Giant

I loved my dinner at Giant so much that I went back five days later with another friend to eat it again! The intimate restaurant has been on my wishlist for a long time, and I was very impressed with both my meals.Trout Roe: Oh...my...god! You have to order this bite. The flavor explosion and its warmth is one of the best single bites I've had in Chicago. My friend Kelsey and I loved it so much that we had it again for our last course instead of dessert!Pastas: In a Chicago that has a lot of great in-house pasta, Giant has to be on the list for one of the best. The Sortalini made my cheese-living heart happy. The Trofie had so much umami from the porcini. The Tagliatelle is worth every penny. If you don't go to Giant and order a pasta, you're doing it wrong.Peppers with Anchovy Bread: WOW! Wow wow. That is an "order it every time" dish.Crab Salad: very inventive!Little Jalapeño Buscuit: The Maple Butter is the star, and I'd get it again.Broccolini: It's good, but didn't compete against everything else I had.Service: I love a staff who clearly know their menu. They were attentive, informed, and enthusiastic.

Wow, was I absolutely floored on my most recent trip to Giant. I'd like to think of myself as a retired Yelp reviewer, but I'm coming out of retirement to talk about just how impressed I was on my most recent trip to Giant was. I've been several times now and the food has always been excellent, but today I'm here to talk about the service.My boyfriend and I went to Giant last night to celebrate our anniversary, and due to a backup in the kitchen, we were seated just under 30 minutes later than our reservation time. This didn't really bother us because it was a beautiful night and the neighborhood was lovely to walk around, however, Giant took this very seriously. They went way way WAY above and beyond to show us how sorry they were for the delay by gifting us champagne, several dishes, and a dessert, all completely on the house. We were so appreciative of the initiative, and it only deepened our love of this restaurant. Giant is a prime example of a restaurant that values hospitality to the same degree that they value the quality of their food, which is something that you don't see all that often. Giant is easily one of my top 3 all-time favorite places to eat in Chicago based on their food alone, and the service-first experience we had last night just reaffirmed my opinion that Giant is one of the best restaurants Chicago has to offer. Bravo, Giant, keep up the excellent work.

Bucatini, Sortallini, jalapeño biscuit, all good! The peppers were not my favorite. I wish they had a bit larger menu, but interesting options for sure. I think we also had anchovy bread. I'd go for the flank steak or fish as well next time. The butter for the bread was really great. Everything had unique flavor and the Pinot noir was nice. Highlight was the dessert crepe! That was amazing, save some room! The service was pleasant. It's a little tight in there but we were comfortable. Didn't realize how many good restaurants are situated in Logan Square. Need to venture over more. Thank you

Last dinner in Chicago, this place was recommended so we were really looking forward to it, unfortunately quite disappointing, the only great thing was the jalapeño biscuit, all the rest very average and not worth going back. Then we get the bill and there is a 5% surcharge for employee Health insurance, this is the first, never ever have I been charged for this at a restaurant, it is the employer responsibility to get health insurance for their employees!!! In this way I am sure a lot of people will tip less so the waiters get less tip and charging 5% to every bill is way more of what would be needed for health insurance but they point is, I am not the one that should pay for it !

Giant is a small plates, cozy little restaurant. As others have noted, the tables are seated close together and you WILL be able to hear other parties' conversations, but I still think it's a great place for a date or to catch up with friends. I think the menu is a perfect size, too, where you're able to order a bunch of dishes but still feel like you're not missing out on too much.The plates are meant for sharing and I think are the perfect portion sizes if you are ordering a couple to split. We ordered the broccoli, carrots, okonomiyaki, Japanese eggplant, bucatini, sortalini, and monkfish tom kha. I will note that all of the dishes here are STRONGLY flavored: they're salty, they're punchy. Everything was good, nothing incredibly mind-blowing, but still enjoyable. The standouts to me were the bread that comes with the Japanese eggplant (Indian-inspired flatbread, you can order more for the side) and the okonomiyaki. Dishes I didn't love as much were the carrots, which had a strong orange zest flavor, and the monkfish, which tasted just like a tom yum but wasn't anything special.For a drink, I got the goodnight moon, which I enjoyed a lot as well.Giant is also super accommodating for any dietary restrictions and allergies (gluten-free, vegetarian, etc.) so this is a great place to come for that.Service was also super attentive, always clearing our plates and refilling our water. They also pack any leftovers away as you go through the courses and have it ready for you by the end of the meal, which is super convenient.

One of the best, if not the best, restaurant we have enjoyed since moving to Chicago in 2023. I do not make this statement lightly because we have been to some great restaurants in Chicago. Giant is cozy and intimate with an incredible staff. The food is wonderful. it is so great to finally find a chef that is not afraid to season his food! Thank you Chef! I cannot highlight just one dish because they were all SO good. The wine list is large enough to accommodate all palates and all reasonably priced. The staff were just the right amount of attentive. our server was very knowledgeable and helpful with the menu. I almost hate to leave such a glowing review because they will just get busier. Reservations are a MUST.

Run. Don't walk or put this experience off for another day. Like pasta? Well my friends, the Sortalini (pictured above), is one of the best pasta dishes I have eaten in the USA. How good? We ate the first entree and promptly ordered another one. Little pillow puffs filled with nutty cheese and the most delicious butter sauce laced with pine nuts. When you pop one in your mouth, the fireworks begin. The rest of the food was really goods. Ordered the Sourdough, Jonah Crab Salad and Broccolini. The Sortalini deserves the standing ovation! Didn't have room for dessert. Next time.

The concept, plating, and ambiance at Giant were undeniably excellent, setting the stage for a promising dining experience. However, the execution of the meal was marred by a few notable flaws.While we thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere, sitting in the back patio, we couldn't help but notice that there was just one server attending to approximately 8-10 tables. This understaffing issue likely contributed to delays in service, as courses arrived with noticeable gaps.

I've had the privilege of eating at some of the best restaurants this city has to offer, but out of all the top rated spots I've been to, Giant is definitely my favorite. The first time I ate here was truly a mind blowing experience. Everything on the menu seems pretty unassuming at first, but you experience a flavor bomb of epic proportions after the first bite of any of their dishes. I had no idea that vegetables could be elevated to such a high level. And the surprise I've experienced from these dishes has left a lasting impression on my palate. Giant is a New American restaurant that's run by national award winning chef Jason Vincent, Ben Lustbader, and Josh Perlman. Vincent and Lustbader worked together with Jason Hammel at Lula Cafe and again at the now closed Night Wood in Pilsen. Giant opened in 2016 and received much deserved acclaim from local foodies, critics, and various food publications. Not only does the menu go through some seasonal changes, but existing fan favorites are elevated even more and end up tasting even better. The first two items I have tried here were the biscuit and trout row bite. It was the best biscuit I've ever had and the maple butter that comes with it is delicious. I can't recall ever eating a biscuit that was so soft and moist. And the trout roe bite delivers a burst of flavor that indubitably hypes you up for what's to come. The first vegetable dish I got to try was the broccoli and I was blown away. Never in a million years would I ever think that a plate of broccoli could taste so good. I was so taken aback and surprised by how delicious this was. I mean, this is broccoli we're talking about here! This is what makes Giant so great. Up next was the Jonah crab salad with waffle fries and Japanese eggplant. The waffle fries were the best I have ever had and pretty much ruined all other fries for me. I've never been a fan of eggplant, but I ordered it due to the rave reviews it's received from foodies. It comes with pita bread that's apparently based off a pizza dough recipe from the first restaurant Jason Vincent worked at. This is one of my favorite dishes of theirs and is something I will order every single time. It completely changed the way I think about eggplant. Up next were the peppers that come with anchovy bread and those are also a must order. Then there's the carrots and once again I was taken aback by the sauce, the surrounding crunchiness of whatever the hell they top them with and just the fact that carrots could taste this good. I also ate the onion rings and they were the best I've had. Now, I have only ever had okonomoyaki once, but this one was way better than that one. Very tasty. You must order at least a few pasta dishes here. I've tried the bucatini, sortalini, tagliatelle, chiromante and they are absolutely stellar. The bucatini is probably my favorite, but they are all amazing and my favorite pasta dishes in the city. And that is truly saying something. The only protein dish I've eaten from here is the flank steak and that too is delicious. I've eaten the entire dessert menu and they are some of the finest in the city. It's hard to pick a favorite, but I think the crepes suzette is just a little better than the other two. There really is no wrong choice, though. Also, the service here is top notch. The staff has been incredibly friendly, accommodating and enthusiastic. Like I've mentioned before, this is my favorite restaurant and I would eat here once a week if I could. I wish I lived in Logan Square just so I can order carry out! The Yelpers who give this place 1 star are clearly fools, delinquents, and charlatans who deserve to be in jail. Don't listen to them! Listen to me! I am an ELITE yelper, after all. Oh god. What has become of me? I used to have hopes and dreams, you know. I guess my life took one too many wrong turns. Now look. I'm sure the chefs here hate people like me.....Anyways! The cuisine at Giant is creative and eclectic, so do yourself a favor and book a reservation ASAP!

This place is amazing! I would skip the pasta, we should have ordered the crab pasta instead. This is right around the corner from my friend house and we loved it. Highly recommend this place!