Great place to come for happy hour! The wine that the staff recommended was great, the oysters were really fresh, and the different meat in the charcuterie plate were soo yummy. We were seated inside and it was really cute that they had little doors to section off each table. I'll definitely be visiting next time to sit outside during the summer! read more

The Publican - Half Charcuterie Plate - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Such an incredible restaurant! I visited with several friends, and despite a last-minute increase in our party size, the staff easily accommodated us after we called ahead to change our reservation, which was greatly appreciated. With our large group, we ordered a variety of dishes to share family-style. Some of our favorites included the pork belly, which had a wonderfully crispy outer layer and a tender inside without being overly fatty. The chicken was another standout, perfectly cooked and juicy and the fries were the best accompaniment to the meal. We also enjoyed the bread plate, which featured various breads and spreads--even the butter and sea salt spread was exceptional. After dinner, we tried the amaretto flight, which interesting and fun to sample, since this is a type of liqueurs we don't usually have. The true highlight of the meal, however, was the espresso martinis. They were hands down some of the best I've ever had and I would come back just to have another one of those, though I won't hesitate to try more of the menu at the same time. I can't wait to come back here! read more

The Publican - pork belly - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Porchetta: a bit dry. Glad it's a juicy dish to balance that. Flavor's great. Corn bits is interesting texture. Pork rinds: really crispy and airy. Tinted spicy flavor. Wouldn't expect it to be rind Pork belly: really tender in the middle. A bit dry on the outside. A little bit too sweet for me. Nice staff. A bit overpriced for the amount of food. They also have interesting bathroom that has a weirdly angled mirror that reflects your genitals when you pee. Can't really use it to see your face though. Not sure about the purpose of that mirror. Strawberry cake is too sweet for me. Sponge is dry and too much sugar crumble since it's already so sweet read more

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Surprised by how much I loved it here. Came for a team business dinner and enjoyed the experience. The inside of the restaurant features a large, open dining hall with high ceilings and tall chairs set up at large tables. I tried the Publican sandwiches for lunch earlier in the week and thought they were great. Charcuterie Plate - Decent charcuteries but not memorable or worth the price. (3/5) Publican Bread Plate - Perfectly baked and fresh made rye and sourdough. (5/5) Asparagus - A lighter vegetable option to balance out a meat-heavy meal. The avocado, sesame seeds, and tahini vinaigrette were nice components. (4/5) Barbecued Carrots - Perfectly cooked and flavorful carrots. The creamy herb dressing and pecans added a nice balance of savoriness and texture to the dish. A great vegetable option. (5/5) Porchetta - So so good. Perfectly cooked. The meat was delicious and tender. I will have dreams about this dish. (5/5) Sirloin - Delicious, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. No notes. (5/5) Ham Chop in Hay - Nice and comforting pork chop. Good but not as amazing or memorable as the other meat entrees I tried. (4/5) Chicken - The half chicken was cooked well but the plate was mostly filled with French fries. Felt that it was overpriced. (3/5) read more

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The restaurant ambiance was fine and many people enjoyed their dinner here but did not. I went with a large group and came with a set menu so perhaps my opinion is swayed by that but the service was quick so that's a positive. Otherwise wasn't happy with the food choices, not many vegetables to choose from. Chicken breast came with soggy fries and many other food options that weren't appealing to me at all. read more

The Publican - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The Publican is a pork-lover's paradise with the soul of a European beer hall and the style of a Chicago hotspot. From the moment you walk in, the warm lighting, long communal tables, and lively chatter set the tone for a meal that's equal parts rustic and refined. Their menu focus on pork, seafood, and seasonal ingredients. Their charcuterie boards and house-baked sourdough are must-tries--hearty, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. Ultra-fresh oysters and muscles, side fries (sooo good) paired with German beer and white wine. We got a seat in one of the booth, and it was a fun experience! We had a really good time! read more

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Came here for my birthday with a big group and tried a bunch of things on the menu. The environment reminds me of a medieval times dining room and the servers were super nice. Ordered a bunch of things on the menu and the scallops, oysters and steaks were all really good! I really want to come back and try their brunch menu next time read more

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I cannot believe that I haven't written a review of The Publican. After many visits over several years, I thought it was time for a long overdue review. This evening was perfect in many ways: perfect weather, perfect server-thank you Wendy, perfect food. We started with her suggestion of a crab boil, lotsa crispy fries over a good helping of REAL crab. Next came one of the best salads we have eaten in a long time. It consisted of pickled squash, and crispy beans in a Salsa Verde. The husband wanted to order a second. For our Main we had this months' preparation of The Ham Chop In Hay. This is one of our favorite dishes. Tonight the big boned slab of delicious, fatty-in a good way-pork was prepared with roasted onions and peas. With a few Happy Hour beers and the sun shining down it was a perfect evening. Oh, also, we were graced with a visit from Chef Rob Levitt, and Sophia, the lovely Hostess. Illona Levin read more

Cool concept, elevated hofbrau style cuisine with farm to table vibes. Was bummed they made us sit outside in the heat, claimed that there were no seats available inside. but other than that the food was solid and I would return. The quail was probably the most memorable dish, not surprising they received recognition from James beard, that being said the prices are elevated for the ambiance and experience but the quality of ingredients is clearly witnessed in the taste. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. He pointed us towards the right amount of food and a well balanced pairing with beer of course. read more

Food was phenomenal. However, we had to ask the server's assistance multiple times for help from our server, as she didn't greet us until 10-15 minutes in. A bug also flew into a full glass of a martini, and they charged us to replace it. We paid for it but thought that was ridiculous. Service was so mid. Food was incredible, though. read more

Food was so creative and delicious. I can't believe we haven't been sooner. One thing I wish I had known in advance, there are private tables and shared communal tables. We were seated in a booth that felt very reminiscent of a pig stall (intentionally). I do wonder how someone with mobility limitations would be able to navigate either the booths or the communal table. Noise level is fairly high. The food was incredible - I don't normally love pork belly but this has changed my mind. It was so perfectly crispy and juicy and flavorful. My mouth is watering just remembering as I write this. The salad was also incredible, I would eat that every day if I could. Everything else was delicious and quite unique, I was sure what to expect with the baked clams but again so tasty. We did the wine pairing which was nice as well. read more

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My first trip here was for brunch on a Saturday morning. We sat at the bar area. Smoked Salmon Dip was really good-served with capers over hash browns. The Little Gem lettuce was tasty as well. The cinnamon roll with pecans was a great start. read more

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Fun spot for groups. Weird but eclectic menu. Wait staff aren't the most attentive, but super friendly. Food is delicious, but not for everyone. Our group had fun. read more

I dined at the restaurant for lunch in the afternoon. Unfortunately, there was only a brunch menu not lunch. The only options available that was not a breakfast meal was a burger or salad. Burgers were chosen. For the price and no sides, they were small burgers. The ambiance was strange. We felt like herded sheep in a stable while sitting in a booth as the doors closed on the table. read more

I did not expect this experience! Having gotten a bit tired of American food, but wanting to try this place on a trip to Chicago, I went in with tempered expectations. The ambiance is great - long, shared tables with large chairs built of solid wood. Rows of lighting to match. Our server was amazing, jovial, and super personable. We got multiple plates of roasted vegetables (carrots, broccolini) which all came sized to share with a bigger group than we had (2 people). We also got the bread, which was amazing - soft with some chew in the middle, but with a great crust. The chicken platter was good, but the fries included were sitting in the sauce causing them to be soggy - not my favorite way to present fries, but possibly just a culinary choice I am not appreciating. For dessert we got the coconut almond cake which blew me away as a non dessert eater - not too sweet, not too heavy, but a good balance of tart fruit hints and coconut flavor without being overpowering. I would definitely return with a larger group of people to enjoy and try more dishes one day! read more

Overall nice experience. We came during happy hour with my cousin who was visiting from NYC. Burger was tasty, but not in my top 5 Chicago burgers. Fries were definitely the star of this show. So so good! Dessert was also delicious I cannot remember the name. Seating is pretty interesting and it started to get very busy as the night went on. I recommend a reservation. read more

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I dined here with my family and I like the unique seating concept. - The Rustic menu is inviting and exciting. I was very happy with the symphony of flavors that I got to experience. - Attending during non-peak hours allowed for quick service and a quiet ambience. read more

The service was very good, ambiance and interior are very nice. I think the food was overpriced and tried to be upscale when the value simply wasn't there. The branzino fish was good, although for $54 for "serves 2", was smaller and more expensive than I have had elsewhere. We paid $17 for a half dozen skinny long carrots that were "BBq"d. Happy hour stuffed wings were $10, and we got 2 small wings. Cant imagine paying non-happy hour on that. There was only one beer on the Happy Hour menu, disappointing. They add a 3.5% "supplement charge" on the bill. Why not just tell me the prices up front? Then their "suggested tip" is calculated on the total that included the tax and included the supplement charge. Why am I tipping on those costs? I am pushing back on these sneaky tactics to nickel and dime customers. read more

If you're looking for Oktoberfest vibes in the Midwestern US, The Publican has you covered (and a dip-in deli across the street for more grab & go). There's a lot of buzz after being featured on TV, but brunch was mostly pretty good, with their strengths lying in pastries & sweets. A doughy brown butter chocolate chip cookie was nostalgically reminiscent of licking the bowl, and an absolutely perfect apple fritter with not not-too-sweet glaze and at once firm & juicy chunks of apple reminded me of easy mornings before adulting kicked in. After 2 shots at savory brunch, the Shakshuka was good, but lacked salt and went heavy on the nuts so texture landed off-balance. My guess is they really shine in the evening hours when the brews start pouring over the communal-style tables, even better in Fall months when people can celebrate Munchën-style. read more

The Publican - A beautiful (but otherwise unremarkable) Shakshuka - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Awesome place for beers and dinner sitting at the bar is highly recommended as the bartenders take great care of you. All the recommendations were awesome from the chicken liver moose to the sour heff, which as a bonus heff drinker was awesome. The pichana special was great loved how they didn't ask how you wanted it and instead had it come out at a perfect medium. read more

The Publican - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Had always heard of The Publican but so excited I finally got to go and it was better than I thought! We ordered about 5 varying plates to share amongst the 4 of us and it was the perfect amount of food. The service was super attentive, checking in while letting us enjoy our food. The seating in the booths inside is so fun and would definitely come back! read more

Probably one of my worst brunch experience in the 30 years I have lived in Chicago. Table of 3, my son ordered eggs benefit, I ordered the sunny side up brunch plate and my friend ordered a salad (no cheese and dressing on the side, menu said salad had blueberrie, fennel and radicchio). the food took over 45 minutes to show after we had to ask several times and remind them we had time constraint. When the food arrived, the eggs benefits were cooked solid like hard boiled eggs, all items on my plate (potatoes, eggs, sausage and bacon) were cold and my friend's salad arrived tossed and either cheese. My friend returned her salad, the second one they brought didn't have any berries or fennel, so pretty much was dry lettuce. Management was kind enough to apologize profusely. This may have been an off day for this restaurant, but we won't be coming back. read more

Best mussels ever. Tops Bruges in my opinion. So Good! I could leave the pork rinds and double the mussels next time around.

The Publican had availability for 6 last minute on a Saturday night and we were very grateful! We basically ordered everything on the menu to try. Oysters - I did not partake but they were enjoyed by others Little Gem Lettuce - good but nothing that special Burrata - delicious! Barbecue carrots - definitely get a ton of carrots and they were delicious. These came out towards the end with the main entrees Pork Belly - out of this world! Everyone enjoyed and would get seconds and thirds if we hadn't already ordered other items Sirloin - Good but there are other things on the menu that are more special. It's also on the smaller side. Chicken - the chicken is cooked so well and juicy. I didn't know what to expect. We got two of these. Fries were great! I didn't have it in me to try the sausage I was so full but heard it was good! Overall a great place for a group. No pics as we were enjoying time with friends. Nice service but there was a gap at one point between apps and entrees that was a little long as they got busy. Definitely a recommend for a large group! read more

I absolutely loved this banh mi sandwich. Starters, the portion was absolutely ginormous. There was a generous serving of pate in it, which truly made the sandwich. I love the bread as well. It really held up perfectly with the soft sandwich insides. The fries were perfectly crispy and, as a big mayo girl, I loved that it came with a side of mayo. My little cucumber mint cooler was delicious as well! So refreshing for a summer lunch on the patio. I would love to return and try other items on the menu. read more

The Publican - Banh Mi Sandwich and cucumber mint cooler - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had a fun brunch at Publican. The dishes were great and their house baked bread is soooo good! They have plenty of sweet and savory options, their brunch drink list is extensive, and do NOT skip their bakery options, which change fairly frequently. We opted for their aged cheddar and herb biscuit and it didn't disappoint. Everything with this restaurant group is incredible, as they bake all their breads from scratch, have insane housemade charcuterie, and an impressive beverage program. read more

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Love the food here! Great quality always delicious. I've been in for restaurant week and different events and the service is always great. It's like a beer hall vibe that's more upscale so it feels casual while still getting a reall great meal! read more

Pork Belly Hash - Good sized portion. The pork belly ragu was sweeter than I expected. Fried egg was perfect. Very hearty. 7/10 read more

The Publican - Pork Belly Hash - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cute place, nice outside seating Good food Welcoming staff, efficient service We made a reservation the night before Had shakshuka, the sweet corn pancakes and the chicken schnitzel. Oh and also the breakfast potatoes. Everything was yummy! Portions are pretty generous! read more

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The publican lives up to its name. As an establishment that served the workers of the meat packing industry during the late nineties and early 2000s, they still continue to serve the community of the newer generation. This family-around-the-table style dining definitely creates a fun and intimate atmosphere. A friend and I decided to come here following a not-so-good dinner choice that left us hungry. One thing you must know is that while the prices per dish are high, you won't leave hungry. We chose to order the Publican bread spread with smoked fish dip & pimento cheese, mushrooms, stripped bassed, and the stout ice cream scoop. We also indulged in a little libation with the Oaxacan cafe and the vieux carre. The service: Cat was amazing and our food runner, Russel, did a stellar job to ensure we were well taken care of this Tuesday evening. They were attentive and offered amazing suggestions on what to order and enjoy. The Food: The bread spread is filling in itself. If you love bread, this is the place to come to. If you are trying to avoid carbs, this plate may make you break your promise. The spreads to compliment were clearly made in-house and each bite spoke to your taste buds calling you to want more. The mushrooms were to die for. Do yourself a favor and get them! They were roasted perfectly and the green nettle sauce was delectable. I am biased though because I adore mushrooms. Striped Bass - Tender yet crispy on a bed of well-seasoned Canelli beans is worth it. You can definitely enjoy this dish solo or choose to share. My Vieux Carre drink was strong yet tasty. I would pair this drink with BBQ or just by itself. The Stout ice cream is just what it sounds like. A beer-flavored ice cream. Yes, you read that right. I am personally not a fan of beer and wouldn't indulge on my own. But this ice cream had a way of blending it perfectly and the scoops are a decent size that comes with their own graham cracker to top it. I definitely would return for the Happy Hour and their brunch. I want to see what more this restaurant has up their sleeve. read more

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Food and experience was amazing!!!! Definitely recommend. The courses were brought out in a timely fashion and the chicken especially was to die for! read more

A Chicago institution. Midwest-sourced and focused cuisine, in a beer hall setting. We did the chef's menu, and while everything was top quality the barbecued carrots and duck and pork rilletes really stood out. This place has a lot to offer and I plan to go back to explore other parts of the menu. read more

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I came here with a party of four. Getting a reservation was very easy. The moment we were sat we were treated extremely well by our server. We ordered drinks (Negroni was amazing) as well as the bread with pimento cheese, the tikka masala scallops, the hay smoked ham chop, the bbq carrots, and the Brussels sprouts. Everything was prepared extremely well and tasted amazing. No notes on what could be approved. The pimento cheese and the pork chop had a southern flair and were immediate standouts. We asked our server what dessert would he recommend: the carrot cake and the tart. He recommended the tart so we ordered it. Then he sent over both because he thought we should experience both. Absolutely incredible meal and would def come back. read more

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Really disappointed. I came here right after Chef Kahan opened this once beautiful testament to nose to tail cooking and communal dining. I was very impressed with the experiment, really enjoyed the adventurousness of parts of the menu (one of the best sweetbreads preparations I've had), the international beer selection (heavily Belgian), and the ambiance was unique. I came back a few years later and it was still true to its unique and hearty pork-oysters-beer trinity in true Kahan style. Now, 10 years later, it's just another restaurant taking advantage of its past success with a lazy menu, lazy preparation (worst bone marrow plate I've ever had - who sauces, onions, and over-seasons marrow? It should be a basic prep that lets the ingredients shine), and the waitstaff are not nearly as knowledgeable as they once were. Lastly, they removed the communal tables - probably to get in more customers as this place seems to be less about the food now and more about the bucks. The fact that they have a restaurant at the airport now made me hesitate and I should've listened to my gut because The Publican no longer serves offal. read more

Cool restaurant with really high quality dishes. I really enjoyed the meal, the service and the outdoor seating. We got the broccolini, bread and porchetta and they were all VERY good. Broccolini is a must and so is the bread. Porchetta was good but I liked the other two dishes better. We had a fantastic server and got lucky with another cool Chicago evening that we got to enjoy from the patio/outdoor area. Very comfortable and pleasant. Def will be back. read more

The Publican - PQB Bread Taste Of 3 - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Now I mixed feelings about this spot. I will start off by saying everything I tasted was DELICIOUS on the restaurant week menu I tried (mussels, butchers steak, broccoli romanesco, & the toasted mallow dessert) However, the portion sizes in the pics below is shared family style (in my case by 3 people). Felt like this was the same portion size given to 2 people but they just kept it the same for my party of 3....aka left hungry and went to another place to get snacks afterward Will have to try it again later, not during restaurant week. Maybe with just an even # of people and more dishes a la carte or for happy hour read more

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We have been wanting to try this place since our first visit to Chicago a few years ago. We finally had the opportunity and we were not disappointed! Happy bellies rule the day! Our reservations were early on a rainy and cold Sunday evening. The place was not busy but I am not sure if that's normal for this time of year or the time of day or for a Sunday. Let's say I was surprised it wasn't busier but happy that it wasn't busy! Since it wasn't busy, I e were given the option of sitting in a booth that lines the far wall. The other option is sitting at a communal table. It looks like we ordered a lot of food but all items were shared between the two of us and leftovers are always welcome! Bread and spread. If this is the start, where will they take us? I was happy with course. Little gem salad. A delightful addition of crispy pig ears. Chef's choice oysters. Sweet, briny. You may want to consider a dozen instead of 6! Butcher's steak. Served medium-rare. Melt in your mouth. Well-seasoned. Fries. I just wanted fries with my steak. . They were crispy and soft. Mmm. Pork rinds. We eat pork rinds in my culture. I wanted to check out the restaurant's version. I asked for vinegar and salt. If you know, you know. Pork rinds go well dipped in spicy vinegar seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper and garlic. Chocolate marsh mallow dessert. That's not the name but that's an accurate description. I was envisioning a take on a s'more's. It wasn't but we still liked it. Decaf coffee. Their coffee is really smooth. This place is definitely a repeat! Enjoy! read more

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Normally I am the first to criticize a restaurant where the food is as expensive as here. But, The Publican really impressed me so I understand the reason they charge what they do. I was thrown by the appearance inside as it was seemingly Renaissance in nature. There were communal tables with high backed chairs, some high topped tables, and booths with doors that enclose you into a cube. The food is meant to be family style, which is nice because you can try several items. I got the bread plate with butter and sea salt, beef fat fries with garlic aioli, barbecued carrots, and the halibut. Honestly, everything I had was just extraordinary! Plus, the dishes all had good portion sizes. - The bread wasn't especially special, though the butter had so much flavor and the sea salt really enhanced the flavor considering it is usually so subtle. - The beef fat fries are probably the BEST fries I have ever had. The outside was crispy and the inside was nice a soft. The fry itself was so light and not greasy. I have never had fries that were as light as these. Paired with the garlic aioli - my goodness!! - The barbecued carrots were interesting. They had a nice spice and they honestly reminded me of sweet potato. Paired well with a herb and dill dressing with crunchy pecans on top. Different than anything I have had. Not my favorite dish of the night, but still very good. - The halibut was super flaky and soft. Melted in my mouth. Don't really have any complaints, though I wouldn't mind if the prices were a tad lower. Wouldn't come here often, but think it is a great place for special occasions if you want quality food! read more

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Went there for brunch - the ambiance and booth seating is nice and the service was friendly. Unfortunately, that's where the good part ends. The plate I got was more of boiled baby potatoes (and not the crispy breakfast potatoes | expected). I love potatoes so it was fine but it did get filling and felt like a lot. The egg was alright, nothing special. Overall a 3/10 for a brunch dish. The most annoying part came when it was time to pay. They bring the card reader directly to you which would be great except, you don't get much time to think about the tip. They also have it set up so the highest percentage of tip is on the side you'd expect to be lowest. So you don't notice the extra 3% hospitality charge and I accidentally tipped almost 100% (the dish was $11.59 the tip was $10.10). This totally ruined my experience because tipping the cost of my whole dish was not what I ever expected. That practice is disgusting, and while i would have tipped my waitress a good amount anyways, being tricked into tipping way by way of pressure and impatient shoving of the small screen in your face is not the way to go. Would not recommend and will not be returning. If you are going to go, be very careful when you go to pay. Side note for restaurants: You can bring the card reader over and let people actually go over the bill like they do in Europe, instead of just saying the total out loud and skipping right to the tip page and shoving it in their face. read more

The Publican - Crispy Potatoes - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was so disappointed. I heard great things about this place. It took about a half hour to get our food. Its a Saturday brunch so that didn't upset me. But the plate of meats/pickles came with 3 half pieces of pieces of bread. Took 20 mins to flag our server down. Then a other 20 mins to just to get BURNT toast. I told them to take it back I'll take plain bread, crackers, anything at this point after staring at a plat rod toppings for so long. $71 for a plate of toppings, a scoop of crab dip on a hash brown, one bloody Mary and a soda. I have never left a brunch hungry but I didn't even want to order anything else cause Lord knows how long it would have taken to get it read more

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