The Purple Pig

Great ambiance and food, just be sure to snag a reservation especially on the weekend. Located right by the riverwalk, this is a wonderful spot to grab dinner after walking around the riverwalk and magnificent mile. We ordered the Chicken Kebabs and Pork Belly to split between the two of us. The kebabs were simple but cooked perfectly with a nice char but still moist. The pork belly was absolutely delicious with that glaze. We'd love to come back and try other things on the menu!

This restaurant is a bit hidden inside a building, but it's an easy find. Parking can be a bit hard, but I'm not sure if they have a lot for this, I just parked somewhere random and walked down. I went on a Tuesday evening without reservations and we were seated immediately. The food was great! 4/5, I ordered the beef tartare, roasted bone marrow, squid ink pasta (?), pork belly, pork rib, and chicken kebob. Beef tartare 4/5: portion was on the smaller side. Beef tartare came with a side of bread. The tartare was a bit tangy, but still tasted great. Roasted bone marrow 4/5: this dish is shareable, we kept eating and we needed a second round of bread. Do note that extra bread is extra money. The little green bean or whatever was a little too sour for my taste. The bone marrow could be more strong in roast, otherwise it still tasted good. Squid ink 4.5/5: this dish was fantastic, squid ink does add a uniqueness to this dish name but it's just pasta dyes black. The sauce was a good balance for me, but may be on the sweeter side for others. The toppings included tomatoes, scallop, shrimp, and others. I enjoyed the taste of the tomatoes! Pork belly 3.5/5: sauce was a little too sweet, this dish on the hand could use more tangy or salt. I did like the pork belly meat though, it was very melty and juicy. Pork ribs 3/5: was not a fan of this dish. The marinate sauce did not reach the meat, so the meat was quite dry. I also did not think the sauce was suited for this dish, but I did like the pork skin, as it was crispy. Chicken kebob 2.5/5: not my cup of tea either, it was rather dry and the ranch like sauce wasn't a great pairing. Service: 5/5, servers were just the right attentiveness. Often came to ask us how we were doing without being annoying. Came to clear our dishes as soon as we were done. And refilled our water often. Though, I think the water tasted disgusting. Its giving toilet water. Overall, this place was great, but it is on the pricier side. Not so great view either except for the one table in the back corner, that stays empty probably for a reservation.

When searching on places to eat, I kept seeing the purple pig. I ended up going with friends before heading out to a concert. It was decently full for 3 something pm on a Thursday. We got the crispy pig's ear, mushroom 3 ways, hummus, whipped feta, lamb shank, seafood risotto, and grilled broccoli. This was split 4 ways with one of those people being a vegetarian. Crispy pig's ear: This was interesting in concept but in reality it's essentially like fries. Of everything we ordered it was the most whatever because of how the main ingredient didn't really stand out.Whipped feta: This is exactly what it sounds like. I wasn't particularly big on this but not really my order. It just tastes like feta so if that's what you want, it's perfect.Hummus: The hummus is good. The whipped feta and hummus come with the same bread. They are thick slices that can handle the weight of a heavy smear. The hummus has more to compared to the feta. More toppings which I think made it feel more interesting. Seafood risotto: This came last but it was yum. A bit on the salty side but with a strong seafood taste. I wouldn't change it but it's heavy and has the vibe that it'll hurt anyone who is lactose intolerant. Grilled broccoli: Of the veggie dishes, this one was the best. I wish I knew how to cook broccoli this well because this was just so good. Mushroom 3 ways: This was the dish that came out first. It was a solid starter veg. The mushrooms are longs slices which was somewhat unexpected. It didn't stand out among all the dishes but it was good. Lamb shank: This was good. The meat fell off the bone so it was easy to eat. There isn't anything bad to say about it because it was prepared well. The taste just didn't linger enough for a review over a week later. This was too much food for 4 people. Sadly because we're not local that means food to waste instead of a doggie bag. The location is great for tourists and fantastic to share with friends especially since they serve with that expectation. Overall, this was good. It's worth a stop once because you will get a solid decent meal and the price tag does correlate to that quality.

I stopped in here for an afternoon cocktail and snack while I wait for my other coworkers to make it into the city. I grabbed one of their lovely featured cocktails and some prosciutto wrapped dates. The cocktail was so light and refreshing and the dates were cooked to perfection with a little crisp to them. The atmosphere was a bit loud, but the food and contain I ordered was amazing.

We are here in Chicago for vacation and this place was recommended. We ordered the pork belly. It has a very delicious sauce kinda like orangy. The pork itself is delicious and made to perfection. We also ordered Pinot Grigio to pair with it. Service was excellent and fast. Ambiance is normal nothing aweee to it.

I can see why the chef got a James Beard! The restaurant is served tapas style so you split different plates which is nice. The food came out quickly and they quickly cleared our plates and refilled our water. Our waiter could've been more friendly and checked how we were doing more. Definitely recommend if you are in Chicago My favorites were the - the arancini- duck croquettes - braised duck shoulder - apple crosistant These dishes were alright and I wouldn't order again -broccolini - seafood risotto

What an absolutely delightful experience! So glad my cousins introduced us here and made a reservation two weeks in advance! It is definitely a popular spot, so it's recommended to make reservations if you intend to visit. Lines start to form throughout lunch and dinner service well into the lobby area. I ordered a non-alcoholic called the psych which was delicious. Bit of a fizzy and fruity drink, which was lovely to sip throughout the meal.We ordered a small chunk of cheese (humbolt fog) which I thought was quite nice. it reminds me a bit of the funk from blue cheese. They served it with a peach type marmalade and olives mix and some bread. Flavours complimented the cheese quite well and I enjoyed having a taster.We ordered grilled broccoli starter and the mushrooms 3 ways - highly recommend both. Lovely taste and texture. For mains we tried out the halibut, turkey leg, and lamb shank. We also tried a pasta which I believe was orecchetti. It was a cheesy one and it sort of reminded me of the thick nacho cheese you'd get at the theatre. Quite a comfort food. The halibut was very well cooked and I loved the sauce it was in. The lamb shank was very rich and heavy. Meat eaters at the table were huge fans. I loved the bed of sweet potatoes it sat in. The Turkey Leg was probably my favourite. Lovely caramelization on the leg and the bed of veggies soaked up the sauce. It was sweet and tangy from the vinegar used to create the sauce. Beautifully balanced. I wish I could eat it again!Definitely recommend checking this place out. And it's all meant to be shared which always makes for a lovely meal time with friends and family. Service was also quite fast!

I enjoyed all the food! We had a big party and we all chose our own thing but the food is served to be shared so we all picked at each other's food and everything was amazing. I wasn't too hungry so I just ordered a caesar salad and an order of dates, the dates were so good!! I wish I would have ordered more. We had a little difficulty finding the restaurant as we were originally walking from downstairs but eventually made our way over.

Make reservations for sure and check this spot out. It's located in a building lobby (which sounds weird) but once you get inside it's got great vibes. It's tapas but generously portioned. The tuna tartar, pastas, Greek salad and broccoli were highlights for sure.

What an incredible dining experience! We came on a Friday night without a reservation and they said the wait would be about 45 minutes which we were fine with. We ended up finding exactly 3 seats at the bar and stayed there for our meal. The bartenders were super awesome and very attentive to us. We wanted to try a few things so we split everything we got. Highly recommend getting the tuna tartare!!! Super flavorful and unique with the squid ink cracker. All of the food was absolutely delicious and for sure one of the top 5 meals I've ever had in my life. A must visit if you're in Chicago!