4. Restaurants

Local Root

601 N Mcclurg Ct, Chicago, IL, 60611
  • (312) 643-1145
  • Store is closed

Local Root Menu

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  • Kate B.

    I went to local root with a large crazy group. My group wanted bottomless mimosas ($19/person). I was a little bit disappointed with the service. I ordered coffee when I got there, and I did not get it until everyone had already gotten their food. I had to ask two people about it. They also forgot the juice I ordered. Everyone else's food came out. They brought out an omelet for me, but it wasn't what I ordered. I had to tell two people the my food was missing. The server eventually stopped by and stated that it was forgotten and needed to be finished (not her fault). They brought out the omelet I ordered, but I had subbed out for fruit which they forgot. It was dropped off very quickly and I couldn't get the servers attention before she walked away. No one came back very quickly so I was unable to ask them to fix it. I also had toast and was not brought any jam or butter. It was just a dry piece of bread (can I not have jelly with my $15 omelet?) Food was okay. It wasn't the best I had. Not sure it was worth all of the hassle. They need more servers. The one we had was friendly but so busy that it was hard to get what I ordered. Tracking down a server was hard. They need to hire more people. I've had better in Chicago.

    (2)

  • Christy L.

    Local Root is one of the few brunch places in my neighborhood, and while the food is decent, the service is amongst the worst I've experienced. My friend and I were there this morning and were quoted a reasonable half an hour wait during peak brunch hours. We went to the bar where it took the bartender 20 minutes to serve our Blood Mary's (which were very tasty). Meanwhile about a quarter the tables in the restaurant were open with no one being seated - perhaps the kitchen needed to catch up. Fifteen minutes after being seated, we still hadn't seen our server. The neighboring table told us to plan on waiting forever or to talk to the host/manager. Finally I went and asked the manager to send a server to our table and got zero apology. It took 20 more minutes to get our coffee and soda (both were sitting on the counter waiting 10 minutes before we asked the bus boy to bring them over). Our food came out separate - my friend was nearly done eating before my skimpy omelette arrived. Meanwhile the table on our other side received superb service - apologies for the wait and were served 10 minutes before us despite being seated 10 minutes after us. Not sure how Local Root gets four stars with the service we experienced this morning.

    (1)

  • Caryn P.

    We went for brunch- it was not busy.... I have figured why! Our server was great, the iced tea and orange juice was delicious, the rest of the meal, however- was not. The Mac and cheese was bland and flavorless- we added salt and hot sauce to eat it. The crab cake Benedict was burnt and inedible. The chicken and waffles was terrible. The waffle was flat and the flavor was sub par- had an odd taste. I had the pork Benedict. It was awful. The pork was not good- all I could eat was the eggs. Also need to mention that it took forever to be served our meals. Not sure what was going on in the kitchen. The pain of it? 3 people was $90.00 including tip. No alcohol. We left and took an uber to go eat- we were hungry!

    (1)

  • Ilana O.

    I really wanted to love this place. For the concept. For the what I assumed would be unique dishes. For someone who works there who I thought was pretty cute. But, sadly, I don't love it. The place: Our server was nice, courteous. We sat outside, so I didn't get a great read on the interior, but nothing stood out really as terrible or amazing. I think it's probably nice enough inside, but my friends and I appreciated sitting outside, on one of the 12 Chicago days that we're able to. The taste: We got some breakfast skillets....and they weren't bad, but they were overpriced for what they were, and they weren't amazing. This place obviously prides itself on highlighting local products. My New Yorker friend hated the ketchup. It lacks high fructose corn syrup, and to him, any flavor that he could tolerate. We suggested that he walk around with his own bottle of heinz going forward, but in this moment, he had to, in his opinion suffer through the less than palatable midwestern ketchup. I didn't think it was as terrible, but it was a flavor I wasn't used to and didn't particularly enjoy. The mushrooms in the veggie skillet - those stood out as juicy, flavorful, delicious. But the main "vegetable?" in the skillet was potatoes. I guess when I'm going to a place to experience local cuisine, I don't get that excited about local potatoes. Maybe that's just me, but there were so many potatoes, and I would have rather had a skillet highlighting other veggies. My face: A little let down. I think we each paid around $25 for our respective dishes, with coffee, which was almost worth the $4. I get it, intelligensia, that's what it costs, and it's good, so okay. Still $25 seemed steep for this brunch. I think you pay a little for the locavore aspect, and a lot for the location. Not sure I'd go back again.....if someone was in a bind, I might recommend it.

    (3)

  • Bella S.

    The breakfast was absolutely delicious! The ingredients they use are all one's looking for in a healthy meal. The kids shared pancakes. We had poached veggie ciabatta something which was a hearty meal and very delicious. The service could've been better as they didn't remember little details like whip cream on those pancakes. Yet the servers were very nice, apologized profusely and blamed it on not been used to so many customers on a Monday. Overall good breakfast!

    (5)

  • Andy W.

    I will start this review by saying that my food was pretty good. However, most of my table had issues with their food (there were 8 of us). Many people complained of under or overcooked food and/or missing food (items that were ordered and never came). The concept of the restaurant is nice. We went there for a friend's birthday who is very into farm-to-table restaurants. When we got there, we ordered cocktails. The service from the start was extremely slow (and the restaurant wasn't even half full). We had to ask for things multiple times because the waiter would forget to bring someone's drink or appetizer. The food came out and my sandwich was great (I had the pulled pork). I was a little bummed because the mac and cheese never mentioned that it had mustard on top - that kind of ruined it for me. There were a few things on the menu like that where not all the dominant flavors were listed and in my example with the mac and cheese, it made it so I didn't want to eat it. All in all, we had pretty bad service and the food was just average. Probably not a place that I would frequent again.

    (2)

  • Barbara T.

    We were in town for a long weekend. Our condo was right around the corner. The reviews looked great. The prices seemed a little high but we're from San Diego so we weren't that surprised. We headed down for breakfast. Then we waited, and waited and waited...20 mins to get seated. Not so bad. Then 30 more minutes to get a cup of coffee and champagne. 1 hour to receive food that was mediocre at best. Usually, I would never wait 30 minutes for a cup of coffee, but at 15 minutes, I felt invested. The waitress kept telling us it was coming. But where was it coming from? They have no pots of coffee. It looks like each cup is prepared individually. As for the champagne. I love the bottomless idea. But I don't like that they pour it from a bottle into a carafe, then they pour it into your glass. Bubbles, where are the bubbles? None left after a double pour. The pulled pork I heard so much about was way too sweet for my taste. The omelet our friend had looked like a sorry overcooked mess. My husband's eggs weren't cooked correctly but there was no way we were sending it back. Maybe the reviewers are so taken by the locally sourced food that they overlook the quality and the service. I don't.

    (1)

  • Marie S.

    Horrible! My brother had the closest thing to a burger and he had to go to mcdonalds after it was so bad. My sandwich was aweful, and our parents didn't have anything good either. It was all overpriced crap. The soda, which they claim to be home made, was even terrible. I'm not even picky. Never again.

    (1)

  • Tom B.

    Was staying at the W around the corner and had literally just checked in before I found this place. Figured it was just going to be a simple, nothing special meal. Quite the opposite. Food was great, had live music going on and seated at the nice quiet table tucked in the corner. Had the cheese plate, truffle mac/chz, kale salad and pork sandwich. Per the recommendation of our waitress Ruby, I tried Koval Rye which is a local whiskey made with honey. I'm from SF and we don't have the stuff here. I'll probably begin scouring online to order some. Kudos for my being my first meal in Chicago since I was 7 and not disappointing me.

    (5)

  • Emily M.

    Went for brunch on Saturday. There was no wait which was awesome. The food was very good (burger and French toast), the interior cute, and the service very good.

    (4)

  • Barbara B.

    Update for brunch- I came here for brunch the other day. I love the side walk seating if the weather is nice. It was much less crowded than Yolk down the street that had a crowd of people hovering outside. I had the pulled pork benedict and a latte and both were great. The pulled pork was nicely cooked and flavorful and the potatoes were crispy and well seasoned. At $14 for the benedict the prices are a little steep, but brunch in general in the city is expensive, and yolk's regular benedict is $12.49 (cheapest around here is West egg at 10.50) so it's comparable for better food, delicious pulled pork instead of canadian bacon and a better atmosphere. As noted numerous times on yelp- this place is not fast, but why come here if you need a quick meal? This is a place to relax, if you are in a rush just come and get a pastry to go instead.

    (3)

  • Cheri E.

    Being from California, we were hunting for something healthy while walking around Chicago. We stepped into this place and it felt like home. Of course I ended up ordering the most unhealthy thing on the menu but I'm on vacation! I got the chicken and waffles which came with a spicy maple syrup and bacon butter. It was a totally different take on this favorite dish but I liked it. The serving was two drumsticks on a waffle. Not huge. Husband got a "veggie benediction" and enjoyed it. Very fresh ingredients and they bake their own bread. He also ordered s hot toddy of some sort. This was not a cheap lunch. Two entrees and one cocktail was over $50 after tip. Yikes. I just drank water.

    (4)

  • Douglas H.

    I'll start off by saying the food and drinks were awesome. We started off with cheese and charcuterie the assortment was great. Really loved the brie. For entrees we had a burger, watermelon salad, and portobello mushroom, all excellent. Great melding of ingredients to make amazing flavors. The drinks were also very good with the unique assortment of spirits. In all the food is five stars. The service is a whole other story. Started by putting my name on a list and had another group seated before us who arrived after us. Once seated it took 20min before our waitress showed up. She was very nice and knew the menu well. It took another 20min to get our drinks, 10 min after that the app showed up missing one of the meats. Took 10min to get the missing meat. Then took another 20min to get a second round of drinks. About 10min later the food showed up. Didn't bother to ask about dessert since it had taken so long for everything else. In total dinner with an app took almost 2hr. If you have time to kill and are very proactive on ordering drinks can be very enjoyable experience. The manager was apologetic through the entire process and comped our drinks. Assuming they were short staffed because they weren't terribly busy. Would try it again because of the quality of food, but service will need to improve. Happy Dinning!

    (3)

  • Tamara N.

    Jesse was our server, very personalable. The drink make this a 4 star. Gimlet...Soo good. Crab cakes spicy and very go9d. Skip the stuffed mushroom, too muchstuffing not enough mushroom.

    (4)

  • a e.

    I just had the best brunch of my life. I ordered the weekend brunch special of chicken and waffles- a beautiful waffle with a leg of friend chicken (FULL of flavor), topped with spicy maple syrup and a dollop of bacon butter. Yes. Bacon butter. The maple syrup gave it a little kick and you could really taste the bacon in the butter. I could not put my fork down. It was so delicious and all the flavors went together so well. My server Andy was attentive and very knowledgable and helpful with the menu. Everyone there is very friendly, especially the host with the red hair. I also had a coffee, which comes in a giant glass mug. I drink a lot of coffee so this is perfect for me! My mimosa was delicious- evenly balanced between champagne and OJ. I will definitely be back, I want to try everything else on the menu!

    (5)

  • Kimberly P.

    Super pleasant staff. Open very early. Organic food. A shame that they are right next to a big coffee mogul!

    (5)

  • Jessica Y.

    STOP REMOVING MY REVIEW! My review got removed because I wrote a haiku. Then it got removed because it had "personal info" Nothing redeeming Sad, seems like a good idea All was vinegar ***BTW menu still says 7 am on the website**** We were looking for a breakfast spot that was open early as we had an event we had to attend at 8:30 am. Checked yelp, looked at your online menu - all said breakfast started at 7 am. We arrived at 7:20 am. Was told breakfast did not start serving until 8 am. "Would we like a pastry?" Nope, can't. We needed to have breakfast before this event and pastries were not going to work. I looked again at the yelp and at your website - everything said 7 am - as well as the menus on the host stand. So I asked the server, everything says 7 am - we really would like to have breakfast here and we are on a tight schedule. He asked the chef, chef said ok, he could make us something. Server #2 now comes to give us our water, and we want to order. He says no, breakfast does not start until 8 am. Ok, at this point, very frustrated. We just talked to Server #1 and apparently he can't communicate to Server #2. We were ready to just go but we continued on - really need food this morning. We expressed as much to #2. And now a huge discussion takes place. Instead of just asking us what we would like to have and going back and talking to the chef. Finally we place our order. The Chef's favorite - Pulled Pork Benedict. It arrives at 8:15 am. And it tastes like vinegar. I realize some chefs use vinegar as a shortcut to poaching eggs but the eggs should not taste completely of vinegar. On top of that the BBQ sauce on the pulled pork is also heavy on the vinegar. We left 2/3 of the meal on our plate. At this point we could not complain any more. We just wanted breakfast - the most important meal of the day. And when we said fine to the server's question, "how was it?" - any server worth a dime would know nothing about that meal was fine. And Server #2 also acted very sharp, like vinegar. Thus "all was vinegar." Now I really wanted to like the place. So I finally ordered a pastry. A chocolate croissant for the road. It was terrible. Heavy, oily. Threw it out. Thus "nothing redeeming." I don't know what to tell you about the food. I'm happy to disagree on that. I rarely write reviews anymore - only really good or really really bad. I hate writing bad review. But, a lot could have been fixed by the service at the time - I would not have written this review if the servers were better trained. After all the food can get messed up or not be to our liking, but at the end of the day, it's the people that make it a place you would recommend.

    (1)

  • John B.

    My wife and I have been meaning to try this place since it opened given we live a block from the restaurant. We have always liked the idea of a restaurant based on locally sourced farm products. They also seem to have a very well stocked beer selection which I will definitely look to try next time but we were there for brunch. I got the chefs special omelet which had three different meats. The size was much smaller than what seem like eight egg omelets at most breakfast places. It was rather good. The bacon was phenomenal and very crispy. The service was very attentive and a restaurant always starts off good in my book when they put a pitcher of water on the table since I drink a ton of water. We will definitely come here again but more likely for a dinner just to try the variety in their menu.

    (4)

  • Michael S.

    Went here for brunch on a Saturday morning. We ended up having to wait quite a while to be seated although we did request to eat outside on the 6 or so table patio. I had the grass fed burger while my companion had the eggs benedict. My burger was definitely good, although I thought it was too expensive ($16). There is an Irish place, Dublin's, in the Gold Coast which has in my opinion better burgers for $9. The eggs benedict received a decent rating although I do not think it was noteworthy. Overall, I think this is a decent option if you are in the area, but the higher than average prices for good, but not great, food, means I probably will not be a repeat customer.

    (3)

  • Dan K.

    A big anti climax. Tofu scramble was heaped with the sharp taste of tumeric?? Accompanying breakfast potatoes were under cooked and contained black bits. It's really unacceptable cooking in this day and age, particularly in a city with so many great culinary options. Caesar salad was plan average. No touches, nothing special, totally unremarkable. Not cheap either. A beer each and the bill was over $60 for lunch. A wasted lunch on our short trip of 2 days in this amazing city.

    (1)

  • Rachel M.

    All local produce and you can tell...it's fresh, healthy, delicious and with friendly helpful staff and a relaxing atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Susie S.

    Love the Idea and concept as I live a Paleo lifestyle! I was there for brunch and it wasn't crowded. The service was very friendly but crazy slow. Also...my server didn't know anything about the local farms in the menu. To be successful as a farm to table restaurant ...the servers must be educated on what they serve. I'll give it another try but they have some work to do.

    (3)

  • Jen G.

    The food was ok, we waited 25 minutes for our three omelette's and one blueberry muffin. Could have understood the wait if they were slammed, we were one of three tables seated inside. Food was ok, nothing to write home about and service sub par.

    (2)

  • Aurelia K.

    Local Root is a fantastic restaurant find in downtown Chicago. The food is delicious and I've never been disappointed - and it's locally sourced, so guilt free. The chic/rustic atmosphere is perfect for business lunches and casual meet-ups. The servers are friendly and efficient, even during the lunch rush. I highly recommend this place. And do yourself a favor and get the post-meal coffee. It's divine!

    (5)

  • Stephen C.

    The food here was just okay. Everything seemed quite oily and not light and fresh tasting. Service was below average. Staff seemed a little disinterested. Even though the restaurant was empty they insisted we sit right next to another table.

    (3)

  • Carol K.

    What I thought was going to be a sandwich shop, turned out to be a local concept where I wasn't sure what was supposed to be the star . . .the food . . or the bar? Upon entering- you are greeted with a huge blackboard that tells you just how far the various ingredients are sourced from where you stand. Good for today's consumer who is more interested than ever about where their food comes from. We were seated at a table in the front booth and began to look at the menu. Interesting that the alcohol menu has more real estate than does the food. Our server came over and steered us toward a few of his favorites, the pulled pork sandwich with jalepenos, the poutine with pulled pork,the mac and cheese with pulled pork and the vegetable soup. Ha! I think there was a pulled pork theme going on! Of all of our entrees- the best was the pulled pork sandwich on a soft brioche roll. The fried jalepenos on it added just the right kick. The mac and cheese lacked really any flavor and the poutine was a sad attempt at what should have been a decadent indulgence! The hand cut fries were way over cooked and tasted more like shoestrings. And when we brought it to the manager's attention, I thought he might replace them or take them off the bill, but that didn't happen. I also think the place lacks personality. The server and the manager never cracked even a smile or seemed welcoming. It was almost a little awkward when the manager came to our table. All in all, I think the concept is interesting. But the food was just okay at least on the day we stopped in. Ha! Maybe we should have ordered something from the bar!

    (3)

  • Jessica H.

    The Local Root was a happy dance for my tastebuds. The atmosphere may not be up to par with other restaurants in the area, but it was still inviting and warm. I had the prosciutto flatbread as an appetizer and ate it all (this is a feat worth mentioning because I'm a 100lb petite little lady). It had the perfect amount of crunch and equal parts savory. For the main dish I tried the servers recommendation of the "stuffed portobello." Can I just say...THANK YOU, CHICAGO. I'd quickly purchase the sauce itself, and the goat cheese, spinach, and mushroom combination just blended all so nicely. The bread that was served alongside of the entree was just as fresh as everything else. Overall, this was the best place I ate at during my visit in Chicago...and I are at some pretty swanky, high-class joints!

    (4)

  • Griffin K.

    My first experience here was great. The second and third, however, have left much to be desired. The last time I tried to eat here, the hostess quoted me 30 minutes wait for Sunday brunch--totally reasonable. But after 45 minutes, I walked up to the stand to check in on things, and she said it would be another 30 minutes. What? Why? I ended up walking home and cooking myself breakfast. Not the end of the world, but with so many other great options in the area (Yolk, etc.), Local Root might not be my first choice in the future.

    (2)

  • Nicole C.

    The food was delicious here and the menu was unique. I liked the fact that the menu items were from the surrounding area - servers can tell you where the items originate. That local and sometimes organic element makes the menu a bit pricey which is the only reason for the 4 star. Breakfast for 2 was almost $50.

    (4)

  • Anna G.

    My husband and I have a great deal of food allergies, and were very skeptical about finding a caterer for our belated wedding reception who could compassionately and patiently work with us to provide a menu that would allow us to enjoy everything, without compromising taste and quality. After timidly sending email inquiries to a handful of local vendors, I was overwhelmed with gratitude when I received a response from Local Root, enthusiastically advising me that they would easily be able to work with us. From day one, the Catering Manager, Bruce, was a joy to work with. He responded promptly to emails and phone calls, reiterated everything in writing that we spoke about by phone, and did everything he could to accommodate our hyper-specific requests calmly, like they weren't strange or high maintenance. He was also extremely organized, and quick to make suggestions when we brainstormed about the menu and presentation. Shortly after exchanging a few emails, Bruce invited us to have lunch with he and the chef, Isaac, to discuss the event. Not only did we come up with a menu that met our needs, but they agreed to accommodate our request of sourcing bread and pasta from two additional, out-of-state vendors, and serving the home brew my husband makes, worked with us to identify and order the specific, deli-style packaging we wanted, and allowed us to provide labels we designed to apply to the containers. The day before the event, I went to the restaurant to drop off the sourced bread, pasta, and food labels (which a handful of kind staff people offered to carry in for me), and Isaac invited me to the kitchen to taste some of the ingredients that would be used in the food for our party. It was really rewarding to see how many items were from local sources, and the quality was evident in the flavors I was able to sample. It was also a wonderful opportunity to see how much care was going into our event, and how passionate Isaac is about what he does. On the day of the party, the catering team did a fantastic job of setting up the buffet (of sandwiches, salads and chips), walking our guests through making their selections, and clearing everything out before the end of the evening. Both Bruce and Isaac took the time to stop by the venue to make sure everything was to our liking. We were also able to tip the staff by phone a few days after the party, instead of having to deal with doling out cash after our reception, when we were frazzled with getting everything out of the venue in time. The food was exceptional. From the bottled sodas created in-house, to the three flavors of handmade potato chips, to the roast beef made on the premises specifically for our sandwiches, everything was delicious, and very much enjoyed by our guests. We're so very grateful for the time, effort and attention to detail that Isaac, Bruce, and their team were able to provide. They were understanding, gracious, and showed that they really cared about the quality of our experience, even though we were probably especially difficult to work with due to all our restrictions (which they treated very seriously). Thank you Local Root for alleviating so much anxiety, and delivering excellent food and service. Without you, we would have been reduced to cooking all of the food ourselves for 100+ people in our one-bedroom apartment!

    (5)

  • Courtney W.

    So. I love a good brunch and came across this place when searching for a good brunch spot (with mimosa's) near Navy Pier. Upon arrival there were people sitting outside and a few inside. We were greeted and immediately seated. I ordered the bottomless mimosa ($19) not realizing you could order by the glass ($8). Sounds good right? Yeah. Well when my glass was filled to the top with champagne and only a teaspoon of pineapple juice, I knew my liver was in trouble. Lol joking. FYI: The mimosa's come with freshly squeezed with OJ but I'm not a big fan of OJ so I asked for pineapple juice. But along with the glass was a carafe of champagne and pineapple juice mixed together. I couldn't finish the entire carafe and was unable to be charged for only a glass so be sure your order is correct when it's placed. For food I ordered the breakfast skillet which came with 2 eggs cooked your style, potatoes, caramelized onions, spinach (yum!) and mushrooms. You can add meat for an extra $4. I added bacon. It was good but lacked a little flavor. I guess being from the south I'm used to bold flavors and this was kind of bland. Overall, I added some hot sauce and finished my meal. Our server (Samantha) was awesome and very attentive. The place had a very relaxed feel - I'd return. Oh yeah, the bathroom was super clean (major plus lol).

    (3)

  • Linda B.

    As you can see, I had a disappointing meal at Local Root two months ago. I yelped about it and a representative from the restaurant got in touch with me. Long story short, I was asked to come back and try the truffle and mushroom flatbread again. I went back today around noon, and even though they were serving brunch, they were able to make a flatbread for me anyway. (Side note: I had brunch the first time I came here and it was very good. The food that went past me today also looked delicious). I knew right away that the flatbread would be good this time because it smelled amazing. And the smell didn't lie - this was much better than before and it's a meal that I would recommend. I also spoke to Isaac (the chef and the owner) and they were both very pleasant and seemed to genuinely appreciate the feedback. I definitely would come again and am glad that this was sorted out.

    (4)

  • Brooke O.

    This is one of my favorite places for brunch. A hidden gem in the middle of Streeterville. This is a place that on Sunday morning you can still just stop in at 9 am and get a table right away. Their pulled pork benedict is my favorite thing on the menu. They also have great fresh squeezed orange juice. I have been here for lunch one time. Their lunch special with soup and half a sandwich was good too. The kale soup I had was better than I expected.

    (5)

  • Sofia J.

    Dinner for 1: Restaurant is very cozy when you're grabbing dinner by yourself! Very friendly service. Comfortable arm chairs. Loved the crabcakes, with their crunchy crust. The frisee was too tart but had it been toned down, I would have loved the citrus and "tamed" greens (they were soft, not unruly as frisee has a tendency of being). Brussels sprouts (that day's sauteed veg side) had a delicious orange glaze but were too al dente (I shouldn't need force when cutting each sprout in half). One of my favorite parts of the dinner was actually the warm baguette and olive oil - I ate more than half!

    (5)

  • Kristen P.

    I live close to this place, so it does become a choice of convenience. I SO want to love this place, but every time I try it, it always falls just short of something memorable. Food is becoming more consistent, which is important. They have a great concept of farm-to-table, though sometimes it seems the ingredients don't shine through. A lot of the food is salty. Other times, the food is very bland. They have a hard time striking exactly the right balance all of the time. I'm also not sure what I'm getting that is so unique to justify the cost - a $12 salad of iceberg lettuce and Caesar dressing? The service is friendly, but SO SLOW. That's nice when you're in no hurry, but for it to take over an hour to get a cup of soup and salad is ridiculous. Another table adjacent to mine had to get their food to go because it was taking so long to come out, and they had to return to work. Finally, I still think the prices are outrageous, even considering the organic sourced ingredients and neighborhood. My lunch of a cup of soup and salad cost $25. No alcohol, no frills, $25. It's simply not worth that cost for what you get at LocalRoot.

    (3)

  • Chad C.

    A tad overpriced in my opinion, but the food was genuinely tasty. The brussel sprouts were seasoned quite well, and the wine selection was impressive. The ambiance was off though, I went on a Saturday night at around 6 and there was practically no one there. Overall though I thought it was a fine experience.

    (3)

  • Jennifer M.

    Great healthy food! Best Chilean sea bass I have ever eaten! We come a lot and service is friendly and efficient!

    (5)

  • Aiste B.

    I had the best scallops in the world, and I've been eating scallops forever! Service was excellent and I got to meet 2 chefs and they were very nice! I love the concept of this restaurant I think its a brilliant idea to get what they can locally. Men, if your lady likes scallops take her here and order them!!

    (5)

  • Kathie R.

    R U kidding me- we waited half an hour for COFFEE and the place wasn't even full. My friend ordered bottomless mimosas and got the same wait. Screwed up one of our orders too, which we waited an hour for. The waitron threw cookies and a muffin at us for our trouble. We wanted coffee and breakfast. The food was very mediocre and overpriced. Need I say more?

    (2)

  • Nataliaen R.

    They make really -really good coffee. thanks for making me feel good every time I get one.

    (5)

  • Anshika A.

    Great place to have some vegetarian options. They have a huge variety of Mimosas and good collection of coffee beans. Don't forget to try Latte with almond milk. I love the veggie skillet and the place is right around Downtown.

    (4)

  • Michele M.

    Delicious! Just had a late breakfast here on a Monday. Bacon is thick and tasty. They customized the French toast for my son, no cream cheese or almonds. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Nick P.

    Local Root has a great selection of food from farms in the tristate area, it even tells you on the menu how far away the farms are in case you want to just drive there and get even fresher food. I had the chicken and waffles, you know, from the great chicken and waffle farm in Wisconsin. It was a lot more food than I expected and it tastes great. They have surprisingly large portions all around (the blueberry pancakes come with 3 large pancakes). Service was okay, our server seemed a little distracted despite them not being very busy, but it wasn't a terrible problem. This place is a little pricey, but that's to be expected when everything on your menu is from a different local farm. All in all a good time. I would recommend this restaurant to any breakfast food lover.

    (4)

  • Grace L.

    5 stars for the quality and taste of the food but very expensive for the amount you get. $12 for sausage and biscuits with two tiny pieces of sausage! $12 for a salad with no protein! Croissants are soft and fluffy wonderful in fact but also $12 for an egg and cheese sandwich. This place should be a $$$ place since you get so little for what you pay for!

    (3)

  • King L.

    I had brunch here on Monday. The restaurant is very pleasant and as most reviews say, it's a great concept. Whenever a place has polarizing reviews, it's a sign of inconsistency and I always keep an eye out for this hoping that I'd win the coin toss and lean on the side of good. Unfortunately, my group lost the coin toss and will likely not return: 1. Service was extremely slow from the kitchen. We ordered at 11:45 and our food took about 45 minutes. I asked the waitress on status and she told me "good food takes time". I'd agree except that two three tops that seated and ordered after us got their food before us. Clearly, something is amiss with their queuing. The physical amount of time to cook the food should have been 15 min tops, this was definitely a order of operation issue. 2. Overall, the food experience was underwhelming. I ordered the chicken and waffles special based on reviews here. The waffle was burnt. The chicken was a skin on-bone-in chicken breast that looked like it it was just deep fried. No breading, no seasoning, and no brining so it was dry. 3. Our waitress was non-existent between the time we ordered until the food came. Once the food came, she checked on us every five minutes to see if everything was ok. Nice gesture but more frequent communication while we were waiting for our food would have been nice. This place definitely has promise but it needs to step it up. For the price they are charging for food in Streeterville it needs to be much better.

    (2)

  • Reinaldo M.

    Food was pretty good. I had the pulled pork poutine and my girlfriend had the Mac n cheese with pulled pork. Went there on a Friday night around 8. To my surprise the place was empty. There were only a few patrons eating. But in a big city it's always nice to have a nice dinner and not have to shout to the person on the other side of the table. In way it made our experience a lot better and more memorable. The service was great. When I go back to Chicago I'll definitely grad dinner here again.

    (5)

  • Fuudcritic C.

    Great food. Great service. Everyone from hostess to server was really nice. Did not know that place exist. They have brunch 7 days a week with bottomless mimosas....where can you find such thing in Chicago. Great lunch and dinner options as well. Will be back.

    (4)

  • E L.

    Looking for some fresh fare, we ventured to try out this place. Really liked the concept of eating food from local farms. Unfortunately, we were quite disappointed. My $11 salad consisted of red and green leaf lettuces tossed in a light vinaigrette. For an extra $5, I got some dry flavorless shredded chicken. We ordered the pancakes which came out so burned - as in almost black - they we returned them. To their credit, they came out much better the second time around. You don't get anything with those pancakes though. No butter, no syrup. We ordered a cup of fruit as a side. It came as a small ramekin of two cubes of cantaloupe, three grapes, and one blackberry. For $4. Unbelievable rip-off for sub-par food. Next time we crave healthy and fresh, we're going to the Whole Foods salad bar a block away.

    (2)

  • Nataysha D.

    The Farm to table is a very cool concept one I am familiar with living in Austin, TX so I was pleasantly surprised to find this place. Bobby's bike tour recommended it and it was great. I had the omelet and some coffee it was cool to see on the menu where every part of my omelet came from (local farms there in IL). If I lived in Chicago I would be back.

    (4)

  • Michael S.

    I give local roots a solid 3. Service was awesome loved the $5 wine night. I ordered the steak frites at $24. It was ok. Fries were greasy. I agree with other views. Way too greasy. Steak it had to be a skirt or flank it was tuff. Cooked the way I asked but needed more seasoning. I wish I would of ordered something else really. If I wanted grease. I would if done poutines or Mac with pulled pork. It is a good place. For my first time I know where to order. My first thought was steak and salad.

    (3)

  • Dee W.

    Great concept executed very well. Servers are very friendly and helpful with explanations and suggestions. Had the special pork shank with puréed parsnips and glazed fingerling carrots. It was rich, with complex flavors and oh-so-tender meat. We'll be back often.

    (5)

  • Ashley R.

    We were famished after walking around Navy Pier and stopped by Local Root for some brunch. I ordered the blueberry pancakes, my beau got the steak & eggs, and our gnome, Bob, got some much needed hair of the dog.

    (4)

  • Hanna G.

    Best chicken waffles ever. I honestly don't think anywhere else will compare to theirs. I love the idea of local and fresh, and it definitely tasted so. I'm not from Chicago, but I look forward to going back.

    (5)

  • Lisa S.

    One of the best, organic, natural brunch places I've found in the city. Everything was so fresh and the chilaqueles were so on par. Everything was reasonably priced, aside from the coffee - it was good, but not worth the cost. However, the SUPER reasonable prices on the bottomless mimosas more than make up for it! Wait staff was also super attentive and friendly.

    (4)

  • Gremlin J.

    The good: Sustainable, locally sourced food. Incredibly attentive staff. Cute atmosphere. Good food presentation. The bad: Weird location. Food was not memorable. WAAAAY to expensive for unimpressive food. I came here with a friend for Restaurant week. The space, while somewhat awkwardly located in the midst of hotels and navy pier, was very cute and welcoming and the staff was all super friendly and charming. I'm vegetarian (my friend is not) and they were very aware and helpful regarding that. The quinoa and kale salad that I started with might've been my favorite part. There were mushrooms, zesty-lemony quinoa, and nice bits of kale. My friends parsnip bisque was rich, though not memorable. I got the Golden Eggplant Tower as a main course and it was just meh. The eggplant was deep fried and while the two pieces sandwiched spinach and goat cheese, I couldn't really taste those things. I actually gave most to my friend and ate all of the broccoli that accompanied it (as that was perfectly done). My friend had the trout - the portions looked meager. Honestly, we both thought we needed salt - but there was no salt in sight. (And I'm not a person who usually reaches for extra seasoning). For dessert, she had the bread pudding which resembled something more like a cobbler. Not super sweet, but pretty good. I had the flourless chocolate cake, which was cold and moussy. Good, but didn't stand out. We each had a cocktail (taking the advice from our server) - but honestly, they were no where near as special as I thought they should be for $12-$14 a pop. (I frequent the Violet Hour and if they can make me magic in a glass for $13, other places need to step it up!). Also, the beer was all marked about $2 higher than what you'd find in most places. Overall, I liked the atmosphere and our server was a delight. I really want to support places that cook with locally sourced food. But there's NO way that I could justify the portions/boring-ness of the food with the price. The experience was okay, but it's unlikely that I'll be back unless I'm unusually in the area for something. And even then, I'd probably avoid a full meal.

    (3)

  • John C.

    Decent food and a good selection of drinks. Service was good. Local sourced and organic blah blah blah. Went with friends ( not my choice). Little on the high side price wise but not outrageous. Solid food and not as hippy as one might expect. If you like the local sourced organic scene I would give it a 5. General food 3. Service and experience they get a 4. Worth a look if you're in the area.

    (4)

  • John H.

    Stopped in for brunch. Was very good. Had good beer choices and the food was very good. If you get the crab cake Benedict, be aware it is very spicy. I ordered the chicken and waffles. That we're very good. The maple bacon butter is very very good.

    (5)

  • Carolina J.

    What a wonderful place. My friend manages restaurants in the suburbs and we went there for the first time. He was very happy with the whole experience and the extremely friendly service. The waiters are incredibly cool, laid-back but do their job and more. They are very attentive, come to check on you every 15 minutes. They have a limited menu, we just ordered the Amish chicken with mashed potatoes which was REALLY good. Both the chicken AND the potatoes were very good. i had ordered a side that wasn't on the menu and they misunderstood me but they quickly rushed to fix it. i don't judge a service by the number of mistakes, but by HOW the mistakes are handled. Recommended if you want great mood and a super fun night.

    (5)

  • Jess F.

    This place wasn't on our radar for brunch, but in looking for a table on what happened to be Mother's Day, the staff was most accommodating and won us over. Patio seating was great. My only disappointment was that the service was a little spotty- drink ordering was delayed & the drinks themselves were very slow in coming. But we enjoyed our morning and the friendly nature of the servers and chef alike. The food was outstanding. Their traditional eggs benedict is served on ciabatta with a generous portion of ham, really nicely dressed salad greens on the side, and house potatoes, which were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The chicken & waffles were also a hit at our table. The syrup put it over the edge with little bits of bacon. Chilaquiles were another standout, really nice heat in the salsa roja. We appreciated the simple cocktail menu and bottomless mimosas, which were made with peach sparkling wine- not a bad thing. The chef came to our table at least twice to check in. A nice gesture that complemented the values of the restaurant: know where your food comes from! Prices are fair and comparable to other brunch menus in the area. Most brunch options are $12-16 (my benedict was $12) and serving sizes were generous. Not bad for locally sourced in Chicago!

    (4)

  • Ambrose P.

    So first off the service at this place was great! I had just landed in Chicago and was starving .. I stopped in the place before heading to my friends place. I had the pulled pork poutine fries. They were very tasty and the portion size was enough to share with someone. Would definitely recommend this place !

    (4)

  • Starstimes2 S.

    Went for brunch on a Saturday morning. Wait was about 30 mins but we just sat at the bar. Mimosas were ok. Not great. Service was great. Got the tofu scramble and the waffles. Both were average. Great ambience and love the picket fences outside. Really think they could make better mimosas. Wish the tofu scramble came with toast or something. All in all- a nice place for brunch

    (3)

  • Nishita H.

    Very fresh food and great service. Had 4 adults and 4 kids - easy to get a seat and while they didn't have a kids menu, they were very accommodating. Falafel was made to order and the vegan chili had a great kick! Only 4 stars bc the menu was limited for vegetarians.

    (4)

  • Nina B.

    Came in on a Monday morning for brunch and the place was almost empty. Waitress was delightful. Bloody Mary was good but nothing extraordinary. I had the pulled pork eggs Benedict and really liked it. Potatoes were just ok. The poached egg was also a little overcooked too. My friend ordered the champagne chicken and said it was really dry. Great coffee! Great concept with zero waste and all local otherwise it would have gotten only three stars from me.

    (4)

  • Rachel M.

    We were quickly seated on a patio by one friendly staff member and promptly brought a bottle of water for the table. We had a bottle of Pinot Grigio for their half price bottle night (Tuesday) and also decided to order a cheese plate. The food is lovely - fresh and well curated. I wish we'd had a more competent server. He was remarkably absent and uninformed, although other employees we encountered were very helpful. I was dining as part of a couple, and had no introduction to the menu or the mission of the restaurant (which is why we chose it in the first place), although two girls at the next table seemed to get excellent service. For a place that advertises its craft beer, you expect the servers to have some knowledge of the selection. We also opted for a truffle flatbread (excellent) and beer flights (great selection of local beers). If our waiter would have remembered our order or been informed about which beers made up the beer flight, it would have made for an excellent date night.

    (3)

  • Deanna C.

    Service is great and so is the Mac n cheese. I walked by this place all the time and finally decided to have dinner here. So glad I did, apparently they're about to start having brunch too! Great add to McClurg.

    (5)

  • Jamie M.

    UPDATE 2/2014: Local Root has become our go-to favorite in Streeterville featuring well executed menu items that highlight local and regional offerings, solid pours from Heather at the bar and dynamite table-side service. And don't forget about their brunch - best Chicken and Waffle since Charleston, SC. Our second night out in Chicago, we stumbled onto Root while exploring our new neighborhood in Streeterville. I'm pretty sure they vent aromas of the simmering soups onto the streets to entice pedestrians into the restaurant, and it worked! We were seated by Abby who told us about the varying menu and helped us decide from the sampling of fresh veggies and local Illinois meats. The wife had a HUGE, perfectly-cooked medium cheeseburger while I enjoyed the nightly special of peppery pork ribs. Overall, a great experience, a nice selection of nightly food specials and a very cool bar area.

    (5)

  • Elizabeth W.

    My four stars come with a disclaimer: I have never sat down and eaten a meal at Local Root. My visits were both to grab a beverage and a snack to go. I loved the selection of baked goods available on my visits. The scones here are moist but not soggy inside while crispy but not hard on the outside. Perfect! Plus, I can look right at the board behind the register and see where the eggs and butter in those scones originated. I also enjoyed the selection of teas. The person making my iced tea on my first visit told me exactly how long it needed to steep before I bought it, so I would know I was in for a wait before I made a commitment. He also let me smell the teas when making my selection. Fancy! Everyone here was super friendly on that visit, too. I heard three hellos when I entered and had the door held for me by bus staff as I left. I made sure that I stopped in the next time I was thirsty and in the neighborhood, because like hell I was going to wait in line for iced tea and a stale muffin from the crankypants staff at a local competitor. Hopefully I do get to sit down and have a full meal here someday. I think the bread pudding is calling my name!

    (4)

  • Brad C.

    There are times in your life when you have to make a choice. Choose Local Root. Looking for just a simple salad and quick, I stumble upon LR. You see roots, you think greens, yeah that makes sense. Only a couple blocks away from my place? Sign me up. By the time I finally decide that I am going to be that lazy and order a salad for delivery, hunger has set in an even more convincing fashion. What else I wonder? The first thing past the salads and soups, stuffed portobello with spinach, goat cheese, and a house made marinara. That didn't take long. Ten minutes later a knock on my door, that didn't take long either. The rest they say, is history. The following day I take my mother out to eat, and after such an impressive performance the day before, LR was the obvious choice. Being in the service industry for sometime, going to a place twice where so many food options exist is almost a cardinal sin, thank goodness almost only counts in horsegrenades. Vegan chili, kale and quinoa and bacon soup, and crab cakes with an adobe chile aioli. The term so good it makes you want to slap your mama applied here, she agreed, but also pretty happy the term wasn't practiced. Next morning, coffee to go that the oily bubbles almost came oozing out of the lip. Next night, Old Fashioned with Koval Rye (Chicago), using real cherries and an orange zest, different take, better result. By this point the staff is worried. Does this guy know he can eat somewhere else? I almost forgot too. Thanks for the reminder, but a 12 ounce sea bass for $27? Once again, sign me up. Once again, wonderful experience.

    (5)

  • Jigna S.

    Pleasantly surprised with this neighborhood gem! We went for brunch...ordered the vegan baguette and the brisket benedict (chef's fav). I wouldn't normally order a vegan anything, but this was delicioso!! The cumin apples were an excellent touch with the tomatoes, marinated mushrooms, and mozzarella. And soo very filling! Comes with fries too. The bf seemed very pleased with his brisket benedict also. Only negative point - our service was incredibly slow. We came at the tail end of brunch in a less than full restaurant, and yet our waitress took the longest time to clear our dishes and even longer to bring our checks. Several nearby tables who came in after us already ordered and finished their meals in the time it took her to get us our check.

    (4)

  • Kate D.

    Good espresso. Very smooth and flavorful. But Local Root you lost a star because you don't serve breakfast during the week! Other than that, this is a fabulous breakfast and lunch cafe. The food is fresh and creative and the bread is phe-no-me-nal. And this is coming from a paleo-primal eater who rarely touches bread. If I eat bread, it is going to be worthwhile. The baguette makes me reconsider everything I have ever known.

    (4)

  • Laura B.

    Have visited several times. Food is great. Last visit we think the server forgot to put in our order. We had mentioned our need for fast service to get to the theatre so this was a big problem. They didn't attempt to make things right, no apology as we waited and waited for a simple sandwiches.

    (3)

  • Matt C.

    Quick read? - Atmosphere is open, making it a great place for a casual meal - Staff is friendly, and the kitchen is open to see - Breakfast is great, good portions + value, good Intelligentsia coffee - Lamb sausage is tasty and well-balanced with other ingredients - Frites are excellent (I can't wait to try the poutine) Local Root opened just this past week, and we stopped by this morning to pick up some breakfast and some coffee. The space is excellent, with nice high ceilings, an open kitchen (through which we saw them baking more biscuits and baguettes for the day), and nice big windows. My girlfriend and I both got variations of their lamb sausage with goat cheese breakfast. It came out in a reasonable amount of time, with pleasant, attentive service. The sausage came cooked together with eggs and zucchini, and the taste was perfectly balanced. With most ordinary breakfasts, the egg can drown out the rest of the ingredients, leaving you with the sensation of eating plain scrambled eggs. This is definitely not the case with Local Root, with the lamb sausage coming through subtly together with the lightness of the zucchini. The breakfast also came with excellent fries (frites), cooked to a perfect crisp and seasoned with kosher salt. I ordered the plate, which came with a biscuit and some excellent tart cherry jam. My girlfriend ordered the sandwich, which was almost the same idea, only with the egg/sausage/zucchini plated onto the biscuit. (One note, the biscuit is more of a ciabatta roll, which is much healthier and offers a cleaner taste than your traditional biscuit). The portion was plenty for a good breakfast, and together with coffee came to less than $20 for the two of us. They serve good Intelligentsia coffee, although it is not single-cup brewed. I was impressed with the flavor they were able to coax out of a normal drip brew, although I failed to notice that they do have a french press option. That being said, I have no complaints about the freshness of the coffee (and considering the only alternatives are Metropolis at Yolk (brewed the same way) and Starbucks, Local Root is filling a long-standing hole in the Streeterville area). Ultimately, a great start for Local Root. I'm hoping they keep up the quality and the service, and will be heading back soon!

    (5)

  • Dan S.

    Nothing to complain about here. Good food, plenty of drink options, nice atmosphere, and friendly staff. I don't live in Chicago, but if I'm back in the area I'd definitely come by again.

    (4)

  • Nancy B.

    I like the service and the food. It is different from a lot of the other restaurants around. I hope they stay open for a long time! Thank you for being more health conscious and carrying unique items.

    (4)

  • Drew M.

    We love this place. Always good service, always great food! They have some amazing baguette sandwiches. My boyfriend and I stop in once every 2 weeks for some bread which we bring home to freeze. I would also recommend coming here for dinner. You will not be disappointed!

    (4)

  • Sarah P.

    I had dinner at Local Root last night with my parents, while visiting for Thanksgiving. I know that in Illinois it can sometimes be difficult to source local ingredients in the winter months, so I'm always keen to try restaurants that make that a focus. For dinner, I had the "poutine" with bacon and caramel, the BBQ pork sandwich, and an apple pie-based cocktail. I thought that everything was excellent, and I will definitely be coming back next time I'm in town. While the service was not the most efficient I've ever seen, the waitress was very friendly, the food didn't take long to come out, and they were happy to substitute the fries with my sandwich for a side salad instead. The flatbread pizzas and charcuterie plates that the neighbouring tables had also looked really appetising, though I can't comment on how they tasted, since I didn't steal any! At any rate, I'd highly recommend that you try this place!

    (5)

  • Zac H.

    Been here 3 times already and looking forward to next trip back! Great breakfast, friendly staff, and terrific atmosphere!

    (4)

  • Mama L.

    Their croissants are to die for!

    (5)

  • Mihir P.

    I like this cafe-restaurant hydrid. It's got the cafe to the right and restaurant to the left. For some reason I expected the place to be more bustling for a Saturday night. But it's in a quiet part of town and the music was a mellow jazz sort. For a small place, I was impressed with their cocktail list. Several interesting ingredients for your hooch. Service is friendly and knowledgeable. I insist you get the brussel sprouts! They were out of steak which I was looking forward to having but had the chicken instead. I liked that is was cut up and easy to eat. Could've used more seasoning. If I am in the area, I'd stop in again.

    (3)

  • Julia P.

    I like to give places a second chance, especially in my own neighborhood, and of all the places we planned on for dinner with visiting guests, Local Root was the one I was most excited about. But I really can't gather any enthusiasm for even trying it another time. We had a reservation on a weeknight evening and sat outside. Food was just placed in front of us by various wait staff with no explanations (ie, of items on cheese and charcuterie board) and was nothing to write home about. SO many places offer such beautiful and delicious assortments of unique accoutrements with these sorts of boards - why would I spend this much for such a measly, unappetizing offering? And being a huge fan of Boone County Bloomy, I was looking forward to it, and it wasn't even there!! When some raindrops threatened we left so quickly that I wasn't able to ask about the falsly identified cheeses. We finished our evening elsewhere. (Now reading others' reviews, I find it quite fishy that the SAME thing happened to us that another reviewer describes -- ordered a more expensive glass for the Monday 5 dollar special and were told they had only one bottle left and it wasn't cold!! Not liking our wine very cold, we took them up on the offer to put the bottle on ice and they didn't seem too pleased with that. Very odd place.)

    (1)

  • Kai D.

    After almost passing by this place on the way to the Kingston Mines, i stopped in for a glass of water to wash down a pill. What a find. With a local farm fresh menu and an emphasis on modal brewery/dustilleries behind the bar, it fits right in to the trendy organic fad sweeping the nation. Having been raised a vegitarian since birth by Rastafarians that grew their own vvegatables, made goat cheese from the herd, got eggs from the coup each morning and skinned fresh caught fish, I can smell a fake wannabe green restaurant from a light year away. No such odor on this block. The owner behind the bar was glad to offer me samples to ease my curiosity of the plethora of whiskey and I preferred to go with the last one of 3 that he offered up. Ends up, I have good taste. Tripple Smoke- Cask strength, small batch whiskey is amazing, go figure it's made by the multi award winning distillery, Corsair. Which is now one of my favorites. Super nice oakyness and very pleased to have a knowledgable bar keep to talk to. I can't wait to return

    (4)

  • Imran A.

    This place brightened up my morning today!!!! I first visited this place when they first opened and had their Duck Confit Brioche... OMG!!! One of the best duck dishes I have ever had... trust me I am very very hard to please... I've had duck from 20 different places and this is the second place that I think does an awesome job! Today they put a smile on my face with their Lamb Egg and Cheese breakfast sandwich and Intelligentsia coffee. The fresh ciabatta was SOOOO GOOD!!!....Plus I had to grab a freshly baked Oatmeal cookie after reading multiple posts on FB... Wow! I've never been happier after eating breakfast. I'm 99% sure that I will up my rating after I try their Brisket for dinner soon!

    (5)

  • E B.

    This restaurant really does not have its act together. The food is mediocre at best. When I ordered a dessert, it was still frozen as though they just took it out of the freezer and didn't even let it thaw! I can go to Trader Joe's if I want to eat frozen food-- I expected much better from a restaurant. Also, it is WAY overpriced for the quality of food you're getting. There are so many good restaurants in Chicago -- don't waste your time here. Very small portions on some of the items. Also, the food is very inconsistent. I ordered the salmon on two separate occasions and the portions/ preparation were quite different even though they were supposed to be the exact same item.

    (1)

  • Jenny G.

    Excellent food! I recommend the brick oven chicken, champagne chicken sandwich, various flatbreads, roasted carrots, and pomme frites. My boyfriend favors the steak frites and lamb sticks. Brunch is equally as excellent. We are locals and eat here regularly.

    (5)

  • O K.

    A little pricey but fresh ingredients and unique menu items. Lyrics were in the smaller side but I was full after my burger (delish). I went with a large group (make reservations before cause it's not that big of a place) and service was a pretty good. Staff were friendly and accommodating. Also, $1 unlimited coffee on Mondays! Would def return with some girlfriends for lunch or dessert! :-)

    (4)

  • Betts C.

    I really like Local Root. I am not a Chicagoan, but if I were, I would like to think I'd spend a lot of time at Local Root. During my last two visits, I've made time for a really delicious boozy lunch and a pre-airport brunch, and I've really enjoyed both times. The only difference that seemed to have occurred in the six months between those visits relates to the efficiency of the two servers, but that might also be the difference between a 2PM Friday lunch and a 9:30 Labor Day Monday brunch. And though our Labor Day experience was a little slow, it certainly wasn't bad, and there was no wait for a table, so at least we were sipping coffee (or really excellent Chai from their house-made spice tea mixture). The first time, our waitress was a delight: very nice, very knowledgeable, and very flexible, allowing us even to move to a larger table after finishing our meal when we were joined by a couple others for drinks. Foodwise, Local Root is a delicious brunch-y type spot. The first time, I had a lamb sausage meal that was absolutely divine. It is not presently on the menu, but should it return, I recommend it wholeheartedly. The second time, I had their chilaquiles, and it was seriously good. Like rivaling my favorite spot in Austin, TX for chilaquiles. If you like Mexican brunch, give this a try. It has both red and green salsas, a big slab of fluffy eggs, and a bowl full of tortilla-y goodness and potatoes. It's quite a meal, but it's something of which I fear I would eat way too much if I had regular access. I've also tried one of their lunch special quiches, which was warm, fluffy, fresh, and had genuinely good crust, and their mushroom and goat cheese omelet. Unlike so many omelets, this was not dried out or boring; it was scrumptious and creamy in texture, and the goat cheese and mushrooms were a perfect taste sensation with the eggs. Drinks-wise, they do have bottomless mimosas, which are fresh and delightful. I've also had their bloody mary, and it certainly rivaled some of the better marys I've had, in part because of its bacon garnish. They also have bacon-infused bourbon drinks some of the time which are delicious and very unlike the hammy versions one occasionally gets. I'd say Local Root is a welcome addition to the neighborhood, and certainly would be my spot to hit up regularly if, well, I could be there.

    (4)

  • HockeyFan W.

    Anything that is this environmentally friendly deserves to charge a tad more for food. They compost and recycle everything..even their to-go containers are biodegradeable and they hand separate all the different types of recycling in the back area! The decor is all reclaimed wood which is pretty cool too. The food is excellent and the pastries are awesome. There are some kinks that need to be worked out but overall a great place to dine.

    (5)

  • Melissa D.

    Super cute place, price is reasonable for quality. This place reminded me of Portlandia.

    (4)

  • Tarra T.

    Great place - The boyfriend and I have ordered take out from this place a few times and we really enjoy the food. It is hearty and filing, and fairly healthy! My personal favorites are the Beef Brisket Brioche hot sandwich with frites and the homemade chili! Pretty delish! Haven't stopped her for brunch but will soon.

    (3)

  • Yvonne C.

    I've been here four times now, twice for dinner, once for lunch, and once for brunch. Each time, the food was excellent. I've had the eggplant sandwich (beer battered perfection in a pretzel bun!) with fries (just the right amount of "soggy" and salty), the perfectly cooked, moist salmon entree, the chef's choice salad with strawberries (was really surprised at how delicious a simple salad could be), the poutine, the home fries (PERFECT!!) and the bacon (so thick, crisp, and salty)... and I've eaten scallops and other things off of my friends' plates. The only thing I didn't love was the grilled veggie sandwich (soggy) and the toast (dry and lacked flavor). I love that the food is delicious and conscientiously brought from local farm to table. Every dollar is a vote, and this is the kind of business I like to support. They bake their baked goods fresh, on-site, and the cookies are like ahmagawd. I honestly can't remember ever having a better snickerdoodle or oatmeal raisin cookie. I would come just for the cookies. I'm a huge coffee lover and did not like the coffee. Why is it so hard to brew a good cup of coffee? The creamer was thin and I asked if it was half 'n' half because it wasn't very fatty or creamy. The waiter said yes, that maybe it's different from commercial half n half because it's local. ? Mmkay. Either way, not that great. Plus the coffee got cold which is kind of gross if it's not iced, and it took a long time for him to come by and top off with hot coffee. Then he forgot more cream. I had to ask for more cream twice. I used to wait tables - every time a customer had to seek me out and ask me for something it was a sign to me that I wasn't doing my job well. I'm sorry, there is no excuse here either - there were maybe five tables with customers, total, so it's not like they were slammed. Everyone has different strengths; waiting tables is not easy. Not everyone can do it. After reading some of the other posts, I agree that service can be slow. Out of the total of five waiters I've had, two were on top of things and awesome, and the other three were mediocre to not that good. On one occasion, one of the side dishes I was ordered was plated onto a friend's order. On another occasion, one of the waitresses spent who knows how long chatting it up at another table while we thirsted for more water. Great for the other table (not being sarcastic), but not that great for the rest of us patrons. I think she knew she goofed though, because she did apologize later for neglecting us, and she brought us free cookies as a sorry. Apology accepted! Conclusion? Clean, pretty, conscientious restaurant serving excellent food and cookies that would make Cookie Monster jealous, but service could use improvement, so don't be surprised if you have to be assertive and ask more than once for things that you need (water, refills, condiments, etc.).

    (4)

  • Maria R.

    Service was fantastic! And the Food was delicious :)

    (5)

  • Stephen S.

    Just slapping some stuff between two pieces of bread does not make a sandwich. Maybe some of the sandwiches are good but the vegetarian brioche offering (chickpeas and eggplant) is totally uninspired. You pick it up and all of the ingredients start to fall out. These ingredients would be much better suited for a wrap. If you wanted to use your brioche bread, that's fine, just figure out some fillings that will actually work given that. The fillings were pretty sparse as well which was unfortunate given how much you're paying for it.

    (2)

  • Jess V.

    I will not be returning to Local Root. I was surprised by the lack of vegetarian sandwiches here, but as I wanted a sandwich and not a salad I chose the only option, which was a portobello sandwich with strawberry jam and hummus. I was hesitant because I would not think to mix jam and hummus on a sandwich, especially with portobellos, but I'm usually up for trying any flavor combination if the chef recommends it. Big mistake. It should have been named the strawberry jam sandwich. The jam was so copious and overwhelming that I couldn't taste anything else on the sandwich. The portobellos were not just cold, but so cold they hurt my teeth (and I don't have sensitive teeth). I actually set the sandwich down because I couldn't eat it. Then I realized that I wouldn't have time to go elsewhere so I removed the top portion of the baguette with the jam on it and ate the bottom portion with the portobello and hummus as an open-faced sandwich. It still wasn't good, but it helped. There was only hummus on one quarter of the sandwich-- half of the bottom half. It's too bad, because had this sandwich just be hummus and a baguette it would have been good. But for $12, that would be one expensive round of bread and hummus. My significant other ordered the turkey sandwich, which he said was okay, but again, for $12 a sandwich should at least be good, if not great. Potbelly makes great sandwiches for under $6 and is just west of here. I would recommend saving your money and palette and eating anywhere but here.

    (1)

  • Amal S.

    WOW! My hubby & I went with couple friends and were amazed. We love the decor, the concept and the people. If you are a foodie and like new amazing places,you must try it. The chef brought us desserts which we talked about for the entire week. They offer locally brewed beers ,fresh food. We are going back for brunch,heard it is amazing. Dozzy ,Isaac are extraordinary people and will keep this place a success! LOVE IT :)

    (5)

  • Suzie R.

    Went here twice on our visit to Chicago, once for coffee and quick breakfast pastries to go (pretty good coffee, delicious almond croissant and carrot cake muffin). Second time we went for a quick sit down breakfast, bacon egg and cheese on brioche was decent (eggs are scrambled, not my fave) & pulled pork Benedict was good as well. Service was very friendly both visits. Cute little place (Rustic, farm-to-kitchen type vibe).

    (4)

  • WP L.

    Came here last night with my girlfriends. The food was delicious! I ordered the Brisket Poutine and Brussel Sprouts with bacon, goat cheese, and apples. Superb! We enjoyed 1/2 price bottles of wines too which were very good. Had a great time! Will definitely be back when I'm around this area.

    (5)

  • Nick K.

    I was torn between two and three stars because this place gets an A+ for effort. The staff is friendly and it's definitely a cozy environment that I would love to go to if it were not for two things: 1. WAY too overpriced for your serving size and for... 2. Average taste. Nothing to brag about here. It was not bad and definitely had that healthy organic flair to it. Unfortunately nowhere near delicious enough to consistently pay over 15 dollars for. I have been once and don't think I will be going back. As other Yelpers noted, go to Starbucks for cheaper coffee and anywhere else in Streeterville for a better bargain on the food. If the prices were lowered this review would be very different.

    (2)

  • Stephanie J.

    Love this place! If I lived closer, I can honestly say I'd be here every other day :) The atmosphere is perfect, comfy seating, friendly service, and great food. I always order a coffee, cappuccino, or latte and I have never been disappointed. If you want great tasting coffee, come here! :) My lattes come fully equipped on vintage dishes with a cute foam smiley face (thanks for those!) They don't add sugar (which I like) so you are free to sweeten it to your preference (and they have raw organic sugar, too!) They have drip coffee, french press coffee, if you like to actually taste your coffee then try this place out. Best. Cappuccino. Ever. I've tried the goat cheese flatbread, the cheese platter, cookies, soups, and all of it was super tasty! Everything in the shop is recycled/upcycled and vintage looking, even the bathrooms are pleasantly decorated (but not overdone) Your check comes in an old book, and they have uncooked pasta as coffee stirrers. Small quirky things like that make me love this place. The staff has always been great. Anytime I ask for something (honey, sugar, salt, spoon, etc) they come flying back with it in seconds. Everyone's got a nice sense of humor and they often check on you to see how your doing. I sat around for about 3 or 4 hours with friends and never once felt like I had overstayed my welcome. Anyway, if you're wondering if you should try this place out, DO IT. It's also nice to know that you're supporting local businesses. There's a Starbucks right next to it, but I'd pass that up to come to Local Root any day! ;)

    (5)

  • A M.

    Completely underwhelmed. I live only a few blocks away, and being a Canadian native, couldn't have been more excited when I walked past every day and saw that they planned to have poutine on their menu. The problem is, everything I've had there can be described as bland and average, but also way overpriced. I've been twice, and both times with a group, so I sampled a lot of what they have to offer. But when you don't do anything exceptionally well, then you just do everything so-so. It's too bad, it's a great concept, but I don't ever see myself going back, short of my mom coming to visit & getting her a poutine (but take a tip, Local Root: Poutine is the way Canadians serve french fries AS A SIDE DISH. Nobody eats them with all the crap you pile on them. Make one, traditional poutine, and do it well; don't have a bunch of "eclectic" (LR's hostess's words) combinations. And $10 for the cheapest poutine? Get real - it's a side dish at a sidewalk cafe). The thing is, as a guy that lives two blocks away & walks past this every day, I'm the guy they want to be a repeat visitor. Just isn't going to happen. Bottom line: Average food, way above average prices. Not a good mix Quick edit: The gazpacho was fantastic, and I would get that again as a quick & easy carryout, though it's more of a warm weather dish. I sampled the chili once too, it was kind of tasty but really, really heavy.

    (2)

  • Charm S.

    Awesome locally sourced and organic food, excellent coffees, great cocktails, and fresh baked goods. It's a cafe - cozy with a very friendly, layer-back atmosphere. The wait staff are attentive, move quickly, are knowledgeable and helpful. This is a perfect brunch spot!

    (5)

  • Mary H.

    My fiance and I have been to Local Root close over 10 times since it opened. When the food is good, it's REALLY good. Unfortunately, the quality is inconsistent and their service is usually pretty....well, bad. What we love: the cheese plate, the fries (I refuse to call them "frites"...c'mon), and the chocolate chip cookies are pretty amazing. When it comes to service, we've encountered several problems. We generally order their food to go and every time we walk in to order, we have the same guy who does not know their menu. It's a small menu as is and it shouldn't be so difficult to order a cheese plate. I generally order the same few things and sometimes something will be AMAZING and then the next time, it will be terrible. I feel like their staff just "wings" it when it comes to some of their dishes. The flat breads frequently come in varying sizes despite the fact that I was never asked what size I want. One night my flatbread will be 12 inches and the next night only 6. Ridiculous. The last two times I have been there are what have compelled me to write this review. Two weeks ago I stopped in to order some to-go food and the man taking my order didn't know how to enter in the cheese plate. Instead of politely excusing himself to get help, he looked at me and said, "I can't do this. It's not you, it's me. Someone else will take care of you." UMMMMM....did he just break up with me?!?!? It was baffling. Another guy came to take care of me and everything was fine after that but wow. Last night, I stopped in to LR at 8:30pm to grab some food. Specifically, I wanted 2 of their cheese plates and soup. Simple enough, right? Apparently not. They were closing early b/c they didn't have customers. Well, weird.... pretty sure I was about to spend some $$$, doesn't that make me a customer?? They said they would take a to-go order which was great since that is all I wanted. I started my order asking for the soup and then the cheese plate. I was promptly informed that they couldn't do the cheese plate because their sous chef had left for the night. Again, baffled! I then said, and this is a once in a life time question, "Can you not cut the cheese yourself?" The guy went to talk to someone else who worked there and then came back to tell me they could not prepare the cheese plate for me. Whatever. I left. I'll take my $50 and run. As I first mentioned, when the food is good, it's really good, I just don't know if I'm going to risk going there again. I don't want to worry about inconsistent quality or having them close early without clearly posting it somewhere outside. Of course, I do welcome the opportunity to ask about cutting the cheese again, but even that doesn't make it worth it.

    (2)

  • Jacob S.

    Sooooo delish-e-ous. Mmmm! On the way to the architecture cruise from the W....makes a corny father of two feel like he can ball. Get a flatbread to start, a veggie Benedict and a Bloody Mary and you're money

    (5)

  • Baba D.

    Great place for a quick lunch with colleagues. I orderd the Turkey baguette with half salad. The bread was delicious, you can taste the freshness and its texture is crispy on the outside and fluffly inside with a touch of salt (as a baguette should be). The coffee balsamic dressing was a great pairing with the salad. Place was very clean and great vibe. The price may be more than what most are willing to spend on a lunch ( more than $10 for entree), but I think the quality more than makes it up for it. You leave this place feeling good inside.

    (5)

  • V R.

    Love the location and decor but the arrangement and organization of the space lacks direction and purpose. I felt like we were in a Panera. Service was polite and there was no lack of effort (which is why they get two stars, not one) although additional training would certainly benefit the staff. For instance, empty glasses, bottles, and dishes sat on the table for some time even though servers stopped by to check on us several times; and when they did pick up empties, they would pick up some but overlook the rest. My drink sat empty for one course before I finally asked for another bottle. On to the food... We started with the duck poutine and scallops. The scallops were fantastic but some of the duck on the poutine was terribly dry. We ordered the blue cheese and mozzarella flatbread and even watched it being made. The crust was fantastic and it was cooked well, but the mix of cheese was very greasy and the crushed red pepper provided on the side wasn't fresh so it wasn't very spicy. In the end, the flatbread was mediocre at best but it does compel me to return just to try the baked goods. At this point I'm starting to think the cost for this place's gimmicks (i.e. sustainable, farm-to-table, zero waste, etc.) is consistency. After the second course we went back to looking over the menu. They had a pre-fixe menu the evening we went and for some reason, very few items on the pre-fixe menu appeared on their regular menu. Not wanting to be constrained, we wanted to order a few items from both menus. The chef saw us buried in the menus so he came by to chat. Very polite and nice guy but he was shameless in pushing the pre-fixe entrees so we relented and ordered the flank steak and four cheese ravioli (which he somehow mixed up with the poached salmon when he repeated our order to us). We asked for the steak rare (how we always order our steak) and he suggested we get medium rare because the beef was grass fed. Did this make a difference? Couldn't tell. The staff was very apologetic when the food arrived which was the only reason we realized how long we had been waiting because we were engrossed in conversation. The chef said it took him hours on end to make the ravioli but I think he meant cook, because the ravioli were beyond stiff, resembling cardboard. Dessert was less than inspired and made me rethink returning for their baked goods. After watching the kitchen staff step outside for several smoke breaks and our waiter put his jacket on and leave for the night, we decided to get up, find someone left on staff, and ask for our check. Final recommendation: Walk the extra blocks west and find food and service that's actually consistent.

    (2)

  • Don M.

    Great food and very reasonably priced, especially given the part of town it is in. Been there twice & enjoyed soup and flatbreads. Will be my first choice again the next time I'm in that area (around AMC on Illinois).

    (5)

  • Zarine A.

    I'm so glad Local Root opened - before it did, the eating options on McClurg were McDonald's and 7/11. I really like this place. The food is interesting (poutines, flatbreads) and the drinks are great. Sometimes, though, I'll get a particularly salty dish (this usually happens when I order something involving frites). In general, though, the food is great. Especially the bread pudding!

    (4)

  • Hoshea H.

    I'm from Philadelphia visiting my aunt and uncle here in Chicago. We were lucky to get a reservation here for lunch, and let me tell you! Our waiter was so friendly and nice. He asked if we had been there before and he answered all of our questions. They had a nice menu with vegetarian options; which was nice. I ordered the veggie baguette. It came out fast and it was delicious! Very unique with cooked veggies and figs. The fries were good too! The waiter asked if we wanted dessert, but we were all stuffed (good portions, I had to take some home). He gave us the check and some free cookies since it was our first time. We ate them later that day, and they were really nice. I love this place and I would definitely recommend this place to anyone. Wish we had one in Philly!

    (5)

  • I C.

    I have to admit that I was stalking this place all summer with high hopes. I was initially a little disappointed because I wanted it to be a healthy version of the other fast-food Streeterville lunch spots, but the prices are significantly higher. HOWEVER, if you plan it well, then this place is a real gem. If you're looking for a quick lunch, know that your options under $10 will be limited, but go ahead and get the Champagne chicken brioche sandwich and then try to tell me you'd rather save a couple bucks by eating another panini or burrito bowl. If you go for brunch, expect to see smaller serving sizes than Yolk, but a much calmer experience and fun flavor combinations like the bleu cheese and blueberry french toast. If it's date night, then get excited for fancy dishes like pheasant or Moules frites with wine sauce, at prices that are very reasonable. The service is generally very friendly, although sometimes slightly awkward, which I would attribute to either the slightly kitschy flavor (checks delivered in a used book, vintage unmatched dishes, etc.) or the newness. I've always been happy I came, but I know others are picky about such things.

    (5)

  • Scott M.

    One star for great coffee and beer selection. One star for great, friendly service. Half star for nice atmosphere. Half star for great location That leaves two stars for food and Local Root gets one of them. I had the Beer Battered Eggplant sandwich. It was good, but a few things could have made it better. 1) There was too much eggplant. The sandwich was too tall and too big to eat. I had to disassemble before attempting to eat it. 2) It is described as coming with tarter sauce and pickled onions. The tarter sauce tasted just like mayonnaise and there was no indication of any pickles, onion, capers, etc. The pickled onions looked and tasted just like caramelized onions. Neither of these items detracted from the sandwich but I wonder if it was made correctly(?). 3) To compensate for the potential loss of presentation if one slice of eggplant was removed, I think a 1/4 cup additional arugula or spring mix would have added some needed color and pop to the sandwich, but placed on top of the eggplant and not hidden underneath. All in all, a good experience.

    (4)

  • Kevin L.

    salmon benedict - nice light hollandaise. english muffin was best, chewy and crisp. coffee ok. side of fruit very fresh and flavorful. clumps of fat in super "organic" cream ain't special. their was an eyelash embedded in a piece of smoked salmon. kinda hipster like, reminds me of places in the mission in San Francisco but not quite all out hipster.

    (3)

  • allison k.

    Updates!! This place gets better by the minute, seriously. A few more weeks, tweaks and kinks worked out and I'll be updating my rating to 5 stars I'm sure. The "Bah, Cluck, Duck" now has gravy on it = AWESOME. Can't think of anything to make it better. It's perfection in a meaty, gravy smothered, perfect french-fry kind of way. Also went and tried the drinks. Loved the specialty cocktails, they were awesome. Also enjoyed the white wine we drank. Only down side is there isn't a huge selection of drinks but all of the ones we tried were delicious. Hopefully the wine list expands a little! NOW onto my third visit: Brunch. Oh. My. God. Seriously. I will be splurging on this on many a Sunday I'm sure. I had the pulled pork egges benedict and got to taste the blackberry crepe. I've never seen such a large blackberry in my life! And the eggs benedict was seriously to die for good. I hate going out for brunch because usually I can make whatever I get at a restaurant at home and it's not better than what I can make. I can't make these dishes and I even often make crepes from scratch. YUM. "Like" them on facebook for updates on discounts like 1/2 priced wines, $3 off Tuesdays on flatbreads, etc etc.

    (4)

  • Zsiberian N.

    Pretty interesting blend of a coffee house feel and a good food joint. Love it, will be back soon.

    (4)

  • Shaaru R.

    Nice little cosy place. The fare isnt very spread out but I am not too fond of too many options. The drinks are all right. I had the Martini which was a little watery but we were a large group of girls and we had an amazing wait staff looking out for us. I believe her name was Heather. She was so good to us and in figuring out our tabs and such and so patient with quite a few questions! The food itself was good, the poutines fantastic, the lentil& ham soup was flavorful and healthy and the trout was well done. I think there is home-made ice-cream and a fabulous apple-pie which I will def come back for!

    (4)

  • Diane W.

    We've walked by many times, decided to give it a try for breakfast despite low marks for service and price. The pan du chocolate must have been fresh made, since it took about 30 minutes to get it. It was almost bite size, not even up to French standard, but delicious, warm, and crunchy. The "bottomless coffee" served until 3 pm, never manifested until we got up to leave; otherwise to get a refill, we had to go to the counter to ask; we never saw our uncommunicative waitress again after the order was taken. The music was too loud, and the waitress had trouble hearing the order. We had fun w/ the order of pancakes when it arrived w/o syrup. "I guess I can get you some" was the reply by another staff, and out came 1 oz of syrup, w/ a grudging return back to the kitchen to get another ounce of syrup. In the future, we will continue on walking by.....

    (2)

  • M E.

    Tonight I had the bacon caramel poutine and the brisket brioche sandwich. Yum! The fries for the poutine were perfectly cooked and yes, it was pricey at $13-ish, but my goodness the portion was massive. The sandwich was delish and the brioche bread was great and fresh, though there was a bit more bread to meat ratio than I would have liked. Great, friendly, prompt service. I liked my first visit and I'm excited to come back and try more things on the menu.

    (4)

  • Ann K.

    Great food and friendly waitstaff. They also have awesome options when it comes to drinks. We were staying from out of town and we came on a Friday night for a light dinner. We got the stuffed portabella mushroom and the Brussel sprouts in addition to a few drinks. The food was flavorful and reasonably priced. The service was excellent. Our waitress gave us some great tips for finding other gluten free friendly restaurants in the city. I swung by the next day to pick up lattes, and the coffee was great. It was definitely fresh and prepared with care. Finally, we came by for brunch on a Sunday. My dining partner got the cinnamon french toast, which he devoured. It looked and smelled great, although possibly not the healthiest choice. But who cares. I got, upon suggestion, a breakfast sandwich made with gluten free Udi's bread. Do yourself a favor and opt for ANYTHING else on the menu! Its not the restaurants fault, but Udi's bread isn't really known for its flavor or quality. I ended up eating my eggs and bacon off the bread. It was a very sparse sandwich, and when I looked around at everyone else eating the breakfast sandwiches, theirs looked much more full of the inner workings. I would still recommend this place to everyone. I wish I had stayed longer to try more of their coffee and food. If I lived in the area, I would for sure be a regular!

    (4)

  • Kathy O.

    I sincerely want Local Root to succeed and remain in my neighborhood. That is why I am reviewing it thusly. When you only have 2 red wines by the glass, please don't run out of the one I want at 6:00 pm on a Tuesday. Also, please serve your chile hot, not cold. Also, speed up service, and lower prices. Thanks

    (2)

  • Sergio P.

    I love this place! My partner lives across the street and this is one of the few places in this touristic area of Chicago that has affordable (but not cheap) high quality food. I love the emphasis on local ingredients. I would describe the food as French Canadian inspired. Go for the soups, sandwiches and salads, you will not regret. The place is cozy, it has a feel between a coffee place and a restaurant.

    (4)

  • Mary N.

    Tried here for the 4th time. So wanted to love it. They were closed yesterday to work on service. Didn't help. Got the beet salad for the 3rd time. Once again, no baguette. Since I was there at 3:00 and the only one ordering no excuse for this. Had to dig to find the beet. I could justify the expense if this was a good salad but it is just not substantial enough to make a meal. Just checked the salad further. Also missing the nuts. So got one beet some cheese and greens for $12.00. Shouldn't be this complicated to make a salad.

    (1)

  • Matthew E.

    Excellent place for a local bite. I've been several times and enjoyed all of the experiences. They are exceptionally receptive to feedback, and seem to genuinely want to create a welcoming place in the neighborhood. Though their coffee and sandwiches to go are good, I find their playful menu most interesting. Try the dessert poutine. It seems weird to have french fries with ice cream, but I like the contrast.

    (5)

  • Dan B.

    Great concept- locally sourced organic fast food! I had the roasted vegetable Brioche, a hot sandwich. I opted for the fries rather then a salad. The fries were great, fresh , light and hand cut. Not the soggy skin on pub style served at so many other places. The sandwich was excellent, the roll fresh out of the oven, a true brioche (Sweet yeast roll). Well I was in the area the very next day so I stopped in again. This is a place were you pay for your meal then bring a number back to your table. The chef himself brought out my plate. Smiling he delivered in less time then you might wait at McDonalds. This time I had the duck confit brioche. I can't say which was better, the veg or duck. I did go for the fries again. When I come back I am having the champagne chicken- with salad! This place has not had there grand opening yet. If this is practice week I can't wait until they are full on. I don't take time to write many reviews, but I do when I come across 5 STARS!

    (5)

  • Anthony W.

    Local Root is fantastic. It's really a great place to eat. Their fresh baked pastries are fantastic. The food is wonderful as well - it does a great job of making great cuisine available. The options for flavors and foods is pretty impressive. Also, the fact they go so far out of their way to get local produce is nice to hear. I really respect the effort they put into supporting sustainable farming and creating food in a way that works with the environment. Great food, great attitude - I strongly recommend it.

    (5)

  • M. G. H.

    I might change my mind on this rating after a few more visits. Their offering is a bit confusing as they serve food but not a lot of variety; have a bar but again not a lot of variety; and have an espresso bar when starbucks is right next door. I appreciate that the theme is meant to be locally sourced organic food however these supposedly high quality ingrediants are wasted in the way the food is prepared and presented. I had the bacon and scrambled egg sandwich which if i am honest would have been better at other local establishments. Organic food is wasted if it is not prepared and presented in the right way. Believe they need to work on establishing a better identity. Overall not convinced but hope they convince me in the future!

    (3)

  • Joy M.

    Went for lunch and had the pork sandwich with apple slaw- it was delicious. The atmosphere is relaxing and the staff was super friendly and pleasant. You can absolutely tell they use fresh ingredients and it's nice to have a quality lunch and not feel rushed. I will definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Ginger S.

    "Flatbread" app was a pizza- not what I was expecting, but good. Short rib special was savory, rich and wonderful. Trout entree was overcooked. Risotto with it was very good. Friendly, well-informed server who knew his beer selections. Very pretty, mismatched china.

    (3)

  • Marie S.

    I love this place. The food is wonderful, and the staff are incredibly friendly. But What really keeps me coming back constantly? The coffee. That delicious, delicious intelligentsia coffee. It's not noticeably more expensive than the Starbucks next door, but it's worlds better! I love coming here on a Friday for lunch with a discount for Northwestern students, then lingering over coffee (served in a real mug with free refills).

    (5)

  • Todd B.

    As a longtime resident of the neighborhood, I felt like it took FOREVER for this place to open - that's less a comment on how long it took to build-out and more a comment on the lack of quality, interesting dining establishments in Streeterville. So when Local Root finally opened its doors, I was eager to "plant myself." I did not dine in but rather carried out my first order - living around the corner I'm hoping this place becomes a go-to spot for quick bites. "Becomes" being the operative word, because there were a few issues with my meal that I'll address here so they can hopefully iron some things out. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with fries and a bottled iced tea, which came out to like $496. I'm kidding (clearly), but it was like $17 or $18, which I thought was more than a little steep for how heavy (light?) the bag of food was. I don't want to be the guy on Yelp who complains about expensive food being expensive - I know organic costs more and the rent in Streeterville ain't exactly cheap - but I still remember holding that bag and thinking "this $18 meal feels a lot like an $8 meal, so it better be freaking INCREDIBLE." Sadly, it wasn't. I walked home (literally like 3 minutes) and when I took my first bite of my pig sammy, I noticed three things: the sandwich was not very big, the pork was cold (not "lost its heat during the 5-minute commute" but actually "cold"), and there was about one medicine-dropper's worth of bbq sauce on it. If this was intentional and I just lack the sophisticated palate to appreciate a cold pork sandwich with a hiccup of bbq sauce, then feel free to smack me down. The bun was tasty and thick, and the pork and sauce had a nice flavor. It just lacked temperature. And prominence. And sauce. The fries were good - at first - probably because they tasted as if they had been individually injected with 100 CCs of grease. Seriously, what was initially flavor-tastic soon became too rich and greasy to finish. I'm pretty sure if I squeezed the fries I could have generated enough oil to heat a small country for the winter. So I'm not gonna give up yet on you Local Root. You're way too close, especially as the cold-weather rolls in and saps my desire to travel far & wide for grub, and I really like what you're trying to do here. As a diner, I just wish I got a little more bang for my buck - or if I know I'm gonna shell out $20 for a sandwich/fries/drink, I want to know that it's a near-orgasmic experience. This time fell a bit short, but I'm hoping to hop back in the sack with you soon, LR!

    (3)

  • Kelsey G.

    I ordered a salad right at 11 am (the Julius- a caesar), and the lettuce was already browning and hardened from where it had been cut (apparently last night). The croutons were entirely too large, particularly when being eaten with those recycled material utensils (which I love usually, but not for trying to eat the massive crusty croutons!). The dressing was pretty much just mayonnaise- certainly no anchovies or anything to add that flavor, so I don't really think it should be called a caesar. The tomatoes were not crispy- a little limp and some wrinkled. And the salad came un-tossed, so I had to pick at some gloppy pieces of lettuce and eat other day-old lettuce completely dry. Oh, and I got to pay $10 for the pleasure, and no, the salad was not massive by any means. On a positive note, the people were friendly, the pastry samples were tasty, and the pickled onions added a nice kick.

    (2)

  • Natasha C.

    Super friendly staff. I come in frequently since it's conveniently located nearby (bfast, lunch, dinner). The food and coffee (Intelligentisia!) is great and high quality. Their croissants are delicious, one of the better ones I've had here in the US. Think buttery and light with a nice crispy crust. The bread pudding and homemade strawberry ice cream is dream-worthy, too. YUM. Unfortunately, they are pricey. Their sandwiches are also really delicious; the pulled pork is flavourful and well-cooked. Not as big a fan of their poutine, though. A little too much gravy and meat for me. Ambiance is still a bit off for me at night since it still seems the place has a bit of an identity crisis. Nevertheless, it's an enjoyable place to go have a meal with a friend (for lunch or dinner) or just do some work over food.

    (4)

  • JJ B.

    So so delicious!!!! I'm not sure what the negative posts on this restaurant are about. In my opinion the poor reviews must be coming from yelpers that enjoy complaining over minor issues. They should have dealt with the restaurant directly instead of hiding behind their computer screens. The food here is always high quality and delicious. I have had several dinners here with friends and our meals have always been consistently good. We have also had a several lovely servers. The owners are approachable and gracious. I highly recommend topping off one of their delicious entrees with a hand crafted latte, and a Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie ;) It is on my last meal wish list and definitely will not disappoint! Thank you Local Root for bringing healthy options to Streeterville!

    (5)

  • Sue V.

    I have been eating there since they opened. They are always improving and worried about offering the best service. I definitely recommend this place. If you do not like something, let the waiters know and they will try to address your concern. Nice place, good music, great service, good brunch on weekends.

    (5)

  • Katie H.

    Had a bite to eat here before going to catch a movie AMC River East. Ordered the proscuitto flatbread - amazing! Would definitely get it again and recommend it to others. I also had some of my husband's fries which were very tasty. Next time I'd like to try their other poutine options.

    (4)

  • Julia D.

    I have been here a few times and have always been impressed with their creative touches on some of my favorite foods. The food is very tasty and service is good. The food is also locally grown and organic so your conscience feels pretty good too.

    (5)

  • Susan S.

    I really enjoyed my experience. It was a great place for us to go after an afternoon at the Art Institute and we could actually carry on a conversation. Atmosphere is hip and inviting, staff is warm and welcoming and the food is outstanding. The chicken was tender, flavorful and cooked perfectly. The pour over coffee was full-bodied and satisfying. Homemade bread, cookie, ice creams and bread pudding were all taste treats. Interesting, creative menu. I will definitely come again and recommend it to others.

    (4)

  • Lisa B.

    Does anyone want to buy a bunch of used cookware? We will not be needing it as we plan to eat at Local Root every single day for all meals. The beef brisket according to the husband is as good as his mother used to make. I am going to have the beet salad everyday. The menu has something for everyone, even a picky five-year-old. Breakfast, dessert, and walking distance for all the high-rise dwellers in the neighborhood. If you haven't tried it, take a walk. You will be back.

    (5)

  • Kathryn K.

    My husband and I live a few blocks away and have eaten breakfast here around eight times. When we have eaten in, the experience has been a three or four star experience. However, we often order take out and they tend to have a habit of making large mistakes. For example, the last time we went in I ordered the bacon skillet, which has eggs, bacon, cheese, and toast. When we got home I realized that they only gave me eggs - no bacon, cheese or toast. I called and expressed my dissatisfaction and received no apology. I do not like to leave bad reviews but I feel as though we have gone there enough to know not to go back.

    (2)

  • Joe E.

    Here is another one of the small restaurants/cafes that are trying to bring the farm to the table. Local Root restaurant does so, but doesn't really do it well (that is for brunch at least). After arriving at a restaurant that looks sort of like a small grocery store, we sat down to find an extremely limited weekend brunch menu which was immediately disappointing. And similar food followed. Incorrect or not descriptive enough explanations of each entree led to food choices that were regrettable. I honestly believe the restaurant needs to change their descriptions for sure and also try harder to walk their customers through the menu. Also, the prices for some of their sandwiches (like the portobello mushroom brioche) were outrageous. $12.99 for a small vegetarian sandwich with soggy frites... I mean come on. I thought they were removing the middle man to give a fresher, cheaper option... instead, it is just an expensive brunch restaurant with average food at best.

    (2)

  • Vicky D.

    Had looked forward to this spot opening since the area could really use more options. My first few trips have been fair. I usually lunch to go. Service at the counter seems a little confused like they don't know who is supposed to be taking the order. Staff has been friendly, but does not seem knowledgeable in answering questions about the options. They are new so I am giving them some time to improve.

    (3)

  • R R.

    Well, I have been waiting for this place to open and when I went in excited to order food, there were no prices. No prices on the chalk boards and no menus printed with prices. With trepidation, I ordered a small cafe con leche and croissant to be safe. When they rang me up, the total was: $6.68. $3.49 was for the small croissant and 2.49 for the small cafe con leche. Can you say shocking! I was so hoping we would have a cool local inspired eatery with reasonable prices. Sadly, it was for not. Hopefully, since they are still in their debut month , they will amend their prices to meet the needs of all of the neighborhood and not just the ultra wealthy that can spend over $6 for coffee and danish.

    (2)

  • Allison F.

    I agree with most of the people that I really hope this place works out some of their problems because we need a good neighborhood place! I live right around the corner so I stopped by and got the amish chicken sandwhich to go and a water for $15...a little much don't you think?? I got home and the sandwhich was cold which they say is under the hot section. The chicken was very dry and the onions were pretty much raw (which I don't mind but the menu says grilled onions), no cheese when the menu says it comes with it and it was lacking tomato jam. The bread was good but it just seemed too much for the sandwhich. The fries have great potential but those were also very cold when I got home and way too salty. I hope they work their problems out sooner than later cause I want to go back but I will be trying something different next time!

    (2)

  • Manpreet K S.

    Local roots- it's definitely a great concept with farm to table experience.. But very well executed with seasonal menu and good service. Our server was very nice, she gave us great suggestions. We stopped by during our evening walk, so weren't too hungry and ended up sharing plates. So I am definitely excited to go back for a complete meal. Highly recommend- truffle flatbread and bean tacos. Keep an eye on their specials ;)

    (4)

  • J A.

    I would take a star off for Very slow service. But the food was SO GOOD! Every detail down to the coffee creamer was beyond delicious. Iced coffe, regular coffee both amazing Chicken and waffles was memorable. Prices are reasonable. We got a little table outside. Can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Gina M.

    Went for dinner - it's an interesting atmosphere. Feels very casual but the menu seems like it's trying to be a bit more fancy. Cheese board was pretty standard, nothing special. My friend and I split the pulled pork and the burger. I didn't care for the pulled pork and the burger was fine but I've had better bar burgers other places. The fries were good but again, you can get decent fries anywhere. We also got the mac and cheese - I'm a sucker for trying mac and cheese at different places and am rarely disappointed. But this completely lacked flavor. I would not recommend getting it - even if you are as tempted as I am by mac and cheese. I wouldn't go back if it were my own decision but if I ever did find myself there again, I'd try the truffle flat bread - that smelled really good.

    (2)

  • Karen X.

    Though they clearly try very hard to promote the "local", "organic" and "homemade" brand, this is nothing more than a pricey, average brunch place with very standard at best food. The waiters are not really accommodating of special requests and customizations and try to charge extra for any changes to the menu, which is fair, however they also don't seem to put that much thought into what I ordered, bringing me regular coffee when I asked for iced. It wasn't a big deal, but that was just an added annoyance on top of the others. I would probably opt for something different next time, but it was overall just a fairly average dining experience.

    (2)

  • Mark-Allen E.

    The food was terrible.... Like the worst breakfast food I have ever had. I'm not a big person on organic food vs. non-organic food BUT either way, the food sucked. I ordered the breakfast burrito with sausage, bacon, cheese and eggs only. I am pretty sure what ever was in my burrito WAS NOT SAUSAGE and if it was, it was the worst tasting sausage ever. The eggs tasted like they had been scorched in the microwave for 45 minutes. Even thinking about the food makes me feel sick to my stomach. The only decent part of the meal was the bacon. Do yourself, stomach and day a favor; skip this restaurant. Go to yolk, Wildberry, subway... Anywhere but this restaurant. We heard consistently bad things about the local root but wanted to give it a try ourselves..... Big mistake. I gave two stars because the restaurant was clean and the staff was decent.

    (2)

  • Juli A.

    Went in for brunch. A few diners inside and a few more outside - I came in around Noon. Waiter added feta to my skillet. The eggs over easy sat long enough under the lamps to harden the yolks. My extra crispy potatoes request was ignored. Ordered an iced tea. It was flavored and tasted like crap. Add on waffle came first and it was cold. No butter in sight. I am all for local, sustainable and organic restaurants, but they just blew it. The place wasn't busy. There was no reason to not be served as soon as it was ready. For farm to table, seasonal, sustainable and organic food I will gladly pay a premium, which I did here. I left disappointed. It's really a shame.

    (2)

  • Evie H.

    We came by on a weekday for brunch. Service was decent although you could tell that our waitress was really trying (sometimes a little too hard) to connect with us. It was too slow though but I think it was because she was pretty much the only one covering the other tables, but sometimes she was simply nowhere in sight. You can tell that food here is supposed to be healthy and locally sourced - it actually reminds me of certain places out in the West where this is a pretty big deal. I got the Champagne chicken sandwich - chicken was pretty dry but I enjoyed the tomato jam and the brioche bread. My sister got the pulled pork benedict which we both expected to taste better given that it's supposed to be one of their most frequently ordered items. I didn't get the smoky, pulled pork flavor I wanted. Overall the flavors of their dishes are pretty toned down compared to the average American food which is fine if that's what you're expecting. Then again, I was not expecting the ketchup to taste like pasta sauce. There was no thickness to it at all! I do think that prices are on the higher end and it would be better to drop it down by about two dollars. My chicken sandwich was simply not worth the $12, even if you throw in the quality of the ingredients (and well, the chicken was dry).

    (3)

  • Lauren K.

    What a great concept! Local Root serves up locally sourced food and tells you exactly where it comes from. I have done the farm to table experience before, but I have not seen full disclosure of the farm and location of where the food is coming from before. They are also eco friendly and sustainable and in my book that is awesome! I stopped in for breakfast yesterday before a spa appointment. I was literally blown away by the freshness of my breakfast. The eggs were so light and fluffy, it was like eating a cloud, or at least that is what I imagine the consistency of a cloud would be. The fruit was super fresh and delicious; berries were ripe and pineapple was sweet. It was a great combination of summer fruit. The bread was warm and chewy, and the outer crust was perfect. The inside was light and airy. This meal, for being so simple, was literally the best thing I have eaten since arriving in Chicagoland! The interior of the restaurant is rustic. There are wooden tables and chairs and hardwood floor. It is keenly decorated to look like the inside of a modern farm house and the art is very outdoorsy. The staff is super friendly and inviting, and I had no problem dining alone. Such is life on an extended business trip. I would definitely return and highly recommend. Great experience from beginning to end.

    (5)

  • Leigh K.

    Came here for a late breakfast. Food was excellent, place was hopping. If I lived in the area I would definitely come back. I will say it was a bit pricey, and the idea of having such fancy tea menu that you're forced to pay $4 for something so simple is a little ridiculous. But, I like the premise of the restaurant, love the "local" theme, love knowing I'm eating pretty well. They could use a few more vegan items on their menu, but they'll probably get there someday. All-in-all I liked it. We ate: Tofu scramble (needs a little more seasoning but good) Falafel sandwich (friend said flavor was great, pita was a little heavy but it was also homemade)

    (4)

  • Pete H.

    I wanted to try something in Downtown Chicago before I left and opted for this place since it was in walking distance. I tried the eggplant tower dish. It is $17 and looks very pretty. It was tasty and fun to eat. Photo attached. I didn't like the fact that the eggplant was deep fried. In fact, I didn't know. That was supposed to be a healthy place so I thought they would grill it but no. Nevertheless, it is fun to try for one of those things you do once in a lifetime. Wouldn't care to have it again. Service was so so. Waiter seemed distant polite and disinterested.

    (4)

  • Terri F.

    Arrived Sunday at 9 AM for breakfast. We had made a reservation although it wasn't full when we got there. But it filled up quickly by the time we left. I had their st Patrick's day skillet which was fantastic. The eggs are clearly fresh. I didn't indulge but it was nice that it looked like they had a full bar. They had an interesting selection of Benedict items for breakfast that I hope to try next time. The food was fresh the service was great. It is a little bit off the beaten path for me for a weekend but close enough to Navy pier if you're out that way

    (4)

  • Natasha G.

    I absolutely love Local Root. I have eaten here a few times, and the food and wine are amazing. I love their organic wines and quite literally everything I've tried on the menu. Better yet, the staff are a lot of fun. The team here not only delivers local food, but they take a local, neighborly approach to their customer service as well. Yesterday, we had an issue with our reservation for a large group (it was our fault), and Reggie, the manager was incredibly cool about helping us to fix it in the middle of a very busy wait list, and our waitress Alyssa didn't skip a beat as well awkwardly stood around the restaurant. I go here frequently, and will continue to bring everyone I know to show them this awesome little place off the beaten path.

    (4)

  • Timber W.

    My wife and I were recently in Chicago with friends and after doing some research on local eateries and breakfast spots my wife was quite excited to try Local Root. The reviews posted on Yelp were quite favorable. We had a 20 minute wait for a table upon arrival. Once we were seated our server greeted us and took drink and food orders. Then we waited. And waited. We were talking and enjoying our friends company and then we realized we'd been waiting 20 minutes and we still had no drinks! So we tracked down our server and asked when we could expect 2 cups of coffee and one mimosa. The server gave us free cookies and a muffin to make up for the slow service. After another 10 minutes we finally got our drinks. Another 15 minutes passes (for those doing the math - that is 45 minutes!) our food arrives and my eggs are scrambled instead of over-easy as I requested. Granted, the food tasted fine. But is it really worth the wait - or the high prices? My answer would be "No". We left Local Root unimpressed and rather annoyed by the entire experience.

    (2)

  • Matthew B.

    This review is for a delivery order. I was excited when I found this place. I'm a picky eater. I typically follow the paleo diet, but in a real sense where I actually care where the food comes from so finding a place that shared the farms where they source their food was refreshing because I could actually go to the sites of those farms to confirm that the meat is actually grass-fed, organic, etc. I ordered the Steak Frites and substituted the fries with a side salad. I was excited for a hearty flank steak. Well my first mistake was thinking ordering a steak for a delivery order was going to go well. Lesson learned. The steak was cold when it arrived (not surprisingly), but it wasn't a flank steak. It was actually a skirt steak. Some people would have flipped...I was actually pretty happy about it except if it were my restaurant I would have called the customer to make sure it was okay and that they didn't want to change their order. Seems like customer service 101 to me. Also, you are paying for the quality of food. The Steak Frites runs about $25. The quality of the food was up to par, but I'm thinking I'll be hungry again in an hour or so. This is also typical of restaurants that serve well sourced food because it's more expensive. Next time I'll probably go to Whole Foods and cook the food myself. I wish I was more excited about this because the choices for high quality food in Chicago are very limited. If I give them another shot, I'll probably go to the restaurant to compare, but based on my first impression, I'm inclined to check out other options or stick to cooking my own meals.

    (3)

  • Michael P.

    Another blended rating from me: 2 stars for service and atmosphere; 4 stars for the food. We were a party of six for dinner on a Friday night. Surprisingly, the outdoor tables were 1/2 full and the indoor dining room was empty. We were seated indoors and the music was blasting. When we asked that it be turned down we were told it couldn't be done and offered another table. We relocated to the (somewhat) quieter table and waited. We waited some more, then got up to ask for service. Apologies all around, the waiters were confused as to who covered us, and we received a mammoth platter of free appetizers. We were grateful, but would have preferred better service from the outset. On the other hand, the food is really good! All farm-fresh, cooked to order, and with a good variety of dishes on the menu. Between the six of us, five different dishes were ordered and all were excellent. The wine and beer list is ample as well, with a pair of Californians attesting to the former, and me to the latter.

    (3)

  • Jessica I.

    This place appealed to my snobby locavore food sensibilities. I stopped in for lunch and had two small plates, which was a perfect amount of food. The duck egg and asparagus dish was delicious if a little disjointed, and the crab cakes were nearly perfect, with lots of meat and a lemony frisee salad on the side. Service was fast and friendly.

    (4)

  • Florence G.

    We waited 30 minutes and once we were seated and ordered the food came fast. Initially I was impressed but after the food came My impression quickly changed. I ordered steak and eggs and my husband ordered the pulled pork omelette with a side of one pancake. I ordered the skirt steak medium rare but it came out medium well and dry. The pancake was also dry. You can tell they premade the pancake and probably the steak as well. Normally I would not write a bad review but for the price paid I expect a little better quality. One positive point is that the staff was great, the host and waiter were all very friendly and attentive.

    (3)

  • Not Eileen R.

    Second time around definite improvement! The food was great, waitress was great and the manger came over because of my previous review and took care of the bill. That was unexpected and very generous. I would say if you want your food coursed out versus out whenever it's ready let your server know or just order your app and wait a bit to put the rest of your order in. They were out of the bread pudding, so we ended up with the cheesecake. It was delicious...can only imagine how good the bread pudding is. We will be back!

    (4)

  • Brent M.

    The food is okay, but the prices are steep for brunch. My omelet was overcooked, which did not quite match the price. Then they tried to charge me for the jam for my toast - who does that? They could not figure out how to split a bill either.

    (2)

  • Jennie C.

    Cute little brunch place in Streeterville that focuses on local organic foods. The smoked salmon hash was delicious but perhaps a tad overpriced. The omelet looks like a better deal with fruits and toast. Was excited to see they offer Intelligentsia coffee but the latte that was served looked like it was from Cheesecake factory (read: weak coffee and even weaker foam). Service was attentive & friendly & efficient. I'd come back but skip the coffee.

    (3)

  • Katie L.

    If you like spicy hangover-curing breakfasts, get the Chilaquiles! If you don't like spicy food, you should probably work on that. But honestly, the perfect amount of spice and a delicious flavor in this meal! I will definitely be returning for these :) Pulled pork eggs Benedict that my husband ordered were also a wonderful menu item, however I was partial to my chilaquiles. Good bloody Mary's, great coffee, fun atmosphere! We were also pleasantly surprised that they have a projector tv that was playing football at a Sunday brunch- nice touch! Thanks Local Root!

    (5)

  • Emily C.

    If you're looking for great food and friendly knowledgable staff with a relaxed atmosphere, this place has you covered. The chicken and waffles are phenomenal. The coffee mugs are large and they're quickly refilled. Bloody Mary - superb. The biggest problem is the price. Definitely not cheap.

    (4)

  • James C.

    Great place for breakfast or lunch. Natural ingredients and a very friendly staff. They had great mimosas and blood marys.

    (4)

  • Brent P.

    This place is fantastic! Service has been exceptional and many options for gluten sensitivities. 5 stars!

    (5)

  • Jack W.

    This city needs more such places: delicious, local, 100% organic, farm-to-table. I was very impressed by their vegan baguette, their almond tea, their herbal tea, and their trout dish. The service is outstanding. I haven't tried anything from their list of organic wines or spirits but I look forward to someday. They are expensive, which is accounted forby the origin of them ingredients. If only the prices were lower, I'd be there every day.

    (5)

  • Peggy A.

    Excellent cafe!! The food and service was SOOO GOOD! I had the pulled pork brioche and it was DELICIOUS!! My new favorite hot spot! Five YUMS!!

    (5)

  • Walle S.

    Chef Isaac made me the best red snapper I have ever ever had! I didn't know it was the special but the manager, Reggie, recommended it. I paired it with a glass of Brut and it was perfection. Definitely going to come back for the snapper! And the service.

    (5)

  • Desiree M.

    A friend of mine asked me to try this place and I couldn't compliment it more.... I ordered the chillaquiles and not only did the order come out quicker than any place I've ever been to, but it was delish!!!! Usually when a restaurant is packed with people, it takes some time to get the orders out. Not at Local Root. These guys have their restaurant up to par. The staff was pleasant, the atmosphere was great and the food was the best. If you haven't tried this place, it's def a must!!!!

    (5)

  • Jenny H.

    After giving Local Root a third try, thought I'd weigh in good, bad, ugly style... The good - sustainable, natural, ecofriendly interior - service is thoughtfully friendly - armchairs are made for settling in for a nice cup of coffee/tea/cocoa - hot cocoa tantalizes: dressed in fluffy whip, choco-syrup, and powder-spices - Ronny, ze bartender was super friendly, personally came over to deliver her drink and even asked for my friend's input The bad - confusion! I guess they did away with the numbering system? Upon entering, you automatically drift over to the counter but if you're dining in, they seat you with full service. I preferred the seat-yourself casualness; however if I just wanted to sit with my drink, I suppose you'll have to compete for seats with other diners. The ugly - duck confit sandwich: decent but pricey! price tag makes it a one-time order - could frites be ugly? curled in every which way but soft on the inside. Yum. - me after a pulled pig sandwich: crazy carnage! could only handle half. LR gets a solid three-stars for now. We were told that they have a weekend brunch service, might be worth checking out on my fourth visit.

    (3)

  • Norah S.

    Taking one star off only because of the price. But food is tasty and makes you feel good about yourself cuz they brand it as local. I go there a lot for casual meals with friends

    (4)

  • Kevin L.

    So wanted to like this place. Love the idea of local farm to table, but sadly I have to give the boot to Local Root. For starters, my cream of mushroom soup was very watery. The kids flat bread was soggy and went largely uneaten. My chicken breast sandwich was composed of a lot of rib meat. The falafel was amiss as well-bland hummus dominating the dish. Best thing was the fresh hot bread and olive oil.

    (2)

  • Julia M.

    Very disappointed... I had the yoghurt with granola and a side of fruit and the portion was tiny!! Two scoops of yoghurt, one scoop of granola and 5 pieces of fruit. (And not cheap!) I wouldn't have been surprised if this were an fancy place but it isn't and I'm sure the omelettes and pancakes are huge but just because I'm trying to be healthy doesn't mean I'm not hungry.

    (2)

  • Jesi R.

    Really cute local joint. It can be a bit pricey, but I'm writing this to share my two favorites must-haves: the onion flatbread and the BREAD PUDDING! My favorite dessert in Chicago. Plus there's comfy sofa chairs to sit in :)

    (4)

  • Andie S.

    What a wonderful experience! We came here for my friends birthday, and we're able to get in night-of on a Saturday. The staff, particularly Reggie was so accommodating and gracious, and really made for a great dinner. The food was mostly great. We had the poutine (which was just ok, and I really thought the menu said cheese curds were involved but they were not), a vegetable pizza (great, get it with cheese), brussels sprouts (great), and pumpkin cheesecake (phenomenal). Only complaint: very slow. But, definitely worth it overall. Would definitely come back if I have 2 - 3 hours for dinner!

    (4)

  • Jessica N.

    I've been here twice, first just for drinks and the second time, for dinner and drinks:) We had the same bartender both times, and she really knows her stuff. I've tried a handful of different drinks across the two visits and they were all well-prepared and delicious. Hand muddled fruits and herbs, local spirits..I'm a fan. When we dined in for dinner, the wait for the food (both apps and main course) was really long. One young guy working there offered us bread and butter while we waited for the apps. As we waited for the main course, my friend asked our server if the kitchen had forgotten about us and our meals. In my mind flashed the Portlandia episode where they go to the farm to make sure the chickens [now on the menu] were loved. (Preface: youtube.com/watch?v=WAlW… ) We were offered a round of cocktails on the house for the wait, which was kind. When our food arrived, it was presented well and very fresh and tasty. I ordered the Amish Chicken with smashed potatoes and asparagus and my friend had the scallops with wild mushrooms, broccolini and ramps, which was very good. Overall, the service is friendly, the restaurant is clean, the food and drinks are prepared well and are composed of locally sourced ingredients, and the ambience is comforting. I also love that they have Motown hits playing softly in the background. Check out this restaurant if you have time for a lengthy visit and enjoy what Local Root has to offer. I know I'll be back, maybe to dine al fresco once the weather gets a little nicer.

    (4)

  • Shradha A.

    It's a good neighborhood brunch place especially when the patio is open. The food was right sized and well prepared - a little pricey though. Their latte was great!

    (4)

  • Brynn M.

    Local Root has great food - we went for brunch and all three of us were satisfied. And their commitment to local ingredients is great. They also have dog-friendly outdoor seating, which is huge in my book. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because of the service... The wait staff is great (and very helpful!), but really slow.

    (4)

  • Brit W.

    2.5 stars - Should I have come for breakfast? I ordered the truffle appetizer w/ mushrooms and it was a bit bland to me. Had the champagne chicken sandwich w/ fries. The chicken was a bit dry and the fries were too salty for my taste. However, the ketchup they brought to the table was delicious! Also, my wine was really good - Yambulah Voigner, I think. There was also a nice jazz band playing. I came on a Thursday night. The staff was very courteous and the restaurant had a nice ambience.

    (2)

  • Peppermint P.

    Service and ambience were great. Food was good but breakfast sandwiches and potatoes require ketchup and the local, homemade ketchup was terrible. I will go back but bring packets of Heinz with me.

    (3)

  • George M.

    Nice place, comfy chairs but coffee was not piping hot as I would have preferred. They serve flat breads and wine so not a bad rest place between Michigan Avenue and the Lake

    (3)

  • Angela B.

    I just had a bite here from an event (it was the Jalepeno tempura pork thing)..it was sooo good and the people were so nice. I cannot wait to come by the cafe and eat more delicious things.

    (5)

  • Catherine B.

    Wanted to like this restaurant as it is in my neighborhood. After many visits it's always the same issue. Service is terrible and food is inconsistant. Recently went for Sunday breakfast, ordered simple bacon, eggs and coffee for two. Took ten minutes to get coffee. Ordered eggs cooked over easy and they arrived cooked hard and no toast. Asked for toast and waiter said " oh, did you want toast with your eggs"? We responded yes, it comes with toast according to the menu. Ten minutes later after two inquiries as to where is the toast, the waiter brought one piece of bread cold, not toasted. We informed waiter we both needed toast, NOT bread and that our eggs are now cold. When toast finally arrived after another five minutes, there was no butter. Has this waiter ever eaten breakfast before?? $36.00 for this aggravation!

    (2)

  • Gail I.

    I had a great dinner with my sisters, Mark did a great job with service and delicious cocktails! very interesting menu selections. Would def visit again!

    (5)

  • Sue H.

    Love the concept! The farm to table theme is right up my alley! I had the vegan sandwich (I don't recall the official name). It was flavorful and the bread was definitely homemade. The pomme frites were a bit dark, but tasty - especially with the local ketchup which I noticed did NOT contain high fructose corn syrup. Bravo! Also, I tried some of their mustard - homemade as well - I would have bought some if they had it for sale. Their ice tea was fresh brewed and delicious - a bit different than what you normally find, and I enjoyed the unique flavor. I will definitely dine here again.

    (5)

  • Helena S.

    Too expensive, average service. We ordered some the Green Eggs, which were bland and the Egg Benedictine with pork that were very heavy.

    (2)

  • Karen D.

    Service with a smile but they take forever to bring my drink, coffee without the sugar until 15 minutes later, my burger was cold and so was the fries by the time it reached the table. Seriously and no damn ketchup when she brings my food? Who doesn't eat ketchup with their fries. Totally messed up my lunch! Arghhhh!!!

    (1)

  • C B.

    Props to this place for a great philosophy of supporting local and organic food without a huge price tag. I'm vegetarian (vegan-leaning, but not there yet), and my husband is not. The food we both got was wonderful. We were visiting when we are here, and that night at dinner my husband recommended to a local friend with whom we ate. Love that places like this exist. Wish I could transplant it home.

    (5)

  • Katie K.

    Great food, great service, great cocktails. Need I say more? This is a really great place. I would definitely come back. The service was outstanding. And the food was amazing!! I think I liked my salad the best, it tasted so fresh, just a side salad. I ordered fish and chips--super tasty--good portion size. My companion had the burger--he enjoyed it. For dessert we split the bread pudding--holy moly, YUM!!! Check this place out! I hear they have live music on Sundays. Can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • HOLLY M.

    just happened by this place and was drawn in by excellent live music. The band was so fantastic, we decided to sit and take in the tunes, enjoyed a pineapple jalapeno margarita. Plan on coming next another Thurs evening to try the dinner and hear all of the band's show. They play every Thurs....

    (5)

  • Martha L.

    Came here for quick brunch. Loved the atmosphere, we were seated right away, and very pleasant staff. It was nice eating in a cafe where the wait time didn't exceed the time spent eating. Food was delicious!

    (5)

  • Moses S.

    This was my local watering hole for coffee while in town on a wedding weekend. There is a starbucks pretty much next door, but i thought I would support the local economy (please don't tell me this is a corporate house). I had a traditional cappuccino and a couple coffees here. The cappuccino was a bit more bitter than I was used to but the flavor profile was robust and deep. Kinda reminded me of dark roast and over extracted. The regular coffee was fine, but not as strong in flavor as I prefer. Seemed like the grounds to water ratio was lacking. Of course, maybe i'm doing it wrong and this is how it's supposed to taste! It's a bit more pricey than I'm accustomed to, but for vacation, I enjoyed the local flair.

    (3)

  • Jennifer P.

    This place wasn't all bad. The service was wonderful, as was the fresh baked bread. I LOVED that they included the farms that they source their meat from (all humane!) on the menu. But everything after that was just so....disappointing. Grass fed beef is always a gamble, but the toughness of the steak was unbearable. It came cooked (almost) the way I ordered it (medium rare), but was basically inedible. We also had a burger, which was OK, but not great. Again, cooked to order, so that was nice. Just not great. But then, there were the fries. We were there for a very early dinner, and I am 100% sure they were leftover from brunch. Rock hard, and so stale that they snapped in half. No way they were made within the last hour. So disappointing. From other reviews it sounds like the veggie options are all great, so I suggest sticking to those!

    (2)

  • Severiano O.

    Overpriced, small sandwich portions. I had higher expectations when this place opened. It's easy enough to find better food for the price at neighboring restaurants.

    (2)

  • Terri F.

    Small but comfortable seating. A little out-of-the-way on a Sunday morning. But plenty of on street parking. Coffee was decent. I had a St. Patrick's Day special skillet with corn beef and sunny side up eggs which was phenomenal. The service is great The prices were reasonable for a farm to table restaurant. Would love it if it was around the corner but not sure I'll travel there regularly as it's not right around the corner for me. The menu is on the short side but enough options. Not sure I'd want to take small children here

    (4)

  • Sergey S.

    Stellar local place for the price. Intelligentsia coffee with decent baristas, eclectic food selection. I come here 3-4 times a week and am usually impressed with food/coffee quality and service.

    (5)

  • Karim H.

    I had to come out of a Yelping hiatus to write about how disappointing lunch was at this place today. I'd been scoping the place out for weeks as it's only a couple blocks from work and on the way to Dollop. After seeing the glorious word, "Poutine" written on the window I convinced a co-worker to try it out with me. Being a seasoned Yelper and bit of a french fry connoisseur, I logged in to read some reviews that seemed promising, and searched for any pictures of french fries I could find. They looked legit, so I was excited to try out their "Montreal Poutine." The co-worker got a burger and fries, and I got the aforementioned poutine and a side of brussels and bacon. Brussels & Bacon - Brussels were under-cooked and would have benefited from a brief roast to bring out a bit of flavor. They tasted boiled and were bitter and slimy. Bacon was ok, but soggy and would have been much, much better if it were crispy. Fries were atrocious. Seriously. The roof of my mouth feels like I just ate three boxes of Cap'n Crunch with no milk and four baguettes, crust-only. Poutine as a composed dish was utterly disappointing. No gravy to be seen, a smidge of cheese, and a couple fried sage leaves. I had to ask for ketchup twice to get enough moisture on the fries to make them palatable. Even my co-worker's fries went largely untouched as they were too hard to eat. And home girl loves her french fries. Service was also slooooooooooow when there were only about 3 other tables in the entire restaruant during lunch and it still took us over an hour to get in and out. If you're going to advertise poutine in your window, and claim that these fries are the "best in Chicago" on your website, then you had better deliver. Unfortunately, this place is a major no-go. I do appreciate their concept, mission, and philosophy... they just fall extremely short on execution and I would steer clear.

    (1)

  • Sharon V.

    Still a great restaurant. My sister and her husband visited, we had brunch there and it was the only place they'd consider going for dinner. The Best Burger EVER!

    (5)

  • Kris K.

    Really good fresh locally sourced food prepared well. Nice selection at the bar, not huge inside but they will take a reservation on line. The menu changes regularly and make sure to look for the "ultra seasonal" menu items as they might not be there on your next visit. Place is completely family friendly and does a nice Sunday Brunch! Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Elise C.

    Great lunch spot. Inviting atmosphere, wonderful service and terrific menu. The poutine was a delicious blend of flavors and just the right portion. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • T B.

    We sat down at 1030. It's 1152 and just finished eating. The food took an hour to come. The bacon was cold. The fruit not ripe. More importantly the pancake. It was like a dense flour consistency. Blueberry pancake cake was just jelly on top. The potatoes were good. Place was clean. But food pretty bad.

    (1)

  • Beau T.

    The few blocks surrounding the hospital and medical facilities are severely wanting for good, reasonably priced dining options, yet Local Root stands out as an exception. Attentive and friendly service, affordable lunch options - the baguettes are a particularly good deal - and relaxing atmosphere. I will definitely eat there again and recommend Local Root to others looking for a good meal in an otherwise lacking part of town.

    (5)

  • G Love S.

    This place is fresh and great. The service is exceptional and the food is amazing. I loved everything I have ordered and when friends come visit I always bring them by.

    (5)

  • Connie Y.

    Really enjoyed this place. I came here for brunch one time and it was pretty good as I had the Benedict. More recently, I dined here during dinner and discovered that they were one of the participating restaurants for Restaurant Week. I started off with their kale and quinoa salad which was really good. I had their Amish Chicken which was quite tasty and the chicken was very tender. My third course was their bread pudding which was pretty good as well. Even though everything was quite good, I don't know if the price equated to what I received as far as portions. The chicken was a little bit smaller than what I had anticipated as well as the bread pudding. I suppose that their portion was smaller because of it being part of their prixe fixe menu for RW.

    (4)

  • lori c.

    great place for breakfast/brunch! try their biscuits and gravy or chicken & waffles. they are both amazing but not extremely heavy like a lot of other places. perfectly cooked and flavorful. they also have an amazing hot sauce that is better than Tabasco or siracha, hands down. Service and staff was amazingly friendly and hospitable!

    (5)

  • Chris N.

    Followup private response from a member of the management team. I appreciate the communication and the perspective. --------- Hi Chris, Thanks so much for taking a moment to provide a balanced and fair review. We appreciate you got the message and generally had a good experience. While we do, in fact, serve a fair number of kids, it's true that we don't have a children's menu with most parents choosing to order a small plate option, share a meal or take the unfinished portion home. We've had very good success with this and haven't had any feedback to the contrary. However, you raise a point and we will evaluate whether we should offer a few kids selections on a special menu. Seriously - that is not a patronizing remark and we'll assess it. Hopefully you will be back soon. Regards, Sonny Cohen Customer liaison

    (4)

  • Steve T.

    Nice folks, good service, okay food. The locally sourced potatoes were dried and hard. Not very appetizing. Nice beer list.

    (3)

  • Megan N.

    For two years I have had a meal here meetings with volunteers who support farm to table and support eating local. The food has been amazing every time! Whether its the Poutine, wine selection or Breakfast scramble, it is great food. Must try!

    (5)

  • Rachel L.

    This is a mixed review. The good: The food was delicious. I got the salmon and the veggies that came with it were scrumptious. My boyfriend got the trout. Our waitress was very nice and was able to answer my question that the salmon was gluten-free. When explaining the desserts, she remembered and told me specifically which ones were gluten-free. The meh: I thought the portions themselves were a bit small and I was definitely still hungry afterwards. My salmon was slightly too cooked. The odd: The ambiance/decor is strange. The restaurant tries for a nice warm, classy feeling with candles and whatnot. But the kitchen is open with a counter and the cold bright light of the kitchen disrupts the ambiance that the dining room presents. It's sort of like they couldn't decide whether to be casual or fancy. If I could give 3.5 stars I would.

    (3)

  • Hayley H.

    Salty salt fest Side of vegetables, very salty, lots of butter Potatoes a bit well done, took much salt Sausage slightly bland Bacon thick, yum, chewy Great coffee, cute place Very frantic, pace.

    (3)

  • Luis D.

    This place rocks!!! The food, the service, the environment. One of the best restaurant which provides food from local farm in the area PLUS it's recycle kitchen !!! The brunch is the best and the service is so friendly and knowledgeable about their products.

    (5)

  • Kristin M.

    Stopped by for a late lunch/early dinner Saturday and really enjoyed Local Root. The space is really cozy and the food was very tasty. We started with the bacon and caramel poutine. Great combo! It was more like dessert than a starter, which is perfectly fine with me! I had the duck confit brioche with was chock-full of duck and topped with gruyere and this really tasty roasted aioli. If you're not a fan of duck, this isn't for you, it's really duck-y. I enjoyed it though. Only suggestion is to add some flavor to the duck while cooking. The toppings were great, but the duck itself was pretty plain. My friend had the brisket brioche and enjoyed it. I thought it was on the dry side, but he had no complaints. Sadly, I did not try the drinks, but they had a good list of craft spirit cocktails, craft beer and some wines I had never heard of. I'll booze it up next time! Service was good overall, but they were over-aggressive when trying to take away my plate. I was mid-fork jab of the last fry and they asked if they could take the plate away. Umm, no, MY FORK IS LITERALLY TOUCHING THE PLATE! I'll be damned if they rob me of the laste tasty fry! Otherwise, friendly and efficient. TIP: If you start with the poutine, see if they have a salad instead of fries with the sandwiches. It's kind of french fry overload.

    (4)

  • Jessica W.

    I had a really great time here when I came for lunch. One of my friends has celiac disease and therefore must be very cautious of any contamination with gluten. Our server was extremely accommodating, friendly, and gave us great service throughout the meal. I ordered the Golden Eggplant Tower, which was amazingly delicious. I am not by any means vegetarian, but this entree was incredible. I found it slightly pricey at $17, but fresh, local ingredients translate to higher prices. Overall a great experience and great for those who have food allergies, as they take the time to prepare your food properly.

    (4)

  • Katie C.

    A friend recommended Local Root and I checked out the website before heading in for lunch. As a self-proclaimed "whole foodie," it was refreshing to read their story and outlook on food - this part especially: "The century old fad of industrial food is reaching its end and it is time to go back to community. We must eat sustainably, live with the Earth, and embrace the seasons." The staff went out of their way to be friendly from the second I walked in. They have almond milk (!!) so I ordered a latte and sat down. Louis came over to bring me some water, request any feedback, and overall make the experience very personable. After a while, I ordered a brisket sandwich complete with their still warm, homemade bread and a side salad with fries. Even the ketchup lacked any form of corn syrup or anything hydrogenated or fake. A friend met up and when we asked for another plate, they brought it to us right away, and warm. I do love the little things. Because of the junk I figure I escaped with no fake stuff, I indulged in the BEST chocolate chip cookie I've had in a while...and left completely fulfilled. Overall: *Food was amazing...from latte to lunch to dessert *...and served so quickly *Felt no rush staying a while *Salads etc. priced a couple/few dollars more than Panera, etc. *...completely worth it for all of the above Already plotting my return.

    (5)

  • Kari B.

    I really thought the location and ambiance was nice. Plus we had very good service. Our server was very passionate about the farm to table concept. This place can easily be a four or five star place with just some attention to the quality of food. We had the cheese plate with charcuterie which was very good. There was a soft cheese that when it was served was melting right off the board, this shouldn't happen. We also had the truffle mushroom flatbread. While the flavors were great the flatbread was soggy and under cooked. It should at least be crispy and hold up. The jalapeño pineapple margarita was very different and provided for quite a kick! Delicious.

    (3)

  • Becky S.

    Anyone who works or lives in Streeterville can probably agree that the lunch options are more than a little lacking. Enter: Local Root. Sigh no more, friends. Went there earlier this week, had the duck confit on brioche. Beautiful, tender, flavorful.. but the price tag made me cringe (14.49 + tax for an average sized sandwich with a half side salad, around $17 with a small tip). Still, worth the splurge as I am a big fan of organic foods in general, and ducks in particular. The brioche was also the tastiest bread I've eaten in recent memory. I just polished off an amazing prosciutto baguette with pickled onions and chevre ($12.49). And they were giving away free fries today. Holla. I don't even usually care for fries, so the fact that I snarfed them down in a matter of minutes and literally did the 'tip the bag into your mouth to catch the crumbs' routine should tell you something. Also, if cuteness and eco-friendliness sell you, the fries come packaged in a cute little newspaper packet and they seem to be all about sustainability. Schwing. Prices may continue to elicit a wince from me, but there's not going to be much of a contest for lunch any longer. Can't wait to check out their cocktail hour/dinner menu, but if it's as tasty as I'm expecting there's a good chance I may swoon.. and/or propose to one of the chefs or bartenders.

    (4)

  • Angela N.

    Flabbergastion abounds by the 3.5 stars. I really loved this place and, frankly, couldn't stay away. We we were staying in a hotel just around the corner so I walked by frequently enough as it was. Our first evening there, we walked in, and were seated in comfy chairs by the windows. Only 1 or 2 other tables in the whole place were occupied. I ordered a glass of wine, which they were out of, but asked if I wouldn't mind a different wine, a more expensive one, for the same price. Sounds good to me. Then we ordered the beet salad with goat cheese. Amazing and/but simple. We each ordered the vegetable flatbread. Amazing fresh veggies and really delicious crust. They really did a great job with this. Our 10 month old daughter was with us at the table so every employee, from the hostess to the sous chef, came over to our table to meet her and even prepared a special fruit plate for her, gratis. Baby-bite-sized pieces of blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, honeydew, elegantly arranged in a bowl. Service was really spectacular. I couldn't get this place out of my mind so I went back to try the champagne chicken sandwich I saw on the menu for lunch a few days later. Best. Sandwich. Ever. Full disclosure, I have been vegetarian for years now and cannot remember the last chicken sandwich I ate so it was a real treat and worth every bit of falling off the wagon. I also ordered a "chocolate kiss latte" because, how could I not. It was definitely more crowded at lunch, which makes sense, as this whole area seems pretty desolate at night. Everyone I spoke with there was friendly and helpful. Looking forward to my next trip to Chicago for my next champagne chicken sandwich!

    (5)

  • Kim B.

    Fun local spot. Sat outside with a great gin gofer tonic. The waitress was super helpful answering my questions. Just enough varies menu. The prosciutto sandwich was great. Will be back.

    (5)

  • Bryn C.

    Good service. Get a traditional breakfast if you are not big on complicated breakfast. There are bottomless mimosas, with a hint of peach, but it was a nice change of pace. Street side tables available when the weather is just right.

    (4)

  • Ruby L.

    I live very close to Local Root and have been wanting to try it for a while. I like the idea of fresh ingredients from the local area. We decided to go for Sunday Brunch since they have an outdoor as well as indoor area. The outdoor area had a wait, so we opted for the indoor seating which was very comfortable. The brunch menu has quite a few nice options, from endless champagne and Bloody Marys, to eggs to waffles, to sandwiches and salads. We decided to split a Caesar salad and the house favorite pulled pork Benedict. I had a Bloody Mary which was served with bacon--can't go wrong! The salad was served really fast and was delicious and crisp! Then we waited on our entree. And waited . And waited some more. I'm not sure if they forgot us or if it generally takes this long for the house favorite. We flagged someone down and then it came out immediately. And was fantastic. Definitely enough to split. The manager caught wind of our long wait and comped the Benedict and sent us home with an extra Caesar salad. That was unnecessary but a very nice touch and much appreciated. They obviously take customer service seriously as they do their quality of food. I will definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Daniel N.

    Like the first poster, I was eagerly awaiting the opening of this place and today, on 9/11, they opened their doors to the public. My fiance and I were walking by yesterday and Ronnie the bar tender talked us into coming today to check it out. I'll start with the bad, since most of these things are FIXABLE and I am hoping that it was only because it was day one that these things happened. 1. We arrived close to 8 pm and were told they were out of mussels, anything with "brisket" and "caprese", which was pretty much half the menu. 2. We were seated outdoors (yeah for outdoor seating) but quickly noticed we were right under the kitchen vent, actually the entire south section of the outdoor seating is under the vent. It wasn't bad until a big puff of smoke from the kitchen came out covering us in a smoke screen. We moved but really that entire section should be avoided. 3. The flat bread takes 30 minutes to cook. We were told this once we ordered it so it would have been nice to know prior. My fiance pointed out too that since it is kind of misleading since it is the first thing on the menu, like it was an appetizer. 4. A food server came out and went to three different tables before he got the correct table. 5. We were brought our food and no silverware was given to us. The food runner said he would be right back with plates and silverware and we never saw him again. After like 5 or 7 minutes we flagged our server down and asked her for silver which took her a minute or two to get as well. Seriously we could have went to 7-11 across the street and got some plastic ware faster. 6. I thought the flat bread could have been cooked a little longer. The dough was soft and I prefer it crispy, is that just a personal preference? 7. There were a lot of frites with my dish. A lot. Even the flat bread was a lot of food. Now the good. 1. The Streeterville Old Fashion was awesome. Ronnie the bar tender is great. I went in and talked to him for 10 minutes and you can tell he really takes his job to heart. 2. The food was really friggin good taste wise. The fries were perfect, and I mean perfect. Crispy on the outside and soft and hot in the middle. I mean they really have perfected the fries, really. 3. Everything is local. Even the whiskey and the spelt (yeah, order the spelt, its amazing) are local. This gives you a good feeling that you are supporting local right? Yes I've listed more bad than good, but most of the bad can be fixed! I'll probably wait a little while before heading back, well I'll go back and visit Ronnie for some drinks prior to eating there again. But the great thing is that the employees of this place really want to make this place work. The chef came out to talk to us and ask how things were, which is great. Check this place out, if not just for coffee. I am hoping that I can update this to 4 stars eventually, but until then, 3 will do!

    (3)

  • Stella W.

    This place is a really nice addition to the area...at least for brunch. I have not checked out their lunch/dinner menu yet. Those times i came for brunch, i always left with wonders on what go into their baked goods that make them sooooo good and delicious! I love quiche, and i especially love their quiche, which was delightfully light, and soft, custard-like. Their pulled pork benedict was really flavorful. The lamb sausages and egg sandwiches was well assembled and tasty, though I didn't expect the eggs scrambled with the sausages. And i thought their prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you got, again, for brunch. I hope they stay open. This area needs some new affordable tasty addition that are not chains!

    (4)

  • Danny G.

    I discovered this place on my lunch break. Though I wasn't really planning on eating anything, I checked out the menu and decided a Cheddar Chorizo Flatbread would suit me nicely. It was good, and it seemed like they have other tasty stuff as well. I liked the beer selection and notice they had Dogfish Head on tap. A good sign! I was also talked into getting a coffee drink as the barista told me it would be well worth it. I ordered a my go to test of a coffee shop that knows what they were doing... a cappuccino. I knew it was going to be a let down when she asked if I wanted a small medium or large and wanted to know how much foam I wanted on it. So what I really got was an ok latte... Such is life. The hyped up cappuccino puts this place as a middle of the pack joint. I will probably be back here.

    (3)

  • Karen T.

    i had such high hopes for Local Root, and I still do, but I had a horrible experience with brunch this morning. Our dishes took a really long time to get out to us (we saw two other tables nearby show up after us and their dishes show up before ours), and the Huevos Rancheros were seriously the worst I've ever had in my life. Who makes huevos rancheros by cooking the eggs omelet-style without anything in it and then plopping it onto tortillas with bland black beans and overdone chorizo? Local Root, tsk tsk. even if the ingredients were quality, leaving them out too long made for an overall awful texture and taste experience that was supposed to be brunch. My boyfriend's biscuits and gravy were also pretty blah. That's ALL we ordered - no juice, coffee, tea, nothing, and the entire brunch ended up being $36 with tax and tip. Why would I pay so much when I could get a better breakfast at a Golden Nugget? I'm not even exaggerating. Luis, our waiter was probably the one bright spot in the entire meal. He was nice and pretty attentive. I might come back just for the pastry case and intelligentsia coffee another time, but I was pretty scarred by this experience. Whether it's an issue with the chef or the expediting, something's off in the kitchen. Get it together, please!

    (2)

  • Montez G.

    Really pricey for what everyone else across the street is selling. But the few dishes I had there were in the just ok zone; nothing that tasteful and rememberable. This is a last resort spot on snowy, rainy, extreme cold days. Why buy coffee here and Starbucks is next door for a $2 Grande of coffee of the day. We will see how long they stay in the neighbor hood since several business have come and gone to the spot Local Root occupay.

    (2)

  • Frankie F.

    This place is amazing. My girlfriend and I are here at least once a week. Brunch is fresh, the eggs are light and infused with cheese. My favorite brunch meal is the bacon and egg on a brioche. For dinner the brussel sprout mixed with bacon and goat cheese is to die for, also try the stuffed portabella. We also order 2 loaves of Baguettes and we use it to make sandwiches for work. Amazing even after we freeze them. Staff is very friendly especially Kiki. Definitley try the special lattes of the day.

    (4)

  • E W.

    Delicious with lots of vegetarian/vegan/gluten free options. Nice to have local food from farms nearby!

    (5)

  • Cathy M.

    Ordered take out last week. Was looking forward to trying a sampling of their food after having a delicious brisket sandwich a few months back. The cashier was very helpful in selecting a good sampling off the dinner menu. Even alllowing me to order a brisket sandwich, which isn't technically on the dinner menu. Although the online menu did not coincide with the menu at the restaurant, the chef was willing to make an item from the online menu anyway. The dissapointment came when I returned with the food and noticed they forgot many items in my take-out order. A cookie (which I was looking forward to) was not in the box, nor were the fries for the sandwich.Also, both salads were missing their dressing. I ordered a side of brussel sprouts, but when I opened the box, it was asparagus. No big deal, because I like asparagus as well. But really....they need better quality control for take-out orders. Especially in a neighborhood like downtown Chicago where this can be a large percentage of business. I'll be back because the food is Just. That. Good. But, c'mon guys. Get your stuff together.

    (3)

  • Chitterne B.

    What a weird place. It was so freezing inside that we opted to sit outside even though the weather wasn't that great. It just happened that it was their $5 Monday wine night, but when we ordered one of the more expensive wines they balked and claimed they only had one bottle left and that bottle wasn't cold, asking if they could put it on ice. Okay, whatever. They were also out of the trout, which was the dish that I had pretty much come there to try. We ordered a few things to share. The scallops were nice - not mind-blowing, but nice. The charcuterie and cheese board was just plunked on the table without explanation, and it definitely did not have the same cheeses that were listed on the menu. One of the Salamis legitimately looked and tasted like Hormel Pepperoni (and funnily enough, when the bus boy came to take it away he actually literally asked if we wanted to finish our "pepperoni" - there were no pepperonis on the menu). The highlight was definitely the board of pickled vegetables (mm, perfect ramps), but we decided to continue our dinner elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Robert D.

    Have only been a few times at lunch but each time both food and service was great. I recommend the stock-free mushroom soup. My companion and I ordered it for lunch last week on a super cold day and we were blown away by how much flavor it had without using stock. It's a simple vegetable mushroom soup without any dairy or meat. All their soups come with a warm, homemade mini-baguette that is delicious. It seems to be a multi-grain baguette with lots of flavor. I have also tried the beef chili at lunch and loved it. A friend of mine ordered the hamburger and said it was one of the best burgers he has had in a long time. Also, coffee and homemade muffins are better than you will ever get at the Starbucks next door that never has a seat available. Do yourself a favor and get your coffee here, instead.

    (5)

  • Aliyah K.

    Local Root was so fantastic that over a pretty quick trip to Chicago, I visited twice. Once was with my nearly 2 year old. I had an amazing beet salad and she had a carrot muffin. It was super cold and rainy and we had a cool view of the street. The service was very warm and prompt. The three of us visited the next day and the toddler enjoyed another muffin and a scrambled egg, Hubby and I each enjoyed a Potato Soup and I had the Portobello Baguette. The food was wonderful - so fresh, served hot, seasoned perfectly. I had a glass of wine and Hubby had a Local Root soda. Again, the service was warm and prompt and AGAIN, it was cold and rainy. Dining was easy with the kiddo, they brought her muffin as soon as possible and knew we wanted to head out to the Museum at Navy Pier, so we got out quick. I would and will so go back.

    (5)

  • Alison P.

    I'm not usually around streeterville very often so when I found myself looking for a brunch spot with a group of friends in town, this place was recommended by the W Lakeshore staff. Loved it! It has organic and locally sourced fare and an incredibly wonderful and friendly staff. The food was delicious and the mimosas equally as good. Looking forward to returning to this place as soon as possible. Most brunch entrees were $12-15.

    (5)

  • Kristin S.

    We are currently here... And have been for the past 2 hours. We were here for 30 minutes before getting a drink order taken. We ordered our food. 1.5 hours later, still no apps. Called the manager, apps came over. 2 hours later, just received entrees. Haven't seen out server in an hour. Compensation? 2 bottles of the 4 bottles. Still waiting on food...... Update... Food just arrived... Update: at least one meal is wrong. DO NOT COME

    (1)

  • Sabrina W.

    AVOID AVOID AVOID! Overpriced, awful service and bad food make this place the triple trifecta winner of places to avoid. Oh so politically correct sourced sustainable food served oh so slowly in a very dingy cheaply furnished place with oh so tired bland, unappetizing presentation and just plain lousy food way --- WAY overpriced food. Do Not Waste your hard earned money - there are sooooo many better restaurants in the area.

    (1)

  • Valeria D.

    Amazing - came for restaurant week, great selections and friendly staff. Glad we came!

    (5)

  • Christina B.

    Been to this place a number of times for dinner and brunch once. The dinner menu (while limited) is pretty solid. If you live in the area and are looking for a quality meal, Local Root is the place to go! I find that the restaurant isn't ever too crowded and they have a great drink menu (whether it is wine or a cocktail). The salmon is a pretty good portion and the steak is always cooked perfectly. Brunch is delicious as well. And they serve Intelligentsia coffee. Definitely a place to get a quality meal if you're in the neighborhood.

    (4)

  • Allison S.

    I've given local root 2 separate chances as I live a block away. Service: Both times our waitress was friendly but service was Extremely slow. It took a while to get food, and the bus boys/food runners had no idea what they were doing. WHen we asked what was being served on the charcuterie board the guy acted like he had no idea what we were talking about. Another guy came up to us to try to take our dishes when we were actually still eating. We were also sitting outside and he tried to take the plates from the outside of the planters that bordered the outside area. We thought it was a random person just trying to take them . Ambience: Have only eaten outside, but there were plants in our face from the planters, and our table was wobbly and on an incline. Food: very small portions for the price, the waitress kept saying what we ordered was enough but it wasnt. My first time me and my boyfriend split the montreal poutine, and 2 flat breads. The poutine was extremely small and mainly fries. There was just a bit of cheese curds melted on top (maybe 2 or 3) and I didnt even see gravy. The lamb sausage flat bread was small plain flat bread with a few small pieces of lams sausage and same with the prosciutto. We were still starving afterwards! Our second visit we split the charcuterie board which had lamb bacon which was good, and 2 types of sausages. It was very small also. The cheeses were a soft cheese that was great and a few pieces of 2 other cheeses. Our waitress said a salad with chicken would be enough for a meal but it was definitely not. I had the strawberry and pea tendril salad, which was mainly spinach and strawberries, with 2 pea tendrils 2 chunks of parmasan cheese, a few walnuts, and a few pieces of chicks. Not substantial for at least $13 even after the small $20 charcuterie board. My boyfriend had the short rib which did taste great, but had a ton of mashed potatos and salty gravy. With the combination of average food for a high price with slow service, I dont see this place sticking around long especially because its never crowded. It would fit more in a neighborhood other than streeterville.

    (2)

  • Tony C.

    Went here on valentines day because we hadn't bothered to make any plans in advance, and this place was nearby and had availability. We lucked out because it was awesome. Great wine, great house cocktails, great dinner, great dessert. The food was served tapas style which I usually hate because I consider it a non-subtle way to charge twice the price for the same amount of food just by putting it on smaller plates. However, this was a pleasant exception. The plates were all big enough to share, reasonably priced and delicious. The house special bread pudding with ice cream is a must. It was killer.

    (5)

  • Diana S.

    1st time Everything was good: fries, sandwiches, great fresh bread and gluten free substitutions even! Delicious, good quality ingredients, nice staff. No complaints. Reliable. Yum! Second time ordered the same thing not as good, over cooked and smaller portion - So not reliable! Consistency could be worked on. Hence the three stars.

    (3)

  • Brian J.

    A very fun and friendly place, but the omelet we shared was overcooked and flavorless. Latte was good and my son enjoyed the locally bottled cherry soda.

    (2)

  • Ryan K.

    I had never heard of this place before, and as someone who really enjoys local and organic fare, I found that peculiar. The waitstaff was very attentive, friendly, down to earth and accommodating. The environment was very open, clean and attractive. Menus were very easy to read and clean. The boards behind the coffee counter weren't scribbled with thousands of hard to read words and decorations, it was very clean and organized, and made it very easy to order. I don't know about anyone else, but i find it very obnoxious and overwhelming to walk into a place and the menu is loaded with pictures, menu items, substitutions, images, advertisements to the point where it becomes difficult to even decipher what you are able to order. There were three of us, and we all had a small plate and a larger entree. Ever since I went to Montreal, I have become obsessed with poutine. I'm picky. The fries were fantastic, the flavor of the gravy was great, I just wish there had been more of it. There seemed to be just a little schmear of it on the bottom of the bowl and the dish would have really soared had there been just a little more over the fries. The mac and cheese, was a little under-seasoned, it would have benefited from a touch of salt. I had the scallops, paired with a vegetable puree and some sauteed greens. The scallops were outstanding. The plate went for about 20 something dollars, but the scallops were enormous and bursting with flavor. No grit, solid searing, buttery texture and an almost smokey crust. It was delicious. The dessert, was good. It didn't seem like a place that had a lot of specialty dessert items, or a pastry chef. Although, I kind of wanted it to have a pastry program. The desserts receive high marks for flavor, you definitely get what you expect and what you pay for. Overall, I am really glad to have found this place and I would be willing to try a few more items on the menu for sure!

    (4)

  • Brian L.

    First the disclaimer: I've carried out of Local Root on a couple occasions and the food was really good. Eggs benedict, farm salad, and bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich. Fast forward to New Year's Day, 2013. Phoned in an order for carryout of bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich and bacon, egg, and cheese platter. They stated that breakfast would not be served until 11am...OK, fine, it's New Year's Day. We asked if we could pickup shortly thereafter. They said yes. Now to the awful food and my theory as to what the restaurant did to complete our order. Clearly someone pissed off about working on New Year's Day or simply angry with their rotten life went to McDonald's and ordered eggs and bacon and threw it in a to go box. The description on the menu for Bacon Egg Cheese sandwich reads Wisconsin Bacon, Organic Eggs, and Wisconsin White Cheddar. 1. Bacon was limp and greasy unlike the crisp, thick cut of bacon I had on previous visits 2. Eggs were rubbery, tasteless, and in the form of a microwavable egg patty served at a variety of fast food joints (like the one about a block north with the Big Golden Arches, hint, hint...) unlike the homemade scrambled eggs mixed with cheese and piled high on my sandwich once before. 3. Diced potatos came from Local Root, but cleary lacked the seasoning and finely chopped onion with which they used to be served. 4. Ciabatta bread was also good and most likely came from the restaurant. Description on Bacon Egg Cheese breakfast platter reads Wisconsin Bacon, Eggs, and Veg scrambled with white cheddar. It was none of those things. Again, yellow, rubbery, tasteless eggs with greasy flaccid bacon and plain potatos. Steer clear of this place...unless you don't mind paying $18.00 for a McDonald's sandwich and platter!

    (1)

  • scott p.

    We've eaten at Local Root half-a-dozen times, for lunch and dinner. It's a few blocks from our condo. We were looking for a good local place and this fits the bill well. The decor is not flashy - it says "local hangout" very well. Servings aren't huge and the prices can seem a little high for the quantity, but everything seems carefully prepared and seasoned. The menu is a little quirky (after all, it has multiple poutine variants), but has both mainstream and unusual choices. Good salads (though I was disappointed once that they apparently don't have salad during weekend brunch times). We haven't had any service issues - staff have seemed comfortable and attentive at a level we were comfortable (I don't really need hovering, but I like responsiveness). As with the decor, it felt like a nice sit-down restaurant in a college town.

    (4)

  • Van S.

    was given a gift card from a friend for this place, simply because my friends know I like trying random places. I kept it simple, ordered a burger and fries, as I heard their gourmet burger was good. well, it definitely good. it's more of a gourmet slider, but it's good. wasn't too impressed with their fries. not sure if my batch was just bad, but they weren't tasty and seemed overlooked. overall, it's a nice place.

    (3)

  • Gerry A.

    A-OK for a first visit. We really liked the warm decor and french sax music vibe we were getting, although a hard projection onto the LeftBank in that nice groovy industrial design that we also liked, without some funkier rugs and easy chairs. We ate early for us on a Saturday night, around 7:15 and did a mix of half salads and appetizers including the lamb sausage flatbread that we really liked, with a cup of lamb chili. We also really liked the brussel sprouts side, suitably undercooked with a little char but found the beet salad reduction too sweet, we could have asked for a lemon to cut it. Main courses were the steak and fries and salmon and polenta, which we found disappointing, largely because somebody had gotten the Large salt shaker stuck in their hand for EVERYthing, including the salmon, except the polenta (usually cooked in saltish water:). Again we could have asked for a lemon to cut it a little but it really was on the edge of WAY too salty for us. Still it was probably a skirt steak and needs a lot of seasoning and everybody else oversalts their frenchfries so why shouldn't they? But we don't want them to. We look forward to going back, but are going to stick with appetizers and small plates. Decent by the glass wines, we were red that night and the Pinot was the winner. Interested busy young help was very helpful and we managed to mess up their bill, as did they, when we switched to some half plates, and they made it all right no problem. There are many interesting fun recycled touches like your bill being served in an old Oster-Blender cook book that your grandma left you, retro china, and a fun old recycled candles in the bathrooms. Saw some fantastic looking pastries and scones as we were leaving so this would be a great spot for some early morning coffee. A-OK. Try it. Support them.

    (3)

  • Amy T.

    Mixed feelings. I work as concierge near Local Root and constantly send guests over for breakfast, lunch, and dinner because it's a nice alternative to all the main stream dining spots. I was told concierge received discounts and I even presented my business card to the host, but the message must not have been relayed to the waitress as I didn't get any breaks :/ Those thoughts aside, the outdoor patio seating is nice and the menu is unique with a variety of veg and non-veg options for dinner. Food tasted good (stuffed portabella yum) and healthy (at least in comparison to other restaurants). The service was a little slow considering the place wasn't too busy so my advice is to go here only if you have an hour - hour and a half of time to allow, not if you're in a hurry!

    (3)

  • Emma J.

    Fun place to go for brunch. The breakfast potatoes, poached eggs and mimosas were all delicious.

    (4)

  • Ryan S.

    Went there for brunch. We both had omelettes. They were good and didn't make you feel awful afterwards. The "toast" that comes with is a joke. Its like one slice cut in half from a miniature loaf of bread. They shouldn't even mention it on the menu. I didn't need it, but was disappointed when I saw it on my plate. Set appropriate expectations. Their fruit was fresh. Their coffee was the star of the day. I found out the use Intelligentsia coffee so it made sense. I drink my coffee black so great coffee is important to me more than someone who douses it in cream and sugar. Fantastic cup of coffee. Wait staff was attentive but not hovering which is always appreciated.

    (3)

  • Aditya S.

    been to this place once for a weekend brunch. the brunch menu is small but the options do sound very interesting at first read. I got the quiche and the coffee and thought both were very tasty. my friends got the typical breakfast fare though, some special coffee and eggs and bread. The service i got when we were there was also very good. I am docking stars for this place because i think the cost of the meal was way too much for the amount of food that was given for a weekend brunch. I understand that they are in a place where the rent is high but the cost is high and they would have a repeat customer in me if it was cheaper.

    (3)

  • Kim L.

    First discovered after a long plane ride - starving for lunch. Had one of the best Caesar Salads ever - lightly dressed, divine. Nice wine selection and super great waiter Luis. We went back for Sunday brunch and had another five star feast. Great food, nice atmosphere and the staff is superb!

    (5)

  • Andrew M.

    I was there on 1/6/13 for coffee and didn't try the food, though I was tempted to the more I smelled what they were cooking up. I was meeting my friend for coffee and found the interior to be cozy, casual, and comfortable. The conversation was great, and so was the service. We were attended to even though we were both low-maintenance customers, being offered food, water, etc in a very unobtrusive way. I felt cared for by the staff who was warm and eager to serve. I'll certainly be back when I need a chill place to read, study or catch up with friends- I can't wait to come back and try some of the food as well!

    (5)

  • Adrienne D.

    Local Root is exactly what Streeterville has been needing! This is a cozy, indie joint with great food. My husband and I have been here twice - once for dinner, and once for lunch - and both were great experiences. For dinner, we went for the $5 cocktail of the day (a Friday special) and shared a few of the small plates - the autumn beet salad, lamb sausage flatbread, brussel sprouts, and brisket poutine (served over Belgian fries; yum!). We couldn't leave without sampling one of the delicious desserts that passed us, and ended up indulging in both the creme brulee and what was supposed to be one delicious cookie, but turned into two (one snickerdoodle, one chocolate chip) thanks to the generosity of the staff. At $70 for what was by anyone's standards TONS of delicious food between the two of us, we felt like we had a fantastic meal. When we went back for lunch just yesterday, we split the beet salad and a brisket sandwich on brioche (both without realizing we'd ordered similarly last time we were there... whoops). Thankfully, the food is consistently tasty and we were pleasantly surprised by one of the chefs bringing out a complimentary bowl of spinach soup, topped with shittake mushrooms and creme fraiche; we think they were debuting the soup and wanted our opinion... and we loved it! Next time I'm there I'll definitely order that soup if it's still on the menu (they seem to rotate the menu somewhat, seasonally). I've also had coffee (and a cookie) here with a friend, and it was the perfect spot for a nice chat, complete with a lot more charm than Starbucks next door. An extra plus of Local Root is that the staff is friendly, laid-back, and prompt. They also have daily specials (something to the effect of $5 glasses of wine on Mondays, 1/2 price bottles of wine on Tuesdays, $21 pre-fixe meal on Wednesdays, some discounted pastry/coffee combo on Thursdays, $5 cocktail on Fridays, etc.) Anyhow - so happy to see a spot so unique open on an otherwise drab, canned corner of the neighborhood!

    (5)

  • Mike K.

    Sorry hate to say, but local root has taken a turn for the worst. My wife and I decided to go today since Yolk had a wait. Well getting seated immediately doesn't mean faster. Would be manager wandering around looking for things to do while tables stay seated waiting for food. Breakfast should take 15 minutes. Right? Wrong. 30 minutes. Food arrived and find they have deep fried breakfast potatoes. No toast. Poor food quality. Sorry wont be returning. Waiter was friendly, but never returned after taking order.

    (2)

  • Laura O.

    Wonderful!!! Right off the bat, we told our waiter we were in a bit of a rush, and he was very polite and accommodating...also very enthusiastic! I had the eggplant sandwich, and I could tell how fresh the ingredients were. Love the decor and open concept--you can see the food being prepared off to the side! Would love to go back here, if I only had the time to sit down for lunch more often.

    (5)

  • Andrew Y.

    Was happy to find a more sustainable restaurant open up in the old Adesso space in Streeterville. And at a block walk from my condo I was really hoping to find another go to restaurant that was a little less expensive than Quay, and a little better food than D4. Local Root achieved both these objectives. The atmosphere is quaint, especially during breakfast with a coffee and a study break. The dining fare has been excellent, including the poutine and mussels and wine, and not nearly as expensive as some equivocal dishes in the city. The small space allows significant attention to be payed to you by the staff, but they also know how not to be overbearing. Have been back to LR 3 times now and have not been disappointed. I see many more visits in our future.

    (4)

  • Jessie B.

    I enjoyed a nice lunch here last week. The service staff is exceptionally kind and welcoming, even when my energetic 2 year old decided to cause a bit of a ruckus. I ordered a salad that came with lemony asparagus and a quinoa/brown rice blend. It was nice and the ingredients were fresh and REAL tasting, but it wasn't terribly exciting. My younger son had the polenta crusted chicken strips which were decent, but tasteless without the dipping sauce. I am not suggesting to add some crappy extra ingredients to the batter, but a bit of salt/pepper would've gone a long way. My older son had the proscuitto/goat cheese flatbread which was delicious! Others at my table had briskett sandwiches which were excellent and a burger which was great. All in all, a very nice place that spells out their ingredient origins very well. I would definitely go back and have lunch here again if I'm in the area.

    (4)

  • Viktor F.

    I entered this restaurant today wary, because I usually don't go for restaurants that are all natural and organic and local just because I would rather go to a mainstream restaurant. I will say that I didn't like their all natural Diet Cola, but then my grass fed burger and hand cut fries came. It was PHENOMENAL. I ordered it well done, which some restaurants can butcher, but this was perfect. Crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside-perfect. The fries were delicious and crispy. The service was average, but friendly. Our food came a little slow and the waiter forgot to ask how I wanted my burger until a few minutes later. The atmosphere was friendly and not too loud with an almost full restaurant. The kitchen is totally open to the dining room which is loud, but it's nice to see your food being cooked. All in all, it was a good experience, and it surprised me in a good way. I would come back again the next time I'm in Chicago.

    (4)

  • John B.

    Easily my favorite spot to grab a delicious meal. No suit or fancy attire required but could easily be called one of the most diverse environments in this area. The locally sourced food and well thought out menu speaks volumes for the chef here. Everytime I go, I like to try something different, which I usually never do, but am always pleasantly surprised. Keep up the good product my friends!

    (5)

  • MaryAnne M.

    Recently had lunch with some co-workers. Refreshing business model compared to the typical downtown Chipolte / Jimmy Johns options. If you are going to spend $10.00 on a sandwich why not give it to a local & sustainable restaurant? I went for the Duck Confit Brioche. It was delicious. Also has a great beer section. Yes, I may have had a pseudo liquid lunch.

    (3)

  • Kate S.

    I love this place--it's a great neighborhood go-to spot for those in Streeterville. It's just enough off the beaten path that you can escape the hoards of tourists (even in the summer) and I've enjoyed everything that I have ordered there. They have indoor and outdoor seating, and a few seats at their fully stocked bar. They make the best fresh breads and pastries and have delicous vegetarian and gluten free options. I particularly appreciate their locally-sourced approach. Last night I enjoyed the "eggplant tower" which was fabulous--basalmic reduction sauce, homemade delectable red marinara sauce, roasted eggplant, goat cheese between the layers, fresh, crisp, and delicate green beans. Their flourless chocolate cake was heaven--melted in my mouth and almost tasted like mousse. Yum.

    (5)

  • Matt T.

    Local Root is a real solid spot in the Streeterville neighborhood that is seriously lacking variety and local/organic options. A smaller menu with items like Poutine that are only served after 5pm (haven't tried it yet) but the breakfast and lunch items are pretty good. I think the breakfast sandwiches could have a bit more seasoning but it's freshly prepared and pretty tasty, all on a freshly baked ciabatta roll. It's nice to see that LR now gives you the option of the frites with your breakfast sandwich, rather than stuffing them in your bag and forcing you to eat these delicious things. They lowered the price of just the sandwich accordingly. Prices are a bit high but to be expected for eating local and organic and for the neighborhood. I still think $15 for a duck confit sandwich and side is too much, but it is what it is. I've yet to do dinner here or drinks at the bar but it's such a nice option for the neighborhood. I finally have a spot close to work that I can eat a sit-down lunch or dinner or even get happy hour drinks. I'm tired of the same chain spots and Tommy O'Tooles. I'm also happy to see that they serve some of the best coffee, Chicago's own Intelligentsia. The uncooked pasta as coffee mixers is a nice and unique environmentally friendly alternative to plastic or wood stirrers. Overall, the food I had was pretty good. Duck confit was great and so was the pulled pork. Fries are great, locally made ketsup is a nice alternative to Heinz and LR has the best damn chocolate chip cookies I have ever had. PERIOD. They usually have fresh samples in the morning which is a great treat with my coffee. I'll definitely continue to support LR and hope they expand the menu a bit. I'm looking forward to trying the dinner items and having a cocktail or beer at the bar.

    (4)

  • J M.

    I've wanted to go to Local Root since it opened in last year. It took about a year, but I finally went for lunch and it definitely did not disappoint: The food was great, service was on par, and everything was of great value. My friend and I shared the brisket sandwich, bacon and caramel poutine and a side salad. The brisket was perfectly tender and succulent, not dry. Plus, I didn't detect an ounce of fat on the meat, which was great for me! This was our first time eating poutine, and we both enjoyed how the sweet contrasted with the savory. My only nit was that the fries could have been crispier, but I'm not sure if fries can really be crispy in poutine. I'm excited to come back here again.

    (4)

  • Maria P.

    The chilaquiles are fantastic--great, smoky flavor. Admittedly, the service used to be terrible. But I went for the chilaquiles anyway. I'm happy to report that the last couple times I've gone, my waiter has been great, and my food has come quickly and perfectly.

    (4)

  • Jamie B.

    I came here today for breakfast and the food was really good. My dining companions had breakfast sandwiches. One had the standard bacon, egg, white cheddar sandwich served with red potatoes. The other had the lamb, egg, and goat cheese breakfast sandwich with red potatoes. I had the berries and bleu french toast. All of our dishes were really good. My only complaint is with the french press coffee; we ordered the one that was supposedly 4 cups ($11.99) thinking we'd each have a cup....not so. One person didn't get any at all, as the amount in the carafe only served two small cups. It was overpriced and not very good. I would recommend just sticking with regular brewed coffee if you're drinking coffee at breakfast here. I'll be back.

    (4)

  • Barbara B.

    Hate to tell you how great this place is. Otherwise it would get crowded. But it's a secret gem. I love it. Shhhhh

    (5)

  • Mike R.

    Was in Chicago on a business trip and Local Root was recommended by the hotel I was staying. What a great recommendation! The restaurant isn't in the tourist trap area, it's off the beaten path in a neighborhood and that made for an even more pleasant meal. Dined on the patio, weather was excellent and after we were seated the server came and explained the specials and took drink orders. I had the special stuffed chicken: it was amazing! Cooked perfectly and very tasty. The manager stopped by the table to check on how the meal was and he was very friendly and attentive. This place is a hidden gem and I would definitely come back and highly recommend to anyone looking for excellent food, service and a nice location,

    (5)

  • J V.

    Very over priced. I got the vegan ciabatta and it was mini. The bun wasn't a standard sandwich size. The salad instead of fries cost me $2 more and it was tiny with just greens, onion, tomato slices, mini croutons and dressing. The meal that left me hungry still cost $16. It was really a shame.

    (2)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :7:00 am - 10:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : Yes
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Brunch
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Good For Dancing : No
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : Yes
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Local Root

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