Had my first lunch at Normans. Ambiance was good and the server was very pleasant and attentive. Daughter and I weren't famished, so shared a chicken sandwich and fires. Food was hot, which is always a plus. Sandwich was tasty, but small. Grilled chicken, nothing terribly special. My only problem was price. I understand that Norman is a bit of a pioneer in that area, and I applaud- but $16 dollars for a small chicken sandwich is waaaaay too much money. That should have bought me two sandwiches. I won't be going back for food at those prices. read more

(I tried to give this joint no stars, but Yelp won't let me.) I don't even know where to begin.... First of all, they get no stars whatsoever, simply because it was just THAT bad. I mean, saying it was mediocre at best, would be far too generous. REALLY! I have never heard of this place but our friend had reservations for 7pm, to celebrate his birthday. We were all running late but they were very accommodating about pushing it back, so I'll give them that. Okay, I'll start at the top and work my way through the meal because not a second of it is to be missed. Really, you NEED to read this! When a majority of us arrived a few people in our party were already there, sharing a bottle of wine. They informed us there was a big wedding shower or reception going on in the bar and we saw there had been another birthday party of 15 people or so, sat right next to us, in front of the expo. There was so much more restaurant around us, so the placement made no sense. Since I didn't know what kind of spot this place is, I didn't know whether or not to be confused by the unlit buffet setup next to us, I later came to the conclusion that it was setup for the Sunday brunch to go down this morning. They couldn't wait until the restaurant was closed, to set it up? Or even have the staff come in early on Sunday? I understand, you set it up on a Saturday afternoon, so you or your staff wouldn't have to stay too late because you all had to get up Sunday morning to be on ten and ready to go first thing. Right? Our new friends also implied that we should really take a look at the appetizer menu, especially the , "fried shrimps." I understand that nobody's perfect and there's room for allowance of a few misspelled words, especially if you regularly change out your menu. All I'm saying is, all you have to do is hit the spellcheck option! Extremely distracted by making our entree choices, we tried to decipher the menu and stumbled over it's barrage of fonts, visually displeasing to the point that a handful of us were losing our appetites. That thing was a typographical nightmare! I'll say it again,NIGHTMARE! I still wonder, what kind of sauce is,"bar b queue," what is a chicken "culet," and I don't care if it's a sweet dessert, but an apple "dumping," does not sound appetizing to me. Even my boyfriend said, "this menu is setting up this meal for failure!" We should have taken that cue from there and bounced right out, but the birthday boy and his girlfriend assured it would be good. I really felt bad for the waitress, but part of me really didn't. Just because you call me "madam," it still doesn't make up for the shit storm we were about to endure. The whole experience was like pulling teeth. No... It was worse than that. It started off with a request for a carafe of water, which came about 30 minutes,to an hour later, and was only enough to fill about 3 or 4 glasses. In the interim, we got introduced to Norman, himself, social butterfly of the "bistro." Anyways we spent our time, requesting a couple bottles of wine (we could've drank more if it didn't take a lifetime to get just one), trying to order our food, trying to get the waitresses attention, trying to get anything. Let's just say, if our table was a choking baby, mother, waitress would only have found it to be dead hours later. At this point,we all had about 50% of our verbal filters off, and let them marinate until we received our salads, two hours after we had ordered. Did I mention the waitress came up to our table with a pillowcase of bagged salad, when she was asked where our salads were? Did you know that a side of Caesar salad at, Norman's Bistro, is just the regular mixed green salad that fits in a tiny,little soup bowl, with Caesar dressing on the side? Oh yeah, the dressing came about 5-10 minutes after we received the salad. I couldn't even eat half of the damn thing because it kept running through my mind that they probably didn't wash it. We watched the party next to us, sporadically receive their food, even though they ordered after us. We also watched some of our food sit under the food warmer, in the expo, for a very, long time. Someone in our party, ordered dessert and he even saw it sit in the window for at least five minutes. Left and right, people received their food. Finally the waitress came behind me, to finally lay down a plate I have anticipated for hours, literally. "Um, what the fuck?" said the look on my face as it stared ate the lobster and shrimp pot pie, which formed a skin on top, from sitting in the window. She immediately picked up my plate and said ,"No...I'm sorry madam this is not yours." No shit it ain't mine! Famished, I expected a piping, hot bowl of spicy,shrimp and lobster gumbo. View the rest on http://jpobocan.tumblr.com/post/17899689734/normans-bistro-garbage read more

See all

Only thing memorable to me was the gumbo, which although was good, as not worth the price tag that they have attached. Reason why this review is so low is that the burger that I got which was supposed to be duck.....was actually just ground up duck like a normal burger. Couldn't even tell if it was duck...maybe it wasn't. Second reason was the girl got the snapper and it had the biggest fishy smell and taste I have ever witnessed at a restaurant. Maybe I'm being harsh because Chicago doesn't have access to fresh seafood? Either way, won't be coming back. read more

Norman's Bistro is a great place to have brunch on the weekend. They offer a buffet style brunch, with so many options and very affordable. I took my family here (age varies) and everyone was very pleased. I ordered a drink from the bar( separates from the dining area) and the bartender was very nice. She made me a specialty drink, that was so good, I had to order another one,( and another one lol) over, my family and I had a great experience and will definitely be coming back! read more

Quite the gem of a restaurant in the Hyde Park area. A must try if you live nearby or find yourself visiting friends, family, or volunteering (my case) on the south side. This creole-Brazilian-fusion restaurant was the perfect place for a Saturday brunch after packing and distributing cold-weather gift bags in the area. My buds and I were the only ones in the place. Greeted with wonderful, welcoming service and sprinkled with "oldies but goodies" on the stereo system, Norman's provided comfort and warmth both externally, and internally, i.e. my ears were as happy as my belly! I went with the pancake platter (I love a breakfast platter, y'all!) and an OJ. I was plenty satisfied afterwards. Some of my friends went with lunch (burger) and breakfast (flatbreads, omelettes) and everything looked and smelled absolutely delectable. I can imagine that this is a great place to see and be seen at night when it's jumping! read more

You often find places that are defined by the reviews, they are better defined by the people you gather with & the communities essence , the character of the owners and the food always seems to come across Fantastic when you have those dynamics so stop by & enjoy the Fantastic! read more

My family, friends and I came here for lunch on a Thursday after my sister got married and the food was excellent, Esrah or Israh, our server, (sorry for the misspelling) was excellent. I got the shrimp and lobster pot pie, delicious. The restaurant gave us a pineapple and lemon glazed bunt cake, that was very moist and yummy. We toasted the evening away with a bottle of champagne. The service was a little on the slow side, but I think our server just wanted to give us time to review the menu and talk with our party. The food more than made up for the service. I will definitely be back. read more

We found this restaurant on Check Please! So we wanted to try it. The location is a bit far out but the drive was not that bad and well worth it!! The food was phenomenal. I had a roasted cajun catfish plate with sweet potato yam and braised collard greens. It was totally out of this world. I got to taste their chicken, shrimp and lobster gumbo as well and it was the best gumbo, totally worth $25 for the dish. We were so full and didn't have any room left for desserts. May be next time. I give it 5 solid stars for the food and also for the service. Oh also lemon drop martini and Manhattan were very good as well. read more

I've heard good things about Norman's and had been meaning to go there for a while now.However my experience and my party's experience was the complete opposite. Not only did I come to support a small black owned business on Juneteenth, I brought 15 (two 6 tops and a 3 top) of my friends and no one had anything good to say. It was completely pointless for us making a reservation we had to wait 30 mins to be seated and it took about an additional 45 minutes for a server to come see us. Not only was the customer service substandard, the owner was completely rude and dismissive to our complaints. The food was subpar as well, if the severs Tiffany and Darryl (could be wrong) and the busboy E weren't so empathetic I would give the restaurant and service a zero star. Completely unacceptable service and food. read more

Came here yesterday to celebrate my Birthday with 3 friends. Service is a bit slow, but we wanted a leisurely early dinner, so it was wonderful. Our table had a shrimp & lobster pot pie, salmon, tilapia, and liver w/bacon & onions. All were FANTASTIC. Great sides, FANTASTIC cocktails. Our server was attending to several other tables, but took the time to remember our names and take care of us. It was also a nice touch that the owner & chef took the time to see how we were doing. This is off the beaten path, but worth it! read more

Norman's Bistro - Shrimp & Lobster Pot Pie...Divine... - Brazilian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went to Norman's for a Saturday brunch with my wife and we both agree 5***** for chef Robert the staff and brings a real new twist to North Kenwood. See all photos &check out Norman's Bistro. read more

See all

This incognito restaurant was quite the discovery. In the front of the house is a nice sized restaurant area that is quite and cozy. Once you go to the back the restaurant becomes equal parts lounge and delicious restaurant. The dj is a cool twist. Nice relaxing vibes. The Caribbean Rice and Bean Wrap was delicious but this little bistro is a little pricey. read more

Norman's Bistro - The Caribbean Rice and Bean Wrap w/ sweet potato fries - Brazilian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Whenever my husband and I go back home to Chicago, we always pick a place to meet our friends for a drink. Before we arrived in Chicago last week, my sister suggested Norman's Bistro. Well, what a cute place! This was a perfect spot to catch up with our friends. We were seated at a large table in the dining room. Our food was good and the staff was very attentive. We also had a chance to meet Norman, the owner. What a treat! His enthusiasm is infectious! It really was a pleasure to meet him. I should also mention, there's a bar in the rear of the restaurant, which looked like a great place to watch the baseball game. Maybe next time we're in town, we'll stop in for brunch. read more

Although my last visit to Normans ended with disappointment, I tried it again this summer and I must say it was much better. The staff at Normans are always pleasant and delightful but the food items can be a hit or miss. As an appetizer we ordered the shrimp... horrible, don't waste your money. However, the burgers are really good. The Blue burger was my favorite and has remained on the menu despite the changes and that seems be the best thing I've had. For dessert we ordered the peach cobbler, and while it wasn't bad it really wasn't anything to rave about. Overall, I am happy that Normans Bistro is still thriving. I wish the owner all the best and will continue to show my support every now and then. read more

I live really close to Norman's and was really excited to try this Bistro out.. Granted it's nice to see on the exterior a nice looking restaurant because we have so little in the area that being said I'm strictly basing this on the food and I wasn't impressed. I ordered the Salmon and my Husband ordered the Ribs. The only part of our dinner that I enjoyed were the dinner rolls. The restaurant has great service and it's nicely decorated but I was surprised at how much the food lacked. I was told from the waiter that the menu is constantly changing so I'm just hoping they improve on the taste of their food. read more

See all

Just what Kenwood needed. The food is excellent and the ambience is just right. Norm has placed the "perfect restaurant" in the heart of the neighborhood! read more

Norman's Bistro - Brazilian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I just finished my praline pecan patties that I bought during a visit to Normans. I promise you, as a person from New Orleans, there are those that say they can make praline pecan patties, but nobody has ever come this close to my grandma. Those things were wonderful and to think he sold them to me after I practically begged him to give them to me from the Sunday buffet. I also had shrimp lobster gumbo. It was fantastic. Thanks Norman. I have not tasted food like this since I last went to New Orleans some time ago. read more

Review in Haiku Extraordinarily Good cuisine and great service Topped with free smiles read more

Norman's Bistro catered our wedding last September and did a wonderful job. They were very responsive to our priorities for vegetarian entrees and worked with us to meet our budget. We had jerk chicken, roast pork loin, and Chef Robert prepared a vegetarian jambalaya at my request that had delicious fried plantains in it. I really enjoyed the bourbon gravy sauce that he served with the pork loin. I especially recommend the creamed potatoes and yams as sides. The food was all tasty and served appropriately hot with great attention from the servers. Lovely presentation of the salads. read more

Whenever I'm in Chicago I make sure to drop by to have a drink. The atmosphere is awesome Food is good too!!! read more

I am actually disappointed that I have to write this review. I've visited Norman's Bistro several times in the past and though small things have happened during each visit, the food was good enough to warrant my return. Today I called to inquire about delivery options and when I was told that they don't deliver, I asked if they used services such as Postmates or UberEats. I was told that they didn't use either. I felt that was unusual considering the area that it's located in so I looked them up on Postmates and sure enough the menu was there. I had to put in a custom item (shrimp and lobster pot pie) because it wasn't on the menu. It's not on their website either but I know that they serve it. I called to verify the price ($30) before placing the custom order to avoid any issues. When my food arrived, I was a bit confused because it was not how I remembered. If you've had the pot pie you know that it's not a traditional pot pie crust with filling, instead it's served as 2 biscuits with a lobster, shrimp, and vegetable stuffing served over it. What I received was a biscuit with a thin liquid-y substance with vegetables. I will admit that the lobster/shrimp servings were sizeable, but the overall entree did not look like what I remembered from the past. I called the restaurant to inquire about the serving size thinking perhaps they sent a poorly made half size version, but the person on the phone described the entree being made as solely a shrimp, lobster, and vegetable stuffing with no crust or bread and that muffins would cost extra. Of course that's incorrect because the main ingredient of a pot pie is some kind of bread. I just chopped it up as the young lady being new and misinformed and decided to let it go until I began to eat. The consistency of the filling was so thin, almost juice like, that I almost wanted to make rice to go with it lbs. I became more annoyed and looked back through my photos (because what is a millennial without a food diary) and found the picture of the shrimp and lobster pot pie that I fell in love with. A sizeable, heartier version of what was delivered to me. Very annoyed, I called back and asked to speak to a manager but was transferred to the lead server instead who informed me that they can't do anything about it. The way that the food is made is the way it's made but that if I wanted to come up there, she would give me the missing biscuit. I informed her that the issue isn't solely about the biscuit. The issue is that if I'm spending $30 on an entree, I expect it to be made the same way and to be corrected if it isn't. Needless to say, this issue is not resolved and I have to wait to speak with a manager. I'll update this review after that interaction but for now, I'm attaching the photos of what I fell in love with in the restaurant along with the bootleg version that I just received. read more

Norman's Bistro - Brazilian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Two-day my mother and I hand dinner there at about 2:30 there was only only waitress Tiffany worked the room. If Normans had not had her today it would e a different turn out. Tiffy Rock today and all times when I come to Normans. She is very pleasant and professional young lady. read more

I've been experiencing some great burgers across a few states and have to say the blue burger was amazing, and is a contender for one of the best. read more

Norman's Bistro - Thank you Brenda for treating us out for a lovely dinner - Brazilian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I read some of the reviews on this restaurant and saw a couple bad ones, so I talked to a few friends who have gone before and they thought this place was "GREAT". They said that they've never had a bad experience and they frequent the place. So, I decided to go and take my changes! Well, I am happy to report that I had a wonderful time with my friends. The food was good and the drinks were outstanding. We started off with apps, had dinner and dessert, everything was wonderful! Our server was good and helpful with selecting our menu options. I also had an opportunity to meet the owner, he was very friendly and accomodating to us. Thanks Norman's Bistro! I will definately be going back! read more

Well, the food is good when you finally get it. Yes, I have to add my name to the list of reviewers complaining about the ridiculously slow service and general disorganization. During my Sunday afternoon visit with family, the entrees came out one at a time, literally, with about a ten minute spread, with the omelette coming out dead last by several minutes. I cannot imagine what system the chef is using. On my Friday evening visit, I sat at the bar with a couple of girlfriends and it was so slow my girlfriends decided to skip placing a second order. If the manager is reading this, THIS MEANS LO$T PROFIT$$$ I also have to complain about the microwave, which in my opinion should never be in a decent restaurant, but it most certainly shouldn't be in the dining area. You read that correctly: the microwave is in the dining area, facing the diners. Of course, since it is well established how slow the service is, no doubt that microwave gets a lot of use heating up dishes that sit in the window for long stretches of time before getting picked up by overworked servers doubling as hostesses. I will begin and end with a positive: this place has good ties to the community. I have been there twice and on both occasions, they were fundraising or hosting a community group event. Please step it up, Norman's. We want to come back. read more

The first time I came here the experience was wonderful, which was on a Saturday night. However I don't know how to explain what happened today. Friday evening around 7:30pm I came with my co-worker and it wasn't packed maybe 3 tables with guest. As we sat there we saw waiter after waiter walk pass us not even offering us water and we couldn't understand because other tables were being served. So after patiently waiting after 15 mins we left. So disappointed!!! read more

I came for one reason only---the seafood gumbo. Some may consider it pricey but considering the big chunks of seafood, I think it's reasonable. Very well seasoned and has just enough kick of spice to get you going. read more

We had the blackened catfish and everything was hot and tasted great! They were scheduled to have been close today, Tuesday, but because of a private event we were able to have dinner. That was a great treat. read more

Norman's Bistro - Brazilian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came for Mother's Day brunch! My family was a party of 15. The service was soooooooooooooo slow solely because the hostess was also the server and the drink runner. For such a busy day they should have planned better. The was okay but nothing to rave home about read more

Ny colleague, a police commander was having a birthday bash and the waitress in the bar area was ver rude.

Came here on the suggestion of my taxi driver. They have live jazz but we came too early! We arrived at 4pm. The space is cute & clean. Nice artwork, the service is laid back, not rude but also not smiley. As for the food, we ordered the seafood jumbo and stir fry. I wasn't really feeling either dish. Lots of sauce as if it comes in a tub, generic. I wish it had less sauce so I could taste the real seasoning, which is why I gave it a 3 star. All in all this may be a spot to go to at night. read more

Norman's Bistro - Brazilian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I originally saw this restaurant on ABC 7 during a food highlight section with the hungry hound, Steve Dolinksky. Being from Hyde Park, I'm always excited when new restaurants open in the surrounding area, because the immediate HP area, is very heavy with Asian influence and I'm not exactly a fan of the cuisine, that I could eat it that much. Norman's Bistro, was a pleasant surprise. Decor that can described as new and pseudo upscale, accompanied by relaxing Jazz/Blues selections, create a warm atmosphere. Upon arrival, we were immediately seated, which I appreciate, but I have to say, while our waiter was courteous, he did make several mistakes (took too long for water refills and just general checking up). The food was delicious; I ordered the shrimp/grits/canadian bacon soup in addition to the chicken pot pie. My only complaint, would be the chicken pot pie was slightly cool in some areas and piping hot in others, which tells me, the waiter allowed my food to sit for too long. For dessert, I had the homemade brownie, which was ok. The brownie had been baked for too long, as it was extremely hard around the edges, with a soft whipped cream middle. I have to be honest in saying, when paired with a cup of their tasty coffee, it can be ignored lol. Even with these small mistakes, I'll be back for three reasons: 1. The surrounding neighborhood needs more eateries and this is a great spot to begin that redevelopment of 43rd 2. Black owned and it's always good to support miniority business owners 3. Minus the small mishaps with temperature, the food was good!!! read more

I went here last night with my best friend. We like to find new restaurants and review them. Let's just say the parking is nonexistent. I had to park in front of someone's house who gave me a dirty look for taking their spot. We had a nice waitress named Chada, who also gave recommendations. The restaurant was beautifully decorated. I loved the jazz/blues music playing in the back ground. Now down to the food. I was not very impressed at all. The yeast rolls were good. I was told that the Seafood chili would be good and I must admit it was delicious. My side salad does not need to be addressed. I order the jambalaya. The shrimp were big and the sausages were ok. The rice mixture was too salty. My best friend ordered a slab of ribs. They were falling off the bone as for the texture. However if it was not for the flavorful BBQ sauce, they would've been bland. No seasoning of the meat. The potatoes that came with them were also very bland. We were ready for the sweet potatoes dream for the dessert and they did not have it. I was very disappointed. My other friend had bragged how delicious this was. We had to settle on cheese cake and bread pudding. Again, bread pudding really did not have a good flavor as far as the rum sauce. I am not sure if I would consider going back... read more

I attended a private birthday party 6/3/17 at Norman's Bistro and while the food was good, especially the roasted chicken wings the bartenders in our private party area where less than friendly and seemed to not be happy with their jobs. Every time we asked for a drink they had an attitude. This is the very reason why they didn't receive any tips. read more

My friend had a birthday dinner for six people , 8/31. Four people got their food. I asked the waitress if my burger and a friend's burger was ready, I received a flat NO and the waitress turned around and left. Once I got my food I noticed I didn't get the grilled onions, this time the waitress didn't even acknowledge that I was talking to her. The resturant wasn't busy for a Friday night so I can't understand the bad service. We go to the party room. I'm waiting at the bar for about five minutes or so and no one asks if we want a drink. I had to ask the bar back who the bartender was. Once the bartender took our drink orders there was no sorry about the wait . The food is just ok. The service is terrible. read more

We were just there on Saturday (March 17th) and had a lovely meal and a pleasant evening. The atmosphere was really nice, and our server was extremely attentive (perhaps, they have hired some new servers since the last reviews were written). The cocktails were on the expensive side, but they do not skimp on the alcohol. One of our dining companions actually asked for more tonic for her gin and tonic. They have a specialty cocktail menu that does not disappoint. The food was good - nothing spectacular or unique- but enjoyable. The portions seemed pretty big (I could not finish the lobster pot pie), and the desserts were tasty. I would definitely eat there again. read more

The Sunday buffet was plentiful and to die for. The plantains were sweet and delicious. I also stuffed myself on vanilla icecream and loads of wonderful toppings. I didn't look at the menu so missed some of you guys' wonderful experience with misspelled words. Our waiter was timely and was always there for us. I will return again. My Queen Mother thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere, the service and the food. And of course, as we were leaving, Norman introduced himself to us and we were on our merry way. Faith Sloan faithsloan.com read more

Good food and service. Really like the pork chop and the seafood gumbo. Check your bill at the end and with groups be sure to say separate bills in the beginning to save a LOT of time. read more

I went to Norman's for the first time and ordered the chicken gumbo bowl with the fries. Don't get me wrong the food was okay but it was barley any gumbo in the bowl. It was basically a bowl of rice. Hardly any chicken. read more

Good food and Black owned. Service was fine and hostess was very accommodating. This is my second visit here and wasn't disappointed