Excellent restaurant. Excellent food, awesome service, good selection of wines. The staff was very courteous and helpful.
GPTinker
We braved the pandemic and went to Spiaggia for special dinner to celebrate my birthday. We were seated by the window as originally requested where we had the view of the Michigan Avenue and the small park across the street. We noticed all the extra precaution to make sure that we were safe. All people working have their masks and gloves on. We were also required to wear mask everytime the servers came to serve us. We did the tasting menu which includes 6 courses. Everything were great! The food were so tasty and there’s so much variety on each course. From the bread up to the dessert and everything in between were great tasting! For each bite, you could taste different flavors that blended well together. I couldn’t tell which one is my favorite as each dish was special by its own. Ernesto, our server, did a great job on making us comfortable. I highly commend his service. Each person that brought our food explained the dish really well. Despite of the situation we are currently in, the dinner experience was remarkable and made my birthday dinner very special. I highly recommend this place for those who want to try tasting menu! The price is very reasonable and very much worth of the dish and service they provided!
ElTouristo61
Like a previous reviewer I find this a very difficult review to right. Spaiggia gets several things right (excellent service, good anti-COVID-19 operating procedures, and good wine pairings) but overall the food doesn’t live up to the Michelin 1-star rating. With only two stand-out courses (the Calamari Ripieni and the Torta di Olio dessert) out of the six that make up the tasting menu, it’s hard to justify the evening’s price (~$300.00 with the wine pairing and cocktail). The Italian Puglia region wine-pairings, were inspired and provided a great sampling of the region’s wide variety of good wines. In giving Spaiggia this rating I’ve taken into account not only my other Michelin-star restaurant experiences but also other Italian restaurants I’ve eaten at.
jnelson6666
Tough review to write. Honestly the kitchen is just letting the rest of the staff down. We were hoping for a world class meal and ready to spend $500 plus to get it. There were some highlights, calamari done great, great bread. And that was kinda it. Moments of just lousy like halibut, fava beans, purée, risotto, turnips. Compared to their tasting menu peers we experienced in Chicago, not even sorta kinda close. I don’t want to be mean but the food was average to bad enough to make signing the $380 check tough. Staff tried hard and were totally nice.
Selina Carrillo
You can tell the staff works very hard to give you the ultimate experience!
Andi Zacher
Enjoyed the tasting menu and wine parings. Every part was absolutely amazing, but the Risotto and pistachio crusted lamb were the main stars for me. Delicious!
Paul H. Strohm
Spiaggia is my favorite restaurant and I’ve been around. Not cheap but worth every penny.
Jiyeon Park
I don’t remember what the food tasted like, or what dishes were even served, due to the horrendous service I experienced. I was coming out of the restroom, located somewhat outside of the main dining area, past the host stand. As I rounded the corner to return to my table, a waiter smashed directly into me as he balanced 3 cocktails on his tray adjacent to the bar. I reflexively caught 2 of the glasses before they dropped onto the floor (the third just tipped onto the tray itself). In doing so, the drinks COVERED me chest-down. The waiter looked at me with DISGUST, turned to the guests at the bar whose drinks had spilled, and profusely apologized to them with me standing idly by. He took the glasses from me and rushed off, continuously apologizing to the bar guests who only stared at ME as I stood there, soaked. The manager offered to dry clean my jumpsuit and similarly brushed the entire situation off/away. As someone who had paid for the full course tasting menu along with the wine pairing, I was aghast to be treated with such disregard, especially compared to guests who were only enjoying cocktails (if you want to look at this from a cost-profit perspective). Needless to say, I warn all friends, colleagues, and family of this restaurant as their servers are negligent and their managerial staff care even less so. I spent the rest of that evening crying in the restroom from embarrassment and couldn’t help but wonder how racially charged this incident was. Perhaps if I was Caucasian, like the manager was, the waiter was, and the bar patrons were, I would have been treated with an ounce of dignity and respect. Nothing was comped, we paid hundreds for our meals, and I left in tears.
The_Loup_Garou
An Excellent Second Visit We had not dined at Spiaggia in a year ago (almost exactly 1 year), but enjoyed our first visit so much, that we returned this April, and were delighted, once more. Spiaggia is in one of the more modern buildings, along the Magnificent Mile, located at 980 N Michigan Ave, and overlooking N Michigan, and the Oak St Beach, next to the Drake Hotel. It is quite modern, as well, with lots of chrome and glass - really lots of glass. The dining room is sort of like a stadium, with seating in a raised central area, and then seating along the large windows, on a slightly lower level. This provides diners on both levels, unobstructed views through a wall of glass. Previously, we had been seated at a 2-top, against the raised area, so that it felt that the diners in that raised area were looking down onto our table, even though there was a small, glass partition. On this visit, it seemed that our table had been moved a bit from that raised area, and it did not feel quite so close to those other diners above us. The lighting is very good, with a general dimness, but very good lighting over the table, to enjoy the lovely dishes, arriving. While on the subject of the interior, the noise level was only moderate, though the restaurant was filled, or so that I could tell. Once more, we went with the Tasting Menu and Wine pairings, and both were great - not a weak dish, or wine in the mix. As the Tasting Menu changes by the seasons, I would check it out, to get details, before dining. Once more, the Tasting Menu was excellent, without any issues, and the restaurant already had my wife’s bi-valve allergy noted, so she was accommodated, with no mis-step. I also appreciated the lovely wine stems. The Sommelier has obviously taken great care with both the wines, and then serving them. The stemware was excellent. Service was great, though I felt sorry for the servers a bit, as they had to descend to our lower level, be we heard of no issues, such as dropped plates. They had it down to a choreographed dance. Pacing was even better on this visit, and there were no pauses, nor did we feel rushed in any way - perfection. I found no faults with this meal, the service, or the environment. Now, if one is looking for the look and feel of an old-style neighborhood Italian restaurant, then Spiaggia is not a good choice, with it sleekness. The charm is in the minimalist décor, the excellent food, the service and then the view. I highly recommend that one let the chef, and the sommelier just take them on a culinary and vinous journey. I hope to return, and sooner than 12 months between visits.
Karen Baker
My sister and I dine here every once in a while. The food is magnificent. The service is top notch! We dined late , they were very accommodating. They always have the perfect wine to accompany our meals. And sometimes you just need their quiet atmosphere ....light jazz and very grown up. We needed it! Our thanks to the manager and the entire staff!
Awesome job being creative with ESPN! Your restaurants leadership really gets it. I’ll definitely be eating there next time pass through on business. I won’t be eating at Black Bird they take themselves way too seriously. If their too stuck up to have a sense of humor their too stuck up to get my hard earned money. Keep your great leadership intact!
KirkGarey
Thank you very much for a such a poignant review. We are delighted to hear that your visit to Spiaggia was a wonderful experience. We do hope to see you back here soon (sooner than 1 year) so we can deliver another amazing dinner. Ciao!
purpledragonfly2016
My dear friend organized for me to meet her here for dinner (in the Cafe) on a cold night in February. Beautiful food, fabulous service and great views sitting by the window. I don't think that you can go wrong with any of the choices on the menu. Started with a beautiful apple salad with maple marscapone, sunchoke, balsamela, and mint! Then, GNOCCHI with wild boar ragu, parmigiano reggiano, and basil. Finished with a refreshingly light GELATI. I can't wait to come back on my next visit to Chicago!
Kendrick M Council
One of my company's business partners took us here. We had the 8 course meal. This was truly a one-of-a-kind experience! I have eaten a lot of food (types and amount), and I can truly say that I've never eaten anything close to some of the creations we were served up. Most of them were truly innovative and unique.
Alek Waters
I loved every experience of it. The bread with whipped lemon cream was so nice. We had the five course platter which was so tasty, loved every bit of the courses they were yummy. I'm happy we went there. I would say if you're not a heavy eater, go for the 5 courses, because we were already filled by the 3rd course.
Excellent restaurant. Excellent food, awesome service, good selection of wines. The staff was very courteous and helpful.
We braved the pandemic and went to Spiaggia for special dinner to celebrate my birthday. We were seated by the window as originally requested where we had the view of the Michigan Avenue and the small park across the street. We noticed all the extra precaution to make sure that we were safe. All people working have their masks and gloves on. We were also required to wear mask everytime the servers came to serve us. We did the tasting menu which includes 6 courses. Everything were great! The food were so tasty and there’s so much variety on each course. From the bread up to the dessert and everything in between were great tasting! For each bite, you could taste different flavors that blended well together. I couldn’t tell which one is my favorite as each dish was special by its own. Ernesto, our server, did a great job on making us comfortable. I highly commend his service. Each person that brought our food explained the dish really well. Despite of the situation we are currently in, the dinner experience was remarkable and made my birthday dinner very special. I highly recommend this place for those who want to try tasting menu! The price is very reasonable and very much worth of the dish and service they provided!
Like a previous reviewer I find this a very difficult review to right. Spaiggia gets several things right (excellent service, good anti-COVID-19 operating procedures, and good wine pairings) but overall the food doesn’t live up to the Michelin 1-star rating. With only two stand-out courses (the Calamari Ripieni and the Torta di Olio dessert) out of the six that make up the tasting menu, it’s hard to justify the evening’s price (~$300.00 with the wine pairing and cocktail). The Italian Puglia region wine-pairings, were inspired and provided a great sampling of the region’s wide variety of good wines. In giving Spaiggia this rating I’ve taken into account not only my other Michelin-star restaurant experiences but also other Italian restaurants I’ve eaten at.
Tough review to write. Honestly the kitchen is just letting the rest of the staff down. We were hoping for a world class meal and ready to spend $500 plus to get it. There were some highlights, calamari done great, great bread. And that was kinda it. Moments of just lousy like halibut, fava beans, purée, risotto, turnips. Compared to their tasting menu peers we experienced in Chicago, not even sorta kinda close. I don’t want to be mean but the food was average to bad enough to make signing the $380 check tough. Staff tried hard and were totally nice.
You can tell the staff works very hard to give you the ultimate experience!
Enjoyed the tasting menu and wine parings. Every part was absolutely amazing, but the Risotto and pistachio crusted lamb were the main stars for me. Delicious!
Spiaggia is my favorite restaurant and I’ve been around. Not cheap but worth every penny.
I don’t remember what the food tasted like, or what dishes were even served, due to the horrendous service I experienced. I was coming out of the restroom, located somewhat outside of the main dining area, past the host stand. As I rounded the corner to return to my table, a waiter smashed directly into me as he balanced 3 cocktails on his tray adjacent to the bar. I reflexively caught 2 of the glasses before they dropped onto the floor (the third just tipped onto the tray itself). In doing so, the drinks COVERED me chest-down. The waiter looked at me with DISGUST, turned to the guests at the bar whose drinks had spilled, and profusely apologized to them with me standing idly by. He took the glasses from me and rushed off, continuously apologizing to the bar guests who only stared at ME as I stood there, soaked. The manager offered to dry clean my jumpsuit and similarly brushed the entire situation off/away. As someone who had paid for the full course tasting menu along with the wine pairing, I was aghast to be treated with such disregard, especially compared to guests who were only enjoying cocktails (if you want to look at this from a cost-profit perspective). Needless to say, I warn all friends, colleagues, and family of this restaurant as their servers are negligent and their managerial staff care even less so. I spent the rest of that evening crying in the restroom from embarrassment and couldn’t help but wonder how racially charged this incident was. Perhaps if I was Caucasian, like the manager was, the waiter was, and the bar patrons were, I would have been treated with an ounce of dignity and respect. Nothing was comped, we paid hundreds for our meals, and I left in tears.
An Excellent Second Visit We had not dined at Spiaggia in a year ago (almost exactly 1 year), but enjoyed our first visit so much, that we returned this April, and were delighted, once more. Spiaggia is in one of the more modern buildings, along the Magnificent Mile, located at 980 N Michigan Ave, and overlooking N Michigan, and the Oak St Beach, next to the Drake Hotel. It is quite modern, as well, with lots of chrome and glass - really lots of glass. The dining room is sort of like a stadium, with seating in a raised central area, and then seating along the large windows, on a slightly lower level. This provides diners on both levels, unobstructed views through a wall of glass. Previously, we had been seated at a 2-top, against the raised area, so that it felt that the diners in that raised area were looking down onto our table, even though there was a small, glass partition. On this visit, it seemed that our table had been moved a bit from that raised area, and it did not feel quite so close to those other diners above us. The lighting is very good, with a general dimness, but very good lighting over the table, to enjoy the lovely dishes, arriving. While on the subject of the interior, the noise level was only moderate, though the restaurant was filled, or so that I could tell. Once more, we went with the Tasting Menu and Wine pairings, and both were great - not a weak dish, or wine in the mix. As the Tasting Menu changes by the seasons, I would check it out, to get details, before dining. Once more, the Tasting Menu was excellent, without any issues, and the restaurant already had my wife’s bi-valve allergy noted, so she was accommodated, with no mis-step. I also appreciated the lovely wine stems. The Sommelier has obviously taken great care with both the wines, and then serving them. The stemware was excellent. Service was great, though I felt sorry for the servers a bit, as they had to descend to our lower level, be we heard of no issues, such as dropped plates. They had it down to a choreographed dance. Pacing was even better on this visit, and there were no pauses, nor did we feel rushed in any way - perfection. I found no faults with this meal, the service, or the environment. Now, if one is looking for the look and feel of an old-style neighborhood Italian restaurant, then Spiaggia is not a good choice, with it sleekness. The charm is in the minimalist décor, the excellent food, the service and then the view. I highly recommend that one let the chef, and the sommelier just take them on a culinary and vinous journey. I hope to return, and sooner than 12 months between visits.
My sister and I dine here every once in a while. The food is magnificent. The service is top notch! We dined late , they were very accommodating. They always have the perfect wine to accompany our meals. And sometimes you just need their quiet atmosphere ....light jazz and very grown up. We needed it! Our thanks to the manager and the entire staff!
Restaurantji Recommends
Awesome job being creative with ESPN! Your restaurants leadership really gets it. I’ll definitely be eating there next time pass through on business. I won’t be eating at Black Bird they take themselves way too seriously. If their too stuck up to have a sense of humor their too stuck up to get my hard earned money. Keep your great leadership intact!
Thank you very much for a such a poignant review. We are delighted to hear that your visit to Spiaggia was a wonderful experience. We do hope to see you back here soon (sooner than 1 year) so we can deliver another amazing dinner. Ciao!
My dear friend organized for me to meet her here for dinner (in the Cafe) on a cold night in February. Beautiful food, fabulous service and great views sitting by the window. I don't think that you can go wrong with any of the choices on the menu. Started with a beautiful apple salad with maple marscapone, sunchoke, balsamela, and mint! Then, GNOCCHI with wild boar ragu, parmigiano reggiano, and basil. Finished with a refreshingly light GELATI. I can't wait to come back on my next visit to Chicago!
One of my company's business partners took us here. We had the 8 course meal. This was truly a one-of-a-kind experience! I have eaten a lot of food (types and amount), and I can truly say that I've never eaten anything close to some of the creations we were served up. Most of them were truly innovative and unique.
I loved every experience of it. The bread with whipped lemon cream was so nice. We had the five course platter which was so tasty, loved every bit of the courses they were yummy. I'm happy we went there. I would say if you're not a heavy eater, go for the 5 courses, because we were already filled by the 3rd course.
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