I would rate this place a 4 or a 5 if they offered some sort of reservations and managed their waitlist better. DO NOT wait for hours to eat here. It’s not worth it. If you get seated at 6pm when they open, it will take 30 to 60 mins for your food to arrive. We were a lil underwhelmed by the food. Everything on the menu is good but not something to write home about. Burger is the best one on the menu we tried here. They were out of a few things on the menu by 8pm. IMO this is place is popular because the menu is a bit unique and it’s hard to get in. Not because the food is unique or exceptional. If you really want to try this place, get there by 5:45pm and try to get seated. If not, don’t get on the waitlist. It can very anywhere between 2-3 hours for them to seat you. I wouldn’t recommend waiting for more than 15 mins to eat at this place. Service is a bit weird. Food is not too pricy when compared to other similar places in Chicago. We will try to visit this place back update our review.
Smoky rooms, Punk music and Gothic VibeThat’s Warlord for youImmaculate is the word for this restaurant!Visited on a Sunday evening, ordered scallops, Sirloin for our appetisers. Ordered Fois gras too which had a bust of flavours in mouth and a must try. Got Ribeye for the mains and ofcourse had to get the burger. With just two ingredients this burger definitely is a front runner up for Chicago best burger. Lastly ended our dinner with dessert which met and matched the food expectations as other food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dry Aged Burger
Brittany Short
Honestly really wanted to love this place but it just didn't perform. We waited an hour outside for it to open - no big deal. Finally get inside and order drinks, also fine. We order 5 entrees for 4 people (2 sirloins, 2 buttered pastas, and 1 burger) with the expectation they would all come out at the same time. It took about 30 minutes for the first 2 dishes (sirloin, $34 each) to be delivered to the table, which were very thin and nowhere near entree size. It took over 40 minutes for the next 2 (pasta, $31 ea) to be delivered, which consisted of about 4 long noodles in sauce - again not entree size. It took yet another 40 minutes for the last dish (burger) to finally be delivered, almost 1.5 hours after we ordered. The $18 burger was the best thing, not even close. We went in with the expectation we would all be eating at the same time and ended up leaving hungry and frustrated at the experience as a whole.Also want to note that nowhere on the website or menu does it state that these are small plates - totally fine if you know going into it that you're only getting small portions but not ok if you think you're ordering a full entree.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Dry Aged Burger
Anna Ucik
Meh. Not worth it for us. Mexican next door was better.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Trevor Spelman
More of the same of what others have said in other reviews: long wait to get in, slow service, good food but overpriced.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Riley Spelman
I am writing this from the taco restaurant across the street because after spending over 300 dollars for 4 people we were all still hungry.Waited in line and came in super excited after walking by the open kitchen and taking in the dark metal atmosphere.All of the portions were ridiculously small - the 31 dollar pasta had maybe 4 tagliatelle noodles. The 18 dollar burger was the best item we tried and even then it does not stand up to the pantheon of best burgers in Chicago. We debated turning on a flashlight on it because it looked raw.
Recommended dishes: Dry Aged Burger
Brianna Holmes
wow biggest letdown of 2024 as far as chicago cuisine goes. I went with a group of four. the wait was three hours - this we were prepared for no surprises here. however, with that wait I was prepared to blown away. I was not. the portion sizes left much to be desired. the menu was uninspired. the service was very lackadaisical which explains the long wait. the servers were extremely engaging so no fault there however they could turn over tables much faster if they had more gusto.perhaps the experience in a small group size would be better but for a group of four it was tough. there wasn’t really a standout dish minus the very end which was our butter cake dessert.overall I feel as though I was duped by the instagram hype of it all :(
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Joseph Huss
Awesome experience, just didn't expect to listen to that Playlist for 3 hours. Not really my vibe music wise, only take away from the whole experience.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dry Aged Burger
Fabian Vasquez
Got food poisoning
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Christina M
How can you make something taste so good??Yes, the wait is outrageous but I can guarantee you this is the food they would eat in heaven if they could get a reservation. I placed my name on the list around 7:15pm, went home, showered, mowed the lawn I don’t have, then got back around 8:15pm. By 9:15 I was snapping pics of my food but not in an influencer obnoxious way, I only asked them to adjust the lighting once. Anyway, I flew solo and got a burger and fries. Baby, thee best burger I ever had (don’t tell Small Cheval). Each bite was flavorful and packed with tiny angels singing Christmas carols, I almost cried tears of joy. For drinks, I ordered the old coke, it was manhattan-esque, and wasn’t for me. The cherry was the best part. The second round, I ordered a lemon drop which is going on my top 10 list. By dessert I was stuffed so I took it to go. Once I got home, I was like let me sample this which led me to writing the first line of this review. If War Lord was actually going to battle, I would be on the front lines. Gots to save the burgers and chefs and good ol Will. Honestly just drag your significant other, they will thank you later or just fly solo like me, which in this case thank you to me.
I’d give this a 3.5 if I could. The estimate we were given for a wait was correct and we had great service the entire night. The menu is like nothing I’ve ever seen and they get points for that but the food didn’t wow me except the butter cake for dessert. The burger was good but very rare so just know that going in. Underwhelmed with the interior but it was fine. Drinks were tasty but nothing too special. Overall I’m glad we went but not sure I’d go again!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dry Aged Burger
Brenden S
Went to Warlord with a group of four so we got to try the majority of the menu. We went on a rainy Monday night and the wait took about an hour which we killed at a nearby bar. My biggest compliment for Warlord is that every dish is seasoned unbelievably perfect.
Thadd Sapa-Kotlarek
My humble gratitude for the opportunity to reconnect after many months with friends at Warlord this evening.Naturally flavorful dry aged beef and a strong, resilient team energy enlivens the opportunity for new and enthusiastic connections that provide mutual support through the path of personal growth.I am deeply grateful to receive Julia’s careful, attentive, and engaging support in going above and beyond the call of duty to collaborate through technology and teamwork in finding my phone.Heartfelt gratitude to everyone. This has been a very good day! Looking forward with joy to being together again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hamburger, Dry Aged Burger
Miche
Julia is so cool, I'm gonna start a Julia fan club
Paul
Loved everything about this place, except for our waiter. Who was awful. Neglected to tell us about the off menu specials. However he had plenty of time for the couple next to us, we kept seeing them served dishes that were not on the menu. Had to flag him down for drinks and stuff. Someone needs to remind him he's just a waiter and you should treat everyone fairly. Rest of the staff was fantastic accommodating and kind. Food was top notch. Almost ordered the full menu. The burger might be the best I've ever had. I will be back as soon as I can. Be prepared though, the bill was over $400 for 2 people.
I would rate this place a 4 or a 5 if they offered some sort of reservations and managed their waitlist better. DO NOT wait for hours to eat here. It’s not worth it. If you get seated at 6pm when they open, it will take 30 to 60 mins for your food to arrive. We were a lil underwhelmed by the food. Everything on the menu is good but not something to write home about. Burger is the best one on the menu we tried here. They were out of a few things on the menu by 8pm. IMO this is place is popular because the menu is a bit unique and it’s hard to get in. Not because the food is unique or exceptional. If you really want to try this place, get there by 5:45pm and try to get seated. If not, don’t get on the waitlist. It can very anywhere between 2-3 hours for them to seat you. I wouldn’t recommend waiting for more than 15 mins to eat at this place. Service is a bit weird. Food is not too pricy when compared to other similar places in Chicago. We will try to visit this place back update our review.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Grilled Scallop, Grilled Oysters, Dry Aged Burger, Mackerel, Carbonara, Hemingway Daiquiri Olives Alpine Slide
Smoky rooms, Punk music and Gothic VibeThat’s Warlord for youImmaculate is the word for this restaurant!Visited on a Sunday evening, ordered scallops, Sirloin for our appetisers. Ordered Fois gras too which had a bust of flavours in mouth and a must try. Got Ribeye for the mains and ofcourse had to get the burger. With just two ingredients this burger definitely is a front runner up for Chicago best burger. Lastly ended our dinner with dessert which met and matched the food expectations as other food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dry Aged Burger
Honestly really wanted to love this place but it just didn't perform. We waited an hour outside for it to open - no big deal. Finally get inside and order drinks, also fine. We order 5 entrees for 4 people (2 sirloins, 2 buttered pastas, and 1 burger) with the expectation they would all come out at the same time. It took about 30 minutes for the first 2 dishes (sirloin, $34 each) to be delivered to the table, which were very thin and nowhere near entree size. It took over 40 minutes for the next 2 (pasta, $31 ea) to be delivered, which consisted of about 4 long noodles in sauce - again not entree size. It took yet another 40 minutes for the last dish (burger) to finally be delivered, almost 1.5 hours after we ordered. The $18 burger was the best thing, not even close. We went in with the expectation we would all be eating at the same time and ended up leaving hungry and frustrated at the experience as a whole.Also want to note that nowhere on the website or menu does it state that these are small plates - totally fine if you know going into it that you're only getting small portions but not ok if you think you're ordering a full entree.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Dry Aged Burger
Meh. Not worth it for us. Mexican next door was better.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
More of the same of what others have said in other reviews: long wait to get in, slow service, good food but overpriced.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
I am writing this from the taco restaurant across the street because after spending over 300 dollars for 4 people we were all still hungry.Waited in line and came in super excited after walking by the open kitchen and taking in the dark metal atmosphere.All of the portions were ridiculously small - the 31 dollar pasta had maybe 4 tagliatelle noodles. The 18 dollar burger was the best item we tried and even then it does not stand up to the pantheon of best burgers in Chicago. We debated turning on a flashlight on it because it looked raw.
Recommended dishes: Dry Aged Burger
wow biggest letdown of 2024 as far as chicago cuisine goes. I went with a group of four. the wait was three hours - this we were prepared for no surprises here. however, with that wait I was prepared to blown away. I was not. the portion sizes left much to be desired. the menu was uninspired. the service was very lackadaisical which explains the long wait. the servers were extremely engaging so no fault there however they could turn over tables much faster if they had more gusto.perhaps the experience in a small group size would be better but for a group of four it was tough. there wasn’t really a standout dish minus the very end which was our butter cake dessert.overall I feel as though I was duped by the instagram hype of it all :(
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Awesome experience, just didn't expect to listen to that Playlist for 3 hours. Not really my vibe music wise, only take away from the whole experience.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dry Aged Burger
Got food poisoning
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
How can you make something taste so good??Yes, the wait is outrageous but I can guarantee you this is the food they would eat in heaven if they could get a reservation. I placed my name on the list around 7:15pm, went home, showered, mowed the lawn I don’t have, then got back around 8:15pm. By 9:15 I was snapping pics of my food but not in an influencer obnoxious way, I only asked them to adjust the lighting once. Anyway, I flew solo and got a burger and fries. Baby, thee best burger I ever had (don’t tell Small Cheval). Each bite was flavorful and packed with tiny angels singing Christmas carols, I almost cried tears of joy. For drinks, I ordered the old coke, it was manhattan-esque, and wasn’t for me. The cherry was the best part. The second round, I ordered a lemon drop which is going on my top 10 list. By dessert I was stuffed so I took it to go. Once I got home, I was like let me sample this which led me to writing the first line of this review. If War Lord was actually going to battle, I would be on the front lines. Gots to save the burgers and chefs and good ol Will. Honestly just drag your significant other, they will thank you later or just fly solo like me, which in this case thank you to me.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dry Aged Burger
Restaurantji Recommends
I’d give this a 3.5 if I could. The estimate we were given for a wait was correct and we had great service the entire night. The menu is like nothing I’ve ever seen and they get points for that but the food didn’t wow me except the butter cake for dessert. The burger was good but very rare so just know that going in. Underwhelmed with the interior but it was fine. Drinks were tasty but nothing too special. Overall I’m glad we went but not sure I’d go again!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dry Aged Burger
Went to Warlord with a group of four so we got to try the majority of the menu. We went on a rainy Monday night and the wait took about an hour which we killed at a nearby bar. My biggest compliment for Warlord is that every dish is seasoned unbelievably perfect.
My humble gratitude for the opportunity to reconnect after many months with friends at Warlord this evening.Naturally flavorful dry aged beef and a strong, resilient team energy enlivens the opportunity for new and enthusiastic connections that provide mutual support through the path of personal growth.I am deeply grateful to receive Julia’s careful, attentive, and engaging support in going above and beyond the call of duty to collaborate through technology and teamwork in finding my phone.Heartfelt gratitude to everyone. This has been a very good day! Looking forward with joy to being together again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hamburger, Dry Aged Burger
Julia is so cool, I'm gonna start a Julia fan club
Loved everything about this place, except for our waiter. Who was awful. Neglected to tell us about the off menu specials. However he had plenty of time for the couple next to us, we kept seeing them served dishes that were not on the menu. Had to flag him down for drinks and stuff. Someone needs to remind him he's just a waiter and you should treat everyone fairly. Rest of the staff was fantastic accommodating and kind. Food was top notch. Almost ordered the full menu. The burger might be the best I've ever had. I will be back as soon as I can. Be prepared though, the bill was over $400 for 2 people.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4