Each dish was meant to be savored - and each an extraordinary tasting treat. Servers were knowledgeable and delightful.
Ji
Extremely disappointed with our dining experience last night due to an unpleasant encounter with a hostess when we arrived about five minutes before our 7:30 PM reservation. Upon seeing our small service dog in a stroller, she told us service dogs must be on the floor under the table. Having previously dined at Boka (main dining room) with my dog in the stroller, I mentioned this. She simply blinked, then said, “Give us a few minutes as we find a quiet table that wouldn't be in the way,” and walked away. She neither clarified nor defended the floor policy, making me think she made it up. At 7:38 PM, I asked two other hostesses about our table—they said guests were paying and they were “working on it.” I noted that waiting past our reservation time didn't feel like a Michelin experience and that it felt like we were being discriminated against for having a service dog. They offered to make things more comfortable for us and asked if they could take our coats, but I replied, “Being seated would make us comfortable.” As we continued to wait, watching others get seated, I took a photo of the half-full main dining room at 7:43 PM. We live in West Loop, often dine out with our dog in a stroller, and rarely have issues elsewhere (except at Swift & Sons, who are always unpleasant, with or without our dog). After we were finally seated, the first hostess—who had lied about the service dog—offered us “bubbly” to thank us for waiting. I found this insulting and offensive. Did she really think that after greeting us with a lie and making us stand at the entrance for over 15 minutes while everyone else was seated, we would just forget the poor experience over a glass of sparkling wine? Does anyone believe that guests at an expensive Michelin star restaurant can be bought off with a complimentary drink after being treated so rudely? Regretting bringing work teams here for celebration dinners in the past. Definitely a no-return for us.
Ned
Boka always delivers ! We had a double date with a couple who never been and were also blown away. The tasting menu was impressive and we loved that it was seafood forward for several dishes . The pasta and venison dishes were also outstanding . We did both the wine and non alcoholic pairing , both were on point. Service was excellent, attentive , but never intrusive. Well done team! I think you deserve two stars not just one .
Peyton
Where do I start. We went to celebrate my friend's 30th birthday and every aspect of the night was exceptional. The attention to detail to celebrate, the mouthwatering dishes, and the fabulous cocktails. Every bite had so much flavor, even down to the complimentary petite pastries to end the night with. My husband and I's favorite dish to share was the Caraway Ricotta Gnocchetti...like biting into a pillow. RSVP NOW!
JORGE
Visited in November 2025. Boka is very solid. The food's creative without trying to hard, and every dish actually tastes good instead of just looking pretty. The vibe is calm, kinda intimate, everyone was extremely respective and I had no issues with the noise. Service is on point but not hovering, our waiter was amazing. It's one of those spots where you leave feeling like it was genuinely worth the money, not just a box you checked for the Michelin flex.
Byron
One of the best meals I have ever had. A Michelin star restaurant that has a very comfortable feel. Food was amazing and the server was very knowledgeable.
sarkeld
It was my first time here and I happened onto this beautiful Italian restaurant by chance, and I was really pleased! The cuisine was superb, authentically flavorful, and exquisitely presented. The entire environment felt authentic and laid back, and the staff was quite kind. Anyone searching for a true Italian lunch should definitely check out this hidden gem. I'm eager to go back!
jordangX5647GU
Everything was very fresh and flavorful, including the genuinely authentic food and the prompt, attentive service. Everyone at the table enjoyed the substantial quantities. I'm delighted we picked this location for our one night in town. A great discovery with friendly personnel and a cozy setting. We had a great time and would definitely go again!
Ultraman2022
The food is very good but the service does not comport with its Michelin rating. We (wife, two daughters) began with a bottle of Champagne. My wife is WSET level 3 and we have a bit of knowledge. The Champagne was served in a white wine glass rather than a champagne flute. Our glasses were constantly topped off. A big no-no. We ordered a bottle of white wine. It was served in red wine glasses. I had to ask for a white wine glass. My after-dinner port was served in what I will call a Welch Jelly glass. Across the board, the wine service was terrible. Despite the presence of a sommelier, the staff had absolutely no knowledge about serving wine. Food? The appetizers were very good. We ordered four appetizers. The order was mixed up. They corrected the order and removed the appetizer that we did not order. The main courses arrived. They were all ice-cold. We sent them back without a fuss. The re-ordered dishes arrived quickly (freshly cooked, not reheated) and were outstanding. At the end of the evening, they comp’d us ~$200 of appetizers. All-in-all, good food, poor service. But I tipped 27%. Wait staff live on the margins. I don’t believe they need to pay the cost of poor management.
584karyc
Our dinner was in honor of both mine and my daughter’s birthdays. We chose the tasting menu paired with both wine and non alcoholic drinks. As much as I enjoyed the wine pairings, my daughter’s nonalcoholic pairings were very impressive as well. I wouldn’t hesitate to choose that on my next visit. The staff went out of their way to make sure our meal was a pleasantly memorable experience, and the various dishes/drink pairings were exceptional. Yes it was a costly venture, but I don’t regret it even a little bit. If circumstances permit, I will be going back!
A fantastic 1 stared Michelin restaurant. Chicken liver mouse- great Tartare steak- great Duck breast- great Burnt honey- great
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Priscilla
Delicious meal and amazing service. We had the tasting menu with the standard wine tasting and it was all delicious. Fernando our server was fantastic. We will definitely return to Boka in the future.
Dr. Sarthak
The restaurant is amazing which is why I visited 2 times this week however the server this time was delightful and friendly 5/5 because he checked in on me and even ordered a few chefs compliments which was very appreciated. I hope he gets kudos for his friendly and kind nature - I was there on Sunday October 27! Thank you
Stephanie
Everything was perfect. Food, vibe, service was perfect. Loved that you weren't sitting on top of other people and it was a very comfortable experience
Ian Landesman
Amazing experience. Get the WHOLE duck and share it. They will present it to you, take it away, and bring it back split up for sharing. I’m so glad our server recommended this when two in the party ordered the less expensive duck meal because we didn’t know to ask to do this.
Each dish was meant to be savored - and each an extraordinary tasting treat. Servers were knowledgeable and delightful.
Extremely disappointed with our dining experience last night due to an unpleasant encounter with a hostess when we arrived about five minutes before our 7:30 PM reservation. Upon seeing our small service dog in a stroller, she told us service dogs must be on the floor under the table. Having previously dined at Boka (main dining room) with my dog in the stroller, I mentioned this. She simply blinked, then said, “Give us a few minutes as we find a quiet table that wouldn't be in the way,” and walked away. She neither clarified nor defended the floor policy, making me think she made it up. At 7:38 PM, I asked two other hostesses about our table—they said guests were paying and they were “working on it.” I noted that waiting past our reservation time didn't feel like a Michelin experience and that it felt like we were being discriminated against for having a service dog. They offered to make things more comfortable for us and asked if they could take our coats, but I replied, “Being seated would make us comfortable.” As we continued to wait, watching others get seated, I took a photo of the half-full main dining room at 7:43 PM. We live in West Loop, often dine out with our dog in a stroller, and rarely have issues elsewhere (except at Swift & Sons, who are always unpleasant, with or without our dog). After we were finally seated, the first hostess—who had lied about the service dog—offered us “bubbly” to thank us for waiting. I found this insulting and offensive. Did she really think that after greeting us with a lie and making us stand at the entrance for over 15 minutes while everyone else was seated, we would just forget the poor experience over a glass of sparkling wine? Does anyone believe that guests at an expensive Michelin star restaurant can be bought off with a complimentary drink after being treated so rudely? Regretting bringing work teams here for celebration dinners in the past. Definitely a no-return for us.
Boka always delivers ! We had a double date with a couple who never been and were also blown away. The tasting menu was impressive and we loved that it was seafood forward for several dishes . The pasta and venison dishes were also outstanding . We did both the wine and non alcoholic pairing , both were on point. Service was excellent, attentive , but never intrusive. Well done team! I think you deserve two stars not just one .
Where do I start. We went to celebrate my friend's 30th birthday and every aspect of the night was exceptional. The attention to detail to celebrate, the mouthwatering dishes, and the fabulous cocktails. Every bite had so much flavor, even down to the complimentary petite pastries to end the night with. My husband and I's favorite dish to share was the Caraway Ricotta Gnocchetti...like biting into a pillow. RSVP NOW!
Visited in November 2025. Boka is very solid. The food's creative without trying to hard, and every dish actually tastes good instead of just looking pretty. The vibe is calm, kinda intimate, everyone was extremely respective and I had no issues with the noise. Service is on point but not hovering, our waiter was amazing. It's one of those spots where you leave feeling like it was genuinely worth the money, not just a box you checked for the Michelin flex.
One of the best meals I have ever had. A Michelin star restaurant that has a very comfortable feel. Food was amazing and the server was very knowledgeable.
It was my first time here and I happened onto this beautiful Italian restaurant by chance, and I was really pleased! The cuisine was superb, authentically flavorful, and exquisitely presented. The entire environment felt authentic and laid back, and the staff was quite kind. Anyone searching for a true Italian lunch should definitely check out this hidden gem. I'm eager to go back!
Everything was very fresh and flavorful, including the genuinely authentic food and the prompt, attentive service. Everyone at the table enjoyed the substantial quantities. I'm delighted we picked this location for our one night in town. A great discovery with friendly personnel and a cozy setting. We had a great time and would definitely go again!
The food is very good but the service does not comport with its Michelin rating. We (wife, two daughters) began with a bottle of Champagne. My wife is WSET level 3 and we have a bit of knowledge. The Champagne was served in a white wine glass rather than a champagne flute. Our glasses were constantly topped off. A big no-no. We ordered a bottle of white wine. It was served in red wine glasses. I had to ask for a white wine glass. My after-dinner port was served in what I will call a Welch Jelly glass. Across the board, the wine service was terrible. Despite the presence of a sommelier, the staff had absolutely no knowledge about serving wine. Food? The appetizers were very good. We ordered four appetizers. The order was mixed up. They corrected the order and removed the appetizer that we did not order. The main courses arrived. They were all ice-cold. We sent them back without a fuss. The re-ordered dishes arrived quickly (freshly cooked, not reheated) and were outstanding. At the end of the evening, they comp’d us ~$200 of appetizers. All-in-all, good food, poor service. But I tipped 27%. Wait staff live on the margins. I don’t believe they need to pay the cost of poor management.
Our dinner was in honor of both mine and my daughter’s birthdays. We chose the tasting menu paired with both wine and non alcoholic drinks. As much as I enjoyed the wine pairings, my daughter’s nonalcoholic pairings were very impressive as well. I wouldn’t hesitate to choose that on my next visit. The staff went out of their way to make sure our meal was a pleasantly memorable experience, and the various dishes/drink pairings were exceptional. Yes it was a costly venture, but I don’t regret it even a little bit. If circumstances permit, I will be going back!
Restaurantji Recommends
A fantastic 1 stared Michelin restaurant.
Chicken liver mouse- great
Tartare steak- great
Duck breast- great
Burnt honey- great
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious meal and amazing service. We had the tasting menu with the standard wine tasting and it was all delicious. Fernando our server was fantastic. We will definitely return to Boka in the future.
The restaurant is amazing which is why I visited 2 times this week however the server this time was delightful and friendly 5/5 because he checked in on me and even ordered a few chefs compliments which was very appreciated. I hope he gets kudos for his friendly and kind nature - I was there on Sunday October 27! Thank you
Everything was perfect. Food, vibe, service was perfect. Loved that you weren't sitting on top of other people and it was a very comfortable experience
Amazing experience. Get the WHOLE duck and share it. They will present it to you, take it away, and bring it back split up for sharing. I’m so glad our server recommended this when two in the party ordered the less expensive duck meal because we didn’t know to ask to do this.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
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