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    Schwa

    4.1 (614 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndNew American
    Closed Closed
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Schwa Photos

    Business Info

    SCHWA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Very loud
    Hipster
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - Schwa

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    Sky W.

    I really have mixed feelings about Schwa. On one hand, the restaurant's vibes are really great and I had a great time celebrating with my friends. On the other hand, the food left quite a bit to be desired and the staff felt rather lukewarm towards our party. Before arriving, I saw all the reviews complaining about the loud music. I found the music to be rather enjoyable and my friends generally agreed, though the genre seemed to jump all over the place. It did make hearing the staff's explanations of each dish extremely difficult; it would've been better if the staff adjusted their speaking volume based on how loud the music was. One great thing about Schwa is that you can BYOB, which I appreciated! Overall, the food was not very memorable. Out of all the courses, the only ones I really enjoyed were the foie gras pastry and the quail. In fact, I loved the quail which had a lovely texture and flavor. The rest were either unmemorable or even bad. To me, the most perplexing course was the ramen. While the concept of the dish is really cool, the flavors of the "noodles" and the tea did not go well together and the "noodle" texture was very bizarre. I love it when restaurants are very experimental with their flavors and textures, but this was sadly a huge miss. I really looked forward to trying the wagyu dish after it was presented, but that it was sadly a bit dry for me and I really didn't like the flavor of the dried kelp in the dish. Given how expensive this meal was and my overall experience, I'm not sure I would come back to give it another try. Food: 3/5 Service: 3.25/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Overall: 3.25/5

    Joshua M.

    Food was spectacular. Ambience was a unique experience. And service was impeccable. Would definitely go back to celebrate again.

    Float and Uni
    Clay G.

    Food is meant to be enjoyed but food can also be an experience and I have never been anywhere that did this quite as well as Schwa. Every dish was both beautiful and delicious and you could see the intentionality behind every decision. I particularly loved both the wagyu and the quail which were probably the best meats I've ever had. As far the experience itself, I can acknowledge it's not for everyone but it was certainly for me. The music is loud but not overwhelming and I felt like they were playing one of my playlists. Really I just had a lot of fun dining here. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday experience and hopefully I can come back for another special occasion soon.

    Cassie H.

    Easy to miss storefront in Wicker Park, but upon entrance you quickly realize why their reservations go quickly, as the minute you pass the threshold you're in the small dining room. The executive chef seats you and introduces himself and the staff, and then you're left to your table with a background of slightly louder music, to the effect of speaking loudly to your table mates and also being able to hear the table next to yours doing the same. The meal progresses well with timing. The food is innovative, technical, and overall tasty but gone is the ceremony, formality and high end service you may be expecting for fine dining. Rather, the chef and staff create a rapport with each dining table, introducing the dishes and even sending you off with a whiskey shot. My absolute favorite dishes of the night were the truffle raviolo and the sable fish course. The apple cider and donut were also a very unique, refreshing, and fun dessert. It's easy to see why this restaurant has thrived for over 20 years and survived the COVID pandemic. Although it may not be my favorite tasting menu ever, it was a fun evening with my sister and the food and ambiance definitely contributed.

    Megan L.

    By far the worst Michelin I've ever been to. Staff is weird. They're not very polite. I have no idea why they're blasting hip hop and rap music so loudly that I could barely hear my friend or the servers who were explaining every dish to us. The interior is really cheap-looking. My friend and I couldn't stop commenting on how it feels like you're in a prank room and someone's about to tell you that you've been punked. For more than $300 per person.... an absolute waste of money. Do not come here. A waiter literally judged my friend and me for not bringing any wine or alcohol. He asked us multiple times why we hadn't thought to bring liquor because they're a BYOB establishment and he could have it delivered if we wanted to. Maybe we just... don't like to drink while we eat? My friend and I have a theory that this place relies on people being drunk in order to have good reviews. It was an extremely off-putting experience to be questioned so heavily on why we hadn't taken part in BYOB. The food is truly abysmal. Stale crackers. Stale pretzels. Weird combinations of food. I get that creativity is a a factor in high end restaurants, especially ones that are a contender for a star. However, this place... I can't even describe how awful the food is. My friend and I only liked one course out of maybe 10? The plating is strange. Some courses look like they come straight out of a horror movie. There was a really weird ramen course where they had you stick dried "noodles" into some broth, and the noodles instantly turned soggy and stale. They have one course that's a piece of ravioli, and they ask you to take it like a shooter. I took mine first and almost choked because of how much butter and salt I was eating. My friend saw my reaction and asked for a fork, and the waitress actually refused to give her one. Extremely off-putting. Ravioli isn't supposed to be eaten like a shooter? If you wanted your customers to take it like one, then maybe don't have half of the bowl be butter and salt? Yeah, worst use of our ~$600.

    Foie & Quail
    Jose C.

    I made reservations for a midweek dinner here. Upon entry you're face the kitchen, with no hostess stand for foyer. They ask for your first name and sit you down immediately. I will say this place is like no other Michelin star restaurant I've ever been to. No white table cloth here. They're actually black haha. They do blast the music but the music was great. They were bumping NY State of Mind by Nas and some Tech N9ne music. It made it difficult to hear the staff sometimes when they were describing the courses. You can definitely come in this place and be yourself. It's very casual and most importantly the entire staff was great. Very friendly and on point through our entire meal. It's also BYOB and they don't charge a corkage fee since it's includes in the service fee when you prepay. As for the food, it's a 14 course tasting menu with some dishes being served at the same time each counting as one of the courses. I'll describe some of the dishes but I don't want to spoil any special presentations to anyone. They start you off with "float" and served with "Uni." I'm not big on ginger, especially ginger beer but this paired together this was a delicious way to start your dinner. Raviolo-quail egg, truffle and ricotta. This one was delicious. A little salty but amazing flavor. Crab-a gumbo with hoja santa. A little bit of heat, but not too over powering. Sturgeon-perfecltly cooked, texture was great. Caviar-served on top of an apricot. This was one of my favorite dishes. I love apricot and caviar paired perfectly with it. It also had amazing texture. Foie-This was my favorite dish. It was served on top of a mole and very delicious. It was also served with "quail" and was pretty tasty well. Wagyu-served with matsutake, and battera. The wagyu was very tender and juicy. Perfectly cooked medium rare. Ramen-probably one of my least favorite of the night. The broth is made out of tea. Cheese-Ice cream made out of cheese, and served in a waffle cone Tea-banana kefir, amaro and chocolate served with "nilla," this was good. You dip the cookie just like you would with milk and cookies. And the last one was "fluff." My wife loved this one. It was too sweet for me. Cotton candy served with white chocolate and tonka at the bottom And then we took shots of whiskey at the very end of our meal with the staff. Overall I was really impressed with their service and the food presentation. So far every Michelin star restaurant has been a try once type of place. Schwa is the first one I've been to that I can definitely say I'm willing to return.

    Schwa is a trip -- the room is plain, but the food is anything but. Every course is inventive, playful, and seriously delicious. It's fine dining without the fuss, and easily one of the most fun and different meals in Chicago.

    Carrie B.

    When you love fine dining, you really appreciate how truly difficult it is to stand out. Schwa stood out from the second of walking in. The vibe is intimate and cool, hip hop music is loud, but not too loud. Immediate greetings are informal and friendly. There's a small staff of maybe 6, and they're tattooed and wearing shorts. While knowledgeable, they're not overly performative about delivering food. BYOB was a fun way to tailor your experience, though I wish they had guides for pairing sent with the reservation confirmation. There was hardly a miss in the entire dinner. From the cocktails to each delicious canapé to the fish and meat courses, it was delicious. The ramen was an excellent concept, but the noodles were crunchy, the steeping liquid needed to be much hotter. All in all, an excellent experience and one of the few fine dining experiences I would do again!

    Nana A.

    Great service, experience, and thought-out food. Loved ending the evening with a complimentary shot!

    Dominik K.

    What an amazing anniversary experience! We tried their tasting menu and it was absolutely delicious! I mentioned before going that my wife is gluten sensitive and they went above and beyond to make every dish gluten free! Some of them even tasted better than the original! It's also cool that it is BYOB so you can bring whatever you like and make your own cocktails if you choose to! The atmosphere at Schwa was vibrant and energetic, the chefs brought out the dishes themselves and explained everything very well. We had some good laughs with them and overall a good time! I can't wait to go back

    Alex B.

    Schwa was amazing, starting with that. I'll say that there were a few apsects of dining there that I think could have been better, but I'll get there below. I'll go as far as saying that among the coursed (price fixe) dinners - They had the best actual-tasting food. Some places you get a course and think "that was new, unique, and I enjoyed it.. but I'm not really sure I'd have a whole plate of it" .. Schwa was: "this tastes awesome, gimme more!" For service: I mean it was as expected, which is precise and great. They matched the personality of our table (as I observed the differences between other tables), they spaced the courses perfectly. We had several visits from the head chef, and each servers instructions were fun and unique. Food: I won't go 1 by 1, I'll try to be concise (not easy to be short though haha) 1. I loved this - so you get an oyster, but instead of slurping it down its on a fried tortilla of sorts, so you nibble it. BUT THEN, the next course was this incredible ravioli and that was instructed to slurp down (like an oyster). Really creative spin. 2. We had a fried fish that also came with some other type of fish - thinking I'd not like it and the looks were deceiving (no idea what it was called). Yummm it was just the perfect crispy fried texture. 3. Even the caviar was so good, and i don't like caviar. It was mixed with sweet jam. Basically the aspect of sweets they mixed into several courses were new to this type of dining, and again super creative. ..If there was any dish I would put at the bottom, maybe the beef. It was still great, but kind of just standard steak to me. Here is where I'll throw some thoughts: Is it worth $200 a person? To me yes. However the overall meal was (1) just under 2 hours, and seemed somewhat short. (2) Some vibe or character of the experience seemed lacking, can't put a finger on it, but just seemed like it started, ended, and we left. There needed to be more. (3) I wish it was a full restaurant and more of a 'production', as opposed to our quiet and solo table. Again can't put a finger on it, just missing something within the realm of "show" on top of the courses themselves. All in all it was incredible and I'd love to go back. BYOB is a huge factor as well.

    Sydney R.

    Great experience at Schwa. The food is innovative and exciting but it was chef Carlson and his team that made the night truly memorable. They were so cool and the passion was evident. Call ahead a day or two in advance to get wine pairing recommendations and bring a six pack for the staff.

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    Page 1 of 16

    Ask the Community - Schwa

    What is the kitchen's favorite kind of alcohol (to bring to them)?

    How far in advance do they open reservations?

    They're on Tock now.

    Is the reserved dining indoors or outdoors (September 2020)?

    Indoor

    For the recent diners in 2017.... I've read the reviews about "blaring music". Is it really that loud? I want to be able to talk at the table without yelling.

    It's not that loud at all! It's lively music - basically whatever they feel like hearing like punk, hip hop - but not overly loud where you can't talk.

    View All 8 Questions

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    Headquarters Beercade River North

    Headquarters Beercade River North

    4.0
    (602 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    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
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    Hurricane fries
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    Chalet

    Chalet

    3.7
    (191 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    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!

    First time having brunch at Chalet. I had a reservation and we were seated right away, which was…read morenice. The restaurant had a nice vibe with music playing, but it wasn't too loud, which made for a chill atmosphere. I ordered the charcuterie brunch board, and the food came out hot and pretty quickly. The boneless wings were well seasoned and flavorful, but the regular wings lacked seasoning and were completely flavorless. The eggs were cooked well but definitely needed salt and pepper. The potatoes were a little hard and didn't seem freshly prepared. The pancakes and waffles were just okay, nothing standout but fine. The portion was big enough for two people, and we even had leftovers to take home. Our server was great, super friendly and attentive the whole time. Overall, the service and vibe were great, but the food just didn't match the price.

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    Chalet
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    Arbella

    Arbella

    4.4
    (697 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    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.

    (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.

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    DJ Adam Pecho bringing down the house
    DJ Adam Pecho bringing down the house
    Crab rangoon
    Crab rangoon
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    Beatrix

    Beatrix

    4.2
    (2.7k reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    Wow, those fish tacos were incredible! Absolutely packed with flavor and easily the highlight of…read morethe meal. The atmosphere was fun, welcoming, and relaxed, making it a great place to sit down and enjoy a meal. The location is also very convenient, especially if you're visiting the nearby hospital. I would definitely recommend this spot and will be back again.

    Beatrix has multiple locations in the city. I came here for a work dinner, and we had a private…read moreroom on the side, which was actually really nice because it was light and open feeling (versus many of the darker, smaller private spaces I've been in work work events). Drinks: - Pineapple jalapeno margarita: well balanced, good kick, nice presentation Food: - Whipped feta: with black truffle honey and seeded crackers - a great starter with lots of textures and flavors - Straight A salad: all the A letter words - arugula, avocado, Asian pear, asiago, almond - a good combination, not overly dressed - Spicy rigatoni alla vodka: actually fairly spicy, which made it a more interesting dish - Faroe Islands salmon: with honey mustard glaze, warm farro salad, dill yogurt - Chicken Terri D: parmesan crusted chicken breast filets with white wine, roasted asparagus, lemon - Tall, Dark & Handsome Chocolate Cake: chocolate cake and cheesecake in one To be honest, I wasn't expecting much since they have multiple locations, and it was a larger group dinner, but the food was solid, and the busy server kept up with our large group very graciously. The location was also really convenient!

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    Atmosphere
    Atmosphere
    Shakshouka
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    Girl & The Goat

    Girl & The Goat

    4.4
    (10.7k reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$$

    I had a splendid dinner at Girl & The Goat. Was seated promptly when I arrived for my dinner…read morereservation and my seat had a view of the kitchen. It was so fun to chat with the chefs and watch them prepare dishes. I ordered the roasted "pig face" potatoes and the famous sautéed green beans. While waiting for my food, the chef surprised me with complimentary chickpea fritters to try. All of the dishes tasted incredibly delicious and this was the best restaurant I ate at during my trip. The atmosphere was cozy and romantic. I would definitely dine here again the next time I am in Chicago.

    After so many incredible lunches and dinners while visiting Chicago, dinner at Girl & The Goat…read morestole the entire show. Every single dish was so good, cocktails were incredible, our waiter was a delight... this review is about to be a rave if you couldn't already tell. We were searching frantically for a patio we could have dinner on because the weather was too perfect to be inside and somehow, Girl & The Goat had space available last minute. After a quick wait, we were seated with menus in no time. We started off with the tropic like it's hot cocktail which was the most refreshing and delicious cocktail I've ever had. Dangerously delicious but also weirdly felt like I was drinking a healthy green juice. For dinner, two of us split a bunch of different plates like the roasted asparagus, salmon poke, shrimp salad, and kohlrabi salad. Each dish they brought out was more incredible than the last, and those four dishes were plenty of food. We left perfectly full but the food was so fresh and light, we didn't feel too weighed down. From the list, I honestly can't even say what my favorites were, but our server recommended all of them so we have him to thank. The salmon poke was delicious and so fresh and honestly such a solid choice. If you only get one thing (don't. get like 2 plates per person prob) that is the one. Only thing to note is that the patio is on a kind of busy street and if you go on a weekend night it can get crazy loud when those weird quad bikes drive past blasting music at an absurd volume. Go here, you will love it. Get all of the amazing food and at least one cocktail bc they are delicious.

    Photos
    Girl & The Goat
    Girl & The Goat
    Girl & The Goat

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    Yardbird Table & Bar

    Yardbird Table & Bar

    3.8
    (451 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$
    Full bar
    Gluten-free friendly

    Dropped into Yardbird in Chicago for their happy hour, and it proved to be a great choice. The…read moreatmosphere was lively, but what really elevated the night was the exceptional service. Our server, Miguel, was phenomenal. She was attentive, fast, and gave us some spot-on recommendations. Per her advice, we ordered the deviled eggs with jalapeño, hands down the highlight of the table. The deviled eggs with paired with that subtle jalapeño kick was absolutely perfect. For the mains, the chicken and waffles were good, carrying that solid comfort food flavor you expect. The waffles were a bit soft for my taste. To drink, the sidecar was mixed perfectly, well-balanced, crisp, and hit the exact right note. Giving it 4 stars only because while the mains were good, the starters and the outstanding service from Miguel were what truly stole the show. I'll definitely be back to hang out at the bar again nest time I am in town!

    Huge disappointment compared to the Miami location. We came here for lunch and while the deviled…read moreeggs and skillet cornbread appetizers were great, the mains and service were a disaster. We both ordered the 1/2 fried chicken (he ordered the chicken and waffles and I ordered the Llewellyn fried chicken), specifically requesting all dark meat. Round 1: The chicken arrived as all white meat. We sent it back. Round 2: My boyfriend's plate was corrected, but mine came out with two thighs and two wings. Ready to eat at this point, I just sent the wings back. Round 3: They finally brought out the correct drumsticks. The excuse given by our waiter was that someone in the kitchen couldn't read English, causing a language barrier. I'll leave it to others to decide how they feel about that as an excuse. But what I will say is that a language barrier in the kitchen is a management problem, not a customer problem, and it should never result in a guest sending their plate back twice. While mistakes happen, the food itself was a letdown once we finally ate. My boyfriend's cheddar waffle was completely uncooked and raw in the center, and both the waffle and his fried chicken thighs had a strange, off-taste to them. What really ruined the experience, though, was the lack of management. The manager was actively walking around the dining room the entire time but never once stopped by our table to apologize for the multiple mix-ups or the raw food. For the price point, the service and quality control here need serious work. I'll stick to the Miami location.

    Photos
    Yardbird Table & Bar
    Yardbird Table & Bar
    Yardbird Table & Bar

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    Schwa - newamerican - Updated June 2026

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