The Worst service I have ever had at a resturaunt. Terrible food, and one of the most disrespectful servers I have ever met. Food was 2 hours late and she didn't do anything got have the orders wrong and the resturaunt was empty. read more

The food here is very good. I stayed at the adjoining hotel - The Study - and ate here on three occasions. I visited once for dinner and twice it was for breakfast. The breakfast potatoes are good, and so was the bacon. The wheat toast is surprisingly the best I've had. The caramel latte was hit or miss, depending on who made it (I tried 3 and only one was good, one average, and one barely drinkable). The dinner was not as good as breakfast but still quite solid. The fries, at least those that were fully cooked, were exceptional - thick and well seasoned. The chicken soup was also good. The deviled eggs, however, is a hard pass! I give it 3 stars not because of the food, which is for the most part good, but because of the service. The first time I went, it took about 10 minutes to get initially recognized even though it wasn't very busy, and after I got my meal my waitress never returned. I had to chase her down for a check. The second time it was a similar experience. The waitress disappeared and seemed to prefer chatting it up with the hostess or the kitchen crew rather than checking on me. I eventually had to flag down a different waiter to get any service at all. The third time was better, but what's interesting is that two out of the three visits I was given a check but no pen to fill it out. Is there a pen shortage?! If they fix the service I'd say this is 4 stars easy and bordering 5. But until then... read more

Interesting restaurant on the University of Chicago campus- cozy atmosphere, varied menu with choices for everyone, including vegan and vegetarian options. Everything we ordered was excellent, including the cashew humus. The service was great, too. We're anxious to come back and try breakfast and lunch offerings. read more

Truth be told I have written very few reviews throughout my life. Im leaving one now to vent if nothing else. The service was extremely slow. The Tika masala mussels were bland, and extremely small. The "naan" that comes with it is just regular pita bread. I returned the food, asked for a menu to order something else. After 30 - 40 minutes of waiting for someone come ask me what I would like, I left. Im currently waiting for my DoorDash food to arrive. read more

This was a really cute neighborhood place that happens to be in a really beautiful neighborhood hotel on the campus of university of Chicago. Really nice bar space really cozy feel fireplace is really nice in the winter. The appetizers are very British pub which may sound a little weird but they're actually very good. They have a very good wine selection a good champagne selection and really interesting appetizers. I would suggest picking something you have never heard of trying it and I'm quite sure you will enjoy it. Service is sometimes a bit spotty. There may be a lot of turnover seeing that it is on a college campus, but the overall attitudes and friendliness of the servers unmatched. Here's a tip if you get the burger, which is really good. Please be prepared to either share it or take half home. It is quite a substantial burger.. read more

Ambience is nice. Don't remember the food. I haven't been there in years...nice location though.

I'm going to give "Truth be Told" 4 out of 5 stars. To be honest the food is really good, the service however, is a little lack-luster. Ephram (forgive any misspelling) with the ill fitted suit would rather shuffle menus to look busy over helping a customer put in a to-go order. Instead of being a team player & assisting when the bartender was clearly busy, he just raised his voice to tell me that I'll have to order at the bar. Now, as I stated the food is great....the cashew hummus is AMAZING, really, 10/10! I'm just not sure if this older gentleman is incapable of pushing a few buttons on the screen that was right in front of him (as any other host does when I've walked in to place a similar order to go) out of sheer laziness or is physically incapable to do so. Some coaching could provide him the benefit of knowing a paying client is more important than rushing away to set out candles just for appearance sake. I'll be sure to avoid him in the future. read more

Located close to University of Chicago is a cozy and tastefully decorated hotel and bar restaurant. The atmosphere is sophisticated. Had the Bees Knees to begin with for happy hour. It was about a 3oz pour. Very tart but refreshing. Had the deviled eggs and crab dip for appetizers. Both were very good.... For dinner ordered the shepherds pie and that's when the bottom fell out. When it arrived to the table the first thing I said was that it looked like French onion soup. It was too loose and it looked like cheese was on top of it instead of potatoes. I dipped my spoon in and tasted it. Extremely salty and definitely was a soup, not a pie. Sent it back and got another order of deviled eggs. I would be willing to go back and try another dish but definitely will stay away from the shepherds pie!! read more

Yikes. The evening bartender is only good for beer, wine , & soda. Mixed drinks are a stretch it seems--straight up drink was served over ice. Found out the hard way at 946 pm that the kitchen closes at 945.. Soooooo, no food for us. read more

The moment I walked into this place I felt transported. It has such a vibe, very cozy and the staff goes with it. They were so friendly and attentive. I immediately told them I had a gluten allergy and they promptly told me what was available and how it was prepared. I loved that they had gluten free bread in house, super rare! The burger and fries were amazing!!!! The deviled eggs also gluten free delicious. Definitely recommend them and I will be back! read more

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TBT adds a unique flavor to Hyde Park. It sits downstairs of a hotel but a separate space. Nice ambiance, a little fireplace, interesting wood frame structure on the walls. Food was good, what I expected for going to an English place as a vegetarian so I wasn't expecting much. Ate a lot of cheese. Cheese curds and the butter lettuce salad were great. Cheese board was adequate, mac n cheese okay. Food came before the drinks. They gave us the wrong soup (chicken instead of the roasted root vegetable) and it took too long to get the server's attention to be worth getting the correct one. The table was being bused before we actually started to leave for some reason which was weird despite my hinting they let us leave. Overall, nice addition to the Hype Park scene but room for service to improve. Also, the spicy paloma doesn't go with any food so my mistake in ordering that, get something else. It was pretty spicy, jalapeños simmered as you go so it doesn't let up. read more

Truth Be Told - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Dined here this past Sunday as I was in the area seeing a play. Stopped in for a drink and a quick bite to eat. I felt like the appetizer menu could use a bit more variety but maybe I'm just not into British tavern cuisine. I ordered the fries and I really enjoyed them. They were thick cut and fried well. They didn't have a few items I saw floating around online so I'm thinking there may have been some recent updates to the menu. The ambiance is beautiful, very cozy and comfortable. My server was pleasant enough, and had a decent balance of checking in and giving me a good amount of time to catch up with my dining companion. I wasn't in love with the cocktail service and feel like the bartender on staff that evening could use some improvement. I ordered a lemon drop and it tasted literally like lemon juice, I couldn't taste the sweetness from the simple syrup or the orange liquor and not even the vodka. I was disappointed but when I alerted my server she immediately swapped it out and I got an old fashion instead which was much better although it listed mezcal (an ingredient that I'm not a fan of at all) but i barely tasted it which I'm not sure is a good or bad thing. Overall, I would dine here again but i wasn't wow'd by what I ordered. read more

Very disappointing experience. Brought my mom here for our 1st Mother's Day without my grandma with a reservation. I was mindful of the $10/person fee so I arrived on time. Immediately after entering, no one greeted me. I stood and watch a server approach another patron and seat her without letting me know to hold on or acknowledging my existence. She then proceeded to have a conversation with another employee and walking away. Eventually after standing for 15 mins a gentleman told us he would seat us. He walked away and eventually someone else came back. It's extremely disheartening to have experienced. I didn't want to sour the experience for my mom but the 4 other people with us were uncomfortable as if we weren't "supposed" to be here. To add insult to injury we watched a Caucasian server hand out roses to her tables and after noticing us she came over and gave us roses. She was extremely sweet and we were grateful she tried to turn our experience around. Orders came I got crab cake Benedict only for it to come with scrambled eggs instead of poached like the menu said. I asked our server if they were out of poached eggs but was met with even more bad service. By the time our uncooked bacon came out it was no use in asking anything else. I can only imagine why we were given this treatment but at this point it's frustrating to see 2025 a restaurant full of black servers treating black patrons so poorly. read more

TRUTH BE TOLD REVIEW June 10, 2024 TODAY my wife and I had breakfast at the Truth Be Told (TBT) restaurant on the University of Chicago Campus. I don't have enough good things to say about the food - service - and atmosphere. Our server David was so engaging and polite. He took our orders accurately and we had very pleasant conversations with him. He has a very pleasant personality. I hope if you go there he will be your waiter. They serve these small potatoes with breakfast and they are delicious even the skins. All told this is a 5* restaurant we highly recommend. RCA read more

Well well what do we have here! Truth Be Told is a new hidden gem in Chicago near The University of Chicago. As I arrived there was street parking available. So happy I didn't have to drive around looking for a parking spot and I didn't have to pay so that was a plus. Walking inside I didn't know what to expect but I really loved the ambiance. I was greeted and seated by the host, who was very friendly. My waiter came by and gave suggestions and answered questions I had in regards to items on the menu. I started off with a drink named "A Muse Of Fire". It was pretty good. It wasn't strong so if you don't like strong drinks and you're into vodka this maybe be a good choice for you. Me on the other hand....next turn I'll need something with a little more kick lol. My friend and I were both torn between the House Burger and the Crispy Fried Fish sandwich. So we each got one and spit it so we could taste both. I'm so happy we chose to do that because they were both very delicious. The food also came out fast and was nice and hot. I'm so glad we ended up stopping by because I now have a new spot to dine in. It's such a cute cozy spot to where you can dine in by yourself or with friends. read more

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I was visiting The Robbie House Museum and wanted a cute lunch place afterward. The atmosphere is beautiful with a more modern take on a pub. They sat me right on front of the fireplace with a view to the park. I went for the classic fish & chips dish and wasn't disappointed. So delicious and presentation was on point. Looking around at the rest of the diners and all of the food looks so delicious. The staff is very friendly and hospitable. Definitely worth every calorie. read more

Truth Be Told - Amazing Fish & Chips with zombie draft beer - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing food, amazing service, great ambiance. We ordered their mule mocktail, the pork belly with a side of tricolor carrots, and fish and chips. Everything was 10/10 read more

Truth Be Told - Fish and chips, pork belly - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food was good. Service was just ok. No refills. Waitstaff was sparse. I would come back for the food. We got the steak and fries. Steak was cooked to perfection. Place was beautiful. Great atmosphere. read more

Beautiful space, excellent spread of lunch options and excellent service. I tried their house burger prepared medium plus. The burger buns are pillow soft and very buttery! The burger patty is drenched in Churchill's sauce which is equivalent to the 1,000 Island dressing. Dripping onto your finger juicy! Truth Be Told caught me eye with their moody interior--those calm limewash walls and board and batten mill work. Came for the interiors and left feeling full. read more

Truth Be Told - House burger. - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food here is excellent. I had the Lamb Shepherd Pie, my daughter had a fried egg & bacon sandwich on a brioche bun, and my granddaughter had the chicken and vegetable soup with horseradish dumplings (I'm not a huge horseradish fan by any means but they were tasty without being overpowering). The shepherd's pie came in a crock bowl and was a decent portion. It was very flavorful and I'd highly recommend it. My daughter liked her fried egg sandwich, and she was impressed by the crispy potatoes that accompanied it. If the service didn't lag as much, I would have given them 5 stars (they seemed short-staffed). It's connected to the Study Hotel on U of C's campus. Best pub fare food I've ever had. We noticed they have unlimited Veuve mimosas during Sunday brunch for $42. read more

Stood at the host stand for about 5-7 minutes. A waiter was serving a table about 10 feet away. A bartender was prepping a drink with one patron at the bar. Eventually, a young lady by the name of Tommy greeted and sat us. Crab Gratin is good. I look forward to experiencing again. It was topped with a very generous amount of light bread crumbs. Fried Cheese Curds were typical of fried cheese curds. Burger was almost on point with our absolute favorite burger of all time. This may become our inner city burger spot. Their signature old fashioned was pretty darn Smokey and included tequila. Tommy, our server, was absolutely perfect and we'll likely be looking for her during our next visit. read more

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Meal was fine, but the seating was off despite our reservation. Not a big deal. My pancakes were average - not really special in any way. I'm a big fan of breakfast potatoes, so i ordered a side of them. They were pretty oily fingerlings and not particularly seasoned well. I was a bit annoyed that i was basically done with my meal by the time they showed up. It wasn't a particularly busy sunday but the came easily 10-15 after my entree. Others at the table had potatoes, so something wasn't right in the back of the house. anyway, the vibe here is a bit like the Sophy Hotel's restaurant up the street. I've had better meals there. This was fine enough to go back if needed, but not special enough to go in the regular rotation. read more

We waited for over 30 minutes after order placed. Food never came. Only hot chocolate. When we walked out, the hostess shouted have a good day. We went to another restaurant. read more

Came by for dinner after seeing it was newly opened and nobody had posted the menu yet. Servers are very nice, atmosphere is ok but the noise started to echo as it got half filled. Most people at around dinnertime were there to drink so to cut to the punchline--that's probably all you should if you come here too. Ordered the lamb shepherds pie, the chicken pie, and the fish and chips. Portion sizes were smaller than expected for the price, though maybe thats to be expected considering the proximity to the Uchicago law school. Fish was generally good but again, definitely not enough for dinner though. Shepherd's pie was very oversalted and more soupy than expected. Chicken pie was good but also on the soupy side. None of my friends finished their entrees. read more

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The best pancakes you'll have anywhere in Hyde Park.. and decor was just stunning... It feels like you're dipping into a little secret place. The fireplace was on... I'll be back. read more

Truth Be Told - You will savor every bite - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love this place. The burger and fries was just Delicious....I'm just speechless. I don't know which was better ...the fries or the burger. I've got to go back when I'm on the south side. House Burger was so moist and tender. The fries were crisp as well as soft. House Burger is the name of this burger. Take my word for it..this was so good. read more

Truth Be Told - Burger and fries... - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Truth Be Told is a relatively new restaurant that styles itself as a British pub. Charmingly featured on the menu is "Welsh rarebit," also jocularly known as Welsh rabbit (which, contrary to my, and many others', initial impression, is not a rabbit, actually, but an 18th century recipe for hot cheese sauce with spices served over toasted bread.) TBT purveys other delicious delicacies from the fair isles, including Shepherd's pie, pot pie, fish and chips, and Bangers and Mash. Rounding out the menu are oysters and Indian dishes, such as Tikka Masala and Tandoori chicken, each of which is very popular and well-recognized in England (naturally, as iconic dishes of its former colonies). The food is solid, not spectacular (some dishes are not executed perfectly), but comforting on a wintry Chicago day. (Or, a hot Chicago summer evening.) I like the warm jeweled tones of the restaurant, and the square, stolid tables. A fireplace rounds out the ambience. The Hyde Park restaurant faces the street, and the distinctive architecture of the University of Chicago. It is the dining offshoot of The Study Hotel, (with which it shares the building), a boutique hotel chain that seems to exclusively place itself in the environs of tony universities, and is literally steps away from Chicago Law School. The vibe is studied and cool, if a bit put on. Front of the house staff is quite amiable, though there are gaps in service that just reveal a lack of know-how. My dining companion was trying to get the shades adjusted to get the sun out of her face on a particularly brilliant Sunday afternoon, and the manager just could not seem to manage that. But if you're in the neighborhood, and looking for a better than basic meal, you could do a lot worse. In fact, I certainly would return when I'm back in the area. That's not quite a 4, but with its ambience and enviable location, it's better than a 3, so we'll give them the benefit of the doubt. And finally, one of the most interesting and favorable aspects of this restaurant is that street parking (at least on the weekend) was fairly plentiful and free! (And for Chicago-more or less, safe. A Godsend). read more

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I thoroughly enjoyed this place. I had the burger and chips. Please know the chips are so good and the burger was delectable. When I go back, I am going to try the cod because it looks golden fried and scrumptious. The theme of the restaurant is British pub so don't go there expecting too many American classics. read more

Truth Be Told - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food was solid. Service was good (though it was clear our server was still in-training). Design is beautiful. I think it's "overselling it" to call it a British pub b/c it's much more upscale than most British pubs. That said, I'd highly recommend it to anyone in the neighborhood. read more

I enjoyed my service the ambiance was great ! Services was 5/5 ,The food was a 4/5, Parfait 5/5 read more

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New restaurant in Hyde Park that's part of the UChicago hotel called The Study. The spot is really cute and spacious. Really enjoyed the dessert and the root vegetable soup!! read more

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A limited and slightly peculiar menu but it has its bright spots: for breakfast, the coffee is strong, the ham and mushroom omelet is pretty tasty and the potatoes are unfortunately addictive (having been deep fried, I think). And always a great place to grab a drink on south campus. I'm glad to have it nearby. read more

Lovely food! Lovely staff!! The best drinks!!! I will be staying at the hotel next door for my next trip to Chicago!!! read more

Amazing options in a hideaway spot in Hyde Park. If I hadn't seen an advert for this in my alum magazine, I never would have known about it because we are never on the south side of the Midway. I brought my girls here the day after Christmas after a visit to the MSI and we had a delicious lunch! Lots of small plate options to share and the fish and chips is not to be missed. Plenty of things the kids liked - the cheese plate was a hit too. read more

By far one of my favorite places to go in the Hyde Park area. Ambiance is amazing! Food and drinks are well prepared and delicious. The service is always on point. I'm a huge fan! read more

We recently revisited Truth be told. I had the Halibut as an entre. it was perfectly cooked. Not over cooked but perfectly cooked. our waiter, Cesar was very attentive and suggested a great beer for me. Absolutely enjoyed our meal. Will definitely go back. read more

Slow service. Overcooked and stale avocado toast and a turkey bacon that came totally undercooked with a faint spoilt flavor. Latte tasted like no coffee was included. I've been here before and it was pretty good but this was a fail. read more

I came here on a date on a Thursday evening. When we got there, it was pretty quiet and picked up steadily as the evening went on. I love the atmosphere and decor. The service was fine, and the hostess was friendly. The cons: first off, our table was weirdly small. It was awkward to have our plates, water glasses, and menus all on the table at once. Then as far as the menu goes, I would not recommend coming here if you're a vegetarian (which I'm not, but just a note) I don't recall any of the entrees or sandwiches being vegetarian friendly. I got the chicken pie and it was REALLY salty. I'm kind of a salt addict but this was way overboard. It sounded really promising but I didn't like it because of the salt. My husband got the burger and he seemed to like it fine. Their fries (or chips, I suppose) were great. The cost was a little overpriced given the portion size but I was expecting as much. Overall, I think this is a very new restaurant and they're still finding their footing. Cute vibes, nice staff, but mediocre food. read more

Truth Be Told - Chicken pie - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Our dinner experience on Valentine's Day night was poor and disappointing. Arriving at the restaurant and being seated were fine. The host took us (3 of us) to our table right away and as he was dropping off the menu, he recognized he had the wrong menu (he mentioned this) and went back to the host stand to get the Standard Menus. As we were sitting, we noticed there was a counter with a large pile of unfolded napkins sitting right near us. Not very welcoming, for a restaurant of this type but rather something I'd expect in a family owned restaurant, tucked away in a neighborhood. After some time had passed, the waiter came around to at least acknowledge us. A little later, he brought out a complimentary oyster dish that was barely warm. Mind you there were also only two place settings for the table and it took a minute before I could ask for another one. Even longer passed before he came back around to take our orders. After we started to share our order, he said that we could not order off the Standard Menu and we needed to order off the Valentine's Menu. I shared with him the message you sent to me, but he insisted the other menu was not available. He went to talk to the host and they deliberate just over by the kitchen, which was right behind us. After several minutes he came back and mentioned we had to order off the Valentine's Menu. Ordering off the menu was very confusing and perhaps he wasn't explaining how it worked. Appetizers came out in relatively short order. Still no plates though so had to wait for someone to come around where I could ask for some. Also, they kept ignoring the fact there were three of us at the table and only brought back two plates. Salads also came out in a timely fashion after the appetizer, so no issues there. Entree came out and was very underwhelming and disappointing. Sauce on the tenderloin was over-salted. The meal was more reflective on a single dish at most restaurants around town rather than a shared dish. Again, no clean plates without request. Into the entree, my wife and I ordered the Apple Cider Margarita and the Uncle Nearest Old Fashion. These drinks never came by the end of our meal, and we ended up informing our waiter to cancel them. He was surprised we never got them, which is interesting because he brought out drinks to the table behind us and was really the only waiter in our side of the restaurant. He mentioned the bar was missing a lot of orders that night. Dessert came out (shared chocolate cake) which was huge (that's a good thing). Clean plates still an issue and needed to request it. Cake was cold; very firm to the touch. Throughout the dinner, the kitchen was doing their thing by calling out orders. The turnoff though was that the chef was constantly complaining about the orders coming in, from both menus! Essentially, the restaurant was still taking orders off the Standard Menu, you just had to be seated on the bar side. The chef was making comments to the staff that he was going to write a long email about the menu issues all while continually complaining very loudly. The waiter throughout the night was very nice, and possibly just understaffed as there was a lot of waiting. Dinner for the three of us took just over 2 hours, and where were several empty tables, so it was not extraordinarily busy. I did not short him on a tip, but overall our meal and dining experience was nowhere near the cost of the meal! For that same amount, there are plenty of more upscale restaurants and dining experiences available; even on Valentine's Day. I felt the restaurant forced me to order from the Prix Fixe menu when there were clearly others ordering from the standard menu. The up-charge for the menu didn't seem to align with the meal or the experience, and most of the meal felt designed for one on a normal day. For the few quality restaurants in the Hyde Park neighborhood, we were extremely disappointed with our meal at Truth Be Told and do not intend on returning or referring this restaurant. read more

Took my parents and my niece to this wonderful place last night. Food was excellent. We ordered the pickled beets and the marinated olives as starters. Great choice - our party ordered shepherds pie, bangers and mash and tandoori chicken. I had the chicken. Not only was it moist and delicious, the rice was incredible! I could sit and eat a tub of that rice with a spoon and be happy. We will definitely be back. read more