Thanks to my friend Magellan AKA Kelly S. we found ourselves at Sepia in the midst of nowhere also known as the west loop on a weekend night. I think the west loop is full of these fabulous looking little places you don't know about because when will you ever just happen to walk past? Decor and swankiness in Sepia is sexy and cool but overall the place may be a little pretentious. Would I ever go back? Sure. Sometimes I like to get dressed up, have a drink with the girls, spend more money than necessary and still probably have to stop at white castle on the way home :) read more

We tried the duck and the lamb. Both were well seasoned, but our dishes came out lukewarm, which is really weird. The duck was a little chewier than anticipated, and I couldn't get a good sense of the smoked flavor. All in all, I wish our dishes came out right the first time since we waited a long time to get them in the first place. Not sure I would come back here again because of this. read more

Sepia - Tea Smoked Duck - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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For my birthday this year, my favorite guy took me here, a place that has been on my "to try" list for some time. (He's my favorite for my reasons than I can count, but trust me. Letting me have a cocktail before dinner, a glass of cava AND splitting a bottle of wine? The man knows how to make a gal feel special.) We had made a reservation, but arrived a bit early. The hostess was warm and friendly, and offered to seat us immediately, or offered us up to the bar to start with a cocktail. Personally, I love having a cocktail in the bar before dinner. It makes me feel fancy. So to the bar we went. Sadly, this was the only flaw in the entire evening: I didn't like my drink. A Sepia Mule did not measure up to my gold standards of a Moscow Mule, so I was a little disappointed. My guy's Old Fashioned was aces, however. My sadness dissipated quite quickly once we were escorted to the dining room. The decor is lovely: nice without being stuffy. Warm colors with atypical chandeliers make for a cozy and sophisticated backdrop to the equally sophisticated food. We started with the sea scallops, cooked to perfection and flanked by bits of chicken sausage. Accompanied by a glass of cava, it was the perfect start to our meal. For my entree, I went with the barramundi atop a bed of creamy corn with bits of bacon. It was heaven on a plate. Highly recommended by the server, she did not steer me wrong. My date had the flat iron steak which was so tender it reminded me of a filet. Delish. We passed on dessert, and opted to savor the rest of our lovely bottle of Pinot Noir instead. Service was top notch, from the sweet-as-pie hostess who obliged in taking my post-dinner photo request, to the friendly bartender, to our server, who made all the right suggestions. Simply marvelous. I could not have asked for a better birthday dinner, or better man with which to share my meal (but that second part is for another review.) read more

This place is actually very good, but just knocked it down due to price and personal preference. I just had very high expectations and felt like it was just like every other fancy American restaurant. I had the charcuterie plate which had some weird stuff on it and wasn't all that special. The warm weirdly shaped bread and butter were very good. For the meal (best to go for lunch and save some money) I had the lamb burger. That was excellent and almost made me bump it up a star. Maybe for this burger and go lunch it is four stars. Cooked medium rare and tasted different than the average burger. Lots of the fancy meats and burgers end up being basically just the same as beef and five guys. This was better. The toppings were excellent as well. I have to say I'm disappointed with the duck fat fries. They were good and similar to the aforementioned five guys or restaurants with real homemade fries. So definitely good but was expecting something more with mention of duck fat. The other fish dishes looked quite good as well and plated very well. Service was good as well as was the atmosphere. Just too many other more unique options in Chicago. read more

I went during restaurant week and I need help understanding: I would assume the restaurant try to wow people to come back but perhaps they just said, who cares those people who come to restaurant week don't know great food anyways? It fails me to understand how this place got a Michelin star!!! The food was boring, lacking finesse and creativity. The entree was chicken, on the dry side and the dessert , a chocolate marshmallow cake, was too sugary and something you could have gotten at a better patisserie. I didn't even finish it. The best thing were the friends I was with. read more

This is supposed to be one of the best tables in Chicago, not impressed. For reference I work in this industry, I have been working all around the world, and I won't compare sepia to any big restaurant outside of the US (even though I am French). We were 2, a g/g combo guy/girl, Saturday night, just regular Saturday no holidays, etc... THE GOODS: -friendly staff, waitress was awesome, nice decor, selection of wine was good, the plate looks good, bathroom is clean, crowd is respectful, -waitress again, knowledgeable about the wines, staff hustling behind trying to do their best. You can see they are "old school", busser, server, etc... The bads: -salmon appetizer, the salmon was not cut properly, salmon should not be "roped" in between each cubes, the girl sent it back to the kitchen. -escarole was born in salt. Just salt plus escarole, the girl sent it back to the kitchen. -staff is very young, not trained properly, we were served entrees for the table that was next to us. They were very kind though. -main course: she loved it, I did not, but maybe it was because of the mishaps above, the plate looked great, the meat was cooked well, but I thought it was boring. That is just a difference, no worries. - we did not order any dessert. Verdict. Fine dining fine, but for that price, in Chicago you can have a better experience, or maybe it was an accident. I can safely say that most people there that night, were having a good time, but that there were multiple kitchen mistakes made that night. The other thing is that the crowd was old, older than the millennial generation. The dining room was 75% full if less, the only few millennials there were working on the floor and were not trained properly but had the heart for it. It is not cheap, and because of my expectations I was expecting another level, but I understand also that the industry is changing, and that the fine dining institution needs to morph in way that is more direct and less formal than previous generations. read more

I have not written a review in quite some time... I ate here about three weeks ago, I should have written much sooner... I think whats important is three weeks later Sepia is still on my mind... Service is key, especially when you are dropping some cash... They have knocked this portion of the meal out of the park! We kicked it off with charcuterie it was delicious, I mean rich crazy delicious! We assembled our own tour of the menu and shared many flavors and drinks.... The drinks, genius! Just genius! The wine, really good! I am not a fan of dessert wines more often then not, but they even served us up the best Moscato I have ever had kiss my tongue! I am going to keep this short, and not talk about every dish and every bite, if I was forced to complain about anything it was the chairs at the dining tables, they were slouchy and not the most comfortable, really the only reason I did not give Sepia five stars, sounds small, but to truly enjoy fine dining I think a comfortable seat is important... I would go back for sure! read more

There are some experiences that will forever be remembered- and this one is no different. The horrible service, over priced inedible 4 course meal and the tacky interior will not soon be forgotten. We Came here for our "finale" dinner after a little "moms getaway". We were excited to try this place given the many accolades received (not to mention the Michelin Star). From start to finish this place was an utter disappointment leaving us both questioning whether it was a Michelin Star or a missing star (I even pulled out my phone to ensure I had not misread the long list of accolades). We were greeted by front staff who barely looked up at us, brought to a wonky table seated directly below a large tacky bright light in a loud, poorly decorated room. We struggled to hear the server, who couldn't complete a single sentence without rushing from our table after waiting forever for him to come and greet us in the first place. We placed our orders and from the very first plate it became extremely clear, we were not dealing with a Michelin star calibre restaurant. In fact, I am pretty sure I could make and plate a better four course meal. Our waiter checked on us twice the entire meal and even when our barely touched plates were removed after each course, not once were we asked if there was a problem with the food. FYI stay away from the duck (aka 2 brown logs sitting in a pool of brown liquid). Even the deserts were questionable and waaaaaaay too salty. The moment our deserts were removed the bill was put down. The waiter proceeded to show up more times in a span of 5 minutes than he did the entire meal to collect payment- making us feel like we were being rushed out and unable to finish our drinks and conversation. To say we were disappointed given the high expectations and price point of this restaurant would be an understatement. read more

There was a lot of pressure on this place to really step it up to get a good review. I tried for weeks to get a reservation on a Friday or Saturday night, but to no avail (unless I wanted to eat at 5:00 or at 10:00). I decided to make a reservation for a Sunday and was able (two and a half weeks in advance) to get a reservation. Then they called the day before to confirm that I still wanted the reservation. Not only did they do this to remind me...I had to call them BACK to really confirm that I would be there. A little overkill I thought... When I showed up at the restaurant and they said "we are waiting for a few tables to turn over..would you like to sit at the bar while you wait..." I thought: Oh HELL no! I made a reservation three weeks ago, they better not make me sit here for long...blah blah blah...you know...you have all said it before!! Then I realized, in my excitement, that I was ten minutes early. Okay, my bad. They were able to seat us at our reserved time. The place was packed! For a Sunday I was really impressed. The decor is very interesting because it combines the old feel of the warehouse district with a modern flair. Not only does it capture the ruggedness of the old days of the warehouse markets, but it also captures the classiness of that era as well. They have brown "Sepia"-toned colors( I know...surprise surprise!) in the room as well as antique chandeliers, but they also have modern-style furniture. Great space. The mirrors even look like they have been around for decades. The service was great. Lisa B was our waitress and she greeted us with a nice smile, took a water order, and left us to the menu and wine list. There was no pressure to hurry and order and there was no pressure to decide on something to drink right away. They have a wonderful wine list full of selections from the US to Lebanon to South Africa. I was deciding between two Shiraz and Lisa B suggested one from South Africa. Again, she went and got our wine before pressuring us to think about what to order. When she had returned with the wine we were able to ask about the entrees. This is where she came to life. She was able to speak to all of the entrees on the menu. The only problem: She didn't have anything BAD to say about them!! Didn't help us decide. Once we directed her to some choices we had been toying with she directed us towards a good way to go. And she was spot on! I will get to that later. We ordered flat bread with apple wood bacon, cheese, and apples as well as a mixed green salad with seasonal veggies. Both were absolutely wonderful. The flat bread came on this serving plate that was a slice of finished wood...like we had been camping and used nature as our serving dishes....You know 'cause I do that ALL the time...make apple wood bacon flat bread while I am camping...Anyway. And our entrees: I had the sturgeon...I almost ordered the skate, but the Lisa B really convinced me to get the sturgeon and I was very pleased. It was perfectly cooked and well-seasoned with lots of flavor. My boyfriend was between the flank steak and the short ribs and Lisa B came through again with a great recommendation for the braised beef short ribs. It came with a herb noodle pasta and caramelized pearl onions. The meat was cooked perfectly, melted in your mouth and their pasta is homemade and was delicious!! Then there was more...even though we were full we felt we had to go there (and probably should have ordered only one)...Dessert. My boyfriend had the banana bread pudding and I had the cranberry upside down cake. Both were delicious, but the bread pudding was not sweet enough for my boyfriend's sweet tooth. All and all, it was a great dining experience. The staff was very friendly and the atmosphere was a nice place to spend a few hours. I will definitely go back and will recommend it to others. read more

What a "dilemma"...I'm giving Sepia 4 stars. Why not 5, you ask? Well, that's my dilemma. I think I'm being fair, as I give almost everything I experienced there at least 4.5 - 5 stars: The place itself -- 4.5 stars. I really like the layout. Lots of wood, very warm, lots of history (if you ask). We sat at one of the taller tables for larger parties -- the stools were quite uncomfortable IMHO. Luckily, my elfin legs weren't dangling, as I believe the stools were on the short side. The service -- 5 stars. The host/hostess were warm and friendly. The bartenders are very, very efficient and attentive. Not super friendly, but, they were hopping the Friday night I was there. Our server and busser were excellent. Attentive, responsive, polite and courteous, generous, timely. I even asked the server to choose between two entrees for me (he selected the duck, which was delicious). That brings me to the food -- 4.75 stars. Everything we had was delicious, made well, cooked perfectly, seasoned correctly. Chef Zimmerman, I applaud and thank you for your creative palate and your creative and daring menu. Nothing was so far out of anyone's comfort zone that they didn't want to try it, but, your choices are quite provocative and yet endearing. The hits of the night, I dare say, were the sides -- caramelized brussel sprouts and the duck fat fried potatoes. Wonderful. Dessert was delightful and the perfect punctuation to a fabulous dinner. So, here's where my dilemma is -- I give the libations menu 3.75-4 stars. I wasn't wowed. I felt like I've seen many of these same drinks before...and, the one standby I had (the sour cherry old fashioned) was disappointing. The sour cherry infusion was more fetid than sour or cherry. The flavors were so dull...were there even bitters added? The unfortunate part, for $12, I just drank the entire thing so as to not waste money. For some time I was not impressed wit Sepia, but Chef Zimmerman has changed my mind entirely. I look forward to me next visit. read more

We had the worst meal in years at a newcomer to the West Loop called Sepia. Before we were served any food or drink, four different people visited our table to ask who we were (I think they wanted to know if we were food critics or not) before a manager came and told me that "Photos were not allowed". I had brought my Nikon D80 to take pictures, as I always do. I am certainly not a food critic (read below if you want proof), just a typical consumer. Perhaps if we had said we were writing a review, we might have been treated better. .The service was ok, once we let the waiter rattle off his spiel without interruption. He was initially 'annoyed' at us for daring to ask questions, but eventually he warmed up, and was ok. I've waited tables, so I know how sometimes customers can be irritating for no particular reason. The bus buy in charge of our table hovered nearby, refilling our water every 2 or 3 minutes. Perhaps they get a bonus if they sell more than one bottle of water? Grade: B. .As mentioned, was told firmly there would be no photographs allowed, per 'policy'. Not sure what that's about. Perhaps afraid of proof of bad reviews? Grade: F. .Atmosphere, not quite to the level of the home of a tribe of serial killers, but still kind of freaky. I wonder how many folks ever return to have another meal? I could easily visualize ritual sacrifices occurring in the basement. The tables are crammed up against each other, you can borrow napkins from adjoining tables without even turning your torso. We ate early, so most of our meal enjoyed a buffer, in three dimensions, but the staff constantly bumped against our chairs, or stumbled over our feet. Sepia's layout obviously was not approved by a Feng Shui master. Food: .Flat breads: sauteed mushrooms on a homemade cracker. Profit margin of 99%. I calculate the ingredients as 1 mushroom diced (perhaps 2, of different varieties, but hard to tell), some butter, some oil, about .05 of a garlic clove, and a bit of flour and water. $7. If I made this, even if I was more generous with the amount of mushrooms, and if I didn't have the benefit of economy of scale, still would be hard to spend $0.25 on the dish. After the 300 word buildup mouthed by our waiter (and probably written by the owner), I expected more. Grade: D-. .Salad - a handful of moldy lettuce, or perhaps a sour vinegar dressing. Served with cold, marinated grilled carrot strips, of there must have been a surfeit, as these same carrots appeared in all our other dishes too. Grade: F. .Fish - a nice chunk of sturgeon, cooked to the consistency of leather. Yummm, chewy! Served on a bed of watercress, with mold- marinated carrots. $26 dollars. Grade: C-. .Grilled vegetables. Actually not bad, the only thing we completely finished, though again, 20 dollars for a couple ounces of grilled/baked vegetables (squash, carrots, brussels sprouts, red cabbage) seems a little steep, especially since nothing was organic or locally grown. Sysco vegetables are pretty damn cheap. Perhaps the kitchen staff has a very competitive pay scale, or perhaps there are too many of them, or perhaps the rent is not favorable. Or something. We were hungry about an hour after leaving Sepia, and had to have a second dinner. .Goat cheese cake, cloyingly sweet, but not bad. Served with a bitter, insanely dry cookie, and one lonely pistachio nut, crumbled, and spread out across an over-large plate. Actually, I think it was less than one pistachio nut, perhaps 1/4 of a whole nut. Whatever. We left most of it uneaten, lonely on the vast plate. Allegedly the desert chef is going to be featured in some food magazine, but that is no guarantee of quality, just evidence of payola in the corporate media. Grade: D+. Final Grade - are you kidding? We didn't even drink wine (contrary to my habit), and our bill was still over $100. If I want a special, delicious, romantic meal, and am willing to spend more than $100, there are several options to choose from in Chicago. Sepia is not one. read more

Sepia has quickly become one of my favorite restaurants in our West Loop neighborhood. I'd say that it is right on the level with Blackbird and 160 Blue and one of the best in the city. But, you know what they say about opinions. I've had the pleasure of dining at Sepia a few times. Don't think that there has even been a dish on the table that was not devoured and very much enjoyed. They have recently brought in a new chef and he clearly knows what he is doing. Sepia is amazing from the minute that you walk in the door until you walk out of it. The lounge is hip and sleek and typically lively with the happy hour and pre dinner cocktail crowd. There are a bunch of tables and ample seating to just chill and make a meal of some small bites over drinks. However, you would really be missing out if you didn't take in the full experience of eating in their beautiful dining room. They have a photographic motif going on here and cool little cameras and photos are all over. The dining room had a few private tables in the back that seemed to be away from the fray and more conversation friendly. There are also two large communal high tops for those last minute diners. About my only gripe is the stack of two tops at either end of the room. I know that's how it's done now, but I can't help feeling I'm better off just meeting some random couple in the lounge and having them join us at a four top. The food here is fantastic and there are no lack of tempting options. There was a VDay tasting menu that included such highlights as lobster risotto and roasted duck breast. Lacking the time to do that culinary tour justice, we opted for the main menu. The cuisine here features local suppliers, high quality ingredients and is flawlessly executed. We started with the beet and goat cheese salad, which was fresh and flavorful. Our other starter was a scrumptious serving of grits with white cheddar and laughing bird shrimp topped with a bacon gravy. This may very well have been the highlight of an impeccable dinner, and had proper decorum eluded me I may have licked that bowl clean at the table. Away with the appetizers and on to the mains. My wife had the wild steelhead trout fillet with turnips which she really enjoyed. I had the Belgian ale braised short ribs, with red cabbage and spice bread spaetzle. This reminded me of something I may find in some Alpenhaus tucked away in a small Bavarian town. It was excellent and I made short work of it. The ribs were perfectly done and just flaked away to mop up the delicious sauce that accompanied them. We finished with a chocolate and peanut butter layer cake that tasted like a Reese's and was sinfully good. Service was spot on. They were helpful with great recommendations and timely with their appearances whenever we were in need of them. From front of the house to back, Sepia surely is a treat. I'm looking forward to going back. read more

I usually dread outings to "hip", newer restaurants because they seldom live up to expectations, but my recent visit to Sepia turned out to be mostly excellent. The food itself would rate almost 5 stars, very little that our group sampled was in any way disappointing - portions of some of the appetizers seemed rather skimpy for the price, but the flatbreads are highly recommended - I could have been happy eating just those all evening. I followed the recommendation of the server & ordered the pork chop entree, which everyone agreed was amazing. Another surprise hit at our table was the duck fat potatoes - imagine the flavor of Hot Doug's duck fat fries but in a sliced potato form - delicious!! The lemon-sage bread pudding is highly recommended for dessert. Service was great all-around. The one thing that could stand improvement a bit was the atmosphere - Sepia has a variety of dining table configurations, some more cute and/or secluded than others. The dining spaces were generally very visually appealing, but the biggest of those areas was quite noisy, sound & conversations just echoed everywhere. Some sort of sound dampening in that dining area would have made for a more pleasant experience. read more

Considering we had to wait about 15 minutes for our table I thought the restaurant was packed for our lunch reservation in August. To my surprise, the place was half empty with 3 servers around. The one thing I despise about stuffy restaurants is appearances. Yes, your a 1-Michelin star restaurant, and, yes, we were early for our reservation, but c'mon...there is no reason to keep a customer waiting when availability is around every corner of the restaurant. I dropped a star for the bad hostess that made us wait in the unbearably hot lounge. It was a hot August day!!! We decided on lunch at Sepia because it's a good way to try a Michelin star restaurant for less. Sepia is a great deal for lunch. I had their FRISEE SALAD W/ CRISPY DUCK CONFIT, POTATOES, & POACHED EGG for only $12. Twelve buckaroos for Michelin quality food...hellz yeah. I did like my order a lot. It was good. I dropped another star for my cocktail though. I had a SEPIA MULE (ginger infused moon mountain organic vodka, lime, & ginger beer) for a little afternoon wake-me-up. I liked the drink a lot...don't get me wrong. I guess, I didn't like the fact I was a guinea pig. I was told afterward by our waiter that the bartender just invented the concoction. I guess they were revamping their cocktails menu and wanted live feedback. I feel used!!! Aside from being a guinea pig and all, I was very thrown off by their glassware. As a former bartender, I would never have used such unappealing glassware for a cocktail in the recommendations list. However, I was very impressed with the skills their mixologist showed for inventing drinks. Damn good drink! Being a paying guinea pig however...that's a NO-NO. At least our waiter displayed Michelin star restaurant qualities. Sepia could do without the stuffy attitudes in the front though. I don't think I'd want to return to Sepia in my next trip to Chicago. There are other good restaurants in Chicago, but I was hoping this would be one I'd keep coming back to again-and-again. read more

Sepia - Sepia Mule - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Disappointing & overrated. Okay, so disregard the fact that they canceled my reservation a few hours prior to our dinner even though I called in 2 days ahead of time to confirm (thankfully, it was early Thursday night and wasn't crowded so we were seated anyway). Also disregard the fact that the waiter was slightly impatient (granted, my dad tend to ask a lot of questions about his food). So those things aside, the food still did little to compensate for anything. Sea scallops - a bit dry, not the succulent flavorful scallops I'm used to having. Not really anything special. Crispy soft cooked egg - possibly their only okay dish only because i'm a fan of eggs. Crispy eggs on a bed of asparagus and some kind of meat I believe. Not bad, pretty tasty. Duck breast - I'm not a big fan of duck to begin with but my mom ordered it so I had a few pieces to try. The skin was the only flavorful part of the duck. The meat portion taste like...duck. I'm not a fan of eating meat that taste like the animal it comes from i.e. fish being too fishy. So in this case, the duck taste too much like duck. There was no flavor. If you want good duck, save yourself the money and grab better duck in Chinatown. Arctic char - soft (not tender) - almost mushy, a bit fishy (but not too overwhelming). If you're a fish eater and have high expectations for fish, I honestly could say I can whip up a better piece of salmon from Costco in my own kitchen. Wagyu bavette - similar to the steak at Blackbird where there's two types of steaks. I had medium rare but perhaps I should've ordered rare because it was chewier than I wanted it. The other piece is reminiscent of my Costco megapack of beef jerky at home. It was almost too eerie to be coincidental. It's as if the chef wanted to recreate a replica of sirloin steak inspired by packaged beef jerky. Needless to say, the one at Blackbird was much more satisfying. And so was my dad's backyard grilled steak. Duck fat fried potatoes - a couple good crispy ones next to a few soggy ones. It's like a game to see who can pick out the good ones first. For dessert, we got the coconut pecan cake and the malted milk chocolate mousse. No need to review them separately because they hold the same concept - soft spongey cake or light mousse blended with some element of crunch, and along the way, you can sweep another dosage of sugar by dipping your cake in their caramel/chocolate syrup. I'm sure it's good dessert if you had one but if you have these side by side, they pretty much tell you how pathetic their creativity is in making variety. Do yourself a favor - stroll across the street and have better food at the other Michelin star restaurant. read more

This review is based on two separate visits. I was disappointed by my first visit, but given that Sepia has a Michelin star, I figured that maybe it really was better than that, and I had just gone on a rare off-night. I therefore gave them a second chance, but my second experience was even worse than my first. Food: mediocre at best. Walk a block in any direction and you will find a restaurant with as good or better food. After living in Chicago for three years, I can confidently say that both of my visits here rank among the top 5 most disappointing meals I've had in Chicago (in large part because I expect very good food from any place with a Michelin star, and I found the food to be below that level on both of my visits). Service: the service was below the level I expect from a place with a Michelin star. What sticks out in my mind is that at one point during my second visit, one of the people in my party mispronounced an item on the menu and the waiter asked whether she was dyslexic. It was incredibly inappropriate and everyone at the table was shocked. I assume it was just a joke gone wrong, but I expect much better of the wait-staff at a Michelin Starred establishment. Ambiance: the dining room and bar are nice, but no nicer than most other restaurants on the Loop/West Loop border. There are so many quality restaurants in Chicago that I highly recommend skipping Sepia and visiting almost anywhere else. I will not make the mistake of returning for a third time. read more

Not kidding about going all Sepia out - the lighting and decor conspire to give you a fairly disturbing experience of stepping into a faded photograph where all color is suddenly muted. Have s glass or a bottle of wine from the extensive list and the senses are also muted and you old not mind being stuck in this nice little time warp... The cuisine, however, is anything but faded. Good time to introduce a 12-year old gourmand to foie gras (deliciously fatty, served under a layer of jelly with tiny toasts). After agonizing over main dish choices, went with a pork collar: "the new pork belly, just as tender, but leaner" - just as advertised, served with some sort of devine root purée. Good reports on the steak and chicken with sausage. Deserts range from light sorbet to a pear oatmeal crumble (order well in advance!). Solid fresh coffee. read more

Soooo.... I wanted to give this beautiful restaurant 5 stars, even 4. The problem is, I tend to base much of my dining experience on the atmosphere. If this was just about the food, it would be an easy 5. We had resies for Saturday night and ended up in the area a bit early. This lead us to have a cocktail at Sepia's bar and that's where things went downhill. The bartender was adorable and quite friendly but after about ten minutes of death like silence we chose to order a few apps and sides and then move on. We had been spoiled at the last few places by the level of interaction between us, fellow patrons and staff. This was just not our spot. Romantic and intimate is not our niche. Had we been more than two, or on some type of eye gazing, hand holding date- Sepia would have been ideal. The drinks were yummy but simple and the food was topnotch. We ordered the scallops and the sear was PERFECT. They were served with pickled ramps and a delish black pudding. Excellent. I also had a fair share of the duck fat fried potatoes that we ordered. They were rich and creamy, especially when I dipped them in butter. That really wasn't necessary, but boy was it worth it. Those potatoes are what saved us both from feeling the effects of our binge drinking that night. I'd totally come back here when we are in Chicago, if we end up meeting friends for dinner. Food- 5 stars, lively atmosphere- 3 stars. Older crowd, quiet as fuck, amazing food. read more

Sepia - Seared scallop, pickled ramp, black pudding. - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First let me preface by saying we had an 8:30 reservation(9:30 Florida time) and we had been up since 4 am traveling so we were exhausted. We arrived and walked into a gorgeous space. It is sheek and sophisticated but rustic and comfortable. It was loud and lively and I was pleasantly surprised. Considering how tired we were this was the perfect atmosphere. They sat us at a two top which was very close to the table next to us but very typical for city dining. We brought our own wine and were greeted warmly by our waiter which also said he was a sommelier. He was very friendly and left us to look over the menu. He stopped by several times to let us know that he would be back soon to take our order. I thought this was strange considering it would be more time efficient to just take it since he was already standing in front of us butttt whatever we were not in a hurry and we were enjoying our wine. I asked him about the tasting and a few things but he did not mention any specials. We both ordered the potato and leek soup with caviar. Presentation was sensational but taste was ok. After the soup we waited and then waited and then waited some more. Our waiter stopped by at least 3 times to apologize about the wait. And thennnnnnnnn finally about 1 hour after our soups were served our meal arrived. For dinner we ordered lamb chops and the wagyu bavette oxtail. They were both exceptional and they were also very generous portions which was wonderful considering at this point we were starving. (I noticed this delish very large portion of meat to our waiter he very quickly said "oh that was a special which we are now out of". After he left the table I said to my husband, in a playful tone, "I bet he forgot to suggest that to us"! Sure enough diners all around us continued to receive the special as we dined. It was funny and silly and didn't bother us in the least but I thought I would mention it). A few minutes later the dessert menu came and although we were interested in several choices we could not risk another lengthy wait. I will defiantly recommend this restaurant to friends and I would love to dine there in a group. The fun lively at atmosphere paired with yummy food would make for a great night. Ps there are 2 amazing group tables that were nestled in these little alcoves that were truly special! read more

Mostly a very favorable impression: + smaller dishes were inventive and thoroughly prepared... + ...entrees equally impressive without being superficial + attentive and knowledgeable waitstaff + decor - inattentive and disorganized hostesses - seating area optimized for profit instead of comfort - delivery to table could be quicker, as indicated by temperature of some items - music was not value-added Again, Sepia delivered an admirable performance, though they need a bit of time to work out kinks and polish themselves. We started with an uplifting portion of apple/bacon/bleu (spelled "blue" on the menu) cheese flatbread. I had myself the braised short ribs, which weren't entirely remarkable in that they were a shade dry/tough, and the imbued flavors were a bit too subtle for my liking (that may appeal to some, however). The lady had herself a medium-rare-cooked elk chop, which came to the table medium rare (sad to see that even doneness instructions are something to take joy in nowadays). Bang-up job on that--flavorful without being too gamey, and the flavor itself ran no risk of tripping up over its own complexity. Potate in duck fat was about as good as it sounds, and the squash in maple syrup was well-balanced. I'd be keen to pay another visit once the menu changes, or once they get the lamb sirloin again. One last thing--on three occasions did the hostess ask to take our coats, and three times we declined. That sort of interchange should never happen. read more

I wasn't sure how to rate this, because I have mixed feelings about the place. -back table under the twig lamp: 5 stars for the ambience, even though the table was wobbly. Decor as a whole, actually, I liked, and good spacing between tables. -bourbon sour: 5 stars. yum. had boozy bing cherries to die for, and I don't even usually like cherries. -service: 3.75 stars--good, but the hipster/pretentiousness was a little bit of a turnoff. The manager came to see how we were doing, and he was very nice. -food: pork rillette-1 star. This looked like cat food with a layer of fat on top and the pistachio and pork brittle on top didn't help much. The fig preserve was okay though. grilled crab- 4 stars for taste, but 2 for small size with big price. everyone else seemed to love their food, and their desserts. one person really loved the blueberry lemonade and it looked yummy. -hot eye candy valet parker from Serbia: 5 stars (and damn I should have slipped him my number). Also, 5 stars for the valet parker who swerved to avoid the guy driving the wrong way heading straight at my car when I handed it off). However, I was an idiot for not seeing that the lot across the street was $5, not $12. ah well. talking to the hot parker was worth it. read more

Sepia is probably one of the more affordable Michelin start restaurants in Chicago, but this does not compromise the quality of the food or services. The restaurant has a "rustic but refined" chic feel, highlighted by a full wall of wines and light brick interior. The seating is interesting, they really try not to seat people too close together which provides a more private and intimate setting. The drink menu is full of trendy classic cocktails, all of which are presented and prepared with a careful attention to detail. The food is amazing - the pork shank literally fell off the bone as I picked it up in my fork and the flavor was perfect. The pork belly (our app) was equally delicious - served with a peanut sauce (which was unique). You really can't go wrong with this place! read more

My husband surprised me here for my birthday dinner on a Saturday evening. He made reservations for 5 p.m. and we were the only people seated and dining. But the crowd came quick closer to 7 and it was packed by the time we left at 7:30. Walking into the room- super elegant and very romantic. I did see a family here with older children, as well as a lot of couples looking like they were celebrating something special. The wine list is great, but I got a cocktail. Don't remember which one- but they all look good. Simply delicious. My husband and I shared an appetizer and entree, and I recommend looking on the restaurants website and glancing at the menu as it is small but everything is extremely good. The service is impeccable and very professional. It was a great birthday dinner! read more

Sepia. Oh Sepia. Restaurant week is probably not reflective of the general quality. That is why I'm being harsh at 3. Food 3 stars, service 4.5. The starters, the pumpkin coconut soup with curry was very good. Black truffles and roasted walnuts added character. Pig foot croquette was average. Not outstanding. The mains, fish was the winner of the two. Done well, good balance of mushroom and roasted potatoes. The pork sandwich, bad. Far too salty, and lacked refinement. Duck fat fries were rather ordinary. Dessert, lemon chiffon cake with ricotta was a terrible idea; too light and almost bland, generic. The chocolate mousse was delicious, surprising with the candy bacon. The base was a nice crumbly foundation. Overall, not reflective of the general quality outside of restaurant week. Service was very good, friend had her coffee on the house because it came out a little slowly. Will give them another chance. read more

1 Michelin star worthy. Food was absolutely delicious. Make sure you make a reservation in advance and make sure to dress up nicely for here. You won't need a full suit and jacket but a nice dress shirt, nice shoes and nice pants will do. The menu is always changing and you can see it online. You'll probably have to google some of the names but everything really went well together. Desserts are also delicious and I ended up getting something similar to a peach cobbler which was fantastic. Service is really good and the waiters are very attentive. Each dish is carefully explained and looks amazing. I will definitely be coming back. read more

I went there for an important dinner with a friend and it was very disappointing. the crowd was too loud, table was way to high and uncomfortable chairs. the waiteress was somehow unfriendly and looked unhappy to serve. maybe she had a bad day but i think it is very unprofessional to show it. my gnocchi was way BELOW my expectation, however the potato tortellini was a blast. my main dish branzino was exceptionally tasty but my friends arctic char was just bland and undercooked?????? it was lukewarm. sparkling Brut Rose was fine, Tokaji dessert wine was fine. lime and marshmallow dessert was too gimmicky, not worthy at all. the pumpkin spice cake was ok. we had to change tables because the table around us was WAY too loud. lighting was too bright as well. feel more like kind of conference. overall the atmosphere and table just doesnt fit at all. i will not return to Sepia again. read more

This review is late in coming. My husband and I went to Sepia on the evening of June 23, 2013 for our first wedding anniversary. We had very recently moved to Chicago, and I chose it because they offered a wine pairing dinner. We did a wine pairing on the night we got engaged, and we really loved it. Plus, the atmosphere looked great -- a piece of classic Chicago history. After much deliberation over the menu (the wine pairings are very expensive), we decided to go for it and get the one with the most courses (I believe it was five). My husband has severe allergies to nuts, so we made sure to mention this explicitly when we ordered from the server. He even asked whether we had any allergies. The very first course came out, and the allergy information had not been communicated with the kitchen. My husband took a mouthful without examining it (he had asked for nut-free dishes, after all) and quickly spit it out when he discovered that there were nuts all over the top. The server was very apologetic and charged us a lower price, but it was hard to enjoy the meal after that. My husband was on edge because he didn't know if the next dish would put him in the hospital, and I felt dumb for choosing a place that would fail to communicate such important information to the people preparing the food. The discount price for the mix-up was a nice gesture, but the final bill still came to more than $400. Much more money than I felt the evening was worth, since we were in a sour mood from the very first course. If we had been more familiar with the city at that time, we would've left and gone somewhere else. There's pretty much no way we would recommend Sepia to anyone or return there ourselves. read more

So I was having dinner with a friend at a restaurant chatting about our mutual interest: restaurants. Sepia popped up, eyes lit up, and plans were drawn up. After securing an 11:30 AM lunch spot in the middle of restaurant week and rearranging some pesky meetings, we were on our way to the magical land of 123 N Jefferson St. True to its name, Sepia was decked out in various shades of brown, infusing its space with a nice warm, antique feel. (There's even a neat antique camera by the front entrance). We were the first ones there for lunch and the servers were very eager to greet us. We knew the rest of the meal was going to be good after tasting the bread at the beginning. it was warm and the texture was grainy and delicious. I began my meal off with the ravioli served in a beef broth. The broth was a bit on the salty side, but fun to eat; the diced vegetables in broth gave a nice mouthfeel with every spoonful. The ravioli was very flavorful and paired well with the broth. My second course was the whitefish with horse radish sauce and beets and potatoes. Sepia pays good attention to plating; presentation was lovely. The whitefish was the best I've ever tasted, with each forkful flaking off nicely. The horseradish sauce was light and only gave a hint of horseradish flavor, which supported the dish without being too overwhelming. Dessert was a pecan caramel rum cake with granola. I'm partial to pecan flavored desserts and this one did not disappoint. It was very moist and a good end to this meal. The portion size was perfect for me, but I can see how some people may think it on the smaller end. Lunch was indeed magical for us and we left with full hearts and full stomachs. Sepia was well worth the trip. Thumbs up. read more

My friends and I love trying new places. We make every attempt to visit a highly coveted spot at least once a month. Sepia was on our list. We were looking forward to going here. Upon arrival we quickly realized that this place was over rated. Stuffy pretentious crowd and food was nothing special. Save your money and go elsewhere. When the dessert arrived it looked like someone had thrown bread for pigeons on a plate. It was disappointing and I would not visit Sepia again. read more

I recently went here with my boyfriend for our anniversary and loved it. The ambiance is classy without being stuffy. They had noted it was our anniversary when my boyfriend made the reservation and made a point of congratulating us when we came in. The service was great as was the food. I started with the sea scallop appetizer, which was superb and not overly filling. I had the halibut for my entree, which was also excellent and was a normal sized portion. I often find that the sauce on fish dishes obscures the flavor of more delicate fish, but this was a perfect balance. I could taste the sauce, but I could also taste the actual fish. For dessert I had the napoleon, which was also very tasty. In addition, they brought us a sorbet sampler on the house for our anniversary. All in all, this was a lovely experience and I would definitely return. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because I generally have to go somewhere more than once to give it that high of a rating. read more

Really had a great experience there tonight. We popped in on the way home from work and sat at the bar, and the bartender was amazingly friendly and responsive and her vibe seemed to rub off on everyone at the bar. I don't think I've ever had so many interesting conversations with strangers before, it was like out of Cheers or something :P The blueberry lemonade was fantastic, and I couldn't let a single vodka soaked berry go to waste. The wine list was very off-the-beaten path and fairly priced (minus points for by the glass selections that weren't 100% fresh, but were quickly replaced). The food was a solid value, too, especially compared to most 'new American' restaurants in town. The bacon/bleu cheese/peach flatbread was delicious, as was the flat iron steak. The onion ring side was far and away the best batch of onion rings I've ever had, and the duck fat potatoes weren't far behind. The pork was solid, too, though not quite as excellent as the steak. Delicious chocolate crepes were a perfect capper. The decor is very well excecuted and works very well with the cuisine. All in all, aside from adding half bottles to the wine list and cooling the by-the-glass wines more effectively, there isn't anything I'd change about this place, and am going back tomorrow. read more

The service was beyond dismal. My friend and I went here for an appetizer and cocktail after work. The hostess said we could sit in the lounge area, which we did. We were seated at approximately 6:45pm. The restaurant had a great ambiance and we were both really excited to try the food. The busboy came by with water, while we waited for a server. Three more people came by asking if we were waiting for a server but a server never showed. The waitress finally showed up after 7pm and seemed out of it. She took our drink order and walked away. She said she would be back shortly. Personally, I was ready to walk out at that moment but continued to wait. My friends drink came out before mine by a different person on the wait staff. It took 3 more minutes for my drink to arrive. This was at 7:15-7:20 that our drinks arrived. My friend and discussed forgoing food because the service was so bad but decided on an appetizer. The appetizer on the other hand was amazing, the charcuterie board is totally worth it the cost. I just don't believe that putting up with a wait like that would ever bring me back to this place. This was near the worst service I have had in years. If only we didn't have to wait 30 minutes for drinks I would have come back for dinner. Our quick drink and appetizer after work took an hour an a half. read more

Atmosphere: Awesome. A lot of seating, mainly for groups but there is some date/bar seating in the front. Service: Very good, although the food service was quite slow :( Drinks: A lot of wine to choose from and the cocktail selection is great and very unique. Shockingly enough, the draft beers list was good enough and not that expensive, despite most of the wine was, even by the glass. I had the Puzzle red wine and the South by Southwest cocktail. Both highly recommended :) Food-starters: Charcuterie was very good, the mustard was spicy, bread toasted, and meats a plenty-- best for 2 or 3 people, no more. They also serve a cheese plate if you desire a cheaper priced assortment of goodies. Food-main course: A few good options, but the price doesn't meet the portions very well--mainly on the steak and the duck (although very tasty). The chicken and the arctic char were awesome and more properly priced. Desserts: YES. I tried 4 of them and I took pics. See below. The two chocolate mousses were phenomenal, the milk choc. was the best. I really enjoyed this restaurant. While a bit out of the way, it's a great place for an adult gathering--doesn't get too rowdy. read more

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Went on Valentine's day. It was a fun experience and most of the food was good. The complimentary crab rolls were delicious and I was sad they wouldn't give us more since that was the best part of the menu. Most of the dishes were a hit but there were also a few misses. I think I'd go again when it's not a set menu. read more

This restaurant caught my eye when researching someplace new to try in Chicago. In 2014 it was awarded a Michelin star so for a lovely treat dinner we made Sunday evening reservations here. Sepia is a beautiful restaurant with modern decor that still hints a a bygone Era. The waitstaff were impeccable (our guy was polish and he was just amazing) The cocktails have a speakeasy feel to them and we're pretty strong! We opted out of the tasting menu just because everyone had to do it at the table. Still our meal lasted 3 hours and everything we tried (seemed like most the menu) was cooked just right. The appetizers were the outstanding part of the menu. I would never have ordered the foie Gras mousse until the waiter described how light it was and that ended up being my favorite part. This isn't a cheap place. ..I can't remember how much the tasting menu was as we just ordered regular but the entrees were between $28-40. Well worth it for a great meal read more

Sepia - Foie gras mousse was amazing - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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After too many evenings passed without a trip to Sepia to sample the latest, trendy eats, my time has come! I could ladle it on thick here, but if you take nothing else away from this review, you should know this: GET THE ELK CHOP. Yes, Elk! If all red meat tasted like elk (and my dining companion reminded me that the texture and consistency--not marbly, was similar to a filet mignon), I would eat it. ALL THE TIME. The words, "Why order dessert when you can order a second elk chop?" actually came from my own, die-hard, dessert-fiend lips. It was not: gamey, rubbery, sinewy or tough. The elk chop was like butta'. This is a FOOD experience. If you go here with any other agenda, you will be sorely disappointed, as the evening will most certainly be consumed by the true star of the evening: the food you order. The flavor combinations are inventive and tasty, I was impressed by the pork rilletes (pate-texture), both taste and presentation. Overall, menu: to be experienced! We were most impressed by the bacon, bleu cheese and pear flatbread (albeit a bit rich), the pork rilletes and the Elk chop, of course. While the scallops were delicious, the broth and vegetables accompanying the scallops were forgettable, not complimentary in flavor and remained mostly untouched; while the poached quince dessert wasn't terrible, I think I'll take our server's suggestion next time and go for the roasted banana bread pudding... Seating: We took a reservation in the lounge over a communal table in the dining area. Happy with the choice, except the tiny, itty-bitty, two-top barely held our small appetizer plates and glasses, let alone the bottle of wine, candle and more than one appetizer dish at a time--to the point that the busser tried to bus away what must have been a home made bread plate and nearly saw his life flash before him when I tried to reclaim the bread from his quick hands. Hopefully, the lounge has since caulked the gaping hole in the wall to the outside that lead to an exodus from the adjacent table along the wall as the draft was uncomfortably cold. If I had a large group, they had two secluded rooms toward the back of the dining area that looked cozy. Service: Our server was prompt, great personality and brought over a sample of a delicious pinot noir without our prompting when we were overwhelmed by an extensive wine menu. We were sold! She also lead us to the elk selection as well. I believe her when she says that everything is terrific and awesome on the menu, but perhaps taking a little more time with us to tell us about the menu--we were in no hurry, her area was empty but steadily filling up and we're investing in the food and experience. She was a little quick to leave us to fend for ourselves with the menu, but like another reviewer noted, not at all pushing us to make a decision or rush through our meal. Bottom line: If you like food, you will like, perhaps love, Sepia. I'll be back. For my second elk chop! read more

Another fav' joint in the city. Good food, good vibe and a none-scary price. Flat breads are tasty, Lamb is great, Duck is wonderful. Baby Octopus as a starter is delicious and so is the Pork Rillette with figs. on the negative note - The famous veal breast? aint my cup of tea! too much fat, not enough flavor. Bottom line: Its a good place, I'll be back... a lot. read more

Came in here for a lovely lunch on Friday afternoon. I feel so fancy going to places like this in the middle of the day. How extravagant! Decor is classic and gorgeous, minus the crystal chandeliers that don't quite fit with the scheme. Everything else is sort of...rustic-beautiful. I only had coffee to drink, so no exciting cocktail review here. We nommed on the tasty, crusty bread until our butternut squash flatbread arrived. It was HOT and the blue cheese was gooey - clearly the thing was just removed from the oven. It was tasty, since it's hard to go wrong with squash, blue cheese, and sage, but it was a tad uninspired. Not as flavorful as I'd hoped? My skate wing, however, was superb. It was warm, flavorful, and tender. And the acoutrements? That almond/cauliflower/brown butter situation on the side? Perfection. I literally cleaned my plate - which I rarely do these days. Too full for dessert, sad face. It's pricey, but it's tasty! Definitely don't miss that skate wing....mmmm....it will make whatever you have for dinner seem mediocre! read more

I went here once. Never again. High end food? What a joke. The flavor profiles never came together, the temperatures were all off, the so called "nouveaux" was like a kid chef's first attempt at going off the recipe book. The flatbreads were like lame crackers. We didn't even bother trying a dessert. To add insult to injury, we got a parking ticket because the valet parked our car in a no parking zone. Moreover, they never refunded us for it or did anything about it. Oh, and their website is incompatible with the default MacOS X and iPhone browser, Safari. Attention to detail, indeed. I know people are infatuated with this hip place. Two words: don't bother. read more

Sepia was disappointing and expensive. My girlfriend and I came here during restaurant week 2016 and ordered the 4 course meal. The interior was charming with vintage lighting and a tone in the titular Instagram filter. We had the option of choosing three or four courses and whether or not we wanted wine pairings. The difference in price between 3 or 4 courses with wine pairings was 17 dollars per person. We opted for the wine pairing, which included four flights of wine with each course. To be honest, both the wine pairings and the dishes weren't super exciting. We started off with a fennel and blood orange salad that was way too acidic. I once had Hydrocholoric Acid spilled on me in Chemistry class and eating the salad gave me a similar sensation. The wine pairing wasn't memorable. The second course was the extra course that cost an extra 17 dollars. The wine pairing was a decent champagne but the course itself was a single duck ravioli with some sauce. The meat was kind of dry and didn't have the same rich duck flavor that I'm used to. The third course was a pork body part of some kind. The only way I can describe it is that it was like chewing on a sponge. The meat somehow found its way into my teeth at first chew. After a few bites, I sent it back (first time I had ever done this in a restaurant) and the waiter offered me the fish dish instead, which was actually quite tasty. However, it took an extra 30 minutes and was not any too special for the amount that we paid for. The dessert was like a Clif bar on a plate. Wow, writing this up now, I'm wondering why I even gave the restaurant two stars. For what it's worth, the service was solid and the fish ended up being tasty, but for a Michelin restaurant and the price that I paid for, the meal was not great. read more