked this place out! read more
7 months ago
Delicious! No notes! The service and food were top notch, and the restaurant is very pretty read more
Genuinely delicious food and thoughtfully curated seasonal menu without being overly pretentious or overwhelming. On the summer menu, I loved the French Onion Dip, the Corn Carmelle, and the Pampano. Pricey, but honestly not as much as I expected and the portions were more filling than expected. Excluding drinks and including tax/tip, my group of 5 paid about $46 per person. read more
1 year ago
Same as last meal I had here, the service was impeccable, beautiful venue, some dishes were good but unremarkable and some were absolutely amazing (eggplant and fish, I'm looking at you). The great dishes are so great they make up for the ones that are just alright. Very reasonable prices. Very prompt service. The cocktails were great too. read more
1 year ago
Food was incredible. Service was great. Can't wait to go back to try more! Get the French onion dip..you won't regret read more
First off the vibes and overall aesthetic of this place is amazing. Our server was lovely and attentive. Drinks were great as well. I'd recommend the Cosmopolitan cocktail-it was sweet and strong. My friends also enjoyed the Queens Park Swizzle cocktail. Downside is some of the dishes fell short and were a bit underwhelming. Between three people they recommended 2 dishes per category, but we skipped out on the first section entirely and were still incredibly full. It started off strong with the French Onion dip and Whipped Ricotta with hot honey. Each dip comes with 2 pieces of fluffy, soft griddle bread. We then got the Soup Dumpling Tortellini, which I didn't particularly like. It might be an acquired taste, but it was oddly sour. The Clay Pot Rice was a hit and probably the best thing we had overall. The pork belly was tender and flavorful. Now unfortunately the mains weren't as good and were a bit disappointing. The King Salmon was just okay, nothing special. The Pork Katsu was dry and I personally didn't think it paired well with the spicy diced peaches. We ended dinner with the Royal Milk Tiramisu, which was divine. It has a strong tea flavor, but it pairs well with the sweetness of the chocolate and hint of saltiness from the hazelnut. Could be we just chose things that didn't suit our palate, but likely wouldn't go back, unless just for the vibes and a few drinks/starters. read more
11 months ago
11 months ago
I really liked the ambiance of this restaurant. It's industrial, yet upscale, bright and open. The entire menu really sounds appetizing. We ordered a variety of dishes and honestly enjoyed them all. The one dish I would pass on is the forbidden rice pudding for dessert. I normally would love that flavor combination, but the texture of the rice pudding was not what I expected and ended up not even finishing it. read more
Maxwells Trading had been on my radar ever since I heard about it. It hasn't even been six months since they've opened, but they managed to cement themselves as Chicago's best new restaurant. And after dining at Maxwells Trading four times now, not only do I agree, but I believe this is one of Chicago's best restaurants, in general. Why? Well, when people think of "Chicago food", the first thing that comes to mind are Italian beef's, pizzas, hot dogs, etc. Or beloved Chicago institutions such as Peqouds, Mannys, Al's, Calumet Fisheries, Billy Goat Tavern, and so on. But in my opinion, nothing embodies what Chicago is all about more than Maxwells Trading. Spearheaded by Erling Wu-Bower, Josh Tilden, and executive chef Chris Jung, Maxwells Trading offers fantastic dishes of the New American variety. While the majority of the food here leans into Asian flavors, you will find dishes that draws inspiration from Italian, French, and Peruvian cuisine. The latter of which is evident in a delicious chicken a la brasa. But in my opinion, Maxwells Trading excels with dishes that feature Chinese, Japanese, and Thai flavors. You would think this a restaurant that offers cuisine of the fusion variety, but I believe the food is here is a the embodiment of New American cuisine and of what Chicago food is all about. The restaurant is located in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor and takes residence in a large warehouse space. The interior is sleek, modern, and has a very upscale but unpretentious vibe. The space is large, inviting, and impressive. Jazz, rock, hip hop and soul music fills the room and you will often see Erling Wu-Bower on the floor paying close attention to tables, checking in with the hostesses, having a quick chat with customers, and cueing up records on a turntable located at the end of their bar. I've even seen this guy sweeping the floor every now and then. This is all indicative of someone who is truly trying to provide a top notch experience for his many customers. I also respect the fact that he once tried to add tripe as a breakfast item at a hotel he worked at. Throughout my four visits here I have been lucky to sample a variety of dishes. I've had the Suzuki tartare, gnocchi fritto, Japanese eggplant, French onion dip, whipped ricotta, Japanese sweet potato, soup dumpling tortellini, the clay pot rice, the Loaf Lounge marbled rye, chicken a la brasa, the turbot, a magnificent basque butter cake, and the royal milk tiramisu. All of them are delicious and cooked to perfection. I didn't find anything to be underwhelming at all. In my opinion the stand out dishes are the the griddle bread with the French onion dip, the Japanese sweet potato, the Loaf Lounge marbled rye, the chicken ala brasa, the claypot rice, the turbot, and the basque butter cake. My favorite dish is the clay pot rice which features pork belly, lap cheong, shiitake, yuba, and fava beans, and Yamagata koshikari. The flavors in this remind of eating in Chinatown as a child at various dim sum restaurants. The basque is one best desserts I've ever had, in general. But you really can't go wrong with any of the food here. Order whatever looks interesting to you! My only knock on this place is that sometimes they will play jazz, and I can't stand it. I just personally hate jazz music and I say this as someone who performed in an acclaimed high school jazz band who earned very high marks at competitions throughout the state. I refuse to go to the Green Mill because of my disdain for the genre. I find it disheartening to see reviews on here proclaiming that the food is bland, subpar, and nothing special. That is just insane to me. I realize that people have different tastes and whatnot, but c'mon. I imagine a majority of them have been through a lot throughout their life and must have endured a tumultuous upbringing. They need some sort of creative outlet but are devoid of imagination or talent, so they come here with overly critical opinions. But underneath it all, they're saying, "Please, listen to me! Anyone, PLEASE LISTEN TO ME!". Anyways, the food here is outstanding. This place is truly something special and one of the best restaurants in Chicago. Do yourself a favor and keep an eye out for reservations. They're hard to come by, which is more than understandable in my opinion. A++ read more
My literal favorite restaurant in Chicago. The food is INCREDIBLE and the ambiance is so unique and cool. It feels like you're sitting at a trendy restaurant in south east Asia. Highly recommend the French onion dip and the bread. Service was impeccable and the drinks were strong and tasty. Would go back every week if I could! read more
5 months ago
10/10! We were here to celebrate a birthday and every dish we had knocked it out of the park. The server was great and gave us a snack to start because we were starving before ordering all items and she timed everything perfect. We had an early reservation and immediately all tables were full. Bravo Maxwell Trading, a new west loop must try! read more
Had one of the most fantastic meals in a while in Chicago at Maxwell Trading. This restaurant has an innovative take by blending Asian flare with American/Italian cuisine. There was not a bad dish ordered, but there were definitely some favorites. The must-have beginning was the suzuki tartare. The fish was super fresh, and the coconut was super subtle. For dunks, definitely do not skip on the French Onion Dip and hummus. Paired with the scallion bread, these dips are hard to stop eating. The whipped ricotta was good, but it was a bit sweet for me personally. The soup dumpling tortellini was another must order. We liked the hay and straw, but the acid could be a little overwhelming at times. The chicken was good, but some parts of the skin were a little burnt and lent to an acrid flavor. Besides that, it was cooked to perfection. There is no doubt I will be back!! read more
Amazing food, ambience, service and staff! I love small plates and this place did not disappoint! The marbled rye and the ricotta cheese- delish! The corn caramelle: the cutest pasta (like wrapped candy) ever, with the perfect pesto sauce Bone in steak: served with lettuce wrap and 3 different kind of sauces: was really good too! My husband got the Cesar salad- it was huge! No way could we have finished it, which is sad, because it was really good. Had a citrus-sy dressing, and some ingredients I have not seen in a traditional Cesar salad, so was definitely unique and very yummy! For dessert we got the butter cake which was also amazing! Overall great experience in this Michelin mention restaurant! Can definitely go again and would recommend if in the area!! read more
A great meal in a lively space. Still a hot ticket to get a table with service a little spotty at times. The french onion dip and griddle bread was excellent-rich without being cloying. The suzuki tartare was on point and a must try. Love the interplay between the lemongrass, chili, coconut and peanut. The highlight was the bavette steak salad-bright acidic flavors with umami to keep you wanting more. For dessert, don't sleep on the basque cake. Price point of $18 may be steep but worth it. read more
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