Chicago Restaurant week. I reviewed various dining options in search of a good place for dinner. Reddit gave me some ideas. I'd never been to Willow Room and liked that they had a four course dinner menu, with items I liked. I was able to make a reservation for a Saturday night at 8:15pm. PARKING Parking on Halsted on a Saturday night can be a nightmare, and it did take a minute to find street parking. North of the 1800 block is busier because there are several restaurants within a two block radius. Side streets are permit parking after 6pm. Meters on Halsted are $2.50/hr. ATMOSPHERE Willow Room was pretty packed. We had a reservation for 8:15pm and my party of two was seated right away. The restaurant features a full bar, dim lighting and is nice and roomy. They have banquette seating around the perimeter, in addition to tables in the middle. SERVICE Our server, who was very nice and accommodating during our dining experience, came by and gave us our menu's. I had already decided on the RW menu and after review, my friend was interested in the Beef Wellington (not on RW menu). Our server informed us that normally the whole table had to order off of the RW menu if one person does, but said she would check with the kitchen since this was the last day of RW. Luckily, we were able to proceed with ordering from different menu's. FOOD I ordered a raspberry Cosmopolitan. I'm a Riesling/Moscato girlie, but I tasted the Riesling and didn't like it. RW dinner was priced at $60. I ordered: First Course: Caesar Salad (Typical salad, was good) Second Course: Mussels (Tasted fine, came with a baguette) Third Course: Short Rib (Could've been slightly more tender and better seasoned. I've definitely had better. Wouldn't order again.) Fourth Course: Orange Ricotta Donuts (Donuts were very good. Three were served, a few more would have been more filling.) My friend ordered a glass of Pinot Noir and: Truffle Fries (Fries were very tasty. I would order again if I went back.) Beef Wellington (The breading was buttery and very good. The beef could've been more seasoned. I wouldn't order.) Key Lime Pie (Was not sweet and had no taste. When our server came back and saw it was uneaten, she offered to take it off the bill. It should be removed from the menu altogether.) The busboys and server were very attentive. Our water glasses were always filled. OVERALL The atmosphere was nice, our server was great. Of all the food we ordered, I would order the truffle fries and Cosmopolitan again. I did leave full and did take my leftover Short Rib to go. Main dishes needed more seasoning. I would dine here again and try a different menu (brunch/lunch), or Happy Hour if they offer it. read more

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Loved everything. Delicious really great foods. Group of four, zero complaints. The service was on point. Nice wine pour. Bright fun atmosphere. I thought for the quality and portions and fair prices this is a really great choice. Looking forward to returning. read more

Solid New American place south of Armitage. Dishes are a delight to the eye and the palate. Friendly service in a warm, urban setting.

The Willow Room is in a great location and has plenty of indoor seating for large and small groups alike. Service is always quick and friendly and the portion sizes here are perfect (not oversized or underwhelming). The drink menu is a little limited and expensive but you're paying for the nice atmosphere. There are a few seats outdoors but there isn't much of a view so it's actually preferable indoors here. read more

Willow Room - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ambiance and service were wonderful. Ok nice during the summer and seemed busy so great place for local walk. I wish we had more of a memorable food selection. This would come back sooner. But again great outdoor especially w dogs. read more

Willow Room - Outside last few days and 10/1 - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a cozy little Lincoln Park restaurant that has been around for years. I'd describe the menu as American comfort food. They have a pri fixe 3 course meal for 38.00 which includes a choice of salad, entree and dessert. The chicken was a stand out and I particularly liked the beet salad. For dessert, the key lime pie was a stand out. We ordered 3 of those for our group of 6 and it was a sufficient amount of food for a girls night out. Service was attentive and pleasant. read more

We stepped into Willow Room after running some errands in the neighborhood and we are so glad we did! We got a patio table on a beautiful day, refreshing drinks and shared some arancini, a Caesar salad and the burger. While everything was delicious, the arancini really stood out as the best dish (wish I would've remembered to take a picture). The service was attentive and it was overall a wonderful, spontaneous dining experience. read more

We sat downstairs in the wine cellar and I looked the darker vibe there. We sat at a table, but there were plenty of people sitting at the bar too. For drinks, I ordered the Willow which was a little too sweet for me, but still very light and fresh. We then did a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc which was great. For food, the octopus was pretty standard, but I loved the addition of the seaweed salad. The arancini was good too. Loved the sauces it came with, but wish they were a little bigger. The star of the show was the truffle gnocchi. I would lick the bowl if I wasn't in public. The sauce was unreal and the pasta tasted fresh. We also ordered broccolini and I loved the garlicky oil that came with it. All in all a solid meal and vibe. Great for girls nights, date nights, birthdays, etc. read more

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I love brunch. It's the most important meal of the day, truly. While I couldn't drink because of work, I love the ambiance and light atmosphere of the restaurant! The waitresses and servers were always visible. We didn't have a reservation, but they did their best to accommodate us and I truly appreciate the effort and understanding! The burrito was not a Tex-Mex burrito that I usually prefer, but the chorizo had the flavor I needed in a burrito. I did choose to substitute the breakfast potatoes for some fruit because #health. The fruit was chilled, which I love especially when eating outdoors on a gorgeous, sunny day. Back to the burrito, the salsa verde needs some spice. The sauce tasted like pure green tomato juice. The pico de gallo was a refreshing touch, but I wish it was incorporated into the burrito. It was hard to "dip" the burrito into the pico de gallo. I had to take a fork to put it on the burrito, which is my first world problem. If the pico de gallo was more saucy, it'd be easier to drizzle it onto the burrito. read more

Willow Room - Breakfast Burrito - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Willow Room was amazing!! We stepped in on Saturday and got a quick bite at the bar. I ordered the salmon cake sandwich and in doing so learned that it had just been added to their menu. It was so so so good. If they keep adding new additions like this there won't be room for walk ins on a Saturday lunch service! My boyfriend got the steak sandwich and also really loved it. He did agree with me that my order was the better choice. Overall, we loved it and we'll be back! read more

Willow Room - Salmon cake sandwich Steak sandwich - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Willow room restaurant is a place that cannot be missed. It's located in Lincoln Park so parking is tight. You can park on the street. The restaurant is located right on the corner and as you walk up to the door, you can view the inside and just see the beautiful ambience of the restaurant. We have agreed right away upon entry and seated very quickly. The hostess was very pleasant as well as our waitress. The waitress was able to share information about specials for the day as well as more information about some of the items on the menu as a relates to is it filling is a popular And basically her opinion about the food items. There is a good mixed drink selection and we chose the drink of the restaurant which is called the Willow as well as another party had a guava drink that was very refreshing to taste. Our food was was pleasantly prepared on the plate was warm and very scrumptious. The crust on the beef Wellington was amazing if you go for nothing else at this restaurant definitely go for the beef. Wellington the short rib meal with mashed potatoes was quite delicious everything we had was very well prepared and very good. I will be back. The bathrooms are a bit of a speakeasy vibe as they are concealed, but or very clean and well decorated. The restaurant also offers a downstairs bar which we were told is a lively atmosphere for Friday and Saturday nights. There is a full bar and plenty of seating. If you're in the area or even if you're not in the area, this place is not to be missed. read more

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On a cold day, it is hard to stay warm anywhere. The Willow Room can be a bit of a challenge as the door enters straight into the restaurant, but I didn't feel the need to keep my coat on while dining. We both thought the prices were very fair and the mood of Willow Room was very romantic but also with the availability to see every table in the room. In case you want to make up narratives for the people eating around you. The Carpaccio had these capers to add some bite to the mix on top with sprouts and the horseradish cream added some zest to the dish. We were trying to figure out where the truffle flavor was in the Truffle Gnocchi. I now see, it is in the cream sauce, however, I still strongly recommend this dish as the gnocchi crisped up with some time on a skillet. Service was very professional constantly checking in with water and keeping an eye on tables. It actually gave me The Bear vibes with staff changing out silverware after every dish. read more

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Restaurant week, nothing mentioned about a time limit. Was asked ti pay check, they needed the table. If we had been made aware there was a limit we would have stuck to a time. We were enjoying our meal and chatting. Will not go back. read more

Great dinner here tonight - had the mussels, burger, and octopus. All were exceptional. The drinks were also very good, and the service was awesome. Great meal overall. read more

Fantastic brunch! Always go with my staple, eggs Benedict. Comes with breakfast potatoes. Decent cocktails as well but nothing to write home about. It's clean and service is lovely. They were fully booked for brunch reservations yet the restaurant was half empty the whole time we were there so that was odd given they appeared to be fully staffed on a Saturday. read more

TL; DR: Igloo's are warm, filling plates, great to share with others Came in for NYE and had a great experience in the igloo. It was equipped with 2 heaters and I was not cold even for a second. The dirty martinis were delicious and the bruschetta was a great appetizer to share. The Short Rib was cooked great and the meat melt off when eating it with a fork. I would go back here and try more items on their menu. Service was great and fast. read more

So, I really wanted to love The Willow Room. The vibe inside is super cool, but sadly, the food and experience just didn't hit. The mussels? Meh. The baguette was rock hard, and there wasn't nearly enough broth to dip into--which, let's be real, is the best part of ordering mussels. The burger was forgettable, the fries were borderline raw, and the schnitzel was way overcooked. Even the broccolini--normally one of my faves--was a letdown. To top it off, we were sat right by the door and window. It was freezing, and when we asked to move, they said no. I get it, but still... not ideal. All in all, cool space, but the food and overall vibe? Not worth the hype. 2/5. read more

Willow Room - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place is super underrated! It's such a cute little spot off the ever-so-popular Halsted strip. A friend and I went here for dinner before a show at Joe's on Weed and enjoyed splitting a bunch of dishes. Some of the highlights were the burrata - which was served kind of deconstructed, making it fun to build your own, pick and choose what you want and you can spread it all in bread or eat it all separate. It came with cherry tomatoes, prosciutto, and balsamic. Another delish dish was the arancini - it crispier than expected (maybe they use panko?) and we loved it! The flavors really pop, there was some spice, some tang, and a very creamy texture inside paired so well with crispy outside. We enjoyed some cocktails with our dinner and service was prompt. The inside is so cute -- this would be a great date night spot! read more

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This review is for a Saturday brunch. Or as I like to call it: breakfast. We got there upon opening on a cold, cold morning and were seated more or less directly in front of the door. I don't know if they were mad at us for getting there so early or what. Coffee drinks were okay. Breakfast burrito and eggs Benedict were excellent and generous portions. (Really, you can take half that burrito home.) Avocado toast was fine. It was 80% arugula salad. I like arugula a lot, but I can do that at home. Poached eggs with it were somewhat underdone but not inedible. This will not be the best avocado toast you've ever had. But you've probably had worse, and it is the closest thing to healthy on the menu. Service was not as attentive as you'd hope, given that we were the only people there for the first half hour, but it wasn't awful. The space is really nice and probably even better in the evening. Bathrooms directly across from the bar counter are awkward, but there are more discrete bathrooms downstairs if you don't want a group of people listening to you pee. We'll visit again for dinner service to make the most of the cozy dining room. We will decline the table in front of the door, though. read more

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I came here with a girlfriend on a Thursday. I had the chicken dish and it was delicious. Inside the restaurant is really cute. The staff are very attentive and it's a great spot for a girly night out, it's not super loud so you can chat and enjoy yourself . I'm never disappointed with this spot! read more

Nice little bar in the Wicker Park area. When you walk in, you're greeted by a nice hostess. We were seated at a table near the bar where it looked like a few of the locals were. We just came for drinks since we just ate lunch. Next time, we will definitely try the food. Across from us was some elderly gentleman having great laughs and enjoying some food that looked great. The drinks were really good. We had to flag down our server several times for additional drinks, though. This was interesting seeing there were only 3 tables with 2 people at each and those tables were finishing up their meal & drinks. Anyways, the energy inside is like a typical cool neighborhood bar, comfy seating, and a nice full bar. I would definitely drop back in for drinks, just sit at the bar so you get great service. read more

Willow Room - Mi Carino - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Excellent atmosphere. Excellent service. Excellent truffle gnocchi. (no kidding, i can't stop thinking about it) read more

Whew! Visited on a whim before a nearby concert and was pleasantly surprised! Sat at the downstairs bar and Robert did a great job of taking care of us. Low lights, good music, warm and cozy! Cocktails were smooth but strong, short rib was tender, but the salmon....the salmon was cooked perfectly, and the risotto supplemented it so well. The large pieces of corn felt random and kind of out of place, but the dish was a solid 9/10. Also extremely filling portion sizes! Cannot wait to return! read more

Willow Room - Salmon - Parmesan cream risotto, bacon, corn, basil - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I enjoyed visiting willow room! Everything we tried were delicious. I particularly enjoyed the schnitzel. It was cooked well, thin, crispy, and generously portioned. I highly recommend! The ambiance was really cute too and the location is prime Lincoln park area. The service was a bit on a slower side (we had to wait a while until we got seated and it was past our reservation time), but no big deal. Our server was also nice. I would certainly revisit!! read more

Willow Room - schnitzel - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fantastic restaurant! The basement wine bar is cozy. The wine is fantastic and the burger was very yummy. They got me in quickly and service was fast. Would definitely be back and would recommend! read more

Food alone is a 5/5 Service 3/5. It was busy, but it still took us 20+ minutes to get our drinks (after initially ordering). Ambiance 5/5. Cute, nice place in Lincoln Park. Would go again, hope the service is better though read more

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We had our engagement party at Willow Room in their downstairs private event space. It was the perfect venue! The bartenders were friendly but lowkey, the drinks were great (everyone loved the cocktails and mocktails), and the manager was very helpful in setting everything up. Loved that it had plenty of art so that we didn't have to bring a lot of decor - it had its own cool vibe. The food was good, especially the deviled eggs and chicken sandwiches! Thank you Willow Room team for a fantastic night! read more

I'm not going to lie, there's something a little bit uncool about this place, including both the menu and the clientele. But let's not kid ourselves, there's something a little bit uncool about me too, and we wanted a nice dinner out before a play at the Steppenwolf down the street, so we thought it was worth a try. It's pretty good! The food was mostly just fine restaurant food -- a nice kale salad and a nice piece of fish (halibut) with an orange sauce, both maybe a tad fruitier and sweeter than my ideal, with a good side of brussels sprouts. But there were flashes of excellence, such as the "frutti di mare rice" (whatever that is) that lay beneath our halibut, and perhaps more importantly the cocktails: we had two margarita variants: the "Fernando," a blackberry-lime-tequila concoction with a sparkling rose float, and the "Mi Carino," mezcal + honey + lemon + habanero. They were bright, bold, juicy, and delicious. And our server got us in and out in under an hour so we could make the play. So it may not be the coolest place for a date night, but I would very happily come back for more. read more

The burger was solid. It's not as much of a "craft" burger as one might expect from a place like this. If you're looking for a classic cheeseburger taste, without too much flair, you'll be very satisfied with it. I also tried the gnocchi which was delicious. Better than many Italian restaurants. Would highly recommend it. The crust on the key lime pie could have been a bit thicker, but was still great, and the portion size was large enough to share. The ambience was a bit on the louder side, but not too loud to converse. The service was great, and they were great about keeping water topped off. read more

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Been to Chicago many times and always visit my favorite restaurants. Needed another and this is it. Great atmosphere in great neighborhood. Waitress was wonderful and friendly. Food was outrageous. We started with the Beet Salad. The passion fruit vinaigrette was delicious on the arugula, goat cheese, orange slices, walnuts and beets. Our main was salmon on risotto with bacon pieces, asparagus and small amounts of corn and drizzled basil oil. That's living! Willow Room is on my list of I return. read more

Very good food, just wish they had a happy hour deal. The beat salad was the best thing we ate.

Made a dinner reservation for Restaurant Week and enjoyed a great dinner. I picked these options for my 4-course dinner: -Caesar salad - traditional caesar salad -mussels - pretty big portion with a nice hunk of bread. The broth was delicious -chicken entree - the chicken was very moist and flavorful and had a great crispy skin. The chicken sat in a spaetzle, lemon, white wine and garlic sauce that reminded me of chicken and dumplings -key lime pie - rounded out the meal with a nice slice of pie; pretty standard Service was nicely paced and friendly. The restaurant itself is pretty large where you don't hear your neighbors conversations. Sleek space and dimly lit. read more

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The burgers are awesome but don't leave without having their old fashion. It is probably one of the best I've ever had.

I had been wanting to try Willow Room for soooo long - and I was absolutely blown away by this meal! First and foremost, the vibes here are immaculate. The interior design of this restaurant is incredible, and I love the location! Every single aspect of our meal was exceptional - from the wonderful service, to the excellent drinks, and the jaw-dropping meals - this was seriously a treat! Here's the breakdown of what we got: -Fergusetti - Monkey Shoulder Scotch, Aperol, Orange, Cherry Bark Vanilla - $15 -Mi Carino - Vago Elote Mezcal, Honey, Habanero, Lemon, Chili Lime - $15 -Burrata - cherry tomato, prosciutto, sourdough - $19 -Truffle Gnocchi - shiitake mushroom, truffle cream, kale, parmesan - $24 -Short Rib - pommes purée, carrots, demi-glace - $30 This meal was one of my favorites since moving to Chicago and will definitely be one of my go-to spots whenever friends are in town! & I can't wait to come back! read more

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This was to have been our 4th dinner at Willow Room. I made a res through the website. When we arrived, our table was in the basement, not in the lovely dining room. They would not work with us. They claimed that all of the empty tables were for diners who had reserved for the main dining room. The res. site has no such option. They did not care if we left, so we did. read more

The food was amazing! I started with the buratta & Mediterranean salad, also had the salmon and Risotto. I tried the halibut as well all amazing. Reece was my waiter, he was 10/10 very informative and well mannered and the ambience is nice, good music, nice lighting, all the staff was very welcoming; will be going again. read more

Willow Room - Salmon and risotto w bacon - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Somehow we had overlooked Willow Room in our north side rotation of restaurants. Not anymore! The vibe is sophisticated and tastefully decorated, with a solid menu of standards. The food is not especially creative, but it is executed flawlessly. On our two visits within the space of a month, we have tried the beet salad, short rib (both so good that we ordered again on second visit), shrimp pasta and burger. Everything was beautifully presented, delicious, and satisfying without being too filling. We also enjoyed the flourless chocolate cake (a treat for me, being gluten free). The service was attentive without being intrusive. Since we tend to dine later (9 pm seating is our usual), we appreciate that this restaurant is still lively on the later side. read more

Bottle of Barbera - 10/10 Beef Wellington - 10/10 Short Rib - 10/10 Came in last minute on a Wednesday evening around 8:45pm. They close at 9:30pm but still graciously sat us. We had been moving all day and lost track of time, not realizing we were starving and it was late. I had driven by Willow Room before and put it on my list of restaurants to try, when I saw they had Beef Wellington on the menu I was even more excited to try. We wanted to do a bottle of Italian red, our server was great and let us try two by-the-glass options. Nebbiolo (Nino Negrio Quadrio) and Barbera (Fontafredda). Both were great, we thought a Barbera would pair best with our entree choices. Between the Barbera choices, we decided on the Michel Chiarlo. Briccotondo by Fontafredda, 2021 $15/glass, $60/bottle Cipressi by Michele Chiarlo 2020 $68/bottle Food was great! The Beef Wellington was fantastic, not dry, overcooked or undercooked. The server let us know the chef doesn't usually accommodate temperature requests for the Wellington but that he prepares it Medium Rare, which is what I would've wanted anyways! I also enjoy getting two entrees and sharing it so my partner chose the Short Rib with mashed potatoes and carrots. Everything was great and will be back! read more

Willow Room - Barbera d'Asti, Cipressi by Michele Chiarlo (Nizza Monferrato, Asti, Piedmont, Italy) - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Atmosphere (4/5) Nice decor in the dining room and cute neighborhood setting. Trendy and stylish. Food (3/5) The menu featured usual brunch staples and looked quite promising. However, the food failed to deliver in both flavor and execution. The Siracha Honey Chicken sandwich was lacking the signature heat of the title sauce and the chicken was stringy and dry. Service (3/5) Pleasant but largely absent. Our server showed up a long while after we got seated. Enough for her to apologize. It was totally fine. We never saw her again until she stopped by to drop off the check. read more

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I cant stop talking about this dinner. The vibe of this place was stunning in the main dining room. I wanna talk to whoever's doing the lighting in there cuz ‍love. Our server was so knowledgeable and kind, really paid great attention to us. Also, they're on top of filling the water glasses like nobody's business. The FOOD THO. the mussels were the best i've had and the bread was perfectly crusted with the softest inside. The beet salad was perfectly dressed and balanced. I'd go back and have this exact menu again. My friend had the lobster ravioli too which he loved. Desert kind of stole the show with the donuts. You should definitely go. It's a steal for the restaurant week price read more

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