John’s Food and Wine

I had heard really good things about this place and had on my list to try. I was surprised that they didn't take reservations. It makes sense once I learned that they have you order when you get there. It was a little hard to know how much food to get since it was pricey but sharing portions. I was disappointed that they were out of one of the white wines but loved the bubbly wine I got instead. The food was incredible. The gnocchi and cavatelli were so creamy and delicious. The scallops were perfectly cooked. It was familiar dishes with different ingredients. The desserts were quite interesting. We tried both and I can't say I'd get it again but was interesting to try. The space is perfect for a small group and intimate.

I had heard such amazing things about John's from social media and colleagues, but I must admit that I was a bit underwhelmed by my experience. The dining structure at John's has you order your entire meal prior to being seated. Luckily, I was with a friend who had been before and helped us place our order for our group with the host. The host was very helpful with recommendations, however, he was not confident about which foods were gluten free and had to check with the kitchen several times. Once seated, the sommelier was very friendly and helped us pick out a bottle of wine for the table. He was very knowledgeable!!The food overall was good, but has left me wanting more. The market salad and ricotta gnocchi were my favorite dishes, which I highly recommend ordering. The pork shoulder had great flavor, but it was a bit undercooked, and the lemon parfait was shockingly too salty - and I usually love some salt on my dessert.Overall, I'm between a 3 and 4 star rating. I'd love to give this place another shot, as maybe it was a bad night in the kitchen. I just didn't think it lived up to Chicago restaurant caliber.

I heard about John's food and wine from a few different accounts on social media and was excited to try it. I am a bit of a wine nerd and was excited to see that they offered a selection of wines that leaned more towards natural/minimal intervention. However, I am in between a 3 and 4 star review. We came on a Saturday night, and the restaurant was definitely full. We had to order at the counter before we were seated. I understand that this may help with costs on their end, but I felt really rushed and barely got to see the wine list before making a decision. We were seated in the back area, and the acoustics are pretty bad. Everyone ended up shouting to be heard and it was hard to hear my partner despite sitting a couple feet away from him. The courses were served pretty sporadically; we got our salad and fries within minutes of each other, but then had to wait 45 minutes for our last course. Now... the wine we got was great, the beef fat fries were truly some of the best fries I've ever had, and the pastas were pretty solid. I don't have any complaints about the food itself, but the overall experience diminishes my interest in returning.

I feel very on the fence about this place-- if you read the menu it's all stuff that sounds very generic American food which is fine, but they actually use very bold interesting flavors. But that makes it very hit or miss for me, for example the beef tartare was very horse radish forward which I didn't love, but I did really enjoy the acidity of the yuzu in the tomato salad but I could see someone else not enjoying it. the style of ordering is interesting, you order when you first get there and then it's pre paid so you can walk out whenever. we did have a buckwheat ice cream dessert that I loveddd. definitely on the pricier side, my boyfriend thought it was mid.

This place is strange but I love it. You walk in and stand in line to order all your food up front. From there you are taken to your table and you can't order additional food (you can order wine though). They bring you the food out as it's prepared so highly recommend sharing vs individual meals. Food was incredible and pasta was cooked to perfection. We pretty much ordered the whole menu and would recommend it all!

Honestly, such an amazing hidden gem in the heart of Lincoln park!First things first - service is DIFFERENT here. It's not a traditional you sit and have a waiter - you go to the cashier station and order your food and sit. They have people watching the tables to make sure you're taken care of - but you don't have a dedicated one! They also check you out from the start and gratuity is already included! Now, the wine selection here is amazing, and so was the food! I had the house white wine which was amazing.I tried two different items: - beef fat fries - oh my gosh this was amazing! Carlos (who was amazing!) said I would love it, and I did!- roasted kale salad - I wanted something a bit lighter since the fries were a bit heavy and I'm so glad I got this! Honestly was amazingThe ambiance, food and people truly made this place so special and I can't wait to go back!

I was curious to see what Nookies 2 (Too?) became in this reinvented restaurant. The space looks extremely familiar- fresh coat of paint and bar behind the front counter. So while not something exciting to look at, staff was lovely. Went with somebody who had been before which helped with our ordering. You can't order or be seated until everyone is there and the small front waiting area can quickly become crowded so go with a group who respect timeliness! To get a table you need to all order and provide a credit card. Because we went out for conversation, our group was grateful to have been seated in the back room which was significantly quieter than the busy main space.Drink options fairly limited. Food very pretty though we mostly nibbled. Staff extremely attentive while not overbearing or rushing us out which makes the automatic 20% tip feel fair. I appreciate the business not charging a service fee for themselves and a smaller tip portion for their team.The process still feels a little off-putting. Sit down restaurant prices and food ambitions, but Panera-style fast casual process complete with qr code stand for the table. Probably takes some getting used to. 3.5 looking at food+ambiance+service but rounding up to 4 for staff.

I have mixed feelings about John's Food and Wine. The ordering system is very flawed and does not make sense for a restaurant of this caliber. You walk in and order at a register at the bar. The person entering my order was short with me when I asked if my friends and I could each order separately. He said it was a family style restaurant and they usually put the entire order in at once. My friends all wanted different dishes as our own entree and didn't want to split everything though. The entry way is way too small and not conducive to forming a line. Also this system leads people to feel rushed when ordering and lacks transparency in the payment of your meal. The dishes are quite expensive for the portion sizes ($13 for a small bowl of fries, $26 for a pasta dish). I wish they put the prices on their online menu. Now to the food-- the octopus was a delicious, well balanced dish. Wasn't blown away by the fries (they were decent, nothing to write home about), the focaccia or the butterscotch pudding were just fine too. If you want good butterscotch pudding, try Monteverde's. I'm glad I tried this spot but I don't see myself returning.

Wow! Say hello to your new favorite neighborhood spot. The staff here is so welcoming and immediately makes you feel like you're a regular. The food and drinks are top knotch. I can't wait to dine here again! Highly recommend the margarita, espresso martini, gnocchi, focaccia, lobster salad and beet fat fries! Just to name a few ;)

New favorite restaurant in Chicago. Has such an NYC vibe with the ordering system and look - so happy we have a spot like this in Chicago now. Every single cocktail and bite of food was perfection, no exaggeration. Service is fast and soo friendly and the vibe is somehow bustling and fun but intimate. Perfect all around.