We went here to celebrate an anniversary because of the glass huts offered for outdoor dining during COVID. The hut worked out great and it kept us comfortably warm on a cold night. We had the mussels and pork schnitzel which were both on point. Also had the Mushroom Tagliatelle which we thought could use more flavor. Good dining experience overall! read more

Came here during restaurant week in Chicago. the Host was super nice and was able to make room for a last minute reservation. The place was really nice and clean. The food was great too. The only issue I had was when I ordered the fried chicken sandwich, the chicken was dry. Overall, fun experience. read more

Went there for the first time recently for restaurant week & mimosas were great but food was just ok. Service was horrible! We had to get up from our table 3 times to get service. We told management & we were treated like we made up our horrible experience! The waitress come over & gave us a fake ass apology. Keep your apologies we will not be returning. read more

Willow room is so yummy. They switch up their menu based on the season - and here's my push to get the truffle pasta back for winter. SO delish!!! read more

I came here last night with a group of friends (group of 6) after making a reservation on Open Table. The service was great and the drinks were very tasty (I tried the willow which I loved then something along the lines of a strawberry jalapeño margarita which was good as well). Our group split the mussels, burrata, and loaded fries. We loved the apps! For the main course my boyfriend and I split the pierogis, bone marrow, and scallops. We just thought each item was fair. The pierogis were nothing special, the bone marrow was very tasty but a small portion, and the scallops were very tasty but the sauce and sides weren't great. Overall it was a fun experience but with so many great restaurants in the area we wouldn't return. read more

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Terrible. We had a reservation for my friends birthday brunch and they wouldn't seat us. They told us it'd be a 30 minute wait at least. Why even bother making a reservation then?? They told us the bigger parties came in late and so everything got backed up. There were tables available but they wouldn't sit us because we were just 2 people and they wanted to save the bigger tables for big parties who would spend more money. I'm truly appalled at how rude and unprofessional the staff and manager were. The manager Brian didn't even offer an apology. He just said "I don't know what to tell you." Really nice. Why he even bothered to come speak to us at all when that was all he was going to say- I don't know. Extremely disappointed and will not ever return. read more

We came in here spontaneously after the nearby restaurant chose not to respect our reservation - and we loved it! The service was top notch, our waiter - I believe his name was Patrick - was super sweet and made us feel very welcome. Their Willow Room cocktail was very good - but quiet strong too. We liked the food and the atmosphere overall. Worth a shot! read more

Went here for dinner a few nights ago. The food was delicious! We ate all vegetarian (I'm vegetarian and my girlfriend isn't). We had the burrata, cauliflower, and tomato salad-- they were all incredibly delicious! I highly recommend all of them. We decided to have a bunch of small plates instead of entrees, so we got three sides as well-- the green beans, smoked potatoes, and asparagus. They were all good, but the green beans had a lot of sauce and didn't seem super fresh, and the potatoes needed a sauce-- they were really dry alone. Still a delicious meal, though! The drinks were meh-- I had the strawberry field (has jalapeño but wasn't flavorful or spicy enough) and my girlfriend had the bees knees, which she said was fine/ whatever. read more

Have been there twice now, and love everything about the Willow Room. Great food and atmosphere, and the service is fantastic. Highly recommend to anyone wanting a great local spot. And try the elote risotto - it is fantastic read more

A gorgeous, spacious restaurant serving delicious brunch fare. The decor is beautiful with lots of wood (willow - of course) and gold accents. I had the avocado toast with poached eggs on top. The whole dish was seemingly hidden beneath mixed greens! I had my meal with the Willow Mimosa (lavender, lemon, and basil syrup), which I highly recommend! My table also shared the orange and ricotta donuts which were equal parts fresh, rich, and indulgent. read more

Mother's Day Brunch was delightful. Love the beautiful building, thoughtful decorating ,abundant natural light,the attention to detail in every space. Creative cocktails, delicious food, friendly ,attentive service. The ambiance was that of sitting in your own home- cozy, unhurried, lingering over conversation - that is very special. You've captured the feeling of a place when you want to return again and again. Thank you for a lovely morning with my family! read more

Willow Room - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great spot for dinner with friends or a date. The restaurant is two floors, the top floor has a bar towards the back and lots of tables for dining also lots of windows giving it a more open feel - it was quite bustling on a Saturday night. Downstairs has a bit more of a lounge feel, also with a bar with full menu. Lots of wine options and the food was good - the Korean chicken was super good and interesting. Also enjoyed the burger with double patty. The pork shank was nice, but wasn't as great as the other two dishes. Glad to have found his spot, friendly service and great atmosphere. read more

Man the food is good here. Basically ordered every appetizer with drinks! Sat downstairs, super cozy & cute.

This review is based on the people who "greet" customers when they arrive. We had brunch on Saturday 10/23. Please hire better hostesses; They do not appear to appreciate having a job or customers. Neither welcomed us other than confirm that we had reservations. neither said good bye or thank you when we left, even though we said gooodbye and thank you. Really. So tacky! They should find a different job where being friendly and hospitable is important. Food was excellent and so was our server. She was very friendly, welcoming And efficient. But the first and last impression is critical. read more

Awful basement atmosphere.. Friday night 8:37 pm TVs on sports channel? If I wanted to go to a dive bar I'll just go and watch the game there. Almost caused me seizures, was right in front of my face, yikes.Me and my party of 5 won't be back after they refused tuning it of. Oh, and smells like sewer. read more

Seating right away after a walk in. Granted we walked in very late (9pm)... I really wasn't impressed with the food. I feel like the atmosphere was great but ultimately the food lacked a lot of flavor. read more

Quaint setting in Lincoln Park. This is perfect for date night, girls night out or brunch. One of my girlfriends and I had a girls dinner here on a Saturday evening. We started outside and had a bottle of rosé and the cauliflower starter. I highly recommend it! We were also told that he buratta was delicious! It was a little chilly once the sun set down, so we asked our server if it was an issue if we moved inside. He was more than accommodating and found us a table inside almost immediately. Dinner was delicious. I ordered the burger with curly fries and my friend ordered the hanger steak. Both were incredible! read more

This place is really great and I love the food! Great atmosphere and a great spot. I had the lobster ravioli and it was so delicious. My only complaint is that our waitress Mandy seemed very fake and rude. Seemed nice at first but walked over right by us and started complaining about us and we heard the whole thing. The whole night we saw her yelling at people and then would come up to us smiling. Very strange. Would definitely come back but will be asking for another server! read more

Really cute spot! Not a big menu but everything was delicious!! Truffle fries were awesome!

Have we discovered a hidden brunch gem? While everyone is piled deep in the car headed to the dying of the green river and exploring Chicago starting off St. Pattys celebrations, we're brunchin' it in Lincoln Park. The setting: Retro vintage globe lighting drops from the ceiling mid room. Brick on either side. Pincushioned long navy blue booths with wooden tables with black iron pedestal bottoms. Relaxed atmosphere and 80's easy listening music. Retro inspired furniture. Server, Sam, is delightful and happy to offer her input if need be. She said if we don't enjoy our option, it's zero issue sending it back, and they're happy to replace it with another. I like her attitude right off the bat. The only unpleasantness we notice is the draft. Even though we sat as far away from the door as possible, adjacent to the bar, every time the door opens we are chilly penguins. Very family friendly in here, reservations can be made on Open Table as well, so no long waits if you plan appropriately. We found street parking too. The bar is really pretty, would like to come back for dinner sometime. PIC orders the coffee (Chilly penguins need coffee). For whatever reason the latte with almond milk is really weak. Hmmm... They serve La Columbe, which is one of my faves, but... There are many options for Mimosa. There's even a Manmosa. How cute. Uh.... I mean, how gentlemanly. Stand corrected. With Vodka in it. I order a mimosa with passion fruit. It's tart, and I mean tart. Not for sissies. I'm a big girl. :) My order: Corned Beef Hash $14 Two eggs, sunny side up onto of big chunks of corned beef, potatoes, pickled carrots, gruyére cheese, dijon creme, with salt, pepper and chives. Picture worthy. Tasty. The meat was tender and chewy and probably fitting for St. Patty's. PIC's (partner in crime for those that haven't read my other reviews) order: Hernán Hex Toast $14 N'duja spicy sausage, salsa verde, avocado, 2 sunny side up eggs on top. Toast is hard to cut. Requested a steak knife. Still a bit of a challenge... or possibly PIC needs to get back to lifting weights. Grapefruit brulee is only one half piece. For $5? It's tasty, but certainly not worth the money. Yes, it was pre sectioned, however, they did a shoddy job, as there was some citrusy meat that was left. I squeezed the rest and drank it like the classy gal I am. Best part, the check, see my pictures for what it reads on the bottom. lol I appreciate it though, because even I, work in a kitchen. read more

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Great first experience. Service - Connor - was memorable. Six happy diners for Brunch/lunch. Recommend highly.

Had Willow cocktail & Tuna Tartare. Both were absolutely DELICIOUS! Would copy/paste any time!

Worse service, I would not go again. I walked in 7 months pregnant with a reservation for 11:30 and asked the hostess for the only table with the couch available for four. She responded no I can't give you the table and set our party of four right in front of the entrance in an uncomfortable setting. Later she gave the comfortable cute couch table to the three blondes who just walked in an hour after us. I guess it's relevant to say I and two of my friends are brown and one of our friends is Italian. Within an hour of us getting the food the waitress as well as three more people asked if we are done and they can clear the table. Mind you our plates were more than half full and we are still chewing. I get due to covid you have a time limit for the table. But one hour doesn't seem enough and asking people to clear the table over and over while they are still chewing is not exactly hospitable. I have much more to say but I'll end with this- I'm so sad some people still carry such backward thinking. As a woman, you expect a woman to be considerate towards pregnant women. Or as a human treat everyone with respect and kindness! It's 2021. read more

Found this place while on a trip to chicago and we loved it! The atmosphere/service was great. Our server recommended the risotto and it did not disappoint! read more

This place might even deserve 3 stars but I've had the best times here for brunch. They're very accommodating for large groups and the waitstaff is pretty attentive. You can't go wrong with the fried chicken sandwich (so so so good and ask for a side of maple syrup!) and the passion fruit mimosa. Best mimosa I've ever had: super light, refreshing, and just subtly sweet. Also, get yourself a side of fries and extra aioli because they make a great breakfast side. read more

Really great restaurant. Ate outside in their individual heated green houses and it was fabulous. They definitely have the best outdoor set-up I've seen. The drinks were great, including the harvest old fashion. Really extensive wine list. The food was also very good and cooked perfectly, we enjoyed the salmon and short rib. Highly recommend checking out! read more

I booked a business dinner here for 14 guests on a Wednesday night and received top-notch service! The owner, Anthony, set-up the dinner reservation over the phone and assured me that they would be able to accommodate the larger group and offered for us to have the entire downstairs. They were wonderful, despite last minute requests to add a few additional guests to the dinner. The dinner itself was terrific and the menu had many options for our group despite everyone having diverse preferences. Stand outs for me on the food were the burrata and the cauliflower. As the host I was doing a lot of presenting and didn't get a chance to eat the dinner when it was served- so the staff kindly had the food remade for my colleague and me! I wish I remembered the names of our wonderful wait staff that night, thank you for making my first large client dinner a success! read more

I didn't have the opportunity to dine at the Black Duck, but it seems to me Willow Room is a fantastic replacement. On a bone chilling night, I met three friends for a lovely evening of great cocktails, wine, and delicious dishes. I was half frozen upon arrival and the Winters Willow cocktail warmed me up quickly. The starters were very flavorful: burrata, mussels, and the already famous cauliflower (South Asian spiced with pomegranate). My only issue is that the mussels shrunk to quite a diminuitive size, and at least two shells were empty. But the broth was perfect and the extra bread was just what you needed to sop up that flavorful goodness. I had the braised pork for my main, and it was steaming hot, lightly flavored, and very homey and comforting. Somewhat pedestrian given the venue, but satisfying and tasty. We were stuffed and passed on desserts. The service was warm and attentive. With many many cold days ahead, I'll be back for sure! read more

Very generous group of people at Willow Room! Graciously donated to my fundraiser- this restaurant cares just as much about the community as they do about their food. Socially conscious, has a big heart and just overall cool people. Highly recommend! read more

I loved this place! Great atmosphere and service. We got the carpaccio, rainbow trout, chicken, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. I would recommend it all! PS. I hate when they jam two-top tables in like sardines. However, the acoustics are strangely good and you can barely hear the tables next to you. Will return. read more

This is my second review for the Willow Room. I have visited them multiple times over the years and the service and food never disappoint. On the night before Thanksgiving we booked a reservation for 9 people, including 4 small kids (one newborn) and my 71 year old mother. They went out of their way to accommodate us as we celebrated my mom's birthday. We had to walk my 3-yr old niece around because she was getting antsy and Management was so welcoming. I often feel like kids are unwanted in Chicago restaurants, but the Willow Room is truly meant for families. The other patrons are on board too. Instead of rolling their eyes at our chaotic crew, they came up and talked to us. What a wonderful evening. Btw- we love the chicken entree and double patties on the dinner menu! read more

We had some issues with our reservation, had to wait about 20 minutes before getting seated. Coffee was excellent, and I ordered the eggs Benedict. The potatoes were incredible and the eggs were perfectly cooked, but the ham was a bit dry for my taste. Would still absolutely recommend this brunch spot. read more

Willow Room - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My husband and I had a really lovely time here for our anniversary. The general ambiance and aesthetic is pleasing...exposed brick, subway tiles and gold framed paintings The service was on point. Our server was affable, attentive and had some great recommendations. We started with a tomato, beet and arugula salad. It was very fresh tasting with minimal dressing and seasonings--very tasty but overpriced. The best part of our meal and true adventure was the charcuterie board. I highly recommend the terrine as well as the chicken liver pate. In addition to the meats and cheeses we chose, it came with a horse radish and whole grain mustard, carmelized onions, pickled vegetables and baguette. The most disappointing dish of the meal was the rainbow trout. Nothing special about this dish...just bland and overcooked. Overall a nice date spot but overpriced. read more

Willow Room - Tomato, beet, arugula salad - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great place for a lazy weekday lunch, drinks were flowery and sweeter, which are nice sometimes. Lobster sandwich, octopus appetizer was what I had, both pretty good read more

This place was adorable! We had reservations when visiting from Boston. We were sat promptly and had no trouble finding the place. Our server was wonderful and the atmosphere was great. It was a tad loud but that might have been the adjacent table's fault. The seating was a tight squeeze for someone like me. I was sat on the banquet side of the table with people on other side and their coats and purses were resting on my legs the entire time which was a tad uncomfortable. We got the mimosa that had mint and I think chambord? It was tasty and the glassware was huge so it was a great serving. I had the short rib benedict. The bennies were good but not great. The hollaindaise wasn't my favorite and the eggs were a little overcooked so they didn't run at all. The fingerling potatoes they're served with were great as was the Colombian coffee. My boyfriend enjoyed his eggs and toast. The place was overall enjoyable and adorable. If this was in Boston I would absolutely go back. read more

Tried out Willow Room over the weekend for brunch. We had a 1:30pm reservation. Our table wasn't quite ready when we arrived so we had to wait a few minutes for a table to open up - probably about 10 minutes. The atmosphere of the restaurant is unique and cozy - plates are a unique mix of vintage china patterns. Started with the Veggie Bloody Mary and the mix was great. Wasn't too spicy and included meats, cheeses and an olive. For brunch, ordered the Crab Omelette with potatoes which was very good. There's a good amount of imitation crab in it. My boyfriend ordered the basic - 2 eggs, bacon, potatoes and toast. They forgot his toast and never came around to check on us to ensure we had everything we needed. We were finished with our plates for quite some time before someone came around to clear them and ask if we needed anything else. We asked for the check and that took quite some time to come also. All in all, glad we tried this place and would be interested to give them another visit. read more

This is more a 3.5 star place, but it really wasn't memorable. Came for a friends birthday, and we started with some sort of beef tartare and the cauliflower. I don't like tartare, so I can't speak to that, but the cauliflower was the best part of the meal. I ordered the chicken and my friend got the burger. The chicken was fine, but again not memorable- especially for the price. The burger was beyond disappointing. They used tomatoes which were out of season, and the bun was clearly not baked in house. Not necessarily a bad thing, but when it costs $15, you kind of expect that. The fries were also frozen and thrown into a fryer. Again, not always a bad thing, but you expect more at that price point. Maybe it's just because they are new and still hitting their stride? I'll try this place again in a few months, because they have a lot of potential that hasn't been reached quite yet. read more

Great place my husband and I just found! Came in based on the reviews from Open Table. Ordered arugula salad and grilled chicken sandwich. Both were outstanding and delicious. This is a place we will definitely return and become regulars. Looking forward to trying this place for dinner as our date night approaches. Had a chance to chat with the owner, great service, made us feel welcome and enjoyed our conversation. Well done. read more

They really deserve 5 stars, but I deducted one star for two reasons, an okay dessert menu and the review would most likely go into the not recommended reviews. There were three of us and we all sampled each other's food. Steak, cooked to perfection, chicken, moist and delicious, polenta, smooth and creamy. We had a few starters as well and everything was wonderful, from presentation, portion sizes, and taste. The waitstaff, very helpful and polite. One of my most memorable meals whilst in Chicago. Dessert menu was pie, I believe they had pumpkin and key lime. I normally don't have any aversion to such choices, but the choices didn't pair with what we had just eaten. As a Chef, and a Culinary Instructor, I honestly recommend trying this place. read more

I've been going here for years and it's hands down one of the best places in Chicago. The food is fantastic, always new options, but a solid burger that has been on the menu for years. The service is awesome. The space and cozy and great in both the summer or winter. Love this place, highly highly recommend. read more