“Im usually very happy with their food but this time I was very disappointed and in disbelief how bad the experience was this time with food. I order the bbq char siu was very dry and honestly seemed old. I order two rice box half and half but both were 90% salt&pepper. Hardly any sweet and sour chicken.“
“What a delightful stop on our visit to Chicago! We didn't know what to expect, but friends had recommended it so we gave it a try. The service was so friendly and helpful, and everything we ate was delicious. We did the sliced brisket, pastrami, ribs, and pulled pork. Brisket and pastrami were my faves! Baked beans, frito pie, and cornbread were delightful. My kids like the macaroni salad, but next time I might want to try the potato salad or coleslaw. And there will be a next time!“
“Service is great! Food is delicious and love the late night availability. We came here after being turned away from another yakitori place, so it was generally great to be welcomed and fed so well and so quickly, especially since we were with a hungry kiddo! Thank you!“
“Such a fantastic lunch stop yesterday! The pork and dill dumplings were my favorite, but the shrimp were delightful as well. We did ours steamed and added some of the beef kebab which were very flavorful. This will definitely be on our list for future Chicago trips!“
“My wife and I have never been to a Michelin star restaurant and now that we live in Chicago, we had plenty of options. For our second baby moon we decided to treat ourselves to an experience at El Ideas. The whole experience was amazing! The location is really unassuming and not in some pretentious building or area. It was such a laid back yet exquisite experience. Guests were allowed to wonder the space and take in the food preparation. You could ask questions of the chefs. It was really neat and nothing like I've ever experienced. Since there are a limited number of reservations the entire staff is really attune to guests needs. I have no complaints about any of the dishes. Some of the standout dishes were the shrimp dish which was an ode to the history of Chicago fried shrimp. The Swedish style meatball cooked in smoked beef tallow with gnocchi was so well balanced. The smoked duck bahn mi and smoke duck pho was amazing . The Lamb dish was out of this world! I'm still in awe of the vanilla shake and fries dessert. It was truly a work of art. The vanilla with the crunchy potato bits and potato and leak soup just worked. I could take one of those every day. This experience is definitely worth it! I hope to be back in the future!“
“Ok, this place should be packed all day everyday! Great little bluesy feeling place. All their food are on point! The pulled pork is just awesome. They smoke their meats to that perfect point, not to much...just right! Cornbread and greens are amazing, the peach cobbler is worth the trip alone. The ribs are perfect, you got to bite and pull the meat off the bone, not chewy or hard just that great chew that make a great BBQ. They know what they are doing for sure. Find them, go there and eat! Their prices are well thought out for what you get, you will not be disappointed!!! You can tell the food is made with love. The people here are amazing too, super nice and super polite! Oh I for to mention the sauce, perfect for their meats. You really don't need sauce at all, I mean would you soak a steak in sauce? Go now and try this place!!!“
“Such delicious food and wonderful service! I wandered in with my two kids for an early dinner and couldn't believe the quality of the food. We also ordered dessert, I've never had a better key lime-anything than their ice cream sandwich!“
“The Peking duck three ways is the absolute move. The fried rice is good The egg rolls are excellent and the Chinese broccoli and bok choy are the bomb. They were low on beers as far as selection but everything else is always top notch here. Make sure you get a reservation because they can sell out of duck fairly quickly“
“I loved “Perilla” …Please do not think of this as your typical Korean BQ grill/Restaurant. This is the most excellent Korean BQ restaurant I have ever been in and I have been in quite few over the years both in Korea back in the day and in the USA…Tomba⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“
“Came here to celebrate my sisters birthday with some ribs. The staff from the time we walked in until we left for amazing! They were so friendly and enjoyed conversating with us and always made sure we full drinks. The food was beyond what we expected. I got the salmon and it was cooked perfectly! Ribs were also on point as was the cornbread. Our waiter even surprised us with a brownie and ice cream dessert with a candle to finish the evening. Would definitely go here again when in the city.Dietary restrictions: The first thing that was asked when we sat down was if there was any allergies or dietary restrictions they needed to know about.“
“We discovered this authentic Japanese style Korean BBQ restaurant over 30 years ago. The husband wife team make sure you enjoy your food. The chef is a highly trained Japanese chef and his skills are reflected in the exceptional quality meat choices, appetizers and soups. You could just order appetizers and be delighted but the meats are the highlight for their delicious marinades and seasonings. Real charcoal made of specialty hardwoods give the meats that unique smoky flavor. The prices will reflect the careful attention to quality and is well worth it in my opinion of 30 years of enjoying my favorite BBQ place. This is a one of a kind experience. The reason there are so many baseball photos and memorabilia in the restaurant is because this restaurant has been a favorite of every Japanese baseball player in Chicago and around the country and the owners are huge fans of baseball. This restaurant is famous in Japan when visiting Chicago.Parking: Easy street parkingKid-friendliness: Family friendly restaurant. I've been bringing my kids since they were babies“
“My wife and I come to the Streeterville location several times per month. The food is great and using the app rewards keeps the cost pretty reasonable. While that should speak for itself, we recently had Chicka as our server for the first time and she was sooo nice that I think she deserves a shout-out!“
“OH MY GOD THIS PLACE MAKES HEAVEN. My favorites: - any of the savory meat croissants - egg sandwich - any of the meat strombolis - salted caramel donut - gingersnap molasses cookie - twice-baked almond croissant - vegan dark chocolate banana bread with pecans - Two falls ago there was this amazing apple cider bearclaw donut thing. I haven't seen it since in the pastry case, but I can still taste its awesomeness in my mouth and hope it will one day return. Everything here is so moist and magical. For me, what sets Mindy's Bakery apart from other bakeries, and makes it clear why Mindy won the Beard award for Outstanding Chef in the US, is that Mindy and crew are always working to improve their craft, always using quality ingredients and making better versions of things all the time and I respect this so much. Also, when you come in through the door, you can see everyone behind the counter, working hard, baking during open hours, and helping you pick things out of the big case in front. They are awesome. If you're from out of town, know there's rarely a line out the door on Wed, Thurs or Fri, but Sat and Sun are busy, so do what I do and bring your kindle or paper to read while you wait in line. It is always worth the wait.“
“BEST fall off bone ribs. I've been going with zesty sauce & onion rings since I could speak my own order as a kid (Love this place but the fries have always been unimpressive) . Prohibition sauce is delicious but a deep burn you might not expect (id go zesty & get some on side to try if curious). Dining room is small, but a nice bar to wait at (also small, so plan ahead). Its got a very cool historic Chicago vibe, has been in movies etc. Definitely try this place out for dine in or take out.“
“I just love this restaurant - the look and feel of it is classic Italian steakhouse with a baseball theme, the menu is almost perfect and the service is fast (even too fast?). The dining rooms are truly beautiful, with exposed brick and oozing history, and really set the tone for the meal. The menu, with its classical Italian steakhouse fare of steaks and pasta, has so many enticing offerings and the servers, in their white coats, have a perfect look to match the setting. The only reason that this is not a five star review is that the food is good, not great. If you want top steaks, then there are many other Chicago steakhouses that might be considered (Gibson's for example) - if you want top Italian, then there are also many excellent options (Volare nearby is a good one). The food is good, just not the reason one comes here.“
“To start I’m Korean, my family is in Korea, and I love food. To the ones who said the food was bad or mediocre, stay in the HMart food court or whatever tiktok ramen yall wanna make. The obvious hate is so undeserved.This place always delicious. Brought a big group of coworkers here to try kbbq for the first time. The aunties were super helpful and let us individually box things up to go when we couldn’t finish.They were so polite and patient with us because we didn’t know what we wanted.Dietary restrictions: There’s no cheese, dairy and meatless optionsParking: There’s a parking lot but it’s not very big because you’re in a busy area. There’s plenty of side and street parking.Wheelchair accessibility: Front door entrance is ground level“
“Food and desserts were great BUT they take FOREVER to bring out the meats. No problem timely bringing out anything else we ordered though. Sus. Our waiter was very friendly when we were seated and when she came with items but didn’t check on us outside of just dropping off. Funny thing though, she asked if we needed change on our payment that would’ve been a tip equating more than 50% of the total bill. I was shocked she even asked. She also didn’t tell us that she needed a manager for the change so we sat there for a while wondering if she misheard and kept the change until finally we got tired of waiting, we wanted to leave! We had spent 2+ hours there and probably more than half that time waiting for meats so we asked and thats when she told us why. Food was bomb though LOL.“
“As a threshold, the menu is good. Good mix of crowd. Service is as fast or slow as you want. Happy Hour is fun. Very family-friendly but not to the point one without children would want to avoid. Kids eat free 4-6 every day. They have step stools in the bathroom for kids to reach a sink. Skillet cookie dessert is a hit with wife and daughter.“
“Has an authentic Nashville look, with the stage and BBQ. I'm sure when there's a band, it's cool. But that's it.The ribs were good, but not $50 good. You get nothing with it. No fries. Just a shot of relish (they call slaw), a shot of BBQ sauce, and a sad price of the cheapwhite bread. Theyre much better than, say, TGI-Applebees. Just not on par with a real BBQ joint.Would def go again if someone else is paying.PS: the relish slaw is surprisingly enjoyable“
“Union sushi and barbeque never misses. Went there for my girlfriends birthday dinner and everything we got was amazing. We started with the house salad which was amazing. The dressing has a great zest to it and the fried shallots on top adds that needed crunch! They were out of the miso salmon skewers which are our favorite, but the we directed ourselves toward the lamb chops which were melt in your mouth. So juicy and so tender, A++. From there we went on yo have the crispy spicy tuna rice and a rainbow roll, the fish is high quality and just has the freshness that is was caught that day. We ended dinner with the cookie skillet which was warm and gooey in the center and nice an crispy on the edges.“
“Hidden gem of Old Town!! I drive by this spot on the way to/from work and always see cars out front - finally stopped in last night and can see why. First of all, the place was filled at midnight with repeat customers which was a great sign. I was a little skeptical when I saw the prices on the menu as it was much more expensive than I expect from a counter serve restaurant, but when I tasted the food, I completely understood why. We had the daily special, the goat biryani, which was loaded with fall off the bone tender meat, flavorful sauce, and rice that was perfectly cooked. Our take out box was packed to the brim and we were easily able to split that meal into multiple leftover meals. I thought I may have just been extremely hungry the night before but even eating the leftovers today, I was blown away by the flavor. One of the best dishes that I've had. Not a fancy place at all, but everyone was friendly and they do have seating available if you want to eat in. Would highly recommend!“
“My best, all-time favorite and go-to Korean BBQ ever throughout many years!! Could never express how much I love the food and the service here. Up until now, no place can match the marinated galbi they have here, as long as their kimchi soup. Highly recommended!!“
“This place has food that you will love on the menu because everything is good!! I enjoy the professionalism and the fact that it's black owned. The dining outside is really nice! They run out of their drinks so you have to catch them and try it. Sweet and tasty! I love this place.“
“We came for a Cubs game and Ben was our bartender. He was busy, but still so attentive and had fantastic recommendations on food! I couldn’t decide between the brisket or burnt ends, but Ben recommended I get the “Taste Of The Daddy” so I could have both. I’m so happy that he recommended the cornbread as a side as it was the best cornbread I’ve ever had. A lot of places on Clark are too busy to give great service on Cubs gamedays, but Ben definitely defied that. My friends and I found a new pre & post game spot! ?“
“I order the salmon, it was perfectly cooked garlic mashed potatoes was amazing. Definitely would come back. Our server Austin made the experience even better! His amazing service made my day! He definitely need to be recognized for his great customer service skills!“
“All you can eat BBQ is always lovely. This place was very clean and well lite but what I love the most about it is there's a tablet to order food and it really streamlines the process of not having to wait to flag someone down. On top of that the meat and seafood was absolutely delicious!“
“I never order brisket anywhere else because I know it won't be as good as Heffer BBQ's.I dream of their crunch wrap, burger, and smoked cheesecake. Don't skip the Kale salad... yes, I said the Kale salad. It's garlicky and delicious.Order anything. You won't be disappointed.They are located inside of The Plant, in the brewery. You order at the kiosk and find a seat/get a pager to grab the food when your order is up.There weren't any high chairs or booster seats, probably because it's in a brewery. I brought my own, and it was fine. It didn't feel inappropriate to have a kid (11 months old) there. He enjoyed the food, too!Wheelchair accessibility: There's an accessible ramp to get upstairs/ to the brewery.“
“The food is great the menu is small but quality over quantity is a good thing. All servers and tender have been awesome every time. Love the vibe it covers the neighborhood well and the premade old fashion hits the spot after several homemade brews fill you up! Price is the only reason the last star is missing.“
“The food was amazing! I live in the suburbs and wouldn’t definitely make the trip to them. I’ve tried different places with the same menu and none of them come close! Definitely going back and recommending it to anyone looking for a really good boil.“
“This has been my go-to shop for broasted chicken. Quaint little hole-in-the-wall place for good quality, fresh food. I have not yet had any negative experiences with their chicken, apart from maybe the occasional soggy bits on the otherwise crispy skin, but that could be attributed to the chicken steaming inside of the box during the car ride home, so it is best eaten as quickly as can be devoured to experience max deliciousness and freshness. I have been ordering take-out from them for several years and hopefully will continue ordering from them for several more years to come.“
“Loved the atmosphere so big & spacious. The restaurant was decorated nice and very clean. The service from the waiters were 10/10. Food was absolutely delicious the chicken & bruleed Mac cheese was really good. Also recommend the fried green tomatoes, short ribs, salmon, and shrimp/grits. They season all their food which I love. Drinks were good as well they have $5 shots. I LOVE THIS PLACE. They also give you a 10 minute grace period if you’re running behind for your reservation. They made me feel great on my birthday. Thank you so much I will be back.“
“I almost don't want to write a review because it's my hidden, cool spot! This is an amazing location, especially when it's warm and you can sit outside, to get some incredible food (this is some of the best barbeque you've ever had - no exaggeration, and I'm notoriously critical about food things) and enjoy feeling like you're in nature without having to leave the city.Give Soul and Smoke some love and all the dollars. But make sure Rockwell on the River doesn't get too crowded now that I've shared my secret. Deal?* Also I totally crave their BBQ enough that I'll trek over here just for takeout too.Parking: You can usually park really close by on the street. At most I've parked about half a block away.“
“Loved it! Server was excellent, drinks were excellent, food also excellent! Had a really great time in the restaurant, then went upstairs for an hour to see their edm... really liked it! Honestly, my daughter and I really had a better time here than at our other concert (which was also amazing). Great job! Now I see why my brother worked here twenty years ago. ?“
“The food was delicious. I had the rack of ribs and they were great. The jalapeño cheese sauce was a really good dip for the fries. Everyone at my table enjoyed their food. The service was great. Our server Colleen did an amazing job accommodating our needs in such a busy establishment. The atmosphere was fun. They had trivia night while we were there and you could tell it was a pretty big deal amongst the locals. The guy running the trivia was a star! His personality is great for it. This is definitely a place where the local people go which made it even better. We were even blessed with a Will Perdue citing. He is in one of the pics sitting with his family. It doesn’t get much more Chicago than that. Go Bulls! I would definitely come back to City’s Edge!“
“This is by far my girlfriends favorite restaurant in Chicago. Nothing compares to the food here. It is phenomenal. This is the type of restaurant you need to design a trip around. Yes it is that good. The chicken katsu is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted and their macaroni salad, oh lord, amazing. As someone who has lived in Chicago, you must go here.“
“Had lunch here with some friends last week! Lots of space, clean, and the staff is nice efficient. I ordered the bento box with bulgogi. It's A LOT of food! It's pricey but I think it worth it! I loved the banchan. Lots of options. You order on the iPad and don't forget to check in on Yelp for a free soda! I can't wait to go back!“
“I lived in Chicago for 20 years, starting in December of 2000. My friend lived nearby, on Clark and Byron which was two blocks away. This was the first bar I went to when I arrived. Neighborhood joint, but also good enough for people to make it a destination spot to visit. The Southport corridor has changed so much over the past two decades...bars and restaurants coming and going, upscale retail buildings replacing old one story strip malls. But Toons has endured and also thrived. I never lived in a big city before, and it was a crazy experience. I first lived near Lake Michigan on Sheridan- but still came up to Lakeview to play pool and for the first time I saw an indoor shuffle puck game in a bar. The freezer where they keep the popular liquors cold for shots is the same. Reminds me of my childhood and now is covered in stickers and decorations where you cannot find one open millimeter. It felt like nothing has changed since that night just under 23 years ago. My friend Sean now has worked here for almost 3 years now, and I disclose that while stating that he didn't when I first visited so that this is a genuine review of this place. Ally was also friendly, professional and easy to chat with. The entire team looked out for me, Tyler asking if I needed any utensils, extra items, refills- I never needed to ask for anything whatsoever. Laney was also super friendly, turns out we have a couple mutual friends. I'm in town visiting as many friends as I can, while helping my good buddy promote his new tequila line by making introductions- and decided to come by here and get something to eat before going back to my hotel for the night. It's 8 PM and the bar is busy but I was told "it's a slow night" I miss Chicago. Tonight on special was Annie's famous Wisconsin beer cheese soup. Sold! Got a bowl and it came piping hot, hearty with veggies and potatoes and a hot roll that I broke up like mini croutons and devoured it. By the time I remembered to take a photo it was almost gone so I am sorry for that photo heh heh. The food coming out of the kitchen is flying out at an incredible pace. I could watch this all evening. I ordered the popcorn shrimp and asked to sub out the fries with tater tots. Look at the photo below! These are not your ordinary popcorn shrimp. These are essentially actual shrimp (tail free!) and comes with Buffalo sauce and homemade Blue cheese dressing and some truly tasty pickle chips for a relief from all the fried items. I'm really happy to take a trip down memory lane and had an amazing meal while catching up with a friend I haven't seen in a while. Also bumped into some folks I knew from when I lived here- just another part of the amazing place and experience that is Toons. Support small owned businesses! Come on by, eat some great food, and have a few drinks and make some lifelong friends. Thanks to the team here at Toons for making a guy who came alone to eat feel like a part of the family/team dynamic. I gotta give my bud Sean a shout out for introducing me to everyone. Now I'm feeling the food coma coming on so I'm off to my hotel for some much needed sleep!“
“I have eaten in at the Logan Square location and have gotten delivery from the River North location. This is my go-to Asian restaurant and the food is delicious. The kalbi is savory, tender, and sweet. Tastes as fresh as off the bbq. You can’t go wrong with the spicy pork belly or the bulgogi, either! Delivery is amazing, and eating in is equally amazing. Incredible food at reasonable prices. Huge fan—highly recommend!“
“I ordered the Brisket Pizza and it was amazing, down to the drizzle of BBQ sauce on top! It was cheesy and the brisket was perfectly seasoned. The portion size was so generous that my family and I were able to have leftovers. The Service was excellent; the staff was very friendly and made sure my order was hot even though I was late picking it up. I can't wait to go back and try the other menu items!“
“Very delicious barbecue. I like the cold side dishes here. They are purely for our Northeastern taste. The boss is very nice and the waiters are warm and thoughtful. I will come here to have a meal every time I go back to Chicago. I highly recommend it. Thank you!“
“I've ate here on multiple occasions....both lunch hours and dinner hours.The food always tastes amazing. Come on an empty stomach for sure lol. It's one of my favorite places to eat. Even my little ones love it here. The staff is always attentive and amazing. 10/10“
“Extremely frustrated! I feel like I wasted my money. Instead of the small end I ordered, I received a center cut, which I do not enjoy. The meat was thick and tough, not what I expected. I'm curious about the return policy—is there a way to exchange it? If it wasn't already late on a Thursday night and if I lived closer, I'd consider taking it back. Lesson learned: always check your food before leaving.“
“Okay if this want located in the same building with a barbecue place and a sandwich shop (meaning NO PARKING), in a spot surrounded by crime, I'd put it right up there with the best good old fashioned donut shops. The donuts are fresh and delicious. The lack of parking is a serious drawback, and I'm not walking very far to get donuts on that high crime corner. A security detail in the parking exceedingly small parking lot would go along way to securing a five star rating.“
“It's been too long, Gale Street Inn! We missed the mouth-watering ribs, the classic cocktails, the skilled staff. Well, last night we finally made it back, along with couple friends visiting from Germany, and boy, you did no disappoint! Our friends were duly impressed with the classy supper-club-like atmosphere (we had to explain "supper club"), the size and flavor of the succulent ribs, the melt-in-your-mouth salmon, and a small, but well-curated beer selection. Just as delightful as we remembered. Thank you, George and Staff. We look forward to shortening the gaps between our visits.“
“I had a great experience at this restaurant. The staff was very friendly. The restaurant was very clean. The service was quick. The food was very good. The soup was absolutely delicious. There are plenty of options on the menu, including gluten-free. Full service bar available as well. The menu pricing was very good.“
“Really good selection of BBQ and sides. Sauces and desserts are made in house. I recommend combining the Carolina Vinegar with the Memphis Sweet. The most unique thing on their menu, which I haven't seen elsewhere, are Gator Wings. Which I think are Gator legs, and with the rub on them taste just like pork. The collard greens and Mac missed their mark with me, but were still good. Collard greens were unique, using poultry instead of pork, but already came with vinegar and heat. I don't mind the heat but I'd like to have more control over the vinegar, it was incredibly overwhelming and it lingered on my tongue for quite a while. Thankfully I ate it at the end and was able to taste the rest of the meal. I had the bourbon bread pudding for dessert, next time I'll try it with their homemade ice cream. Over all I still give them 5 Stars, because even if something didn't work for me, it was still flavorful and original.“
“yall, oh my god. Ella needs the key to the city, this girl gives us BBQ so flawless I’ll never have to go down south again. This food is so good it made my whole week better. You know when you find a restaurant that’s like, an immediate staple? That’s Ella Q’s. I’m immediately considering our next order, planning to take my parents etc. We’re picky- I’m from NY, my wife is from Chicago, lifelong southsider- we have pretty high standards living in such a fabulous food city.So the food! The flavor of the ribs, the pulled pork- it’s so well balanced. Smokey, sweet, salty, meaty- outstanding. Perfectly seasoned. Literally, y’all I am so picky with BBQ. I can’t stand places that undercook to get more ‘meat’ weight on the plate- You will not find that at Ella’s. Every single bite of meat is the best bite, perfectly cooked and falling off the bone. The sauce is sweet and tangy, Brioche bun is gorgeous, nice and soft. The mac n cheese reminds me of homemade, it’s got a warm crispy panko on top. Would get it again. We highly recommend the milk shakes, chocolate reese’s is especially good. We plan to try the banana and Coconut next time!Dietary restrictions: This place would be great if I was going low carb, love that they sell meat by the pound!“
“My friends and I saw a concert here for Gloryhammer and Twilight Force and had a blast. The sound, service, and decor were top notch. I heard the restaurant was good but I didn't get anything from there. The bathrooms were immaculate as well. The only thing we didn't like was a small group of people mosh-pitting during the performance. It was super distracting, knocked me down twice and I wasn't even in it. The staff and the bands dud nothing to discourage it. Other than that, it was 10/10.“
“I was next door at Aire and decided to try Jerk Jamaican Barbecue. The smell outside drew me in!Tried the #3 Beef Brisket combo- it came w/ two sides & I chose the smoked baked beans (10/10⭐️) & Mac & cheese (7/10⭐️- I’m used to the baked version). The beef brisket w/ the BBQ sauce was delicious (10/10⭐️) I’m used to gravy on my rice & peas (Jamaican restaurant near me that I frequent) but Jerk’s version was flavorful!Overall, I rate the Beef Brisket combo meal a 8.5/10⭐️!I didn’t realize the lady in my video was staring at me lol, I’m sorry. ?I’m not from this immediate area but, I look forward to returning again in a few months. I wished I tried the roasted corn!Parking: Good luck finding parking!“
“All I can say is WOW! This steakhouse was incredible! Cannot recommend enough. The meat paradise was truly an experience and a delicious one at that. Our server, Leo, was probably one of the best servers we’ve ever had anywhere with his charismatic personality and caring service. He truly made this restaurant a memorable time! Forget about Brazilian steak houses or what not, money was WAY better spent here! Photo is before the delicious steak was grilled to our liking in front of us.“