Order The Smith Takeout or Delivery
The Smith Photos
Business Info
THE SMITH ATMOSPHERE
You might also consider
More like The Smith
Recommended Reviews - The Smith
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
I really wanted to like this place, as it's a truly beautiful space. Super chic and spacious. We came here for a group brunch right when they opened and it was kind of a mess from the moment we sat down. Booth was super cramped for our party of 6, water glasses were dirty, sparkling water was flat. Our waitress was super super kind, but boy was service slow. Our oysters came out before our drinks did. The coffee was so bitter and did not taste good in my opinion. The oysters and the crispy breakfast potatoes were the best part of the meal. I ordered the Benedict Johnny as my main, but the cornbread was so dry I did not enjoy it. They did have a kids menu and the french toast was super yummy. I wish the kids meal came with some bacon or fruit or something other than just the french toast. I had to order all that on the side. Overall, food was OK, service was friendly, but very very slow. It wasn't even busy when we came in at opening time.
We made a last minute reservation for The Smith on a Friday night and so glad we did! It was in walking distance from our hotel, beautiful ambiance, outdoor seating, large menu, kind staff, what more can you ask for! One thing that stood out to me was their care and consideration for my allergy. They not only noted it to the kitchen, but the manager had come over to explain they would put red flags in every item that was safe to eat (which was everything). I thought this was so kind and took the service to the next level. We all enjoyed our food and the views! I would have to say the bar steak was my favorite, the burger was delicious too and i'm not even a big burger gal. We left full and satisfied with our experience here and would be happy to come back!
Sat at the bar which was fine for one but if you have more a table is probably a better option for service and dish clearing. Enjoyed the happy hour options and got a salt and vinegar martini - which was very unique, a half dozen oysters which were very good and lastly the spicy tuna tartar that was spot on. Good ambiance and has a little something for everyone.
I was on my friend's bachelorette trip to the city, and we came for dinner. To start, we decided to just enjoy the complimentary bread and butter, which we enjoyed. For my entree, I decided to try something new and so I got the short rib mafaldine. It was very good, and I would order it again. The cosmo was also great! As for service, our server was very kind and accommodating to dietary needs. That being said, service was a bit slow. Overall, I really enjoyed this restaurant!
Best mac and cheese I've ever had!! The rest of the food was also wonderful. The parmesan truffle fries are a must order. The service was alright. Got a little slow at times but overall, it was good. The food came out quick for a Saturday afternoon. The location is amazing, close to the river. The restaurant is bigger than I expected it to be so it was no problem getting seated without a reservation.
Oysters flown in daily, elegant American style cuisine and ambiance, polite and informative service, and the eggs alla vodka was a first time try for me, it was spectacular. Thank you The Smith team!!! Our waitress was wonderful.
Fantastic food, service, and ambiance! We went for a birthday dinner. Having been to The Smith in New York, we assumed this would be the same. But their Chicago location has its own feel. Our server was excellent. He explained the menu and listened carefully to food allergies at the table. They are very sensitive to food allergies. The manager is required to stop by the table to verify what is needed, and to ensure the kitchen paid attention to the instructions, any food for someone with allergies is labeled with a red flag. The food was great. We started with an order of Brussel sprouts and some oysters. (The oysters were from me. I'm not a lover of Brussel sprouts.) They had several types of oysters to choose from. I asked the server what his favorite was and he said it was their special - an oyster from Virginia called "Chuck-cago." They were outstanding. For our meals we had a variety of things. Everyone was pleased with their entrees but other than presentation I can only speak to the bar steak. The bar steak is a flat iron steak which came our medium rare. I had it with the chimichurri sauce. It's served with sauteed spinach and fries (pomme frites). I also had their old fashioned. They use walnut bitters which gives the old fashioned a little different taste. There are two things that could be improved: (1) the chopped salad is colorless. They have apples in the salad - I suggest that they keep the skins on so the salad isn't just a pale green. (2) it is very loud, so much so, it was hard to hear people talking at our table. Regardless of those two items, our experience was wonderful and we do plan to visit again.
I had dinner at this place and enjoyed it. The menu was arranged before the group arrived. I love this because I get to sample far more on the menu than if I were to attend with my spouse or friend. The meal began with burrata. I love this cheese and know that it can swing in presentation from very watery to dry. This seemed to hit the perfect middle. Light flavor, not too watery or dry, and dressed with a bit of pesto and accompanied by garlic bread that was fantastic. The Caesar salad was good. Crunchy parmesan, which is always a nice treat on a Caesar salad, is enough to make me want to not share this family-style dinner. The dressing was near pefect, but given family style servings, seemed to not be enough for me. The roasted fingerling potatoes were divine. They were prepared with a lemon aioli, chile crisp, and topped with scallions. This was so good that we asked for another serving. Roasted brussels sprouts resting on an avocado base and pink peppercorns. They were nicely prepared and glad that others at the table did not care for Brussels sprouts. That left more for me. The Rigatoni alla vodka with delicious stracciatella cheese was a wonderful touch, and I was thinking about having that as a separate dish for dinner alone. Now, I am not a fan of poached salmon, but typically, the broth used to poach the salmon seems to be no more than salt, pepper, and sometimes, rosemary. I had instant regret once I tasted it, and it reminded me why I only pan-sear or grill salmon. One thing I loved about some of the places I ate in Chicago was the style of the steakhouse.
I love the Caesar Salad with Salmon here. I recommend it to all my friends. I was pleasantly surprised to have gone recently and saw Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna on the menu. Always a good time here and great service
(Kari's rating 6/10) Came here for a quick bite and I've been to the Smith a few times before, but this was the first time I'd come in for brunch. The servers were really sweet, they checked in relatively often and gave us both sparkling and still water. She was relatively attentive and checked in the perfect amount. The bloody Mary was OK, a little bit fishy, not very spicy and came with a pepperoncini and an olive. The breakfast sandwich was next which came with an egg, almost like a hollandaise sauce on a brioche bun. The bun was very light and fluffy, a little bit sweet and overall pretty delicious. As someone who lives not too far from the Smith, I wouldn't necessarily come out of my way to come here, but it was a nice upscale brunch place.
This has to be one of the top burgers I've ever tried. Period. Although on the pricier side, the burger is filling and even comes with a side of delicious, perfectly salted, crispy fries. I get mine in medium rare and the burger melts in your mouth. I think the couple times I went, it is on the juicier side (this is no where a dry burger)! The Smiths is one of the places I recommend my friends if they're looking for a good burger spot. This place never disappoints. Service was amazing and attentive which is always a plus. The vibes were really chill and casual!
Our server, Aaron, took wonderful care of us at Brunch today. His suggestion to share French Toast as an appetizer was genius- tasted like eating dessert first. My friend described it as "divine". We both got the shrimp and grits. YUM! Love the texture of the potato strings on top. Delicious coffee and cocktails. Just perfect!
I want to start off by saying the food from this place was absolutely delicious. We each had a bite of the other dishes ordered and I can confidently say they all were amazing. I had the shrimp scampi and it literally melted in your mouth with a crunch from the toasted bread crumbs which was an excellent touch. A tad on the pricer side for the portions but maybe I am just a hungry gal. The drinks were also a bit pricey for the small size but hey it's Chicago. They have a cute photo booth downstairs that gives six poses which was a great addition to this place. One thing I will say is that when I read this place was quite loud I didn't realize it was as loud as a busy bar. It was extremely hard to hear my friends and we would have to lean it close to hear what we were saying. If you're looking to catch up with some friends this might not be the best place. I also want to mention that this was my birthday celebration and saw that the table next to us had a small cake with a candle but our server never had any birthday treat. Not too mad just a little salty as she kept ushering us to get a dessert and I thought this was because of the birthday and was a complementary but it was included in the final bill.
Great experience at The Smith! I've been to a few of The Smith locations in NYC but got to check out one in Chicago! I sat outdoors for brunch, and I appreciated the umbrellas that blocked out a little bit of the sun, given that the day was already pretty hot. I ordered the French 75 Slushie to start, which was light, fruity, and refreshing! The best part was that brunch cocktails are included with any Eggs & Griddle or Steak and Eggs section! One of the most popular entrees is Shrimp & Grits, so I happy ordered that item and did not regret! The grits were deliciously creamy and tasted amazing with the shrimps. I also loved having the pancakes as a shared sweeter option for brunch. The Berry compote and lemon creme fraiche was the perfect flavor combination for these buttermilk pancakes, which didn't even require any syrup! Service was great, and the location is pretty convenient in River North. Happy I got to check out this location! read more
10 months ago
3 years ago
Excellent food, service, and atmosphere. Prices are reasonable ($20-$30 for non steak entrees). The Smith steak is a flank steak that was cooked to perfection served with either fries or a massive portion of mixed greens. The spaghetti bolognese is one of the best I've ever had - totally unsuspecting as the sauce is chicken based as opposed to beef based. The service was excellent - our waiter was very attentive and friendly and the courses came out not too soon or not too long after placing our order and enjoying appetizers. The cocktail list is extensive and everything looked really good coming out to other tables. It was a little noisy, but it was also a Saturday night so i wouldn't let that deter you from stopping in! read more
3 years ago
Unreal. I am a big eggs Benedict fan and this might be the best I've ever had. My girlfriend and I ordered the The Eggs Benedict Johnny and The Smith Eggs Benedict and split so we had a bit of both. The potatoes that came with the The Smith were spicy and seasoned perfectly, crispy on the outside soft on the inside. The Benedict sauce was exquisite and eggs cooked perfectly. The corn bread that the Johnny was sitting on was slightly spicy and went extremely well with the delicious tangy habanero sauce the waiter brought out. Ended up putting it on every bite! The dishes both came with complimentary drinks, great Bloody Mary and delightfully sweet Pool Party Slushie. Coffee was fantastic, had a red eye and the espresso in it was great and not overly bitter. They brought out complimentary flat water and sparkling which was a nice touch. Price was also very reasonable. Last but not least, the building is so cool looking! It's design is elegant and the inside matches the exterior perfectly. Reminds me of the stylings of the The Smiths... the exterior reminds me of London. Great music (classic rock), ambiance, and service. 10/10! read more
11 months ago
Good food, excellent service and great atmosphere! We are here recently during a visit to Chicago, good food. Fast and friendly service, would come back here again! Covid policy; masks in the restaurant till you're seated and while walking through to the restroom. read more
I've been to The Smith in NYC where I was quite impressed with their brunch options but this time around I ordered their Skillet Baked Sticky Toffee Pudding (4/5) to-go as one of the dessert options I laid at home for New Year's Eve. The cake and pudding itself was moist and well prepared. The dessert doesn't travel the best as a to-go option as the toffee sauce thickens and caramel-izes further upon reheating but since the flavors were there in this it could be a worth it order when dining in at the restaurant. (-1/5) for the transportability and because it was slightly sweeter than my personal preference . read more
1 year ago
I came here with my coworkers with a big group of 16. We made reservations and was seated right away. It's got a nice decor, clean and well lit. Th service was too notch and very attentive which was good because our group kept ordering more drinks. We tried a bunch of appetizers. For my main entree, I ordered the ribeye steak and also got to taste my coworkers mussels. Both were delicious. We also ordered a bunch of desserts to share, cookie crumble was probably my favorite. The place got packed and kinda loud with all the people talking but that's normal for the amount of people that the restaurant holds. Great food and service! read more
Came here for brunch on Memorial Day and was not blown away. I heard great things about the French toast and was excited to try it. We called ahead to make sure the brunch menu was being served, as it is only on the brunch menu. We sat on the patio which was very nice given the nice weather. I was sad to find out there was no French toast being made that day, but I was more sad with how the server spoke to my guest and I. I tend to think we are very friendly guests and very easy to please, but the server spoke to us in a judgmental/annoyed tone during our initial interaction. I wanted to leave and go somewhere else, but decided to wait it out. He never checked in on our food until we got our check an hour later. I couldn't help but notice how kind and attentive he was to the large table behind us. Not a huge deal, but it definitely put a bad taste in my mouth. I got the shrimp and grits and there was a very small portion of grits in the skillet, and it was stuck to the skillet / burnt around the edges. I wouldn't have minded that if there was more grits to actually consume. Definitely tasty, but probably wouldn't order it again. The brunch cocktail it came with was great! I got the frozen one with rum-- I am blanking on the name but delish. Overall a bummer.. so many options in Chicago so I'll be surprised if I return any time soon. read more
I came to the Smith for restaurant week which was $59 for a 3 course meal. For appetizers, I ordered the Oysters/Shrimp dish which was delicious and fresh. They gave us a few sauces to try which I absolutely loved. For dinner, I had the Chicken dish with Polenta and mushrooms. It was so flavorful -absolutely one of my favorite dishes. For dinner, I tried both the Toffee and Brownie. Personally, the toffee was a better selection. The brownie wasn't my favorite. Our server, Bobby, was phenomenal. He gave great recommendations, provided exceptional service, and was very personable. I tried the Grenache, and Lychee drink. Both were delicious. Personally, I will be back to try other items on the menu as I was a fan of the service, food, and ambience. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
Finally had brunch here! The best part about it is any item listed under the brunch menu with skillets & French toast, etc comes with a brunch cocktail! So this is definitely a steal with everything we had we only paid $35 each which is so cheap for that area. The shrimp & grits were really good, perfect size for brunch. The service was great and the actual restaurant is pretty nice too and very well lit. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a cheap brunch in the area! read more
2 years ago
The smith is SO good! The restaurant is very classy looking and clean. We had brunch and it comes with a free cocktail from a list of four options. I was able to substitute it for a zero proof, "Fancy Free" and it was so tasty! The service was great and the food was so yummy. The goat cheese omelette was so well done, the cheese was buttery soft and perfect. The shrimp and grits were also so great, i'd recommend those two if you're unsure of what to get!! I will definitely be coming back for brunch again & i'd love to try dinner! read more
2 years ago
The food was great, staff awesome and the ambience is perfect. Even with and entirely fill dining room and bar everything and everyone was on point. Even during the NRA conference we expected so we service longer wait times and more hiccups. Highly recommend coming here quality food, and a casual comfortable environment that is still trending and beautiful. read more
2 years ago
Always hit up The Smith for their Martini hour(happy hour). Grabbed the house made potato chips and blue cheese fondue with an espresso martini. One of my favorite bites in the city right now. The chips are light, salty and crispy. The blue cheese fondue is mild with chunks of blue cheese swirled in. Service is always top notch. Great spot read more
4 years ago
I stopped in before the crowded dinner rush because me and my partner heard great things! As an appetizer, we shared the roasted cauliflower and caesar salad. It was absolutely delicious. The lemon breadcrumbs were a perfect touch to the dish. The caesar salad was pretty good. I wish the salad had more complexity to balance the saltiness of the parmesan crisp and the creaminess of the dressing. We got the rigatoni alla vodka to share. And it was extremely disappointing. It was overall salty, I'm not sure if it was the sauce or the noodles were overly salted. As a replacement, our waitress offered the special for the day, the chicken parmesan. It came with a crispy focaccia. It was mediocre. The chicken was juicy, however, the sauce was quite bland. The focaccia was cooked to perfection, but the addition of the peas weren't to my taste. I would only come back for drinks. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
I'm usually a bit skeptical about brunch spots in River North because I care more about the actual food these days rather than a boozy brunch, but I was wrong about The Smith. Admittedly, I usually overlooked The Smith because I always saw reservations available and never felt an urgency to go there over one of the harder reservations to get. When my wife and I decided to finally check it out for brunch though, I can't believe we've been sleeping on The Smith this whole time. The Smith is a NYC transplant, and the vibe inside just had that NYC meatpacking district vibe. The brunch menu leaned more toward hearty comfort food rather than fresh and green, which was right up my alley. Honestly, the prices weren't bad either. Most of the dishes were in the $18-21 range, but that price included a brunch cocktail that already cost $13. A hearty breakfast dish and a drink for $20 is a better deal than you're gonna get for this kind of restaurant in the city. While the portion sizes weren't massive I'd say they were actually just the right amount. We were full but didn't have any leftovers. Both of the items we got were delicious and full of flavor. Benedict Johnny - This is their spin to the traditional Eggs Benedict. The cornbread was cooked directly in the skillet so it had a nice crisp bottom and edges, but still fluffy inside. The cheddar and jalapeno mixed in just elevated the regular boring cornbread into something great. The tomato hollandaise was just bomb. I'm already a fan of the richness of regular hollandaise, but the hint of tomato just made it even more savory. Usually I'm not a huge fan of chicken sausage, but this one was juicy and had the slight crisp from the flat top and just worked well with the rest of the flavors. Shrimp & Grits - Grits can sometimes be bland, but The Smith did them right. They were super buttery and had kicks of flavor with the jalapeno and cheddar mixed in. The shrimp was decently sized, and seasoned/cooked perfectly. The crispy potato strings on top just added a nice crunch and extra heartiness to each bite. For brunch, all it takes is one solid dish to keep me coming back for more. The Smith knocked it out of the park with the two dishes we got and I will definitely not overlook them anymore. They will be cracking our regular brunch rotation from now on. read more
3 years ago
I was in Chicago for the National Restaurant Association Show and we had a team dinner at The Smith. The place was packed and had a fun yet romantic ambiance to it. We were led downstairs to a cellar room that was more intimate and with plenty of room. The server was exceptional and gave me a lot of confidence in knowing I would be safe with my food allergies. Being a seafood heavy restaurant and being severely allergic to seafood is challenging along with being celiac and allergic to dairy. She confirmed my allergies back to me and worked with me on the menu options. I was so pleased at the offerings and settled on the asparagus that had quite a flair to it with the poached egg in the center as well as the NY Strip cooked medium rare. I toasted my team with a lovely Lemon Drop Martini and we were on our way. The team enjoyed their oysters while I had the asparagus and everything I had came with a red allergy alert flag. It was a great experience, the food was excellent and when dining in Chicago I will be back. read more
1 year ago
Business owner information
Corner Table R.
Hi Mary,…
3 years ago
I feel like everything I ordered was a must try: the Mac and cheese; spicy salmon crispy rice; oysters; and the Cesar salad (I added chicken). My cousin got the rigatoni and loved it. Everyone loved the food here and it's such a beautiful place. Great service and perfect restaurant for any occasion! Highly recommend. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
Came to The Smith to check out their Happy Hour. We got the seafood tower and a few drinks. I was surprised by the amount of food that you got for the price that it was. I felt spoiled! We showed up around 5pm and by the time we left the entire place was packed! Seems to be a popular spot for people to go to after work. It surely is a lively spot once 6pm hits and cross you fingers if you are trying to get a spot at the bar on a weeknight. read more
Twas decent. The truffle oil used in the risotto gnocchi was a overage average but still left the pasta extremely oily to say the least. My cocktail the midtown Manhattan was ok. Definitely a lot of alcohol content but smooth as can be. The restaurant definitely had that franchise aspect to it as nothing stood out or was extremely out of bounds. Be warned if you show up before 11:30 the will try to push the breakfast menu on to you. It also gets extremely crowded for lunch hour. In closing, doubt I'd return but wasn't the worst restaurant in river north. read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
5 years ago
Girlfriend and I were feeling like oysters downtown, and the rest of the menu looked great so we went here and had a great time. The decor is filled with warm wood tones and has a welcoming, refined feel but without some of the pretentiousness of fancy restaurants. We missed the happy hour ($2 oysters!) so we got a half dozen of their normal price oysters of the day which were big, fresh, full of briny deliciousness, and came with mignonette + hot sauce + cocktail sauce + horseradish. For dinner, we got the burger, chicken pot pie, and roasted brussels to share. The burger was so juicy, with some of their savory bacon shallot jam and house sauce coming through on each bite. Not super complicated, but a well crafted tasty burger, and a huge portion of crisp fluffly fries. The chicken pot pie was also pretty big and the creamy filling was full of intense, savory chicken flavor. The only thing I wasn't impressed by were the brussel sprouts which had a good roast and some orange zest but otherwise not much flavor going on. Overall, we had a great time and definitely want to come back for their happy hour oysters and other deals! read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
First, I noticed the service is spot on. Throughout, perfect. Well-engineered, apparently, because it is a chain and investors are probably counting on that, which is so inexpensive to do, yet so profitable when done correctly. Thanks, "The Smith - River North"! The food (we did brunch), every dish surpisingly, was sufficiently unique and delicious that I will be happy to have them again and excited to try other things there. Beautiful atmosphere, charming and elegant without being ostentatious. All that tile with the giant gold-veined mirrors give it a sense of old world quality that still seems a little "street". Quite cool, imo. I think people enjoy finding themselves here. It's fun, uniquely yummy and pro-customer enough that it has to get 5 stars from me. It's worth a dine by anyone who hasn't tried it! read more
Visited @thesmithrestaurant for their incredible Chicago restaurant week brunch menu and the churro waffles were AMAZING I had ~Fresh Grapefruit Juice (no added sugar, was a little on the sour side but I appreciated the freshness) ~Churro Waffles with espresso crema (the espresso crema was SO good I was eating it with a spoon ) ~Citrus Salad (baby romaine, hazelnuts, fennel, parmesan, white balsamic vinaigrette) **very fresh and flavorful! ~Grilled Chicken Sandwich (burrata, tomato jam, basil aioli, toasted ciabatta, fries or mixed greens) **sub the chicken for avocado Overall it was a great meal and the portions were perfect! Our server was also very helpful and friendly with giving recommendations and taking our pictures. Overall, I had a great experience and can't wait to go back to try their Mac and cheese * * * * * * * * read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
More info about The Smith
400 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60654
River North, Near North Side
Directions
(312) 312-5100
Call Now
Order Takeout or Delivery
Start Order
Visit Website
https://thesmithrestaurant.com/location/chicago/
Full menu
Hours
Payment methods
Food & Alcohol
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Other Amenities
From the Business
More Info
Health Score
The Smith Reviews in Other Languages
Ask the Community - The Smith
What time does brunch end on Saturdays?
Brunch is served on Saturdays & Sundays until 4pm! - The Smith Team
Is there a happy hour?
Yes! They have $1.50 oysters and some happy hour priced drinks. Must order at bar.
You might also consider
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
31 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
1 year ago
3 years ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
7 years ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
27 days ago
