Everything was phenomenal! Service, drinks and the food took center stage. Our large group ordered most things on the menu and tried it all. Will definitely return!
Delila Rodriguez
I was very excited to try this place, given all the photos posted of their dishes looked incredible. Decided to go with my two friends after leaving an event around 5pm. Walked in, and I was relieved to see there was plenty of open seating.
A gentleman approached us after we walked in (I'm assuming is maybe the manager), and I let him know that we would like to be seated for dinner. He asked me, "Do you have a reservation?" I answered no. Without a word, he then proceeded to grab menus and sat us at one of the open tables next to the bar. I was confused by his question, given that there was plenty of available seating. My first impression was this gentleman was not very warm or welcoming.
We then got to the menus, and we were all surprised by how few options there were to choose from. The photos posted of their dishes online looked so diverse, but none of those items appeared to be on this menu.
I ordered the potato gnocchi, which unfortunately I did not enjoy since it really lacked in flavor and the gnocchi was runny in the middle (which I found unusual). My one friend ordered the shrimp and grits, which I will say was very good.
The gentleman who had sat us at the table originally approached the table and, only addressing my one friend, asked if she would like a box. Doesn't ask the rest of the table, despite mine and my other friend's plates still having plenty of food. The gentleman walks away, and comes back with the one box. Before he could walk away again, I asked him for a box as well. He immediately turns around, and walks away without a word. Returns with another box.
Overall, he came off very unfriendly, and I was confused by why he was selective in who he showed hospitality to at our table. (I might have an idea, but I won't go there).
Was not the experience I was hoping for, and I am sad to say that I will not be returning nor will I recommend this place to anyone else.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
jenny gibson
The bartender, Christopher was so attentive and nice. Loved the vibe at the 1308 Bar!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Keith Frainier
Great food and spectacular cocktails.
Christopher Ruiz
Cute little place which wouldn’t be a bad spot to go before a show at Salt shed, Little off the beaten path otherwise. Nothing will blow your socks off but the service was good. Specifically the corn ribs were very good and The bees knees type of cocktail was pretty solid.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Trevor Jenrich
Excellent food and drinks. Right across from the Salt Shed. It has a small speakeasyish vibe, so if you're going to a show, get a reservation early on as it will probably fill up. Excellent place to go if you are in the area.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ian Mardinly
Came to try and get a quick bite before a concert across the street at the Salt Shed. This was unexpectedly the best part of the night! As soon as we walked in the bartenders servers and hosts all went out of their way to be accommodating, friendly, and helpful, suggesting drinks and making sure we were seated indoors or outdoors based on our preference. I wouldn’t be surprised if I found out that everyone working this past Saturday was an owner - that mentality and attitude bled into every interaction, our waters were full the whole time we were there. A perfect dining experience!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Deanna F
The food was phenomenal! It gave a sense of home style elegance twist between each different dish. I love how you are able to see your food being cooked right in front of you and interactions with the chef. The atmosphere was very calming and welcoming. I came during the evening time, but I would definitely double back and see how it is during the afternoon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Angela Shah
Had high hopes for 1308 based on reviews but was completely let down. To start, we were told 3 of the 6 cocktails on the menu were NOT available. They said they ran out of a lot of liquor the night before. Um okay, it’s 5pm the next day. We were also told “cocktails would no longer be available to order after 6pm-only beer and wine”. WHAT. 1 appetizer was also not available. We basically ordered all the drinks and apps that were available. 1 drink was so watered down, the chips and fried pickles were great. The hot water bread was horrible-literally had no salt. Crispy cauliflower and corn ribs were delicious but all the entrees were just okay. Brussel sprouts were SO salty you couldn’t eat them. As we were leaving, we see a group drinking expresso martinis which we were told was not available. We asked the hostess about this and she said there’s a new bartender who just got there so they are now available. So basically the other bartender didn’t know HOW to make certain drinks?! We proceeded to try to order a round of martinis at the bar and were told TO LEAVE. We were a group of 6 girls, trying to enjoy an early dinner and wow, what a disappointing meal and even worse service.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Chris Warsow
As a classically trained chef with lots of time on the line, I have never actually witnessed in real-time the wheels completely come off of a restaurant while I sat an watched. We were seated at 5 pm. We wanted to get there early because we had a show to catch. The hostess was awesome. Very energetic and told us about the history of the building and the theme of the restaurant. She was a rock star. Kudos My partner and I were sat a a deuce next to the pass, so I watched it unfold up-close. It was our servers first day. Ok, I can understand that. We have all had our first days, but she was very unfamiliar with the POS and menu. Ordered drinks, it took 20 minutes to get them. Ok. They were busy behind the bar. I get it. This is where it got really interesting. The kitchen was in the weeds from the get-go. Watched the guy next to me get kicked out 15 minutes after getting his entrée because they have a 90 minute table limit. He sheepishly put the rest of his food into a to-go and sulked out. Not cool. We waited another 40 minutes to get our 2 appetizers we ordered. We only received one. Ordered the corn ribs and the corn cakes. Got the corn cakes and watched the ribs die in the window. Never got them. Now the kitchen meltdown ensues. This was Chernobyl style. Very loud and animated. Chef and expo were in a shouting match. Chef yelling at waitstaff for taking items out of the window. The ticket bar is stacked end-to-end. Call Sears. They need a weedwhacker. Watched 2 tables get seated and walk out. One got their drinks. One got nothing. We are at the 90 minute mark now. No entrees. One drink and half our appetizer order. Food comes out at 100 minutes. We are now in fear we are going to get booted because of 90 minute rule. Food was so salty, it was inedible. I ordered the shrimp and grits (one of my favorite to make) and she ordered the chicken burger. Both WAY over seasoned. Didn't bother sending it back as we are now at the 2 hour mark and have missed the opening act. Got the bill and we were charged for the missing appetizer. I understand they were slammed with a show across the street. If you can't handle the rush, you need to throttle reservations and seating. I have seen restaurants have a bad night, but never like this in 35 years in the foodservice industry.
Such a gr8 gem of restaurant and bar. Perfect place to meet for shows at Salt
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kleiderman D Onaire
Excellent Restaurant
Dana Wallman
I have not stopped thinking about 1308 Chicago since we wandered in to this wonderful restaurant and bar on Saturday. On our way to the Salt Shed, we decided to look for a place to grab a bite before a concert. Though we did not have a reservation, we were seated at the bar by a kind and helpful hostess. The restaurant was lively (we loved the music). The staff was attentive, knowledgeable and genuinely working as hard as possible to make sure that everyone was having a good time. We loved our drinks and the food was delicious. It was clear that there was a lot of love and care that went into every dish. I am still dreaming about the perfectly seasoned fries that I stole off of my husband’s plate (even the ketchup was made from scratch.) Overall, the meal and cocktails were great, but it’s the feeling of comfort and fun that impressed me the most. We can’t wait to return!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Thomas Jemilo
Great experience again! This is our second time enjoying 1308 and they did not disappoint! The staff is amazing, the drinks are amazing and the FOOD ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS & MADE WITH LOVE. Much gratitude and appreciation for what 1308 is doing! Simply beautiful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
grace x pump
First of all the ambience is great because the music selection was 10/10 and the interior design was really pretty. All of our food was good, and I’d say that the corn ribs impressed me because I don’t really like corn, but the restaurant actually managed to make corn taste absolutely amazing. (Also I’d like to apologize because looking back I should have tipped more. Some super nice people paid for part of our bill, so I tipped based on the lower new price we paid, which was wrong.)
Everything was phenomenal! Service, drinks and the food took center stage. Our large group ordered most things on the menu and tried it all. Will definitely return!
I was very excited to try this place, given all the photos posted of their dishes looked incredible. Decided to go with my two friends after leaving an event around 5pm. Walked in, and I was relieved to see there was plenty of open seating.
A gentleman approached us after we walked in (I'm assuming is maybe the manager), and I let him know that we would like to be seated for dinner. He asked me, "Do you have a reservation?" I answered no. Without a word, he then proceeded to grab menus and sat us at one of the open tables next to the bar. I was confused by his question, given that there was plenty of available seating. My first impression was this gentleman was not very warm or welcoming.
We then got to the menus, and we were all surprised by how few options there were to choose from. The photos posted of their dishes online looked so diverse, but none of those items appeared to be on this menu.
I ordered the potato gnocchi, which unfortunately I did not enjoy since it really lacked in flavor and the gnocchi was runny in the middle (which I found unusual). My one friend ordered the shrimp and grits, which I will say was very good.
The gentleman who had sat us at the table originally approached the table and, only addressing my one friend, asked if she would like a box. Doesn't ask the rest of the table, despite mine and my other friend's plates still having plenty of food. The gentleman walks away, and comes back with the one box. Before he could walk away again, I asked him for a box as well. He immediately turns around, and walks away without a word. Returns with another box.
Overall, he came off very unfriendly, and I was confused by why he was selective in who he showed hospitality to at our table. (I might have an idea, but I won't go there).
Was not the experience I was hoping for, and I am sad to say that I will not be returning nor will I recommend this place to anyone else.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
The bartender, Christopher was so attentive and nice. Loved the vibe at the 1308 Bar!
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Great food and spectacular cocktails.
Cute little place which wouldn’t be a bad spot to go before a show at Salt shed, Little off the beaten path otherwise. Nothing will blow your socks off but the service was good. Specifically the corn ribs were very good and The bees knees type of cocktail was pretty solid.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Excellent food and drinks. Right across from the Salt Shed. It has a small speakeasyish vibe, so if you're going to a show, get a reservation early on as it will probably fill up. Excellent place to go if you are in the area.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Came to try and get a quick bite before a concert across the street at the Salt Shed. This was unexpectedly the best part of the night! As soon as we walked in the bartenders servers and hosts all went out of their way to be accommodating, friendly, and helpful, suggesting drinks and making sure we were seated indoors or outdoors based on our preference. I wouldn’t be surprised if I found out that everyone working this past Saturday was an owner - that mentality and attitude bled into every interaction, our waters were full the whole time we were there. A perfect dining experience!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was phenomenal! It gave a sense of home style elegance twist between each different dish. I love how you are able to see your food being cooked right in front of you and interactions with the chef. The atmosphere was very calming and welcoming. I came during the evening time, but I would definitely double back and see how it is during the afternoon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Had high hopes for 1308 based on reviews but was completely let down. To start, we were told 3 of the 6 cocktails on the menu were NOT available. They said they ran out of a lot of liquor the night before. Um okay, it’s 5pm the next day. We were also told “cocktails would no longer be available to order after 6pm-only beer and wine”. WHAT. 1 appetizer was also not available. We basically ordered all the drinks and apps that were available. 1 drink was so watered down, the chips and fried pickles were great. The hot water bread was horrible-literally had no salt. Crispy cauliflower and corn ribs were delicious but all the entrees were just okay. Brussel sprouts were SO salty you couldn’t eat them. As we were leaving, we see a group drinking expresso martinis which we were told was not available. We asked the hostess about this and she said there’s a new bartender who just got there so they are now available. So basically the other bartender didn’t know HOW to make certain drinks?! We proceeded to try to order a round of martinis at the bar and were told TO LEAVE. We were a group of 6 girls, trying to enjoy an early dinner and wow, what a disappointing meal and even worse service.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
As a classically trained chef with lots of time on the line, I have never actually witnessed in real-time the wheels completely come off of a restaurant while I sat an watched. We were seated at 5 pm. We wanted to get there early because we had a show to catch.
The hostess was awesome. Very energetic and told us about the history of the building and the theme of the restaurant. She was a rock star. Kudos
My partner and I were sat a a deuce next to the pass, so I watched it unfold up-close.
It was our servers first day. Ok, I can understand that. We have all had our first days, but she was very unfamiliar with the POS and menu.
Ordered drinks, it took 20 minutes to get them. Ok. They were busy behind the bar. I get it.
This is where it got really interesting. The kitchen was in the weeds from the get-go. Watched the guy next to me get kicked out 15 minutes after getting his entrée because they have a 90 minute table limit. He sheepishly put the rest of his food into a to-go and sulked out. Not cool.
We waited another 40 minutes to get our 2 appetizers we ordered. We only received one. Ordered the corn ribs and the corn cakes. Got the corn cakes and watched the ribs die in the window. Never got them.
Now the kitchen meltdown ensues. This was Chernobyl style. Very loud and animated. Chef and expo were in a shouting match. Chef yelling at waitstaff for taking items out of the window. The ticket bar is stacked end-to-end. Call Sears. They need a weedwhacker.
Watched 2 tables get seated and walk out. One got their drinks. One got nothing.
We are at the 90 minute mark now. No entrees. One drink and half our appetizer order.
Food comes out at 100 minutes. We are now in fear we are going to get booted because of 90 minute rule. Food was so salty, it was inedible. I ordered the shrimp and grits (one of my favorite to make) and she ordered the chicken burger. Both WAY over seasoned. Didn't bother sending it back as we are now at the 2 hour mark and have missed the opening act.
Got the bill and we were charged for the missing appetizer. I understand they were slammed with a show across the street. If you can't handle the rush, you need to throttle reservations and seating. I have seen restaurants have a bad night, but never like this in 35 years in the foodservice industry.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
Restaurantji Recommends
Such a gr8 gem of restaurant and bar. Perfect place to meet for shows at Salt
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent Restaurant
I have not stopped thinking about 1308 Chicago since we wandered in to this wonderful restaurant and bar on Saturday. On our way to the Salt Shed, we decided to look for a place to grab a bite before a concert. Though we did not have a reservation, we were seated at the bar by a kind and helpful hostess. The restaurant was lively (we loved the music). The staff was attentive, knowledgeable and genuinely working as hard as possible to make sure that everyone was having a good time. We loved our drinks and the food was delicious. It was clear that there was a lot of love and care that went into every dish. I am still dreaming about the perfectly seasoned fries that I stole off of my husband’s plate (even the ketchup was made from scratch.) Overall, the meal and cocktails were great, but it’s the feeling of comfort and fun that impressed me the most. We can’t wait to return!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great experience again! This is our second time enjoying 1308 and they did not disappoint! The staff is amazing, the drinks are amazing and the FOOD ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS & MADE WITH LOVE. Much gratitude and appreciation for what 1308 is doing! Simply beautiful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
First of all the ambience is great because the music selection was 10/10 and the interior design was really pretty. All of our food was good, and I’d say that the corn ribs impressed me because I don’t really like corn, but the restaurant actually managed to make corn taste absolutely amazing. (Also I’d like to apologize because looking back I should have tipped more. Some super nice people paid for part of our bill, so I tipped based on the lower new price we paid, which was wrong.)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: dd Carolina Gold Corn Ribs
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