I booked an 8pm hearth reservation for Kindling for my partner's birthday. We had never been and I…read morewas so excited. There is no valet, we parked in the Tower parking garage right across the street and while pricey, it was very convenient. Located in the Sears tower, Kindling is on the first floor and very visible from the street. The outdoor patio looked so nice, hopefully we'll have another chance to visit before summer is up! We were a few minutes early for our reservation, and the hosts were super kind and checked to see if they could seat us, and they were able to. The restaurant feels modern and industrial, however the seating all feels intimate at the same time. The light fixtures are incredible, and I believe there are no bad tables at Kindling. The hearth is a high top "bar"-like seating around the open fire/kitchen and notably the high top stools are very comfortable and with backs and arms. The kitchen was actually surprisingly quiet, but it was an incredible experience to watch them work. Our servers were kind and helpful with the menu, and didn't rush our dining experience. They offered a couple of specials available for that night also. My partner ordered an Old Fashioned, and we started with 2 pieces of the Saku Gold Tuna and also an order of the Creamed Spinach & Artichoke dip. The tuna is ordered by the each, so you can order as few or many as you'd like for your table. 1 each was perfect and each piece is a generous size. The crispy rice says nice and crispy and the tuna is bright and full of citrus flavors. The wasabi aioli on top is the perfect creamy and cooling addition to tie it all together. The spinach dip comes with 2 slices of toasted bread that have each been cut in half for 4 little toast pieces with the dip. This appetizer was so yummy, the bread so fresh, the dip was rich and flavorful, but we could have used just 1 more piece of bread with it, especially at a $19 price point. My partner ordered a special for his entree, a wagyu steak served with peppers, and I ordered the 6oz Sawyer-style steak frites. This was an incredible steak dinner. Both cuts were expertly cooked, melt-in-your-mouth experiences. The au poivre sauce on the Sawyer-style steak is just perfection, and truly a star standout. If you're looking for a steak you can trust to be treated in a way that it highlights everything there is to highlight, this is your steakhouse. I can never go anywhere without a sweet treat, and we tried both the creme brulee, which comes with seasonal fruit and the miso caramel budino, which is almost like a banana pudding. The lead chef on the line for the night came out to thank us for having dinner with them and ask how our experience was, and his personal recommendation was the creme brulee, which we trusted. He ended up treating us to this dessert which was so kind and unexpected. The remarkable thing about both desserts was that after a steak dinner, they both felt so light but luxurious. The miso caramel budino was a really unique experience, and I'm so glad we tried this. The umami from the miso really changes how my whole brain thinks about bananas for dessert and I'm so glad we tried this. Overall this was a wonderful and very special birthday dinner for my partner, and our experience was remarkable. Thank you so much for a night out we will cherish.

One of the best dining experiences in Chicago. Chef Sawyer is an artist of the grill, elevating…read morewhat would be ordinary elsewhere to otherworldly at Kindling. Even Happy Hour is exceptional, with one of the best, and most underrated smash burgers in Chicago. As someone who frequents high end establishments around the country, a standout at Kindling is Head Bartender Manny. Manny is thoughtful, attentive, knowledgeable and kind. He anticipates customer needs prior to requests being made. Truly a gem in the industry. Run, don't walk, to Kindling Chicago.

Came in for brunch. It was BUSY so definitely get a reservation if you can. Service was good. The…read moretables are pretty close together since it is a pretty small place. I got the chilaquiles with over-medium eggs. It is a red sauce chilaquiles and it was DELICIOUS. Would absolutely come back for this and to try other items on the menu.

The food here was very good, although the portions were on the small side…read more Unfortunately, my dining experience was ruined by the wine service. The pours seemed noticeably light, so I politely mentioned it to our waitress. Instead of checking with the bartender or trying to make it right, she insisted it was a full 5-ounce pour and dismissed my concern. I've worked in the restaurant business, and I know how important it is to make customers feel heard. A small top-off or even an effort to address my concern would have completely changed my impression. After my visit, I happened to meet someone who said they had experienced the same thing with the wine pours on a previous visit. Whether that's a coincidence or not, it certainly made me wonder. It's a shame because I enjoyed the food, but the way this was handled makes me question whether I'll return.

This French restaurant is located upstairs and is the sister restaurant to Sophia Steak downstairs…read more The atmosphere was quiet and relaxing, and the service was very good throughout our meal. The butter lettuce salad was probably the biggest disappointment. It felt overpriced for what was essentially just a few leaves of lettuce and not much else--definitely an interesting presentation, but not something I would order again. The other salad, however, was very good and much more enjoyable. The filet was the highlight of the meal--amazingly tender, juicy, and cooked beautifully. The fries were also excellent, crispy and delicious. I especially enjoyed the French onion soup. It was rich and thick with a deep flavor that reminded me of the French onion soup I've had in France. The fish was also prepared well and tasted very good. Overall, despite the disappointing butter lettuce salad, this was a very good dining experience. Great service, a peaceful atmosphere, and several excellent dishes. I would definitely come back, especially for the filet and French onion soup.

Cozy and comfortable!…read more We enjoyed our visit to Petit Pomeroy. This restaurant is located in One Chicago which is where our dear friends live. The four of us enjoyed everything family style (our request): * House baked baguette - is anything better than warm bread and soft, salty butter? * Mussels Mariniere - request extra bread for dipping! * Warm Tomato Tarte - this was so simple but so delicious - buttery crust and tomatoes bursting with flavor * Bouillabaisse - chock full of seafood but in a friendly serving size * Lobster Risotto - we enjoyed the chunks of lobster among the perfectly cooked risotto * Roasted Half-Chicken - surprisingly delicious for something "basic" * Trout Amandine - flaky and tender * Pommes Frites - light and crispy Red Velvet Cake and Trio of Profiteroles for dessert. Amazing! Chris was our server and he was lights-out amazing. He was not only attentive and efficient, but he was super sweet also. We loved him! Highly recommend!

Beautiful atmosphere. Our waiter was a kind, super helpful young man who answered my party's…read morequestions (we had a lot of good questions). One of my guest was pure vegan, and our waiter checked several times about the ingredients in several of the dishes and ensured it could be custom-made for her dietary needs. The Poke Bowl with crispy tofu was outstanding and the white hummus to start us off was gone in minutes. A very nice selection of drinks and our evening of four was reasonably priced. I will be bringing my husband here real soon. Thank you!

Grabbed a quick lunch here and was very impressed. The interior is gorgeous, with a large bar as a…read morefocal point and several beautiful pieces of artwork. I ordered the grilled cheese with tomato soup which came out promptly with intentional plating. I was concerned that the portion would not be enough, but the sandwich was quite filling and I ended up taking the second half home as leftovers. The bread to sheep ratio was spot on, and the soup was a great amount of thickness. Granted there were only a few other diners, but the service was prompt and the server was very polite. Highly recommend it and I hope to be back soon!

Cliff and Jose and the whole staff were incredible to work with. We had a last minute cancellation…read moreto a reservation we had with a restaurant because our party grew larger than expected for a restaurant we shall not name *cough cough*somerset*. This was not a problem for kinzie chophouse and their team. They welcomed our business with open arms. Thank you to cliff, jose, and the entire team for accommodating and for the exceptional customer service!

Save yourself a headache and don't try this joint…read more We ordered the Oddyssey price fixe menu for two. The service was terrible. So terrible that we placed our order, received the red snapper carpaccio course, finished it, and then waited 35 minutes before finally leaving as they failed to bring any bread, food, or drinks. Never even checked on us. We tugged our server's and the maitre D's sleeve several times and they perpetually promised our order was next to come out. Screw it. We got food at Miller's Pub on the way back to the hotel.

Service was very attentive and speedy! The entire experience was just under 25 minutes…read more Despite of being early evening, the atmosphere was a little bit dim inside with the lighting. The happy hour menu have a lot of great hits, but I came for the oysters specifically; and they did not disappoint. The guava habanero salsa, and something that brought it all together and something I would eat all by itself. I started with a half dozen to get a taste for it and immediately knew I would be ordering a second one shortly after. One of my favorite oyster happy hours so far on my quest to find the best oyster happy hour!! it is important to me that an oyster can stand alone by itself, but it is truly elevated with the salsa. What a steal for only a dollar and oyster , and again you can't beat a dozen under 25 minutes. Staff was wonderful.

And it went back down to 1 star…read more Came in for dinner. Service was slow. The burger we ordered was very plain and bland. The meze we ordered, which comes with 5 spreads was brought out with one order of the veggies and chips. This is what one spread usually comes with so it was not the appropriate amount for 5 spreads. I ordered a red wine and it was served warm. Not room temp, WARM. This place is way too inconsistent and we will not be returning.

Went with my friend to have an early birthday celebration for me! It was both of our first time…read morehere and we have no complaints. Out server was very nice and attentive to us. We were surprised the inside area was pretty empty (more people sitting outside) on a Saturday night. Anywho the complimentary bread 10/10 soo good. Our food was delicious as well and they even brought me a little birthday treat which was light and not too sweet. I didn't know my dish (canestri) came with a meatball and sausage on the side. I figured it was coming in the same bowl lol but I don't eat Italian much so that's on me. Overall the staff made a great start to my birthday !!

Located in Chicago, finding parking in this busy area was a challenge. I was taken here for my…read morebirthday an a Saturday night. I knew nothing about this restaurant but found the service and quality to be upscale. Labeled an Italian Steakhouse, I was torn between choosing an entree or a pasta dish since the pasta is made in house and it's suppose to be great. I ordered a cocktail first and left the selection up to the bartender. A nice sweet fruity drink was sent to the table. I ended up ordering Strozzapretti which is a lamb ragu dish. It came out hot and the pasta was of course fresh. It had good flavors, but the portion was on the lighter side and my taste buds were wanting just a little more flavor from the lamb. My wife had a kale salad that she absolutely loved. My dessert was fantastic. I had a strawberry rhubarb crostata. The crust was flaky, light, and flavorful. The fruit was sweet with the rhubarb adding a slight tartness that all balanced out well with a scoop of vanilla gelato. I was happy with the food and service. I would definitely come back to try an entree and more of that crostata!

I have dined many, many times at La Storia, which is housed in a lovely historic two story…read moreVictorian house with two patios located in the Gold Coast neighborhood. Zone in the front and the other in the back. First off the staff are friendly and professional and provide too notch service. Sometimes when dining out, if you're lucky, you will have an experience where a staff member makes the experience because of not only their service, but because their charm, personality and clever conversation made your evening so much better. Danny, the bartender is that person, and bonus, he also makes great cocktails. The ambiance of the cozy and upscale with a fireplace and the most comfortable bar stools that I ever sat on. On Saturday I met at friend for Brunch. Our server Allie was attentive and delightful. I didn't drink, but my friend had a few Aperol Spritzes which they said were excellent. To start out with we shared the Mediterranea Salad with arugula spinach, sliced peaches, bite sized fresh mozzarella pearls and walnuts with a balsamic honey dressing. It was so fresh and tasty. It comes highly recommend. There are two Eggs Benedict on the menu and my friend had Benedict Pugliese which is two fried eggs on toasted grain bread with arugula, basil pesto and cream buratta with a drizzle of saba which they enjoyed immensely. I had the Benedetto Prosciutto which is two poached eggs on top of sautéed spinach with shallots, prosciutto, a toasted English Muffin with hollandaise sauce and a side of tasty breakfast potatoes. My dish was fabulous with everything cooked perfectly.We did not have dessert, but I have had most, if not all of them. The gelatos are made in house with the flavors being chocolate, vanilla and blueberry. Incidentally, the blueberry gelato is the perfect foil for the lemon olive oil cake. The tiramisu strikes the perfect balance of mascarpone to chocolate, sweet but not cloyingly sweet. Last but not least is their chocolate cake, not too heavy and rich, but perfectly balanced to cap off your evening. The dinner menu is not overwhelming. I feel there is something for everyone on their menus. The provide freshly baked plain foccacia with extra virgin olive oil for the table. As far as appetizers are concerned, my personal favorites are the Arancini, Beet Salad, Salumi Plate, Polpette(meatballs,) and Roasted Octopus for an appetizer. The Bolognese Lasagne and Paparelle Alla Bolognese are my favorites of the traditional pastas. However, if you are feeling adventurous the Malloradeus Chingale is outstanding and is not an easy dish to find elsewhere. The Branzino Livornese is the best Branzino I have ever had so it is a top favorite for me. Some other dishes that come recommended are Spalla Maiale(pork shoulder,) Costelette di Agnello(rack of lamb,) and the Filetto Mignon. So if you're seeking excellent Italian cuisine, with a classy ambiance in charming historical house and fabulous service you cannot go wrong with La Storia.

A little underwhelming for Brunch. It's a condensed menu with only one pasta option. We tried:…read more- Polpette - Burger Mediterraneo - Benedict Pugliese It was all just fine. It tasted fresh, but not like anything that couldn't be made at home. It's not a slam but it just didn't really drive that I want to come back feeling. The atmosphere was great and the service was phenomenal. I was just left wanting something more. It sounded like Brunch was just happening again and they are usually focused on dinner, so if we come back it will be to try the dinner menu