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North Pond

4.0 (754 reviews)
Ultra High-EndNew American
Closed • Closed

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NORTH POND ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Intimate
Romantic
Upscale

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Recommended Reviews - North Pond

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Pastry case
Leland L.

Checked out the new Saturday coffee and pastries at north pond!! There wasn't a ton of info online about this new feature of theirs so was excited to check it out. They open at 10, there was a small line but nothing crazy the whole time we were there. Vibes are great, you can sit outside at the umbrella tables with a great view of the pond! So good on a nice day. Service was excellent, as expected for a Michelin place serving coffee. Super kind man at the counter and coffees were made quickly. Pastries took a little longer but not too bad! I got an iced latte which was solid! My friends got the cold brew and just by the look of it I could tell it looked weak and super watered down. Espresso was good though, and prices are surprisingly standard if not inexpensive for the coffee ($6 ish) Pastries are small but unique and fun and made with quality! We tried just about everything and split them. Each one is about $9 which is a little steep for some of the sizes but made sense for the artistry. I think my favorites were the samosas, savory focaccia, and zucchini bread (the lemon and blueberries were a nice unique touch). Overall would come back mainly because the vibes were nice! Not like the best new bakery by any means but totally worth checking out on a nice day!

Crystal Z.

Ambiance - intimate spot, great for dates & celebrations Service - exceptional, our server was polite and checked on us often Food - offers tasting menu only & glad we got to choose our main course option, everything was cooked to perfection, loved that they made some parts of the dinner interactive

The partridge
Nick P.

North Pond is located in Lincoln Park, not far from the zoo. They held a Michelin Star for about 7 years. I recommend using Spot Hero for parking or using rideshare to make it easier. If you use a rideshare, put in this address 2600 North Lakeview Ave. You'll get dropped off and all you have to do is walk through that tunnel and you're there. The service was immaculate from beginning to end. The dinner tasting was $136 per person. There is a free coat check or you can put your coat on the back of your chair. So, some of the reviews sound a little fake. If they did such a bad job then where are the pictures to prove it? Sounds sus if you ask me. We went on a Saturday night and it was very busy. They were not understaffed nor did they make any mistakes. We came here to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday and they made it extra special. I'm not going to go through the tasting menu but everything was delectable from beginning to end. I left pretty content and I'm a big eater. In the second course we got both selections. For the main course we got Jake's lamb and pork. For dessert we got payaso and ube napolitano. I recommend trying out some of the refreshers. We got the partridge and pickle margarita. Both were different so it's hard to pick a favorite. However, they were both equally good in their own category.

Zoey's dumpling
Kim L.

Came here to celebrate a promotion and it did not disappoint. Chef Cesar even stopped by at the end of the night to check on our experience and gift a pickle jar to us. Btw he is exactly as sweet as he appeared in top chef! Really enjoyed our choices and of the mains, got to try the Chippewa trout and wagyu, which were both excellent. The Zoey's dumpling was great flavor and the melon course was playful. Enjoyed everything we had. Service was great, menu was thoughtful and the wine pairing was nice.

Scone

Stopped in for the Saturday morning cafe (some Saturdays, 10am-2pm) for an iced latte and a scone. Both were good, but the scone was most impressive as usually I find scones dry or bland. This is a fun, low stakes way to check out the restaurant.

Lamb
Debra F.

This is a review of their current tasting menu. As always, the 360 views of North Pond are stunning and change year round with the seasons. For a Friday night the restaurant was busy but not overcrowded. We had wine pairings with our tasting menu. The wine choice was thoughtfully made and paired very well with the courses. 7 courses in all and you got to make a few choices within the menu. Every dish was well prepared and well proportioned. I chose the whitefish as my main and while it was delicious, both of us who had the whitefish thought it was a tad on the salty side. My husband had the lamb and said it was excellent. Service was very good with attentive staff who took the time to explain not just the dishes but the wine that went with it. The price point is pretty good - just over $200pp including wine pairings (and they were generous with their pours) . Definitely cheaper than some 1 Michelin star restaurants in Lincoln Park and in my opinion definitely better than a couple of them.

Strawberry Swiss Roll
Avery J.

One of the best meals I've ever had--hands down! Came here for Sunday brunch and was blown away. The setting is absolutely beautiful, nestled right by the pond, and the ambiance was made even better by a playlist of 80s alternative and Top 40 hits (totally unexpected, but I loved it!). The service was flawless--friendly, attentive, and genuine. I had the pork belly special, which was perfectly cooked and full of flavor, followed by the strawberry Swiss roll for dessert. Both were beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. They also had fresh, house-made lemonade served as cocktails with a variety of options--mine was with chartreuse, and it was divine. Highly recommend this spot for a celebratory brunch or a splurge-worthy meal. Can't wait to come back!

Annette B.

My visit to North Pond was nothing short of magical! I love that this place is tucked away and has a nice prairie style FLW vibe on the inside. While waiting, I had a delightful conversation with the bartender and really enjoyed my drinks! I had a gorgeous concord grape/rosemary lemonade and an amazing mocktail with a pineapple foam. The food here was FANTASTIC. It's a tasting menu that is carefully and seasonally curated, in addition to being stunningly plated and presented. Every dish was thoroughly explained. As part of the tasting menu, some items are chosen for you ahead of time but you do get choices for your entree and dessert. There are also some tasty surprises along the way! I truly can't recommend this place enough--it's easily among my absolute favorite restaurants in the city!

Katie D.

North Pond has been on my list for a while and seeing Cesar on Top Chef made me get off my butt & make a reservation. We went in April - which is that weird time between seasons. The restaurant is in a lovely setting & I feel like if we were there in any other season the views fantastic. I just looked through my photos and to be honest I can not remember what exactly we ate - but I can tell you that I remember being surprised by textures & flavors. Everything was beautifully plated. I liked it enough to want to come back for another season - which is a big deal for me.

Quail
Natalie L.

We loved this meal. The real stars were the most unique dishes: the chilled melon, cucumber, coconut soup with crab, fennel, and some sort of spice. The other faves: the mushroom, scallop, and buckwheat crepe, the yak tortellini, and the pear with 5 spice dessert. The staff were knowledgeable and on-point. The building was also super cool. Will go again!

Herb L.

My fiance and I were celebrating our 6th anniversary and North Pond made us feel special on our special day Firstly we were greeted by a friendly folks at the Host station, they were more than happy to have us (and everyone else) there and their hospitality followed suit Waitress was top notch too as she explained the whole process of the evening (5 course meal with the first 3 courses the same and choices for the entree and dessert portions). She even brought us over some glasses of rosé to celebrate our evening. Our menus were customized to us as at the top it said HAPPY 6th ANNIVERSARY Courtney & Herb, which was a nice touch that we weren't expecting. I have to admit, when I initially looked at the pictures on their website and saw the portion sizes I balked because as a big guy (270 lbs) I thought no was was this gonna fill me up but I was happily wrong First course were the samosas and they were delightful Second Course were the scallop tamales and for two things I never thought would go together in a dish work as pleasantly as these did, color me impressed Third course were the pork belly and pear pairing and this might have been my favorite of the evening as the meat was tender and flavorful and the pears balanced the dish out with its subtle sweetness I picked the Wagyu for my entree and while it was cooked correctly (medium rare) I found it to be slightly tougher than I usually enjoy And finally for my dessert I had the Pepita Pumpkin, which hit the spot especially with the little bits of dulce de calabaza And throughout the evening the chef would send dishes for us to celebrate our evening so it actually was like an 8 course meal when you include the cheese plate we ordered As for the atmosphere, we went on a cold Friday in December and it still had spectacular views inside and out. It's right in the middle of Lincoln Park so you have to park on either Cannon or Stockton and walk over (parking was scarce but we found a spot eventually). Beautiful view of the Skyline with a pond in the foreground. I'd bet that during the summertime and in the day it's that much better but we enjoyed it too. Some will balk at the price but for all that we got and how special the whole staff made us feel the entire evening, it was well worth it and we will be returning

Crab corn
Leanne G.

We came here on a Friday night after a busy week attending a conference. The restaurant is in a beautiful location near a pond and in a beautiful historic building, which makes for a special atmosphere. The cocktails are delicious, and they have a nice collection of mocktails. The menu is a 4-course tasting menu. We were impressed with the variety of options for each course, and everyone in our party found something amazing in each section. The dishes were good but we found that there was a lot going on with each plate. Multiple strong flavors were paired together, which was overwhelming at times. The dinner took over 2 hours. We weren't put out by the extended time but it felt like we were waiting a long time between courses.

Gorgeous decor
K C.

We recently celebrated my birthday here, and it was the perfect dinner experience to cap off a perfect (albeit very snowy) day! Each course was delicious and presented so creatively. The service was absolutely top notch. I also really appreciated the special little birthday things throughout. We also really loved the gorgeous arts & crafts decor. We are looking forward to coming back!

Dessert

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Absolutely amazing staff and service. I highly recommend. The wine pairing is better than other experiences I've had.

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North Pond Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - North Pond

Do they have a children's menu?

They do but it's $29 for dinner.

Is there a dress code? jeans and nice sweatshirt okay?

As stated on their website, "Requested Attire is Business Casual." Jeans and a sweatshirt… 

It looks like the seasonal tasting is the only option on the menu online- how does it work? Can we order a meal that isn't a part of that offering?

No. Prefixed menu the way a chef designed it. I always try to go with the flow since Master Chefs at this level really are creative artists of taste, design and pairing. So it's really best to be all-in for the full Chef's experience.

Are they taking reservations?

Yes

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4.4(261 reviews)
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This was incredible. The servers and staff are so accommodating and were an absolute like delight…read more We had six people and then a baby in like a stroller and one of our people was on one of those knee scooters and they were not that busy so they let me come in and pick the table that would work best for us and when it came time to change like the baby, they made sure we could have a space for it and let us know that they would clean up like wipe the booth area down after (although we had a pad to place, because there wasn't a changing station in the bathroom. The food was incredible. I particularly sought after it because my best friend wanted a burger and she was not disappointed. She adored it. All of our meals were delicious. I would highly recommend you go here. I got the Pear and Chicken sandwich and it was to die for along with the Parmesan fries and my best friend got a burger and some of the other people I think got salmon and everyone loved what they got.

Pretty decent spot. It has a cool vibe and the staff is extremely friendly. We tried:…read more- Thyme Supreme - Cuban Spiced Won Tons - Crispy Quesadillas - South of the Border - Roasted Pear Salad The salad smelled like Christmas, which isn't a bad thing. I liked the wontons but wouldn't say they reminded me of Cuban food, still good! Overall not bad and would recommend stopping in for a drink and a bite.

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Farm Bar - Lakeview - Farm Bar Burger

Farm Bar - Lakeview

4.2(596 reviews)
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Farm Bar was such a great find. The outdoor seating was packed and full of life. There was this…read morereally nice energy around the whole place. The staff were super friendly too and gave us some awesome recommendations, which definitely helped because there were so many things I wanted to try. I ordered the Harissa Shakshuka, it came with roasted peppers, onions, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, goat cheese, and two poached eggs, served with sourdough toast. When it came out, the presentation immediately caught my attention. The two poached eggs were sitting right on top of this beautiful, rich sauce, with the goat cheese scattered throughout. Once I cut into the eggs and that runny yolk mixed into everything underneath... wow. The flavor was outstanding. The tomatoes and roasted peppers gave the dish a deep, slightly sweet and savory base, while the harissa added a warm, smoky heat that slowly built with each bite. The garbanzo beans were soft and tender, adding this really nice texture. And the sourdough toast was perfect for this. I could scoop up the sauce, egg yolk, beans, and peppers all in one bite. That's when the dish really came together. This was a seriously delicious breakfast. Every bite had something going on, and I'd definitely order it again.

Ambiance & Atmosphere This restaurant is beautiful on the…read moreinside and outside. They offer indoor and outdoor seating. The ambiance was warm and welcoming. The music was nostalgic if you're a millennial, playing 98 Degrees, Ashanti, J-Lo, etc. Food & Drinks I got the Wisconsin Pimento Sandwich with cheese curds. The bread on the sandwich was a bit tough. I got the honey lavender coffee but couldn't really taste the lavender. Service & Cleanliness The server was attentive. The bathrooms are clean. Overall Experience - The ambiance made up for the food.

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4.1(97 reviews)
0.9 mi•Lincoln Park, Sheffield Neighbors, DePaul

I really enjoyed Johns, I was not aware of the ordering process. When you check it you get a…read moremenu stand or sit and then place your drinks and meal orders with the hostess. We ordered a couple appetizers and 3 mains with dessert. The pacing of the food was perfect. You could tell there was good communication between front of house and back of house. Plates and silver cleared and reset perfectly. The somellier was very knowledgeable personable and we really enjoyed our wine selections. The food was perfect. Very small on the portion size but the flavors and execution were fabulous. The Branzino was my favorite one of the best quality and tasting ones in North America. We will be back for sure

While it was somewhat happenstance that I had heard about John's Food and Wine before my latest…read moretrip to Chicago, it proved to be quite fortuitous. First of all, the food was amazing. It really felt like everything was perfectly executed and well balanced in flavor. In terms of table favorites, the smaller starter items punched above their weight class. In particular, the Grilled Cabbage Salad (with kimchi vinaigrette) was straight addictive. Likewise, we couldn't stop talking about the Broad Bean Salad with fig leaf vinaigrette (the beans had this amazing quick pickle flavor but were still snappy and fresh). My friends devoured the Murasaki Sweet Potato (I definitely enjoyed it as well, but would've preferred a sweeter note than the aioli). I couldn't stop eating the Mafalde, and the Half Chicken's reputation was well earned. I was sad to concede that we over ordered on entrees given our early dinner time, and ultimately couldn't try dessert. Service throughout was attentive and responsive. We easily had our plates replaced several times to accommodate new dishes, (a particular peeve of mine at some restaurants), and things were quickly bussed and straightened between courses without much interruption. The space was light and inviting for our early supper, but I can't speak to later night vibes. There were some interesting wines available, limited cocktail selection, and some beer and N/A options too. As others have noted, you do need to place the table order before sitting down, and I found this a little stressful to spearhead with a group of six. I do think it probably led to over ordering, and I wasn't sure if there would be a way to add/adjust later if needed. I know of other places that do this, but I think it might be helpful to get some additional instructions/guidance at this stage. All of that said, it was a truly great dinner that I continue to think about a couple of weeks later.

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Gemini - Crispy Shrimp Spring Rolls

Gemini

4.0(775 reviews)
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Back Again - Gemini Pt 2, but this time for brunch!…read more I enjoyed my first dinner experience here so much last week that we had to come right back to try their weekend brunch. From the start, the hostesses were inviting and lovely. The restaurant is very pretty, warmly blending a modern style with a touch of classic French bistro elegance. I'm mostly so impressed with how versatile the restaurant actually can be, shifting seamlessly from an elegant, upscale dinner setting with its beautiful U-shaped marble bar to a bright, whimsical, and enchantingly airy brunch setting. The fully opened bifold windows are adjacent to the pergola-topped patio, letting a glorious, cascading breeze drift through the space to create a wonderful indoor-outdoor flow and a lively weekend energy. Once again, we thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered: Super Green Vegetable Salad: The kale, broccoli, avocado, asparagus, and peas were crisp and fresh. We loved this so much during our first dinner visit last week that we had to order it again for brunch! Spectacular! Nova Lox Platter: The wild salmon topped with diced red onion, capers, and hard-boiled egg crumble, served with an everything bagel and a side of chive cream cheese, was excellent. French Onion Frittata: The rich gruyère and caramelized onions were wonderful. If you're a French onion soup lover like me, this is a can't-miss!! Definitely will be reordered and often. Fantastic! Daily Omelette: Ordered from the special menu, featuring black truffle salsa, mascarpone, and Calabrian chile honey. It was absolutely phenomenal, perfectly cooked, and the flavor combination was incredible. Our server, Sarah, was excellent and made the experience even better - we even share the same name! The management team was also incredibly warm and attentive, stopping by our table to welcome us back. Returning twice in one week says it all. This restaurant has made it into my regular rotation and is hands down one of my new favorites!

Not too shabby. I…read morelike this place for an impromptu early dinner. I've been twice and always sit outside in the patio area. The restaurant itself is pretty as is the outdoor dining area if aesthetics are important to you. Service is also great. Food wise...good portions overall. However, all I want is a little bit more: a little more butter for the delicious bread, a little more time in the oven for the Brussel sprouts to soften them up, and a little more cream to accompany the carrots. Also, a few more croutons in the Caesar salad! All that being said, the steak was well seasoned and who can ever object to a tasty side of fries? Dining here, you're getting a healthier experience as opposed to heavy seasoning, butter, sauce, etc, but it's good overall.

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North Pond - newamerican - Updated October 2026

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