Gretel is a neighborhood staple. The food is outstanding. From the proteins to the pasta to the burger... everything is A-grade. It's my go to spot with friends. Drinks are high quality -- the old fashion is a must-try. Service is always friendly and knowledgeable. Cool lounge area downstairs too to enjoy apps and drinks.
Jackson C.
TLDR: Really cool place to get drinks but the food is average/below average. The bar is awesome and it's a fun place but I wouldn't recommend for dinner. They're known for their burger and I ordered it but it was disappointing given all the hype. It wasn't bad but I didn't find it worth it when compared to other places with notably great burgers. French dip was fine, way too much bread and too little meat. Sticky ribs were underwhelming. I will say that their french onion soup was amazing. Service was great, no problem there.
Nathan Simpson
So cool. So eclectic. Such great food and drink. Such an extensive selection of whiskey. Great service. What more needs to be said?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Molly Johnson
Food was delicious. Nachos, burgers and Mac and cheese. Service was slow and sporadic. Atmosphere is moody and sexy.Kid-friendliness: No high chair but the Mac and cheese was perfect.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Fries, Gretel Burger and Fries, Mac & Cheese, Nachos
Janelle Winter
Amazing burger and fries! Loved the cocktails. Service was solid, restaurant was comfortable, well-temped, and not too loud and not too quiet. We didn’t feel rushed or forgotten. Had a great time and would go back!Vegetarian options: There was a vegan sandwich with smoked carrots and beets.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gretel Burger and Fries
Kyle
Swanky, dim lounge with outstanding food. Excellent option for a fairly priced but elegant feeling date night. They don’t take reservations and it’s a busy spot, so try and arrive early or be prepared to wait.We started with the pretzel and BBQ Nachos. The pretzel was one of the best I’ve had in a while, nachos were also solid. We came for the burger and it was a showstopper. In my opinion the sides might have been even better than the burger itself. Impressive attention to detail with the food here, everything we tried was awesome.Service was also a 10/10. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gretel Burger and Fries, Pork Belly Nachos, Mac & Cheese
Millie TV
First time going there and we loved the atmosphere. Huge artwork, alcohol to the ceiling and attentive staff. note: Sea bass was amazing!!!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Colleen D.
Best cheese burger in the city!! April gave excellent service . We never had to wait and they were always filling our water and checking in just the right amount.
Paige C.
Gretel, wow! This place truly lived up to the hype. Gorgeous interior and everything we got on the menu was delicious. I highly recommend the french onion soup and prime rib dip sandwich. Also the burger is a MUST! Friendly & nice staff, I can't wait to come back.
Recommended dishes: Gretel Griddle Burger, Mac & Cheese, Sticky Ribs
Alexander White
Quite possibly the best all around food and drinks in Chicago. The menu is much more varied and diverse than their OG restaurant Little Bad Wolf (which is also amazing) and the things unique to Gretel are outrageously good. Particularly recommend the french onion soup, sticky ribs, and either of the two spaghettis. 10/10, 5 stars, you will not leave disappointed.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gretel Griddle Burger, Gretel Burger and Fries, Fried Chicken Sandwich, Mac & Cheese, Pork Gyoza, Sticky Ribs, Lobster Bisque Soup, French Onion Soup
Aaliyah C.
Gretel is definitely a hidden gem. Food is amazing and has very reasonably priced. I ordered their double cheeseburger and it was absolutely scrumptious, the wings were magically delicious, and their French fries were well-seasoned and tasty. The customer service went above and beyond, asked how everything was, made sure we enjoyed our food. The atmosphere was laid back and welcoming. I would definitely recommend their burgers and wings to all the people I know. Thank you, Gretel!
Veronica Hoyos-Leonard
I have mixed feelings about Gretel restaurant. The place is modern and decorated with good taste and a large selection of alcoholic beverages—only white people around me on a Monday afternoon.However, when I ask for a sour beer, they don't have it. We ordered the baked Rockefeller oysters, which were superior; however, we only got six small oysters on a plate for $20. We never got a basket with bread or a side salad, as good restaurants should serve.We both wanted to try the lobster bisque soup and asked the waitress to divide it. She bought one soup and one empty plate, which was awry because it made no sense for us to attempt this at the table. My daughter ate the soup first, and then I finished. Again, it was superior. We also got a lobster roll, which was very small compared to the burger. But again, it was superior taste.I could not wait to hear about the desserts, and I was disappointed to hear Grace only offers cookies. Yes, cookies are something so poorly chosen for a first-class restaurant.So, in conclusion, Gretel could be a great place if the service is improved, diversity is embraced in the workforce, Hispanic servers are the best or hire people with personality, the portions are more significant, and a chef designs some original desserts to replace the bland cookies. Our bill was 120 dollars, tip included, which is too much for the amount of food and drinks we had: one appetizer, one soup, one roll one wine, and one beer. The poor attitude and stone personality of the waitress gave this review three stars. GREAT FOOD & VERY EXPENSIVEParking: We were lucky to find a place in front of the restaurant at 3 PM if you come at 5 PM it won't be easy to find anything. Use an Uber to get here. Sorry, my daughter did not allow me to take pictures.
Gretel is a neighborhood staple. The food is outstanding. From the proteins to the pasta to the burger... everything is A-grade. It's my go to spot with friends. Drinks are high quality -- the old fashion is a must-try. Service is always friendly and knowledgeable. Cool lounge area downstairs too to enjoy apps and drinks.
TLDR: Really cool place to get drinks but the food is average/below average. The bar is awesome and it's a fun place but I wouldn't recommend for dinner. They're known for their burger and I ordered it but it was disappointing given all the hype. It wasn't bad but I didn't find it worth it when compared to other places with notably great burgers. French dip was fine, way too much bread and too little meat. Sticky ribs were underwhelming. I will say that their french onion soup was amazing. Service was great, no problem there.
So cool. So eclectic. Such great food and drink. Such an extensive selection of whiskey. Great service. What more needs to be said?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was delicious. Nachos, burgers and Mac and cheese. Service was slow and sporadic. Atmosphere is moody and sexy.Kid-friendliness: No high chair but the Mac and cheese was perfect.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Fries, Gretel Burger and Fries, Mac & Cheese, Nachos
Amazing burger and fries! Loved the cocktails. Service was solid, restaurant was comfortable, well-temped, and not too loud and not too quiet. We didn’t feel rushed or forgotten. Had a great time and would go back!Vegetarian options: There was a vegan sandwich with smoked carrots and beets.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gretel Burger and Fries
Swanky, dim lounge with outstanding food. Excellent option for a fairly priced but elegant feeling date night. They don’t take reservations and it’s a busy spot, so try and arrive early or be prepared to wait.We started with the pretzel and BBQ Nachos. The pretzel was one of the best I’ve had in a while, nachos were also solid. We came for the burger and it was a showstopper. In my opinion the sides might have been even better than the burger itself. Impressive attention to detail with the food here, everything we tried was awesome.Service was also a 10/10. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gretel Burger and Fries, Pork Belly Nachos, Mac & Cheese
First time going there and we loved the atmosphere. Huge artwork, alcohol to the ceiling and attentive staff. note: Sea bass was amazing!!!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best cheese burger in the city!! April gave excellent service . We never had to wait and they were always filling our water and checking in just the right amount.
Gretel, wow! This place truly lived up to the hype. Gorgeous interior and everything we got on the menu was delicious. I highly recommend the french onion soup and prime rib dip sandwich. Also the burger is a MUST! Friendly & nice staff, I can't wait to come back.
One of the best burgers in the city.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Staff went out of their way! Great team!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gretel Griddle Burger, Mac & Cheese, Sticky Ribs
Quite possibly the best all around food and drinks in Chicago. The menu is much more varied and diverse than their OG restaurant Little Bad Wolf (which is also amazing) and the things unique to Gretel are outrageously good. Particularly recommend the french onion soup, sticky ribs, and either of the two spaghettis. 10/10, 5 stars, you will not leave disappointed.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gretel Griddle Burger, Gretel Burger and Fries, Fried Chicken Sandwich, Mac & Cheese, Pork Gyoza, Sticky Ribs, Lobster Bisque Soup, French Onion Soup
Gretel is definitely a hidden gem. Food is amazing and has very reasonably priced. I ordered their double cheeseburger and it was absolutely scrumptious, the wings were magically delicious, and their French fries were well-seasoned and tasty. The customer service went above and beyond, asked how everything was, made sure we enjoyed our food. The atmosphere was laid back and welcoming. I would definitely recommend their burgers and wings to all the people I know. Thank you, Gretel!
I have mixed feelings about Gretel restaurant. The place is modern and decorated with good taste and a large selection of alcoholic beverages—only white people around me on a Monday afternoon.However, when I ask for a sour beer, they don't have it. We ordered the baked Rockefeller oysters, which were superior; however, we only got six small oysters on a plate for $20. We never got a basket with bread or a side salad, as good restaurants should serve.We both wanted to try the lobster bisque soup and asked the waitress to divide it. She bought one soup and one empty plate, which was awry because it made no sense for us to attempt this at the table. My daughter ate the soup first, and then I finished. Again, it was superior. We also got a lobster roll, which was very small compared to the burger. But again, it was superior taste.I could not wait to hear about the desserts, and I was disappointed to hear Grace only offers cookies. Yes, cookies are something so poorly chosen for a first-class restaurant.So, in conclusion, Gretel could be a great place if the service is improved, diversity is embraced in the workforce, Hispanic servers are the best or hire people with personality, the portions are more significant, and a chef designs some original desserts to replace the bland cookies. Our bill was 120 dollars, tip included, which is too much for the amount of food and drinks we had: one appetizer, one soup, one roll one wine, and one beer. The poor attitude and stone personality of the waitress gave this review three stars. GREAT FOOD & VERY EXPENSIVEParking: We were lucky to find a place in front of the restaurant at 3 PM if you come at 5 PM it won't be easy to find anything. Use an Uber to get here. Sorry, my daughter did not allow me to take pictures.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 2
Great food. Burger is amazing !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gretel Burger and Fries