Stylish Fulton Market Brunch with Great Food and Service…read more Booked brunch for two on OpenTable at Aba in Fulton Market, and it's easy to see why this spot is so popular. The space is beautiful--open, bright, full of natural light, and stylish without feeling overdone. We ordered the Short Rib Shakshuka, which was flavorful with just a hint of spice and a generous portion size. The warm, soft pita served alongside was perfect for dipping. The Steak and Eggs was also excellent--the steak and eggs were cooked perfectly, and the fried potatoes were a standout: crispy on the outside while still moist and tender inside. Portion sizes were just right. We also tried both of the recommended brunch cocktails, and they were strong, flavorful, and well balanced. Service from Mike was great--friendly, efficient, and attentive throughout the meal. Overall, Aba delivered a polished and enjoyable brunch experience. Highly recommend, and based on what we tasted, I'd absolutely come back to try dinner.

I first discovered Aba around the time they had first opened up and it was such an amazing dining…read moreexperience, that I made a reservation again when I came back into town all these years later. I have to admit... it's not the same as it used to be. Don't get me wrong, it's an excellent place to dine at, especially on their patio during the Chicago summer, which was one of the biggest reasons why I came back. I was with someone who had not explored Chicago before so it definitely gave the city ambience while being engulfed in the Mediterranean experience. Yet the inside dining area feels like you're dining in small romantic villages in Italy or Greece. Service is still top notch. But the food is what's not the same. For me, the highlight was the crispy short rib hummus. I never thought they'd go well together but the juices from the meat blended in with the hummus and it's just soooo good. The kefta was nothing to be impressed about in which I expected more for the price we paid for. The chicken thighs were good but also nothing to be that impressed about. The one thing I was a little disappointed by is that they no longer serve a desert I tried the first time I was there, and their new desserts are average. Nothing to marvel about. Their OG desert is what had stayed in my mind all these years. You can't go wrong for a nice little date night at this spot or if you're new to the city, but it's not exactly a place I feel like I want to come back to, especially at that price. You're really mostly paying for the experience of the place.

The Purple Pig has risen to be my absolute favorite restaurant I've had the joy of eating at in…read moreChicago. After coming back to the city almost a decade later, I knew I wanted to have a meal here. The best way to eat a meal here is to share all the dishes with friends. Sage Gimlet (5/5) - I started my meal with a refreshing sage gimlet that was a strong but well balanced cocktail. Roasted Bone Marrow (5/5) - I 100% would recommend getting this appetizer to start off the meal. The marrow was perfectly roasted and paired so well with the jam and salad. Roasted Beets (5/5) - If you love beets, get this salad. The flavors were so well balanced and I really liked the fried balls of goat cheese. Agnolotti (5/5) - This pasta was amazing!! The short rib and bone marrow with the fresh pasta still makes my mouth water. Scallops (5/5) - These scallops were perfectly cooked. The crispy prosciutto was a tad on the salty side. I honestly love the energy and the flavor bomb this restaurant packs. I can't wait until I'm back in the city and can dine here again.

This was one of the best food experiences I have had in my life. I'm so glad I was able to reserve…read moretwo seats at the bar. Walking to the location, my friend and I discussed the various dishes we would like to try. In hindsight, I'm grateful for the walk because it helped make room for the dishes we would try. When we entered, we immediately were seated and greeted by Omar. His knowledge of the menu helped us focus on our dishes. We ended up ordering: squid ink chitarra, agnolotti, salt- roasted beets, pork belly, and gelato. Each dish was better than the next. The brown butter and red wine jus used for the agnolotti was addictive and the squid ink was delectable. Who knew salt- roasted beets could taste out of this world? Not me. We ended with a glass of limoncello and champagne to accompany our vanilla gelato. I'm already looking forward to my next visit.

Love this place especially during the summer. Nothing like walking around outside in the heat and…read morecoming in here and getting a nice sangria. Also really good for happy hour! Staff is attentive. The place is small and a little crowded so keep that in mind when planning your visit.

Lil Ba Ba Reeba was such a good time! I've heard about this spot forever, so I was really happy to…read morefinally try it, and it definitely lived up to the hype. We sat outside, which was really nice, so we didn't really get to experience the atmosphere inside. Service was super helpful and attentive. We got the garlic shrimp, roasted dates wrapped in bacon, patatas bravas, and the lamb brocheta. The roasted dates wrapped in bacon were sooo good. Sweet, salty, and warm. Just one of those bites that makes you immediately want another. Those were delicious. The lamb brocheta was probably my favorite. Super juicy, super flavorful, and just really satisfying. That's definitely the dish I'd go back for. The patatas bravas were good too, though I do think they could've used a little more salt. The garlic shrimp weren't my favorite, but they came with this amazing oil that was really good for dipping bread in. I love tapas so I'm really glad I came here, and I'd definitely come back to try more of the menu!

(Kari's Rating 8.75/10)…read more Came with a friend late on a Friday night after dinner time We were able to be seated almost immediately at a nice little private Cove table. We ordered a flight of whiskey sours, which contained whiskeys from Japan, Vietnam, and Wisconsin. I also was able to order an amaretto sour, which they made with freshly hand beaten egg whites, which was a nice cherry on the top. As far as the whiskey flights go, I think the best one was the Vietnam flight because it had a slightly lemongrass twang and was a little bit lighter than the other two. The heaviest one was the Wisconsin which came with a little bit of a bite at the end, but it still wasn't bad if you're trying to blackout on a $15 budget. I would definitely come back with a larger group this seems like a great place, but is a little bit loud- so if you be prepared to yell or wear earplugs. The bathroom took my a second to find, which should have been intuitive considering it was on the opposite end of where you come in. I blame the lighting as things are already pretty hard to find in the dark, but eventually I made it there-Pat myself on the back.

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.

An amazing experience! Highly recommend!…read more We experienced the tiniest goat, which you get to sit in front of the kitchen, all the action. You need reservations, paid a flat rate per person, only include a drink, absolutely worth it. The menu is set by the chef. The waiter is super knowledgeable and friendly. A disclosure is that the chef doesn't make your food in front of you, the show is to see all the kitchen staff in action, you have front row seats to where the magic happens. A unique experience, the food was super delicious with a mix of flavors from around the world. I left with an amazing experience in terms of food and flavors, but my greatest lesson was how hard the kitchen staff works and the passion: the orchestrated action to keep with the orders, the constant heat from the kitchen, the attention to details, and the love for flavor perfection. Plus, one of the best old fashioned I have ever had!

This restaurant is popular and super packed. It's a bit loud but the ambiance is nice and…read moreupscale-ish with the dim lighting, open kitchen concept, and interior decor. Service was a bit slow. It took 45 mins to get our first dish, which was the halibut. First, just want to comment that the portion size is quite small relative to the price of the dishes. The halibut. This was very delicious. Somehow the blueberry nuoc cham works? The fish was tender and flaky. The sauce was salty and full of umami with a hint of blueberry sweetness. This fish dish made me crave for a bowl of steaming hot bfluffy white rice. The string beans. Unless you are allergic to nuts, this is a must get dish. Perfectly cooked string beans (still crispy but not raw) sautéed with fish sauce vinaigrette was an absolute delight. It's also on the salty side which made me crave rice but it's such a flavor bomb. The cashews provided a contrast in texture but yet complemented the seemingly simple dish. I wish the portions were bigger. The galbi. It's was good but compared to the first 2 dishes, didn't really wow me. The meat was one rib strip (4 rib bones) cut into 4 pieces so it's a rather small portion for the price. The stone fruit slices was a nice pairing in that it provided a sweet and tart contrast to the heavier meat flavor. After trying this dish, I felt I personally prefer the LA galbi marinade flavor and preparation for short ribs. Overall, I'm glad I got to try this place. Would come back for the string beans on a splurge day .

We went there for a quick bite to eat at lunchtime. We sat at the bar. The host, the servers, and…read morethe bartenders were friendly and helpful. Our drinks were outstanding!!! The bartender, Carlos, is definitely a mixologist. He knew exactly how to make what we asked for - a Mexican martini We had 5 dishes. All of them were outstanding. My favorites were: The artichokes (such good flavors), the bacon wrapped dates, the queso de cabra, the steak with carmelized onions and horseradish sauce (outstanding), and the pincho de limon (which wasn't our favorite, but it was still good)! Such a great experience. I seriously considered going back for dinner. Well done Tapas Valencia.

Disappointing Experience at Tapas Valencia on Friday night with manager…read more I was incredibly disheartened during our recent visit to Tapas Valencia, one of our favorite restaurants in our neighborhood. We walked in, excited for a nice evening out without of town guest, only to be turned away and told they were fully booked for the evening. What was even more frustrating was that when I checked online shortly after, there were tables available within 30 minutes of leaving the restaurant. Living less than a block away and having been regular visitors, this experience was particularly disheartening. The manager's lack of care when turning us away left a sour taste, and it felt as though our loyalty didn't matter at all. With so many dining options within walking distance, we decided to take our business down the street. We usually visit Tapas Valencia about twice a month, but after how we were treated this evening, it's clear that we won't be returning. It's unfortunate, but the way we were treated has led us to seek out other dining experiences.

This place slaps nothing more to say. I am picky about tapas and I think this place is excellent…read more We made a resy for a Sunday night and glad we did because they were quite busy! We sat out on their covered patio area which super cute and ordered a sangria pitcher to share. Great sangria! We got a bunch to share of course but the first thing was the olives (YUM) and the brussel sprout salad which was surprisingly so yummy! We also tried croquetas which were great, the chicken and chorizo skewers, patatas bravas, the tortilla (which I have had authentic one and this one is great) and same goes for the pulpo which was so good. I really don't think we went wrong with anything we ordered even the chickpea stew was great. My take on the paella is get the seafood one if you can. I didn't tried but we had to get the chicken one because a lot of our table doesn't eat seafood and it was okay to me! Huge serving though so save room post the tapas! And of course we have to get the dessert so we had the cheesecake the chocolate cake and both were fab. Such a cutie place and I will be thinking about these tapas for a while!

Never got around to writing a review for this place after 5+ years of going here but just gotta say…read morethis is my favorite restaurant of all time. I no longer live in Chicago but when I did, I'd frequent here at least once every other week. And when I'm in town, I always make it a mission to come here at least once. Dined here this past Monday and had the best service thanks to our waiter Santiago! My favorites to try are: Patatas Pravas Brussel Sprouts Salad Hanger Steak Chicken/Beef empanadas Goat Cheese and Bread The paella is amazing as well, however it's quite filling so I'd recommend getting that if you're not going to get too many tapas plates. Can't wait till I'm back next! Also FYI they sell merch too and it's pretty fire!

In an area packed with casual food spots, Figo is spicing things up! It's upscale but not…read morepretentious- perfect for meeting up with friends when you want to feel a little fancy without going through hoops getting ready. The staff was super attentive and kind, checking on us frequently. My friend and I stopped by for happy hour, and this should absolutely make it onto the list of the best in town. They have delicious wine, cocktails, and bites for nearly half of the regular price. I opted for the happy hour prosecco to drink, which was light-bodied and not too sweet. We split the meatballs and dates for bites and both were outstanding. I was super impressed with how tender the meatballs were, and they did not skimp on the flavorful marinara and cheese! The dates, which were topped with a white wine cheese sauce, were mouth-wateringly delicious and a must order. There was also complimentary focaccia with olive oil, which was greatly appreciated. With sea salt on top and a crispy exterior, I could easily have eaten a whole loaf. The only note I have is that the portions are small, so if you don't come during happy hour the prices are a bit steep for what you get. Will 100% be back soon to try more of the menu and highly recommend making the trek over here!

Very cute spot right off the Belmont stop. We were able to take advantage of happy hour deals and…read moresat right at the bar. However, the bartender was not very nice, and we saw her stick her hand in someone's glass to get something out before serving it... Other than that though the hh glass of red, complementary bread with olive oil, and hh Brussels were all great!