Alinea Chicago - Buy Reservations

I recently had the pleasure of dining at this restaurant, and I must say, it was an incredible experience. From the moment I stepped through the door, I was greeted with a warm and inviting atmosphere. The layout of the dining area was well thought out, providing both comfort and intimacy. The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the food. The menu boasted a wide variety of options, each one more appetizing than the last. I opted for a mouthwatering steak, cooked to perfection and accompanied by delectable sides. The flavors were bold and the presentation was impeccable. Not only was the food exceptional, but the drink selection was equally impressive. The restaurant offered an extensive list of beverages, ranging from classic cocktails to artisanal creations. The attentive and knowledgeable staff guided me through the menu, ensuring I found the perfect pairing for my meal. When it comes to pricing, this restaurant offers great value for the quality of food and service provided. While not the cheapest option in town, the overall experience justifies the cost. I left the restaurant feeling satisfied in every way. The combination of delicious food, remarkable drinks, comfortable ambiance, and attentive staff made for an unforgettable dining experience. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone in search of a truly outstanding culinary adventure.

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Very good! Everything we has was well prepared and tasted great! We will definitely return for another meal.

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Back after 8 years! - entrance is completely different; feels more like walking into a house now than the dark creepy hallway- the food menu has changed quite a bit- favorite dishes: squaw duck, wagyu, the jolly rancher tasting balloon with helium (hilarious when you speak after), and truffle explosion- least favorite dishes: the fish soup where the egg drops in, the dessert they make in front of you (I remember there being more chocolate and ferrero rocher-type before; now they use butterfinger candy), the pin pulling potato where you pull the pin out and the potato drops into the soupOverall, still a highly unique experience with superior service. I feel like they increased the protein they provide so I left full.

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It is definitely worth checking off your list! As the only 3 Michelin starred restaurant in the midwest, you really are guaranteed an exciting an interesting meal. I think they played us the greatest hits- we had a lot of dishes that I've seen posted. That's not a bad thing, just worth noting that you may see spoilers in reviews as they repeat plates (such as the banana split dessert.) Overall we had a wonderful time, but it is incredibly expensive and at the end of the day it didn't change my life. Go if you have the opportunity! Also pro tip, one common dish is the Truffle Explosion which you can get any time at their bar called The Office in Fulton Market.

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Sigh. Was super excited to try this 3 star Michelin restaurant but what a let down.... Was it an amazing experience? Most definitely, with creative and beautiful presentations of the multi course menu extravaganza. Did the experience consists of delicious food? Not so much. Alinea sacrifices taste for superficial pizzazz. More catering to photo foodies then true foodies and relying on camera hype rather than basic taste. It's rather sad and perhaps best captured by the satirical movie The Menu. A few dishes of course were tasty. It's not like the chef can't cook. But I've had far better at a fraction of the cost without the pomp and circumstance. When shelling out oodles of cash, we want both our eyes are tastebuds to be equally tantalized, not one at the sacrifice of the other or such flagrant imbalance. Don't fall for the hype and gorgeous Instagram pics Alinea can provide. Unless that's indeed what you're really there for. I, for one, will be dining elsewhere.

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Very mysterious restaurant as you can only book online; as well, there are no signage except a black door and in the rain, very difficult to find. However, once you enter, you feel like you are taken away on a journey. The decor and sound dampening help to set the focus onto the room and meal itself. The staff are attentive and informative about each dish. I would have prefer they didn't switch back and forth but that could be part of the experience? The star of course are the dishes as they come out one by one in a well time manner. Each one prepared to perfection with very unique taste and more exotic ingredients. The presentation was nice but not over the top. I was perhaps expecting more but they were delightful nevertheless. I enjoy the small detail with the facade egg burning incense to add to the aura of the "hunt"with the squall dish. The meat was beyond tender and succulent. They finished strong with a dessert presentation on your table top and nice helium flavor edible sugar balloon. All in all, a nice adventure for the taste buds.

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We had the opportunity to upgrade our reservation to the kitchen table last minute and do not regret it! Alinea has been on our bucket meal list for years now and we finally pulled the trigger for our 25th anniversary. What an experience! The glass box set in the kitchen corner, the professional service (shout out to Bruno and Bronson for an incredibly personal meal) and the food! Oh the food. All senses are satisfied with each dish. The Paint experience is especially fun! It’s definitely a monetary investment but the memories made are worth it for us. Again thanks to Bruno and Bronson for making our night truly special.

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Coming to Alinea has been a lifelong dream, that I never actually thought would come true. I'm sure you've seen the videos and the pictures, and it's very similar to what you see--molecular gastronomy, incredible service, intricate details--but the experience itself is indescribable by any medium except by actually going. I was lucky enough to sit at the kitchen table , so I got to watch the kitchen work, and it's something I will never forget.

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I never thought I'd be leaving Alinea a one star review but here we go...Been there twice. Once in the Salon and once in the Gallery. These visits were pre-Covid. As a vegan, I was very impressed with their vegan accommodations at the time. On both occasions we were able to have the full Alinea experience and every course of our entire meal was vegan. I loved it. I would keep going back. Alinea used to be my favorite restaurant. I loved how creative and innovative all the courses were--especially since they were vegan. When a chef makes the bold and brave choice to offer not only a vegan menu item but an entire vegan tasting menu, and execute perfectly on that--it's impressive, to say the least. After dining there twice I could see that the three Michelin Stars were well-earned. Would have given it 5 stars. But something BIG changed...Unfortunately, after Covid, it seems Chef Achatz doesn't want to make an effort to accommodate vegans anymore. Alinea used to have a "Flora" and a "Fauna" side to their menu. The "Flora" side was vegan and the "Fauna" side was not. I thought that was such a creative take, being able to serve non-vegan food for the general population as well as vegan food that would be suitable for not only vegans, but also vegetarians, people with lactose intolerance and other food allergies, etc. Post-Covid, while they can make a meal meat-free, they no longer have menu items which don't contain eggs or dairy. They no longer have a side of the menu designed to accommodate people with special diets. This isn't a matter of "needing" to add eggs and dairy because the flavor would suffer without them; this was simply a choice of laziness as far as I can tell. Achatz can and has created literally dozens of delicious and satisfying vegan menu items in the past.For a restaurant known for pushing the boundaries of molecular gastronomy, one would think that vegan cuisine would be seen as a unique opportunity to create all different kinds of tastes and textures that either mimic foods we already know and love or go completely counter to what we ever knew was possible. Many chefs around the world are seeing vegan cuisine as the newest frontier, where new ideas, ingredients, and boundaries are constantly being pushed forward in the most unique and exciting food movement of the last century. There's a reason it just keeps gaining popularity, even among non-vegans. Perhaps Achatz is resting on his laurels at best, or at worst, either suffering from a creative roadblock, exhaustion, or just throwing vegans and those with food allergies under the bus because we don't matter to him for whatever reason. Unfortunately because of his choice to stop accommodating vegans, Alinea is now just like every other fine dining restaurant that views special diets as an annoyance rather than as an opportunity to create and innovate. That's a red flag in my opinion and is quite disappointing considering what Alinea used to represent but has slowly been losing grip of in recent years in the Chicago fine dining scene.While not yet having earned a Michelin Star, Brass Heart has a multi-course vegan tasting menu that is quite good and is a great option for vegans and others on special diets who are now being turned away by Alinea. It's apparent that a lot of thought is put into the vegan tasting menu; it's not an afterthought like in many other restaurants.Boka (one Michelin Star) also has a vegan tasting menu but it's sub-par so I wouldn't recommend.Alinea was the top of the list of these restaurants for me for a long time, but now they're just another snobby restaurant that looks down on diners with special diets and has clearly lost focus of what they used to be known for and what ultimately makes food fun: novelty, challenge, and innovation. Such a shame.

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Great foodAmazing serviceAnd I learned that white asparagus does not make your pee smell as strong as green asparagus does.

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Food - very mediocre, we had better mealsService - great but very recited - the small talk is very forced Ambiance- great We did salon experience. Started at being very hungry and ended up feeling stuffed. There's no way I would be able to eat more that what we were offered. However we were not impressed with dishes. Nothing really stood out and in fact we had better meals at their neighbor Boka, one Michelin star restaurant. At the end of the meal my husband and I agreed that each of us will come up with one word that would describe our experience and say it out loud at the same time, here's our independent choices:1. Casa Bonita of fine dining 2. Walmart of fine dinning We were not just not impressed by the food but frankly disappointed. But oh well at least we got that off our list.

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Unique. One of a kind. This place is truly awesome.The food I ate here had some of the best tastes I've ever had - and I still remember the tastes vividly almost 2 years later.A bucket list item for any person who enjoys food ...or even just breathes air.

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Went here, to the Salon, for a special birthday and it was definitely an experience. The food was the icing on the cake. I had flavors and ingredients I otherwise would never eat. There was truffle, scallops, mussel broth, caviar, fois gras and more. The dessert that was spread all over the table was my favorite part: it was fun to watch, was plentiful and tasted good. I felt just fine being in the salon. I wouldn't be able to eat anything else if I had any more servings like at the gallery. My husband and I were stuffed! I didn't do a wine pairing as I read reviews that you can get tipsy by the end and I didn't want to be. We ordered about 4 drinks between us, wine and cider. Service was impeccable. Different wait staff bring you dishes but we had one main server. I deducted one star from this review because my finger got poked pretty hard when I put my hand under the fabric chair to scoot closer to the table. A very sharp needle was sticking out. When I told one of the passing servers he simply said that it must be from the upholstery - then walked off. Well, DUH! To not ruin the bday celebration I kept quiet and didn't complain. I just was careful in scooting in and out. Overall, I'd pay to go back, and I can't believe I'm saying that...

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A recent review from Chicago food critic John Kessler painted Alinea as having become slightly tired in its approach to 3-star excellence. While I would agree that I have experienced snappier, more polished service, or perhaps greater unity and coherence of menu with more of a singular chef's identity, there is a certain charm and approachable recklessness to Alinea that will keep the curious coming through its doors at least once, despite nearly two-decades of service. Many of the Alinea classics such as caviar with brioche foam emulsion continue as mainstays and often help to bridge the courses as palette cleansers as we globetrot through different cultural explorations. If you are dining in the gallery (main floor dining) you will be treated to a brief excursion to the kitchen during which a team is cleverly transforming the dining room into a candlelit Victorian-era sojourn, complete with era-appropriate cutlery, potpourri, and china to compliment the squab and other assortments. This transitions to the A5 Japanese wagyu. Like many other high-end Michelin restaurants, this is sourced from Miyazaki Prefecture, which happens to be one of my favorite A5s; however, I usually prefer when the chef allows the A5 to be the star of the show without over-complicating its preparation or presentation. Here Alinea executes a rather busy presentation and underwhelming preparation of the A5. Of course, everything culminates in the famous dessert graffiti banana split and edible helium balloons. It's yummy and fun even if it borders on kitsch. And that's what will continue to keep diners coming to this mecca... It walks dangerously close to many gimmicky cliches but still remains fun and accessible, even if it doesn't break down culinary doors in the ways that we would like. Also note: no cocktail program. Kind of odd coming from the group that brings you Aviary. I asked for a yuzu cocktail and was offered a Fever Tree yuzu-lime tonic. As a nice touch, we received a last-minute complimentary upgrade from the salon (upstairs) to the gallery (main floor). The experiences are similar, despite a few less courses in the salon and less elaborate presentations of some courses.

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An wonderful experience full of surprises! I would go back again just for the dessert!

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I am just getting around to do this review of Alinea after almost two months. It's taken me awhile to fully appreciate (and comprehend) the experience enough to put into words.We got some food in the SF Bay area there if you might have heard. Been to some of the food greatest experiences like Masa's, French Laundry (meh!), and most recently Manresa (this past summer b/f he announced he was leaving). I've had the pleasure of dining here too in Chi-town, most recently at Rose Mary, Oriole, and Smyth too.I'd have to say that Alinea really hits differently than those named above. I wasn't exactly prepared that this format here is more of a theatrical performance than just solely a dining experience. The music, sounds, lighting all are a part of their show. Cirque de Soleil so to speak of the dining world. Yeah...I'm getting off into the weeds, I know. However, my impression were just that. The individual dishes were impeccable but the added dimension of the performance so to speak made this dining experience much richer to me. A very memorable experience!The flavors were well defined and very clean. Just about every dish. The most memorable was their climax dish the dessert 'art plate'. I dunno how else to exactly describe it. It's one the photos to describe it better. The server placed a plexiglass table top over our table. They (several servers) proceeded to splay out various sauces and desserty things to consume you're provided spoon to eat right off this plexiglass presentation sheet....then the center piece was nitrogen frozen ice cream (maybe whipped cream?) which enveloped the entire table with an eerie-looking frozen fog for a few seconds......Amazing! What an end to the meal!The dining companions go there for this experience once a year to get a new 'performance'. I'd have to agree. One of the finest dining experiences in my miserable Troll life! Definitely not a cheap ride, but well worth the 'AA' ticket cost at least once in your life!

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My wife and I went here for our anniversary. It was our first fine dining experience. Eating at a 3 Michelin star restaurant was on my bucket list. We had a 9 course meal with wine pairing (for myself) Almost every course was a show in and of itself. From dishes turned upside down, ceiling decorations becoming part of the meal, table fires, dessert painted on the table and edible balloons. The food was excellent and some courses were better than others. It was the most expensive meal I’ve ever eaten but well worth it.

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I honestly had no idea what to expect here other than a memorable experience and amazing food. I was not disappointed it was a blast. It was a very entertaining experience. The service here was out of this world. The staff were very knowledgeable about everything including the wine. This was a very scientific based meal, the tastes of everything were altered with certain ingredients it was wild. My favorite part of the meal was the Mexican dish. The dessert was a beautiful disaster but it was delicious. This was a culinary experience I will never forget. If you’re thinking about it- YOLO DO IT!

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I'll preface, I've been a hostess and server when I was young, so I am appreciative when service is consistent and solid. We went to the Gallery - $550 per head (tax + gratuity included) + drinks. Group of 4 Hostess team - ZERO STAR! HOSTILE! Garrett's popcorn team gave me friendlier service for spending $30. We were the earlier patrons for 9pm seating. They showed us the table and asked if we're okay. We didn't sit down and asked if we can take one of the tables of 4 beside it AWAY FROM THE DOOR. There's a draft from the door and then the patrons from upstairs would be walking behind part of our table when they leave the Salon. Not okay for $550 a person. They said the seats are assigned, with no further explanation. The standoff continues. One of hostesses came from the front came to join the discussion saying there are assigned seats because of dietary restrictions. I asked her if she memorized every seating and their restrictions, she said yes because that's what they do at Alinea. I think that's BS, she is not a server, she doesn't even offer us water, I doubt she would know. We asked about another table across, also, "No." We reluctantly sat down. Shortly after a gentlemen offered us a different table. WTF? The worst part, our original table by the door ended up going to a table for a 2!!! That made more sense for them since it has more room for the couple to shuffle away from the doorway / stairs where the salon patrons would use! Food 4.5 stars - Great food. Great theatrical experience even for our colleague who is a repeated patron. Service is questionable 3 or 4 stars. I'm Asian, I asked for my hot water and lemon since the beginning of my meal. They were good at topping up my hot water, just that my teapot of hot water was always cold. No tea or coffee offered at the end. Maybe they just don' they don't have any. They didn't offer the guests at my table, those who did drink whether they want to have a dessert wine. Just thing I expected wasn't there. I dined at Jungsik NYC (currently Michelin 2 star) earlier this month, the food was okay, but their service was better even though they had a glitch one of the dishes (you'll have to read my YELP review) and we caught them making an excuse for that too. Overall, it's still a great foodie experience to share with others. We will return. I just wish the Bartender/ manager at Roister can show the Alinea hosting team what service is. He was awesome!

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