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Maxwells Trading

4.5 (198 reviews)
Closed 4:30 pm - 10:00 PM

Maxwells Trading Photos

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MAXWELLS TRADING ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Romantic
Classy
Upscale
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Maxwells Trading

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Balanced and delicious
Susan W.

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.

Prosciutto
Tray

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.

Basque butter cake
Kayla P.

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

Monica N.

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!

Suzuki tartare
Radhika B.

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.

Linda Y.

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!

Sweet potato curry
Emily W.

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.

Redfish
Lan T.

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!

Gabriel H.

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!

Menu
Kaitlyn C.

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!

The grasshopper cocktail
Priyanka C.

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!

Butter basque cake
Laurina Y.

Finally got a seat at this restaurant! Even though we got to the reservation on time we still had to wait 15 or so minutes to sit down. We ended up ordering the onion dip, the white fish, the mushroom clay pot rice and the butter basque cake for dessert. All were pretty good but the clay pot rice was soooo addicting, especially with all the sauces mixed in. Overall quite pricey though

Melody L.

Overrated. We had the French onion dip, mushroom rice, salad, and stuffed pasta. French onion dip - they charged us $5 for extra cakes even though other tables received extra cakes for free. They also didn't let us know it would cost extra. The dip is mid and the cakes were good. Salad - generous portion, but I hate raw mushrooms Pasta - I don't love the shape. I prefer regular ravioli. Also just too greasy. Mushroom rice - I could make this at home for a quarter of the price. I think this place gets a lot of hype bc overall Chicago food is really mid unless you're just eating hot dogs and Italian beef everyday.

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Wonderful and creative food, good wine list, great atmosphere, and service. One of one favorites in the city.

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Headquarters Beercade River North - Hurricane Fries

Headquarters Beercade River North

4.0(602 reviews)
1.7 miNear North Side
$$

I haven't been to a barcade where most of the games were free, so that was a really nice surprise…read more We originally just went to kick off a bar crawl, but they had trivia/Jeopardy going on, it was freezing outside (low 20s), and we ended up staying way longer than planned. It was actually a really fun time, and I'll definitely be back. The pizza looked really good too, but I didn't even see a kitchen so I'm very curious how they're making it.

The Doctor was at an auction at Tamarkin Camera and me and The Queen and BFF #1 were looking for a…read moreplace to hang out to have a drink while waiting on him to wrap up. Unfortunately Machine was not open, which is downstairs from this place, so we went here. Usually there is a bouncer outside, covering both places, but no one was at the door so me and The Queen walked upstairs. The bouncer was upstairs and saw us come in, so he asked for ID. He explained that everyone gets card before they come in, which is not a issue for me. The overall vibe, for me, was definitely a frat hangout vibe. There are arcade games all over the place and cutesy names for beers and cocktails, like the Froot Loops (vodka, coriander honey, oat milk, shochu, saline, milk carton, and froot loops). Man I do not do cocktails and this is the reason why. There is too much going on in that glass for me to deal with. Prices for cocktails range from $14-$15. BFF #1 got a vodka soda for $13, but looking at the size of the glass, it was on the small side. BFF #1 said it was on the weak side. I was happy to hear that there was prosecco, so I got that. The Doctor showed up and got a beer. The selection of beers was limited from what I could see on the wall, maybe there was a list someone else behind the bar. The bartender was a really sweet, she was all smiles and kept calling me baby, which was so funny to me. I tipped her well because she was great on them pours of prosecco. We did not do food as we were heading to Club Lago for dinner and I didn't realize that they had food until I checked into Yelp and saw the online menu. The Queen actually went to a DJ set here with Roosevelt, I believe, and said it was a good event. Not a place I would normally hang out in, but I can see the appeal for folks in their 20s as I would definitely say outside of The Queen, the three of us were the oldest folks in there. Lots of people taking Instagram photos and posing or making short videos with those ring lights. I imagine it can get super loud when it is busy, but that is a vibe for some folks. I would say if that is your thing, this is the place for you.

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Headquarters Beercade River North
Headquarters Beercade River North - Hurricane Fries: HQ sauce (soy-ginger gastrique), bonito flakes, nori, and sesame seeds

Hurricane Fries: HQ sauce (soy-ginger gastrique), bonito flakes, nori, and sesame seeds

Headquarters Beercade River North

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Chalet - Crab Cakes

Chalet

3.7(191 reviews)
1.7 miNear North Side
$$

Stumbled upon this gem on Valentine's Day and I lovedddddd every bit of my experience!…read more For starters, they had cute valentines themed drinks and they were so tasty! They also decorated for Valentine's Day and it was soooooo aesthetically pleasing, great picture props! The music was also a viiiiibe -- whoever was DJing understood the assignment that day! Our server's name was Alon, and she was amazing! Very attentive, sweet, and informative. I told her I needed her name so that people would know who to look for when they visited next lol. She maintained great service, even when it got busy and she had to help others! Now, let's get to the part that matters most: the food! My best friend and I both had their burgers -- so fillingggggggggg and the house made aioli chefs kiss! We already decided we'll be back to try the tacos bc Alon said they're fye and I trust her judgement! The drinkssssssss -- honey listen, the champagne drink was a cute starter bc that margarita definitely didn't come to play! Also -- we didn't have reservations and still were seated in a timely manner with timely service! I'll be revisiting them for sure!

It was just okay! Basic breakfast some R&B and high prices and gratuity added ! We had a large…read moregroup some of the food came out quickly and other had to wait and send items back . Several of the ladies complained of cold food and uncooked bacon ! I personally don't get the hype!

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Chalet
Chalet - Crab Cakes

Crab Cakes

Chalet - Chips & Guac

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Chips & Guac

Arbella - Whipped feta was sooooo good!

Arbella

4.4(695 reviews)
1.7 miRiver North, Near North Side
$$

We love Arbella!! Atmosphere inside was great, really large space! We sat at the bar, the…read morebartenders were super friendly and attentive easy to talk to and order from. LOVE the $6 cocktail of the day happy hour (M-F 4-6pm) . Our cocktail of the day was a watermelon lemon drop which was delicious!! Will be coming back next time in Chicago! My local friends new favorite staple bar.

Months after visiting, Arbella still ranks among the best cocktail bars in the city for me!…read more One thing that really makes Arbella unique is their globally inspired old fashioned menu- whether you're an old-fashioned fan or not, these are a must! They've upped their happy hour game by including a rotating global cocktail with previous menu drinks and a daily kitchen special. This time, I ordered the oldest old fashioned and the Oaxaca old fashioned to drink. I thought the first was the best old fashioned I had ever had, but the second was even better! I loved the subtle yet not overpowering smokiness of the mezcal in the Oaxaca. Neither were too sweet and you could really taste the high quality bourbon. We ordered the Korean fried chicken and coconut shrimp to eat from the happy hour menu. The shrimp was super crispy with a delicious ginger-orange compote and rice vinegar pickled onions. Highly recommend! I did think the chicken was a bit tough, but the flavor was good. Another great experience of many to come! If you haven't stopped by Arbella yet, add this to your bucket list asap!

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Arbella - DJ Adam Pecho bringing down the house

DJ Adam Pecho bringing down the house

Arbella - Crab rangoon

Crab rangoon

Arbella - Vietnam Old Fashioned

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Vietnam Old Fashioned

The Dearborn

The Dearborn

4.4(2.8k reviews)
1.9 miThe Loop
$$

New favorite! Came downtown from the 'burbs for a show - my sweetie called ahead and we got a GREAT…read moretable just inside the door, perfect for people watching. Tasty drinks - the grapefruit pilsner was a perfect choice for a warm spring evening, and our server was funny and sweet. Sticky ribs appetizer was spot on, with just enough heat to keep it interesting. We shared the fish and chips - perfectly cooked, crunch and sweet, great fries! House made slaw and tartar sauce was out of this world! Gotta make one comment on something we didn't have. The next table over, two middle aged women order cheeseburgers. When they came out I almost regretted ordering the fish. They were huge, juicy, and looked incredible. This two ladies, drinking their Chardonnays polished them off, that's how good they were. Next time... Dessert? Why not? Sticky toffee cake please. Perfect with a cup of black coffee. Out the door and on our way - we'll be back! Thanks!

We dined at the Dearborn on a Saturday afternoon with my family. Our reservation was strategic we…read morearrived hours before we assumed it would become very crowded. The seating was tight. Overall I was having a good experience. The food was OK. The menu was limited. Oh btw, the special that day was a $70 wag goo burger. That interaction between me and the server reminded me of a car salesman trying to sale me undercoating for the car i just purchased. REALLY I can't make it up. The experience dropped to a single star as our dining experience was nearing an end. The manager of the front of the house. Made a conscious effort to make it clear that the table we were dining was needed by waiting customers. I've never ever experienced this before in any restaurant in the Loop. I can't and will not recommend dining here. This is why I'm giving 1 star. I my opinion The Dearborn maybe they need to be in a different location. Maybe located far west of the Loop. I would suggest instead of Dearborn maybe Halsted St. and probably change their name to The Halsted. Im not going back. OH btw good luck in your new location.

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The Dearborn - $12 Martinis for Martini Mondays

$12 Martinis for Martini Mondays

The Dearborn - New Spring Menu

New Spring Menu

The Dearborn - Spring desserts

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Spring desserts

Beatrix - Whipped Feta

Beatrix

4.2(2.7k reviews)
1.8 miNear North Side
$$

While staying in town nearby I came here for breakfast... I chose this place because the reviews I…read moresaw were all great and once I got there, I understood why! Service was very helpful, friendly, a nice! The menu for breakfast is very good and they have a very popular and amazing coffee bar with lots of pastry options too. I chose their Bacon, Egg, & Cheddar Sandwich and asked for hash browns with it and for those to be extra crispy. Starting with their regular coffee - it was great! Then the food came out relatively quickly and looked amazing! The egg was PERFECTLY (ABSOLUTELY PERFECTLY!) cooked! The sandwich came together and tasted amazing... I especially loved the bites of freshly sliced jalapeño and the arugula in the sandwich too!! The has browns were made the way I asked and tasted sooo good! Overall, I would definitely recommend giving them a try and I can see why the reviews were so good! My visit was very nice.

Overall, it's a pleasant place to meet with friends or coworkers after work. The music isn't too…read moreloud and doesn't interfere with conversation. As for the food: I understand that this is very subjective, but neither my husband nor I enjoyed the appetizers. That said, my husband did like the kebab. I had the whitefish - overall, it was pretty good. If it weren't for the lemon, the dish would have felt like it was missing some brightness in flavor. The service was very polite - no complaints at all.

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Beatrix - Atmosphere

Atmosphere

Beatrix - Shakshouka

Shakshouka

Beatrix - Old Fashioned

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Old Fashioned

Ema - Salmon bab.

Ema

4.3(1.9k reviews)
1.8 miNear North Side
$$

I've come here with my boyfriend a handful of times and we love it. We like to try different…read morecocktails every time. The mimosa on a nice summer day on the patio is my happy place. The entrees are amazing too. The rice with the chicken skewer is my favorite so far and my boyfriend loves the beef and lamb skewer. The service has always been great as well. We've had the same server a couple times now and she's friendly and gets the job done. (Wish I could remember her name!) The ambience is great. With natural light coming in and the soft lamps, it's calming. Truly a beautiful restaurant.

So disappointed. I…read morecame about 5 years ago and loved my meal, especially the sticky date cake, which lingered in my memory as my favorite all time dessert. This year I was so excited to bring my family and Ema was the only restaurant in Chicago I couldn't wait for them to try. I booked it as our final meal in Chicago and lay awake at 4am being so disappointed in my choice. Our server's greeting was monotone and emotionless, which I realize now, would be foreshadowing the meal to come. Ordered the following 1) Smoky eggplant- arrived appearing as an unappetizing curdled purple grey mush. This was the worst tasting baba ghanouj I have ever eaten. It was acidic and had the texture of cottage cheese. The only redeeming thing about this appetizer was the warm naan. 2) house made stratciatella with side of green falafels- The stratciatella was bland and stringy. I would not order this dish expecting the creamy interior of typical burrata. However, if you like string cheese mixed with heavy cream- you may enjoy this dish. The tomatoes and basil were good. 3) chicken kefta- kefta was bland, rice even blander . 4) short rib with polenta- bland and the meat and polenta had the same texture, which seems impossible but somehow the plating was over complicated by the addition of mushy dates and grapes. 5) buttered noodles- my 8 year old ordered this. It was decent with a good amount of Parmesan and cooked perfectly al dente. By the end of the meal, I was so shocked by how terrible the food was I didn't even want to order the sticky date cake that was my main purpose for returning to this restaurant. Ema, what happened to you?!

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Ema - Ema tables and bar

Ema tables and bar

Ema - Double chocolate.

Double chocolate.

Ema - Inside

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Inside

Maxwells Trading - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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