My favorite burger in Chicago - and it seems I’m not alone. A great old fashioned. Comfortable and stylish setting without being stuffy or snooty. A great spot.
Our tasting menu, 12 course meal at Smyth was the best meal of my life. I loved the open kitchen. It was fine dining, with 2 Michelin stars, but it was cozy, not stuffy, and not pretentious. Our server, Bree, was fantastic. We enjoyed seeing the care and passion that all the staff put into their efforts. We loved the team approach, interacting with several team members, but still being able to develop a rapport with each one. I loved the mystery of not knowing what was coming next. The Sommelier was very knowledgeable and still approachable. He made excellent choices for our tastes. The presentation was lovely, featuring natural elements like wooden utensils, etc. Because of delayed flights, we rushed directly to the restaurant and had no time to stop to first check in to our hotel. The restaurant staff magnanimously accommodated us, made us feel welcome, and stored our luggage while we ate! We enjoyed the kitchen staff's chants: "2 white asparagus on deck." A delightful experience and very memorable.
Deviled Eggs with Truffle Oil
This is a hard review to write, because I honestly think this restaurant should be boycotted because of the way they treat their employees. Was the food outstanding? Yes. Was the service fantastic? Yes. Was the space elegant and comfortable? Yes. Was it worth the money? Absolutely not. All of the small dishes were fantastic and incredibly creative. They may not be to everyone’s liking (meat and dessert was a little challenging), but it requires culinary genius and imagination that deserves respect. The service was amazing (Brittany, Thomas, and Cassie made our night)! Now, to the hard part. Each meal was $265.00. OK. The wine pairing (the “low” level) was $145.00 per person. That’s more than a little pricey for maybe seven quarter pours of good, but not great, wines. But, here’s the KICKER . . . then they tack on a 20% charge that DOES NOT GO TO THE SERVERS!!!! So, unless you are a jerk, you have to tip on top of that. This waitstaff was fabulous, but they had to explain, apologetically, that the management gets that 20% and they get NOTHING unless you tip as well. I did, but I think it is OUTRAGEOUS. I would seriously consider telling folks to boycott this restaurant until they change that policy. When people see a 20% service charge, they assume it goes to waitstaff. As a result, these folks don’t get tips unless they beg. That’s crap. Overall, it is worth the experience. However, if you go, complain to management about there treatment of their employees.
At this level of planning & expense, you expect a phenomenal experience. 2 Michelin star place…, $$$$…, well, if you don’t know, you don’t know: it was as advertised. Great? Possibly. Exceptional? Beyond question. From hostess, through staff, through service: #exceptional. The staff’s efficiency key. Food selection. Precise. Texture, flavor, presentation: #exquisite. Wine pairing: dynamic if not trendy. Atmosphere: #perfect - lit well, sturdy, clean, well lit as appropriate. Open kitchen is interesting with volume of order recitations/confirmation. If you enjoy fine dinning, exceptional foodie experiences & spending $$$…, enjoy! Start to finish, great work - because you pay for it. Enjoy.
No loyalty to the Loyalist. Four of us tonight celebrating a birthday at opening time, before it was too busy. Ordered 4 cheese burgers. 3 medium and one extra well with no onions and no sauce. The 3 arrived together, but the one was very delayed and arrived smothered in onions. All we asked was to scrape away the onions and remelt the cheese on top. Twenty minutes later it arrived with no onions but rare. The manager had it sent back for more heat, but it came back still pink. He explained that they did not have a microwave in the kitchen and the delay was to remake the burger.. We all waited while watching burger after burger come out of the kitchen..Of course three of us finished our meal long before the still rare burger was supposedly cooking. The only reason a rating of no stars is given is that the manager after countless "sorry s" comped the meal. That's about what the experience was worth.
We were at Smyth last night and it was truly outstanding. Hard to tell which was our favorite course. All were good, the ones we enjoyed less were because of our tastes not the preparation. Staff were very friendly and helpful. The setting is great. Tables are well spaced and watching the kitchen operate is fun. Not a place to eat at weekly, but we'll definitely be back. Noted in a number of other reviews displeasure about the cost. It's not an inexpensive dinner. But I wonder what people are expecting. This is very high end dining, and it's comparable in cost to similar places. I'm surprised people are surprised, the cost is not a secret.
Went to Smyth for our anniversary, looking forward to a very high-quality and enjoyable meal. The food was outstanding, and very worthy of two Michelin stars. The service was attentive, but some of the staff need some more training for their roles. Unfortunately, the restaurant is very high priced, and the value for the overall experience is just not there. The tasting menu was fairly seafood forward, and the flavors and textures were excellent. We had some new things that we had not previously experienced, and most dished were Wow! The low point in the food was the venison course, as the meat was not tender and a bit over cooked. Also, all of the servings were very small, so we were hungry immediately after completion of the meal. Service was very good, but a bit helter-skelter. We were served by 8-9 different persons, and while the staff is very friendly and helpful, the constant scramble around the table was a bit disconcerting. Also, the staff need a little training on how to properly set up and serve the table. The cost of this experience is way too high. The tasting menu price is fine, but the wine pairings price is exorbitant. Then comes the add-on service charge, and the total cost was over $1,000. Overall, it was a great meal, but other areas of the restaurant were at a lower level than one expects from a Michelin Two Star.
Awesome food!!! Awesome service!!!
This place definitely deserves 2 stars, but it is low in that group in my opinion. There were some excellent bites and courses, but many of the dishes failed to wow. The classic Kaiseki progression was only roughly followed. The capstrone meat dish was sinewy. The $200 wine pairing had some real winners, both on their own and occasionally as paired with the dish. But some of the wines clashed or overwhelmed the dish. The first two dessert courses didn't have any pairings. The pacing of the meal and especially the wines felt rushed. The staff were top notch, fun, and knowledgeable. Overall, I felt there were a lot of interesting ideas, only some of which were executed at the highest level. I also think the arc of the meal and the pairings need some tuning. Its a fun and different atmosphere for a fine dining joint and definitely in the two star family. But its not in the top half of that distribution.