Mouthwatering Salad in Chicago

Ema

★★★★☆ 4.3 (1730) • $$

"Ema's ambience embodies a luminous and airy aesthetic, imbued with a touch of Californian nonchalance. This bright and breezy atmosphere sets the stage for a delightful exploration of the Mediterranean.My initial foray was the "spicy toothpick lamb" ($19). This dish featured tender morsels of lamb redolent with cumin, artfully presented alongside a house yogurt. The lamb itself was commendably supple, boasting a subtle yet piquant kick that awakened the palate.Next, I ventured towards the house-made labneh ($15). This creation showcased spring peas in their verdant glory, complemented by diminutive thumbelina carrots and a bed of lentils. The labneh, a delightful yogurt cheese, served as the foundation for this symphony of textures and flavors. A lemon vinaigrette added a touch of refreshing acidity, further elevating the dish. The accompanying fresh-baked pita bread deserves its own accolades - it was demonstrably some of the most delectable bread I have ever encountered, boasting a perfect balance of texture and flavor.My final course was the grilled chicken ($20). Succulent segments of chicken, marinated in a yogurt concoction, emerged from the grill imbued with a smoky essence. A vibrant condiment of sweet peppers and zhoug, a Yemeni hot sauce, provided a delightful counterpoint. The basmati rice, infused with a pronounced lemon essence, served as an excellent textural and flavorful accompaniment.Overall, Ema offers a vibrant and flavorful exploration of Mediterranean cuisine presented in a stylish and contemporary setting. The quality of the ingredients and the culinary finesse are undeniable. While some may find the portion sizes a touch wanting given the price, the overall experience remains highly commendable."

3 Arts Club Cafe at RH Chicago

★★★★☆ 4.4 (1592) • $$$

"This place is all about the ambiance with slightly above average food. The price is justified for the ambiance as you feel like you're in a private greenhouse oasis complete with a large fountain and a huge sunroof. Great place to meet up for a fancy date with friends or family and take in the beautiful furniture in the rest of the building after the cafe. Reservations are a must but pretty easy to get with some planning ahead, especially on weekdays. Their building is accessible which is nice for those with mobility challenges, but the walkways inside the cafe are a bit narrow, so definitely make a note to them when making your reservation!"

Il Porcellino

★★★★☆ 4.3 (1494) • $$

"To say this place was a great dinner would be an understatement. We had reservations, which I highly recommend because this place filled up very fast on a Tuesday night. The menu was the perfect size and had a ton of options for everyone. We ordered a couple different salads so we could all try and I ordered the ravioli with prosciutto. The food was unreal, but the service was even better. Our server was around ever few minutes checking to see if she could fill our wine and water glasses. By the time we finished dinner the manager had come over to check to see how our meal and experience was. Ashley was so incredibly nice and very helpful in choosing our next lunch and dinner spots. The food was incredible and the service was top notch."

The Art of Pizza

★★★★☆ 4 (1329)

"I have been coming to the Art of Pizza for YEARS, and there has not been one time that I have come that I haven't enjoyed everything I've eaten. Granted, I've only eaten their pizza, but that's what they're known for. They have a selection of Chicago style & thin crust pizzas for purchase by the slice . I love that they usually have a veggie Chicago style up there as well as the usual pepperoni and sausage. The crust is flaky, the sauce is savory, and the toppings are plentiful. I feel like all restaurants prices have gone up exponentially in the last two years, but Art of Pizza still keeps their prices affordable for a quick lunch. There is a parking lot right in front. They take cash or card, and the staff is fast and never hesitates to answer any questions. The inside isn't fancy, but is always clean and I have never had a hard time finding a table."

The Dawson

★★★★☆ 4.1 (1071) • $$$

"Came here for the Christmas pop up Mistletoe & Mischief to have some holiday drinks and bites. I tried the Mezcal coquito. It's a small drink but strong and flavorful. My friends got the Deck the Highball and liked that too. For food I got the tuna ceviche. It was good but I think they need to cut the tuna into smaller bites so it soaks in more of the flavors. There were a lot of flavors and it's refreshing but I've had better ceviche. The waiter had recommended the coconut curry so I got that too. I'm glad I got it because it was full of flavor. I like that they put the golden raisins on top of the rice and not inside the curry, because I'm not a fan of raisins. The coconut curry has some spice to it which I love. It was not heavy on the cream which I like, so you still get the spicy flavors. Overall the experience was great and the decor made it a fun holiday experience. I will be back to try some of the other food because it was so hard to choose amongst all the flavorful items. Our waiter was very friendly and attentive. He kept refilling eaters for us and asking about drinks or anything else needed. The manger came out to thank people for stopping by and we didn't feel rushed at all like some of the holiday pop ups do to just push people in and out within 60-90 min. So it was a great girls night to catch up when home for the holidays and enjoy some delicious food."

Panes Bread Cafe

★★★★★ 4.5 (860)

"Cute little bread cafe, but nothing out of this world! We stopped in panes for a snack between trains. My friend ordered a chicken sandwich and found it to be pretty flavorless- she had to add a ton of salt. I ordered a tea and they just handed me a basket of teabags to choose from- just your classic diner teas. My friend also had a coffee, they only offer drip. It was a really cute space and the server was so friendly! It's a good place to have a little toast or some tea, but definitely not super memorable."

Bari Foods

★★★★☆ 4.4 (882) • $

"It was storming and I had to feed 12 dudes. Luckily, I was able to order us two 3ft subs for $30 a pop (though really $50 after delivery fee and tip since we didn't want to venture out into the rain). I'm pretty sure these babies were 4ft long tho and I've never got to order that much sandwich at once before. We got the italian combo and the meatball, both were solid, though not life changing. In a true world of abundance, all sandwiches would be 3 ft long. One day, my friends. One day."

Roots Handmade Pizza - West Town

★★★★☆ 3.6 (1012) • $$

"Service- greeter and waiter Right away from the front desk and the waiter was on top of his game. We'll mannered as easy to talk to. Food- the seasoned fries were a hit with my 5yr old. The pizza was just right. Had a good crunch to the crust (seemed like a sweet crust to me too) and the Italian sausage was flavorful. Ambiance- we came during a weekday on a Thursday for dinner and it wasn't loud at all. Good for families and to have a conversation without the loud music killing the vibe. we'll come back!"

Chicago Bagel Authority

★★★★☆ 3.8 (831) • $

"Love their diversity of flavored cream cheeses to pack and go for home morning smears! Specifically-fresh veggie cream cheese which is whipped cream cheese with a medley of fresh vegetables.The service is patient, kind and professional as this is a small location. There are two registers-one at each end of the counters.They have a small seating area-with wide French Style Windows that allow for an "Al fresco" atmosphere.Less than a block from The Armitage Brown Line Station!!!!!"

Francesco's Hole In the Wall

★★★★☆ 4.2 (581) • $$

"This place not to be mistaken as the Francesca's chains. It's a stand-alone restaurant by a completely different owner. The food is deliciously addictive. It's a small place, I mean less than 40 tables (estimating). It's one room and they don't take reservations. The menu is on the wall and there is always a wait for a table so you'll have plenty of time to decide. If you don't see it on the menu, chances are high that they can make it for you! Now that's top notch service! The baked clams are SO FREAKING DELICIOUS! Seriously, not even exaggerating here. I could just have 4 dozen as my entree and still want more! Fried calamari always seems to taste better here than other restaurants, maybe it's what they season it with after being fried. Even if you don't have an appetizer, the warm and crusty bread that gets brought out is highly addictive! My husband loves their veal chop, it's tender and prepared perfectly. It's a large portion so depending on how hungry he is, it makes a good lunch the next day too! He's also a huge fan of their spicy seafood diavolo with linguine. They put in ample amounts of seafood like lobster, shrimp, scallops, clams, and salmon. The pasta and grilled bread is just the right thing to sop up all the very spicy sauce. My favorites are the osso bucco with risotto, the bucatini with lobster, crab and shrimp, and the black linguini with mussels, clams, and cherry tomatoes. The osso bucco is melt in your mouth delicious and there's nothing more sinful than digging out the marrow with a tiny shrimp fork to spread on a small piece of fresh bread. The black linguini is prepared just right with an ample amount of clams and mussels. There is a down side to the dish - the last few times the clams and mussels were not cleaned well so all the sand and grit really ruined the dining experience. The bucatini is just as delicious, but the last time I ordered it there was no lobster and they used fake crab (Gross!), and there was tiny broken pieces of salmon - it looked like someone's leftover meal and wasn't quite what I expected. It was rather disappointing since I wanted lobster and crab with pasta. They didn't let me know about the substitutions and NO quality restaurant should serve fake crab in place of real crab!I guess I'll stick to the osso bucco or something more consistent."

Gordon Ramsay Burger

★★★★☆ 3.9 (613) • $$

"Had dinner here and the onion rings, burgers, and cocktails we ordered were all amazing. The onion rings are huge and comes with this extra zesty, homemade ranch sauce for dipping. My friend got the brunch burger, which looked absolutely delicious, and I got the Idiot Burger. The idiot burger has prime rib instead of ground beef, and that made the taste unique. It comes with a tomato chutney sauce that sort of cooled the burger off, but it tasted superb. Our waiter was so sweet, helpful, and welcoming. The atmosphere here is definitely laidback and family oriented. Definitely a must visit when coming to Chicago."

Sushi X

★★★★☆ 4 (557) • $$

"Here is yet another place for sushi in a city full. If looking for a chill hip place to get this delicacy, come here. Sushi X is just east of the Expressway on Chicago Avenue close to the Blue Line station. Just so happened to be around here so it was convenient. They had just opened up for lunch so we came in and got a table. As with many of these sushi restaurants, there's a menu of contemporary and more traditional rolls, most with some kind of fish. It has a few vegetarian ones. This made choosing pretty easy though. It's $5 for most rolls, which is good. We got an Avocado Roll and a Spinach Roll. Both were awesome. The Avocado Roll was pretty typical, except this one had sesame seeds. Basically if you've had one this isn't much different, but you know what you're getting. The Spinach Roll was more unique. It's seasoned with garlic, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. This was the first time we ever had this type. Good enough. The spinach thankfully wasn't wilted like we thought it could have been like. Cool little place for sushi and some other appetizers. It closes between lunch and dinner Mondays to Fridays. They're open for dinner only on the weekends."

Bacowka

★★★★☆ 4.4 (376) • $$

"Yelp did it again. Wanted to try this place. My partner and I went there around noon. The place was empty, yikes, but the reviews and pictures told me to stay. The two ladies there were very welcoming. I loved the complementary pickles, bread and spread. I had the Polish plate and my partner had the potato pancake and beef goulash. Wow the portions were generous and the taste, can't wait to go back. After fifteen minutes the customers started coming in. The servers were very attentive. This is a restaurant is awesome."

Bluebird

★★★★☆ 4.2 (392) • $$

"There was some chatter online about a keto option. But alas yoerick it did not seem to be.I had the Mediterranean salad but without hummus ( yes I know sacrilege)It's kinda small My friend and I stayed for 2 hours.Seems that people nearby utilize the" to go" option. I was feeling keto but also had a Mac and cheese that was Delish.The gentleman working the counter seemed to be taking on many rolls . My friend and I had a nice conversation with him about the state of english football.Maybe extend the menu a bit"

Apolis Greek Street Food

★★★★☆ 4 (415) • $$

"Skepasti is where it's at! The older pictures on Yelp show it being served on a fancy board. It now comes in a Styrofoam container. I had the chicken skepasti, and it was super flavorful. It came with a side of fries. I didn't eat many of the fries as the rest of the meal was very filling. Staff was friendly. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating. It's located in a strip mall so there is lots of parking available. Pepsi products are served here."

Krung Thep Thai Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.2 (373) • $$

"I have walked past this place several times and I know it is a good sign when it is always packed. I went with a friend and they move quickly and service is always super friendly. I ordered the beef salad and the boat noodles and both were amazing! My friend and I shared the crab rangoons and they were super cute and delicious. This was my first good thai restaurant that I've tried in Chicago and I will definitely be coming back. This is a great place to go on a date or just get dinner to catch up with friends."

Sunrise Grill

★★★★☆ 4.2 (373)

"I really likes this breakfast spot near O'Hare. I came by before my flight home and it was great. It was pretty busy at 10:30 and I was a single but they quickly sat me at a table. The waitress was awesome. I had to decide between multiple dishes that looked appealing, so she told me her favorite was the chorizo Benedict and I wanted one of the special drinks. I was wary of the name but decided on the Baby girl. Food came out quick and everything was really good and cooked to perfection. The hollandaise sauce was delicious and the eggs cooked perfectly so when I broke the yolk it came pouting out. Hash browns were good but could have been cooked a little more crispy. Very eclectic crowd. Will definitely come by again."

Sai Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.1 (385) • $$

"Quality fishes and efficient service combine with an understated decor and friendly staff to make this place stand out. All good. Not a budget option, as you might expect."

Craft Pizza

★★★★☆ 4.3 (341) • $$

"I love Craft Pizza! Best NY style pizza in the neighborhood, possibly the city. They have a great special on Tuesdays, any medium house pizza for $10 or large for $15. They do slices at select times. I've tried their white and red pizzas and they're both good! I've only done takeout but they do have seating inside and outside. Limited street parking in the area."

Bonchon

★★★★☆ 3.7 (455) • $$

"Everything you imagine fried chicken to be; crispy, crunchy and juicy with a Korean twist. Double fried chicken with a sauce that's brushed on after cooking. There were people sitting and enjoying food inside. There were also several to-go orders being picked up. We were greeted, asked if we were dining in and handed a menu. I must say, the aromas had my belly dancing. We sat and looked over the menu. Decided on wings and mixed up the sauces. Not really in the mood for spicy, so we opted for 1/2 Korean BBQ and 1/2 soy garlic. Coleslaw was our side choice. It was about ten minutes before hot food came out. As we walked back to the parking lot, the smell of Korean fried chicken escaped the bag. I wanted to plop down anywhere and try one of those wings. I waited till I was home and enjoyed it with hubby. Yes!!!! It's all the rage!!!! Soy garlic was my favorite. I have to be in the mood for spicy but, I do plan to try it."

Top Notch Beef Burgers

★★★★☆ 4.1 (358) • $$

"Burger and melt was great. Fries were okay. Old school diner vibes. Can't comment on service since I got takeout"

Al Bawadi Grill

★★★★☆ 3.9 (391) • $$

"The original Al Bawadi is located on the south side on 7216 W 87th St, Bridgeview, IL. This location in Niles, IL was opened about 4 years ago and is much closer to where I live. We were so happy they opened this location. 03/18/24 - Today I had a procedure performed @ Advocate Lutheran General Hospital (LGH) that required that I didn't eat after midnight (actually 7pm) After being released from LGH we went to lunch @ Al Bawadi. As usual Al Bawadi provided outstanding food in an absolutely gorgeous restaurant. I ordered the grilled fillet of Basa over 2 types rice. Excellent as always & enough for another meal tomorrow. My wife ordered a shwarma roll w/fries.around 3:00 we went about 1/2 mile east to Al BawadiThis is one of my personal favorites as everything about this restaurant screams excellence form the food to the ambiance in a beautiful Persian influenced theme to outstanding service."

Yes Thai Chicago

★★★★☆ 4 (371) • $$

"Say yes to Yes Thai! While this restaurant has a big takeout business, Do yourself a favor and stop in to dine in. It has a modern look, and the plating of the food is quite exceptional and looks as good as it tastes .All the Thai classics and more! #thai #chicago. Food comes out quick and the service is great. There are only a couple of tables so it will never be loud."

Royal Thai Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.2 (318) • $$

"I like it! We've ordered different items from here in the past, and we always liked what we've gotten. I always order Pad Kee Mao, Pad See Ew, or Kow Soy Noodle Soup, but this time, I tried the Panang Noodle- flavorful curry dish with crispy wide noodles. We really like the Crab Rangoon from here (better than most!)"

Vinnie's Sub Shop

★★★★★ 4.6 (245)

"Of all the great sandwich shops on Grand Ave, Vinnie's is by far my favorite. It's a small little shop with just a few seats so you might have to take to go. The food is fantastic - I've tried every sandwich and each one is more delicious than the next. Lastly, the people who run Vinnie's are some of the nicest and most welcoming people. Every time I come here it feels like I'm walking into my home. Vinnie's is a must!"

Naxos A Greek Island Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.4 (267) • $$

"I wanted to walk to this nearby Greek restaurant but couldn't because there are no damn sidewalks in this town. So, I had to order delivery. Anyway, the food came remarkably fast and hot. The menu contains real Greek options that I don't normally see - avgolemono soup is standard with most entrees. I ordered the spinach pie (spanakopita) which was a large piece of pie and very filling with a flaky filo crust and slightly bitter combination of spinach and cheese filling. Delicious. I also ordered the large Athena salad which was way too much to eat. The salad came with a fabulous chewy bread that was addictive. The Greek dressing was strong and good. I felt the salad could have used some onions and less iceberg lettuce. My daughter had the gyro platter which came with French fries and the avgolemono soup. The gyro was deconstructed and delicious. Portions were generous (huge) sharable. The potatoes were freshly hand cut. The avgolemono soup was silky, tangy, thick and probably the best I've ever had. Food was put together very quickly...fast service. Next time I hope to make it to the restaurant in person because he food is delicious."

Philly's Best

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (430) • $

"*hours need to be updated on here*We visited this joint as a get away from Wrigleyville. It's a short walk from Wrigley Field and we'll worth it! Obviously with a name like Philly's Best the cheesesteak should be good. My boyfriend had one on garlic bread with onions & American cheese. He said it was phenomenal. The small sandwich is actually very big. I can't imagine how big the large is! The seasoned fries were good, nothing that differentiates those from anyone else. The slice of cheese pizza that I had was okay. I wasn't expecting anything too great. It was very doughy and just warm, not hot. Next time I visit I will order something different."

KALA Modern Greek

★★★★★ 4.7 (220) • $$

"We've finally found our go to Greek place in Lincoln park. There's plenty of street parking outside. The footprint is a decent size and they also have some outside tables. The decor is really nicely done and the open window concept makes it lively and you get a little hustle and bustle of Lincoln park. The staff are really sweet and helpful everytime we've come There are plenty of vegetarian options. The Greek salad is fresh and perfect for these summer days. The Greek fries with the fire sauce on the side are delicious. The spanakopita was perfectly flaky and the feta spinach filling was warm and melty. We've also tried the zucchini wrap which is a really good size and super tasty. The staff are really friendly and prices are well worth it. I highly recommend"

Thai Pastry & Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.7 (347) • $$

"I've not been to Thai Pastry in years, but our group of three recently ate there on a Saturday for a late lunch / early dinner. Since it was not terribly busy, our server was very attentive in answering our questions about their numerous menu items and filling our water glasses.We ate family style as we shared three different entrees. I think we all agreed that we liked the sesame chicken the best. The battered pieces of sesame chicken had the perfect level of crispiness and were served with steamed broccoli and carrots and a bowl of white rice. The roast duck with rice and veggies was a close second in our unofficial tasting contest. The ba-mee noodles with BBQ pork were not bad, but somehow did not register with our collective taste buds. We asked for the noodles "dry" but perhaps the ensemble may have been more successful as a bowl of soup. Overall, we enjoyed our variety of food at Thai Pastry."

Byron's Hot Dog

★★★★☆ 3.9 (312)

"Cool place to stop and grab a Chicago dog with the Bryon's twist on it, tomatoes, cucumber, relish. Shame it wasn't a poppy seed bun. Not the easiest hot dog to eat. Nice dog thought nonetheless. Seating outside, covered and uncovered to eat at."

Fontano Subs

★★★★☆ 4.4 (238)

"Loved this place! Tucked away in a neat little. Chicago neighborhood.....the sandwiches here are fantastic. When the cops are in line getting their lunch here....you know you're at the right place to eat! Great place....absolutely great place!"

Toscana Restaurant & Lounge

★★★★☆ 4 (273) • $$

"For years I have coming here for fresh pasta. Today I had the lobster risotto and it was great! The service is prompt and my server, Maya, knows exactly what I want. The ambiance is delightfully Italian."

Fontano's Subs and Pizzeria

★★★★☆ 4.1 (227)

"I stopped by Fontano's to check out their breakfast sandwich I saw them advertising on their website.Because we were having an early dinner, I knew that having lunch would not be an option, so I figured a late breakfast would hold me and The Doctor until dinner.I ordered the breakfast sandwich, which was $9.50. It consisted of a two egg omelet with your choice of cheese (I got Cheddar) and choice of ham, bacon, or sausage....I went with Ham. There was also the option of the type of bread, so I went with ciabatta. You can also had additional items to the sandwich (lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, etc.) so I went with tomatoes. They also had fruit bowls for $5.00, which was a decent size container of cut fruit, but I didn't get that. Unfortunately I did not get a photo of the sandwich as The Doctor and I were chatting and just started eating. The sandwich was a decent size and we were able to each have half of one and were good to go until dinner. I would definitely go back here to get another one and may get one to go home with me once we check out of our hotel in a few days, it was that good."

Tabu

★★★★☆ 4 (237)

"We came here for my wife's birthday on a Saturday night. The evening started out quiet, with a rather empty dining room. The place got packed by the time we were heading out. My guess is that people come later so they can enjoy the this place when it converts into a lounge. The service for the most part was good. It started out great, but as more people started coming in, the service got slower. Took about 20 minutes to get our bill so we could pay and get out. We started off with their Queso Fundido and forgot to bring tortillas. Everything else went pretty smooth though. My wife ordered their Bandeja Paisa tacos and I ordered their Steak & Frites. The tacos were really flavorful. They came with chorizo, skirt steak, plantain, Chicharron, quail egg, aji, and avocado. A lot of stuff going on there but they all went so perfectly inside the tortilla. Wouldn't mind ordering these again. The skirt steak as tender, and you get a little heat with the chorizo. My steak was cooked perfectly. It came with chipotle chimichurri, habanero aioli and a lot of fried that we couldn't finish. We also ordered a few drinks and they were all tasty. Fruita Fresca was our favorite. Overall a satisfying meal and decent night. Will definitely be returning."

Tapas Gitana

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (313) • $$

"As always Tapas Gitana continues to be my favorite tapas restaurant. A lil bit of everything. Scallops with Israeli couscous, Garlic shrimp, meat balls, queso de cabra, charcuterie board with THE MOST AMAZING OLIVES, lamb chops, chicken skewers, banana chocolate bread pudding with Dos Nueces. I honestly go there when I crave their olives. Bonus is the amazing things that come after.Saving the best for last. Alberto the server has been there since I've been going. Sigh... aging myself.... Probably about 20yrs now. He stays on top of it all, remembers minute details from the last dinner conversation and your orders. Fun and a jokester, takes his time to converse while not taking too much time. Just pleasant conversation while still making sure you and his customers are well taken care of. This is probably the longest review I've posted, but it had to be said.Thank you Tapas Gitana staff!"