I was her today for my cousin's baby shower. The room where we were was small and quaint, the walls covered with art for sale. We arrived late so we missed out on the appetizers but did get to enjoy a 3 course lunch which was excellent. Tomato bisque, greens with grilled chicken and chocolate mouse for dessert. It was all delicious! The staff was attentive removing plates and checking on water or drinks needed. Overall, a very cute place for a small event! There are others areas of the building I saw near the bathrooms so maybe the can accommodate larger groups as well. Highly recommend! read more

The Gallery - Mouse with raspberry - Art Galleries Near Me - Lake Forest, Illinois

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Loved it. We went on a Saturday night, able to get it on the same day. The space is dark and very much an art gallery vibe. There is a large quote from Pablo Picasso on the wall. The food is almost all Asian inspired and delicious. They specialize in bao buns, which were very good but not the best we had. We only had appetizers and small plates, sharing everything. The best appetizer is not Asian, but is so good they held it over from the restaurant's previous persona. It's a caviar deviled egg. Try it. Everything else was Asian and delicious. I happen to like more spice than most of my companions, but not one complained of too much spice despite the full flavors. We especially loved the lemongrass chicken, and soy marinated steak bao buns, plus the bulgogi fries. They have a rear patio that we didn't get to see but is likely to be nice in the summer. read more

Very cool quiet venue that's an art gallery and restaurant. Overall the food was great. The portions were a good size. I enjoyed my halibut very much and the appetizers were lovely. The octopus was likely my flavor since it had some heat with it. They also do a epically delicious cast iron cornbread and I'm a sucker for cornbread. Service was great and as good expect the ambiance was quiet and nice read more

The Gallery is a part restaurant a part gallery. We came in for dinner in a Saturday evening and we're running late due to traffic, but they graciously held our reservation for us. Upon arrival they greeted us with open arms and were so excited for us to be there which of course made us all the more excited to be there. We were promptly seated, where the hostess made a few recommendations of her favorite drinks and menu items. Soon after our waiter Haley came by, sweet as can be. She offered to take our drink orders but we were ready to order everything. I had the Autumn Leaves drink which was a nice fruity fall drink and made it super easy to drink a few of, haha. For our starters, we tried the Korean beef skewers along with the black garlic devil eggs of which was highly recommended by the staff as one of their specialties. The Korean beef skewers were super tender and extremely flavorful, however the deviled eggs were fair, it wasn't out of this world that I would come back for just the one item. But the toast made the perfect combination with it. It needed that crunch with all of the flavors. For my entree, I shared the wagyu filet with my husband. This filet was absolutely incredible. It came with truffle buffet, potato gratin, pickled mushroom, and steak sauce. My husband had the pork chop and he said it was delicious with the sweet potatoes. For dessert, we decided to have the chocolate cake as it was being raved over by the staff and it did not disappoint. I usually only eat two bites of the dessert because I'm too full, but I couldn't stop eating it! The mocha creme was delicious! After dinner we were able to walk around and enjoy the artwork. It was overall a super nice evening and since they change their menus seasonally I'm excited to come back and try more soon! read more

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7 March 2025 - We were asked to leave our table and move to a table in another room after 1.5 hours; informed our table of 2 was needed by another party. read more

Food, Ambience and service is wonderful. Also, they have rotating local Artists showcasing the work.

I have been to this restaurant three times. Each time is a consistently glorious experience. The restaurant has a great vibe and attentive service. The food is absolutely amazing. Yesterday we had the Black Garlic Deviled Eggs and Burrata for apps. Jack's Creek Australian Wagyu Filet | roasted garlic whipped potatoes, truffle butter, steak sauce and Halibut | brussels sprouts, baby potatoes, miso butter, lemongrass chili for the main courses. Carrot cake and Vanilla Bean Cheesecake for dessert. Every single thing we ate was divine. The Gallery is a definite must try if you are in the area. read more

The Gallery - Black Garlic Deviled Eggs - Art Galleries Near Me - Lake Forest, Illinois

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Members of our sorority alumnae chapter met at The Gallery last night for dinner. The cocktails and appetizers were delicious and beautifully presented. Our salads and entrees were delicious--most of us had one of The Gallery's fish entrees or lasagna. The chocolate s'mores dessert was amazing! We ate outside under strings of lights. The restaurant accommodated our request for a heater to be placed near our table, which made the evening even more enjoyable. Our server and the other wait staff anticipated our needs. They did not rush as we visited. We were impressed with the service and the food options. We plan to return! read more

We just hosted a large birthday party at The Gallery this past weekend. They could seat the large group in a private area at one table, which was very important to us. They thoughtfully provided a gift table and coat rack as well. The food was delicious, and the service was fantastic. The fabulous night ended with a beautiful cake and gorgeous cookies custom-designed and made by their amazingly talented pastry chef, Hailey. The birthday cake and parting cookies were stunning as well as scrumptious. Cecilia and her team helped to make the entire evening flawless. Thank you! read more

Went to the Gallery for happy hour. This is a great environment. You are surrounded by art which is all for sale. The Garden seating is super cute and friendly. The happy hour drinks were good. The service was great. The only draw back was the limited menu for the happy hour appetizers. I'd like to see more options. read more

The Gallery was a lovely surprise and look forward to returning! My food was perfectly prepared and served; Salmon Salad was grilled and so fresh! One of Lake Forest's gems! read more

I wish we had better things to share, but unfortunately the best rating we can give our experience is 3 stars. We have dined out on the patio at The Gallery twice now. The space is lacking in any kind of ambiance. There is some dead landscaping in the space that should be removed. The chairs are uncomfortable and tip because the pavement is in such desperate need of replacement. The dumpsters are just on the other side of the fence. :-( We experienced issues with ants crawling up our legs and on the table as well. Our food was good and it did come out pretty quickly. It took a very long time to get the check. It seemed that our server had too many tables toward the end of our stay. Perhaps the experience is much better inside the gallery. We probably won't return. :-( The ambience does not match the food. read more

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I had dinner at the Gallery with my family last night. Unfortunately -- and surprisingly -- it was the worst meal that I ever had at a Lake Forest restaurant. The dish was supposedly shrimp and plantains. The entire meal was overcooked, the plantain slices were burnt and hard as rocks, the shrimp were dried out, and the entire meal had no flavor. It was very disappointing. I had eaten there several times before and it was good, but not this time. The other entrées my family ordered were mediocre at best. Again, this surprised me. Interestingly the restaurant was only half full on a Friday night which also is unusual for Lake Forest. I hope that things improve for the restaurant. I must say, however, that the service was good. However, I can't imagine going back to this restaurant. read more

Service: Fantastic Food: Best in Lake Forest by a country mile Cocktails: Below average Ambience: Big outdoor patio is great on a summer night, despite needing a little TLC Highs: All the food was excellent but the soft shell crab, halibut and Waygu steak stood out. Hands down the best meal I've had in Lake Forest. Lows: Cocktails (yikes). Old Fashioned is a mess - too sweet and served in a glass packed to the top in quick ice which melts super fast and leaves you with a watery glass of Fireball. This needs to be taken off the menu until they get cocktail ice/cubes and a new bartender. Manhattans and martinis were meh and served at wine cellar temperatures. STICK TO BEER AND WINE! (Good selection) Despite the poor drinks, the food and service (Phillip) were so excellent that this place is deserving of five stars. Perhaps the next time I visit the drinks will have improved. read more

This review is almost 2 years overdue but absolutely necessary as I want to spread the word about this underrated gem in Lake Forest! My husband and I had the opportunity to host our rehearsal dinner at this incredibly unique venue for our April 2019 wedding. To put it plainly, we, along with all of our guests were completely blown away by the food, the ambiance and the spectacular service that Cecilia and team provided. The setting is truly one of a kind for whatever occasion you're celebrating as The Gallery has rotating exhibitions featuring talented artists and a menu to pair along with each. One of our favorite keepsakes from our rehearsal dinner was a painting purchased for us as a gift and all of our guests enjoyed being able to walk around throughout the evening to look at all of the artwork. Like I said, the food was phenomenal! From the delicious deviled eggs to the braised beef main course, we were all wowed. The service from the beginning of the planning process to the end was top-notch (thank you, Cecilia!) We visited again this past summer and had the opportunity to sit outside on the adorable patio. The cocktails were incredible, food was even better than remembered and Cecilia remembered me and my husband over a year later and made sure to stop by our table to say hello (again, top notch service, people! :)) We just made a reservation for our upcoming 2 year anniversary and we honestly can't wait. We live in the city, but make sure to come out to Lake Forest to visit one of our favorite restaurants of all time. Thanks for the memories, The Gallery!! We look forward to many more :) read more

Can't believe we hadn't found this place before; great food, great find. We were looking for somewhere we hadn't been a dozen times the last couple of years when this came up in Yelp but all the reviews were 10+ months old. We went anyways because the idea of food and art was too enticing. We are glad we did. The appetizers were all fresh and tasty. The Burrata Bruschetta was quite tasty and the candied bacon made the deviled eggs. The tempura battered sweet potatoes were also quite nice. For entrees, we split the surf and turf (a Valentine day special) and the steak was perfect. The shrimp/surf were tasty as well. We then had the Sea Bass which was excellent. We will definitely be back. The service was friendly and professional without being overbearing. And we enjoyed looking around at the art in the room. I'm surprised there aren't more reviews. read more

We carried out our Thanksgiving dinner. It was fantastic. We had enough for two meals. The rolls were my favorite. They reminded me of the rolls my aunt made when I was a kid. The Turkey was moist and full favored. The dressing, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce were different from what we normally make but really delicious. Not too salty or spicy. All-in-all, a pleasant surprise from this little restaurant. We will use them more often. read more

An outstanding meal, which we can't wait to repeat! This unique restaurant derives its menu offerings from a gallery of original artwork, creating a whole new twist on pairings. Aside from four staples, Chef Dominick rotates his menu, along with the artwork, every 6-8 weeks. Our tomato and chickpea fritter starter was fantastic, and set the stage for our entrees - whitefish and salmon. And the warm cookie with gelato was the perfect ending. Tremendous food, excellent service, and a very reasonable price. read more

The Gallery - Whitefish on mini tortillas - Art Galleries Near Me - Lake Forest, Illinois

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What a unique and special venue. I love that the menu is inspired by the art that is displayed for that month. Our waiter Phil was knowledgeable and attentive. Great space for a date night. The small plates (deviled eggs and caprese salad) were tasty. We split on opinions on the dinners. The ahi tuna was great with a nice spice! The shrimp and grits had a great presentation just needed a little more flavor. Don't miss the oatmeal cookie dessert!! read more

Great space and wonderful dinner this evening. We tried 4 appetizers And 4 entree and each one we would order again. Wine list has much to offer also! Can't wait to come back and enjoy the outside!!!! read more

A truly marvelous experience. This community is lucky to have this place. I don't know if there is a more accomplished chef on the North Shore, or anyone else producing such consistently high-quality plates. Wonderful atmosphere, excellent service. I'll keep coming as long as it's open. read more

Great menu ideas and always solid food. High quality taste and unique flavors! Service is outstanding. Curbside was well managed.

Inside this creative space, works by local artists hang on the walls and inspire partner Chef Dominick's changing menu. The inspiration may be colors, texture, subject or..? resulting in amazing melding of flavors no matter what you order. They are BYOB. Front of the house partner and artist, Cecelia, ensures each guest feels welcomed and well taken care of. I've been there five times in 2.5 months. Just saying. They recently opened a patio out back (needs a little work, but is a lovely, quiet space) , so you aren't sitting on a street curb with car noises and smells like so many restaurants. read more

We have been there 2x this summer and our meals were just outstanding and can't wait to return. This is the best restaurant on the northshore. Cecilia does a great job and the food and service is wonderful. Try the deviled eggs and salmon! read more

A group of us went to The Gallery last evening at 5:pm. They have a very lovely, very private outdoor seating area behind the restaurant which was simply ideal! The BYOB factor is a great service, and I was very impressed that they decanted the red wine as well as provided a chiller for the white--nice touch. We had small plates that included the puffy taco, octopus, salad and garlic eggs. Salad is salad, but the other three were stellar. For our mains, we went from the fish tostado, to the lamb pasta and braised beef. All were great. For dessert, we had the cheesecake and the cookie. The cookie was a-maz-ing. My only downgrade for the entire event was the cheesecake. I'm still wondering if it was the temperature or---what. Just didn't click for me. That being said, it was very enjoyable, just not on par with every single other dish we enjoyed. If you are looking for a quiet, non-rushed very enjoyable evening, please give this a try. read more

Quite possibly the best restaurant in Lake Forest. And far and away the best value. Situated in an art gallery where the work changes every 4-6 weeks as does the menu, it is wonderful! For appetizers we (4 of us) had the asparagus strudel, the ahi tuna poke, the black garlic deviled eggs and the tomato peach salad. All were delicious! Entrees included a crispy white fish tostada, orecchiette pasta, braided beef and ricotta gnocchi. It was so delicious we were all sharing. It's is BYOB and there is no corkage charge. The quality and the value is extraordinary. It is a new restaurant and gallery run by a young couple Cecelia and Dominique and they are a welcome addition to the North Shore restaurant scene. We will be back! read more

Woohoo is correct! What I love about The Gallery is that it was different in decor, ambience, and cusine. Love the fact that the art work is changed about every 6-8 wks and the cusine reflects the art. Also, it is BYOB. We went with another couple on Friday night and everyone was pleasantly wowed by the food, no corkage fee, great service with a smile, and the interesting artwork. We had deviled eggs, Korean tacos and egg rolls. All were amazing. Something different, however I think anyone would enjoy the starters. We all made happy plates with our entrees. I had the Ginger salmon, moist and the quinoa with asparagus and carrot puree was a delight. My hubby had the pork ragu, a substantial amount and he ate every bit of it. Our friends had the mahi mahi and buttermilk white fish with brussel sprout slaw. Of course, everyone had to have a morsel off the other plates. A successful and delightful evening. Definitely going to return soon!!! Try it, you'll be pleasantly surprised and will want to let your friends know about hidden gem in Lake Forest. Not your usual affair. read more