Worth the wait and must try! Beautiful and unique venue in the unassuming town of Des Plaines. Our server was kind and welcoming, food was delicious, drinks were fun and tasty. The only two items that were less than ideal, the horrible acoustics (incredibly loud) and although it was too on my list to try, the chicken shawarma rolls were underwhelming. Even with those two items, the great service and food quality it's still worth the 5 star review. We sat upstairs, which very much appreciated, being out of the hustle and bustle of the downstairs. Looking forward to trying the brunch and the outside patio... overlooking the water.
Diana D.
We were finally able to get a dinner reservation, and it was worth the wait. The food was very good. It is a bit noisy inside the restaurant. The outside area will be open when the weather gets better. Our server Daniel was very attentive and had great suggestions that we ended up ordering.
Ben Khosravani
Great ambience & service (5 stars), with bad food, worst Brussels sprouts, octopus, etc. definitely try it for their ambience but just for drinks as they really need a chef or at least a short order cook. Food is truly inedible.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Sam C.
First and foremost, it was a beautiful! Food, drinks, and service were all great! Now the reason why I gave it two stars. I got sick from their food, i believe it was the crab meat omelette. Only thing I ate yesterday and got sick when I got home. Looked it up and I have similar symptoms as a Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning. I'm literally writing this on a bathroom toilet... I was there 3/23/24, anyone else got sick that day from their omelette?
Debbie M.
The restaurant is truly beautiful, however the food served was not quite impressive. With the cost of dining on the rise, it's difficult offering a good review based on the beauty of ambiance alone. Although the service was great and the food looks beautiful, apps, entrees & dessert were all over-cooked and slightly burnt. Everything is ala carte and small portions with big $. Appetizer-roasted cauliflower, tasty but burnt in spots. One salmon & one sea bass entree, both were dry, overcooked and slightly burnt. A complimentary birthday dessert blonde was also slightly burnt. An expensive dinner but a bit disappointing after all the hype of how great it is. A visit from Gordon Ramsey may be in order before they fail. We may have hit them on a bad night, but I hope you don't too!
Navi D
Excellent food and very loud atmosphere with music in the background (kinda techno / euro pop but tasteful). Of the 6 entrees ordered, everything was excellent. The place was packed, they take advanced reservations only. Parking was full too but they do have valet.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Burrata Fig Mostarda, Shrimp Saganaki, Walk on Water
Coco S.
Excellent food and service. Beautiful restaurant, converted from a church. Stained glass windows remained. Highly recommended.
Brandon K.
The interior of this place is...chef's kiss. Haven't been inside a church in years, but this looked awesome! Both appetizers we had were so good. Solid size shrimp, scallops made correctly. Enteee's were no different, really great flavor and portion size. (Pork melted off the bone) Menu had abundant choice, and the drink menu was even greater. Great cocktails and mocktails for those that want to cheers! Really appreciated mocktails that were unique and not an afterthought. Took a few weeks for a reservation. So happy we waited! From the outside it looks a little unassuming and plain, don't let it that hold you back. Looking forward to trying the outdoor porches when it is warm!
Liza H.
The building is absolutely beautiful. I think they did an amazing job restructuring the church into a restaurant. They have a beautiful deck overlooking Lake Opeka which would be wonderful to sit out on, I imagine. The service was wonderful, we came to celebrate by birthday and were pleased with the whole experience. Drinks were unique and strong, food was delicious and fresh. I will say that portions are on smaller side but I think we have been spoiled by enormous meals we can split between 3 days. My husband had the poke bowl which he loved, fish was fresh and sauces added great flavor. I had the brick chicken and the garlic sauce was amazing, I need a gallon of it please. My dad had pan seared bass which was flaky and fresh and my mom enjoyed a steak with asparagus. I was surprised to recieve a birthday fresh blondie with a sparkler (a rocket sparkler?) It was intense and very memorable. For me personally, it is a fancy occasion restaurant. The prices are high but quality is worth it. Recommendation: make reservations ahead of time. I tried to book a Friday 3 weeks in advance and they were booked completely. And yes: it is very loud as other reviewers stated. This was a church meant to echo and it does just that. Be prepared to lip read and don't let this ruin your experience.
Summer F.
This is a great renovation of an underutilized asset. A fine dining experience that transforms what used to be a pond and a par 3 golf course off the high way into a destination restaurant on the water. Beautiful stained glass windows high ceilings and stunning decor create a fantastic atmosphere for a night out. Great service with plenty of help is a welcome change to many postcovid establishments Crafted cocktails and raw bar are unique. The salmon we had was excellent. The menu is however finding its footing. Combing Mediterranean with raw bar and American I think they need to find some time to hone in on what they are good at. I ordered the tagine because I thought I would go for something authentic. Maybe it was an off night, but compared to everything else we had, it was just ok and lacked the flavors I remember from my visit to Morocco. So spot on with location decor and service. Good food but just need to figure out what they are good at and focus the menu.
Food was amazing! Definitely recommend making a reservation, this place was packed. Service was a little slow to start with but once it got going, the food came out quickly and deliciously. Manager Lewis was outstanding and provided the best service. He made sure we were well taken care of and was sooo friendly and hospitable. He made for such a great first time here. I will definitely be coming here again and again. The main lobster dynamite was superb.
Matt M.
The place was packed when we arrived so we sat at the very busy bar - I suspect being in an old church really helps sell the drinks. I had the Moroccan Tagine, I added shrimp which was wonderful but it really did not need the extra protein and I would probably have it veg the next time. Others in my party had Mac N Cheese, and a salmon dish with asparagus. Everything was perfect and the salads were outstanding as well. If I'm back in the area anytime soon this will be at the top of my list, both for the food and the atmosphere.
Stephanie A.
Food tasted really good and looked beautiful Service was great - no complaints The interior is very beautiful keeping the roots of the previous occupation being a church. It also overlooks a lake and can be so pretty during sunset Thought the music was a bit too loud for my liking All in all, you get the city like quality/experience in the suburbs which is so nice.
Harold M.
Very modern/trendy setting in an old church. Very upscale and BUSY! But thats the sign that everyone wants to go there. A bit loud at peak times but my wife and I didn't mind. Your going to need reservations potentially even 2 weeks out. You can sit at the bar though for first come first served seating. I recommend the "holy smokes" cocktail, a concoction of smokey lavender goodness. No joke the hamachi crudo was the star of the night, best sashimi ive had on the suberbs bar none. I really enjoyed the shrimp tagine which can also be a vegetarian dish if desired. Upscale prices as well be sure to bring your wallet. Definitely worth the splurge though! The waitress while very nice was overwhelmed, they needed more help for the busy night.
Gary C.
The food was great. The room is beautiful and has a nice vibe. Noise level was moderate, but acceptable. Our wait-person, and/or restaurant policy left a little to be desired. Our wait-person was slow to seek to refresh our drinks so we had one a piece. Had the person been more attentive we would have had seconds, Sure, I could seek their attention, but shouldn't have too. I asked for a vegetable substitution and was told there was no other option available. Later, I realized there was both cauliflower and brussels sprouts on the Appetizer menu. Either would have sufficed. I ordered soup that never came. Our wait-persons explanation was "my bad". For the cost of this restaurant I expect greater professionalism from their wait-staff. I'll go back for a lunch burger, but never for dinner.
Worth the wait and must try! Beautiful and unique venue in the unassuming town of Des Plaines. Our server was kind and welcoming, food was delicious, drinks were fun and tasty. The only two items that were less than ideal, the horrible acoustics (incredibly loud) and although it was too on my list to try, the chicken shawarma rolls were underwhelming. Even with those two items, the great service and food quality it's still worth the 5 star review. We sat upstairs, which very much appreciated, being out of the hustle and bustle of the downstairs. Looking forward to trying the brunch and the outside patio... overlooking the water.
We were finally able to get a dinner reservation, and it was worth the wait. The food was very good. It is a bit noisy inside the restaurant. The outside area will be open when the weather gets better. Our server Daniel was very attentive and had great suggestions that we ended up ordering.
Great ambience & service (5 stars), with bad food, worst Brussels sprouts, octopus, etc. definitely try it for their ambience but just for drinks as they really need a chef or at least a short order cook. Food is truly inedible.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
First and foremost, it was a beautiful! Food, drinks, and service were all great! Now the reason why I gave it two stars. I got sick from their food, i believe it was the crab meat omelette. Only thing I ate yesterday and got sick when I got home. Looked it up and I have similar symptoms as a Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning. I'm literally writing this on a bathroom toilet... I was there 3/23/24, anyone else got sick that day from their omelette?
The restaurant is truly beautiful, however the food served was not quite impressive. With the cost of dining on the rise, it's difficult offering a good review based on the beauty of ambiance alone. Although the service was great and the food looks beautiful, apps, entrees & dessert were all over-cooked and slightly burnt. Everything is ala carte and small portions with big $. Appetizer-roasted cauliflower, tasty but burnt in spots. One salmon & one sea bass entree, both were dry, overcooked and slightly burnt. A complimentary birthday dessert blonde was also slightly burnt. An expensive dinner but a bit disappointing after all the hype of how great it is. A visit from Gordon Ramsey may be in order before they fail. We may have hit them on a bad night, but I hope you don't too!
Excellent food and very loud atmosphere with music in the background (kinda techno / euro pop but tasteful). Of the 6 entrees ordered, everything was excellent. The place was packed, they take advanced reservations only. Parking was full too but they do have valet.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Burrata Fig Mostarda, Shrimp Saganaki, Walk on Water
Excellent food and service. Beautiful restaurant, converted from a church. Stained glass windows remained. Highly recommended.
The interior of this place is...chef's kiss. Haven't been inside a church in years, but this looked awesome! Both appetizers we had were so good. Solid size shrimp, scallops made correctly. Enteee's were no different, really great flavor and portion size. (Pork melted off the bone) Menu had abundant choice, and the drink menu was even greater. Great cocktails and mocktails for those that want to cheers! Really appreciated mocktails that were unique and not an afterthought. Took a few weeks for a reservation. So happy we waited! From the outside it looks a little unassuming and plain, don't let it that hold you back. Looking forward to trying the outdoor porches when it is warm!
The building is absolutely beautiful. I think they did an amazing job restructuring the church into a restaurant. They have a beautiful deck overlooking Lake Opeka which would be wonderful to sit out on, I imagine. The service was wonderful, we came to celebrate by birthday and were pleased with the whole experience. Drinks were unique and strong, food was delicious and fresh. I will say that portions are on smaller side but I think we have been spoiled by enormous meals we can split between 3 days. My husband had the poke bowl which he loved, fish was fresh and sauces added great flavor. I had the brick chicken and the garlic sauce was amazing, I need a gallon of it please. My dad had pan seared bass which was flaky and fresh and my mom enjoyed a steak with asparagus. I was surprised to recieve a birthday fresh blondie with a sparkler (a rocket sparkler?) It was intense and very memorable. For me personally, it is a fancy occasion restaurant. The prices are high but quality is worth it. Recommendation: make reservations ahead of time. I tried to book a Friday 3 weeks in advance and they were booked completely. And yes: it is very loud as other reviewers stated. This was a church meant to echo and it does just that. Be prepared to lip read and don't let this ruin your experience.
This is a great renovation of an underutilized asset. A fine dining experience that transforms what used to be a pond and a par 3 golf course off the high way into a destination restaurant on the water. Beautiful stained glass windows high ceilings and stunning decor create a fantastic atmosphere for a night out. Great service with plenty of help is a welcome change to many postcovid establishments Crafted cocktails and raw bar are unique. The salmon we had was excellent. The menu is however finding its footing. Combing Mediterranean with raw bar and American I think they need to find some time to hone in on what they are good at. I ordered the tagine because I thought I would go for something authentic. Maybe it was an off night, but compared to everything else we had, it was just ok and lacked the flavors I remember from my visit to Morocco. So spot on with location decor and service. Good food but just need to figure out what they are good at and focus the menu.
Restaurantji Recommends
Food was amazing! Definitely recommend making a reservation, this place was packed. Service was a little slow to start with but once it got going, the food came out quickly and deliciously. Manager Lewis was outstanding and provided the best service. He made sure we were well taken care of and was sooo friendly and hospitable. He made for such a great first time here. I will definitely be coming here again and again. The main lobster dynamite was superb.
The place was packed when we arrived so we sat at the very busy bar - I suspect being in an old church really helps sell the drinks. I had the Moroccan Tagine, I added shrimp which was wonderful but it really did not need the extra protein and I would probably have it veg the next time. Others in my party had Mac N Cheese, and a salmon dish with asparagus. Everything was perfect and the salads were outstanding as well. If I'm back in the area anytime soon this will be at the top of my list, both for the food and the atmosphere.
Food tasted really good and looked beautiful Service was great - no complaints The interior is very beautiful keeping the roots of the previous occupation being a church. It also overlooks a lake and can be so pretty during sunset Thought the music was a bit too loud for my liking All in all, you get the city like quality/experience in the suburbs which is so nice.
Very modern/trendy setting in an old church. Very upscale and BUSY! But thats the sign that everyone wants to go there. A bit loud at peak times but my wife and I didn't mind. Your going to need reservations potentially even 2 weeks out. You can sit at the bar though for first come first served seating. I recommend the "holy smokes" cocktail, a concoction of smokey lavender goodness. No joke the hamachi crudo was the star of the night, best sashimi ive had on the suberbs bar none. I really enjoyed the shrimp tagine which can also be a vegetarian dish if desired. Upscale prices as well be sure to bring your wallet. Definitely worth the splurge though! The waitress while very nice was overwhelmed, they needed more help for the busy night.
The food was great. The room is beautiful and has a nice vibe. Noise level was moderate, but acceptable. Our wait-person, and/or restaurant policy left a little to be desired. Our wait-person was slow to seek to refresh our drinks so we had one a piece. Had the person been more attentive we would have had seconds, Sure, I could seek their attention, but shouldn't have too. I asked for a vegetable substitution and was told there was no other option available. Later, I realized there was both cauliflower and brussels sprouts on the Appetizer menu. Either would have sufficed. I ordered soup that never came. Our wait-persons explanation was "my bad". For the cost of this restaurant I expect greater professionalism from their wait-staff. I'll go back for a lunch burger, but never for dinner.