Loved how quiet, comfortable, and relaxed our visit was on a Sunday afternoon. We were seated immediately, and although there were only a few other parties, I was honestly surprised by how empty it stayed. We ordered the crab linguine and the steak sandwich, and both were delicious. The cocktails were fresh, flavorful, and definitely boozy! I'd come back for those alone. The space is cozy but roomy enough for both date night and larger groups. It's also connected to a hotel, which was news to me, and parking was easy. Definitely a place worth checking out! read more

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Was hopeful about this spot given its ambiance and convenient location right near the Obama Presidential Center, but overall, it fell pretty flat on value and execution. The menu is quite overpriced for what you actually get - the portion sizes are relatively tiny, and left me hungry after finishing. The bangers and mash, while having a good flavor, could have really used something crunchy, like warm crusty bread, crackers, or breadsticks, to contrast with the wateriness of the sauce. The service was really nice and attentive however. Between the light portions, steep check, and lack of dish balance though, the experience just didn't deliver. read more

Truth Be Told - Bangers and mash - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent restaurant at the street level of the Study hotel. After a long day at the Obama Presidential center, we stopped by on a Tuesday night for dinner without a reservation, and then on Wednesday morning to catch breakfast. Dinner was wonderful - a deliciousl crab pasta dish in a light lemon sauce, along with a very tasty dessert. Service from Simone was very good. Since we had such a good experience at dinner, we stopped by in the morning and got a yogurt parfait with granola and fruit - also quite tasty. The server that morning was (I believe) Andrea, who had an amazing energy and a wonderful attitude. She was quite confident in running the whole restaurant front of the house. When I return to the area, I will definitely be visiting Truth be Told. read more

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Food was mostly good, though a bit overpriced, which is standard for restaurants connected to hotels. Fries were sadly not crispy. The service was terrific though, with friendly and attentive servers. read more

Truth Be Told - Root vegetable soup - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cute hotel restaurant. We had dinner and breakfast there. Thought the service was lacking. One well meaning waitress serving the whole dining room (or if there were others they were not doing their job) so not always available, proactive or attentive. The dinner food was ok. The risotto was overly cheesy and the pot pie overly sauced, but tasting good nonetheless. Breakfast was a slow process (15 min to get coffee). The food was simple but tasty. Overall, a convenient choice is if you are staying in the hotel but there are many better options nearby. read more

Truth Be Told - Granola - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Truth Be Told: Come for the Apps, Stay for the Tequila Tucked away in Hyde Park, Truth Be Told has that cozy, inviting vibe that makes a rainy day feel almost charming. The decor alone had me sold before the food arrived. We went all in on appetizers: fried cheese curds, crab gratin, and beer battered squid. Combined, the portions were enough for five. For entrees, we tried the house burger, lamb shepherd's pie, steak and ale, and fish and chips. The food was perfectly fine, just not the kind that sticks with you. I wouldn't call it bad, but I also wouldn't call it back next week. The real star was the Fizz Sam's Buzz mocktail, which I happily upgraded with a shot of tequila. It was so good I ordered a second without hesitation. The automatic gratuity caught me off guard, mostly because our server seemed to have other tables to tend to more urgently than ours. I love leaving a generous tip when I feel the love, but this time it felt a little preemptively assumed, like a kiss on a first date! Would I return? Absolutely for drinks and appetizers in that cozy space. For a full dinner? Probably not, but that's just my palate. You might disagree, and honestly, I hope you do. Go try it and let me know what you think. read more

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We were in town to visit the new Obama Presidential Center and booked a hotel at the Study Hotel. This restaurant is connected to the hotel's lobby. We decided to have dinner here tonight and are very happy with the experience. The decor is upscale English Pub. The menu offers about ten appetizers, a few salads, and about ten entrees. I went with the lamb bolognaise and it was delicious. My husband had the linguine and crab pasta dish, which was also very tasty. For dessert we split the apple tart, another delicious choice. read more

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Amazing place. Went for breakfast with some friends. Tucked in the hotel near UofC, near Obama Center. inside was very European like. Coffee was very good. The breakfast was amazing. Service was par excellence. I would go there any time again read more

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We had a reservation, however we were told by the frazzled person at door that there would be a 30 plus minute wait. We decided to sit at the bar instead. Johnny was great! Thank you for keeping our memories here wonderful ! read more

When hubby and I were in Chicago to visit the Obama Presidential Center, we stayed at The Study hotel because it's very close to the center, and we ended up eating at Truth Be Told several times. We had breakfast, lunch, and dinner and each meal was delicious. We especially loved the Sunday Roast! The prime rib was absolutely delicious and so were all the sides. The portions were super generous! Service was friendly and prompt, and the restaurant was comfortably appointed and relaxing. read more

The last time we were here we discovered that there was a crazy upcharge for cocktails (an Old Fashioned, on the menu, $18. We asked for a Mezcal Old Fashioned, and were billed $28. The 'upcharge' is not clearly disclosed). Last night we tried the place again. The bartender was also acting as the host, and seated us. I mentioned this experience to the bartender. He acted shocked, and assured us that would never happen with him. And so we sat down at a table and ordered ... Mezcal Old Fashioneds. The bill came, $28, per drink. And this was for a pour that, being generous of spirit, I might say hardly qualified as a 'sample.' I brought this to the attention of guy behind the bar. It turned out the guy pretending to be a bartender was also pretending to be a manager. Said I, "This is exactly what you promised would not happen." His response, while turning his back, "That's how it is" Major rip off artists A limited menu, the food is ... OK, but four star cocktail rip off artists . read more

Truth Be Told - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We stumbled upon this place because there happened to be an open parking spot on the street. Located on UIC's campus and near the Museum of Science and Industry. British themed menu so chips does equal fries. I had a delicious grilled cheese that had an egg on top it. I enjoyed it but it was definitely quite messy. My boyfriend got the chicken salad sandwich. It does have curry in it so wasn't his favorite but he didn't hate it. I wouldn't hurry back but if you're in the area, I would recommend checking this place out. read more

Truth Be Told - Chicken salad sandwich - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Truth be told, has me telling the truth! And it was GOOD! The salad. The salad. I don't think a salad has ever made me want to shed a tear. The food came out hot and ready. Service wasn't that great, maybe because I was alone. I wasn't paid much attention too, but people that had bigger parties were attended too. Now back to the salad, it was scrumptious. I played around with the menu and added shrimp which took it up a notch. I ordered a Mediterranean style meal but added salmon which also took this meal up as well. The old fashion was a classic, but they can go to hell with the overly big ice cube. read more

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I have dined here a couple of times and while I enjoyed the food, there are a couple of service issues I would strongly recommend that Management do a better job with : 1. Slow service. 2. Menu selection inconveniences. read more

Truth be told. Cute British pub in The Study hotel on the University of Chicago campus. Had a weekend brunch at Truth Be Told. The smoked and poached salmon pate with an arugula salad and toast was delicious. The salmon Benedict was also good. Service was okay. Even though they were not busy, it took a while to get a table and even longer to get coffee or tea. (I actually just went to the hotel lobby and grabbed cups while we waited for the waitress.) Very convenient location if you are staying at The Study, but not sure if I would make a special trip here for brunch. read more

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My group enjoyed Truth Be Told so much we went twice: once for dinner and once just for a drink. It's near enough to the Logan Center for the Arts. I'm blanking now on what I ordered to eat, but maybe photos will refresh my memory. I ordered a yummy cocktail the first night and a glass of wine the second night. Great atmosphere (minimalist and classy). read more

Lowkey random restaurant on University of Chicago's campus- Really good burger and desserts- legit horrible service. I am allergic to nuts and they kept going back and forth to the kitchen while I was eating the desserts and said it actually did contain nuts? This happened three times lol - Honestly ridiculous read more

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This restaurant has been on my list for a while and I'm glad I finally made it. I love finding a good local spot for breakfast and it's great not having to travel far. The waitress was very nice and attentive and we really enjoyed our food. The ambiance was modern, clean and comfortable, perfect for a relaxed morning meal. I'll definitely be back. read more

The only British restaurant I know of in the beautiful and timeless setting of Hyde Park (Chicago). Located near The University of Chicago, Truth Be Told can give you that "bougie" feel without being super pricey. Get there early to enjoy their food and beverage happy hour. My husband is a sucker for Bangers & Mash! read more

My husband and I decided to try this place today , when we walked in there were three people doing different things. We stood there a good five minutes and no one responded to us , so I went and asked do you seat yourself here ? The waiter was like no, just give us a second. I gave you five minutes. We still had to wait . A black guy let her know that we were waiting. I nodded my head thank you. The hostess went in the back came out like we wasn't standing there forever and said follow me with no personality whatsoever . once we were seated, the waiter was nice. I had the mushroom omelette with home fries, and coffee. My husband had a sausage sandwich with home fries. The food was good. It was very clean, I don't know what was going on today, but I will give them a second chance to see if this is just a pattern with them, but the food was good . read more

Truth Be Told - Ham and mushroom omelette with home fries, and coffee very delicious. - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Adjoining the Study Hotel on the campus of the University of Chicago in Hyde Park is a restaurant named Truth Be Told ("TBT"). Our recent visit was deeply disappointing. Upon arrival, there was no greeter and no clear view of the dining room, leading to an awkward and unnecessary wait. Service was extremely slow--25 minutes for water, over an hour for food, and long delays for both black coffee (15 minutes) and a cappuccino (20 minutes). The open kitchen revealed chefs without hairnets, raising concerns about hygiene. Most disturbing was the loud obnoxious waitress, who adopted a performative, stereotyped persona with us as a Black couple--behavior she noticeably toned down when serving the white woman next to us. Her inappropriate comments about her "Black baby daddy" were offensive and unprofessional -- no kidding she thought it was okay to chat us up like that! There was a positive-- Spinach & English Cheddar Quiche: Egg Custard, spinach, English cheddar cheese, shallot, garlic, served with a mixed green salad. The pastry puff the quiche was prepared in was a huge surprise (not described on the menu) and it made for an outstanding unique quiche, but also resulted in an hour long wait for our meal. Our waitress did not think to tell us the dish took an hour to prepare when we ordered it. When it was finally ready the other routine breakfast had not been prepared! ("Study Breakfast" -- Two eggs, sausage, home fries, wheat toast). Even when they finally brought the food out it was short the side of bacon that I ordered! The oysters were served with a magnificent pickled beetroot and champagne mignonette, but were tiny in size and definitely not worth $5 an oyster! BTW $5 for a cup of simple black coffee is downtown prices -- $2.95 at Salonica's a few blocks away! Jasmine Y. "Very disappointing experience," Elaine H. "Slow service," and MATT T. "Our dinner experience ... was poor and disappointing" all describe my experience which is in stark contrast to that of one reviewer who stated that he can't say enough about his positive experience at TBT. I will not likely return. read more

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the food was tasty and perfectly cooked with wonderful presentation. the service exceptional - shout out to cari. the ambiance was relaxed and friendly. highly recommend this place. read more

I really wanted to try this place but I never got a chance to experience anything. I walked in on a Monday afternoon around 3pm. There was no hostess at the front to greet arriving customers. I waited for a few minutes and seen a bartender come from the back to attend to the two patrons who were sitting at the bar. She didn't ask if I needed any assistance. A few moments later, two more employees came from the back. One went behind the bar (female) and the other employee (male) stood by the entrance to walked behind the bar. I stood there and waited for a moment and none of the three employees acknowledged me. I would like to note that the restaurant was completely empty beside the two patrons sitting at the bar. I felt awkward because I was the only African-American person inside the restaurant. Not sure if that is why I was ignored. If the manager sees this message, feel free to watch your cameras to validate my story. read more

This restaurant is convenient as it is attached to a hotel on campus. The food is good - just heavy. Inspired by a British pub so think pot pies, solid meals. I always like their burger and have to come in hungry. Depending on the bartender - you may or may not be able to get a mixed drink done properly. I asked for a Toki highball and they had to google the recipe. Good place to watch games - staff is friendly. read more

Truth Be Told - Burger - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came with a friend down for brunch for our birthday! Service was amazing and so was the food, shoutout to Andrea for making the meal awesome and providing excellent service. Definitely coming back if we're back in town! read more

Truth Be Told - Seating area - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We celebrated our friend's 60th birthday with Sunday brunch at Truth Be Told, located on the University of Chicago campus and connected to The Study at University of Chicago. The restaurant has a warm tavern-style aesthetic--inviting, comfortable, and perfect for a relaxed celebration. Our waitress was very friendly, attentive, and genuinely personable, which made the experience even more enjoyable. The brunch menu blends English and American influences, offering something for everyone. We tried the Scotch pancakes, which were quite good, and overall everyone at the table enjoyed their meals. The atmosphere was pleasant and unhurried--we never felt rushed, allowing us to truly enjoy the food, conversation, and celebration. A great spot for brunch gatherings . read more

This place definitely has a cute vibe on the inside. Truth Be Told is an English style restaurant and it's shown throughout the menu. Personally loved the cocktails! I had the a cucumber gin martini that was delicious! My wife had the expresso martini. For starters we ordered the lobster gratin and chicken soup!! IMO the lobster dish was the absolute best dish of the night! For our mains she ordered the fish and chips, the chips were delicious. I ordered the tandoori chicken, which IMO tasted nothing like tandoori but the chicken was cooked to perfection and the sauce that the chicken is laid on top of under the rice was delicious. I was caught off guard by the raisins in the rice but it made for an interesting pairing overall. In all I felt it was a 7/10 experience but I would definitely go back if not just for the cucumber and lobster but to try more things. read more

This is a great local Bristish inspired local tavern. The hubby and I ventured in for happy hour drinks. Unfortunately, they do not have any happy hour specials. Their social media and website need to be updated to reflect this change. We ordered a bunch of appetizers, olive dishes, riccata, cheese curds, and devil eggs. The devils eggs had an odd taste. We think the taste had something to do with the olivie oil. The cheese curds were my favorite with the added bed of marinara sauce. I will definitely be back to try brunch since happy hour isn't happy anymore. read more

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Yummy. Recommend for breakfast and for the scones. For lunch, definitely the burger. Fish and chips is next on my list. read more

I've eaten here twice, both during stays at the hotel within which it is situated, The Study at the University of Chicago. It's a cute concept and the name is awesome and the vibe is perfect for this particular university community. That said, the service--both times, months apart--is bad, bad, bad. Well, maybe not bad as much as dismissive and cavalier. Both times, the host kept me waiting to be seated for far longer than was warranted considering it was late morning or early afternoon both times and not busy at all. The waitstaff is completely blase as they are serving, and it's like pulling teeth to get them to bring the bill. And the food is absolutely meh. This place should be much, much better considering its importance to the University and its location within a trendy boutique hotel and because the food and drink is NOT cheap. Management needs a wakeup call here. read more

This was one of the stranger experiences I've had at a restaurant. We were seated, but it took a long time to order. Tables all around the restaurant sat unbussed, and the place was only 2/3 full for brunch at noon on a Sunday for brunch. We should have known better. When our waitress came to us, she was clearly frazzled, and asked us for our whole order. It took a considerable amount of time for our drinks to arrive. It turned out that our server was also making these drinks. I wish I had just sided with my table mates and ordered the mimosas. I got a good, but very small bloody Mary (no straw). Our appetizer never arrived. We didn't get water until 30 minutes in. Silverware had to be requested after receiving our food. Food was good, thankfully. Management clearly is not doing their job. The host did his job. The bartender seemed to be doing all the serving, but not effectively. A man in a suit was running expo and bussing, without any urgency. They were understaffed, which shouldn't have been an issue at a hotel restaurant that was 2/3 full, but it was painfully obvious. For $200 split 3 ways, I felt robbed. I also felt embarrassed for picking the restaurant. Service was terrible due to management, and no comps, discounts or anything was offered. Do not eat here. read more

My waitress Andrea at Truth Be Told is so welcoming and makes me feel right at home. In restaurants I believe it's the people that make the experience a good one and Andrea excels at this. Highly recommend ! Becky from NY read more

We stumbled upon this place as my sister searched brunch spots near Hyde Park. So glad we came. It's on UChicago's campus in the new hotel. There was no wait to be seated, but it did take a half hour for us to get our food. We had the Scotch pancakes, eggs Benedict and the Study Breakfast. Eggs perfectly cooked and seasoned Bacon was thick and crispy Fingerling potatoes were well seasoned and fried Hollandaise on Benedict was delicious! The portions were nice-sized and the menu had fair prices. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for a nice brunch. The restaurant is also bright and well-decorated, with a rustic feel. read more

I ordered on the phone. The number provided didn't take me directly to the restaurant. Tasty burger and chicken sandwich. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Thank you read more

Food was good but our waitress was inattentive and forgot to put some of our food in and never came back to refill our water or ask if we wanted more drinks. Bathroom was out of tp and we informed them, went back 20 minutes later and still no tp. We probably would've had more luck getting service if we had sat at the bar. Not great considering they do auto-grat. read more

The food was delicious and ambiance was great. I came here for a work dinner on a week day. The service was attentive, with great appetizers and food, and a nice environment. I got the pork belly dish and it was amazing with delicious lentils and mashed potatoes. This restaurant is nestled in the UChicago campus with lots of greenery and space around, and easy super and ample parking. read more

Truth Be Told - Pork belly - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here on a Wednesday and wow! First off they do wine Wednesday, so half of glasses and bottles. Made a reservation and was seated in a timely manner. The ambiance is great for a date, post work happy hour/bites or just in the area and wanting a good meal and wine. I had the steak and fries, I will say my steak wasn't cooked medium, a bit over cooked but still tasty. The cheese curds were a greater starter to share with the table. Overall tasty and I would return read more

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I was visiting Chicago and this restaurant was recommended. Called to make a reservations and whoever answered the phone must not have been the regular person. He was dumbfounded by our attempt to make a reservation for 8 people so he put us on hold to speak to the manager and came back with just walk in without a reservation! Well that was ridiculous, who would have that size party and walk in. Called back again and spoke to someone else and it was no problem this time. Weird and problematic...what if we hadn't tried again? Got there and it was a lively nice space. Staff friendly. I ordered the linguine with crab and it was delicious. Not sure why the menu said linguine but my dish was actually fettuccine which in the end was no problem but noted. Another to put on my for rotation when returning the the Windy City! read more

If the truth must be told... this place could use a little lift. The atmosphere is nice, but the staff and the cake is cold. The one server, plated and cut cake without gloves or washing his hands and the cocktails were definitely pre-k!! The cake was definitely frozen or atleast a day old.overall stick with the fries read more

Quiet reversed atmosphere. I have ordered a few dishes, roast beef sandwich which was not a personal favorite of mine but the fresh cut fries were good. The smoked salmon platter is a staple dish for me, eye pleasing and scrumptious. The ricotta cheese appetizer is always fresh, light and tasty. They always have oysters and a nice drink menu. Service is impressive, one of our favorite spots to go to. read more

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