We went to The Vig before attending a show at Zanies across the street. The restaurant has very…read moreclassic decor but the vibes are casual. Great spot for a big group or a fun date. I ordered The Vig burger. It was nice and juicy. I wish they'd asked how I wanted the burger done (it was more pink than I'd have liked) but it was still tasty! I loved the bun too. Any sides are extra so that was a bummer but the burger was plenty. Service was great. They were really patient while we waited for the rest of our party to arrive. The payment app made it super easy for everyone to pay for their own portion. Restrooms were clean! I'm rarely in Old Town but would hit up The Vig again for happy hour or a casual group hang.

After hearing great reviews from my cousin, I finally tried this place for a late-night dinner and…read moreit definitely lived up to the hype! The chicken burger was juicy and flavorful, the mac & cheese was rich and delicious, and the pickles were surprisingly addictive. A fun surprise: on Friday nights, the restaurant transforms into a dance floor after midnight, making it a great spot for both food and nightlife. Definitely worth checking out!

2026: Came for a business dinner and was more blown away than last time. The bluefin tart, the Dry…read moreaged tartare, the scallops and the short ribs were all so well put together I am still thinking about them. Highly recommend Boka. 2022: What a great experience. The short ribs were unlike anything I have tasted before. The service, the food and all elements of the meal were a memorable experience.

Boka and Alinea are perhaps the most iconic Michelin star restaurants in Chicago, and it would be…read more"embarrasing" that a person who visited Chicago for over 15 times has not try either one. So, I finally made a reservation for Boka. There are several reasons that Boka looks attractive to me: a fine-dining restaurant opening on Monday, creative New American dishes, and importantly, they allow customers to order à la carte. I went there at 7:45pm on Monday and at that time the restaurant was about half-full. I tried the following dishes: 1. Bluefin Tuna Tart. A bite size app. The tart was filled with cherry puree/sauce, finely "minced" tuna and yuzu jelly, from bottom to top. Very rich in texture, and had a good balance of flavors. 2. Tortelli. Italian Dumplings filled with ricotta+tarragon, cooked with maitake and sweet corns, and topped with shaved goat gouda. The dumplings came with 6 pc, all generously filled with cheese. There was also lots of shaved goat gouda. These absolutely made the dish very rich in flavor, but a large amount of cheese also means it could be salty. The corns, luckily, added some refreshing sweetness to it. 3. Black Truffle Chicken. I ordered it mainly because I wondered how well a Michelin star restaurant cooks chicken, which could easily be made too dry. Surprisingly, the chicken was so tender and juicy that it required little effort to slice it! Moreover, interestingly, the chicken breast was stuffed with some sausage (the layer you see between the skin and the meat). Unfortunately, the dish was too salty for me: the chicken was brined, the sausage may had been cured, the jus and zucchini puree were also salty. I tried to finish it but could not, so I asked a bartender to send it back to the kitchen. 4. Roasted Hokkaido Scallops. Another creative dish. The seared scallops were paired with pickled & grilled cucumber slices, diced seaweed & radish, cauliflower puree, perhaps some puffed rice, and garnished with tarragon infused oil. I really liked the smoky and sour cucumber slices and the umami seaweed & radish. The puffed rice added some delightful crispiness to the dish. But the taste of cauliflower puree was more or less over-shadowed by the other ingredients. 5. Dinner rolls. Potato rolls with sunflower seeds. Served with fennel pollen+sea salt butter. Bread service was free. Service was, overall, top-level. I was greeted warmly by the reciptionist and the bartenders (I sat at the bar). The staff all had a good knowledge about the ingredients in the dishes, as well as how they are prepared (actually it seems that they had a book to record these, because I saw two of them reading and discussing such). When I complained about the chicken, they apologized to me and offered to cook something else for me for free. I might come back in the future if I see something interesting on their seasonally changing menu.

This spot has been on the list for some time and finally got here for lunch on a Thursday. We had…read morea 12:30 reservation for 5 and sat outside. Some were running late, no problem, the kind Host sat us. Given the mild summer day, most were enjoying the space outside with a view of the Fulton Market area. Large interior with a Beer Hall vibe. We started with the Breads and spreads (2) starter that came with their house baked bread-seeded rye and spence sourdough. Smoked fish and pimento cheese dip were both delicious pairing nicely with the fresh bread. Also ordered their Bloody Mary-tried it and I'm not a big fan of Bloody Mary's but this one was perfect-bonus-included a Beer chaser. For lunch it was the Burger (flame grilled taste, came out medium as ordered and just the right size, loved the beef fat fries), Chicken Schnitzel (tasty take on the classic with the Chicories taking it over the top), Farro and Quinoa Bowl (the tasty healthy option), Classic waffle (simple and delicious). Service was friendly and engaged. Justyne took great care of us! Limited dessert menu at lunch so we ordered a caramel ice cream and it was enjoyed. Farm to table goodness not to be missed.

Midwestern farmhouse vibe + simple yet elevated dishes + quality service = this restaurant…read more Apps were all amazing (summer squash, carrots, the mushrooms with burrata were surprisingly my fave) The pickled veggies were unexpectedly one of my favorite dishes, everything was preserved so well and had lots of flavor without being too sweet. The chicken was cooked super nice aka not dry and the fries were yummy and crispy. AND THE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE with hazelnut mousse, banana caramel, candied walnuts & banana ice cream...... I will be thinking about this cake for a long time. I would come back just to eat the cake again. I honestly was blown away by this restaurant. It lives up to all the hype imo. And the bathroom was super cool. You know a restaurant is a good one if they have nice bathrooms.

Beautiful decor! The flowers are stunning and it's a lovely, elegant, romantic, whimsical ambiance…read more Indoor and outdoor dining. I really enjoyed the happy hour here! I loved the fries, mini lobster roll, cheeseburger slider, and bougie chicken nuggets. The fanciest chicken nuggets I've ever seen, with a ranch sauce topped with caviar. My friend really enjoyed her oysters too. Great cocktails and mocktails. My friend loved her Paloma. I enjoyed a sparking rosé, and then I had a delightful mocktail called FRAISE NÎL, which had strawberry, mint, lemon, amarena cherries. The cherries were epic! So good! Excellent service from Nicolas.

Kari's Rating 8.5/10…read more TLDR: -They're famous burger comes with American cheese already -Mostly high top seating -Instagrammable Place Came in with a friend around 6:30 on Friday night and the place was just starting to get packed. While I waited for my friend, I joked with the manager, and he had a very good sense of humor and put me immediately at ease. Once my friend got here, we were escorted to a high top table next to the bar. I couldn't stop looking at the beautiful faux flower decor along the ceiling and by the bar. We ordered the Sauvignon Blanc that was poured into our stemless glasses. The waitress suggested the lobster roll as well as their famous "The Royal Burger," where the burger came on top of a large plate of Gruyère cheese fondue. Both the lobster roll and the burger came with fries or coleslaw. We decided to split the difference and get a little bit of each. The fries weren't super crispy, but they were overall okay-but realistically more of like a filler so there were definitely fries left when we got up to go. I personally didn't think they were worth heating back up as they were so thin you wouldn't have anything to heat up. The burger was absolutely delicious, but I personally didn't think they needed to add American cheese on the burger as well as it was plenty cheesy. The burgers were juicy and cooked to perfection on top of their crispy buttery brioche bun. I really like the pickle being sliced thinly because you just got enough of it without it being soggy. The lobster roll was as fantastic as the waitress was hyping up. The juicy piece of lobster her complemented, the perfect ratio of mayo on a beautifully buttered piece of roll. It was also the perfect portion size. My only critique was that when we got it to our table, I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be served hot or cold as it was kind of room temperature. The lobster roll also came with a side of coleslaw, which I was confused about because it looked more like a salad as it didn't have a very heavy mayo dressing and actually tasted more like a spring citrus salad very lightly doused with lemon. I wasn't mad about it because I don't like very mayo heavy coleslaw's-but I also didn't realize this was the coleslaw as I thought it was a side salad. Overall, it was in a very hip and popping place and I probably would come back with friends. I do wish the waitress had introduced herself with her name and the individual bussing our tables had name tags on-I personally think it makes the meal a little more intimate. Overall, I left full and happy. The price was perfect for what we ate and drank. I thought it was a nice place in West Loop and I look forward to coming back!

If you want to know if a chef can really cook, there may be no better test than how they can cook a…read morepiece of chicken. At Ox Bar, chef John Asbaty doesn't only pass this test, but almost makes it impossible to not to order the chicken. His half chicken cooked on a wood fire grill somehow arrives to your table with perfectly juicy white meat attached to a perfectly cooked leg and thigh (a nearly impossible task for even the best cooks). On top of that, the skin is reminiscent of the crackling on the best lechon asado you've ever had, and the dish is surrounded by an irresistible sherry jus/reduction. So yes, if you go to Ox Bar you should order the chicken because it's that good, but fortunately the menu is designed for sharing, so your your table can also be wowed by what Chef John can do with the other ingredients on his menu: a medium-rare yet fork tender beef short rib, pork shoulder, whole rainbow trout, and an amazing selection of elevated starters/sides featuring locally-sourced and seasonally-chosen produce to complement those proteins or satisfy any non-meat eater in your party.

Sometimes (just), sometimes, you go to a new restaurant and out of no where, you are dumbstruck by:…read moreThe welcoming The service The ambiance The menu selections The flavor palette And just how exceptional a restaurant can be. That was my experience tonight here at The Ox Bar & Hearth on Clybourn Ave just west of Lincoln Park. Me, my wife and my son visiting us from NYC had the same experience I had with the Ox Bar which was one word - "Impeccable"! We all shared this evening: * Lettuces shaved asparagus, raw milk cheddar, anchovy vinaigrette & breadcrumbs - scrumptious * Blue hopi cornbread cultured butter & tart cherry preserves - shockingly good *Steak tartare pickled ramps, horseradish, raw milk cheddar & grilled sourdough - excellent * OBH burger beef fat wedge fries - up there with Au Cheval * Half chicken onion marmalade & chicken jus - sensational * Pavlova raspberry sorbet & sage cream - what a way to end a meal I've been a "Chicagoan" for 4 1/2 years now. I'm still awed how incredible the culinary scene is here. I have to go back to my opening words - I'm Dumbstruck!

Checked out the new Saturday coffee and pastries at north pond!! There wasn't a ton of info online…read moreabout this new feature of theirs so was excited to check it out. They open at 10, there was a small line but nothing crazy the whole time we were there. Vibes are great, you can sit outside at the umbrella tables with a great view of the pond! So good on a nice day. Service was excellent, as expected for a Michelin place serving coffee. Super kind man at the counter and coffees were made quickly. Pastries took a little longer but not too bad! I got an iced latte which was solid! My friends got the cold brew and just by the look of it I could tell it looked weak and super watered down. Espresso was good though, and prices are surprisingly standard if not inexpensive for the coffee ($6 ish) Pastries are small but unique and fun and made with quality! We tried just about everything and split them. Each one is about $9 which is a little steep for some of the sizes but made sense for the artistry. I think my favorites were the samosas, savory focaccia, and zucchini bread (the lemon and blueberries were a nice unique touch). Overall would come back mainly because the vibes were nice! Not like the best new bakery by any means but totally worth checking out on a nice day!

Ambiance - intimate spot, great for dates & celebrations…read more Service - exceptional, our server was polite and checked on us often Food - offers tasting menu only & glad we got to choose our main course option, everything was cooked to perfection, loved that they made some parts of the dinner interactive

Stopped into Black Barrel Tavern on a recent visit to Chicago. It was highly recommended by some…read morelocals and it didn't disappoint. Indoor and outdoor seating was available. The interior has the vibe of an elegant pub with rich dark wood everywhere. There are choices of bar seating, high tops and tables. We were greeted and waited on immediately even with the lunch crowd. Our waitress had some really great suggestions as well. Our door came out quickly. Really great portions for the price point. I ordered the chicken parm sandwich and had it for lunch and dinner. The bread was fantastic, the sauce, amazing. Probably the best I've had. While I know fries are common, these were excellent. Crispy, seasoned just right. This is a great downtown Chicago restaurant. I highly recommend you give them a try.

I love the vibe here! It's a great place to sit on the patio and have a few drinks! Very dog…read morefriendly too! Service is great! They make a great michelada here! As far as the food it's very average. The pigs In the blanket is very different from what you would expect-I'd rather just have chicken and waffles. The chilaquiles were pretty mid. We asked our steak for medium it was beyond well done. Chips were very soggy too!

This past Sunday night I went to Erie Café with two friends. I had not been there for quite a…read morewhile. When I called to make the reservation, I spoke to Johnny, and he was as nice as could be. He told me that when I arrive I should see him or Juan, the manager. When we got there, we wanted to sit outside and went to look at the area. There was a group of servers outside and they were so very friendly. It looked like rain, so we chose a table inside. Our server, Cesar, turned out to be fabulous. I must admit I was slightly biased since he had been my student in high school. That was such a surprise! I can't remember any restaurant that I've been to where the servers, managers, and everyone was beyond helpful. Aside from the people, I the food was great. I had Greek chicken, and it was enough for three people! I ate the leftovers at home for the next two nights, and they were still great. It was definitely the best Greek chicken I've ever had, including at the restaurants in Greektown. My friends agreed. I can't wait to go back to Erie Café. I certainly will go back very soon!

Food is the most important thing and it's just flat out not good. Lasagna is a weekend special and…read morecame out looking dull and tasted the same. I'd rather have Stouffers from the grocery store every time. They try and redeem things with lots of bread and included soup or salad but those aren't particularly tasty either. Red wine felt watered down too. For positives, the service is good and prompt, it smells good walking in, and the vibe is cool/authentic. That said, it took several minutes for anyone to acknowledge us at the host stand at the outset, despite several employees walking by multiple times. Wouldn't recommend because the food disappointed so much it overwhelmed everything else.