Nice food, good atmosphere and the service is too good. Their stuff are very friendly ☺️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Rida Sheikh
Outstanding food Fully satisfied
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gerrit van Schalkwyk
I first dreamed of coming to Alinea in 2018, during a visit to Chicago where I saw Youtube videos of the dessert being prepared, but, of course, could not get a table. This year I was better prepared and had my reservation well in advance of my visit but could not be more disappointed at an experience that felt rigid, unfriendly, and failed to deliver on taste and hospitality.
First, there were no options for drinks other than wine. The only non-alcoholic option was wine with alcohol removed, and there were no cocktails or soft drinks on the menu at all. While I completely understand a recommendation that wine is the preferred accompaniment to the menu, I am surprised that the restaurant has so little confidence in their menu that they don't think it could stand up to being paired with even a basic cocktail or other non-alcoholic beverage. This really diminished the joy of the experience, but was consistent with a general unwillingness to incorporate the diner's preference into any aspect of the experience, with every aspect of the menu being prescribed, and no opportunity for cocreating something shared. We were given firm direction on the correct number of mouthfuls for certain courses, and even though one of our party was wearing on orthopedic boot at the time, we were required to descend a staircase in order to eat one of the courses in the kitchen.
This rigidity would presumably have been forgotten if the experience had otherwise been delicious or mindblowing, but it was not. The quality of the food was not equal to that which we had recently enjoyed at placed like Lazy Bear in San Francisco, or even one-start tasting menu's in Southern California. The re-imagined hot dog really did not have an appealing taste, and the course which included an empanada buried under soil was bland, tasted like earth, and had an uncompelling flavor. The presentation of the dessert was less precise and exciting in reality, and the flavor was sugar-upon-sugar, and lacked interesting texture or flavor.
The muted ambiance turned out to be an appropriate reflection of food that also had a muted taste and apperance. The entire experience was gimmicky, felt dated, obnoxious, and excessively expensive. I would encourage anyone considering this experience to reconsider one of many alternatives where you can receive better food, with greater attention given to your own preferences, at a lower cost, and with greater excitement.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 3
Lo
Alinea is a must-experience for anyone who loves fine dining. It's food theater that subverts expectations and will challenge how you think about the dining experience.
The dessert is the standout dish-a truly impressive conclusion to a course that often feels like an afterthought.
That being said...Alinea's experience relies heavily on surprise and mystery...the food is still excellent, but without the surprise factor weighs heavily into the experience...at the end of the day, some of their dishes, while still good, are fairly average compared to other 3 star places...they're just presented in an interesting way.
Luckily, the service and environment make this worth the experience and thr cost of entry.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Mike McQuaide
What an incredible experience. I first discovered Grant Achatz and Alinea through the Netflix series Chef’s Table. From that moment, I knew I wanted to find a way to experience it for myself. Seven years later, my amazing wife decided it was finally time.
I’m not an overly wealthy person—I work hard and have to make careful choices to save for experiences like this. Let me tell you, it was worth every penny. I was absolutely blown away. Anyone who could write a bad review of this place must have expectations beyond what any human could possibly deliver.
One of my biggest concerns was feeling out of place in a restaurant of this caliber. But from the moment we walked through the door until the moment we left, the staff made us feel completely comfortable and welcomed.
I can’t even begin to imagine how much effort and creativity go into crafting the Alinea experience. Every detail is clearly intentional and beautifully executed. It’s truly fine art that you can taste.
Thank you, Alinea, for one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Shabir Ahmad
Very good service
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Kamran Jatoi
Amazing 👍
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Jennifer
The most memorable restaurant experience of my life. I just came across some photos from my experience back in 2013. I think it is time to go back for round 2.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Craig Bracken
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
An evening at Alinea that completely redefines fine dining. I was there last week with a group of venture capital colleagues, and every single course was a study in precision, creativity, and restraint. Alinea isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a controlled experiment in sensory design and storytelling.
From the first bite to the final whisper of dessert, the pacing, presentation, and hospitality were flawless. The team managed to make an experience that felt both deeply personal and globally relevant—like dining at the intersection of art, science, and psychology. The wine pairings were bold without being performative, and the staff moved with a kind of effortless choreography that only happens when everyone on the floor operates at the highest level.
Alinea isn’t just a meal; it’s what happens when a team executes on vision with zero compromise. Worth every moment, every dollar, every thought it provokes after.
—CB
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Peter Nichols
Went there With a date Spent a fortune Laughing that the food was painted on our plate and weighed nothing Our families both own Greek restaurants I spent $200+ We both left hungry And stopped a Jersey Mikes
I recently dined at Alinea. I was extremely excited to try this 3 star Michelin restaurant. A few dishes were very interesting and delicious. One of them was Chicago style hot dog. It was simply disgusting. Everything about it was not appetizing. Desert was extravagant. Service was very good. The final grade is an F. I have never experienced pain like I did after our meal. We had a party of 4 and another person also got food poisoning symptoms. I emailed the restaurant because I was in a complete disbelief that happened at a place where you pay $1000 a person for the meal.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 5
Robert Greening
An absolutely amazing experience. I would highly recommend you go as a group to get full advantage of what they offer. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience for most. Food was out of this world and so unique. The experience was even better. Definitely a special occasion type place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
marc Lewis
Top end 3* for sure. We had chefs table Insanely good. Good, service, atmosphere. Really very thoughtful and boundary pushing cooking Only gripe was the entrance foyer Not good And we had to wait. Also not a great start Wine is not crazy priced. Expensive but not OTT Flew in just for this experience. Didn’t disappoint
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Oscar Enrique Phelps
This was my third time at Alinea, and somehow every visit gets better and better. The creativity, flavors, and presentation continue to amaze me.
Our menu on October 10, 2025, was incredible. Some of the highlights were the Osetra with roasted soybean and sake lees, the Chicago Style Hot Dog with all beef and neon relish, the Arctic Char with maple syrup and smoke, the Fear Factor with lobster, mango, and vanilla, and the famous Hot Potato Cold Potato with black truffle and parmesan. The Ocean and Earth course with wagyu, pine nut, and Japanese eggplant was unforgettable, and the Paint dessert with pumpkin, chai, and hazelnut was a perfect ending. Of course, the Balloon made of green apple taffy is always fun and magical.
Each time I come back, the experience feels more refined. The flavors are balanced, the service is warm and professional, and the timing of each course feels perfectly paced. The team clearly loves what they do, and it shows in every detail.
Alinea is not just dinner. It is an experience that keeps evolving. After three visits, I can honestly say it’s always worth it.
Nice food, good atmosphere and the service is too good. Their stuff are very friendly ☺️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Outstanding food
Fully satisfied
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I first dreamed of coming to Alinea in 2018, during a visit to Chicago where I saw Youtube videos of the dessert being prepared, but, of course, could not get a table. This year I was better prepared and had my reservation well in advance of my visit but could not be more disappointed at an experience that felt rigid, unfriendly, and failed to deliver on taste and hospitality.
First, there were no options for drinks other than wine. The only non-alcoholic option was wine with alcohol removed, and there were no cocktails or soft drinks on the menu at all. While I completely understand a recommendation that wine is the preferred accompaniment to the menu, I am surprised that the restaurant has so little confidence in their menu that they don't think it could stand up to being paired with even a basic cocktail or other non-alcoholic beverage. This really diminished the joy of the experience, but was consistent with a general unwillingness to incorporate the diner's preference into any aspect of the experience, with every aspect of the menu being prescribed, and no opportunity for cocreating something shared. We were given firm direction on the correct number of mouthfuls for certain courses, and even though one of our party was wearing on orthopedic boot at the time, we were required to descend a staircase in order to eat one of the courses in the kitchen.
This rigidity would presumably have been forgotten if the experience had otherwise been delicious or mindblowing, but it was not. The quality of the food was not equal to that which we had recently enjoyed at placed like Lazy Bear in San Francisco, or even one-start tasting menu's in Southern California. The re-imagined hot dog really did not have an appealing taste, and the course which included an empanada buried under soil was bland, tasted like earth, and had an uncompelling flavor. The presentation of the dessert was less precise and exciting in reality, and the flavor was sugar-upon-sugar, and lacked interesting texture or flavor.
The muted ambiance turned out to be an appropriate reflection of food that also had a muted taste and apperance. The entire experience was gimmicky, felt dated, obnoxious, and excessively expensive. I would encourage anyone considering this experience to reconsider one of many alternatives where you can receive better food, with greater attention given to your own preferences, at a lower cost, and with greater excitement.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 3
Alinea is a must-experience for anyone who loves fine dining. It's food theater that subverts expectations and will challenge how you think about the dining experience.
The dessert is the standout dish-a truly impressive conclusion to a course that often feels like an afterthought.
That being said...Alinea's experience relies heavily on surprise and mystery...the food is still excellent, but without the surprise factor weighs heavily into the experience...at the end of the day, some of their dishes, while still good, are fairly average compared to other 3 star places...they're just presented in an interesting way.
Luckily, the service and environment make this worth the experience and thr cost of entry.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
What an incredible experience. I first discovered Grant Achatz and Alinea through the Netflix series Chef’s Table. From that moment, I knew I wanted to find a way to experience it for myself. Seven years later, my amazing wife decided it was finally time.
I’m not an overly wealthy person—I work hard and have to make careful choices to save for experiences like this. Let me tell you, it was worth every penny. I was absolutely blown away. Anyone who could write a bad review of this place must have expectations beyond what any human could possibly deliver.
One of my biggest concerns was feeling out of place in a restaurant of this caliber. But from the moment we walked through the door until the moment we left, the staff made us feel completely comfortable and welcomed.
I can’t even begin to imagine how much effort and creativity go into crafting the Alinea experience. Every detail is clearly intentional and beautifully executed. It’s truly fine art that you can taste.
Thank you, Alinea, for one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very good service
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Amazing 👍
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
The most memorable restaurant experience of my life. I just came across some photos from my experience back in 2013. I think it is time to go back for round 2.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
An evening at Alinea that completely redefines fine dining.
I was there last week with a group of venture capital colleagues, and every single course was a study in precision, creativity, and restraint. Alinea isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a controlled experiment in sensory design and storytelling.
From the first bite to the final whisper of dessert, the pacing, presentation, and hospitality were flawless. The team managed to make an experience that felt both deeply personal and globally relevant—like dining at the intersection of art, science, and psychology. The wine pairings were bold without being performative, and the staff moved with a kind of effortless choreography that only happens when everyone on the floor operates at the highest level.
Alinea isn’t just a meal; it’s what happens when a team executes on vision with zero compromise. Worth every moment, every dollar, every thought it provokes after.
—CB
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went there
With a date
Spent a fortune
Laughing that the food was painted on our plate and weighed nothing
Our families both own Greek restaurants
I spent $200+
We both left hungry
And stopped a Jersey Mikes
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
Just go and treat yourself if you can
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I recently dined at Alinea. I was extremely excited to try this 3 star Michelin restaurant. A few dishes were very interesting and delicious. One of them was Chicago style hot dog. It was simply disgusting. Everything about it was not appetizing.
Desert was extravagant. Service was very good.
The final grade is an F. I have never experienced pain like I did after our meal. We had a party of 4 and another person also got food poisoning symptoms.
I emailed the restaurant because I was in a complete disbelief that happened at a place where you pay $1000 a person for the meal.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 5
An absolutely amazing experience. I would highly recommend you go as a group to get full advantage of what they offer. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience for most. Food was out of this world and so unique. The experience was even better. Definitely a special occasion type place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Top end 3* for sure. We had chefs table
Insanely good. Good, service, atmosphere.
Really very thoughtful and boundary pushing cooking
Only gripe was the entrance foyer
Not good
And we had to wait. Also not a great start
Wine is not crazy priced. Expensive but not OTT
Flew in just for this experience. Didn’t disappoint
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This was my third time at Alinea, and somehow every visit gets better and better. The creativity, flavors, and presentation continue to amaze me.
Our menu on October 10, 2025, was incredible. Some of the highlights were the Osetra with roasted soybean and sake lees, the Chicago Style Hot Dog with all beef and neon relish, the Arctic Char with maple syrup and smoke, the Fear Factor with lobster, mango, and vanilla, and the famous Hot Potato Cold Potato with black truffle and parmesan. The Ocean and Earth course with wagyu, pine nut, and Japanese eggplant was unforgettable, and the Paint dessert with pumpkin, chai, and hazelnut was a perfect ending. Of course, the Balloon made of green apple taffy is always fun and magical.
Each time I come back, the experience feels more refined. The flavors are balanced, the service is warm and professional, and the timing of each course feels perfectly paced. The team clearly loves what they do, and it shows in every detail.
Alinea is not just dinner. It is an experience that keeps evolving. After three visits, I can honestly say it’s always worth it.
Photos below are from two of my visits.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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