Gilt Bar
In one word – Cavernous
Location – 230 W. Kinzie (Kinzie and Franklin)
Food – Last night was cold, windy and rainy, so I took the opportunity to dive into autumnal comfort food. My eating partner and I went halfsies on the meal and started with the beet salad, which was served with hazelnuts, whipped goat cheese and preserved lemon. I thought the cheese was overabundant on the plate, but beyond that it was quite satisfying. Then we moved to the salmon. Because they pan roast it, it was perfectly crispy on the outside. It’s then served with brown butter, capers and lemon. It was a far better version of what I would cook at home for myself. Points for execution but not for creativity. Then we had the butternut squash ricotta gnocchi which ROCKED MY WORLD. Team, be real, you put pancetta, sage, squash and pasta in a bowl and I am happy. Note that it’s really sweet for a pasta dish, so if you have an aversion to sweetness (which I clearly do not), beware. My eating partner was in it to win it and wanted dessert, so he got the warm milk chocolate chunk brownie (which is actually 3 brownies). I had a bite (or three) – super rich and perfect for those who enjoy decadent chocolate.
Drink – They have a pretty decent cocktail list. My eating partner had the Sazerac, which is one of those rye drinks that all the hipsters are drinking. I had a Grenache/Syrah blend, which the recommendation of our server and was perfect for me.
Service – Good things to say here, I found our server to be attentive and offer good recommendations. And, as long time readers know, I love it when someone from the restaurant says I made a good choice for my order. He did that.
Scene – It was cold, rainy, windy and a Wednesday, yet Gilt was bumpin’. You definitely need a reservation unless you want to go to their lounge or bar. The restaurant is pretty dark and with all its unfinished wood accents and candles, it felt pretty cavernous to me.
Occasion – I found the restaurant to be pretty loud, so this is a place that I would recommend taking a group to. They seemed to have more 4 tops and communal tables than most places, so they probably are pretty accommodating.
Price – I didn’t think it was cheap. We split the meal (but my glass of wine was far too expensive), so I was putting down $60 with tax and tip. More than I would pay on a Wednesday normally, but appropriate for a Friday or Saturday.
If you like, try…Publican, avec, Longman & Eagle
Patron’s Hacienda
In one word – Empty
Location – 314 W. Erie (Erie & Orleans)
Food – Truth be told, I didn’t eat all that much at Patron’s Hacienda because I used this week’s Gilt City deal which just included appetizers. I went for the Elotitos (corn coated with deliciousness like chili powder and butter). It’s hard to mess it up, and luckily they did not. My eating partner went rogue and chose a non-Mexican food option – the exotic chicken fingers and fries. They seemed to be able to deliver on her expectations. We managed to finagle some free guacamole as well – it was no Adobo Grill, but I still devoured it.
Drink – I picked the Cadillac Margarita made with Tres Generaciones Reposado Tequila. I thought it was fine – I don’t have the best palate to discern the differences between different margaritas beyond “it’s too sweet.” My eating partner grabbed the Mango Margarita, which she did think was too sweet.
Service – No complaints here, we sat at the bar and were always attended to.
Scene – Despite the very authentic Mexican decor, you can still tell this place used to be Chicago’s Coyote Ugly. During primetime eating hours, it was dead. Perhaps because they still haven’t had their grand opening? Maybe it’s hopping during bar hours? If you come here and there are more than 20 people in the space, let me know.
Occasion – I could see this being a stop on a River North bar crawl – just between Citizen and any of the Franklin Street clubs.
Dress – I came from work and fit in just fine. I imagine the later you are there, the more clubby you need to look.
Price – The margaritas are $8-12 a piece. Appetizers tend to be around $8. Legit food like steaks are over $20 (feels cheap for steak, right? not necessarily a good thing).
If you like, try…Uncle Julio’s Hacienda, Moe’s Cantina
Flo
In one word – Whelmed
Location – 1434 W. Chicago (Chicago and Bishop)
Food – Remember that pivotal question in 10 Things I Hate About You? - ”I know you can be overwhelmed. And you can be underwhelmed. But can you ever just be…whelmed?” The correct response is that you can in Europe and also at Flo. It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t terrible – it just was. I opted for the Baja Tilapia Fish Tacos thinking it would be lighter fare. False – a little too much fried and panko for my liking. I did appreciate that they top their fish tacos with Asiago cheese, mainly because I respect the indiscriminate use of Asiago cheese on anything and everything. I will say that I was impressed by the side salad – something that normally I would not notice. It was huge and had beets on it! My eating partner went for the special of the day – shrimp cakes. I suspect that Flo’s forte is brunch and not dinner because we had the same whelmed response.
Drink – They had lots of margaritas on special for cheap. On Wednesday’s their Original Margarita is only $4. Originally I ordered a beer, but they were out of what I wanted. So, I went for a glass of their house Sauv Blanc - surprisingly nice!
Service – I found it strange when the GM of the restaurant came to our table to ask how the service was – this isn’t a hoighty toighty spot where service is critical. I sensed some back room drama, and I didn’t really want to be privy to it. I did find our server to be super endearing. He didn’t have to do much for us, but the little he did was done well.
Scene – I have been here for brunch where it’s hopping. Dinner on a weekday, not so much.
Occasion – Come for brunch with friends. It is good if you are looking to catch up with a friend in a quiet spot at dinner time.
Dress – It’s West Town, no one cares what you wear.
Price – I spent $24 including tax and tip for fish tacos and a glass of wine. Not cheap, but not a total rip off.
If you like, try…Anywhere in Pilsen
Farmhouse
In one word – Comforting
Location – 228 W. Chicago (Chicago and Franklin)
Food – Farmhouse boasts a robust menu of Midwestern comfort food. They claim to make their own burgers, sausages, condiments and sodas from scratch. According to my taste buds, this is no lie. My eating partner and I started out by sharing the fried cheese curds. The experience was better than being at a county fair in Wisconsin. I was embarrassed by how aggressively I attacked the appetizer, but I really wanted to get more than my fair share of the dish. As the main, we cut the calories and shared the veggie burger (my eating partner doesn’t do the meat). I will say with confidence that this veggie burger (mushroom-based) was the most satisfying one I have ever had. It didn’t hurt that it was topped with gouda, roasted garlic mayo, not to mention the home-made fries on the side.
Drink – If the Midwestern food doesn’t win you over, perhaps the Midwestern drink will. I have never seen such an extensive list of Midwest craft beers in a restaurant. Because I’m so sophisticated, I picked an “import” – the Ommegang Hennepin from Cooperstown, NY. Very pleased with the choice.
Service – I found our server to be very amicable and very knowledgeable when answering our beer questions. She also affirmed our food decisions, which I always appreciate when dining at a place for the first time.
Scene – The restaurant is not that big, so there are a lot of people crammed into a relative small space. As a result, it’s loud and feels filled with energy. Beyond that, everyone there is really casual – It’s kind of weird to get dolled up for Midwest comfort food and craft beer.
Occasion – My impression is that it’s better to go with a smaller party just because of the size of the tables and restaurants. However, I may not go for a first date just because it’s loud. Go once your relationship is really stable and you’d rather focus on cheese curds than each other.
Dress – Save the fancy dress for Hubbard Street. Come as you are in jeans.
Price – #Winning! $20 to share cheese curds, a burger and a craft beer (I didn’t share the beer, obvi). If you are a bigger eater than my dieting self, then you’ll probably spend $25-30.
If you like, try…Hopleaf
Twisted Spoke
Location- 501 North Ogden (Ogden and Grand)
Website- www.twistedspoke.com
In one word- Filling
Food- I won’t lie; I’m a big fan of their brunch menu. I’ll challenge anyone to find a better fried egg sandwich, though I do prefer to order french fries instead of the home fries with it. They have a great selection of sandwiches if you’re headed here for lunch or dinner; I’ve not been disappointed with any selection that I’ve made to date. The ‘fat boy’ burger is huge, and endlessly customizable. One thing to note is that I’ve never left here hungry, but I’ve been disappointed with their appetizers a few times. I’d stick to drinks and sandwiches or come for brunch.
Drink- One of the biggest selections of whiskeys, scotches, and tequilas I’ve seen. If you like a particular brand of brown liquor, chances are they’ll have it. They also have a solid mixed drink menu, including a variety of Bloody Marys as well as a $125 Manhattan (haven’t tried it). The beer list is nothing to sniff at either; I think they have 12 drafts and dozens of bottled options.
Service- First and foremost, the Twisted Spoke styles itself a biker bar. You’re not here for the service. I’ve never had any serious complaints about the wait-staff; the biggest problem is that they don’t come by to refill your drinks quickly enough.
Scene- You do get an actual biker bar crowd in here sometimes, most of the time though it’s people watching a game or some yuppies taking a walk on the wild side. They do have a nice rooftop seating area, but the surroundings aren’t much to look at.
Dress- Anything you want, I’d actually be careful of wearing anything too nice as you’re likely to spill something from sandwich on to it.
Occasion- A casual night out drinking good beer while having a great selection of drinks and tasty food available, or an alternative to the crowds found further north and west for brunch.
Cost- Sandwiches $10, drinks about the same, though prepare for that drink bill to be high.
If you like, try… Kuma’s Corner, Hop Leaf
written by ieatthis
Le Bouchon
Location- 1958 N Damen, Damen and Armitage
Website- http://www.lebouchonofchicago.com/
In one word- Cozy
Food- The appetizers that we ordered were classic French bistro fare, moules marinieres (mussels in white wine with herbs) and escargots. For someone who had been craving simple French food, it was heaven. Plenty of fresh bread came alongside to sop up all the delicious sauces. The main courses that we had, though tasty, paled in comparison to the simple dishes that preceded them. I had a braised duck leg that was good, but it was served with too much sauce,
and I thought that the presentation could have been better. My companion had rabbit, and pretty much had the same reaction. Over all, the main courses were well prepared, as well as a pleasant diversion from the ordinary (when was the last time you had rabbit?). The appetizers were spot on, we could have been in Paris.
Drink- An ample wine list for a small neighborhood restaurant. The focus was most definitely French, as it should be, and both the glasses of white and red were great. You paid the premium for the French imports, but it definitely enhanced the overall experience.
Service- There were only 2 waiters, and at least 15 tables, maybe more. That being said, they did a great job making sure we were taken care of. We had a reservation for 7:30, and were really hungry, so we showed up at 7 and were
seated immediately. As the night went on though, the place was definitely packed. It wasn’t the sort place that you’d expected to be waited on hand and foot, and in turn, it wasn’t. The tables are packed in pretty close together in a
small space, and you have to embrace the bistro atmosphere.
Scene- If you want to be whisked away to a small bistro in (almost) Paris, than this is the place for you. The food is good, the service is ok, and the scene is cozy. Probably a great place for a third date where you want talk, drink and get to know one another. This is the sort of place, just outside of the hubbub of Wicker Park, to start the evening, but it won’t be enough to make an entire evening.
Dress- Casual, jeans with a nice shirt, a jacket would be fine.
Occasion- Craving French bistro food and atmosphere? This is the place for you. Start the evening here, and move on to more engaging venue south in Wicker Park.
Cost- Appetizers $10, Entrees under $20. Reasonably priced wine list.
If you like…, try- Kiki’s Bistro
written by ieatthis
D4 Irish Pub and Cafe
Location – 345 E. Ohio (Grand and McClurg)
In one word – Amicable
Food – I typically only come here for drinks, but last week I sampled the happy hour menu. I was surprised by the bang for my buck. I ordered a little afternoon snack, sloppy joe sliders. They were a buck a piece! No, it wasn’t the best seasoned sloppy joe I’ve had, but I was pleased that I only was spending $2 for two. And they toasted the slider buns, so I will forgive and forget.
Drink – Being an Irish pub, they are well stocked in the beverage department. They even have a personal favorite, Kim Crawford Sauv Blanc. They are well stocked with European beers, as well.
Service -Normally I would not have much to say on this topic. I have always had pleasant service at D4. However, during my last visit, our server went above and beyond. Dare I say he wanted to be our friend (well not my friend, but my eating partner’s friend). We almost invited him to sit down with us to chat. We talked about Chicago, the great summer weather, MBAs at various local schools, his life story, my eating partner’s life story. Honestly, at a certain point I felt like the third wheel! Nevertheless, his intentions were good, and we came at a slow time, so no harm, no foul.
Scene – The pub is right below the Streeter apartment building, so you will encounter many residents and those living in nearby buildings. This seems like the place to just get together with friends.
Cost – Because I’ve been drinking cheap beer of late, my usual bill is about $10, but this will all depend on the caliber of drink in which you choose to partake.
If you like, try… Beer Bistro
Terzo Piano
Location – The Art Institute (111 S. Michigan)
In one word – Serene
Food – Given that the chef of TP comes from Spiaggia, it should not be surprising that I will only rave about the food. My eating partner and I started with the flatbread with burrata (cheese), spaghetti squash, olives and brown butter. This was my favorite part of the meal – I would order this again in an instant. Then I took on the Mizuna salad, which included avocado, chicken, lime and cashew. This did not blow me out of the water, but I could tell that all the ingredients were super fresh. My eating partner chose the steak salad, which she seemed to enjoy. Then we went crazy with dessert. You must try the chocolate semi-freddo with peanut nougat and salted caramel. Just do it, you can thank me later. We also sampled the holiday cookie assortment. If you have to choose, go with the semi-freddo.
Drink – My eating partner and I were celebrating, so I had a glass of the Gruner Vetliner and she had the Bourdeaux. We were both satisfied with our selections.
Service – We had attentive, but slow, service. Given we were not in a rush, this was not a deal breaker. I was thoroughly amused by the busser who commented after each course on how much or how little we ate. We had a little snafu with the bill at the end of the meal. However, as soon as we mentioned it, things were corrected.
Scene – The restaurant is in the new Modern wing of the Art Institute. Like the rest of the wing, the atmosphere is bright, clean and spacious. Being inside an art museum, the clientèle is…wise, sophisticated…some might say senior. This makes this an ideal location for a ladies lunch or a date.
Dress – The space is nice, but I wouldn’t sweat it on the attire front. During lunch, we were fine in our “Chicago Snow Day” sweater, leggings, boots combo. In the evening, you probably should make a bit more of an effort, but not over the top.
Cost – For wine, shared appetizer, entrée sized salad and dessert, we paid $60 including tax and tip. Pricey yes, but not crazy given the amount of food we ordered.
If you like, try…Cafe Spiaggia, Naturally Peninsula (at the Peninsula Hotel)
Hub 51
Location – 51 W. Hubbard (Dearborn and Hubbard)
In one word – Manic
Food – By going at lunch, I ensured that I could focus on the food and that there was not a wait. I had a lot of trouble figuring out how to approach the menu: They have sushi and tacos and sandwiches. It was a bit manic for my taste. After interrogating our server about her favorite dishes, I settled on the Crispy Baja Fish Sandwich. Fish sandwiches are always risky; you run the chance of the overfried or old fillet. I was pleasantly surprised, the fish with its cornmeal crush was crispy but not oily. The jicama adds a cooling aspect to the meal. My eating partner chose the Sonoma salad (spinach, grapefruit, avocado, walnuts, sunflower seeds and cranberries) – it’s huge, totally shareable.
Drink – So this place can turn into a scene, but not at noon on a Tuesday. We kept it clean and ordered diet Cokes all around.
Service – The server indulged in my Q&A session when I felt overwhelmed by the menu. Points for that. She did seem to forget our table when we wanted to take care of the check. Not ideal when you have lunch hour clientele trying to get back for a 1 pm meeting…
Scene – With that Rockit vibe, you feel hip without the place being inaccessible to the average person.
Dress – You ought to show some effort when you come here. Jeans are fine, but spray a little extra Febreeze on them this time.
Cost – With an entree, soft drink, tax and tip, you can have a $22 lunch. No cheap, but you’ll be full when you leave.
If you like, try…Rockit, Sushi Samba Rio
