I stopped by Chicago Winery on a Wednesday early evening solo and was able to sit at the bar…read morewithout reservation. I was blown away by the ambiance and decor. Chicago Winery prioritizes upscale and intimacy but their service is personable and friendly allowing you to feel right at home. On Wednesday they offer a Happy Hour special, $5 off a tasting and $10 wine by the glass. The server as extremely kind, and was able to offer me some suggestions based on my personal palate and wine interests. I landed on the Winemaker's Tasting, which included 4, one ounce pours, including Blancs de Blancs, Albarino, Barbera and Merlot. I paired the tasting with the a BYOB board. From their menu I picked the olives, Afterglow, and the Tempesta Guanciale. The server was educated on the wines was able to walk me through the tasting and pairings but gave me independence and autonomy to enjoy at my own leisure and pace. I highly enjoyed my visit and absolutely will be returning to dine in, as well as to get a winery tour!

Was gifted the wine tasting and tour for my birthday which was a very fun experience. Great deal to…read morebuy wine after. I preferred the whites and was disappointed by the reds. We had the date package and ate at the restaurant after. I recommend the pork schnitzel and pierogis. We ordered four shareables but weren't blown away by the butternut squash fondue and gougeres. Loved our hostess for the wine tasting, but wish there was more guidance on tasting notes and wine terminology. I'd recommend though to any wine lovers, I still learned a lot!

A very well oiled operation…read more Had a great time seeing Sons of the Silent Age here. The street in front of the space is cleared for valet parking, free if you are a member. Before the show you can eat in the dining room or on the patio, weather permitting. They have a great burger and wine special some weeknights, and the burger is fantastic. There are also happy hour specials. City Winery is a negociant, and I think most of the grapes it buys are from the West Coast. The wines I tried were by and large in the new world style, although one of the reds had some old world complexity. On the whole, passable but not memorable. The show was fantastic. Sons started at 8 on the dot and played a thrilling 90 minute set. It's a great place to see an act up close and actually see them - no one stands, there isn't room! We had seats in the second row that were labeled wheelchair accessible, but they were not quite that - City Winery packs everyone in quite tightly. Fortunately two seats next to us were empty, giving us the space we needed. I would not, under any circumstances, order dinner inside the music venue, City Winery's encouragement notwithstanding. The tables are far too small. Do yourself a solid and eat in the dining room beforehand. And become a member - between the free valet and waived fees, it pays for itself after 2-3 shows.

I went for a Saturday brunch and sat in the patio which is beautiful. I had the dip duo and that…read morespicy feta dip is delicious! It came with crudite which is great for GF folks. I also had an egg frittata and an espresso martini. The egg frittata was low on salt and luckily I had the dip to eat it with. The skillet it came in was also so hot I burned my hand (I did get a warning from the server but still). The espresso martini also wasn't great and it had ice in it which made it watery so fast. My bf had the short rib sandwich and said it was delicious and for me the dip was my saving grace so if you're GF I wouldn't come here expecting a filling meal. Come for wine and dips and a patio vibe.

Much too expensive. Prices are way out of range of anywhere else of similar quality. The staff are…read morevery helpful and nice but the prices they charge are ridiculous

The experience there was great! The atmosphere was very nice and elegant. The presenter was very…read moreknowledgeable about the different wines we had during the tasting. There was outshines to join tHw wine club although suggested if we wanted to. This was an experience I would do again. It was a good pre birthday event.

The staff is great - very knowledgeable, AND willing to help you learn from where you are. I have…read morebeen there for different tastings (look them up-great options) and other times. What stood out was: great variety of options all seem high value (often less then buying at some of our favorite wine tastings in California and Washington), knowledge of each wine, teamwork - hard to know all of their inventory, but they work well together. What stood out in watching the staff across my many visits (often for a quick tasting on a Saturday afternoon) is their willingness to engage with each customer where they are at without being patronizing, but informative and collegial. They will just answer questions to a newby that just wants a solution for tonight's dinner party, educate someone who is interested, engage and discuss with the regular that has deep knowledge of a region, compare and contrast at the level each customer is at. Of course, mostly they keep it at - what you like is perfect for what you like. And they help you find something to appeal to that. They have a larger natural wine section with a lot of clarity on the different versions of 'natural' called out. Street parking, if you walk 20 yards on Elston, there is non-Private Equity Parking, and a Divvy stand nearby.

clean and well organized store with a really extensive natural wine selection which can be hard to…read morefind in Chicago. I personally didn't need assistance on this visit, but the wine sellers were very hands on with other customers so i'm sure they will be helpful should I need recommendations next time!

Dining Room Review! I recently visited Moody Tongue to…read morecelebrate an anniversary. This spot is half a bar/restaurant with an a la carte food menu, housemade beer, and full service bar. On the other side, is a 1 Michelin Star dining experience. Moody Tongue is the first Michelin ranked brewery and even offers a beer pairing with their prefixed menu. The inside is moody with dark wood finishes, black accents, and elegant artwork & feature lighting. Upon entering, one checks in at the first floor host stand. A server brings you upstairs to the dining area. There is a mixture of two and four tops in the space and our table had a handwritten note congratulating us on our anniversary. Our seat allowed both of us to have a view of the kitchen window to watch the chefs prep courses. There were 3-4 servers that serviced the entire dining room and rotated in presenting dishes. They started with warm towelettes to wash your hands which was a nice touch. Service level throughout was impeccable with water refills, explaining the menu, delightful demeanor, fresh silverware per course, and wiping the table clean from anything that dropped. This was certainly one of the best hospitality levels at a one star I've experienced. Dinner was 12 courses including the amuse-bouche and final treats. There was not one course that didn't offer bright, fresh flavors. The presentation of plates were beautiful from every angle. It's hard to pick any top dish as everything was unique and special in their own way; but I am still thinking about the Crab Bite, Sablefish, and Pasta Course. After dinner, each guest got a complimentary bag full of goodies to enjoy at home. What a beautiful final touch! Moody Tongue as a whole far exceeded my expectations. Each dish offered something familiar in a new way that left me speechless. I highly recommend coming to fully experiencing everything they have to offer as you will not be disappointed! Thank you again so much to their team for making our special night unforgettable. Tip: There is free parking on Wabash & 25th but also meter parking on 26th.

The lamb earned 5 stars. That was the star of the show. It is a must-order dish. The salad was also…read moreunique, interesting, and tasty, though the other appetizers other patrons ordered looked similarly good. The vibes are immaculate. They have managed to offer excellent service without making the place feel stuffy or full of itself. It is the perfect spot for a special date night or a celebration with friends.

Amazing little wine bar with a great wine selection and super friendly staff! I have walked by here…read morea million times but finally stopped in here for a drink before dinner nearby and I'm so glad I did. There's also a super cozy patio in the alley which seemed perfect for a date or girls night.

Very nice local bar with huge wine selection and amazing charcuterie pairings. They also have happy…read morehour and you can get a flight of wine for $15, the bartender was really helpful in picking wines to try and buy some for the house. Service is a bit slow as they only had one person, but wine comes quite quickly.

The owner of the shop is a super affable and knowledgeable man. We walked in "just to browse" and…read moreleft, like, 20 min later with two bottles of booze feeling super good about our purchases! :p He told us about the history of his shop and told us about the wines we should go seek when we're in New Zealand. So cool.

Hello, I'm writing this review because I'm still shaken by how unkind the older woman behind the…read moredesk was during my visit. When I first arrived, I was warmly greeted by a middle-aged woman who was very helpful in guiding me to choose a wine; something I truly appreciated as I'm not very knowledgeable in that area. Unfortunately, my positive experience quickly turned sour when I reached the front desk to pay. I overheard the older woman at the register kindly offer the gentleman in front of me gift wrapping. When it was my turn, she didn't offer it, so I politely asked if I could have my item wrapped, as I was bringing it to see family I haven't seen in a long time over the holidays. Her reaction was startling; she gave me a look that made me feel like I'd asked for something outrageous, muttered something under her breath, and created an incredibly awkward atmosphere. To make matters worse, when I asked for my receipt after paying, she responded with the same coldness and unprofessional attitude. I don't know what her issue with me was, but I've never felt so unwelcome in a small business. It's disappointing because I came in genuinely wanting to support a local store. Sadly, after that experience, I'll be taking my business elsewhere; there are plenty of other liquor stores nearby where customer service is more consistent and respectful.

We experienced the Cortona, Italy option and it was A++! What a fantastic venue; resort and cooking…read moreschool. I recommend it!

I was looking for some professional development courses that was more hands on than some places…read morewhere you watch and "learn". This was the place! Each day was full on cooking and we got to tour the area and experience shopping in a local market. I chose the Gascony cooking school and it was fabulous! Five days and four nights included accommodations and meals, cooking, lots of hands on work from start to finish, plating and of course lots of eating! The International Kitchen made it easy to book, were flexible during Covid and answered all my questions. Peg made me feel at ease booking a course in France and I would do it again! Excellent customer service and she made sure we had all the updates on Covid for the region so we knew what to expect. She even helped arrange transfers to and from the airport and checked in on us during the heat wave. If you've ever wanted to try a cooking tour in another country I would highly recommend this one! Bon apetit!