Willow Room
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Finally came to Willow Room after many days passing by saying "we need to go here" because the space just looks cozy and elegant - and it sure is! I love the lights and spaciousness of the restaurant; it feels neighborly but elevated. 4 of us came on a Monday for their Monday dinner special - 3 courses for $36. This is definitely the way to go to experience the menu! (FYI, you can split the deal with someone too if you want!) Started the meal with a glass of wine - love their wine glasses by the way. For the first course I got the kale salad and I will absolutely be recreating this because it was delicious - the ricotta makes it so unique and delicious. I got the short rib for my entree and I loved it! The portion is generous and I took about half home. It's a great cozy, savory dish. My friends got the shrimp linguine dish and the chicken dish. The shrimp looked delicious, the chicken was pretty simple and saucy and wasn't their favorite. Ended the meal with the flourless chocolate cake (one of my favorite desserts) and it was perfect. The raspberry sauce on the plate paired perfectly. You have to get the dessert here!! The service was great and each dish came out timely. Definitely more expensive food so it's worth coming on a Monday to keep the price somewhat reasonable. Seems like a great spot to come for drinks too! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Amazing experience! We did the private greenhouse and the service was fantastic. The food was outstanding in an amazing ambience! 10/10 recommend this during the winter for a unique Chicago experience! read more
8 months ago
Unfortunately I'm sensing a pattern with poor service after coming here more. The front of house in particular is severely lacking with uncommunicative and apathetic behavior. For example they went to sit us right in front of the door during a cold winter while 90% of the rest of the space was available. Upon request to sit somewhere where there won't be a draft, barely any response was given while they awkwardly brought us to another table, but *would not* allow us to sit in a booth and couldn't provide a reason as to why not. Also unfortunate since it was for my birthday. I'm not sure if the pay here is poor which results in this kind of service (pretty much across the board), training, or what the issue is, but I think it warrants some attention. Throughout a sitting it gets pretty grating and irritating. The brunch food remains pretty tasty, though I do think it could be refreshed a bit more often with new or updated items. The warm beverage situation seems a bit limited, as in there are no syrups for something like a vanilla latte, not even a sweetened latte (you do that yourself with the provided sugars), no chai tea. Would be great if they had these options to match the more robust menu. Interior is quite lovely. read more
My friends and I went there for their Monday $38 3 course deal, and it was just all worth it! Appetizer: I got the Caesar salad and it was just amazing. My friend loved her kale salad, the grapes were just the touch of sweetness needed and the ricotta just rounded out the salad. But my husband got the mussels and they were absolutely delicious. I was just in his plate eating it the entire time! Entree: my friend and got the short rib with the mash potatoes and they were just fall off the bone. But again my husband ordered the steak Diane and it was just divine. Perfectly cooked and the mushroom sause is just amazing with it. Dessert: I got the ricotta donuts which were just great with the orange glaze. It was so warm and a great ending. My friend got the flourless chocolate cake which felt like I was eating fudge. And my husband got the cheesecake, but I don't like cheesecakes but he like his dessert. Drinks: I got the Willow and it was sweet and just amazing. My friend let me try her French 75 which was just amazing! I never knew I'd like gin lime that. Overall highly recommend this place on mondays for the price! read more
My first time here. The Ambiance is nice. Unfortunately I had to sit at the bar so my back was to the whole restaurant. The restaurant is pricey, so I did expect more than I received. I ordered a mocktail, which was good and cute. The server was attentive and kind. I ordered the chicken dish and it really lacked in flavor for me. I had to ask for hot sauce. I expected the ingredients of lemon, rosemary, and garlic to be delicious but I didn't taste one of those on my chicken. Garlic is one of my favorite flavors! It tasted like it was flavored with salt only. Also, the color of the chicken was not it for me. I expected it to be roasted golden and have that roasted flavor at least. It tasted like boiled chicken. Very disappointing meal all and all. I should've just got the burger *sigh* Also, please post the dishes on Instagram. Very nice to have visuals on your offerings. I couldn't find a review on the chicken or see a picture so I had to just give it a try. read more
We came here in a group of three and tried out their Monday night special, which is a 3 course meal for $38. Our server told us that everyone in our party had to get the special in order to qualify for it. It would have been nice if guests in the same party have the option of trying both the 3 course meal and ordering from the regular menu. The 3 course meal doesn't include fish as a main course option and you're limited to a risotto for the main course if you're a vegetarian. Nevertheless, I think it still ends up being a quality meal at a very good dinner price. It doesn't hurt that the space is beautifully lit and decorated. I ended up getting the kale salad, steak Diane, and the cheesecake. The kale salad tasted on the blander side to me. It had interesting, unexpected components such as grapes and pistachios. However, the vinaigrette flavor didn't come through too much. The steak was quite good- I loved the sauce on top, it really elevated the dish. My piece of strip steak had a few chewy bites but was otherwise cooked perfectly to my liking. I like that the dish also came with broccolini, which was made wonderfully well! I would have liked some type of carb with the main dish though. Now the star of the whole meal was hands down the dessert. You must try the cheesecake. At first I thought "wow this looks like two pieces of cheesecake" but then ended up eating it all up. It was very creamy and lightly sweet. The fruit topping was subtle but enjoyable. It was just the perfect dessert that didn't leave me feeling like I was in a sugar coma afterwards. read more
Went here for brunch on a chilly Sunday morning and sat outside in one of their "igloos"/outdoor covered houses that are heated and it was lovely! Staff was super friendly and helpful with gauging temperature of our outdoor space, getting us things in timely matter, etc. The three of us ordered brunch, and loved our meals - plenty of food, proportion wise. We got the chorizo hash, fried egg sandwich (could only eat half) and eggs Benedict, everyone loving their meals. We also ordered a hot tea and a sparkling water and our total, pre-tip, came out to about $60 total. While we did eat in person, photo is of my leftovers that I took home read more
1 year ago
My co-workers and I chose Willow Room for our Chicago Restaurant Week 2022 dinner! We had reservations around 6:45pm, and the place was packed for a Monday night! Their dinner consisted of a 4-course meal for $55! I chose the following for my meal: Caesar Salad, Creamy Tomato Soup/Soup of the Day, Steak Diane, and Donuts. I also had Bees Knees on the side! The salad's dressing and croutons paired well with the crunchy romaine. I enjoyed the soup very much! The Soup of the Day was Creamy Tomato Soup! I honestly enjoyed the bread so much too! It was soft with butter goodness. The soup was just pure creamy tomato goodness. Like I could eat that soup everyday!! The Steak Diane was cooked to medium rare perfection. The mushrooms and demi glacé sauce worked great with the charred steak! I also LOVED the broccolini with it!! Other reviewers spoke highly of the donuts at Willow Room, so I decided to choose that for my dessert. It was quite yummy, but it was just meh to me. Next time I'll try the Beef Wellington! read more
11 months ago
5 years ago
I was looking for a place near Park West theater this was 5 muns drive and 28 min walk . It exceptionally beautiful with stained wood floor length windows a mixup of modern with traditional elements. Cozy first floor level with a bar very attentive staff . We split a kake salad toppings waa very minimal but the flavor were delicious and intriguing. Main course were short ribs and daughter has a burger which ended up a double with fries . The short ribs were fall apart tender with potato and carrots it was good just need a little more seasoning. Great service and beautiful read more
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Another great dinner option. Had the seafood: Mussels to start and beet salad with arugula, then Lobster ravioli and the scallops. The best scallops I've ever eaten. No leftovers. read more
This place has it all, a very rustic wooden vibe but romantically lit, open space with lots of tablr and booth seating and delicious food! My partner and I came here for a dinner date and it did not disappoint! We were promptly seated and attended to. We shared a side of cauliflower and mussels, both of which were wonderfully seasoned. The mussels also came with freshly baked sourdough bread which paired perfectly with the savory tomato sauce. I had ordered the risotto that was thicker than what I'm used to, the roasted pumpkin seeds on top definitely gave it a fall character. My partner had the halibut filet, it was cooked perfectly and paired with the couscous really well. We had a great time and loved the atmosphere of the restaurant and will be back to try more! read more
3 years ago
Came here during COVID. Tables are safely spaced out and waitress was wearing the mask all the time. It is a cute place with stylish seating, lights, and patio. In general, I would say this place is a safe choice for a group - everything can find something they like, and the dishes are like what you would probably expect. That being said, they were well done but nothing mind blowing. - white sangria: I don't recommend it if you don't like sugary drinks. It's overly sweet in my opinion - beet salad: I don't recommend. The ingredients were too simple and mostly just beets. There's a lack of delicacy and imagination - double cheese burger: it was delicious and very satisfying - short rib: my favorite dish of this dinner - tender and flavorful. The purée was good too read more
Overall, not overly impressed by this place. The food was okay and nothing really stood out to me. The scallops were good but I feel you can get better for a better value. This place was convenient as we were attending Second City show that night. Would recommend if only for that. Not my favorite place but the worst. Fun ambiance and atmosphere! read more
3 years ago
I've always wanted to eat here bc I love the windows looking out onto Halsted. Came here on a Friday night for dinner w friends. Highly recommend setting a reservation on Opentable. The service was great, although our server was very soft-spoken, it was hard to hear what he was saying, but that's okay, not everyone can be a screamer lol everything we ordered was awesome. We started with Burrata and Tuna Tartare, both had excellent flavor and were fresh, loved these apps. For mains, I had the scallops with Parmesan cream risotto, the scallops were cooked to perfection and the risotto was a creamy heaven. I also tried my friends dishes: halibut and shrimp scampi. Both were delicious as well! The portions are a bit small, but all the food was excellent. We got the orange ricotta donut holes and cappuccinos and those were amazing too. The orange flava really cut any heaviness of the donut holes, so good. I need to come back to try brunch! Parking in this area is a bit difficult on a weekend, so plan accordingly! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Amazing food! Went during restaurant week, got the short rib, tomato bisque and a Caesar salad! Everything was delicious, server was incredibly kind! The key lime pie for a sweet finish was perfect! Will be back! read more
2 years ago
Overall 5/5 experience at the Willow Room! Not the greatest pictures but the pics don't do it justice. We loved every meal. Would nightly recommend the donut holes! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
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3 years ago
Such a cute little spot! Service was pretty good, however our waiter was extremely soft-spoken so I couldn't understand a word he was saying. His service was great though! I ordered the Lobster Ravioli and it was really good! read more
2 years ago
Amazing service!!! Food was good but the wait staff is really what made the whole experience read more
3 years ago
We came for dinner and it was great. The service was warm and friendly. The kale salad and burger were great. read more
2 years ago
came here for dinner and it was such a cute spot! loved the interior decor and just overall vibes of this place service was really good - friendly staff and they were so quick to take our orders and swerve our food! for drinks, I got the willow which was a refreshing vodka drink. it had lavender and lemon/basil syrup. DANGEROUSLY strong! for food, I got the gnocchi which was really good but a little too cheesy for my liking. after I ate a certain amount, I was feeling wayyy too full. my friends got the half chicken and the risotto, all the food was pretty good. overall great food, unsure if I would go again since it wasn't mind blowing but def recommend going at least once! read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
We love willow room! This is our favorite dinner spot. The Monday 3 course meal is amazing and very filling. Their cocktails are super tasty. I always get the strawberry margarita (I think it's called la rosa) The short ribs and potatoes are tastyyyy. My husband likes the risotto. We went for brunch and it was pretty standard. Nothing to write home about but the orange ricotta donuts were superb. read more
Beautiful evening for patio dining with colleagues. I like that the cute patio is mosquito free. We had red sangria, gin and tonic, Prosecco, rose . The appetizers were mussels, burrata and beet salad .... The mussels were a bit too oceany/ smelly with sand and all. I have had better burrata and beet salad . Main course scallops, salmon , chicken and beef Wellington. All of which were just fine in terms of flavor. Desserts were the chocolate flourless cake and cheesecake.Our server Mandy was sweet and attentive. I was very impressed with a sign about masks on the patio but none of the staff were wearing masks which was disappointing. Will certainly revisit when in the area. read more
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